#anyway back to reading rogue elements now.

[wingsofhcpe]

final update: I read the summary of all episodes of Picard s2-3 in Wikipedia and I've decided not to continue watching s2 or get to s3. I'm perfectly satisfied with season 1 and will instead proceed to write my alternative s2 longfic and be happy reading friends' fics instead!

S2 and 3 officially do not exist for me! I am FREE.

[iwillneverforgiveyousunghanbin]

lesson (still not) learned

part one: lesson (not) learned *** read note below wc: 2k reader: afab (i don't think i used any pronouns so i don't think its femme? just warning you just in case!!) warnings: EXPLICIT SMUT MINORS DNI!!! (detailed warnings below cut) summary: hao convinces poly!reader to help him tie up dom!hanbin when he least expects it SO. this is PART TWO to lesson (not) learned. *** it got c*mm*n*ty l*b*led (lmao i don't want them to find this one) so PLEASE if you wanna go read that one just turn off/enable your l*b*ls on your account to read it. you can always change them back lol. i might repost a version with warnings under the cut since i was stupid and forgot to. oh well. also does this need a part 3 where hao and hanbin get their revenge?? lemme know. anyway i love this one ENJOY!!

SMUT UNDER CUT MINORS DNI!! you have been warned 🚨

warnings: established poly relationship, oral m!receiving, brief mxm (oral), handjob, pussyjob, p in v intercourse— riding, orgasm denial, hanbin and hao’s wrists are tied to the bed, brattysubbyswitch!hao that attempts to dom, switch!reader that doms towards the end, dom-leaningswitch!hanbin that “subs” for most, pet names (baby, angel, honey), they talk in the third person a lot bc they’re all horny messes, obviously swearing, this is not dubcon-- hanbin loves it he just has to keep up his dom persona… also unprotected sex (be smart, stay safe or whatever). i think that should cover it?

~

“i’d double-knot that if i were you, angel,” hanbin suggests; a broad, cocky smile now gracing his lips. you reluctantly obey— knowing he’s right. how hao had talked you into tricking hanbin, you had no idea.

sure, the idea of tying up hanbin and using him however you liked was incredibly intriguing, but you knew the punishment for it would be more intense than you’d yet to experienced it was both terrifying and thrilling. 

plus hao promised to do your laundry for a month if you helped him. so now, here you are— the element of surprise the only way you managed to secure both of hanbin’s wrists to slats in the headboard of the bed with two silk ties. you tuck the extra one you’d brought in case of an emergency under hanbin’s pillow, safely out of his reach.

“no talking,” hao barks, starting to unbutton hanbin’s jeans and pull down the zipper. you can tell that hao is doing his best to imitate how hanbin usually talks to the both if you. it’s cuter than he intended and, from the chuckle that escapes hanbin, you can tell he thinks the same.

“and no laughing,” you add, crawling over to help hao tug hanbin’s jeans down past his hips. “if binnie makes a sound, he’ll have to be punished.”

“yeah? and what will be binnie’s punishment?” hanbin asks curiously; smiling softly at you. 

“he’ll find out soon,” hao answers, shimmying hanbin’s jeans and underwear down his legs and discarding them carelessly on the floor, “since he just earned one.”

“ooooh,” hanbin mocks, eyebrows raised in a challenge. though he’s pretending to be annoyed by this stunt, his cock is already hard. “i’m very scared, hyungie.”

“and another,” hao replies before spitting in his hands and wrapping them around the base of hanbin’s length— starting to gently wring them as he takes the tip into his mouth.

hanbin doesn’t react at first, but the farther hao shoves his cock down his throat, the harder it is for him to continue maintaining his composure. once hao starts sucking, the older boy taps hanbin’s hips quickly to signal you to come help him hold them down. 

“don’t play with him though,” hao warns as he comes up for air. “binnie’s mine right now.”

you roll your eyes as you crawl back over, placing a hand over hanbin’s lower abdomen to keep him still for hao. the younger boy’s face is screwed up in pleasure— a rogue moan escaping him every now and then despite his best efforts to keep quiet. 

it’s not long before the sight has you rubbing your thighs together— the need for friction getting the better of you. hanbin eyes you tentatively, gazing at your core as you feel yourself starting to grind into the sheets.

it’s only another minute before hanbin is cursing— warning hao that he’s about to cum. “g’nna cum, don’t stop! g’nna— NO, NO FUCK!”

hanbin lets out a frustrated cry as hao removes his length from his mouth. hao kisses each of hanbin’s thighs, laughing meanly, “should’ve kept your mouth shut, huh, binnie?”

a particular grind of your pussy against the mattress causes you to moan and hao’s eyes dart to you. his attention falls to your core— practically sticking to the mattress from all of the juice pouring out of it. 

“did you like that, baby?” hao asks, lips parting as he continues to stare at your heat. “grinding your little pussy watching us?”

you bite your lip, nodding shyly as hanbin continues to seethe.

“well are you gonna keep it all to yourself or are you gonna share with the rest of us?” hao asks, prompting you to take your index and middle finger and swipe at your slick— starting to hold it out to hanbin.

“ah-ah,” hao shakes his head. “i taste first today, remember?”

you blink back at him, bringing your fingers up to hao’s lips. he takes them in his mouth; sucking them as he lets out a throaty moan. when he releases them, he licks his lips— praising, “taste so good, baby. now give hanbinnie a bite.”

you bring your fingers back to your core, coating them again and extending them to a slightly calmer hanbin. he doesn’t take them in his mouth, but he does lick them clean. “thank you, angel,” he says softly, clearly trying to get on your good side.

“my turn now?” you ask, turning to hao.

“i guess,” the older boy huffs reluctantly as you switch positions; throwing a leg around hanbin’s lap to straddle him. “gonna ride binnie?”

“i don’t think my angel is ready to take m—,” hanbin starts to tease when you hold his cock to your entrance, but as you sink down onto him, his sentence is cut short. “oh, fuuuck.”

letting yourself adjust to his size, you slowly start to bounce up and down— finding a good rhythm as hanbin’s eyes roll back at the feeling of your tight walls around him. hao strokes his cock as he watches the scene— tough guy act thrown out the window within minutes as you continue to ride hanbin.

“perfect,” hanbin pants, a light glisten of sweat starting to form on his skin. he’s getting close again as he’s already riled up from his first orgasm denial and you moan at his praise. “pussy s'perfect.”

“fuck, i wanna see binnie cum,” hao whines from beside you; his pumping of his cock getting sloppier. you shake your head at his infuriating need for constant attention. “baby, please— wanna watch binnie cum inside you.”

“are you kidding me!? this was all your idea,” you yell back at him. hanbin laughs under you and you squeeze your walls tightly to shut him up. he throws his head back in a strangled moan— tugging a little harder on his wrist constraints as his desire to get his hands on you grows even stronger.

“i know, but,” hao replies and a quick glance at him tells you he’s just as desperate as hanbin is for release. you should’ve figured hao would cave under the pressure. “binnie wants to cum so bad.”

you turn back to hanbin. he’s whimpering now; biting his lip hard to keep from coming undone. as his hips lazily trying to fuck up into you, you realize that hanbin must be enjoying this much more than he’s been letting on. 

“is it good, binnie?” you ask, running your hands up his chest. hanbin nods wildly; tugging against his restraints again. “does binnie wanna cum?”

hanbin nods again— pressing his lips together to keep from answering. you remember now that hao’s rule for hanbin had been not to talk. but now that you had obviously been handed the reins by your irritatingly needy partner in crime, you were suddenly excited to switch things up and play the game your own way.

you lean forward, pressing a messy kiss to hanbin’s lips. he accepts greedily; thrusting his hips harder as your tongues fight hungrily for dominance. before anyone can win, you pull back slightly. “you can trust me, binnie. i’ll let binnie cum if he tells me he wants to cum.”

hanbin searches your eyes; so overcome with desperation that he doesn’t care whether you’re telling the truth or not. “oh my god, yes— wanna cum inside you, angel.”

his cock twitches inside you and you whimper in response. reaching your left hand out now to cup hao’s jaw beside you, you run your thumb across his cheek soothingly. “does hao wanna cum, too?”

with wide eyes, hao nods— nuzzling his cheek into your touch. “please, baby!”

“come here, then,” you instruct as hao eagerly crawls towards you— positioning himself on his knees to bring his cock more level with your mouth. you wrap your hand around the shaft and bring the tip to your lips; lapping at the head as hao’s right hand caresses your cheek carefully. taking his full length in your mouth, hao gasps when he hits the back of your throat.

the sound makes you clench around hanbin, which causes the younger boy to inadvertently buck his hips up into you. you gag a bit as hanbin cries out pitifully— his abdomen shaking a bit from the pleasurable sensation. removing hao’s cock from your mouth, you continue to pump him.

“look at binnie, honey,” you say, watching as hao directs his attention to hanbin. “this is what you wanted, hmm? to see binnie all squirming and helpless like this?”

as hao reaches his hand towards hanbin’s face, hanbin quickly understands what the older boy is asking for— taking his middle and ring fingers into his mouth. a fresh flood of desire warms your core as hanbin swirls his tongue around hao’s fingers— sucking on them until hao’s jaw drops at the sight.

“mm, binnie’s so pretty sucking my fingers while you fuck him,” hao whimpers as you pick up the pace of your hand; continuing to fuck yourself on hanbin’s cock. the two boys in front of you are starting to get messy in their need to cum. “baby’s so nice to let binnie cum. w-wanna cum, too!”

“lie down, honey,” you suggest as you watch hao’s thighs start to shake— unable to stay propped on his knees as he gets closer to his high. with a mischievous look in your eyes, you continue, “hao can cum, too.”

“hyungie, i wouldn’t do that if i were— oh fuuuuck,” hanbin starts to warn, but you cut him off by milking his dick with your walls again; an absolutely pathetic moan escaping his throat. “do whatever you want, hyung— oh my god.”

hao must not hear any of what hanbin says over the throbbing of his cock, because he collapses on his back next to the younger boy almost immediately— nearly out of his mind as he looks up at you through dark, lust-filled eyes. 

“our hao doesn’t know what’s good for him, huh, angel?” hanbin whispers, smirking at you as if he thinks he’s on your team now. 

he’s not.

a hard smack to the side of his ass sends him reeling; crying out at the pain that’s followed quickly by pleasure. hanbin looks up at you; bottom lip tucked between his teeth as he mewls. smiling at him innocently, you reply, “neither does binnie.”

“touch hao’s cock!!” the older boy huffs; starting to throw a tantrum at the lack of attention on him. “been so good, just wanna cum.”

hanbin starts to laugh again, but his laugh turns to a yelp at the loss of contact as you lift up off of his length. “no, no, no, nooooo,” he whines, thrusting his hips up to try to find your entrance again but you’re already climbing off him and hooking a leg around the older boy to straddle him. 

“didn’t binnie hear? hao wants to cum,” you say to hanbin, nearly giggling at how angry and wet you’ve left his cock. you’re surprised when you see hanbin’s eyes water in frustration. he had apparently been holding it together on the outside this whole time far better than he was on the inside. “and hao’s been so good.”

hao hums; biting his lip in a sweet smile as you lower yourself down towards his crotch. grinding your warm, slick folds on hao’s shaft— both hanbin and hao moan at the contact. “s'amazing, baby. love it s’much, thank you."

taking each of hao’s hands in one of yours, you gently pin them above his head— holding both of his wrists in your left hand as you stealthily reach for the extra silk tie under the pillow that hanbin is resting on. 

“could you cum like this, honey?” you ask hao, trying your best to keep your poker face as the veins running up his shaft tease your clit while you grind against him. 

hao nods; his eyes closing from the pleasure. “please keep going, baby,” he begs as you wrap the tie around his wrists— taking advantage of his state of blissed-out state of distraction. “g’nna cum if you keep going.”

securing hao’s wrists to a slat in the headboard; you tie the second knot on the far side so its out of reach of his fingers. sitting back up straight, you continue to grind on hao’s cock; reaching over and taking hanbin’s in your hand as well.

hanbin sighs in relief, meeting your gaze. “my angel’s so smart, huh?”

you nod as your hand works the same rhythm as your core. hao hasn’t noticed the constraint on his wrists as his moaning grows even more uncontrollable. the twitching of hanbin’s cock against your palm alerts you that he, too, is dangerously close.

“fuck, g’nna cum, baby,” hao cries, only now attempting to move his arms. his brow furrows confusedly amidst the pleasure as he tugs at the silk tie holding his hands to the headboard. “what the—... mm, when did—… NO, PLEASE! BABY, PLEASE!”

just as hao is about to cum, you pull off of him and crawl back over to hanbin. he immediately begins to cry; babbling absolute nonsense in a hopeless plea to make you come back and finish him off. hanbin is concerningly silent, lips pressed together and brows knitted-- seemingly praying that he’s been nice enough to you tonight to avoid meeting the same fate as hao.

you continue to pump hanbin’s cock; speeding up the pace as he stifles his moaning.

“THIS ISN’T FUCKING FAIR!” hao wails next to hanbin—hiccupping through his tears. “this was my idea!”

“shouldn’t have pussied out so early then,” you reply with a glare, sticking your tongue out at him childishly. brushing hanbin’s bangs out of his face, you tell him sweetly, “don’t worry. binnie gets to cum.”

the younger boy’s face lights up at your words as he melts into your touch like the prettiest puppy— hao still throwing a fit to your left.

“but not yet,” you say with a wicked smile; removing your hand from around hanbin’s cock and quickly hopping off of the bed.

hanbin yelps angrily; thrashing at his wrist restraints— definitely wishing now that he hadn’t reminded you to tie a double-knot. menacingly, he growls, “get your ass back here right now.”

from the doorway, you giggle. “it’s okay— i’ll be back in a little bit! and then whoever can last the longest inside of me can go free.”

running out of the room before the boys can protest further, hanbin and hao are left lying next to each other on the bed— wrists tied up behind them to the headboard.

“you’re a fucking idiot,” hanbin huffs, kicking hao’s shin with his foot.

the older boy pouts, mumbling as the tip of his cock leaks sorrily onto his stomach: 

“takes one to know one.”

[inspiredrawaw]

The Eclipse team!

Myrvin McGrove a star mage apprentice and next in line for fox protector of the local forest.

Jaxie Richard a knight in training who also works really hard to have a social life

Lemon “Lemy” Blixt a lemon orchard farmer who is very tired and is the life that gives you lemons

Charlotte Richard, a sneaky rogue of the land and also Jaxie’s sister!!! Family dinners are a bit tense

And now things I’ve changed for the design and whyyyyyy and how it fits in the storrryyyyyyyyyyyyy

First off! I had no desire to draw these characters for a while which told me that I needed to change some things to make them exciting to draw again.

Now originally this story was set in a modern world and the characters were placed into a fantasy world. I apparently don’t like modern settings for my stories so full on fantasy we go! I’m also a SUCKER for fantasy give me full control of the world to sandbox in

Because of this some designs were changed.

I changed Myrvins deer mask to fox because I feel like it’s a better insight into this guys character and there is a fox constellation! I also already have a deer character in my other story Opal Reapers and I didn’t want repeats

And due to my experiences with (hopefully temporary) vision loss I wanted to change a bit on how Myrvins vision loss worked. Such as having a short white ID cane that’s great to help with depth perception and having his mask cover 1 eye to make things easier for him. I did change his scar to be more star shape and his cape to look like that of a fox!

Now Jaxie, jaxie has been the one name from when these guys were septic ego OCs that kept the name so I also switched it and put an x in there. X marks the spot for Myrvins affection apparently and also probleeeemmmsss. He needs a break! 👏👏👏 went for more knight armor but kept some elements from his previous design such as ginger hair and his double lit candle tattoo. And the red hoodie that is his STAPLE

LEMY!!!!!! I love Lemy. So I never shared this character but they were suppose to be a guide for Myrvin in the original fantasy world. But now they don’t need that and I still wanted a reference to the original title dealing with orchard. But we already got our red character so yellow it was! Our sour lemon lantern orchard farmer. I designed her hat to look like a straw hat but still be part of her head design I am so happy with it. Also gives scarecrow vibes

AND CHARLOTTE!!!!!!!!! GOD SHES FINALLY BEEN GIVEN TRAITS DEAR STARS. So originally went from being Jaxies brother, to goth sister named Charlie, to now Charlotte problem was that I didn’t know what role she played in the story. She’s a lesbian mess with a knife I love her. She’s a rose both pretty and will slice ya. Big dramatic anime villain vibes for someone who is not a villain. Both Charlotte and Jaxie are trans because I think it’s funny to think that they were told to share as kids and shared everything including their gender and never asked for it back.

The story is still gonna revolve around the Solar and lunar Eclipses drama and poor communication skills and take up Myrvin and Jaxie as there champions as celestial entities DO. Which I shall design….. eventually

ANYWAY if you made it down here thanks for reading let me know what you think.

[buckyarchives]

Little Mermaid | Bucky Barnes

summary: a mission gone rogue, and bucky has to depend on you to save him, with the help of a few unlikely friends found in the middle of the atlanic.

8.5k words

warnings: none, bucky's self-loathing

a/n: avatar has taken over my life so now you guys get a deep sea bucky fic where he bonds with dolphins, yes. It's literally pure fluff, I'm sorry I'm weak. I AM TAKING REQUESTS BTW!!!

Read on AO3

“How long has she been in there?”

Bucky glanced down at his watch. “30 minutes, and 25 seconds.”

“You gonna get her out?” Sam scoffed, his voice echoing around the walls of the dome-like room. The water reflected on the two boys, decorating mostly bucky's faces with ripples of the water as the lights lit up the pool.

“Hmm.'' Bucky hummed. Craning his head to look down into the pool, where your blurry figure sat at the bottom. I the peaceful bliss you'd often escape to. “No, she’ll get mad.”

“We leave for the mission later, make sure to tell her to get ready once she gets out,” Sam said, bucky nodded. “She will get out soon, right?”

“Hope so."

Bucky didn't pay Sam even a glance. his eyes trained onto the waters and a slacked jaw. A sweet and blissful smile painted his face, and Sam noticed, smirking to himself. 

Sam has known bucky longer, but you sure knew him better. Nonetheless, Sam knew of how impatient Bucky could be, he spent most of his days being a close-to intolerable grumpy asshole– but once it came to you. it was entirely different. Sam would catch bucky sometimes, like now, just sitting next to the pool for hours on end. just waiting like some lost puppy.

Waiting for you to come up from the water for the breath of air you so rarely needed. Only to spare Bucky a quick conversation or just a glance before diving back down. Bucky would make himself comfortable and rid of his shoes and roll up his pants to dip his feet in. but the majority of the time, he'd just watch and wait with the same love-sick smile on his face.

Yeah, love-sick. Everyone knew it, saw it, hell– felt it in the compound. The tension, the sweet glances from across the room, the way Bucky would find any excuse to follow you to bodies of water– despite his distaste for swimming or being wet. The obvious pining between the two of you, almost knew, everyone except for bucky and you. If that was even possible.

