#are trains like boats where they're like. almost always she/her

[khytal]

[sebaztianlovesgeek]

THE NON CANON PARTS OF THE BLACK BUTLER ANIME IN BOTH SEASON 1 AND 2 AND ALSO THE SPECIALS WERE WILD

(in no particular order)

Ciel hires a random naked dog man who can turn into a giant wolf to be his servant even though he literally does nothing around the manor and just hangs out with Finny all the time

Finny forms a crush on a character we later find out is an angel named Angela and after the dog village arc ends we never hear of his crush again

For the most part the curry arc is the same, but for some reason they decided to change the ending. In the manga Lau and Ranmao killed Nina and her husband, in the anime everyone becomes evil by eating curry, and Sebastian had to feed them all his curry buns to turn them all good again, WHAT??

Sebastian has sex with a Nun in some cult church

Angela took Vincent and Rachel's bodies and stitched them into a weird Frankenstein looking thing because apparently that would combine their souls in the afterlife so they could be together forever

Also the whole thing with Ciel being kidnapped by the cult is never explained despite Queen Victoria and Angela being responsible for the death of his parents, therefore you'd think they'd also be responsible for the whole cult thing? But they would have no reason to sell a 10 year old to be abused by a cult-

Ash (aka Angela because they're the same person) turns Queen Victoria into A FREAKING LOLI

Ciel is framed for drug trafficking

Sebastian is arrested and kept in a torture dungeon for like 3 days where he is BDSM whipped by Angela for some reason

Fred Abberline dies

Fred before he dies mentions he doesn't have any family yet he has a brother who shows up in season 2-

Lau and Ranmao die yet they also show up in season 2

Lizzy gets kidnapped by a doll man and is almost turned into a doll zombie (not a bizarre doll just a doll zombie)

Sebastian ditches Ciel in France for some reason

Ciel finds Undertaker on some random boat and then Undertaker tells him he's gonna freakin' die

London is on fucking fire

Who caused the fire? Pluto. And thats the only part of the story where he is relevant

The final fight between Sebastian and Ash/Angela is fucking awesome though

In season 2 Ciel is just in a suitcase and has amnesia

Alois pokes Hannah's eye out for spilling a drink or something

Ciel and Lizzy try to find a deer or something and everyone thinks they're gonna break up after just 1 argument

Lau even started a gambling thing where people put down their bets on whether or not Ciel and Lizzy were gonna break up

Some weird old lady set random people on fire because she didn't like her husband, for some reason the fire disintegrated the souls so Grell couldn't collect them which doesn't make sense

Some weird bullshit happens on a train with a Pharaoh, a murderer and Sebastian being cool like always

Alois has a dress up party at his house

Soma and Agni cry because Ciel has amnesia

Soma is dressed up as Sherlock Holmes even though black butler takes place before that came out

Lizzy dresses up as a Native American, lets just say she's lucky Twitter didn't exist in the Victorian Era

Kinda like the whole curry thing everyone turns evil except its from music from a magic instrument Hannah plays and not curry, and Sebastian stops it by playing his own music kind of like the final battle in Equestria Girls Rainbow Rocks

Alois crossdresses and turns Ciel bi curious

Sebastian and Claude have sexual tension in the lake

Ciel and Alois have a sword fight, Ciel is thrown off a balcony and Alois is stabbed

"PLEASE HELP ME CLAUDE, HELP ME I'M DYING 😭"

We soon find out about Alois' backstory and it's actually quite sad and hits a bit close to home for me, I won't go into detail but the poor kids been through a lot, Alois is genuinely an interesting and kind of well written character its a shame he was put in the non canon pile of shite

Claude then crushed Alois' skull and takes his soul and puts it in a ring

Kids are getting their eyeballs ripped out and apparently Alois is doing all of this, but for some reason Scotland yard THINKS CIEL IS ALOIS WHICH IS SO DUMB BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN WORKING WITH HIM EVER SINCE HE BECAME THE QUEENS CORGI GUARD DOG

He is taken to some doctor and is dumped into a pool of gatorade to fuse his and Alois' souls

Ciel's backstory is basically half of Alois' and half of Ciel's and thinks Sebastian killed his brother Luca

Ciel doesn't like Claude because Claude is a goober

Hannah does a weird thing with Ciel she like... Possesses him? And his eyeball appears in her mouth or something? I had no idea what was going on

Soon it is revealed Hannah was the one who ate Luca's soul and is now feeling like a mother figure for Alois because of it

Grell shows up again (yay) and she keeps trying to take sexy photos of Sebastian

Soon Claude and Sebastian end up at a maze thingy and they need to answer trivia questions to get to Alois/Ciel's soul

Soon they go to some demon island and they end up fighting using a demon sword while Ciel and Alois talk about shit in some void

Claude fucking dies (rip goober)

Alois' soul is finally set free and the poor kid gets to be with his little brother again

Hannah turns Ciel into a demon so Sebastian can no longer eat his soul so Sebastian just becomes Ciel's butler for all eternity and I lowkey feel bad for him, because yeah eating childrens souls is wrong but BRO WORKED SO HARD HE LITERALLY BANGED A NUN FOR THIS CHILD AND THIS IS THE THANKS HE GETS??

Ciel and Sebastian fake their death, the end of season 2 and a few years after that the ACTUAL CONTINUATION OF THE CANON PARTS come out

Ciel in wonderland is very silly

Sebastian as the rabbit is hot for some reason, does that make me a furry?

There is a lot of weird fan service, for example Ranmao keeps shoving her boobs and butt into Ciel's face... LADY THAT IS A 13 YEAR OLD YOU CANT DO THAT-

I'm glad it wasn't canon because I love Ranmao and she would never do that in canon

Madame Red as the queen of hearts is very cool

Weebalu already mentioned this but I wish J Michael Tatum (Sebastian's dub voice actor) did a Alice In Wonderland audiobook in the Sebastian voice

The one where Ciel puts on a play for hamlet was funny, the part where they're practicing is funny because its like an actual theatre club

Soma and Agni are the kids who are always eating, Ciel is the kid who just sucks at acting, Grell is the one who is great at acting but is very annoying and Sebastian is the theatre teacher who wants to commit kms because of all of these stupid kids

Ranmao is seaweed

Grell tries to commit incest during the play-

The special where its basically a 'behind the scenes' thing kind of like an actor AU

Sebastian is a fucking 2010's boy band looking lad

Grell is just amazing in this

In the final "trailer" Grell got pregnant, Queen Victoria built a giant robot, Claude tried to destroy the world with the fucking moon, Hannah... Uhhh lets not talk about what she did, a whole load of "I am your father" type plot twists took place and Alois was Ciel and Sebastian's great great great great great great grand-

The special where theres this character who's basically a self insert but she's a white girl so if you're not either of those its kind of hard getting into it (cries in gay guy)

The POV shots look like something out of Dora The Explorer

Soma wants to marry us for some reason, I wouldn't mind that he's cute

We also get kidnapped by Viscous Druitt for no reason and then Sebastian and Grell save us from a boat in the middle OF THE OCEAN

Finally Will The Reaper (I'm sure there are more specials but I'm lazy)

Grelliam galore

Probably one of the best specials because Grell and William are the main focus and they're just the absolute best

[bearw-me]

Hellooooo! You write Lute so well (the best in my humble opinion), sooo I figured you'd be the best person to bring this request to🖤

Could i request a lute x girlfriend!reader where they used to be long-term best friends, but during the friendship reader was convinced she was straight bc she'd never been attracted to a woman before Lute.

Now they're in a new relationship and Lute is helping her girlfriend come to terms with her sexual orientation/identity as a bisexual. Or a lute-sexual considering Lute's still the only woman she's ever had an attraction to 💀

*Bonus points if reader expresses that she's afraid she won't be a good girlfriend considering she'd only been with 1 man before her and doesn't know how to "properly treat" a woman (She treats Lute great as a gf and a friend, poor thing's just new to this)*

Lmbo imagine reader just having bi-panic anytime she interacted with Lute during their friendship Or getting flustered anytime Lute did anything remotely attractive during their relationship

Thank youuuuu! Also random question: who's your fav character in Hazbin?

ty for such kind words! :')

+ fav hazbin character isss- lets say husk (i feel a kinship with him lol, plus i LOVE keith davis's voice) i also adore angel and adam <3

𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬? — 𝐋𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐇𝐜𝐬

𐐒 ft : lute x girlfriend!reader 𐐒 cw : fluff, slight angst, lute makes you blush as per usual 𐐒 summary : lute assures you she's happy-more than happy- to be with you, despite being the first woman you've ever dated + drabble at the end :) 𐐒 note : lute-sexual is SO relatable

Lute just holding both sides of your face, squishing you while she reassures you that: "You are an amazing girlfriend"

She sighs, "Don't be stupid."

she's always trying to physically smoosh the sentiment into you, either with her kisses or by holding you down and affirming you.

Lute is very gentle, emotionally speaking. She understands the new-raw emotions you must be feeling, being in a relationship with a woman for the first time.

If you're having a hard time coming to terms with your sexuality, Lute can wait as long as it takes.

You're both in the same boat: She's never been in a relationship, and you've never been with a woman.

As her best-friend, you try to be there for her through laughs and sorrows.

Eyeing her curves and respecting her brilliance in battle. . . her ability to not be talked down to no matter the foe.

For all those years you lusted for her. . . you mistook the feelings for friendly support, ignoring the way you'd blush when you watched her come back from training: A sports bra, and long martial arts shorts adorning her heavenly body. The muscles around her back built to shoulder the burden of wings, and a strong core to match.

A literal form build by god. . . the sight making you tremble with nerves.

And. . . now you were with her.

Lute adores all the thoughtful gifts you give her throughout the day. It makes her smile, silently treasuring the things you buy or find for her.

In a relationship, I think Lute can already tell whenever you become flustered by her or overwhelmed.

For example: she takes her shirt off and turns to you, watching you tremble and bury your burning face into your hands, attempting to hide it from her but peeking through your fingers.

She thinks its the cutest fucking thing in the world.

"Lute? How can I even be a good girlfriend for you? I don't... I don't know how to..." You manage to spit out as she walks over to the bed your sitting on.

She smiles softly, crawling over to sit on your lap, cupping your face in her hands to stop you from hiding.

"Babe, you're a fucking great girlfriend," she assures you.

And Lute revels in your beauty, holding your face and running her thumbs over your cheeks, and committing every bump and blemish to memory.

"Kiss me?" You ask her happily, almost like a puppy.

And its Lute's turn to blush, her face bursting into a fiery red bliss, tackling you backward onto the bed in an attempt to distract.

[bellysoupset]

Hey, Soup! So I have an idea.

If there's one thing I know, it's that carsickness can be made 100 times worse by 3 things: uncomfortable warmth, abnormally stiff seats, and fragrant car freshener scents. Leo and I are literally in the exact same boat when it comes to car sickness, and I know that when you get dizzy enough you can barely keep your eyes open, and it will not go away for hours!!!

I had this idea where maybe the whole gang goes on a trip somewhere and they rent one of those vans that has two seats in the front, two in the middle, and three in the back. And while they're driving somewhere and having a good time and everything, maybe Leo is just super uncomfortable in the van because it has little inconveniences that are just making his carsickness so much worse, but he doesn't wanna spoil the mood so he says nothing.

And maybe when they make a stop for gas and snacks or something, Leo stands outside the car and suddenly just starts throwing up violently.

Suddenly, everyone is panicked because Leo is almost delirious with nausea and dizziness. And Jonah is on the fine line between nervous boyfriend and trained doctor.

After that, maybe they manage to finish the drive to their hotel or wherever they're staying and there's just a lot of cute fluff and cuddles with Jon babying dizzy Leo.

I just think this would be so cute!!!

Plus, I'm stressed out with classes so I NEED my Jon and Leo fluff!! It's my serotonin (I think I spelled that right)!!

Hi darling! Thank you so much for this prompt and I hope you have your dose of Jon/Leo serotonin and classes are no longer stressing you out 💛

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

"Leo can't go in the back," Jonah said sleepily, his voice a notch deeper than usual and twice as grouchy. He wanted to strangle Bella for suggesting they do a mini road trip for the nearest music festival and his boyfriend for agreeing with it.

Bella was virtually untouchable after such a scare during Halloween, so whatever Bells wanted, Bells got and that was the whole reason they were now in a van driving to fucking Manchester. Jonah wanted to kill her.

"I'm fiiiine," Leo whined at his overbearing words, but everyone else agreed that there was no way Leo could sit in the back, so he was quickly banished to the front of the van, alongside Luke, who'd be driving for the nearly four hours long trip.

Really, Manchester?

"Glare any harder and Bell will need at least two more stitches," Vince teased him with a whisper, while Jonah glared at Wendy and Bella curled up together on the seat ahead of him.

Jonah let out a huff, "I don't even like rock."

"It's a music festival," Vince rolled his eyes, "cheer up, man. There's gonna be a bunch of other shit to do, cool food, other bands too."

"Don't tell me to cheer up, shut up," Jonah scoffed, jamming up his elbow on Vin's side when the man tried to grab his shoulders and rattle him.

"Just go the fuck to sleep," Wendy yawned, eyes closed and squirming on her seat so she could better use Bell's shoulder as a pillow, "you're always cranky when you're sleepy, just get a nap."

"I'm not a fucking toddler," Jonah kicked their seat, causing Bella to open her eyes, all blue, confused and a little in pain. Guilt burned his stomach, "sorry..."

She opened a small smile, nodding and pressing her cheek back to the top of of Wendy's head.

Lucas had volunteered to drive, half because he was a control freak, half because he needed to be given something to do. Either way, Jonah was happy he had, because he knew that if Luke and Vin had been sat together, no one would be able to catch even a little bit of sleep. He curled up on his side, resting his forehead on the window and turning away from Vince, quickly dozing off.

Jonah woke up with giggling.

He frowned in his sleep, trying to figure what were the whispers about or the giggles... Something trickled his nose and he wrinkled it, closing his eyes back again... Something trickled his nose again and Jonah sneezed, a hand coming up to shield his face from view and smearing shaving cream all over his nose and mouth.

Vince, Wendy and Bella let out a howl, wheezing with laughter and Jonah opened his eyes in shock, before glaring at them, spitting the shaving cream, "What are you, fucking four years old?!" he exclaimed, kicking Vince's thigh with all his force, "what the fuck!?"

Wendy was clutching her ribs, "you look soooo cute with the cream mustache!"

"Shut up Wendy!" Jonah exclaimed, furiously trying to wipe the shaving cream off his face, but only causing a bigger mess since they hadn't been economic when putting it on his hand. Bella was wheezing, her head thrown back with a laughter and he could see Luke's shoulders shaking too. The whole car smelt like Vince's overpowering lavender scented shaving cream.

"Stop the car!" Jonah groaned, wiping his still dirty hand on Vince's shirt and causing him to squeal, since he was too busy laughing to avoid getting smeared with it, "Atwood, stop the fucking van!"

"Okay!" Luke yelled, clearly laughing, "fine! Calm down!" and then in a lower voice, "we needed gas anyway."

Jonah glared at his friends, groaning that now he'd be smelling like Vince the rest of the day, "you guys are such assholes," he pouted, once again trying to wipe his face, just as Luke turned on the lights to show he'd be turning in the nearest exit.

"I'm s-ssorry," Wendy said, but it was hard to believe she was apologetic when there were tears clinging to her lashes, mascara smeared with how hard she had laughed, "here, here-" she reached inside her bag and grabbed a little washcloth, so he could wipe most of the cream, although the sticky sensation and powerful smell was still there.

A gas station came into view and the van swerved to the right, shaking with the change of terrain, before coming to a stop before one of the gas bombs.

He immediately jumped out and so did Luke to fill up the tank and so did Leo... Who took three steps forward and bent in half, throwing up all over the floor and his own sneakers.

Jonah let out a yelp, jumping back. He was far away enough that he watched the next events unfold in slow motion, Leo swaying forward as if he was gonna pass out and Lucas realizing what had happened, barely managing to catch him as Leo's knees buckled, arms wrapped around his chest.

"FUCK!" Luke's shout overpowered Jonah's equally nervous "Leo!"

He skipped forward, shaving cream forgotten, not a mind paid to the disgusting puddle on the ground, crouching down to where Luke was holding Leo by the chest, the blonde still hung forward, vomit dripping from his lips.

"Baby, baby, baby, hey-" Jonah chanted, cupping his face, "Leo, open your eyes... Baby, what's wrong-"

"Carsick..." Leo groaned, his voice rough, before he heaved again and Jonah was forced to jump to the side, narrowly avoiding getting his jeans covered in puke. Leo let out a sob, one hand darting out and curling on Luke's shirt, squeezing it until his knuckles turned white, "msorry-" he slurred, a line of sick saliva hanging from his bottom lip.

"Don't worry about it," Lucas said, his voice calm, while he met Jonah's eyes over the blonde's head, all worried, "I'm gonna get us up, okay?"

Leo jerked slightly, barely nodding and Luke moved his arms, wrapping Leo's chest with his right arm and grabbing on the van with the left one so he could pull them both up, Jonah moving forward to grab his boyfriend's bicep.

He could tell that Lucas was holding all of Leo's weight just by the way Leo's feet were almost dangling on the ground. Jonah frowned, rubbing his boyfriend's back, just as Leo heaved again, letting out a loud moan as even more vomit joined the mess.

"Shhh-" Luke cooed, while Jonah moved his hand so he was holding Leo's forehead, stopping him from getting his shirt and Luke's arm covered in sick.

"Goddammit Leo, why didn't you say anything?" Jonah said, using the little washcloth Wendy had given him to wipe his boyfriend's mouth, "we're gonna get you to the bathroom to get cleaned up."

"Nooo..." Leo punctuated the groan with a sick burp, gagging again, "can't walk... Wirl- Twirling..."

"Did you hit your head or something?" Luke asked, frowning, but Jonah rolled his eyes. This was not a concussion, Leo was not a football player anymore.

"Where exactly he would've hit his head, he spent all of yesterday at the office," he snapped, stroking Leo's cheek, "baby did you take the meds?"

"Uhmmmm..." Leo groaned, although he nodded, before he gagged again and slurred, "move-" and threw up once more. Jonah wasn't sure how he had so much in him, after the meager breakfast he had forced on the blonde this morning, exactly because Leo didn't want to get carsick and was refusing to eat, Jon reasoning he'd feel even sicker if he had nothing in his stomach at all.

He waited until the spell passed, before cupping Leo's cheeks and forehead, expecting to meet a fever, but instead under his hands there was just cold, clammy skin.

"I don't... I don't feel well..." Leo whined, wrapping an arm around his stomach, "Jon..."

"I got you," Jonah squeezed his nape, "are you done?" he couldn't possibly have more in him, right?"

Leo let out a groan that could mean anything, so Jon forced him to remove the arm from around his belly and threw it around his own shoulders, while Lucas did something similar so they could drag the blonde to the bathroom.

Yet, Leo was completely boneless and not five steps in, his knees gave up again, nearly pulling all three of them down.

"I got him," Vince jumped out of the van, from where they had been watching the scene unfold, Bella and Wendy's head poking out of the doorway.

"I got you, kiddo," he circled Luke, getting Leo's arm wrapped around his shoulders instead of Lucas' and then wrapping an arm around the blonde's knees, lifting him up with a grunt, "where to?" Vince asked in a strained voice.

"Here," Luke led the way, while Jonah was too busy fussing over Leo. He could tell the blonde wasn't feeling well at all, because he didn't complain once at being carried like a damsel.

All four of them spilled into the public bathroom of the gas station. They were lucky it was a big franchise, a normal stop for buses, so the bathroom was huge, with many stalls. Leo let out another groan, pushing at Vin's chest and the other man put him down just in time for Leo to stumble toward the sink and bring up another mouthful of sick.

He let out a pitiful moan, knuckles white on the granite of the sink and Jonah grabbed his bicep to keep him up, rubbing his back, "you're okay baby, just get it up. You'll feel better soon..." he said helplessly. Leo shook his head, his whole face scrunched up.

"My stomach-" he made a little drowning noise in the back of his throat, before gagging fruitlessly.

Jonah let out his own unhelpful little groan, squeezing his nape, "hey, take a deep breath, love..."

Lucas turned on the tap, running his hands under the cold water and using them to wipe at Leo's face, drool and puke be damned. Leo leaned onto his touch, sniffling as if he was about to start crying.

"Jon..."

"I'm right here," Jonah squeezed his arm, mimicking what Luke was doing and planting his cold, humid hand on his boyfriend's overheated nape, "I got you..."

"Vince?" Wendy called from the door, poking her head in for a sec. Vince moved out of the bathroom and once he returned he was holding a plastic water bottle and slippers.

"The girls got you this, kid. Let's get you out of these shoes..."

With much effort Jonah ushered Leo to take a sip of the water, while Vince help him up, so Luke could go and undo his vomit covered laces and remove his shoes, putting his feet into fluffy slippers.

"I don't feel well..." Leo whined, struggling to keep his head up, "I wanna lie down..."

"We're gonna stop at the nearest motel," Jonah promised, wrapping an arm around his waist, "let's go back to the car, okay? You can lie down on the backseat."

"N-no..." Leo frowned, eyes closed. Even when he did manage to open his eyes, they were struggling to focus on anyone, "I'll get sick in the back..."

"We're so past that, baby," Jon rolled his eyes, then nodded at Vince and together they managed to pull Leo back to the car.

"Here," Bella moved forward to help Jonah push him inside, sliding her hands under his arms and hugging the blonde's chest, pulling him in, "I got him, get in."

Jonah obeyed, jumping over his boyfriend — whom he had forgotten was six feet tall — and sliding on one of the seats, so Bella and Wendy could carefully get Leo with his head resting on his lap, before moving to fold his legs.

Leo let out a groan, muffling a burp on Jonah's thigh, "I'm gonna be sick again..."

"Right now?" Jonah frowned and got no answer. Wendy jumped out of the van, while Luke fussed with the gas bomb and Vince slid into the driver's seat, since he was a better driver than Lucas and drove faster.

Wendy returned not even five minutes later, holding a plastic kids' bucket and a bunch of plastic bags, as well as paper napkins. She handed the items to Bella, before switching places with Luke and getting on the passenger seat, so he got in the back and finally the slammed the door closed.

"We're gonna stop in a second, Leo," Lucas promised him and the blonde only let out a groan, eyes squeezed shut and a painful frown one.

"The car.... Smells...." Leo whined after a minute of painful silence and Jonah vaguely heard Vin cursing up in the front, before the windows were rolled down, while Bella passed the bucket to Luke and wet some of the napkins, passing them to Jonah.

"Clean up."

"What?"