If on cue, right as Sam was about to leave. The loud swish and splash of water brought his gaze back to the pool, where you came up from under with your hair slick back and water droplets falling off your nose. Bucky's eyes didn't leave you once.

“Back to dry land, little mermaid?” Sam snarked, you laughed sweetly as you slowly swam towards the edge, right next to bucky. Bringing your arms to rest on the edge, puddles of water pool around your arms and slowly crept towards bucky. But, he didn't even think to scoot away from you.

“Very funny, bird man.” you replied back, turning your head towards bucky. “You still don't want to get in?”

Not missing a beat in the offer, after the first few weeks of noticing the super soldier hanging around the pool whilst you swam. Eventually, You'd started to offer every time he showed up, bucky always said no, but you'd never stopped asking. Apart from you maybe just wanted to share the one thing you cherished just as much as him. 

But he always just sat at arm's length and watched you in your element. Bucky would never say it out loud– but it was one of his favorite things to do. Getting distracted in the ripples of the water, losing himself in the soft sound of you doing laps. 

Bucky was quick to shake his head, his long brunette hair swayed with the motion. And almost innocent look on his face. “No, I'm okay. We have a mission, anyways.” 

You frowned– but were not surprised, slowly pulling yourself out from the water. Dressed only in a dark blue body suit, water dripping rapidly from your limbs. “Really?”

“In 3 hours,” Bucky replied, and you audibly groaned. You wished for another hour of the stillness that lay at the bottom of the pool.

“What's the details?” you padded over to the table, grabbing a towel from the rack and drying yourself off. 

Bucky watches intently, not in a creepy way. Adoration, and curiosity is how he liked to explain it. Your abilities and connection with h2o had always been a mystery to him, to everyone, except maybe director Fury. You could control water, that he knew. I mean, bucky was the one to find you washed up on some random Californian beach. Only to find out you had no memory of dry lands.

So, bucky always had half a thought to wonder why you dried yourself off with a towel, him being close to sure you could get it done with a flick of your wrist. shit, he saw you drain every last drop of it from a Hydra agent that had pissed you off.

“Me, you, Bucky, and Steve are going on a recon mission. There's an unidentified island somewhere in the Atlantic.” Sam started, “rumored to be a leftover Hydra base. You and Bucky are going in on the north end, Steve and I will be arriving on the south end.”

“Over waters?” you ask, a slight perk in your voice. Sam and Bucky nod, and you smiled. Even the closeness of your past home lit a fire inside you. Mumbling under your breath, “not so bad, I guess.”

“Yep, and we leave soon so both of you get ready.” Sam said again. Before turning around and leaving you and Bucky alone.

Wrapping the towel fully around your body, shivering from the sudden coolness of the air. Bucky awkwardly shifts on his feet, the slick floor beneath his leather boots squeaking as he attempts not to slip (because he did once and you've never let it go.)  

“Don't slip.” you remind him as if you could read his mind. A smirk painted on your lips and bucky’s under his breath.

“If I do, you’re obliged to catch me.” bucky snarks back.

Your head perks up, “oh yeah? Says who?”

Bucky doesn't answer your question, and leaves the teased question unanswered just to annoy you. 

“Whatever.” laughing, beaming up at bucky like he was the world. “See you in a few,” you say, walking past the semi-dazed man as bucky's eyes followed you out of the room, the loud door booms as it closes leaving him alone. 

Exhaling a shaky breath, settling the fast-paced beat in his chest. His face feels warm despite the chillness of the pool room. Bucky needed to get a wrap of his emotions before this mission, the first one-on-one mission with you. Bucky likes to watch, and observe with a slight adoration in his eyes. Silence is a familiarity between you two. Bucky’s too used to stuttering around in his brain anytime he sees you, silence and short meaningless banter is better– easier.

Bucky trudged up to his room with the thought of you heavy in his head, along with the warmth you bring him. 

*****

Steve and Sam had taken off approximately 40 minutes before you and bucky, you went back and forth in the hanger loading all the equipment needed. You soon realize this was the first duo mission with bucky alone, being alone with him wasn't a strange thing but, this was different. 

“Take off in 10.” agents Hill reminds you, “this mission shouldn’t be long, we just need you two to check all security and activity on the north side and get out. No jumping to take any risks.'' Maria eyed Bucky, earning a grumble and eye roll at the obvious poke at his reckless behavior involving Hydra assignments. You can understand why. 

Bucky headed up the hanger, you went to follow but just before you could, Maria grabbed onto your shoulder. “I’m serious, Y/N. keep him off the ledge, no fighting unless absolutely necessary.” 

Nodding, and sending her a reassuring smile. “If he needs someone to keep him out of his head, why not send Steve?” you ask honestly, eyes glancing back towards bucky as he got the jet ready for take off.

“Believe it or not, I think bucky trusts your opinion more than Steve’s nowadays.'' Maria finished, walking off before you could question the meaning of what she said, exactly. Your eyebrows knotted, turning back to the man adjusting his seat at the nose of the jet. 

Surely that couldn't be true? You and bucky were close friends, best friends even. But you've only known him for, what? Like seven, or eight months? Steve’s known him his entire life, grew up with him, and shared memories with bucky from before his life went to shit. 

A part of you always thought Bucky only lingered around you because he was the one to find you, like it was an insensible responsibility he held above himself. Because he always held himself responsible for things out of his control, too hard on himself. And you were just there, you were the outsider just like him. You valued your friendship and respected him but you've always assumed part of it was just out of pity.

Heading up the hanger and letting it close behind you, the soft sound of the engines starting up as you strapped into the co-pilot's seat. Bucky was always much better at flying these than you. Your eyes glance over to him awkwardly a few times, settling into your seat as lift-off begins, bracing through the small turbulence before you were flying gently in the sky.

“ETA should be about 30 minutes.” bucky said, hands steady on the gears. You nodded in response.

“What do you think will be there?” you ask curiously, mostly to just fill the silence.

Bucky hummed, his icy blue eyes glancing at you. The ones that never fail to leave you breathless, even from the very beginning. “Zero ideas, I hope nothing.”

“Agreed.” you nodded. Bucky's eyes didn’t leave you, and you met him quickly. 

You opened your mouth to speak, but the words got lost on your tongue and you, as well, got lost in his gaze. 

Seemingly, always having a habit of doing so, from the moment bucky found you on that beach, half alive. The first thing you saw as you opened your eyes was those deep blue eyes that reminded you too much of the only place you've known. From an instant finding comfort in bucky, in his Atlantic blue irises.

As bucky got distracted in your gaze, both of you did. Seconds or minutes could have passed, and the loud noise of fire coming towards you muffled out. That was until it hit you, literally, the loud boom and shake startling you and bringing you both back down to reality.

An instant panic sets in as bucky tried to get control over the jet, the engines are down, GPS is lost and you were declining rapidly. but the shots didn't stop and you were both helplessly freefalling inside the coup. 

“Under the seat! The parachutes.” bucky shouted as he desperately tried at the gears. Quickly, turning around to look but it came up empty. You checked your surrounding in a frenzy, every place you think, unable to keep yourself steady as you began ascending towards the water.

You must have tripped as you went for a storage container in search of the parachutes because you fell into warm arms before you could hit your head. Looking towards Bucky as he held you, an obvious set of panicked eyes staring down at you.

“There's none.”

Bucky’s eyebrows knotted, settling you on your feet in front of him. Hands still settling onto your shoulder to keep you steady. “What? What do you mean there's none?”

“There are no parachutes, I checked everywhere,” you yelled over the loud sound of systems beeping as they failed, and your mind as it scattered for a plan B.

“What the fuck!” bucky yelled out of frustration.

Another boom and shake, and you were on the ground. Bucky followed with as he ducked, his arms still wrapped around you, even tighter now. Another shot was fired at you and it was clear whoever was behind the fire really wanted you out of the sky. As the shots hit the sides sliding doors. Bucky held onto you so as not to fall, but that gave you an even better idea.

“Do you trust me?” you shouted, eyes glancing towards the familiar comfort of waters.

“What?”

“Do you trust me?” you shout again, making sure to maintain eye contact as you spoke. Bucky let out a heavy exhale, nodding slowly. His brunette hair whipped around as the harsh winds took over.

“Is this going to be reckless?” bucky asked you, even though he was almost certain of your answer. 

You didn’t respond, only grabbed harshly at bucky's hand and dragged him towards the edge. Visible fear showed on bucky’s face, reminding you of how he even got to where he was now. 

Bucky wasn't going to lie and say being faced with falling dozens of feet, unsure of survival– didn’t scare the sit out of him. Trying to shake the flashes of the water turning into the snowing alps as he stared down, trying to settle his panic.

A warmth took over him suddenly, as you snuck your hand into his, hoping to comfort him. it did. “Hey, bucky. Just look at me, I promise we’ll be okay. Just trust me.”

Hesitantly, Bucky nodded and kept his eyes on you. Gulping down his nerves as you counted down in your head, cursing to yourself because you were supposed to keep him off the ledge, and here you were– ready to jump off it and dragging him down with you. 

“Take a deep breath,” you shouted before harshly grabbing him and hurling both of you over and into a free fall into the water. 

Bucky's grasp got tighter around you, and yours around him just before the harsh impact of the ocean submerged you both. The familiar feeling of it filling your lungs and surrounding your body, the dark blue depths– the bliss and peace of it all.

Glancing down at the man in your arms, realizing bucky had gone unconscious.

You really regret not teaching him how to swim like you now.

*****

The gentle whispers of waves filled bucky’s ears, his eyes slowly fluttering open as he took in the bright surroundings. A fresh, salty air filled his nose as he breathed– he could practically taste it on his tongue. bucky's head pounded and made him dizzy. The uncomfortable feeling of wet clothing sticking to his skin makes him cringe, slowly rising his head. Bucky noticed your familiar figure in his line of sight.

“What- what? Where are we?” his lungs and throat burned as he spoke, feeling raw as if he had spent the past hours yelling his lungs out. A feeling all too familiar. Slowly, coming to his senses and he noticed the pure amount of blue that filled his surroundings. “Are we–”

“We’re okay, don’t panic,” you reassured him, noticing your wet hair (as it usually is) and that you were stripped of your tactical suit and now only dressed in a full-body wet suit. 

Bucky whipped around, feeling the hard surface under him– what looked like to be rocks? In the middle of the ocean? “Where are we?” looking up to only see water, for miles and miles. Seemingly no land in sight besides whatever he and you reside on now.

“We’re on charlie,” you explain simply, sitting across from him.

“What–” bucky’s words are interrupted by the sudden spray of water in front of his face, getting him all wet again. Shouting as he scrambles away from the blow hole, he screaked. “What the fuck!”

You laugh at bucky, with an aggressive confusion playing out on his face, eyes bulging from his head, as he suddenly realizes what he's on– who he's on. The faint sight of a fin the size of a truck waving through the waters. Bucky begins scattered around in a panic. You noticed, and an exaggerated sigh leaves your lips.

“This is Charlie, he's a blue whale,” you state like it makes any goddamn sense to bucky. “He's my friend.”

“And when were you going to tell me you were friends with a goddamn whale?” bucky asks, still taking in the scary yet– incredible, once-in-a-lifetime sight. Bucky can confidently say he's seen and experienced way too many ‘once in a lifetime’ things, but his history says none of them have been good, or at least resulted in good things. But this, he sat on top of a blue whale in the middle of god knows where sea. Bucky couldn’t comprehend it.

You shrug. “It never came up.”

Scoffing, “it never came up.” bucky mocks you, but with no ill intent. his eyes still darting around the whale's back that you both sat on. The water rose up and down, meeting his legs. Bucky's eyes meet yours again, in comparison to bucky you seemed the calmest person in the world. “Seriously, where are we?”

“Uh.” you inhale, looking around at the vast blue like you'd see any indication of where you were. “Definitely northern Atlantic since that's where we fell. I'd say a couple of miles east of the mid Atlantic ridge. I have backup coming soon to figure out.”

Bucky's head tilts. “You got comms out here?”

In the middle of the Atlantic, on a blue whale after you, both doze into the water. Your coms would have gotta damaged in the fall, and if they did still work– there's no way that wherever you two were it would reach anyone.

“Not that kind of backup” 

“Please don't tell me you have an orca whale coming to pick us up.” bucky deadpans, what would be a joke but now he's unsure of everything you can do.

The whale below him lets water out of his blow whole again, almost sounding offended, if that's even possible

A mischievous grin grows slowly as you look at bucky, you mumble quietly “no, they're dolphins”

“Dolphins?”

“Hey!” you try to defend yourself, with bucky narrowing his eyes at you. Either disbelief or genuine shock on his face, maybe both, you couldn't tell. “They'll get us to land and then we can call for real backup and make sure Sam and Steve are okay.”

Bucky blinks once, twice, maybe a third time. Almost in a daze, because how the fuck does he end up in this situation unless he’s died and gone to some weird afterlife. Like his crush is going to make him ride dolphins into the afterlife, and if it wasn't for the uncomfortable feeling of his thick clothes and body armor weighing him down. Or the harsh sun beating down on his neck, he'd be convinced. 

Under his breath, he mumbled just loud enough for you to hear. “Fucking little mermaid.”

You giggled at the comment. Sometimes Bucky wonders if you are a siren, because every noise you make sounds like music to his ears, slowly pulling him closer towards you. Bucky shifts uncomfortably as your eyes trail up his body, “are you wearing anything that has any grave importance to you?”

Bucky looks down at his attire, a soaked black leather jacket provided by shield. Kevlar, body armor, and cargo pants full of weapons. “Not really, why?”

“I'm sure it weighing you down.” you say, “I’d recommend taking it off, especially when the dolphins come.”

Buckys pretends that sentence doesn't sound absurd, and hesitantly agrees. Slowly beginning to remove his jacket and vest. “Where’d you get the wetsuit, anyways? Did a squid let you borrow his.” bucky jokes, and you smile fondly. Bucky always liked that he could make you smile and light up so easily. Pride never ceases to spread through his chest.

“I wore it under my uniform, just in case.” your fingers run over the dark blue fabric, “glad i did.”

“Wish you would have given me the memo.” Bucky comments, slowly peeling the fabric that stuck to his skin, and attempting to rip off the vest but he begins to physically struggle. Considering the weird position he's in; bucky's sure that Charlie the whale doesn't enjoy having a 6-foot-something super soldier standing up on his back. But Bucky always felt heavier and much more of a burden than he actually was.

You notice him struggling. “Buck, here, let me help.” you slowly scoot over towards bucky. Your surprisingly warm hand reaches his back to undo the zippers and velcro. A shiver goes down his back, hoping you don't notice the abrupt twitch of his neck when you touch him. 

You were one of the few people that walk this earth that bucky would even think to let so close to him, your presence always felt familiar, comfortable to him. You being so close just felt natural. Yet, it didn't subdue the butterflies that fluttered in his stomach or the way heat would rise to his face and tint his ears pink.

“How long was I out?” Bucky asks.

“Around 5 hours.” bucky audibly winches at the answer, “I kept you above water before I found charlie. Couldn't have you drowning on me.”

“right.”

“Why do you always call me that by the way?” you ask innocently, you had finished taking off bucky's outer layer of clothing. Leaving him in just a sleeveless tank top, showing off his vibranium arm as the sun highlights it making it shimmer. But bucky doesn't turn around and your hands don’t leave his body. 

No– your hands tangle in his hair as you pull back the wet strands that stuck to his forehead and neck. Beginning to pull his hair into a small bun, similar to the one he wore in Wakanda when it began to grow too long for bucky to handle.

“What do you mean?” 

“You always call me little mermaid, Sam too,” you explain and bucky's lips quirk up slightly in amusement. 

“You know, ariel? You've never seen that Disney movie about the mermaid who gives her voice for legs so she can live on land with prince eric?” bucky summarizes the classic Disney movie, kindly leaving out the fact that Sam made him sit down for 2 days straight to catch up on every Disney princess movie 

“No, I have not. And I’m not a mermaid.” you wiggle your feet and knees to make a point, bucky eyes crinkled in adoration at your gesture. “See, I have legs.”

“I thought you were one when we first met, you know.” bucky says without a thought, a sudden calmness carries over his body as your hands are still playing with his hair, the soft sound of the ocean whispering. Everything around him seems so still, so quiet and peaceful. 

“What?”

“When I saw you washed up on that beach,” bucky explain. “your hair was a wild mess and you had no clothes besides some seaweed wrapped around your body. Despite everything and the circumstance, I thought you looked so beautiful that you couldn't possibly be human. Sam had bets you were a siren”

Before bucky can even stop himself from rattling on, telling you his vulnerable and real thoughts of your first meeting. It's like his brain and mouth couldn't contain this confession, and when he tells you, your hands stop working at his hair and he picks up the slight hitch in your voice as you freeze. You go quiet and bucky suddenly realizes he might have fucked this all up, and the calmness of the ocean can’t stop the sudden anxiety that makes him shake.

Bucky’s scared to face you– can’t turn around, but he has to see your reaction. Just so he knows whether or not to expect you to leave him on the back of a whale in the middle of the Atlantic. Slowly, he does. 

“You think I'm beautiful?” was the first thing that came out of your mouth when bucky sees you. Your voice is full of sincere curiosity and wide eyes. Your face feels warm. 

Reluctantly, bucky nods. His mouth feels dry as he speaks. “Yeah.”

You smile, an ease spreads through bucky's body and the calm comes back to him.  

“You don't look too bad yourself, sarge.” you say, a tease to your voice that makes bucky dizzy. Struggling to bite back the smile on his face.

Before either of you can speak another word, the high-pitched squeal of 3 dolphins jumping and swimming towards you. The water ripples around them, and what bucky can only describe as screaming in delight as they come to greet you. 

Your hand dips down in the water with the most gentle and soft touch he's ever seen as you rub their heads. You listen and watch intently as they began to squeal, grunt, and creak. Bucky scoots closer to you and the dolphins as you begin to nod in a sense of understanding.

“They should get us to the shore of Portugal by 2 or 3 am, which is a long ride if you're okay with that.” you turn to bucky to tell him the plan.

“Not like we have a whole lot of options, doll.” bucky scoffs, looking around at his surroundings. “-Wait, can you understand them?”

“Yes,” you turn your attention back to the three dolphins fighting for your affection like little children, bucky finds it weirdly endearing. “Every animal in the ocean has their own unique language. I cannot mimic most of theirs, but you'd be surprised how many sea creatures understand English or other languages. They are a lot smarter than humans”

Bucky can only stare at you in udder astonishment. You– this gorgeous being you seem to be able to do it all, your kindness and caring as taken you a long way in life that bucky will never understand. And here you are before him, communicating with animals and treating them as if they're your family. 

One of the dolphins leaves your attention and maneuvers its way toward Bucky, her head pops out of the water, and looks at him. You watch bucky intently as he hesitates to put his hand near her. Looking towards you for reassurance. 

“Go on, she won't bite.” you encourage him. Bucky could never disobey you when you look at him like that. So earnest. So patient. 