She let out a frustrated groan, before moving from her seat and crouching in front of him, wiping his cheek and hands with the wet napkins. It took Jonah a second to realize she was getting rid of the shaving cream, his mind too busy worrying about Leo to even remember that.

He blushed, "oh- Thanks..."

"Oh god," Leo groaned, before pitching forward and almost covering Bella's lap with sick, wasn't it for Luke nearly falling as he shoved the bucket under his mouth.

Jonah cringed, forcing his eyes on Vince's head poking out of the driver's seat headrest and keeping a hand on Leo's trembling back, keeping him steady.

He gagged and coughed for another minute, before slumping back down and Luke took the bucket back, while Jonah glanced down to his boyfriend' sickly face. He was so white that Jon could see just the pattern of veins under his cheek.

Leo let out a little whine, sniffling again and rolled on the seat, so he could press his forehead to Jonah's stomach.

"Try to sleep, baby," Jonah whispered, leaning in to kiss the top of his head. He heard a little moan and nothing else.

In front of him, Bella had already curled back up and was resting her head on Lucas' arm, as he whispered "are you alright?" in her ear and she nodded, sleepily.

Jonah was aware there had been consequences of the brain injury but he had been yet to witness what Lucas had told him, Bella falling asleep after barely being up for two hours.

Jon caught Luke's worried eyes and the other man shrugged, glancing down to Leo with an equally concerned expression. Wordlessly, Jon shook his head, taking some odd comfort in the camaraderie.

It didn't take them long to find a side of the road motel, but still Jonah didn't move, not daring to wake up Leo until everything was sorted.

He watched as Luke quietly pushed Bell off his shoulder, so she was asleep against the window and then he jumped out alongside Wendy and Vin.

In front of Jonah, Bella let out a little sigh, opening her eyes and rubbing, "what...Where...?"

"The motel," Jon cleared up, glancing down and keeping his fingers running through Leo's blonde hair. He wondered if his boyfriend was even asleep, or just trying to stay so still he could ward off the nausea, "Leo?"

A little grunt answered him and Jonah raised his eyebrows, surprised it was the second option, "we're getting a motel room, okay? Just a little longer, baby."

"Okay..." Leo answered, his voice muffled by Jonah's jeans.

Bella was watching him, with a frown between her eyebrows, "this was a stupid idea..." she whispered once Jonah looked up, "I'm sorry."

"It was," Jonah agreed, not feeling one little bit forgiving when Leo was clearly in so much pain. He caught a flash of hurt on Bell's eyes, but she didn't say anything, except for sliding out of her seat and stepping out of the van.

"It's not her fault," Leo groaned, curling up even more, wrapping an arm around his stomach. Jonah opened his mouth to complain, but was interrupted by Leo squeezing his leg, saying "help me sit up."

Sitting up was a challenge on its own, the change of positions causing Leo to sway on the spot and gulp convulsively, cold sweat once again covering his brow.

"Alright," Wendy poked her head inside the car, "we got you a room. Room 203," she dangled the keys before her face, "do you need help? Leo?"

"I can manage," he grumbled, although his voice was thick with queasiness and Jonah wasn't feeling very positive about that.

He jumped out of the car, before grabbing Leo's arm and throwing it around his neck, helping him out too. Wendy guided the way, skipping ahead and they stumbled forward, like a couple of zombies.

Just as they were about to reach the door, Leo let out another groan, squeezing Jon's arm, "wait... Shit, wait..." he leaned forward and Jonah squeezed his arms around him, as Leo gagged and brought up a thin splash of bile all over the gravel.

He dry heaved for another minute, while Wendy unlocked the door and turned up the A/C, disappearing inside.

"You're empty, love," Jonah sighed, ignoring the queasy churn of his own stomach, straightening up his boyfriend, "you're done."

"My belly hurts," Leo's voice sounded like he had chain smoked for 20 years. Jonah's heart squeezed in sympathy, he'd switch places with him if could.

"I know, I know. You'll be laying down soon and I can rub your tummy for you," he promised, causing the corner of Leo's lip to go up.

"My tummy, uh?"

"Shut up," Jonah scoffed, but he couldn't keep the relief out of his voice, hearing his boyfriend sound like himself, "c'mon."

They finally stumbled inside the room and Jonah could've cried at Wendy's forethought of pulling the blankets off the bed, placing the ice bucket near the bedside table and a bunch of water bottles too.

He almost fell in the bed with Leo and the blonde curled up, hiding his face on the pillow. Wendy stepped out of the bathroom, circling the bed quietly and planting a kiss on top of Jonah's curls, since he was sitting on the bed.

"I left some dramamine on the bathroom sink. He can take it if he manages to keep water down at least for twenty minutes," she whispered, "my room with Vin is right next door, 202, just knock on the wall if you need anything."

"Thank you, Dee," Jonah whispered back and she shrugged, stepping out of the room and shutting the door.

Leo let out a sigh, grabbing his wrist, "get in with me."

Jonah obeyed immediately, although he stayed over the covers, big spooning his boyfriend and letting out a worried sigh when Leo muffled a whine against the pillow as he was hugged from behind.

"Are you alright?" He whispered, lips meeting the top of Leo's head. The blonde groaned again.

"I'll answer in three hours," he squirmed, opening his jeans and grabbing Jonah's hand, planting it over his stomach. His abs were flat, more ripped than ever and Jonah carefully stroked over his queasy tummy.

[blondeboyff]

A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing | Aemond Targaryen x Ofc

Tw: Death, Violence

~~~~~~~~~

Once upon a time, long ago, there was a young girl. She was beautiful, brave, smart, and most importantly, she was kind. Anyone that met her would tell you of her kind and gentle personality and how she would never hurt a fly. She was trained, like many other high born ladies, to be polite and gentle and never speak out of turn. However unlike other high born ladies, she was not just high born, she was the daughter of a lord, a very powerful lord at that. Lord Rickon Stark of Winterfell was her father and Lady Melara Bolton was her mother. Now unfortunately, her mother passed away during childbirth when the girl was but seven years of age, neither her or the babe made it. The girl also had a older brother, the future Lord of Winterfell, Cregan Stark. After her mother died it was just her father, her brother, and her left. She may have been the daughter of a Lord but she was still always left out by the other ladies of the winter court and she liked it. Now the name of this girl is Naemera, Naemera Stark, and I am here to tell her forgotten story.

~~~~~~~~~

Once upon a time, long ago, there was a young girl. She was beautiful, brave, smart, and most importantly, she was kind. Anyone that met her would tell you of her kind and gentle personality and how she would never hurt a fly. She was trained, like many other high born ladies, to be polite and gentle and never speak out of turn. However unlike other high born ladies, she was not just high born, she was the daughter of a lord, a very powerful lord at that. Lord Rickon Stark of Winterfell was her father and Lady Melara Bolton was her mother. Now unfortunately, her mother passed away during childbirth when the girl was but seven years of age, neither her or the babe made it. The girl also had a older brother, the future Lord of Winterfell, Cregan Stark. After her mother died it was just her father, her brother, and her left. She may have been the daughter of a Lord but she was still always left out by the other ladies of the winter court and she liked it. Now the name of this girl is Naemera, Naemera Stark, and I am here to tell her forgotten story.

~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~

I was standing on the deck of the boat, watching the Stark flags fly in the wind. I could hear my older brother, Cregan, sparring with his teacher, and our protector, Ser Aeron Tully. Ser Aeron was the fifth son of Clay Tully so he, along with his two other brothers, were sent to be squires where they eventually became knights. All I could do was scoff at how serious Cregan would take his training. My father was talking about plans with one of his advisers under the small tent we had set up on the ships deck for rain coverage, so I just stayed to myself. My mother and I would usually be the one sticking together but since she passed it has just been me.

I would always miss my mother. I miss when she would come into my room at night if there was ever a storm and sing to me but according to my father, "Those days were over and I needed to mature". My mother was the second daughter of Samwell Bolton and was sent to marry my father when she was only ten and five years of age. She then had my brother a year later and two years after that, she had me. Five years after she had me she fell pregnant again but unfortunately she got bed fever and neither her nor my little brother survived. I usually would try not to think about her death but now that I was on my way to Laena Velaryon's funeral, it brought up all of my memories. I felt bad for Baela and Rhaena, as I knew what they were feeling. I also knew that they're father, Daemon, probably wasn't comforting them as much as they needed. I heard footsteps from behind me and soon felt a hand rest on my shoulder.

"My lady, we need to start getting you ready for port, we are almost there." My handmaiden, Tara, was like a second mother to me, especially after my mother died. I looked out at the sea one last time before I walked into my own room to get changed.

Tara told me we would arrive to Driftmark before supper so I needed to get ready now. Tara sat me down a pulled out a brush to detangle my knotted hair.

"Remember Mera, you will be meeting the royal family, so I expect you to be one your very best behavior, and make sure your curtsy's are low," Tara reminded me. "I also want you to show the greatest respect to the Prince Aemond." The last part confused me.

"Why the Prince Aemond and not Prince Aegon or Princess Rhaenyra?" I asked, turning around to look at her.

"Don't worry about that right now, I just want you to make a good impression on him, that is all little love." She finished brushing my hair and went over to my chest to get out one of my dresses. It was a black dress but it was lighter than my other dresses due to it not being as cold in Driftmark than it is Winterfell. Tara also decided to put my hair in a half up half down style so the wind wouldn't mess up my hair too much. Above me I could hear the ship crew starting to prepare for port.

After Tara finished doing everything necessary, I headed up to the deck to meet with my father and brother. Once I made it to the deck I saw my father and brother waiting for me. I bowed my head to both of them as a sign of respect. I looked over to my left and was amazed at what I saw. To my left, was the biggest beach I had ever seen, and what was on the beach was even better. There were dragons. Actual dragons. I gasped and looked up at my father only to see him smirking down at my shocked face. We were always told that dragons were real and the Targaryens rode them but no one in the North had ever actually seen one to prove the stories. And what shocked me most of all, was Vhagar. The biggest dragon in Westeros. I knew that Laena Velaryon was her previous rider, but now I didn't know who would get her. Who ever did would be very lucky.

"Naemera, I need you to be on your best behavior, no loud talking, no wondering off, and do not go anywhere near the dragons." My father said sternly. He then turned to my brother, "Cregan, watch your sister at all times and do not let her out of you sight."

"Of course father, I would never let anything happen to her." He then looked down at me and, without father noticing, he stepped on my foot. I let out a gasp and turned around to shove him put was interrupted by our fathers adviser, Rodrick. Rodrick had been my father's adviser before me or even Cregan was born. Rodrick pulled my father away and whispered something in his ear. Cregan and I both tried to hear what he said but with the sound from the waves and wind, we couldn't make out anything.

A few minutes later we finally arrived at port. The bridge was lowered onto the dock and  my father stepped out first followed by my brother, and then me. After me, it was Rodrick and then Tara. I stepped off the dock and our family was greeted by the  Targaryens. My father and brother bowed to the family while I curtsied to them. My father greeted the King first before moving to the Queen.

I had always looked up to the Queen and thought she was amazing. I looked over to the Queens right and saw three of her four children, Prince Aegon, Princess Helaena, and Prince Aemond. I had assumed Prince Daeron was back in Kings Landing, as he was still a young boy. I curtsied to all of the royal children and moved onto Princess Rhaenyra, and her children. I did the same thing with them as I did the other royals. We then moved onto Prince Daemon and his daughters. I looked at Rhaena and Baela and felt pity for them. I kept eye contact a little longer than the rest of the royals and bowed my head slightly to show them some extra respect.