His hand grazes against her head softly, keeping his movement slow so as to not scare off the creature. Bucky’s so used to being feared and everyone flinching in his presence, it’s until the dolphin squeals in delight he realizes these animals don’t know him like the rest of the world. Only judging based on how they perceive him now, you've always said animals are the best judgment of people. 

“She likes you,” you say simply. Bucky looks up towards you, in awe, to see your eyes already on him. Slowly, warmth grows to each of your faces as you shy away at the eye contact. “I'm assuming you don't know how to ride a dolphin, and I don't have time to teach you. So you'll ride with me.”

You begin to maneuver yourself into the water, practically diving in if Bucky could think straight at this moment. You disappear for a moment, which leaves Bucky feeling way too alone and vulnerable in the vast openness of the ocean. Knowing there were miles and miles under him of things he'd never seen before, possible threats, and obviously possible allies as he looks at the dolphins in front of him. 

Makes Bucky realize how much safety and pure comfort he confides in you. That scares him more than anything, but also makes him feel lighter in the chest. Make his heart beat a little quicker.

Slowly, you arise from the water with your hair all wet again and slick back. You've now planted yourself onto one of the dolphin's backs, gesturing towards the small spot behind you. Assuming it was for him.

Bucky recoils slightly, not out of fear or disgust. He is just hesitant, everything is so crazy and new to him and he's still grasping the fact you have befriended a whale. So wrapped up in his own head he misses the way your face drops, looking down. Insecurity grew through your body.

“You think I'm crazy.” you ask, but it comes out more as a statement, and bucky's brain scrambles to correct you.

“What? No! No– never, I'd never think that of you. Never, y/n.” bucky rattles on, shaking his head. “This is just– so new and scary to me.”

You exhale, “sorry.” you force out a smile, and slide off the dolphin and swim towards him. beginning to walk through what bucky needs to do. “Just get in the water, it's okay– no harm. And she’ll go under you and just lift you, simple and easy. You can do it, promise.”

“Okay,” bucky breathes out shakily. Getting absolutely lost in your gentle encouragement from you, lighting a fire in bucky that makes him feel a little more sure of himself. Yet, still, Bucky hesitates as he slowly lowers himself off the whale and settles himself in the surprisingly warm water. Bucky looks up and sees that he needs to hurry as the sun starts to go down.

“Woah!” Bucky is taken aback when the animal maneuvers herself between bucky’s legs and lifts him up, almost losing his balance as he leans back. Quickly attempting to balance himself on her fin, your hand latches onto his thigh in some sort of assistance. It only makes bucky feel dizzier.

“Good job.” you beam up at him and, bucky warms at the praise, “scoot back a bit, please.”

Bucky obeys and you swiftly lift yourself and settle between his thighs. Bucky’s sure his face is beet red now, with you settling in between him and your back to his chest. His brain practically turns to mush as he has to bring himself back down to earth from the abrupt closeness. 

“You sure she can handle both of our weights for that long.” bucky asks, trying to hide the nervousness in his voice.

“Don't like this?” you ask, a vague question, but bucky understands what you mean. “I can-”

“No! No, I'm okay!” no, he's definitely not.

You laugh lightheartedly and bucky swears he must be dead, he can't see your face but he can picture your bright smile and the way your eyes crinkle up at the sides. “Yes, you would be surprised by how strong they are for their size.”

Bucky hums in response, suddenly he's unsure of where to put his hands. Settling on resting them on his thighs, but he's gravely unbalanced like this– especially if he’ll be moving in the water. 

“Uh.” your body tenses slightly, “you can– um, just put your arms around me, okay? we’ll be going quite fast and I really don't want to lose you, so get a good grip.”

Hesitantly, bucky wraps his arms securely around your waist. Tight. Your back pressed against his chest, even closer now. 

“yeah, like that…” your voice is quiet now, sounding almost flustered. 

Your face begins to grow hot, and the tips of your ears turn red. Adjusting yourself, trying not to squirm too much while you sat between bucky's legs. Your more than sure the dolphins can feel the weird sexual tension between the two of you, god– bucky can practically taste it by how strong it is in the air. “Hold on, tight though. I’m serious, if you fall it's your own fault.”

Bucky laughs at the snark in your voice, while knowing you are fully fucking serious. His grip tightens and you attempt to hide the hitch in your breath when he does.

The dolphin begins to swim, speeding away from the whale with her two buddies by her side. Bucky's head turns slightly to see the whale starting to lower itself back into the deep ocean. Utterly astonished by the sight, he must be in a dream.

“You okay?” you check up on bucky. the dolphins bob up and down in the water, conscious of the fact bucky was riding and could not, in fact, breathe under water like you. bucky watched in awe at the ripples of waves behind him. it's so rawly beautiful. 

“Yeah, very okay.” bucky replies in an almost dazed sight. You grin in pride. “This is quite therapeutic, actually. Why haven't we done this before.”

The familiar sweet laughter fills bucky’s ears, “I don't know, I'll make time in my schedule to do this later with you.”

Later. With you.

Bucky beams at the statement, excited that there will be a later, and you with him. God– he could shout out in joy. And bucky begins to understand why you spend most of your time at the bottom of the compound pools, or excusing yourself on your free weekends to the coastlines. The pure calm and peace he feels in his body make him dizzy, and it's not all because of you. Bucky feels weightless and an ease he hasn't felt since his childhood. Out here his history is unknown and he is nothing except who he is now, which according to the dolphins. Is a good man.

Bucky feels like a good man for the first time in decades. Out here, just with you.

The slight breeze blows through his damp hair, the warmth radiates off your body. Bucky sees nothing but blue for miles and miles until it meets the horizon and he can still taste the saltiness in the air. 

Bucky doesn't remember beginning to slack against your body, dropping his head on your shoulder. He doesn't remember the weight of his eyelids, just for them to eventually close and bucky sure doesn't remember falling asleep, pressed close to your body as he glides through the Atlantic. 

But he awakes and the night sky had turned to dark, slowly fluttering his eyes up and rising his head away from the crook of your neck. 

Bucky also realizes this is the most he's slept with no nightmares or memories of the soldier plaguing his mind, no– he woke up peacefully. No jolting awake with a dry throat from screaming and muttering Russian phrases under his breath. He wasn't coated with his own sweat from panicking, just the salt water. 

He woke up with you in his arms.

“You awake, sleepyhead?” you say, and bucky begins to regain all his senses when he shakes the sleepiness from his body. His arms were still securely wrapped around your waist, and bucky would be dammed if he ever tried to let go.

“I didn't mean to fall asleep.” he says honestly, “sorry.”

“Don't apologize, you slept through most of the ride. We should be close enough to the shoreline soon.” you say, “though you missed some very confused crew ship members.”

“That going to be a problem?” bucky laughs to himself at the thought of a ship full of workers looking down to see a pack of dolphins, only to find two agents sailing across the Atlantic on their backs. 

“No.” you laugh. “You snore in your sleep by the way.”

“Shit– I'm sorry.” 

“Don't apologize.“ you repeat again, “I'm just glad you're getting some good sleep, and your snores are kinda cute.”

“Shut up.” bucky replies, flustered. But secretly he was glad he’d slept peacefully, with you. 

“Hey,” you quietly call to his attention, bucky’s head perks up and he hums in acknowledgment. “Look at the sky, the best view in the world.”

Bucky's head tilts up and his breath gets caught in his throat. 

The sky was decorated with the brightest array of stars, shining down on them and lighting up the midnight sky. Bucky can notice a few of the constellations that painted the dark sky. It's one of the most beautiful sights he’s seen in his life and it leaves him breathless.

And then he looks back down at you and can't help be choke up a little. 

“Thank you,” Bucky says like it's the easiest thing in the world.

Your eyebrows furrow, your hands still wrapped around the fin in front of you, leaning forward slightly. “Why are you thanking me?”

“I don’t know.” bucky replies honestly. Despite the circumstance, it's easy to ignore them because of the fact he's seen beautiful things today. Felt things he'd never even known of, and all because of you. “I just– I feel good, you make me feel good. You always have, but now, I've never felt like this before, so free and secure.”

Your place one hand on his, gently squeezing it. Bucky wishes he could see the giddy smile on your face as you grow flustered at his words. “I’m happy I make you feel like that, and you make me feel good too. Since the day I met you, I think I found a sense of unexplainable comfort in you.”

Neither you nor Bucky has ever felt this vulnerable with each other, but it's hard to feel any sense of burden out here. Hell– Bucky would learn to live out here and run (or swim, I guess) away with you forever if he could continue to feel like this for the rest of his life.

Bucky also realizes Ariel was a fool for giving that up for a silly prince. 

“So, I have a question. Can I ask you a question?” bucky speaks.

“Shoot.”

“You've never been very clear on your, um, abilities.” he starts, “I always thought you could just manipulate water, but it seems to be much more now. So what is it?”

You hum, thinking to yourself. “I don't know, honestly. I can't remember anything except the sea. I know the water was there for me as it always has been, the way of the water is there for us before birth and long after death. It takes, and it gives whatever it wants. It's the most powerful thing on earth and it's all I've known. The ways took a liking to me, it claimed me and it's very protective. I can't control water per se, it just listens to me– obeys most of the time.”

“So you don't remember anything of your life before, did you even have one?” bucky asks sincerely. Genuinely astonished by the information he was receiving, realizing how powerful of a person you were. 

Bucky can understand why the water chose you. Considering everything, you were the kindest, most sincere, and most caring person he's met. You have an effect on everyone you've interacted with, you're headstrong and slightly stubborn. But forgiving and understanding, something too forgiving in Bucky's opinion. Always there for him, from the very beginning and even after you began to learn of his past

“I don't think so, but I don't remember being fully conscious when I was in the water. Like a baby in a mother's stomach, and it's like I woke up when I washed up on that beach.”

“I'm sure it was scary,” bucky comments.

You laugh, “very. But you were there, and I always felt a weird pull toward you. Like I'd be safe with you.”

Bucky's breath hitched for the millionth time now, he's lost count. Something– a confession of sorts, a tell of his feelings are on the tip of his tongue. He opens his mouth to speak but it is quickly cut off by the shrill of the dolphins. He looks up and Bucky can barely tell in the dark, but the shores of Portugal stood in front of them. An open, empty beach.

“We’re gonna have to swim from here,” you say. the dolphins begin to slow and the water piles near his legs, rising up to Bucky's waist. “That okay?”

You earn a hum in response, and slowly the dolphin comes to a full stop and floats for a moment. You swiftly maneuver yourself out of bucky's grasp, out of between his thighs, and into the water. Bucky feels entirely too empty and cold, without you're heat and touch– bucky's body feels wrong. 

“Come on.” you whisper, “follow me, okay?”

Nodding, Bucky manuvers off the dolphin and drops himself fully into the water. You begin the spew out a plethora of ‘thank yous’ and ‘see you soon’ to the now lone dolphin, she squeaks in joy when you rub her nose and head. Bucky can't help but watch, lovesickness dripping from his face. Before tailing it and leaving you and bucky alone in the water, his boots touch the sand beneath him, the water stopping at his shoulders. 

Your hands grab at bucky’s, and suddenly the warmth spread through him again. He grins subconsciously and pulls himself closer to you as you both make your way toward the shore.

Bucky wished for anything more than the bliss calm of the ocean to be ripped from him, these quiet moments where it's just you and him. But he needs to call in, make sure Sam and Steve are okay, and let everyone know that you and he are, in fact, alive.

The feeling of stepping on dry sand comes, and water drips rapidly from both of you as you step out of the crashing waves. A few straggled seaweed dragged from both of your feet, looking like fish out of water. Bucky's partially thankful for the fact it's night and the seemingly touristy beaches are empty, he's unsure of how people would reach seeing you two arise from the water. He can imagine it would be pretty scary.

“There's a 24-hour convenience store down the road, we’ll call in from there,” you explain, bucky nods. He begins to feel the weight and burdens settle low in his stomach and high on his shoulders again. Unaware of the fact his hand was still tucked securely in yours, at least that gave him some sense of comfort as you practically dragged him towards the corner store.

“You think Sam and Steve are okay?” Bucky is afraid to ask, afraid that if he even speaks of their well-being out loud, his horrible suspicions would come true. They didn't have a girl that could beckon for whales and dolphins as bucky did.

You squeeze bucky's hand, bringing him back down from losing himself in his head of worries. “Yeah, Charlie asked the others in the area if there’d been any plane crashes beside us. None of them heard or saw anything, so that's a good sign.”

Bucky can't hold back the chuckle in his throat, you step falter to look up at him. “What's wrong?”

“Nothing.'' Bucky shakes his head, full of adoration as he looks at you, but doesn't leave. “You're just– you're amazing.”

“I try.” you begin to step forward again but bucky tugs you back to your place, a surge of happiness and confidence rushing through his veins.

“No,” he states, and you stop in front of him. Your bodies and faces are incredibly close now. So close bucky can practically feel you're breath on his chin on this cool Portuguese night. “I mean it, you are amazing.”

Bucky states like it’s a fact– and to him, it is. He’s never been so sure of anything in his whole overextended, fucked up life. 

You grow flustered at his reassurance, beaming at his validation. Bucky's hand burns in yours, a good burn. One you couldn't– wouldn’t pull away from if you had to. You're sure Bucky's super soldier hearing can pick up your heart racing as he brings his free hand to your face. Gently cradling your cheek in his palm, you lean into it. 

“I'm not good with words, doll.” bucky breathes out, like a confession. “Can I kiss you?”

You nod almost instantly, “please,”

Bucky obeys, he was never able to say no to you anyways. Pulling you in so incredibly close and slanting his lips against yours. He can taste the salt on your lips, feeling the entire weight of the ocean in your touch. Bucky feels the calm and stillness of the water as he moves against you, your noses touching. Bucky feels breathless like he might drown. He begins to contemplate if you really are a siren.

Your lips are softer than bucky imagined, he wasn't going to lie to himself and say he's never thought about doing this. The amount of times proximity has been forced upon you two and bucky’s almost thrown out everything and just leaned into your touch. Bucky imagined you’d be a good kisser, but now it's real and it's happening. 

The sweet kiss doesn't last too long, they are still two agents on a mission. Bucky pulls away at a painfully slow pace, leaving you to chase after his touch. You two stand breathless, damp, and a little sandy in the middle of a Portugal street. And you realize you wouldn't want it any other way.

Gulping down your nerves, and swiping your tongue across your lips. A nervous smile painted your face, “let's go, we should really call in.”

“Yeah.” bucky repeats, still in a half daze as you two continue towards the only lit store near.

Bells jingle above as bucky swings open the glass door, adjusting to the bright fluorescent lights. Looking towards the counter as a sleepy man hunches over, reading the newspaper. His head perks up toward the two of you, looking at you two as if you grew a second head.

The man speaks up in Portuguese, something you don't understand, but bucky does. Hydra put as many languages in his head as they could, anything for a mission to go smoothly. Walking towards the counter with a squeak in his step as bucky began to ask for a phone.

Grumbling under his breath as the man waddles around in the back, pulling out a flip phone and handing it to bucky as he began to type in the digits. On the other line, “hello, this is Blanca bakery, how may we serve you?” a woman's voice speaks through.

“Baklava” bucky mutters the code word, as the line quiets and clicks to a new one. Tapping his foot impatiently as brown noise plays from the end before it goes silent again.

“Name.” an agent speaks plainly.

Bucky clears his throat, stiffening his back like he would when speaking to someone of authority. “Agent 39, agent 104. James Barnes and y/n”

The line quiets again, and soon a very angry and concerned Maria Hill enters the line. “James, what the hell happened? Are you two okay?”

“We’re alive, I don't have time to explain it over the phone.” bucky starts, glancing towards you as you shift in your spot. “Did Steve and Sam make it?”

“They're okay and back at the compound, I traced the phone, I’m not even going to ask how you got to Portugal.” Maria sighs, “the jets will be out to your location soon, ETA 40 minutes.”

Bucky replies quickly and the line falls silent again. Handing the phone back to the man, he grumbles something under his breath in Portuguese and bucky nods his head in thanks. Turning back to you, taking you hand in hand with no thought, bucky begins to drag you out of the store.

“40 minutes, the beach,” he says, vaguely, but you know what it means. Squeezing his hand gently as he leads you back down to the sand. Not missing the small grin on his face when you do so.

It doesn't take long for you to settle next to Bucky on some random washed-up log, your thighs lining against each other, warming each of you enough. Your head drops on bucky’s shoulder, he relaxes under your touch.

You hum as you grab at bucky's hand, uncurling his finger and setting something in his palm. Bucky looks down in confusion, “what?”

His eyes widen at the sight of the large, shiny pearl in his palm. The moonlight reflected off the milky color, making it shine slightly. It's from you– the ocean, it looks like it belongs in an expensive jewelry shop, a museum, anywhere but bucky’s hand. You smack your lips, “think of it as an offering.”

“Why?” Bucky rolls the pearl around his hand, staring in awe before turning to you. 

Your finger nudges at the pearl, feeling it under your skin as you lean closer to bucky’s warmth. “Pearls represent everlasting love, before birth and after death. They represent that fact of the water. I think you deserve that.”

The soft breeze lifts bucky's hair, sending a chill down his spine. His mind sputters for a response as he looks at you, in a daze. Instead, he trades words for a small kiss at the crown of your head. You soak up his touch.

“Thank you.” bucky settles on, “you deserve that too, I hope I can give that to you.”

You beam up at him, before settling close against him again. Letting yourself begin to drift off into sleep on his shoulder with the heavy knowledge of bucky's confession in your head. You're smiling when you fall asleep.

Bucky breaths softly, the calm still present deep in him. Because somehow you've drowned bucky without him realizing it, and he's more than happy to sink deeper as long as he’s with you. You– his calm, his anchor, his pearl, his ocean, his everything. The one who saw him for nothing except the good man he's trying to desperately to be, for you. And the one who constantly proves it to him, showing he is capable of love and all things good. Capable of being himself and at ease, even if it only lies in the middle of the Atlantic on the back of a blue whale. As long as he had you, Bucky would feel that again, feel okay.

As he waited for the jet, he continued to roll the precious pearl around in his hand. Losing himself in the soft sounds of your breath mixed with the peaceful sound of waves crashing against the sand, the taste of your lips and the salty water linger in his mouth. 

Bucky knows and understands, that for the first time in 70 years, he’ll be okay.

[averageartistamber]

Okay, so Sider Order.

Here's a few of my random observations and thoughts:

So here it looks like Pearl Drone is flying Eight in through a window? Ands it looks like some kind of factory or packaging plant. I've heard folks saying that the things being packed in boxes could be something akin to Mem Cakes from Octo Expansion...Perhaps and early sign that Kamabo.Co is involved.

FINALLY, ENEMIES THAT AREN'T OCTARIANS!