After introducing everyone we all headed to the funeral ceremony. It wasn't a typical Targaryen funeral, instead it was Velaryon funeral. I wasn't exactly paying attention to what was happening, mainly because I was bored, but what I did notice was Prince Aemond. I looked over at him, only to see him already looking at me. We kept eye contact for a few seconds before he looked away. I just continued to look at him with a puzzled face before Tara tapped my shoulder to get my attention. All of a sudden I heard Prince Daemon laughing. Everyone gave him a confused look. I didn't understand why he would be laughing at his own wife's funeral. I looked around and saw some people rolling their eyes.

After the ceremony was finished we all went up towards the castle. Everyone was there except for Prince Laenor. I could only guess he was down by the water, grieving his sister. I saw Rhaena and Baela sitting together on a bench and decided to go up to them. They were both around my age so maybe I could even make a few friends here.

"Hello, I'm Naemera Stark. It's a pleasure to meet you both," I introduced myself while sticking out my hand to shake. Baela was the first to shake my hand followed by Rhaena. I could tell Rhaena was taking her mothers death the hardest by the way she acted. Baela, on the other hand, seemed to be taking it better. "I am sorry for your losses." I truthfully tell them. "I lost my mother too." I say in a quieter tone. I tried to relate with them to see if that would help.

When I told them about my mother Rhaena looked up at me. "Really?" Her eyes were red. I nodded gently. I was about to say something else but my father called me over. I walked over to my father and saw he was with the Queen and her second son, Aemond.

"Naemera," my father called. I walked next to him and he put his arm around my shoulder. "This is the Queen Alicent and her son Aemond." I curtsied to them and I felt a hand under my chin to pull me back up. I looked up and saw Alicent checking out my features. She smiled at me softly and removed her hand from my face.

"You are beautiful." She completed and I blushed. I over to my father and saw him with a proud smile.

I bowed my head. "Thank you your majesty." I said softly. I looked over to her right and saw her son looking at me with a stoic face. My father spoke up again.

"This is the Queens son, Aemond." I smiled at the boy. He only looked to be a year or two older than me. This time the Queen spoke up.

"Maybe you would like to walk with Aemond. To take his mind off of things." She suggested and Aemonds head perked up. I looked over at my father, unsure of what to do, and he nodded.

I looked up at the Queen and smiled before looking over at Aemond. "It would be my honour." I told them and waited. The Prince looked over at me and stuck out his hand. I took it and we began to walk. I looked over my shoulder and saw my brother staring with confusion.

Aemond and I walked in silence for a bit before I spoke up. "My name is Naemera," I smiled, even though I knew he knew my name.

He continued to look ahead of himself. "I know." He said briefly. I sighed and looked over to the ocean.

"I've never seen the ocean," I stated calmly. I looked to see his reaction and all he did was nod. "Do you not have anything to say?" I asked, starting to get annoyed. He sighed and rolled his eyes.

"You do not know me. We have nothing to discuss." He said curtly. Another sigh escaped my lips as I tried to think of something to say.

"Do you know why we're supposed to walk with each other?" This finally seemed to get a reaction out of him. He stopped walking and faced me with a judgmental expression.

"Is it not obvious?" He scoffed and muttered something under his breath about me being foolish. "They want to form an arrangement between the two of us." I looked at him, not understanding what he meant, and he rolled his eyes. "A marriage arrangement." He clarified.

I stopped walking and stepped away from him. "But why? You are a Targaryen and I am a Stark." I was still confused. I knew my house was powerful but I had always thought the Targaryens would marry their own family members. "Are you not supposed to marry a sister?" I asked him with genuine concern.

"No. My brother is to marry my sister," He stopped waking again and looked over at the sea. "Your house is the second most powerful. It would make an alliance between our houses if we were to wed." He continued. I nodded my head understandingly. Between the crashing of the waves I heard a dragon roar and I turned around in awe.

"They are beautiful creatures." I stared while staring at a gold and pink dragon. He turned to where I was looking and nodded.

"That is Sunfyre, Aegons dragon." He stated. I continued to stare at the magnificent dragon.

"Do you have one?" I asked him suddenly and I could feel him tense up. He turned away from me and shook his head no.

"No, and it is none of your business or concern." I could tell it was a sore subject so I didn't talk about it again. I whispered an apology and turned back to the sea. I felt the wind blow through my hair and I felt at ease. The quiet was interrupted my someone shouting my name.

I turned around to see my brother walking towards us. Once he reached us he bowed to Aemond and began talking. "The sun is about to set. I am here to escort the both of you back." He told us. I nodded and we began to walk back to the castle. Once we were inside the castle, we were greeted by my father and Alicent.

Cregan bowed to the Queen and walked away. Alicent walked over to her son and whispered something in his ear. The prince nodded and slightly bowed his head to my father before walking away with his mother. My father turned to me and smiled.

"How did it go?" He asked almost cheerfully. I looked at him confused and shrugged my shoulder.

"He is very stoic." I think back to our brief conversation. My father nodded slightly and sighed.

"You are to marry him." My father said suddenly and I looked up at him with wide eyes. I know he said we were to marry but I didn't actually believe him.

I averted my eyes to my dress and nodded. "Yes father." My voice was quiet. I did not know how to process this information. My father walked over and placed his hand on my shoulder. I looked up at him and he smiled reassuringly. "Have you told Cregan yet?" I grinned. Father let out a soft chuckle and shook his head no.

"No. And I won't until I know he is ready." I smiled some more. "Now, off to bed." He added. I rolled my eyes playfully and he pushed my shoulder gently. Tara came into the room and escorted me to my room.

She changed me out of my dress and dressed me into my night gown. She finished my nightly routine and sat down on the bed with me. "I assume your father told you?" She grinned as she fluffed a pillow. I scoffed and leaned against the bed frame.

"So everyone know but me?" It's a rhetorical question but it still feels that way. She chuckled and rolled her eyes. "He does not like me." I complained. She grinned and finished making the bed.

"Give him time Mera," She stroked my hair. "Maybe he is just a diamond in the rough." She half joked. I looked up at her and smirked.

"What if I don't like diamonds?" I asked playfully.

She looked at me and shook her head with a grin. "Then maybe he is a sapphire in the rough." She tucked me into bed and kissed my forehead. "Now go to sleep little wolf." I nodded and heard her walk out the door and close it. I shut my eyes and felt darkness invade my vision.

Just as soon as I was about to fall asleep I heard a loud roar that shook the entire castle. I got out of bed and looked out my window. My jaw dropped when I saw someone riding Vhagar. I quietly left my room and ran to the beach. I gasped in awe as I watched someone actually ride a dragon. I thought of who it could be and an idea flashed through my mind. No it couldn't be, I thought to myself. I squinted my eyes to look at the rider closer and I gasped. It was Aemond! I laughed in amazement. He did it. I didn't know why, but I was proud of him. I smiled to myself and began to walk. Back to my chambers.

I snuck back into the castle and walked into my room. Right before I laid down again I heard shouting from the throne room. My curiosity got the better of me again and I snuck down to the throne room. When I entered the room my eyes widened.

I looked and saw Baela, Rhaena, Jace, Luke, Joffery, and Aemond all yelling at each other. I took a closer look at Aemond and my heart sank. Aemond sat in a chair with a Maester next to him. Aemonds left eye had been cut out. I could tell he was in a lot of pain and I felt bad for him. He had gotten a dragon but lost an eye.

Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder and quickly turned around. I saw my father looking down on me with a stern face before he leaned down to my ear. "Go back to your chamber. Now." He demanded sternly. I nodded my head but before I left I looked over my shoulder. When I looked I noticed Aemond staring at me. I stared back and was about to give him a smile but was pushed away by my father.

[cipherapologism]

~ Brain Fog ~

Kaku x OC

(#n/sfw #smut #fishwoman!OC #older woman/younger man #angsty pre-Water7 mission shenanigans #during canon time-skip shenanigans #sex dreams #inappropriate use of devil fruit #inappropriate use of CP9 interrogation tactics #dubious consent)

--

It's not all the time, but when Kaku has sex dreams, the cruelest of them recall his final night with Glow.

--

He's seventeen and his mission is to befriend her. He doesn't know more than that- wasn't told more. But he thinks he's done well over the months. She treats him almost like a brother.

He doesn't know yet that it will be their last night together - it's a little over one month too early for him to be collected. He wakes from a nightmare. The specifics are violent, bizarre and confusing. Lucci and the others have been taken from him- or he from them. They- he's- dead or gone. Forever.

Hearing his panicked intake of breath, Glow wakes with a start, half rising from her bed across the room and bumping into one of the privacy screens between them because her orb is too slow to light her way.

"Kaku? You good?"

His body tenses, rigid with humilation. "I'm swell! Thanks for asking! Just swell."

"Nightmare?"

His silence must be enough of an answer because he hears her sit back down on her broad sleeping mat.

"If you can't sleep - I'm here if you want to talk about it." She always wants to talk. She's always loud, cheerful, fun.

"I'd rather not - talk about it, if it's all the same to you, Glow."

"Yeah, sure. I get it. Nightmares suck. You can still join me if you don't want to go back to sleep yet though."

In memory, it goes like this: after a moment of anxious swallowing, he makes his way through her little beach shack, to her bed, in the dark, and they sit together a while at the edge until she nudges his shoulder with hers. Her little orb hangs soft blue light around them.

"I'm glad we're friends, kiddo."

"We've been over this, I am one -" Kaku holds a single finger up, "- year younger than you -"

"Liar. Try three," she says fondly.

(She doesn't know it's five. She's uncannily perceptive but Kaku is a very good liar.)

She says, "you've been a huge help around here and I like your company. So just, don't hide if you're not okay. I won't laugh at you."

"Why wouldn't I be okay?"

She stares at him with her luminous eyes. "Kiddo, you drowned...only days ago. I still can't believe I got you breathing again. That would mess with anyone's head."

(He can't count the number of times he has been waterboarded as part of his training. He thinks the first time, he was thirteen. At seventeen, wakening to Cove's mouth on his and strong hands bruising his chest definitely makes the second accidental drowning of his life worth it - to a boy used to violence, it's a stunning first kiss. But that's irrelevant.)

His eyes sting, blurring, and it takes him so by surprise how sharp it feels to have her care. He ends up telling her about the dream after all - the little he remembers. He fashions a childhood and calls Lucci and the others his siblings, all of them orphans raised together. That latter part is true. He keeps the details sparse, but she seems to understand what they mean to him.

"Where are they now?" She holds his hand between hers, scarred and so gentle.

"I don't know." It's not a lie. He isn't privy to the missions they've been sent on. He confesses, "I miss them."

They're quiet for a moment again before Glow tells him about her own nightmares, her bobbling angler light growing dim. She finishes building the boat she will call the Rosy Barb and sets out from this South Blue island to find where she came from.

(She doesn't know everything Kaku knows, courtesy of the government's education. He has thought it best to keep his mouth shut.)

The keel sunders as soon as the boat plunges into the open sea. Glow is an anchor - a devil-cursed hammer - sinking endlessly down into the dark, unable to claw her way back up to the stars and wind. Again.

Kaku squeezes her trembling hands and says: "I'm glad we're friends too. I would never let you set sail in a vessel that falls apart so easily."

Not long after that, they lie down, and he finds himself gladly settling into her embrace. Until they both fall asleep with his cheek pillowed on her shoulder, she rubs his back and tells him about her sillier, more nonsense dreams instead to make them both laugh.

By the time Glow wakes, well into the afternoon, he is gone.

--

Seven years later - reunited with her and trapped by circumstance on her fishing sloop, the Rosy Barb, with her and her two-person crew - Kaku's sex dreams play this scene out quite differently.

Every variance is just as vivid, gut-clenching. Seventeen again, but more stupid, more horny, wrapped in her strong arms, pillowed on her soft chest. He's dying to touch her, made helpless by her sleepy warmth and the smell of orchids in her fine, pink hair. Sometimes he does muster the courage to touch her, eagerly scrambling into her flimsy sleeping clothes. He's new to this, clumsy, fumbling, but she moans, teases her fingers through his hair, calls him her handsome, young buck. When she touches him back, he's a trembling mess, coming apart under her net-callused hands. He swallows sobs of relief when she holds him close and lets him rut senselessly between her legs, her sharp teeth buried in his neck, yielding his blood to her loving, hungry mouth.

More often - distressingly - he is the full, awful culimation of his twenty-four years alive: a ruthless government-trained assassin, a wellspring of spilled blood. In shadow, he lets himself into her little house on the beach - too easy with just bug-net curtains at every entrance - and then her bed. Dream-mumbling, she rolls against him to fill the slight dip his weight makes in the dense sleeping mat. She will only awaken, shuddering and soaked, when he relentlessly pulls an orgasm from her with his fingers. She whimpers his name, bruising his biceps with her grip when he cages her in his arms, and he just laughs softly. He's so much stronger now. He whispers against her mouth that he's learned a lot in seven years, and he'd love to get started showing her...

Kaku wakes from one such dream at the end of his rope. He wrestles out from his stifling sleeping-bag on the deck calmly, quietly. He jams his ballcap on, and yanks it down over his eyes. He's so hard it's nearly torture, but he moves entirely without sound across the deck to the cabin where his unwitting seductress sleeps.

Except...it's only early evening, and the Rosy Barb's captain is not sleeping. Music plays on the radio snail in the galley - Soul King's Bone Down- oh come on. Cove is making dinner and looks surprised to see him suddenly in the doorway, shirtless.

"Good nap? I didn't bother with anything too elaborate because it's just the two of us eating tonight." She's throwing together a stew and talks to him over her shoulder, so she doesn't notice he's flushed from his freckled chest up to his ears.

His black-swallowed eyes can't stop looking at her when her gorgeous, muscled back is turned to him. Her naked, tattooed shoulders should not be making him feel this unhinged. He's made a terrible mistake, coming here, even if he hasn't moved another inch through the doorway; the memory of all his other sordid dreams have followed him down to the cabin. He closes his eyes, lest he see all too clearly how lovely she would look bent over the counter.

Then, what she has said finally filters in. The thread of his restraint vibrates at the snapping point. He opens his mouth but Cove has more to say.

"Not that you would know, snoozing away all afternoon. The log's already pointing to the next point, but...there's supposed to be fireworks later. I don't know if we're moored close enough to see here. Mich went to wander the night market. Shay went with her- decided she just had to go too when she heard there was a boxing ring with cash prizes -"

"You didn't want to go?" He asks, throat dry.

"Well, first I thought I'd wait to see if you planned to come back from that nap any time today. Am I working you that hard, oh Master Shipwright?"

"Cove." The rasp of his voice finally makes her turn around. She doesn't know his grip is white-knuckled on the outside of the door frame. He clings to composure - would be easier if he didn't feel like he is losing his mind - and grits out, "excuse me, Captain. Ma'am."

She's amused. "Yes, I answer to all of these. Can I help you, Foreman?"

He is a shipwright. He's dealt in wood and nails too long - one of Water7's shining heroes - to deny that he likes it. Loves it, honestly. He's tired of pretending otherwise. He's going to build a bed in her kitchen, something comfortable that can be stowed away and replaced with a sturdy table and booth seating. Of course, the thought of a bed in the kitchen below the half-loft where she already sleeps is not helping his restraint, knowing all the dreams he could make come true if he wrestled her into it.

After much too long, he answers her. "If you let me cross this threshold, I cannot walk back from it."

She laughs quizzically. "What are you talking about? Be a good boy and go wash up for dinner....you can keep your shirt off though. If you like." And she winks at him, like she used to when they shared a joke, like he never betrayed her trust all those years ago. Is this another dream?

Obediently, he goes to the basin and washes up to his forearms, scrubs the sea-spray and sweat from his face, gratefully. He sits at the little galley island for dinner and eats. And lusts. He's going to have her on the floor, if she's not careful. Pin her hips and peel off her athletic two-piece swimsuit and loose, cropped tank-top.

The food is hot, delicious as always - fragrant fish stew and chewy flat bread to mop up the juices. He updates her on his progress, running a full diagnostic on her sloop, and she beams when he notes there isn't much for him to do; the vessel has been well-cared for. After dinner, he washes the dishes while the captain puts away the leftovers, in case her two crewmates are hungry when they return. Then she stands near the open galley window - smoking her pipe of seaweed - and watches him work.

He says, "how about tomorrow I get started on building that hideabed- like you asked? I'll be glad to, Captain. It's the least I can do, to make up for my behaviour."

She snorts. "Oh it will take more than a futon before you're off the hook, Foreman - but thank you! It will be nice to have more accomodation on board, for guests. I expect you'll do a good job seeing as you're the first one sleeping in it once it's done.

He frowns. "I'd do a good job regardless, thank you very much."

He looks over and her gaze has slipped south, mouth crooked around the end of her pipe. She's watching, intently, as he dries his hands, working roughly at each digit with the towel before folding it and putting it aside. He imagines being able to put away his desires just as easily. Then he imagines putting his reservations aside and folding her.

He leans against the sink. "Are you trying to kill me?"

"Oh come on, Master Shipwright, I'm blowing out the window -"

He clarifies, speaking softly. Dangerously. "I'm talking about the dreams, Cove."

She pauses for too long, holding smoke in her mouth before letting it curl out slowly. She sets her pipe down on the counter.

"I don't know what you mean -"

"Hogwash. You never told me what your devil fruit does, but I've figured it out. It's the fog. Dreams are just memory, aren't they? Made of the same stuff, and you can control both in the fog. Even if I asked, I bet I wouldn't remember."

She watches him, something careful in her expression. "I don't see any fog now. Do you?"

That, he has to admit, is true. The watercolors of late evening are vivid and beautiful through the galley window. The golden hour paints them both. Kaku moves up into the captain's personal space, his body angled to corner her in the galley. Cove makes a strange, strangled sound, perturbed at his sudden closeness. She's taller than him - possibly even stronger, thought not by much - but he's quicker and has taken her by surprise. He pins her. Not without effort. The pungent incense-like smoke from her pipe makes his head swim- makes his tongue thick. She bucks against him but Kaku doesn't yield.

He says: "That might be true now, but not when the sun goes down. Do you know what I dream about? Night after night, out there on the deck. Do you design them personally?"

Her pale grey eyes dart over his face. "Of course not -"

"I know this trick, see, picked it up not long after I landed in Water7," he interrupts, lying as smoothly as he spreads her legs apart with his knee. He palms her inner thigh firmly, the hard ridge of his hand so close to the apex of her swim shorts. Her light fizzes brilliant pink but it's a feeble distraction when her pulse thrums so musically.

"So allow me to repeat myself, Glow -"

"You can't call me that," she shudders, breath coming quick and hot, trapped between the counter and him - the rock and the hard place. "I left that name back home -"

He leans in, shorter than her by half a head but it doesn't stop him growling in her ear. "You haunt my sleep and torment my waking moments with fuel for more. I think I should get to call you what I like, ma'am. Tell me again, that you don't weave my dreams together to torture me -"

"Did you ever stop to think you haunted mine first! When you were my friend and then you left with no word, only to send back a fake death notice!"

She's trying to distract him with his guilt, which won't work in this moment, and he tells her as much. "You can't wriggle out of this one."

Her pulse speaks truth to her hurt, but he could tell that from the look on her face. Her pupils are swollen, dark with emotion, as she scowls down at him. Somewhere in the middle of all this, his animal senses come alive, flooding the back of this mouth with a richness he can taste. She smells incredible - of dinner, sweat, orchids, coconut sunscreen. There's something else too, damp above his hand nestled between her thighs; hot, a little iodine-y...

Cove switches tactics. She tugs his cap off - too fast, always too fast for him - and leans in, butting her forehead to his. This close, her teeth are a threat he hopes she'll make good on. Her hands rove his hair, neck, the hard plank-like muscles of his back and shoulders. Even so, he refuses to loose her from his net. Her skin is so slippery soft but she won't winnow away from him.

He asks her: "Back then, was that nightmare I had your doing?"

She doesn't answer, doesn't meet his eyes, but he doesn't need her words. Her blood hums for him.

He accuses her: "Dreamweaver."

"No, Kaku. It doesn't work like that. Not on purpose anyway. My influence on dreams is limited- it's only when I have dreams that it sort of...ripples out. Memory is my domain, and within the fog only, like you said. I'm sorry -"

All truth. Nevertheless, he schools his expression into clinical disinterest. Then he presses his hand firmly upward into a softness that cleaves to him eagerly beneath her swim shorts. All the better to feel her pulse pounding, oh, flooding over his fingers. Cove's breath catches and the confession spills out of her:

"So maybe I felt a little vindictive when I first saw you again!" A lovely deep blush colours her pink skin. "So maybe I cursed you to a few sleepless nights of dwelling on your past lusts. I never imagined you'd dream of me -"

Again, truth - although it takes a moment to extract it from her racing pulse. It's a few more moments to bring back his train of thought when it sinks in just how little is in the way - should he just slip her shorts to the side, seek her pulse somewhere deeper inside her -

She gasps at the suggestive slide of his hand, then wonders, "And what kind of place is Water7 that this sort of skill is useful?" Her legs are shaking, and she won't stop touching him like she's soothing a wild beast. He swallows back the sudden flood of hot saliva behind his teeth, somehow keeps his voice level with cold, hard interrogation.

"How to read truth from a pulse? A lot of pirates out there like pulling the wool over the eyes of honest shipwrights with a smile and a handshake. It's nice to know when it's coming."

"Is that what you're doing? From my pulse-? That's really something. You gotta corner and feel up all those pirates too, Foreman?"

Her teasing rumbles through him like a storm. He hitches her into his arms, hands splayed under her thighs. Every thought beyond the wet drag of her cunt against his naked abdomen is sent forcefully from his mind.

He whispers against the corner of her mouth, rich, heady smoke from between her lips curling over his own. "Oh ma'am no. That's just for you -"

--

"FIREWORKS! CAP, EYELASHES, YOU'RE GOING TO MISS IT!"

At calamitous footsteps and shouting on the deck Kaku jerks awake, bolting upright in his sleeping bag. It's no longer evening. The sky is black overhead, until it isn't, explosions of rainbow sparks blossoming with a distant roar and crackle. The sea is clear - a fogless night.

Kaku puts his head in his hands, ignoring the cacophony between the crew and their captain. He does not emerge again until his- what, his sanity? Sense of self? - is bolted back up inside the iron cage of control he keeps it in. Like an animal, it bares teeth at him through the bars.

[dragonmasterhiccup]

She nodded, watching closely as he secured the buckles around Twilight. After he was finished, she moved over to where he was, and started tightening the saddle, feeding the leather straps through the buckles and securing it as tight as possible.