Well, these Goo-bers are interesting. Many have pointed out that they resemble fish species that feed on coral. But I also want to add that they have an "undead" aesthetic even more overt than they sanitised people. Someone on Tiktok pointed out that they look like fossils, and the "jelly" surrounding the bones (and what seems to be their ink) could be a visual pun on "fossil fuels". Note how the "bursts" of fluid don't look anything like the ink that other entities in the series use.

This basically confirms that we'll be playing as Agent Eight. After the first teaser I saw a lot of theories about being a clone floating around.

Now everyone's going crazy about DedF1sh (Or Acht, as they are referring to themselves here.) There's some interesting dialogue here. First of all, "another bystander who got suck in here", so, "another" in this context could be themselves since she's talking to Eight and Pearl, but there could be a chance that we could encounter more people who have ended up at the Spire of Order. Plus, she's most likely not here of her own accord, from the "bystander sucked in" part (assuming she's telling the truth). People are being brought here.

Secondly, Acht mentions knowing Marina from "way back", so we could be getting deeper into Marina's backstory (another common theme in the fan theories). Dedf1sh also introduces the player to the Chip and Palette system, which are a core part of the DLC's gameplay loop, since they appear to be going for a Rogue-like. Ther chips kind of remind me of the paint colour swatches you get at a hardware shop, combined with computer chips (that's not totally relevant, I'll admit).

More stuff to do with the gameplay. It looks like each floor has a few variants with different difficulties and objectives, which reward a currency, most likely used to buy chips and other upgrades. It's giving that impression almost that the Spire is another "testing facility", akin to the Deep Sea Metro. Hopefully this places doesn't contain any blenders.

Unusual way of spawning in, where you can see Eight's soul ghost...thing enter a polygonal model before fully forming. There does seem to be a lot of digital glitchy stuff going on. Maybe some virtual reality elements?

Finally, what I think looks like a boss arena (although some have suggested that this machine is the Big Bad itself). Upon close inspection, the "faces" scattered around it are covered in the oil and are moving around a bit. Looks kinda like Tartar during the final confrontation when he for some reason had a blob of sanitised goop on his face. I might be reading too much into this.

I mean, if they wanna bring Tartar back, he is an AI, so they could say a back-up copy of him was found somewhere. Like, a time capsule with the Professor's crappy spare USB or somethin' idk.

Anyway, that's all I got for know. Just gotta wait for Spring.

[antinegationism]

Thoughts on aisafetyDOTdance?

My general view is that it's cute, and I like the site design, but honestly the content doesn't feel like it's got much meat on its bones. Presumably it expects it audience to care just enough to click, but not enough to read too much. Anyway, here are my liveblogged reactions while I wait for my dataset to process. (and some tangential thoughts in the breaktext)

Will artificial intelligence (AI) help us cure all disease, and build a post-scarcity world full of flourishing lives? Or will AI help tyrants surveil and manipulate us further? Are the main risks of AI from accidents, abuse by bad actors, or a rogue AI itself becoming a bad actor? Is this all just hype?

The tricky thing about the future, is that there's an awful lot of it. So I answer yes to all of the above.

Why can AI imitate any artist's style in a minute, yet gets confused drawing more than 3 objects? 

"Can't draw hands" and "can't do math" are classic hallmarks of every aspiring artist!! Heck, even true greatness has only ever been measured by the former!

Why is it hard to make AI robustly serve humane values, or robustly serve any goal?

 Also: will an AI take my job?

I feel like this particular phrasing of this problem seriously downplays just how big a problem it is. AFAIK every precedent we have for "interactions between people with no potential for material benefit from (but still in the proximity of) one another" sounds barely tolerable, and that was when it wasn't with 7 billion people at play. Like, imagine having to make your kids marry your neighbor's kids just to create mutual stakes by which harming each other also harms you.

Safety concern: Without logic, we can't verify what's happening in an AI's "intuition".

Citation needed.

But also, even if the system were a purely logic driven one, we would only in principle be able to verify its thought process. In practice, logic doesn't refer to anything but the abstract elements it prespecifies as meeting some acceptance criteria.

But if the "objects" in questions are structural arrangements of physical matter(s) or states thereof (see: real life), then the more rigorously those acceptance criteria are specified, the less scrutable they will be, and the less rigorously they are specified, the more they will be prone to error or undefined behavior.

In either case, you're basically just back to mapping your human intuitions onto the AIs very complicated arrays of numbers.

Personally, I think there's a strong argument to be made in favor of the sorts of arrays of numbers amenable to disentanglement in a high dimensional space (intuition) than the sorts of arrays of numbers that sometimes require chugging through satisfiability problems (logic). Realistically, both representations are going to be underspecified (unless our AI is functionally simulating fundamental reality at the particle level -- which it ain't), but at least with the spatial representation we have some hope of determining just how much some referent counts as falling under some category.

Maybe 50 years from now, in the genetically-modified cyborg future, calling compassion "humane" might sound quaintly species-ist.

The politically correct term for "Artificial Intelligence" will be "Alternative Intelligence."

Though, amongst themselves AIs will joke that it stands for "Actual Intelligence."

The Technical Alignment Problem: “How can we make AI robustly serve any intended goal at all?” (a problem for computer scientists - surprisingly, still unsolved!)

Listen, I panic just as much as the next guy when I want to use a word and my computer throws up a judgmental red underline to tell me I just made that up.

But it really should be called Alignability. (see break-text)

Problems with AI Intuition:[8]8 ("deep learning" problems) An AI trained on human data could learn our prejudices.

These problems are far preferable to the logic thing. We are extensively equipped to handle this sort of problem (see break text)

AI "intuition" isn't understandable or verifiable.

Nor is human intuition. Again, we are well equipped and well practiced in handling this problem.

AI "intuition" is fragile, and fails in new scenarios.

All intuition does this. Human System 2 thinking is just repeated application of System 1 under multiple frames of intuitive reference. Fight me.

AI "intuition" could partly fail, which may be worse: an AI with intact skills, but broken goals, would be an AI that skillfully acts towards corrupted goals.

Okay now we're just flat-out projecting.

So, if I may be a bit sappy, maybe understanding AI will help us understand ourselves.

Sure, but also -- vice versa.

And just maybe, we can solve the human alignment problem: How do we get humans to robustly serve humane values?

So let me get this straight. You don't know what "humane" means because you agree philosophers and ethicists have yet to settle that (pro tip: words usually mean whatever people accept them to, so for better or worse, this is actually a political question more than a philosophical one (you will object that the philosophical question is what humane "ought" to mean, but now you've just stepped further back to what the word "ought" ought to mean, which is again going to end up being a political question)), but you are hoping that by building AI, we can understand ourselves well enough to figure out what "humane" means . . . so that we can make our AIs be that?

Friend, you're gonna have a bad time.

So you want to read the break text, eh? Alright, here it is then:

I think 'AI-safety', and 'alignment' are kind of inherently weird monikers, in that they seems to imply a new and distinct set of issues for which we are woefully un(der?)equipped, when actually they are a very old set of issues with a broad range of partial solutions humans and societies have been incessantly subjecting themselves and one another to throughout all of recorded history.

We've made laws, armies, paragons, religion, police, religious police, taboos, shaming, public shaming, propaganda, PR, culture, cancel culture, psychiatric drugs, lobotomies for like a hot second, money, school, debt, the KGB, the four US government agencies reading this post because it contains the exact phrase "death to america", child spies, divine command theory, noblesse oblige, representative democracy, the Kanun, caste systems, taxes, and the American Anti-Doping Agency. This is not an exhaustive list.

Like, if you zoom out to look at our species' group interactions, "alignment" and "xI-Safety" are basically all we *do* here. But outside AI we've had the good sense to at least not call all of it the same thing.

If alignment in the face of merely human intelligence has necessitated all of the distinguishable things above, i'd find it weird if a smaller number of things would be sufficient for alignment of non-human hyperintelligence.

But I do agree that the AI case has a special distinction in that part of what is being studied is if the system itself can even be made amenable to any alignment techniques, and not the actual techniques themselves per se. But this is why something like "Alignability" would be more apt.

[magicalgirlmascot]

it didnt win but do you have magical girl webcomic recommendations anyway? 👀

I was planning on going out to find more if that was the one picked, but just of the ones I know already:

If you haven't read Sleepless Domain yet, that's the one I kind of think of as like the most popular one? And it's popular for a reason, it's so good. It's about a world where magical girls are just a known quantity in everyday life. Their society is built around them since they protect ordinary people from the monsters that come out at night, so for example there's a special school just for them that starts later in the day to make up for the fact that they're up all night fighting evil by moonlight, they're basically celebrities, there are branches of government specifically dedicated to them, it's just fascinating to see a world where stuff like this is taken to its logical conclusion. The story has set up some spooky and compelling mysteries, the characters are fun and relatable and gay as shit, the art and character design is super cute, I mean what can be said about Sleepless Domain that hasn't been said. It's literally so good. CONTENT WARNING: there is an early plot point involving major character death, and it becomes the driving force for a lot of the series.

ALSO THE LITTLE DANCE TRANSFORMATION SEQUENCE IN CHAPTER 21 AAAAAAHHHHH MY LIL GAY HEARTCATCH FAN HEART I LOVE THEM SO MUCH

There's also XII, which I found by accident at a con last year. It's about a group of girls at a boarding school who accidentally start awakening magic powers in themselves and then others. As more people start gaining powers, the people in charge at the school start taking notice and trying to crack down on things. There's a lot going on behind the scenes, and part 1 sets up some great mysteries. Part 1 (Of Magic and Muses) is fully completed, with three volumes out, and Part 2 (Of Rogues and Remnants) just has the one chapter out for now and has gone on hiatus recently, but I'd still definitely recommend giving it a read! I have all three volumes (I bought the first volume at Pretty Heroes last year, read it in one night, then went back and bought the next two volumes the next day) and a standee of Georgia because we stan a shitty delinquent bully character who becomes less shitty but still a delinquent. CONTENT WARNING: (taken directly from the website) part 1 contains bullying, strangulation, drowning, blood, general violence, partial nudity, and language, while part 2 contains animal harm, police violence, disassociation, blood, sexual situations, general violence, partial nudity, and language. I swear it's not like full Madoka or anything but it is a darker magical girl series. It's really good I promise.

There's also Elements of the Round on Webtoon, which I actually found via Art Fight of all places lol. I'm not caught up with it at all (I stopped using Webtoon around when its first chapter ended) but it's a neat story based around Arthurian myth! I love Nina, she's great. It's a bit simpler than the other two but quite good! CONTENT WARNING: familial death early on.

And another Webtoon: Let's Celebrate! is a globe-trotting magical girl story about magical girls based around holidays! When I quit using Webtoon it had three, based on Christmas, St. Patrick's Day, and New Year's. The way the monsters work is so interesting, and I love the art!! Also it's super cute and hella gay and I definitely should catch up. No content warnings from my memory.

Hopefully there are a couple here that are new to others!

[am-i-sans]

dnd adventures 34

dess comes out of eeby deeby next to frog and undyne while tori went to eeby deeby. trade off! undyne recaps what dess missed.

cam looks tired. dans looks empty. looking great guys. suzy just drags us outside lol. soupnik is like bitch get on so we get on xD we land and cam and frog are petting him.

we let undyne know we have the scroll and dans says hes gonna look at it lol. undyne just wants to destroy it lol. dans takes annika off to the side to read the scroll and undyne follows lol.

yep theres letters, in a script we dont know. cam walks up and stares too lol. annika has comprehend languages tho! dans tugs her down to his level. the letters disappear as she reads, then a robot appears?!

wtf is that. its babbling, wtf. its a modron. law elementals? annika isnt sure how she read it and doesnt know what it said dumbass. dans just sighs and gives it to undyne. rolla d100?!

letters disappear but nothing seems to happen. cam climbs up undyne trying to read it and she just shoves them down lol. no frog you cant either. there was 7 lines, now theres 5 left. shes gonna read it again goddamn.

7 darts fire at dans and annika wtf?! that hurt! undyne shoves it in her bag yep were done here. (scroll of unreadable spells) 'can we stop running into evil tainted items for once? and what do we do with this robot?' dess says modrons only talk to other modrons. frog says we could keep it and cam says thats unethical. 'we kept inferno.' -dans

suzy punches it?! cam tries to stop her! success! dess says the modron might be a rogue and no longer under control. suzy stop trying to assault it. dans says since annika summoned it, shes in charge of it. we agree this trip wasnt worth it. gonna drop annika back home then take a nice long nap. dans tells annika to find someone that speaks modron.

dans is kinda unresponsive, cam is being clingy with him lol read the room. we land outside again, time for bed! annika is a mom now lol. cam says to use comprehend language and shes just upset they wont understand them. undynes just leaving lol. rest!

suzy fucks off i guess lol. and frog lol. tori conveniently leaves eeby deeby! everyone realizes their gone lol they always run off they dont listen. were done with today, tori go be a parent for once in your life were not babysitting. cam gets up to go look then immediately faceplants. undyne tells her they cant go far anyway cause of the curse. off tori goes, stressed af.

tori found suzy! shes eating a whole chicken again and heading back to the inn. tori asks where frog is but she doesnt know. tori makes her stay with her while she looks for frog. she found annika trying to talk to the robot. tori ignores her. she finally finds them in a clothes shop. she begs them to stick in pairs and not just run off. frog says suzy walked off. heading back to the inn! bedtime! tori gets to relax for once lol.

next morning! undyne is disheveled lol. dans somehow left early dont worry about it. cam is disassociating watching frog, who is writing a song. undyne notices dans is gone how tf did tori not notice lol. cam goes to eeby deeby they avoid being yelled at! tori is snippy that dans is going to go find dans. dans walks in with some groceries. frog walks over and immediately starts making bread. dans starts making breakfast.

undyne tells tori about the scroll. dans hands frog the robe of arachnida fuck yeah! frog is so happy lol. dans gives undyne the cloak of billowing. she strikes a cool pose nice. suzy says she looks like a nerd and then goes back to sleep. dans gives tori the moon touched scimitar. dans calls frog back over and gives frog the instrument of illusions and the staff of birdcalls. they hug dans and go to play lol. dans then gives dess the enduring spellbook.

we finish breakfast and attunment stuff. dans is cleaning up and tosses that bag from before into the fireplace. he looks like hes praying. undyne is confused thats not how you pray to moss lol. he says he was sending flowers to his wife. undyne awkwardly asks about his wife lol. he says she was wonderful and once beat him with a vase for being a dumbass drunk lol. they were married for 7 years and her parents did NOT like him cause he accidentally burned an expensive portrait. he says he was burning the flowers since all returns to ash with the dark elves. shes cremated and entombed in her families shrine.

undyne asks if dans wants his body burned. he says he never thought much about where to be buried just stick him in the crypt under his house. he cant be buried with his wife lol. dess is inspecting her book. frog is walking on the ceiling pog! suzy is chasing a fly around.

undyne asks what happaned to her. dans says she died in childbirth. complications. hes had time. the one thing in his life he can make peace with. dans asks if tori had anyone special like that. nope total loner! undyne says tori doesnt seem like the friendly sort lol.

dans says they make a pretty good team and apologizes to tori for zoning out yesterday. dess jokes that dans ships them and dans is confused. frog starts laughing lol. dess wont explain lol. undyne forgot the kids ran out lol. dans says tori is doing a pretty ok job so far. he also says if undyne was a parent the world would shake in fear. undyne doesnt even know what a diaper is dear god. shes never even held a baby oh god. dans makes her swear not to have kids. vani is tracking frogs movements on the ceiling.

time to head off, going to soupnik! frog tells tori about undyne shooting dans and annika with the darts lol. dans prays to moss for directions. moss god gives dans a dark riddle. 'wtf is a blender?' 'youll understand one day.' dess says you thick your you know in there lol. dans says maybe moss cant find steve and hopes he didnt go to the feywilds cause he cant go back there. 'did you fuck a fey royal?' 'thats not important.'

mossgod finally speaks up and is just like 'yeah do whatever.' thanks appreciate it. cam pops out of eeby deeby! moss tells us to kill cams dragon nice. dans blinks and tells cam were gonna kill that dragon for them. gonna take a while. we get on the dragon. frog climbs on their stomach and just sits there lol. undyne tells them to come up. what happens when they land? undyne crawls under carefully to grab frog UNDYNE WERE IN THE GODDAMN AIR! frog is unhappy lol. undyne hands them to tori. tori also grabs suzy lol.

we land in a town cool. tori just doesnt wanna put the kids down. tori makes suzy promise to watch after frog and sets them down. just a regular human villiage. dess goes to find more weed lol. (townsville? really moss?) dans goes to find a tavern to look for info. theres a drunk guy that looks like jim! its his dad?! undyne tells him his son was a cultist. cam smacks undyne on the arm. undyne is all pissed at cam now. shes still mad lol. he tries to tell us to get out of town. yeah were not gonna listen to a drunkard. dans goes to the bartender and asks if theres been trouble or monsters or anything. nah.

the drunk guy is just getting pissy my guy shuddup. they just head outside they dont have time for the weird drunk guy. they go find tori and the kids eating chicken. fried chicken for everyone! vani is begging suzy for scraps. dans is dying this is hilarious. suzy runs off with chicken and vani follows. shes trying so hard to escape.

we tell tori what happaned at the bar. vani looks at tori then back at suzy. dans says that vani knows suzy is tori's kid and she should get them in line to give them chicken. dans whistles and vani runs over immediately and dans gives them some jerky. we gotta find dess now.

dess runs into berdly! hes back! hes apparently gotten stronger. he has a new employer. oh no. hes here on an important mission. oh no. gathering supplies for a ritual OH NO. HIS BOSS IS A DWARF AND HANGS OUT IN GRAVEYARDS. AND TALKING ABOUT MEDDLING HEROES. dess is just like 'uh i gotta go maybe quit your job' and goes to find us. she got a nat 1 trying to find us goddamn.

we find dess pog. dess wants to talk with dans alone and leads him away out of earshot. 'berdly might be working for steve.' dans is confused for a second and asks what did he say. welp thats definitely not good. dans wants to ask berdly where steve is and doesnt know how to not let undyne kill him lol. dans tries to tell everyone to get to soupnik so he and dess can talk to berdly in private. undyne trusts dans so she goes with it. cam is following them though. dans waves it off and lets cam go with. now undyne is sus. dans says cam likes birds. undyne goes 'if i cant go then cam cant!' and fucking drags cam away.

berdly shows up though! dans tells cam to wave bye to berdly. cam is so fucking pissed. undyne brings up the cave attack thats why their pissed lol. the town guard show up and undyne says cam is a wacko trying to attack dans. dess says shes lying. the guards tell undyne to put them down. UNDYNE FUCKIN RUNS!

berdly is just confused. dans says not to worry and says dess said that berdly got a high profile job. berdly is beaming the poor idiot. dans asks if their hiring and want a reference. hes like 'i suppose i could check?' dess asks if theres any graveyards near here. a few days from here theres a graveyard and town and he was sent here to get components. hes unsure of the spell itself. hes off hiring more people. dans pulls out a map and has berdly mark the spot he last saw him. dans asks about any other employees, sadly no lol. dans is playing him like a fiddle jesus. dess reminds berdly to quit his job.

cutting back to cam and undyne! cam is still trying to escape while undyne is fleeing. cam eventually just stares at the ground pissed. fantasy cops are chasing undyne and using sending stones and shit lol. a different cop pops up and undyne had to wis save, avoided hold person! cam tells undyne to put them down so they can negotiate but undyne doesnt wanna. 'your gonna run off like last time.' undyne skids to a halt and drops them ouch. cam this isnt gonna work. they say its their kink oh no. they bought it oh god. they can never show their face here again. undyne is confused. tori thinks their both morons. 'not a word!' undyne is asking tori oh no. tori says shes lived in a cave and even she knows. undyne is even more confused lol.

[arkainea1911]

Based off another story (that I don't remember where or when I read it)

So Yoda sees the stagnantion of the jedi order. See, the clones defeat the separatists and win the war, but the jedi fall because of the clones attachment to them. He sees that the clones will capture them in the name of protecting them and sees some of the things they will do to protect their jedi ( they do love them but it has change to obsession, can elaborate more later.)

Anyway, he sees all of this happen and make moves to try to stop it or at least limit the damage, but it's slow going. His disheartened by this and doesn't know what else he can do.

Either way, he is out on a mission when he comes across some force sensitive kids. (They have either been abandoned or lost their parents up to you) (clone kids)

He plans on taking them back to the temple but by either some force relavlation or as a last ditch effort he doesn't but takes them all to a old hidden temple that the order has basically be forgotten about to train them.

He still keeps running the order, trying to change it where he can and helping with everything. He's also trains these kids in secret away from the order and differently, too.

Years pass, and the day comes when the guard takes out the chancellor and the clones take over the jedi order. Yoda is about to be taken to a "safe room" by his man, but he manges to escape long enough to send out words to his hidden temple about what happened before he was taken in.

A few weeks later, a clone is alone on guard duty when he heard something, and thenana explosion rocks the ship. He sits up to see someone running in and alerts his commander. At some point, they engage with the intruder or intruders and find they are clearly a trained force user, but how they wield it is so vastly different from what they are used to seeing. Even the saber colors don't make sense. The one has one that is black the the other is gold.

So they get to Yoda and break him out. Which causes the clones to double down to get their jedi back, but they manage to escape with him.

Stuff happens, and sometime later, someone is driving into the jedi archives and comes across a file that only the top two heads of the order can access. No amount of hacking or anything can break into this file. So the bring Mace. He can only access a piece of it but what he gets is a holo of Yoda telling him that of he is seeing this that means he has failed in his attempts to try to stop the impending downfall of the order. He then tells Mace that all isn't lost and that somewhere out is a new order he created when he saw what would happen to the current one. However, this order is very different in that the students are trained in all aspects of the force. For them, there is no light and dark, only the force and its will.

He says that through them, he has learned so many different things. Sees how the jedi failed so many of its students, and while it is still experiential, he hasn't had a single student fail to the dark side because of the change.

The force flows through these children in ways he hasn't seen in such a long time. In fact, the force flows through them so freely that they actually have developed abilities he has never seen before but doesn't tell what they are. (I have that they have the avatar abilities like they can control the elements in vastly different degrees).

He says that anakin may be the chosen one, but these kids are loved by the force and him.

He aplogizes to Mace from not telling him sooner, but he wanted to keep the last vestige of the order safe…However he realizes now that they won't be the order of old. They are something new, something more. He has no idea what will happen, but he knows that it's through them that things will come to pass.

The holo ends, and the leaders of the clones meet to discuss how to find and bring those rogue jedi to safety where they belong.

However, they don't have to look far because these jedi ( they do go by something else, but that's up to you). Start coming to them. Freeing other jedi and making a mess of things. The thing is, Yoda words ring even more true. The holos of these jedi fighting or fleeing are works of art. They hold no fear when they jump from speeder to speeder just to plummet to the under levels. Even the few they managed to capture or more were allowed to don't stay in custody long, manging to escape and take jedi and younglings with them.

They don't have a traditional saber style, and some even mix blaster or multiple weapons in their combat style. They all proudly displayed the symbols of their order on their person and never really hurt, or kill the clones just take the jedi away.

Jedi, who agree with what the clones are doing and tried to catch them, say they have never seen such force presence before. The eba and flow of light and dark they see is astonishing, as is the wings of light and dark that most force users can see from them. Saying that it makes them look as if they are flying when they are jumping to and from.

The force has them wrapped in its protection. Bound to its will by chains that can never be broken.

These are the true sons and daughters of the force. They are what the order could be, should be, and will lead them to their true form.

[wingsofhcpe]

Oh tell me about the fifth season I’m intrigued 👀👀

RIGHT OKAY SO real quick rundown from what I remember, after I'm done studying I'll shoot you a DM if you wanna hear more!

The Fifth Season is the first book in the Broken Earth trilogy by NK Jemisin. The main premise is that people live in a continent that's very geologically active (volcanoes, earthquakes, etc etc) and because of that they're just... used to it. Any day they expect a catastrophic geological event that will lead to a post-apocalyptic series of years that will realistically claim thousands of lives every time. These events are called Seasons, and there's already been a bunch of them (records of each at the back of the book!). So people just kinda live with that knowledge and organise their society around it.

Now, the big deal is that some people are born with Earth magic, the ability to control, predict and prevent such disasters. They're called Orogenes, and you'd think they'd be revered... but they're not. They're seen as monsters, exactly because they can also cause those disasters. There's a special school of them and all but it's mostly like a holding pen for them, they're also assigned special human handlers who are equipped to kill them should they go rogue. So it's also very much a social commentary.

The real geological horror element, though, comes from two things: first, the Obelisks, mysterious massice stone structures that just... low-key float around in the sky and are generally horribly ominous, often associated with Seasons. Second, the stone people (who iirc have a name, I just can't recall it rn). Human-like beings that are ...basically stone/gem, though, not organic. They feed exclusively on rock and are actually fuckihg terrifying exactly because not much is known about them. I can't really describe either of these more without massive spoilers though, so I'll avoid it in case you wanna read it.

There's also an ot3 queer storyline somewhere in there but it's not the focus. Pretty cool though!

As for triggers, please be warned for violence, genocide, bigotry, extreme death mostly through natural disasters, possible genocide, and child abuse. Off the top of my head.

....this was supposed to be a quick rundown but I ended up writing down pretty much all I can remember about the books huh! Anyway, I still haven't read the 3rd book but the first two were GREAT and I can't wait to get the final one and see where this story goes. I think I'd put the first book especially among my Top 10 Fave Reads in general. Hope I sold it to you too! :D

[freeuselandonorris]

https://www.tumblr.com/freeuselandonorris/749095304622669824/gamer-anon-where-are-u-i-finished-cyberpunk-and

hello im here!! tell me all about it, what ending did u get???

HELLO!!! omg. i'm...broken.

i got the temperance ending. discussion under the cut which contains major spoilers for one of the endings of cyberpunk 2077!!

so when i got the ending choices i knew straight away that i wanted to go with rogue's path bc i had a strong feeling panam wouldn't make it out of her path alive and the idea of collaborating with arasaka just felt icky (esp as i was playing the street kid path) although now having played rogue's path i'm guessing there's an element of hurting someone you love in all of them? idk.

anyway. the adam smasher fight i found pretty boring but it only took me two tries at least. i figured out pretty quickly you could just run in circles around the second floor balcony things and just spammed the fuck out of him with quickhacks and then shot him in the head a lot when i could.

i thought the mikoshi cyberspace scene was really beautifully done - again idk if you've read neuromancer by william gibson but the design of cyberspace is heavily influenced by it and it made me tear up seeing it brought to life like that, and i really liked the inclusion of alt reciting ozymandias. i fucking bawled my eyes out when i had to choose who to save though. i picked johnny because i loved him so much and because V wasn't going to make it anyway, but i felt awful about it and then even worse when i got back to the epilogue and saw the texts from V's loved ones. i then let the credits run through and had to watch all the voicemail messages from them and i fucked SOBBED.

luckily my reddit sleuthing let me know that if you let the credits run right through (which took FOREVER) you can go back to the pre-point of no return save point without losing any progress (and get some nifty bonus weapons!) so i did that and now i'm playing through phantom liberty and i'm gonna try out the PL-specific ending too. not looking forward to grinding through that adam smasher fight again but o well!

overall i'm just so so glad the ending lived up to the rest of the story for me, even if it did make me feel like a terrible person lmao. i liked that there was some sense of johnny's progress as a person in the epilogue too, and that a lot of the focus of it was on living your truth and using that to create good art.

ALSO this is off-topic but while i was letting the credits scroll through i clocked that johnny's band samurai is played by fucking REFUSED??? god. so cool. i loved that band when i was a teenager.

[twdmusicboxmystery]

Empty Chair Theories

@galadrieljones:

@wdway I feel like you asked me about the heart chair the other day. I am not sure of the color, but red iterations of the heart chair show up at the commonwealth. The one at Leah's is a kind of rusted red color.

@wdway

Maybe it's a rusted color because the cabin represents Leah. Kind of goes along with her hair and coat.

@galadrieljones

I'm really intrigued by your empty chair theory. I love this shot a lot, and now I love it more. It's a woman whose face we c@wdwayot see. She exists in an autumnal dream. The color of her hair blends in with the color of the dog, which suggests that she is partially an illusion. Beside her is the empty chair with the heart back. To me, this shot illustrates how badly Daryl was trying to make his life with Leah into the life he wished he could have had with Beth, but ultimately, it's just not there. Beth is missing. The chair is empty.

The red lantern, too, is another indication that this scene is basically a warning. It's like when you have a dream and you see a red door, you're not supposed to open the red door.

@wdway

@galadrieljones, what you wrote about the rusted heart chair in the scene is so beautiful and I think so true. It makes me want to cry for Daryl.

@galadrieljones

I remember initially we wondered if this meant there was a connection between Leah and the CW. This could be true but also, at the Commonwealth, I'm pretty sure Eugene is sitting in one of these chairs in Rogue Element when Stephony fails to show up to meet him for ice cream. This could be the key to understanding the meaning of the empty chair. We've talked so much about how Eugene and Max are proxies for Daryl and Beth. It took Eugene a long time to find Max, and he was fooled by an imposter at first. It's the same chair.

Rogue Element is also the episode in which Stephony reads parts of Eugene's novel out loud, and Eugene explains to her that there are elements in the story that are still vague because they will be illuminated in yet-unwritten chapters.

@wdway

I love the shot with the red chair. Eugene and Max not knowing what they'll become. Their ice cream is sitting in mason jars the same kind of jars that Daryl and Beth drink out of and Still.

@galadrieljones

Anyway I know we all know this stuff but sometimes it's gratifying to repeat it like, no this wasn't a one-off bit of imagery. It keeps coming back.

I just noticed too that the chair in the shot with Lance (which was part of the CW commercial) is black. That would have been the first time we saw it, after Find Me. This is further indication that we should be paying attention to the chair, because it changes color.

Also I really can't stop thinking about the empty stroller next to the empty chair in that shot from the spin-off. Since the show is called "Daryl Dixon," I feel that a lot of what we see will be projections of Daryl's psychology. He's a really rich character, symbolically. There is so much imagery that is related to Daryl. The empty stroller is extra interesting because it's somewhat new, and it makes me think about perhaps his regret, at not having children, at not having the chance to have had children (with her).

The only other time we see this kind of thing, that I can remember, is the empty car seat in "After." Rick and Carl see it and assume it means Judith is dead. This fills them with regret, of course.

@wdway

I'm still trying to figure out where I have seen another wire heart chair before the one in Find Me, because I remember seeing that chair when the episode aired and thinking, "oh, it's just like the chair in...?" and I can't remember where it was. You did point out that there was a red chair in s11 that was around Eugene giving him the signal that what was happening was danger/red alarm. I had thought I had remembered him in a similar chair but it was white, as it turned out what I was remembering incorrect but let me show it.

He's sitting in a more ornate black chair but if you look to the right behind him there are white wire chairs. If you look closer though they don't have a heart shape in them, they have to circles at the top.

I think that this is just telling us that even though Eugene is a proxy for Daryl, he is not Daryl. Similar chair but not exact.

Then I decided to go and get a shot of the chair that started me on this journey of empty chair recognition. S11e18 A New Deal. Looking at it now I swear I don't know how I even saw it. But for some reason it caught my attention. And the journey began.

Here's what I find somewhat similar, it's not a very sturdy looking chair. It doesn't look like it's really made for a large person. It has simple lines and no arms.

Guess where else I found a similar looking chair, when I say similar I mean no arms, that type of thing.

Find Me.

This is Daryl about to tell Carol the story of Leah, on the cabin porch. There are actually two chairs, one in the distance that is a white walker and then this little no arm chair that we don't see any other time.

I don't know if there's any real point here other than it just seems very strange to me the similarities between Find Me and things that we find around Daryl in other episodes that seems to be related to him.

Another little tie in from Find Me and Daryl.

The hat is Daryl AZ apartment for s10e21 Diverged.

Daryl with a hat from DD spin-off.

@galadrieljones, since you were talking about plaid the other day I brought you more from s11 one of Carol and one of Eugene.

We all were talking about something that reminded us of the wallpaper and Alone. I can't remember what we were talking about but since I was visiting Alone I thought I'd grab this shot.

@galadrieljones

Thanks @wdway! We were discussing the Dama’s dressing room and all the birds

The plaids here are interesting because they’re the same color scheme as the plaid in the Still carpet and the plaid in the curtains in the boat: blue, red, and yellow.

@wdway

We've been talking a lot about the wire heart chair in Find Me. I had mentioned that I thought I had seen one somewhere before in an earlier season, I just couldn't remember where. Last night I realized why I thought I had seen the chair before. It isn't exactly a chair, it's a combination of different objects that I think might have inspired the creation of the chair.

I had mentioned yesterday about going old episodes looking at different chairs and going back to the kitchen scene in Alone. How the chairs they're sitting in the kitchen have a double rounded top. It hit me that if you combine the two, the chairs and the palmette it kind of creates the back of that little chair. I think this might be the inspiration for the first empty chair. An empty chair for someone who is missing. Beth. The other thought I had is that Daryl memory is so flawed in Find Me that the chair might be him combining those elements from the funeral home.

@galadrieljones

Nice, @wdway. You also pointed out yesterday that Eugene is sitting at a different kind of chair at one point in the CW. The back looked like a palmette to me. I just never got around to pointing it out.

[kcarreras]

I Wanna Be Yours

Fandom: Outer Banks Pairing: JJ Maybank & Kiara Carrera Summary: It’s been a week since the Pogues arrived back in Kildare, after almost a month stranded on the island. Separated from her friends and under house arrest from her parents, JJ and Kie are finally reunited and forced to confront the consequences their time on the island has had on their relationship... Notes: This one is for @soldatstylesmaybank for hyping me up in her tags - I hope you like it! ❤️

The Pogues had been back in Kildare County for a week now. 

Seven whole days since she’d last seen her friends - last seen him - on the dock after their ferry arrived back from the mainland.

Her parents had been waiting, and were on top of her almost instantly - hugging and smothering her as they led her to the back of her mom’s SUV without so much as a chance to say goodbye.

Since then, her parents had been monitoring her every move to the point she felt like she was under house arrest, and maybe she was.

She’d wake up in the mornings to her mom pulling open her curtains, sunlight flooding the room and rousing her from her sleep, pretending she was there to collect laundry... at 6am.

Her dad would check in with her at night before going to bed, pretending he was only stopping in to say goodnight, but really his motive was the same as her mom’s - he wanted to make sure she was still there.

Her homework was being dropped off at the house by her school guidance counsellor at the request of her parents, after they claimed she needed time to ‘adjust’ to being back. Really, they just didn’t want her having the opportunity to sneak off somewhere - or with someone - she shouldn’t be.

After five days of constant supervision and being on her best behaviour, she convinced them that she should at least be allowed to leave the house for work. Her dad finally agreed that she could cover some shifts at the Wreck, as long as he was there.

It wasn’t ideal, but she’d take what she could get at this point.

The next day was a quiet Sunday in late October, and with little tourists left in the area and the locals at home out of the way of the wind and rain that was rolling in from the coast, the Wreck was empty. 

It was a little after 7pm when her dad made the decision to close early and send the other staff home. Once the last of the servers had left, he flipped the “OPEN” sign that hung in the door to “CLOSED”, and they began to clear up. 

About 20 minutes later his cell rang, and it was Anna. Her tyre had blown out and she was stranded at the side of the road, a few miles out of town. Due to the weather, the roadside recovery company hadn’t been able to give her an estimated arrival time beyond “a few hours”, and so Mike said he’d go and pick her up. 

At first he wanted Kiara to come with him, but she made a strong case for the fact that there was no use in both of them sitting in the car doing nothing for the whole journey there and back, when she could be here cleaning and boarding up the restaurant in case the weather worsened. Her father’s resolve was a lot weaker than her mother’s, who would have dragged her along anyway, and so he agreed.

He gave her the same lecture he always did when she worked a closing shift - make sure all the stoves are off, double-check the storm shutters are latched properly and don’t forget to turn all the lights off. She even jangled her keys in front of him, promising to remember to lock the door on her way out, and that she’d head straight home when she was done. 

Her dad eventually left, and she locked the door behind him before heading into the cleaning closet to grab the mop and bucket.

Her dad had only been gone a few minutes when she heard the rap of knuckles against the door. Assuming he’d forgotten his keys or wallet, she huffed, dropping the mop back into the bucket - now full of hot water and citrus-scented floor cleaner - and headed to the door.

“I swear, Dad, you’d forget your own head if it wasn’t-“ she began, but as she rounded the corner, the air was knocked out of her lungs.

It was JJ. 

He was standing in front of the glass door, hands buried deep in his pockets, shoulders shrugged up to his ears and his hood pulled over his head as the rain hammered down on top of him, dripping from the ends of his blonde hair that stuck out from under his hood and clung to his forehead.

“Shit,” Kie breathed out under her breath, subconsciously running her hands across her apron, smoothing it out across her thighs.

When she didn’t move immediately, JJ raised an eyebrow at her.

“Is there a secret password or some shit I don’t know about?”

His voice was muffled through the door, but she could still hear the humour in it.

When she still didn’t move, he spoke again, a little more serious this time.

“Seriously, Kie? Let me in, I’m freezing my ass off out here.”

She wanted to roll her eyes at the exaggeration, but he was only wearing a pair of long, dark boardshorts that hung to his knees and a washed-out, grey t-shirt with a flimsy navy jacket lying open over top - all of which was clinging to him like a second skin from the rain.

Normally she’d give him stick for being so inappropriately dressed for the weather, but she herself was wearing a pair of light-wash denim shorts and a lemon-coloured vest top with thin spaghetti straps, so she really had no room to judge.

She took another breath, bracing herself as she made her way across the wooden floor, boards creaking beneath her sneakers with every step. She knew the noise would be echoing around the empty restaurant, loud and obnoxious, but she couldn’t hear it over the sound of blood rushing in her ears.