She shook the saddle lightly, her expression filled with pride as it didn’t budge at all. “I think that’s good!” She looked over at Hiccup. “Do you think it’s tight enough? I mean- I do, but you’re the expert here.”

At first, a huge smile made its way onto her face, mainly because it sounded like he was saying ‘yes’ with no strings attached. But he just had to ruin it. “Well, how else am I supposed to reach you expect for Terror mail? There’s not much else, especially if I’m, y’know, fifteen islands away.” She groaned in mild annoyance. “I don’t need hand-to-hand combat. One, that’ll take forever. Two, I have my bow, and three, nothing should happen if I don’t go to the islands you marked!” That wasn’t even mentioning the fact that Twilight could just fly high enough to stay out of range of any hunter boats they might come across.

In her opinion, he was worrying way too much. Just because she got kidnapped one time doesn’t mean anything. He was thinking too deep into it.

“And I’m not stupid y’know, I know how to stay away from suspicious looking people.”

(That’s great! I’m glad you had fun! 😄 And that’s amazing! I bet it was super delicious!!)

He watched as she secured the saddle, and returned a smile after she checked that it wouldn't budge. Just to be sure, he checked it as well, and nodded in approval. "Well done! It's perfect."

He guided Twilight to sit close to the ground again. "Alright, now mount up! You'll want to place your left foot first, then swing your right over the other side. Sounds obvious, I know, but you'd be surprised how many try to start with the wrong foot, only to end up sitting backwards on their dragons."

His eyebrows furrowed together, understanding why she was frustrated, but not understanding how she didn't realize how important these things were.

"A distress signal can be seen for much farther out than you'd think. But you're right, how much help could I be if you're fifteen islands away?" He sighed, sitting down in a nearby stool that was typically used for dragon claw trimmings. "And what if I think an island is perfectly safe, just for hunters to be lurking there? It's been months, close to a year since I've been able to leave Berk. I know which islands have dangerous dragons, but people are too unpredictable." He paused, almost at a loss for words.

He took a breath, standing back up. "I know you can handle yourself, and I know Twilight will be there to protect you. But if you think hand to hand combat training will take too long, you're underestimating just how long it will take to learn to ride Twilight and build up that trust between you two. It's one thing to be close when you're on the ground, but in the air? You're one unit, and the stakes are so much higher. Sure. You know what the hunter boats look like. What if they're on the opposite side of the island? Or in a secluded cove? You need to be ready for anything, Danny."

Oh, gods. He was sounding like his father. Not always a bad thing, but in this case? Probably bad. He inwardly braced himself, because he suspected that Danny would not be happy with his response, but it was the truth.

[justatalkingface]

can I ask you what you think of ochako as a character in bnha? I know that in theory she was 'developed to match toga', with all the things toga has going on with her character and where she is in the plot. But when I think about ochako a little deeper I don't really get her 'goal development' exactly, because don't they kind of conflict with each other rather than evolve together?

Because first ochako wanted to make lots of money for her family, then later it became 'who saves/protects the heroes?' But if she runs with that goal and continues to rock the proverbial boat in hero society, that probably won't lead to her making a lot of money right?

And her third emerging goal likely being something about saving/helping the villains in some way, which is definitely better/more interesting for the overall plot, but even more conflicting with her previous goals.

Which would be cool if it was really focused on in her head about how that all might work out or not but we never really get that with ochako. Can I ask you what you think about all this?

As a series, MHA has reached a point where every character can easily be labeled with 'wasted potential', but Ochako is a special case because she's a main character that was sidelined.

I always knew that, to some extent, 1A as a whole would be sidelined over time (though I couldn't have predicted how fast it would happen), but Ochako was part of the main trio, she was one of the more important characters in the early narrative. Even more, compared to Sakura, for example, or Orihime, she wasn't just the girl teammate, or someone's love interest. She had her own goals and ambitions. Most importantly of all though, and what made her so interesting to me, is that she decided to put aside her own feelings.

Manga is... let's be honest here, manga is broadly sexist. Shonens like this are worse. When a woman in shonen is in love? It defines her character, drives it. Their entire character arcs for the entire time they're in love, if not beyond it, hinge on that basic fact.

Sakura, Hinata, and Orihime are all broadly driven by their love for their men at first, and even when they grow past that being their sole motivation to fight, it still remains a fundamental core of their drives. Sakura's big growth early on, for example, is that she wants to marry Sasuke and become a proper ninja, when before her primary purpose in living seemed to be to unironically to have his babies. It was a good step, but it was kind of an insulting step, is the thing, and she never gets beyond her love of Sasuke even when both of them are trying to kill each other after he abandons her for years.

Ochako, though? She has goals first, then gets a crush, and then weighs being in love with her own ambitions and chooses her ambitions over love.

I shit over almost everything Hori does with anyone that isn't a man, because it's pretty much always shit, and the more I think about it the more I almost want to applaud him, just for this, because this? This isn't just a main heroine uninterested in love. This is one who explicitly rejects it for her own agenda, and as pathetic as it is to phrase it this way, that's a huge improvement for a shonen manga.

I mean, I've seen people say that she didn't need to do that, that she could both train to be a hero and chase her love interest, and when you think about it UA students do seem to have enough free time for her to pursue it, but you know what? Who cares?

Maybe there's actually not that much free time, maybe she just doesn't realize how much time she has, maybe she's exactly right! Does it matter? She decided she's not ready for a relationship at this portion of her life and she'd rather do something else with her time; good for her! Chase your dreams! Do what you want when you want!

And for a time, Hori seemed content to treat her as an actual important character, who develops as a combatant (which, as much as I like to say 'power ups aren't character development', I'm not blind to basic facts that mangas like this orbit around a lot of fighting, and you need to be able to fight to stay relevant to the story line) as well as develop as a person.

Actually, let me stop here and pivot a bit to better handle part of your question: her development.

Early on, Ochika training to be a hero was a basiclly a poor kid going to be a sports star to support their family; it wasn't about the job itself, per say, so much as that the job would pay well, and they could get in without getting crippling debt in the process. She had the talent, so she wanted to use it to support her family because she loved them. This was a lot more modest than, say, Lemillion's goals, but it was still noble, and she'd still do a lot of good while supporting her family. At the same time, though, she also just wanted to help people just to see them smile and what not, and so becoming a hero was really a multifaceted goal for her.

The problem with the later development, though, is the same thing that happened to everything about her post her learning Gunhead Martial Arts or so (let me take a brief aside to kind of laugh at that, because 'Gunhead' Martial Arts, rather than just martial arts or whatever just seems really ridiculously to me, but whatever): she was replaced, then her development was largely just given to her by the author happened off screen so we couldn't really connect with how it happened.

That replacement was bad for a bunch of reasons, really: because Bakugou was being promoted from classroom bully to rival character, he needed more focus with his 'rival' so he replaced Shoto. Shoto, who had all the build up of the rival character at first, needed to be in the story since he was so important to later plotlines, but didn't have a place anymore, so he needed to be put somewhere else still in the audience's eyes. The eventual fallout of all this, plus Endeavor's heavy character salvaging attemptings by Hori, is Izuku's core friend group of Ochiko, Iida, and himself was replaced by New Trio of Shoto, Bakugou, and Izuku.

Or, if I'm being even more honest, The Duo of Shoto and Izuku and then Bakugou is there too for some reason.

Something I want to point out here, while we're on talking about it; then new trio isn't a friend group, like the original one was, they're more... work associates. Shoto and Izuku are friends, by this point (and for some reason Shoto is hanging out with a person channeling the traits of his father he despises the most (cough cough, to try and salvage Bakugou)), but we don't see the three of them, like, hang out: they're together at first because they were all interning with Endeavour (for some god forsaken reason (cough cough, to salvage Endeavour)), then after that because they were heavy hitters and honestly just them being put there by the author. There's every indication that the original three are still friends, we just... don't see it, anymore.

But I'm off topic: point is, with the focus shifting from school life to 'let's save the world as first years!', the friendships took the backseat, and Ochika was just... ignored by Hori.

Eventually, she started being put back into the story, since she was still somewhat important, but by this point we had reached The War Arc (and shit, I don't think there's a post where I haven't dunked on that, is there?), and, well.

Everything Changed When The War Arc Attacked.

Everybody's characterization went to shit after that, not just her, and it's not surprising her story went down the cracks.

So, part of her changes, and part of the reason they're confusing with her original goal, is that at least part of them is mixed with her largely dropped but still weirdly there romance plot. Izuku is the origin of her thinking, 'who saves the heroes', because, well, Izuku needs saving from his own idiot self all the time later on, and he's heroic.

I'll point out that this isn't, fundamentally, a conflict with her original goal of supporting her family: she wants heroes to be treated better, she doesn't want heroes to stop being monetized (because that's too far against the status quo for any hero to support!). Even if that impacted her career (which, logically, makes sense as a possible concern and probably part of why you were confused, yet I don't think she thought about once) she's not Mt Lady; she's not going to be paying thousands in damages everytime she does anything. A rescue hero like her is always, unfortunately, going to find someone who needs to be saved by having heavy things lifted off them. Maybe she'd never be rich if this backfired on her, but she'd certainly be well enough to support her parents, at least, since we've never seen a poor hero (sighs, gestures vaguely in a, 'gee, wouldn't that have been nice to see to help develop the profession in literally any way!' sort of fashion).

The second point of 'development'... now that is honestly shit. I've mentioned before how, after a certain point, MHA's plot started turning more and more from the complex and fascinating topics that they presented to us (and got so many of us engrossed in the first place), to a more cliche format that I fondly call a 'Full Shonen'. Part of a Full Shonen plot is, unless an important villain is truly, absolutely evil (so, basiclly AFO) they aren't beyond redemption, no matter how little sense that makes. If they're not beyond redemption, The Good Guys(TM), are therefore obligated to at least try and save them from themselves. Another typical Full Shonen plotline is, if there's a female bad guy, the female good guy will have to be the one to fight them.

Following that logic, Himko, the crazed female serial killer, is not beyond salvation, and so it fall to Ochako, the female hero, to save her, no matter how little sense that makes on a character or narrative level, because, you know, cat fight or something.

*sighs for forever*

Problem being everything post-War is so quarter-assed that this entire new plot line is built off, and really isn't held together by, the fact they both love Izuku. Or rather, Himiko is vaguely in love with Ochiko because she's cute (or 'cute', by whatever arcane and ill-defined criteria she uses to target people) and feels a bond with her because she also loves Izuku, and Ochiko is just... there, basiclly, and fights her because, you know, she's a villain. The connection is beyond forced, and yet we all know that somehow she'll be essential to 'saving' Toga.

While we're talking about these two, I'm going to point out that people saying Ochaka in the latest chapters wanting to talk about love are dramatically missing the point. She didn't want to go girl talk with Toga about their mutual crush, no matter how hilarious a meme summary that was. Toga was leaving via warp portal, while turning into Twice, and Ochkaka wanted to stop her because, you know, Twice-Toga is going to make their temporary existence everyone else's problem. She couldn't physically stop her from where she was, so turned to the one thing that has always distracted Toga in the past: talking about love. Even a mere thirty seconds of Toga gushing about Izuku, after all, is thirty seconds less of a one man army fucking up the heroes plans, not even mentioning duplicating AFO or SFO or some other nightmare scenario; anything she could do to run the clock on Twice's blood at all is priceless for the heroes.