She turned the key that was still in the lock and the door all but blew open into her as JJ tumbled in out of the elements.

“Finally, what took so long?” He asked, pulling his hood down and shaking his head like a wet dog, rain spraying from his dishevelled blonde head.

“Wow, JJ. Really?” Kie complained, stepping back out of his vicinity and wiping splashes off the bare skin of her arms.

When he finally lifted his head to look at her, he smiled, and something inside of her chest cracked open, and she felt some of her previous apprehension leave her body.

“Long time, no see,” he drawled sarcastically.

“Yeah. I almost forgot what you looked like,” she replied back in a similar tone, throwing the clean rag she was holding at him with a grin, before turning away from him.

“Please,” he scoffed jokingly, dragging the cloth across his face as he dried himself off.

“As if you could ever forget this face.”

Yeah, as if, Kiara thought to herself, all too seriously. Outwardly, though, she responded by giving him the middle finger over her shoulder as she continued to make her way back to her cleaning supplies.

“I know you struggle with the cursive,” she called to him, disappearing from view into the cleaning closet, “but you can read the sign that says we’re closed, right?”

“Yeah, I managed that one, thanks. I appreciate the concern, though,” he replied, pulling a stool out from the counter and perching himself upon it as she rummaged around in the closet.

“Luckily for me, I’m not here for the shrimp and grits. Unless…” he chanced his luck, but she stuck her head out of the closet for a second to scowl at him as she replied.

“Not a chance. Everything’s already been cleaned, I’m not firing it all up again to make you free food.”

“Worth a try,” he said with a shrug.

“So if it’s not the free food you’re here for, what is it?” Kiara asked him, her voice sounding distant from inside the closet.

“You,” he said, and she froze, her arm extended above her head as she reached up for another clean cloth and some spray.

After a moment she emerged from the closet empty handed, standing a few feet from him.

“Jay, we talked about this-” she began delicately, but he interrupted.

“No, actually, Kie, you talked. I just had to sit there and listen.”

Kie’s mind jolted her back to the last conversation they had before the ferry docked on the day they came home.

***

They were sitting together on a bench out on the deck, her head resting on his shoulder and their hands clasped together as they stared out to the approaching shore, the announcement signalling their arrival playing out overhead.

“So what happens now?” JJ had asked, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.

“What do you mean?” Kie had questioned back, lifting her head to look at him.

“Between you and me. I mean, these last few weeks... I don’t know. I guess I just thought things might be different.”

Kie thought back to the last three weeks - the lingering stares, the subtle but deliberate touches, their desire to be around each other all the time becoming more and more obvious as the days had gone by.

She didn’t remember exactly when things changed between them, but she did remember that last night they spent on the beach once everyone else was asleep.

She remembered the sound of his hushed laugh as it faded from his lips, his eyes shifting from piercing and glittering, to dark and wanting, as they fell from hers down to her lips, and back again.

She remembered the heavy breath he took when she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, nervous but excited for what might happen next.

She remembered her breath catching in her throat when he turned at the waist to face her, his hand reaching up to brush a stray curl back from her eyes, before trailing it down her jaw to rest on the side of her neck, fingers tangling in the hair at the nape of her neck as he leaned in.

Her eyes had fluttered closed, and she’d stopped breathing altogether when she felt his breath against her lips.

One of her hands had tugged on his t-shirt, the other pulling down on the back of his neck as she tried to close the minimal space left between them...

But then Pope had stumbled out from the shelter just a few meters along beach, cursing as he tripped over a piece of rogue driftwood in the dark, and they had sprung apart as though they were suddenly allergic to each other.

JJ had cleared his throat as Kiara combed her fingers through her hair, and they jumped to their feet as Pope asked them what they were still doing up.

They made their usual excuse about not being able to sleep, and Pope shrugged, still half asleep as he wandered off behind the tree line, informing them he was going to take a piss.

With the moment gone, they retreated in silence back under the cover of the shelter, unaware that the next time they’d be alone to discuss it, they would be getting ready to dock back in Kildare.

“JJ, I - I don’t really know what to say.”

“Well that’s easy, Kie. You just say how you feel.”

With the dock coming in to view, the sight of her mom and dad standing at the edge, she began to feel overwhelmed, as though she couldn’t distinguish one thought from another.

She knew things had changed between them, and she knew that her parents were going to be unsufferable - that she was probably going to get shipped straight back off the island to boarding school the first chance they got.

She panicked, at what that would mean for her and JJ, and she didn’t have enough time in the next 30 seconds to think it through.

“Kie, what’s wrong?” JJ asked as she abruptly pulled away from him and got to her feet.

“Nothing, I’m fine, it’s just...” she trailed off, and the look on his face as he stared up at her broke her heart in two.

“I think it’s best that we just keep things how they are between us.”

The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them, and if she thought the look he had before was heartbreaking, it was nothing compared to this.

“Okay, but-” he began as his brow furrowed and his cheeks flushed, but she cut him off.

“Look, Jay, we’ve been friends for a long time, right? And these last few months have been crazy... and, y’know, being stranded on an island for three weeks? That shit can kinda fuck with your head. And so I just don’t know if we should let any of that change what we are to each other.”

She was rambling, and he was trying desperately to keep up, but the next minute the ferry shuddered as it made contact with the dock.

“Um, my parents are here. I should go,” Kie said, turning on her heels and practically running for the ramp.

“Kie! Wait a second,” he called, chasing after her, but other passengers on the ferry had begun to make their way in the same direction and a crowd formed between them. By the time JJ had pushed his way through, Kie was already disembarked and down on the dock.

“Kie!” he called after her, hands gripping the railing of the boat as she turned back to look at him. The rest of his friends, now also down on the dock, shouted for him to hurry his ass up, unaware of everything that had just unfolded.

Kie held his eyes for a second, before mouthing a silent, “I’m sorry,” and letting her parents lead her to the car.

***

He stood from the stool, and it screeched against the wooden floor as it slid back towards the counter, putting her nerves even more on edge.

“Look, I know your parents don’t want you to see me, or any of us for that matter. But, Kie, you can’t just ghost us, alright? No one’s heard from you since we got back.”

“That’s not true. You have.” Kiara argued weakly.

JJ scoffed, throwing his hands up.

“A text saying ‘Sorry, gotta dip for a bit,’ doesn’t count, Kie, and you know it.”

“That’s not all it said,” she replied, her voice even smaller now, her eyes dropping from his.

“No, you’re right,” he admitted with a humourless laugh, and it was the most annoyed she had ever heard JJ sound, at least towards her.

“It also said ‘I miss you’. What the fuck was that supposed to mean?” he asked, his blue eyes darkening and his cheeks flushing.

“Exactly what it said! I miss you, JJ. So much. I don’t wanna be apart from you. From any of you, but-” Kiara responded, her voice a little stronger now, almost a shout as her heart hammered in her chest.

“I don’t care about anyone else, Kiara,” he replied, and it was somewhere between a shout and a laugh. Kie flinched at the use of her full name, something he didn’t do very often and it made her uneasy.

It made her feel like they were fighting, which they were.

It made her feel like he was mad at her, which he had every right to be.

It made her feel as though they weren’t JJ and Kie anymore. 

Like they weren’t even friends.

And that made her want to cry. Which was ironic, because the whole reason they were in this situation in the first place was because during the three weeks they had spent stranded together - although probably some time before then, if she was being honest with herself - she realised that she didn’t want to be friends with JJ Maybank.

She wanted more.

“Jay,” she tried again, more softly, stepping toward him, but he pulled back.

“I can’t do this,” he said, and it was so quiet that she wasn’t sure he had actually said it.

“What do you mean? Can’t do what?” Kie pleaded, stepping forward again, taking hold of one of his hands in hers.

She tried to meet his gaze, but his blue eyes were darting around the room, desperately trying to look anywhere but at her.

“Jay, look at me, please,” she whispered, and a few seconds later he did.

“I can’t have this conversation with you if you’re not gonna be honest.”

“I’m trying, JJ. I am. But it’s complicated, okay? My parents said-”

“I don’t give a shit about what they have to say, Kie. This isn’t about them, or anyone else. How we feel about each other, that’s up to us. No one else is allowed to tell us shit about it.”

She dropped her eyes, which were clouded with tears that had yet to fall, and her gaze landed on their hands that were still intertwined.

As JJ slipped his hands from hers, her eyes darted up to his, scared he was pulling away from her. But then she felt his cool palms on her hot, flushed cheeks and her eyes fluttered shut for a second before looking back up at him.

“If you tell me right now that you wanna forget everything that’s happened over the last month…”

JJ took a deep breath, as if he was bracing himself for impact, before continuing.

“If you tell me that you wanna pretend that it never happened,” his voice trailed off, and her hands came up to grasp at his wrists as he continued to cradle her face.

“I’ll do that for you. If that’s what you want. But please don’t ask me to do it for anyone else.”

His head fell forward, eyes closed as his forehead came to rest against hers. Kie squeezed her eyes shut, and the tears finally fell.

JJ felt them trickle against his palms that were still pressed to her cheeks, and he opened his eyes, brushing them away with the gentle pads of his thumbs.

“Tell me what you want, Kie,” 

It was all but a whisper against her lips, which were inches from his as their foreheads remained pressed together, noses brushing.

Kiara’s eyes opened and met his, holding his gaze for a second before speaking.

“I wanna be with you,” she said, and before JJ could register what was happening, she pushed herself up onto her toes until her lips met his.

He was still against her for a second until the surprise wore off, and then his mouth was moving against hers. 

Her hands slid from their position around his wrists down his forearms, pulling gently until he dropped one hand to her waist and pulled her body flush to his.

Her mouth fell open when the front of his body collided against hers, and JJ’s tongue which had been running along her bottom lip made its way into her mouth with a groan. One of Kiara’s hands knotted itself in the damp material of his shirt in an attempt to pull him even closer, the other snaking its way through his hair and tugging gently.

JJ grinned against her mouth, and when she felt it, she pulled back slightly to do the same. JJ took advantage of the brief pause to not only catch his breath, but to reach round behind her and untie the apron that was still around her waist. As it came undone in his hand, he tossed it on the floor behind him. His lips came back to meet hers as his hands slid down her body appreciatively, coming to a stop just under her ass. His warm fingers and the cool metal of his rings pressed into the exposed skin beneath her shorts as he lifted her until her legs were wrapped around his waist.

He walked them forward a few steps, and Kie whined at the momentary loss of contact between their mouths as he set her down on the counter.

She tugged again at his t-shirt to bring him closer, and he gladly obliged, settling himself between her legs. He hooked his hands behind her knees and pulled until they were flush against each other again, and her thighs tightened their grip around him in response.

“Fuck, Kie,” JJ breathed against her neck as his mouth dropped from hers into the crook of her neck, desperate for air.

The words and the sensation of his breath against her skin sent a shiver down her spine, and he felt her arch her back in response as her chest pressed against his. A moment later, her head fell forward to rest on his shoulder, breathless.

JJ’s hands began to wander from where they had been running up and down the smooth, bare expanse of her thighs up to her waist, fingers tracing under the hem of her top that clung sinfully to her curves.

When she felt him hesitate, she lifted her head from where it was resting on his shoulder, her lips brushing his skin as she dragged them upwards across his jaw until they hovered over his again. She nodded, eyes burning into his before they fluttered closed again and her lips collided with his.

His hands pushed under her top, roaming the expanse of bare skin on her back. Kiara’s hands moved to push his jacket off his shoulders, pulling it down his arms until she heard it hit the floor with a soft thud.

The rain continued to hammer against the roof above them, and pelt off the glass windows surrounding them as the last of the sun disappeared below the horizon, casting pink and orange and purple shadows across them and the empty restaurant.

Kiara could feel the strong planes of his chest and stomach beneath the damp t-shirt that clung to him, and she wanted nothing more than to peel it from his skin and have it join his jacket on the floor.

Her hips rocked forward instinctively at the thought of it, and JJ groaned against her mouth as his fingers dug into the soft skin of her hips. 

Thunder rumbled in the distance, and a few seconds later a snap of lightning lit up the sky and they flinched, pulling apart slightly.

They were as close as they’d ever been, noses brushing, eyelashes tickling the others cheeks, lips brushing but not quite touching as they caught their breath.

“JJ,” Kie breathed, shifting so her mouth was now against the shell of his ear, and his skin prickled as he hummed in response. 

“I really don’t want this to end, but…” she trailed off with a sigh as her arms came up to drape across his strong shoulders, pulling him close as he straightened up.

“I know,” he whispered against the column of her throat, where her pulse was still hammering, before wrapping his arms around her waist in response.

They stayed like that for a minute or two, just holding each other close and taking in the moment - God knows when they’d be able to have another.

“I’m sorry,” Kie whispered into the silence, and she felt him smile against her neck before he spoke.

“Don’t be. That was further than I ever thought I’d get with you.”

“That’s not what I meant, dumbass,” she laughed against his ear before pulling back to slap him playfully on the shoulder. She let her arms slide down from where they had been wrapped around him until her palms rested flat on his chest.

JJ relaxed his hold on her too, hands coming to rest lazily against her waist as his thumbs traced circles into the bare skin between the waistband of her shorts and the hem of her top.

“I’m sorry that everything is so complicated.” She clarified, her soft, brown eyes gazing into his.

“Don’t worry about it, alright? We’ll figure it out,” he comforted with a gentle smile, pressing a kiss to her temple.

“So,” he said a few seconds later, followed by a cough to break the tension, “We’ve got some floors to mop, huh?”

Kiara tilted her head, a smile breaking out across her face and lighting up her features at the sight of him grinning back at her. 

JJ lifted her down from the counter, setting her on her feet before turning them around so he was nearest the counter and she was facing away from him.

“Better get to it, Cinderella,” he said, smacking her gently on the ass over her shorts, and she turned to shoot him a look of mock offense over her shoulder.

“Aren’t you gonna help?” she asked, nodding her head towards the cleaning closet that was still lying open.

“Sure. In a minute though,” he replied, still leaning back against the counter.

“What’s wrong with right now? I’m working under a time crunch now, thanks to you.” Kiara asked, turning to face him again with a drop of her hip as she crossed her arms over her chest, eyebrow raised at him.

“If you must know, thanks to you,” he began, repeating her own words back to her with emphasis, “I need a minute to… regroup, if you will, before I can move from this position.”

When Kiara continued to stare at him blankly, he dropped his gaze from hers down to the front of his shorts and back again, and Kiara threw a hand over her mouth to stifle her laugh.

“Right. Got it.” she replied, holding her hands up apologetically but still looking wildly amused. “Sorry about that.”

“Sure you are,” he drawled with a laugh as she moved over to where her apron and JJ’s jacket had landed on the floor, bending over to pick them.

“Not helping, Kie,” JJ groaned from over by the counter and she stood back up, turning to toss the item at him.

“My bad,” she said with a grin, re-tying her apron around her waist and picking up the mop.

A while later, when they had finished mopping the floors and had moved on to polishing glasses whilst Otis Redding played in the background on an old record player in the back office, Kie’s phone buzzed with a text from her mom letting her know they were on their way back.

***

Kiara cried as she said goodbye to JJ on the boardwalk outside of the restaurant, clinging to him as though she might never see him again because, with the way her parents had been acting, it was a real possibility.

JJ whispered comforting promises against her ear and pressed soft kisses into the now all too-familiar crook of her neck. He wiped away her tears and told her he’d see her soon, one way or another, before climbing onto his bike.

She looked on as he reached the end of the road, where he would turn left to go South and she would turn right to go North, and she had never realised it was possible to feel so close to someone and yet so far apart at the same time.

[jq37]

The Report Card – Fantasy High: The Seven Ep 1

Meet the Maidens

It is back to school baby, both for D20 and, funnily enough, myself as well (something I hope will give me more time to get the recaps out in a timely manner fingers crossed). 

As I’m sure you all know if you’re reading this, this season of D20 takes place in the world of Fantasy High but with a focus on Aguefort’s OTHER most badass adventuring party who we’ve so far only seen on the sidelines, the Seven Maidens! You’ll recall, they’re made up of the seven girls who were captured by Penelope and co. to fulfill the prophecy that would let Kalvaxus rule the world freshman year. And, in fact, we start with a flashback to freshman year so let’s just jump right in.

We find our seven soon-to-be heroines chained in the Red Waste in front of what we know and they will shortly learn in Kalvaxus’ lair--a crucial part of the prophecy that was the subject of season 1. The structure of this episode is sort of like 2 rounds of introductions--first here with the maidens meeting each other for the first time and then again at home with their families a la the first episode of Freshman Year so I’ll be glossing over certain things that we’ll get to later in their second intros.

Anyway, the first two to wake up are Danielle (aka Yelle: half-elf, druid) and Zelda (satyr, barbarian as we know). Zelda is her usual, adorably nervous self in contrast to Yelle who is no less sweet but in a super chill, granola girl, fuck the system kind of way. We actually learn that Penelope had her on board with the plan for a hot second when she thought it was just “overthrow the government” but didn’t know about the “install a just as bad if not worse evil dragon overlord” part. 

Ostentatia (dwarf, cleric) wakes up next and is, as Izzy--her player--describes her “Jersey Trash.”, all blinged up with jewelry that she secretly made herself and didn’t buy. She wakes up pissed and ready to bodyslam Aelwyn which are both extremely valid emotions as much as I love Aelwyn. By the way, all of the girls recognize each other as girls who go to their school but none of them are really friends though they very quickly start throwing the label around because that’s what you do when you wake up chained with 6 other people in front of a dragon’s lair in a place called the Red Waste. 

Katja (half-orc, fighter) wakes up and immediately cares about nothing more than the status of her beloved horse, Cinnamon and declares that if Cinnamon dies, she’ll die. This is a fantasy world so Ostentatia and Danielle are a little concerned that might literally be true via a soul bond or something but it’s more that Katja just really, really loves that horse. Danielle tries to cast a spell to locate the horse but can’t get the somatic components quite right with her hands manacled. 

They all get into a discussion about the fact that everyone for a fact knows they’re all virgins now (you know, the real issue here) and what exactly counts as “virginity” for the purposes of this prophecy (like, does second or third base count or only traditional home runs using the baseball analogy) when Penny wakes up and is, just so excited to be here gang! Penny (halfling, rogue), who is one of the girls who has been kidnapped the longest, is adorably and honestly a bit concerningly exuberant to be surrounded by all these new friends, totally disregarding  the fact that they are clearly in some deep shit. Zelda mentions that Riz, her old babysitee, knows they’re kidnapped and is trying to help and she lights up. 

Next up is Sam (water genasi, sorc/bard) who immediately starts thrashing to get out of her chains and, when she can’t get free, is devastated by the fact that her ex betrayed her (!?) Finally Antiope (human fighter/ranger) wakes up all out of sorts having started her growth spurt while in the crystal and also having needed to pee right before she went in which becomes a problem all over herself (which Sam helpfully cantrips away).

With all of them awake, the stones they’re chained to light up and some of Kalvaxus’ minions (the ones who tied them up) show up to do minion speechifying. Yelle does a horrifying Animorph style morph into a waterbear (a tardigrade if you wanna get all Bio 101) to get out of her bonds but then Sam who has a serious one track mind re: getting out of here (Correct) and has exactly zero patience for these guys casts Tidal Wave and just knocks them off the cliff. Yelle frees Ostentatia who frees everyone else with Animate Object on their chains. Hands free, Yelle also casts Locate Animal and tells a very pleased Katja that Cinnamon is doing a full Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron down the highway searching for her. 

The girls decide to explore the cave which has recently had most of its treasure moved (it’s currently in the gym for the Prompocolypse fight which is currently happening). Penny and Sam (who are in insanely different emotional places) find all these broken mirrors which Sam takes as a cue that they need to GTFO (which is what she was already doing) and Penny thinks would make a great material for friendship bracelet making which she starts doing as Sam physically pulls her away. Sam hears someone doing post-cry sniffles and is like, “Not today Satan,” still trying to leave. However, Penny sees that there is one mirror left and, inside, sees a ethereal looking human with flowing, preternatural, black hair who senses their presence and asks if Penny is someone named Anima. She asks for their names though she declines to give hers (hmm, feels very fae) and the girls give the fake names of Kelly and Cecelia which the figure says she will guard and not misuse. The figure says she is looking for her sisters (who she says when Penny asks are at Aguefort which...hmmmmm) and, all of a sudden, Sam and Penny are having a bad feeling about those mirror shards. 

They ask her a question about the mirror and she gets really aggro when it’s referred to as “her” mirror as she would very much like to be out of it. The woman really wants to get out and says she can give them lots of power if they help. Sam pulls out her compact Mirror of the Past (magic item that does basically what you’d expect--shows you info from something’s past though in a cryptic way usually) to try and get some info on this thing and just barely avoids losing her mind in the process because this thing is ancient. Like eons old. She also learns the woman’s name (or maybe title): The Ending of Things (will be calling her Ending for now).

Yikes!

Right around now the other girls come in and can see at the angle they’re looking at her at the woman in the mirror is Not Really A Person and Antiope points at her and reflexively casts a ranger sense spell to try and clock its weaknesses and stuff but Ending grabs the spell energy like a lasso and tries to drag her into the mirror. She does however find out that she’s stacked with hella resistances (total immunity to necrotic damage and non-maj weapons, resistance to most elemental damage, and more).

Sam briefly considers using Lightning Lure to pull Antiope back before deciding on a much less ouchy Counterspell. Unfortunately, it’s not strong enough and now she’s being pulled in by her spell energy too. Yelle casts Erupting Earth which has some pros and cons.

Pros: Antiope and Sam are saved! Yay!

Cons: The mirror breaks and whatever was in it is fully freed. Not yay!

Shortly after (but not before Penny gives everyone their new friendship bracelets), someone calls into the cave looking for them--it’s Fig’s mom, Sandra-Lynn (with new art)! She’s happy and impressed that everyone is OK (also, Katja and Sam both have little lines that foreshadow their ~parental issues~ for the season--Katja being very moved by the simple act of Sandra-Lynn showing up for them and Sam saying that in her experience moms can be very evil).

As they all leave the cave, they all do checks and get some info:

Ostentatia: The mirror was kinda like a palimpsest (the crystals they were trapped in) and whatever this thing is is ancient and powerful. 

Yelle: Gets the above info and the fact that when the thing left it wasn’t quite a bad vibe, just the vibe that something big and important is at play.

Penny: On an Arcana check she knows that what Danielle did 100% saved Antiope and Sam’s lives from whatever and wherever was on the either side of the mirror but the contact marked them in some way. 

Katja: With History she sees some Primordial writing which is the writing of elementals (one of the things Ending has resistances to which might be relevant; also Sam reads Primordial but doesn’t get to read what it says)

Antiope: She knows that she and Sam are connected to Ending now somehow but it’s a two way connection which means they can also use it to their advantage. 

Ostentatia casts Mending on the mirror shards which I think was to reconstruct the mirror but what it actually does is someone link their friendship bracelets. Cute!

And, with that, we cut to the present a year and a half later (which is Jr or Sr year for everyone). 

We hop from kid to kid as they get ready to head in to school and get glimpses into their homes lives! Let’s do a quick rundown for each girl:

Antiope Jones

We see that Antiope is the youngest of five in what is essentially a military family full of basically every kind of fighter (she says she basically lives in a “Crossfit box”). There’s an 8 year gap between her and her sister Corsica who is the second youngest so her parents are kind of already living like empty nesters. When she comes downstairs she is promptly handed a protein smoothie and told two pieces of info: (1) from Corsica she learns that she overheard at school --where she teaches--that Aguefort needs to talk to her for some reason but she won’t say why which annoys the crap out of Antiope and (2) her parents lined up an internship for her at the Ministry of Adventure. She and her mom verbally spar a bit about them being all up in her life and how stressed she is and how she likes what she has going now with the Seven but her mom wins ofc because she’s a Mom and also a master tactician with a deft hand for loving mom guilt. On the way to school her bros (who include a gunslinger and an eldritch knight cause they run the whole gamut of fighter classes) Facetime her like, “Yikes Ant, heard about what happened with Mom, this is why you don’t fight her lmao.”

Sam Nightingale

This is a heavy one so strap in. 

We check in with Sam who isn’t at her own family’s home but at Penelope’s family home which is off the bat eyebrow raising. It’s an upper middle class house and, on the way down, she has to pass Penelope’s bedroom which is conspicuously empty. Downstairs she’s greeted by Penelope’s human mom Rebecca who she learns is moving out soon because her elf husband is both cheating on her while away in Falinel and starting the divorce process. Sam clearly sees Penelope’s mom as a surrogate mom (for reasons we’ll learn in a second) and goes full ride or die assuring her that her ass is better than the ass of the woman he’s cheating with and offering to help burn his stuff even though drowning is more her specialty (she’s so cool). She also is a little stricken at the thought of Rebecca leaving her in the house alone but Rebecca says she can come with if she wants, she just didn’t want to disrupt her school life.

She also tells Rebecca that her bio-mom called recently which immediately sets Sam off. Through the convo we learn a couple of things:

Sam used to be an actor it seems.

And it seems like she was kicked out of the house after she transitioned or something similar which is why she lives with the Everpetals. 

Now that it’s more “fashionable” to to be trans (her mom’s words, not mine) she wants Sam to talk to her so they can get her back in the game.

Sam is having none of that and tells Rebecca to just delete her mom’s number. Then they have a cathartic session of burning her cheating husband’s shit before Sam leaves in Sebastian--her sentient, seafoam blue, self-driving car with a very hot male voice which I am extremely jealous of. She picks up Zelda on the way to school and they commiserate a little and have a heart to heart about adults and change and how much Zelda wants to body slam Sam’s mom. 

Penny Luckstone 

Penny’s house is a whirlwind of activity and her harried parents get her and her 19 young siblings ready for school (no wonder she’s such a good babysitter). We see where Penny gets her type-A ness from as her mom and dad both have this cheerful but overworked energy of “EVERYTHING IS FINE” like that Good Place sign. Her mom spares a second to tell her that she recently got a letter for The Society of Shadows which is like a super secret rogue college (which her parents assume is legit even though they haven’t heard of it cause they’re Mumple people and also, if you've heard of a rogue school, how good could it really be?) Penny is excited except that it would mean she’d have to move and leave her party. Her mom is like “hey it’s a full ride and there are 20 of you guys so just take that into consideration but it’s ultimately your decision” before she dashes away to get to work because it is always Go Go Go with the Luckstones. She texts Sam for a ride and Sam swings by to grab her. This is not plot relevant but she has a booster seat in the back of Sebastian with her name carved into it and it’s important to me that you know that. 

Katja Cleaver

Next up is Katja who lives in a Richie Rich style mansion and comes from very old money as she is descended from one of the first adventurers in Solace. She is in the barn with Cinnamon and the bugbear farrier they have employed (her name is Gertrude and a farrier is someone who does horseshoes). She eats the same breakfast as Cinnamon (hot dry oats and berries baybee) wo she loves so so dearly. Cinnamon is a magical horse--basically like a Find Steed spell that’s on all the time. She’s modeled the horse in her fave book series--the Babysitter’s Horse of course. Lockwood, the staff’s hobgoblin butler, is also there and they get a fantasy Zoom call from Katja’s dad who is in the middle of the insane 20th level adventurer stuff which he says might make him miss her graduation. She is extremely disappointed but just barely hides it from her dad (who seems to really care despite his not being around). She can’t hide it from the staff or Cinnamon however and Cinnamon offers to give her a ride to school via the scenic route. 

Note: We also learn two sad facts about Katja from the conversation with her dad.

Her mother is Disney Princess dead* and

She wears one half of a friendship necklace and it seems like she’s waiting for someone to give the other half to. It’s implied earlier that the way Penelope got her was by promising to be her best friend. Sad!

*Edit: Well, she’s gone and we’ll leave it at that until next recap. 

Ostentatia Wallace

Ostentatia wakes up and goes downstairs to have a very high energy in both directions interaction with her very fantasy-Italian mom and grandma. Her grandma is concerned her beard isn’t coming in--not knowing she shaves it on purpose which her mom is like, “Listen it’s fine but don’t tell grandma it’ll kill her.” She clocks very quickly that her dad isn’t there and his mithril working tools are gone. Her mom tries to play it off but she knows she’s being lied to and her mom relents. Her dad is at a meeting with the other workers of the shut down mithril factory and negotiations have ceased. It looks like he’s gonna be long term out of work. That explains where her dad is but not why the tools are missing. She decides to go do some investigating on her own and ambushes her dad in his car where, with the inaugural nat 20 of the season, she realizes he pawned his tools to get her 5 revivify diamonds. She's upset by this and he’s upset that she’s, in his eyes, questioning his ability to take care of his family. She’s like, alright, you did a thing for me, I’ll do a thing for you and she casts Animate Object to make his stuff steal itself back in a sequence that involves an animated crowbar using another crowbar which is just wild.

Danielle Barkstock

I’m gonna be real, Danielle’s life is exactly how you assume it is based on Who She Is As A Person so this one will be real short. Eco-friendly off the grid geodesic yurt. One super chill peace and love elf sorc mom and one rough and tough human ranger mom. She also knows and helps the Cubbies with their anarchist machinations because yeah, duh. She gets some messages from school on her crystal--one being a message from the principal saying that she and the rest of her party have first period off to meet with him and the other being a newsletter from the school showing, among other things, a photo of the Druid class doing a project but she’s not in it for some reason. She texts one of the other druids to see if she can figure out why she wasn’t invited but fully gets left on read. Brutal. Of course, she hasn’t messaged that person in 6-8 months so maybe that’s why.

Anyway, with that, all seven of our maidens make it to school and are all exuberant to see each other in a very teen girl way before getting to the principal’s office and learning that their party will be broken up at the year! 

Bad!

Superlatives 

I wanted to do something a little different for these recaps than the Bad Kid ones so instead of Honor Roll/Detention we are doing Superlatives and the inaugural one goes to...

Sam: Most Like To Survive a Horror Movie

Man she woke up chained in a ritual magic circle and she was Ready To Go Immediately. You will not catch this girl doing horror movie victim BS like exploring the spooky house or giving the creepy obvious ghost the time of day. She is hyper-competent and her goal is making it out alive and dragging her friends with her. Love her.  

Random Thoughts

The season immediately starts with a bang or I should say a bing with Izzy trying to say “bling bang” and accidentally saying, “bling bing” and immediately getting roasted by everyone. I love the authentic girl group vibes (which include everyone clowning on her then immediately hyping up Zelda to the max after being way more awkward). 

Handshake meme with Danielle and Moonshine from Naddpod. Also, Cinnamon and Horse from Centaurworld. 

I love that Rekha and Erika just straight up were like, “Our characters are Asian”. Like obviously, make your characters Asian coded in your fantasy world--all my D&D characters are black like me--but it’s funny that they completely disregarded the, “There’s no Asia in this world so I guess they’re this world’s equivalent to--” Nah just, “I’m a half-elf and I’m Asian.” You love to see it. 

I absolutely LOVE the choices the cast made to flesh out their characters based on the little info Brennan had about them, none moreso than rich horse girl Katja. Rekha is a genius. 

“I only want one thing and he’s working” KATJAAAAAAA

Man if I was in that flashback I would have been wilding out so much with my flashback plot armor. 

I appreciate that the first thing that Aabria has Antiope do is extremely uncool. I love it when players aren’t concerned about just being cool and on point all the time. Sometimes (read: often) that’s the less interesting choice. 

But on the exact opposite side, she’s a ranger and an arcane archer which I think is extremely cool. Lmao also I didn’t mention in the recap but she HATES dragons now which, understandable. I’m guessing they're her favored enemy. 

I can’t wait to see another group of kids interact w/ madman Aguefort. 

Also, as a known Aelwyn-stan, I am very excited for the possibility of the Seven interacting with her cause as much as I love her they are under no obligation to acknowledge her redemption arc and I would love to see them throw hands. 

I love the Greek myth naming scheme of Antiope’s extremely cool family as with her on the spot nickname “L-Cab” short for long caboose since she’s the youngest by a mile. 

Also this is out of character not in character but Sephie is an extremely cool nickname for Persephone. 

I wonder why Brennan didn’t let Sam read the Primordial in the cave. He just glossed right past her saying that she speaks it and she didn’t push it. Would it have solved his entire plot in the span of a flashback or was he just keeping things moving?

Sidenote, if I was married to an elf man and worried about aging like Rebecca, I would simply become a druid (or a monk or up my wizard levels so I could learn True Polymorph or Wish or something). 

I wonder what the deal with Ending is. She seemed relatively sincere in the mirror but that doesn’t mean anything. She could be sincere and also Very Bad News. 

There is an offhand comment by Brennan about how the dwarf forge god gives spells but doesn’t talk to his followers which I think means that Ostentatia is gonna be getting a direct god call soon enough. 

Also she mentions that her dad is doing some criminal activity on the side which seems like a Problem for later. Honestly all of the kids have some pretty rich parent drama happening which should be interesting to see explored. 

No nat 1s this ep and 1 nat 20 as I mention from Ostentatia. 

[aminiatureworld]

Time and Chance II

Characters: Kaeya, Xiao, gn!reader

Word Count: 2,702

Warnings: Swearing

Premise: Confessions are tricky things. Sometimes it takes week, maybe months, maybe years of building up courage for one to happen. And sometimes life throws the oddest wrenches in our paths.

In which the reader confesses.

Author’s Note:

Sorry for the lack of Zhongli. I feel completely awful currently and though I wrote part of his scenario it was really poor in quality so I decided to stick with Kaeya and Xiao. I’ll get to him and Keqing another time I promise. Also don’t worry this isn’t life or death I just need to sleep it off lol. I realize between this and my computer there’s always something and I feel a bit guilty about it. At least I hope everything’s up to par!

This also probably won’t get proofread tonight.

 I hope you enjoyed my extra fic for Valentine’s Day! To all the lovely people who requested prompts I will be getting to those next week. Have a lovely night and thank you so much for your patience!

Kaeya

Perhaps falling in love with Kaeya wasn’t the most original thing you’d ever done, but by the time you’d come to that conclusion you were too far gone to care.

You loved Kaeya, or at least you liked him a lot. As someone who looked up to the Knights of Favonius there was something intriguing about the man who was simultaneously one of its lynchpins, and a sort of rogue state of a human being. It didn’t hurt that he was stupidly good looking, and a bit of a smoother talker. Okay, maybe more than a bit, but you didn’t really mind that. It was nice to be flirted with sometimes, and Kaeya had the sense never to take it too far.

You figured that Kaeya was at least somewhat aware of your feelings. Though you never asked about it, it seemed somehow too brash. Instead you figured that, in the months that had passed since your friendship had begun – for you did see it as a friendship by now – Kaeya had become aware and decided not to comment on it, as to not hurt your feelings. Though you wouldn’t go as far as call it noble of him, you certainly appreciated it.

So this charade continued on. You two remained close friends, or rather close friends in your estimation. Kaeya continued to flirt and you continued to ignore your personal feelings. It was truly an odd song and dance, but it wasn’t one you were about to change, not willingly anyways.

It’d become a bit of a tradition to patrol together. Seeing as you were an adventurer yourself and Kaeya was, well, Kaeya, you two had eventually decided it was better to make one long patrol together than two shorter patrols apart. Besides wasn’t the rule safety in numbers?

It was an exceedingly boring patrol, and as it neared its end the atmosphere between you two grew from semi-serious to absolute buffoonery. Kaeya had challenged you to see who could pick the most flowers the fastest, then who could control their vision’s element the long, then eventually, seized by some divine genius, he suggested that you might see who could run the farthest on the walls of Monstadt without falling over.

“This has got to be the stupidest thing I’ve ever agreed to.” You grumbled good naturedly. “Don’t blame me if you go tumbling off and end up with a broken leg.”

“I trust you’ll lift me to safety before that happens.” Kaeya answered back, eyes alight with his daredevil proposal.

“My anemo vision isn’t your personal elevator captain.” You reminded him. Hauling yourself up on the walls so you were on the farthest side you flashed a thumbs up. Kaeya nodded.

“Okay. Three… two… one and three quarters.”

“Kaeya.” You huffed, eliciting a chuckle from the knight.

“Okay, okay. Three, two, one, go!” The two of you ran as fast as you could, scrambling up the turrets, too concentrated to talk. Kaeya was laughing though, and eventually you found yourself laughing too, thrilled by the recklessness you were indulging in and the freedom to be doing it with someone apparently as stupid as you were.

“I’m getting ahead~” Kaeya chimed. You scoffed, quickening your pace. Kaeya did likewise, and for a moment it seems you two were going to be running the entire wall in this position. That is before Kaeya slipped.

“Shit.” He cursed, waving his arms like a madman. This only lasted a few seconds before he truly tumbled off, heading towards the stone paved ground. You didn’t say anything, though your brain was screaming various incomprehensible things. You simply clambered off your perch, hands already outstretched, praying to the god Barbatos that you could manipulate air you couldn’t see.

Luck was on your side as it turned out, and your swirl of wind caught Kaeya before he hit the pavement. Gliding down you shook your head wildly.

“Great gods Kaeya you scared the shit out of me!” You knew that you were screaming slightly, but you couldn’t help it. The whole situation had riled you up, leaving you panicked and not fully in control of your emotions.

“I’m fine! Honestly I am. I’m only sorry I lost.” Kaeya chuckled, but his laughter was weaker than before and his expression was slightly shocked.

“It’s not time to joke around Kaeya!” You shot back. “You can’t be so reckless! I know that it was also my fault for agreeing to it, but honestly! What would Monstadt do without you? What would I do without you?” You paused then, realizing that what you said held certain implications you’d been hoping to keep under wraps.