And before anyone says it, that's not some brilliant insight on Ochako's part, it's not some sign of their 'deep connection'; anyone who spends two minutes around Toga would know that much. Anyways, because of Toga's... random ass character development just before all this happened, she's finally able to control her impulses like a normal person, and leaves instead. Ochaka's comment at the end, 'she didn't want to talk about love', isn't sad that she didn't get to talk about some threesome or whatever bullshit, it's surprise, because that's not how Toga works.

So, yeah, Ochaka's great start early on fell apart after she lost the spotlight, and it's a shame. The evolution to 'saving heroes' could have easily been handled better just by, you know, focusing on her at all, and we could have seen rising concerns about how heroes are treated in their cutthroat line of work (obligatory screaming at failed heroic society development) over time, and grow more organically in her mind and motivation. Saving Toga... Toga is so unreasonable as a character that, barring a drastic redesign of her characterization, or more reasonably, something for Ochika to connect with her and make her care beyond being a female who, gasp, likes Izuku too!!!!!!, that... that was never going to work well. It, and she, are too much of a mess, and Ochaka is too good of a person.

[cheesewelsom]

I want to create a Targaryen OC, A daughter of Alicent and at the tender age of fucking 13 is holding on to her fucking hinges.

Reincarnated as the daughter of Alicent Hightower, Aeleana is a calm person, she just likes laying down with her dragon and relaxing.

Aeleana is peaceful, ignorant, always wants to escape reality, dislikes the throne, her father even more. She feels sorry for her mother, and tries to love her siblings even if she doesn't even get them. She thinks they're weird, but so is she.

Aelena just likes to doze around, get lost in her own head and lay around with her dragon.

Then suddenly, next thing she knows after actively avoiding anything that has to do with politics, she's standing next to her brother, as her brother suddenly did something stupid, then Lucerys is about to do something stupider, then protects her brother.

... she lost her fucking eye, how the fuck do you lose an eye in a fight you aren't even fighting?

It hurt so fucking much, she didn't know how Aemond was so calm during these scenes. She wanted Lucerys, in that moment, dead, in a fucking ditch..

Then the next, the black and green team were fighting about her eye. Why the fuck are they fighting about her fucking eye? She's blind! And her father has the audacity of a thousand fucking dragons to fucking do what he did, protect the enemy.

WHAT IN THE LIVING HELL. Her brother claimed a dragon but she couldn't give two fucks.

She lost a fucking eye, because of some sperm donor for a couple episode's children took her eye, WTF.

she took in a deep breath, "everything's fine. "

Everything derailed.

She ignores almost everyone, fights her father about making her sister marry her brother.

"your mother is also at fault, why don't you blame her. "

"YES SHE IS, BUT YOU ARE WHO I BLAME MORE! You failed me- Us! Your children! In ever sense of the word. I hate you more! You and your spoiled cunt of a daughter- "

"don't you dare call the heir that. "

"oh no! Don't i dare call the only Daughter you care about a spoiled cunt. "

The fight goes on, her mother allows the betrothal to be dispersed and she tries to connect with her brothers.

Even if it all ends horribly.

She drinks with Aegon after much insisting. Takes a sword and Trains with Aemond even if she dislikes him the most, and Talks with Heleana.

It's hard doing these things when she would rather do something else. She also tries to dabble with politics, she nopes out immediately.

Fast forward to Christmas, she doesn't stop any fight because she just wants this thing to end and punch Lucerys in the face.

She does.

A fight breaks out then stops, she watches Jacaerys and Heleana dance.

Proposition of marriage about the two of them, she agrees and her mother also agrees.

Aemond chases Lucerys, she chases after him, she gets in the middle of them then Vhangar chops her fucking arm off.

Arrax pushes her off her dragon.

Aelena, in that moment, screams in anger.

She falls on top of someone, in a boat, the person promises something, but thr problem is she needs to have only one eye. She opens her eye patch and the witch sees she's practically eyeless already so now she has a translucent arm with blue glowing outlines of an arm..

She also has a glowing eye for effects and absolutely no use.

She goes back to the castle to see it all in shambles. She wants to sleep, burn something down and kill her brother.. all on that order.

But she cant because she's being hugged, she kicked her brother in the shin, and slaps lucerys on the face, hugs helaena and moves on.

So that's all, sorry for the scrambling of things, im only trying to finish all of the major scenes where family is together.

[two-sides-samecoin]

I could have worded that way better, like Max knows she can go to Steve for anything but that doesn't constitute them having a close relationship - we're not given anything concrete and not subtextual until the letter after Nancy leaves and even that's subtext in determining the meaning of the letter, that Steve was the only older teen who got a letter. Like from the show prior to season 4, they're about as close as Steve and Lucas! We aren't given much about their relationships simply because they didn't interact, but for Nancy to say, "You need to be here for Max" - like she and Max interact more in more recent seasons! Like why can't you stay? (To be clear, I know why, but if she thinks someone staying with Max is important than why isn't she doing it?) Like again, with the lake scene, Nancy and Robin and Eddie automatically go and then Steve hops on last minute, even though he's the one with lifeguard training. Like it's lack of planning but why do Nancy, Robin and Eddie have to go? Why those characters? Why can't one of them stay behind? I'm going to forgive Eddie because the cops found the kids and if he stayed behind then he would have gotten caught. Fine. I'll give the Duffers that. So why did Nancy or Robin have to go? If they were so desperate to have an older teen with the Party, then why didn't they choose someone who's skills had little to do with what they were investigating rather than just shove it onto Steve? Like I know they were rushing but why the instinct to shove it onto Steve? Steve isn't even that big of a babysitter during life ending events in canon! He just ends up with them because that is where he is needed and they had no other option? Like season 2, Steve stayed back with the kids (And Nancy should have as well but she had to go with Jonathan) because everybody else had somewhere to be and in season 3, they kinda naturally formed Scoops Troop! Season 4 is the only season where they really forced it on him.) Like he enjoys it but he doesn't enjoy being forced to do it which I can understand.

it's all good dont worry about it. but yeah we're not really given anything much concrete like i love steve's friendship with thee kids but also sometimes it feels like we're not given enough if that makes sense. or we're not given enough to the point where we can tell just how close steve is to the kids such as max. however we do get enough to know that they don't only hang out when the end of the world shit happens but yeah because we only see these characters for a short time when their world is crazy - we don't really know how close they are outside especially with max like the only one we know that he he is close to is Dustin. but yeah anyway the letter is a huge indicator into how much Steve and Max are close but also because of the short amount of time we have with dynamics/characters - it always feels like we don't get enough concrete into how close they are.

yeah Nancy could have def worded that better cuz like you said Nancy could have stayed and like we know why she didn't but it's just so weird because it also almost makes it like steve is an afterthought in a way. like "oh nancy doesn't want to stay with the kids but steve's here" also like it just seems like Nancy is in charge here and for what? why is she in charge? idk canonically it doesn't really make sense that she's the one in charge considered all of her plans are so half - assed and the only way they've worked in the past is because of the duffers. also with the boat thing - it just seems like steve is an afterthought but then he goes with them so he isn't the afterthought anymore. but yeah in canon it doesn't make sense because steve is a lifeguard and he's really good at swimming so why didn't they have him go in the boat in the first place? why just have steve as an afterthought WHEN HE CAN HELP THEM?!!?! It's just so weird

yeah like you said there have been no other options in the past so he's gone with the kids. honstly i see it as : when steve wants to take on this role he does love it (as he did pride himself on being a good babysitter in season 2) but when people like shove it down his throat he doesn't like it. idk that's just my interpretation soooo

[that-one-scorpia-kinnie]

The Former Horde Soldiers Discovering New Things part 2: Real food

So as we know, nice things and basic necessities were basically illegal in the Horde, so the Former Horde soldiers grew up only eating ration bars. So the concept of real food is completely strange to all of them at first.

I headcanon that after the war when the Horde disbanded, it took a while for them to get used to real food, and for the first few months, most of them (except for Adora who tried real food almost immediately after meeting Bow and Glimmer) ate bar shaped foods or foods that resembled ration bars as they were pretty nervous of trying new foods (even though ration bars probably taste like utter shit and they can't even be that good for you). But I think the first bit of real food they tried were those dumplings some of the characters ate in one of the season 5 episodes, and slowly the former Horde soldiers begin to get used to real foods.

Although none of them can handle food with the SLIGHTEST bit of spice. They all think salt is spicy. Seeing people put salt or pepper on their food baffles all of the former Horde soldiers. For the first few months at least. I think over time they become more tolerant to spices and herbs.

However, none of them know how to cook. Scorpia tries to, but she mostly ends up burning everything. But she tries and that's all that matters.

They also all eat really quickly, as in the Horde they most likely had to eat their rations quickly before getting back to training or some shit, so for like the first month they're just inhaling the food they get in like a minute flat, and everyone else is like "Oh my ra, please slow down guys, ya food isn't gonna go anywhere-" and once they begin slowing down, they begin enjoying the food, albeit still getting used to food not tasting like nasty stuff.

As for favourite foods they've tried (feel free to give your own headcanons too):

Adora really likes ice cream and her favourite flavour is probably cookies n cream. No specific reason but she just strikes me as a cookies n cream girl.

Scorpia's fave is either stew or mac and cheese. But she HATES leafy greens (which is canon) and is a picky eater overall, as she gets nervous when trying new things. But when she discovers sweets/candy, she is BEDAZZLED. She especially likes cotton candy and the feeling of it melting in her mouth, so Perfuma always buys her lil buckets of cotton candy, but Scorpia has to be very careful when picking out the cotton candy with her big claws, and she needs to have it little by little, as her tastebuds aren't used to sweet things in large quantities. (I thank my friend @spam-t0n for this headcanon.)

Catra for some reason really likes cheese. Just cheese on its own, like she'll just eat from a bag of shredded/grated cheese like it's nobody's business. But she REFUSES to touch a carrot, let alone eat one.

"But Catra they're good for you-"

"Does it look like I give a shit? I survived a fucking WAR, I think I can live without those orange death sticks."

Kyle likes pineapple on pizza, the poor fuck. (No hate to pineapple on pizza or people who like it, I myself am pretty neutral on the debate on whether it should be a thing)

I feel like Lonnie would like tacos. I dunno I can just imagine her enjoying tacos but getting mildly annoyed when they fall apart.

Rogelio, being a lizard, would probably be okay with eating bugs, but I read a fanfic where he liked chocolate-covered crickets. Whatever floats your boat Rogelio.

Huntara (cause she used to be a Horde soldier too) has probably been living off of bugs and survival food due to living in the Crimson Waste, but I can imagine she likes the taste of honey cause I read a fanfic about it once.

.

Side note, because my OC Teddy is good at cooking and baking, I can imagine, when they eventually become comfortable around them, (as Teddy is a very shy person and it usually takes them a while to come around) Teddy begins making breakfast for the former Horde soldiers sometimes. Most likely homemade waffles and fresh fruit, and it becomes sort of a weekly thing.