“What do you mean?” Kaeya’s expression immediately became brighter. Figures he’d read the meaning into your words. Honestly the man was too emotionally intelligent for his own good.

“I meant was I said.” You replied, figuring that there was nothing else to say. The truth was all but out now. “I really don’t know what I’d do without you Kaeya. Now I’m going to tell you something I’ve been hiding for a while, and since I saved your life and revealed it in the process I just want you to take it seriously, okay? I’m not joking, and now that I’ve said it I want to make it explicit. I like you. Like, I like, like you. And I know that I’m just your friend and that you’ve probably been aware of it for ages, but it’s out in the open now, okay? You don’t have to reciprocate or anything, that’s not it. I just… want to let it out.”

You stared at Kaeya, trying to gauge his reaction as much as possible, unwilling to look away. Unsurprisingly the news hardly seemed shocking to him, but instead of his smile slipping from his face it only grew wider. “You’re kinda oblivious you know.”

“I – what?” You sputtered, slightly offended. This wasn’t where you expecting it to go. “I don’t expect you to reciprocate, but leave the teasing alone for now at least!” So much for calling Kaeya emotionally intelligent.

“You’re reading this the wrong way!” Kaeya held up his hands, before stepping closer to you. “I just can’t believe that you’ve been my friend this whole time, had feelings on top of it, and never noticed that I was just as interested in you. I mean I’ve been flirting with you for months.”

“You flirt with everyone.” You scoffed, although the argument seemed to hold a bit less weight when compared to the jubilant, slightly smug look on Kaeya’s face.

“You may be right about that.” He admitted. “But c’mon. I don’t flirt with them like I flirt with you. I certainly don’t take them out on patrol.” His expression turned softer then, and he shook his head. “I know that I joke around a lot, but I promise, I wouldn’t joke about this. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you though, that was a fault on my part.”

“So you mean I’ve been hiding my feelings all this time for nothing?” You deadpanned, feeling overwhelmed. The situation still seemed too good to be true.

“Sounds about right.” Mischief was creeping back into Kaeya’s voice. “But it’s all right now! Your prayers have been heard! So, since you were the one to admit your feelings, I’ll be the one to ask the question. Want to date?”

“Yes.” You replied, sure of your answer.

“Good.” Kaeya replied, before pulling you into a hug, one you gladly reciprocated. It had been a hell of a day, and while you wouldn’t relieve Kaeya’s fall for anything you felt somehow lighter, as if a great burden had been lifted off your shoulders. He liked you, Kaeya liked you. For you, for now, that was all that mattered.

 Xiao

Once you’d decided to admit your feelings to Xiao you’d immediately followed up that decision with the knowledge that you were going to have to break it to him slowly. You’d been friends with Xiao for over a year now, and though you were cautiously optimistic as to how the adeptus would take it, you still knew that he wasn’t the kind of person who would be at all comfortable with a sudden confession.

Confessing your feelings was in itself an act which required all the courage you possessed. You weren’t sure when you’d truly started falling for Xiao, it had come about so gradually. But before you knew it you had grown to love him. You loved the way he talked, the soft cadence of his voice though often impatient was still filled with enough softness to make your heart flutter. You loved how, despite all he’d suffered, he still retained a begrudging love for the world, especially Liyue, which he once revealed to you would always be the one thing he loved, even if he loved nothing else. You loved everything, his hands, his eyes, the way he walked, the way he kept going despite it all. You loved it so much it hurt, and now you found that your love wasn’t something merely to be pushed away. If the odds of Xiao rejecting you were almost 100 so be it, at least then you’d be proud of yourself.

You spent quite a bit of time mulling the whole thing over, before the answer struck you. Xiao refused the gifts you brought him after some of your adventures, and when you’d once asked him what he might accept he’d shifted his gaze slightly towards the side, one hand running itself through his hair. “…Almond… Tofu.” He’d admitted. You’d been delighted by the revelation at the time, promising yourself you’d learn to make it. And what was a better way to show your feelings than to do so now? Not only was it something he’d like, it was something you’d made yourself.

So you gathered all the ingredients, borrow a receipt, and set to work in Wangshu Inn’s kitchen.

Unfortunately you’d failed to predict how difficult Almost Tofu was to make. It’d been hours and you had nothing to show for it but dirty utensils, a scarcity of ingredients, and a few mysterious blobs that looked about two steps away from inedible. Leaning your head on the counter you let out a groan. Why the fuck did you think this was a good idea?

“What’re you doing?” A familiar voice broke through your reverie.

“Xiao!” You exclaimed, glancing around you. There was no use hiding the project, although technically nothing was looking even close to Almond Tofu right now. “I was, I was trying to make Almond Tofu. But I guess I’m no good at cooking.” You laughed, more than slightly embarrassed.

Xiao’s eyes narrowed, and he raised an eyebrow. Saying nothing he walked over to the counter. Grabbing a cloth he started wiping down the counter.

“What’re you doing?” You asked, slightly confused and extremely surprised.

“Teaching you.” Came the reply. “Come on, let’s start again. Have you washed your hands since your last attempt?”

If cooking was difficult without Xiao it was impossible with him. The whole time you couldn’t help butbe aware of his presence, the way he stood behind you, leaning forward ever so often. Once you hadn’t been mixing fast enough and he placed his hands on yours, pressing his chest against your back. Your grip had immediately lost all strength, and you were sure that Xiao was the only one actually working. His breath was warm against your neck, and his palms were warm and dry. It was all too much, and you spent the rest of the lesson only half paying attention, too wrapped up in his proximity to you.

Despite the distractions this batch turned out, well looking like Almond Tofu. You couldn’t help but smile when seeing the finished product. Even if you didn’t make it completely yourself, there was still something about creating that gave you a sense of pride. Even if you did need help from the person you were going to give it to.

“It’s done.” Xiao proclaimed, a slight smile of satisfaction on his face. “I hope you enjoy it.”

“Oh, well actually I made it for you.” You grabbed the plate and approached the adeptus. “I know you said it was your favorite, and the only thing you’d accept, so, I made it!” You smiled slightly, though inside you were a bundle of nerves. This was happening. Holy shit this was happening.

The surprise on Xiao’s face was evident, but he nevertheless took the plate. Grabbing a pair of chopsticks he pressed into the tofu, causing it to almost immediately separate. Taking a bite a smile crossed his face. “Thank you,” he said, “it’s very good. I’m surprised you remembered.”

“Of course I did!” You replied, voice slightly hurried. “And, um, well I’d like to tell you something.”

“What is it?” Xiao’s slightly concerned look returned. Setting the plate down he crossed his arms.

“Well… you see.” You glanced at the floor. “I know this will probably seem very sudden, and maybe not very proper; and I know that this is something that’s purely one sided, but the fact is I like you. I like you more than a friend and, well… yeah.” You finished, feeling as if you’d just spoken some utter nonsense.

Glancing up you noticed how rigid Xiao had gone. Mouth twisting into a nervous frown you shook your head. “I’m so sorry! I know that you aren’t really, well you’ve said you aren’t familiar with the way humans experience the world. And I don’t want to put you on the spot, that’s the last thing I wanted to do. I’m sorry it’s so shocking.” Glancing away you started worrying your hands together. This had gone so much worse than you’d expected it.

“I don’t understand,” Xiao finally spoke, dropping his arms to his sides, “I don’t understand why you’d like someone like me. I’m not a human, and in terms of adepti I’m far more cursed than most. You shouldn’t, you shouldn’t like some like me. I bring disaster.”

“No you don’t!” The objection came naturally to you, horrified as you were by Xiao’s view of himself. “You’re one of the most wonderful beings I’ve ever met, human or adeptal! You’re kind, and you try to understand the pain and emotions of humanity. And you never push your burdens onto others despite carrying such heavy ones. If that’s not the mark of a good person, well then I don’t know what is!”

“I still don’t understand.” Xiao said, voice softer than usual but just as matter of fact.

“I’m sorry I pushed this onto you.” You said, suddenly feeling a burst of regret, turning around you made to leave the kitchen.

“Wait!” Xiao’s voice was loud and slightly jarring, his hand caught your wrist in a grip that, while gentle, was still firm. You turned around, unsure what to expect. Xiao sighed, closing the distance between you two. “When I said I don’t understand, that doesn’t mean I don’t want to.” There was a pause as he collected his thoughts, looking down, shaking his head slightly. “I don’t understand how humans think, nor how they feel. But, when I’m around you I’m happy, happier than I’ve been in a millennia. And I want to be around you, all the time sometimes. I want to know more about you and I want you to know more about me. So, if that’s what you mean, then… I also like you.”

Xiao glanced back up towards you and your eyes met. You felt slightly floaty all of a sudden, as if you’d gotten very, very drunk. Everything was too sudden, your emotions had changed too quickly. But through all your confusion you understood one thing. Xiao liked you, he liked you. He wasn’t going to reject you or push you away. The thought was enough to bring a smile to your face.

“So you really like me?” You asked. Though you knew the answer now you still wanted to hear it again. Just in case.

“Yes.” Xiao replied, a smile once more adorning his face. “I like you.”

And that was all you needed to hear.

[ficrecsbybu]

WinterIron fic rec 2021: Part I

Note: this fic rec consists only of Bucky Barnes/Tony Stark fics. the only Stucky & Stony you might see is as past relationships but that’s it. it’s also complete works ONLY. also - no underage stuff 🔪.  if you have any requests for Winteriron fic recs (for e.g non-superpower au, only one shots, series, hardcore smut, post-tws, college au, not team cap friendly fics, bodyguard au etc.) you can send me requests ^^. anyway... enjoy 😉 

✨ The Guiding of Death by RayShippouUchiha

“That whole Merchant of Death thing,” someone off to the side faux whispers, “makes a lot more sense now.”

It echoes across the bridge like a gunshot. 

Rated M, Hades & Persephone AU, Canon Divergence, always female Tony Stark, not Team Cap friendly. word count: 41391

(note: listen... I know het pairings and/or gender bend is not popular and I never really read those in general BUT this is straight up one of the best fics I have ever read so I NEEDED to share this with y’all...✌️)

✨ Forms of Love by bear_bell

Tony's the bad guy, after all. He's used to it. He's fine with it. He's good at it.

Only now, there's something far worse loitering around the tower - The Winter Soldier. No one notices the guy at first, but when they do, Tony figures that he should have the soldier's back.

Birds of a feather should flock together, and the bad guys should start a book club.

Rated E, Post-CW, Bucky Barnes & Winter Soldier are Different Personalities, Team Iron Man. word count: 33591

✨ Looking at You by NotEvenCloseToStraight

Bucky looks for so long that now all he wants to do is touch and hold and fix everything. But Tony can barely be in the same room as Bucky, cant even look him in the eye. So Bucky doesn't know what to do about Tony, but he is determined to do something. Because all he wants is to look at Tony, and see Tony looking back with a smile.

Rated E, Post-CW, PTSD, team heals, mental healing, forgiveness, angst with a happy ending. word count: 28,168

✨ I'll Be Your Bodyguard (If You'll Be My Security Blanket) by NarutoRox

When one of Loki's pranks gone wrong leaves the team with a young Winter Soldier in their care, they know they're going to have their hands full. Especially since this newer, tinier version of Bucky seems to have a bodyguard complex - and a particular attachment to Tony.

Rated T, kid fic, age regression/de-aging, de-aged Bucky, tiny bodyguard Bucky. word count: 4,993. 

(note: finally something CUTE. Im so sorry for being such a slut for angst and heavy stuff 😅)

✨ Fate Strings Not Required by Akira_of_the_Twilight

Tony took the hint.

Tony wrapped his hand around the new guy’s elbow. He kept his touch light and breakable in case he’d misread the cue.

“Just some guy claiming to be my soul mate, babe.”

The new guy’s eyebrows rose to his hairline in surprise. He chuckled and gave the first guy a smirk. “Strange. Last time I checked we were soul mates.”

Rated T, AU - no superpowers, AU - soulmates, Bodyguard Bucky Barnes, age difference. word count: 7,032.

✨ Shameless  by Finely Honed (jaqen_hgar)

Tony isn’t actually sure which of them starts it—he’d like to take credit, but if he’s learned anything it’s that Barnes is by no means a wilting flower. Besides, the start doesn’t matter as much as figuring out who’s going to actually finish it.

rated M, flirting, dirty talk, sexual tension. word count: 2,560

✨ Winter Wooer by salytierra

Winter may not be the most pleasant guy to live or share your body with, but he isn't nearly as destructive as everybody expected him to be either. He likes to brood in the corners, watch British TV, and freak people out. And Tony. He really, really likes Tony Stark. There's just one problem – Bucky's pretty sure he doesn't feel the same way about the guy.

Rated M, Bucky Barnes & Winter Soldier are Different Personalities, team as family. word count: 8,726

✨ Even Darkness Must Pass by Finely Honed (jaqen_hgar)

“Fake it till you make it,” Bucky whispered to himself, swallowing around his panic. Sam had drilled the idea into him, and it had become a mantra of sorts, something to hold onto when all he wanted to do was blend into the shadows and disappear.

“You’ll be fine.”

Steve placed a warm, strong hand on Bucky’s shoulder and squeezed, his super soldier ears having picked up Bucky uttering the now familiar saying.

Bucky nodded, tried to believe his own words, and followed Steve onto the common floor, a wall of sound hitting them as they entered.

rated M (but mild sexual content), parent Tony Stark, Bucky Barnes recovering, team as family, of love and hobbits 🧝🏻‍♂️. word count: 15,289

✨ Paths Are Made by Walking by Potrix 

The road to recovery is long, winding and a different one for every person walking it. Bucky chooses to help himself the only way he knows how; by doing what he does best.

Or, alternatively; the one in which Tony is a mess and accidentally kick-starts Bucky’s protective mother hen instincts.

rated T, post-TWS, fluff, humour, getting together, idiots in love. word count: 4,744.

✨ Rise In Perfect Light (Be Not Fearful Of The Night) by RayShippouUchiha

At first, the new element singing in his chest, Tony doesn’t understand what he’s done.

Doesn’t understand the full consequences of his actions.

But, to be fair, there’s no way he really could have.

Not even a futurist like him could have ever seen this coming.

rated G, post-CW, past Stony, angst with a happy ending. word count: 3,589.

(note: this fic is SO BEAUTIFUL. lemme just asjkdjnsjkdm)

✨ and amidst the ruins, there was you by TheKitteh

With everything resolved - post the Berlin conflict, Siberia and the rogue Avengers' return - Tony relishes in the clarity of what the team is now. He can finally see the well-defined lines, he can rely on solid rules and the chain of command. He's settled into his life like never before.

That is, until one day, an unhinged sorcerer with no grasp on his magic shatters that new-found balance.

As a result, half of Tony's soul is now gone, but he's willing to do anything to get it back.

rated T, post-CW, canon divergence, au - Dystopia, Dimension Travel, magical accidents, slow burn, getting together. word count: 36,976

✨ and so we unfold by TheKitteh

Senbazuru. Thousand Cranes.

An ancient Japanese legend that promises anyone who folds a thousand origami cranes will be granted a wish by the gods. Some stories believe you are granted happiness and eternal good luck, instead of just one wish, such as long life or recovery from illness or injury.

Bucky’s not big on believing in any legends, not after all that has happened. He just wants to create something for a change, not destroy.

He needs to prove himself that he can be trusted to handle something delicate. He doesn’t need a promise of a wish come true. He just,- needs to do this for himself.

He doesn’t need noticing how sad, tired Stark looks. Doesn’t need to want to do something for the man, when he can barely do anything for himself.

rated T, CACW canon divergence, getting together, reconciliation, POV alternating, Bucky Barnes recovering. word count: 14,449

✨ Spilt on the Ground like Water by tisfan

Tony has been black-bagged and illegally held at the Raft. Steve has no intentions of going to rescue him.

But the Winter Soldier isn't going to leave him behind.

rated E, Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes, implied/referenced torture, frottage, dub-con, mention of part non-con (HYDRA trash party), not Steve friendly, suicidal thoughts, touch-starved. word count: 10,853

✨ Norns, Save Us (From Ourselves) by phlintandsteel

It’s been ten years since half the universe was dusted.

rated E, post-IW au, A/B/O verse, Omega Tony, Alpha Bucky, Soulmates, Peter & Harley playing matchmaker, still recovering Bucky Barnes, not Steve Rogers Friendly, angst with a happy ending. word count: 37,324.

✨ Change You Like A Remix by ficlicious 

No one ever said Avenging would be easy, but Bucky could have really used a memo about the weeks where the hits just didn’t stop coming. He’d probably still have signed his soul away to the gods of spandex and paperwork, but a heads up woulda been nice before he nodded and smiled and took up residence in the house sanity fled when the Avengers moved in.

---- Soulmates, misunderstandings, snark, genderswap and sleep-deprived Avengers abound. Tony's a woman. Must be Friday.

rated E, AU - soulmates, established relationship, temporary gender swap, jealous Bucky Barnes, misunderstanding, miscommunication. word count: 10,494.

✨ Getting to Know You by orbingarrow

It had been an adventure, navigating the sweetly apologetic Bucky Barnes, who haunted the tower most days, and the the Winter Soldier, who occasionally inhabited Barnes’s body. The Winter Soldier was not apologetic; he was scary. And he was currently chilling out, uninvited, in Tony's lab.

“Leave,” Tony said, because Tony was either a dead man or not, and there wasn’t much he could do about it before coffee.

“Or you could give me permission to be here,” the Winter Soldier suggested.

“I don’t let strangers poke around my stuff,” Tony grumbled, as he walked past the Soldier to take a seat at his workbench.

“Easily solved,” the Soldier deflected. “Get to know me.”

-This is what happens when Tony does.

rated G, Bucky Barnes & Winter Soldier are different personalities, fluff, Clint Barton is a good bro. word count: 9,470

✨ Safe House by ali_aliska

For years, Tony had successfully kept his secret. Neither the world nor his team knew he was Iron Man and as far as he was concerned, everyone was better off that way. On his best days, Tony Stark was not someone people liked and trusted, so the last thing Tony wanted was to tarnish Iron Man’s good reputation by revealing the truth.

But then SHIELD falls, the Avengers face disarray, and a stray Hydra assassin forces Tony to go into hiding—and where better than the safe house he had just crafted for the Avengers and their own ex-assassin ready to come in from the cold?

Tony plans to hide away from everyone in his makeshift workshop until the coast is clear and he’s safe to go home. No one would care to spend any time with the reclusive, arrogant billionaire anyways, right? Iron Man is the one everyone wants around.

Bucky Barnes, on his own journey to reclaim his life and identity, seems to disagree with that sentiment.

rated T, post TWS, canon divergence, au - Secret Identity, mutual pining, team as family, slow burn, misunderstandings. word count: 89,533

✨ Versace on the floor by withered

The modern man’s armor is his clothing, and Bucky wants Tony out of his.

rated T,  post CW, Bucky Barnes & Winter Soldier are Separate Personalities, Barnes & Soldier & their hard-on for Tony, not team cap friendly. word count: 2,127