[kipperlillycopperkettle]

everyone thinks they’re too young to die for the ask game

natasha u are my new favorite person for sending me this ask. i want to talk about this au SO bad. i am so sorry you are the person who sent me this ask because ik you're not into d20 and now are being subjected to me rambling about a crossover with a dnd actual play show.

anyway i am normal about the hunger games (lie) and my greatest joy is putting non thg characters into thg verse and making them experience pain and suffering. ‘everyone thinks that they're too young to die.’ is my fantasy high thg au and it is named because of a fantasy high edit to the hippo campus song, ‘2 young 2 die’ that my friend oj made. basically the premise is it's a fic with differing timelines where each of the bad kids wins the hunger games. it is, as of this moment, unfinished, and 26k. this makes it the longest fic i have ever written and possibly the longest thing, period, i have ever written, because i hand-wrote the novel i wrote when i was eleven and so it doesn't have an accurate word count. i estimate this will probably clock in closer to 50 or 60k by the end of it.

again, my major issue here is plot, but unfortunately i am currently being haunted by this au (cannot stop thinking about it for more than a few days at a time) so i keep adding to it even when those scenes are not at all relevant to the plot of the au. the goal is to finish this fic by november but unfortunately my brain doesn't like deadlines i set for myself and thinks they're fake so we'll see if that actually happens

hallarial lomenelda and bill seacaster were the perfect capitol love story. a beautiful capitolite teen, sending gifts to the handsome teenage victor, him flirting with her, winking at the camera after he opened his sponsor gifts, blowing her kisses after he used the weapon she sent him to disembowel three other teenagers. he'd even proposed to her on live television, after all. 

hallarial lomenelda and bill seacaster were the perfect capitol love story, right up until she gave up her citizenship in the capitol to go live in district four with him.

their love story is what fabian has grown up on. he remembers hearing it every night as a bedtime story, of begging his parents to retell it almost every night — the way the crowd cheered so loud during their proposal that his father thought he'd gone deaf, just for a moment, the way the light glittered off the ocean as they got married, their wedding knot around their wrists and orange in the sunset sky as they’d exchanged their first kiss as a married couple.

on the nights that he isn’t begging for his mother to tell him about her and his father’s love story, he’s begging for his father’s accounting of his time in the arena. about the time a young bill seacaster, sixteen and with more muscle than most of the capitol from working on a fishing boat, was reaped, and against all odds — when he’s reaped, fabian will watch his father’s games in full, will really study them, and he will learn that it wasn’t against all odds at all, his father had the sponsors and the training score and the looks on his side — bill seacaster came home a victor, bringing a year’s worth of grain and oil to district four.

and that, too, is something that bill seacaster has always been proud of. he’s taken care of his people. he’s always taken care of the people of district four like he’s taken care of fabian. 

and he expects fabian to follow in his footsteps. to go off to the hunger games and return a victor. to provide for district four, to be one of their victors that they’re oh so proud of. to join the ranks of cathilda, and marcid, and myrtle, and of course, bill seacaster.

fabian will later think that his father wanted in him not a child but a living legacy. something for the world to remember him by when bill seacaster is just bones and dust.

because, after all, being a victor does not mean you never die. it just means you stave off death for a little while longer.

[bastardcatthings]

No, you know what? it's not funny (Rant)

Watching "Mac and Dennis buy a timeshare" and "being Frank" back-to-back just insanely unsettles me in regards to Dennis (and the rest of the gang's) treatment of Mac. Like, it's no secret that the gang (and specially Dennis) have started treating Mac like shit for no absolute reason (cuz he’s annoying? please, you guys SAY that more than you actually show it to us. Mac is not any more annoying than he was before. If anything, he is less annoying now that the whole bossy thing/” gay people bad” phase of his has fizzled out...) but to actually see it play out within the span of 40 minutes is just too much. And they're not even that far apart! They're only 2 seasons apart; that's only 20 episodes! Like, not even a full season in comparison to longer sitcoms! And yet such a blatant 180° shift in the characterization and for what?! It's not even funny! Not even the fucking dudebros on reddit think that Mac being excessively submissive to Dennis and just overall pathetic is funny! Like how fucked up is the situation that not even redditors are trying to laugh at him cuz obviously a man being in love with his best friend is the funniest goddamn thing in the world (they said, sarcastically, trying to not go on a rant about people who actually act like Dennis is a successful womanizer or that mac was “ruined” by coming out or keep making bird jokes about Kaitlin and God I’m getting angry again)

Shipping be damned (since most times this problem get addressed, it's in regards to macdennis) this affects the platonic friendships (the whole group dynamic) in the show SO MUCH as well. Look, sunny is not a cuddly show, nor is it a feel good one in any(conventional) ways, but it always has had a heartwarming element in the relationships that the members of the gang have with each other. While not healthy or wholesome 99% of the times, there is something almost endearing about the games that Charlie and frank play at night times. about Dennis and Dee having similar quirks that remind you, yeah! they're twins! About Charlie and Dennis sharing one (1) single brain cell, dee and Dennis still referring to frank as their dad when he's not around, Mac and Dee being unhinged together, the boys giving the first bite of the steaks to Dee and toasting to her when she tied the waiters shoe laces. Something about Mac and Charlie throwing rocks at trains just like they used to do when they were kids and of course, the holy grail of relationships on sunny (and damn me for getting back to them because I wanted to talk about mac and Charlie, AND I WILL IN A MINUTE) Mac and Dennis. doing, well, anything. No matter what they did they were always on each other’s team. Recession? boom. everybody fired but us. Mortgage crisis? Boom. We're playing realtor husbands. Dee got scammed? well we won't be baby, let's go get ourselves a new set of golf clubs. No matter what happened in the show, they were by each other’s side- literally, these guys are constantly sitting/standing/walking next to each other- so much so that you don't even notice how weird it is that they get on so great. Hell, THEY don't even notice until Dee points it out to them in mac and Dennis breakup! On the gang misses the boat, Charlie and Dee themselves said the reason they never did anything that they wanted was because MAC AND DENNIS would judge them!!! They are the DEFINITION of a package deal. And look where we are now.... anyways also gotta talk about Charlie and mac, y'know, the guys who PRACTICALLY GREW UP TOGETHER?? Remember the time when Dennis was actually jealous that Charlie considered Mac his best friend? And he was so ADAMANT about it and only started to waver after he suspected Mac might be sleeping with the waitress? The guy who told Mac: those others guys didn't get us man but I feel like you just get me we just click (kinda paraphrasing but this was the gist) THAT GUY turned into this sarcastic a-hole that just dismissively says: He's fat, he's skinny, he's muscular, it’s really a cry for help and attention......REALLY?!?!?!?and it's not even that Charlie is actually an asshole in season 13, his character is pretty much the same expect towards Mac. Because the writers needed everyone to hate mac sooo much, they forgot their characters whole backstory and relationships. Nice. Real nice guys. Speaking of the writers needing everyone to hate mac,

WHY IS MAC FILLING THE ROLE THAT DEE ALREADY HAS?!?

See, I don't enjoy seeing Dee belittled or mocked by the guys, except that I do. Kaitlin Olson really struck gold with Dee's character. She brings this air of empty confidence and slight narcissism to Dee that makes it SO MUCH EASIER to hate her. Even if you don't hate her, at least Kaitlin gives you a performance that on the surface makes you believe that Dee really has better things to do and she's not really stuck with the guys ,so that makes you feel safe about the effect this may have on her feelings and you allow yourself to laugh unapologetically to every oldie but goldie bird joke that the boys throw at her, even tho if you actually sit down later and think about it , you realize that yeah she has nothing better to do and nowhere better to be and this is her only friend group and family! but by then you have already laughed at the episode and this is just you thinking about it on overtime so the writers don't care .They achieved the goal of making you exhale from your nose. But with rob McElhanney?? yeesh.... it's just blatantly sad. There is just the surface. There is no deeper layer. There is no overtime and most importantly, there is no laughter because Rob with those big brown puppy dog eyes of his looks so goddamn sad and broken that as a person who genuinely cares about these garbage people, you can't really bring yourself to laugh at him (also points to Kaitlin for being a woman which makes her easier to hate/laugh at her misfortune since media has desensitized the masses to the female characters getting ragged on all the time especially in comedies. yay misogyny!!) I still believe that THE saddest line in iasip was said by Mac on season 13 ep.1, which was "you guys like me, right?" ......... was this really supposed to be funny? I mean shit man, with Rob's face when he said that and the defeated tone he had while saying it.... it's like in the gang broke Dee, even the guys know that when you don't defend yourself, it's just not funny back and forth anymore, it's just sad (also with dee at least they tried to come up with fun insults and jabs, which is way friendlier imo than acting disgusted by mac all the time/not even acknowledging he exists)

This of course is not to say that Rob is not a talented actor, just that it's always been that way. Dee is the punching bag and mac is the bossy guy and even tho they are much more than that, you really shouldn't try to completely swap/break these character molds after a decade. It will just fail to land. And the funny thing is that sunny prides itself on the policy that these characters do not change and grow as time passes and you know what? They've for the most part upheld this little law of theirs. Frank and Charlie and dee only suffered minor flanderization throughout the show (I like to think that the fact they all seem more normal on the first few seasons is just the natural progression of these human beings, in-universe) all the while Dennis and mac make absolutely no sense in the roles they have assumed in the show as of right now (season 14). There was a time where Dennis WILLINGLY let Mac presume the role of the brains of the trio!! Now imagine season-14-the-head-cow's-always-grazing- Dennis agree to that. Can't, can you? And that's not a good sign and that's not in-world progression (or, well, regression I guess) either since it makes no sense how he got from point A to point B. Dee started from setting a girl on fire for stealing her look pre-season one and a decade later she got revenge on her stripper ex-boyfriend by booking him a gig at his daughter’s party. You can see how she got there but how did Dennis go from being deeply invested in an argument about being a power bottom in the middle of a scheme, to visibly scoffing at Mac's suggestion to bring the bit back … I'm at a loss.

And you know what bothers me the most? What prompted me to write this monster of a text out of spite? The fact that I just KNOW that rcg (and Megan or whoever else) don't have ANY plans to take this somewhere. As much as I want to believe it, this is not Mac "gently coaxing Dennis out of the closet through patience" (they've had many opportunities to hint at that and they just didn't, in fact they chose to go the opposite direction and show us Dennis legitimately hates this whole thing coughtimesupforthegangcough) or Mac "shedding his toxic masculinity and bossiness and being more relax and happy" he's NOT happy! In fact, we have been shown (more like seen repeatedly be used as a joke) that Mac is constantly upset with his current situation (*do you think Dennis hates me? * *You guys like me, right? *) and this is not Dennis being angry with mac that he pushed Dennis in the closet but now is out himself (as much as I ADORE ADORE ADORE this take on why he dislikes Mac so much after coming out, please never stop writing about this scenario)

Look *deeeep sigh* I'm tired and I've digressed so damn much from my original point. This was supposed to be a three paragraph long shit post but somehow 4 hours later, we're here because ultimately, I (for whatever reason) care about these horrible people and I genuinely want this show that I love so much, be the best it can be and yeah maybe I care too much about whether or not a misogynistic, gay,40 something year old, FICTIONAL guy who is obsessed with his best friend and has a sticky bible, gets made fun of by his equally loser friends but hey, that's the sunny way. Getting too pumped about shit that matters too little.

But of course, in the end

REASON WILL PREVAIL.

[hawksugarbaby]

Shinso x reader - Burning sensation

Fluff

Every morning at 7:00 you would meet shinso outside your dorm to head to school "Hey Hitoshi how ya doin this mornin" you asked sideling up to the boy who you had gotten to know quite well through your walks too and from school, and your time in class, and lunch, and training after school, you were never really away from each other actually. He took comfort in the time you spent together and you enjoyed talking to him and being his friend. It was pretty understandable why he didn't want to be friends, to begin with, but there was no way in hell you were letting the boy go through 3 years of school without any friends! So you made it your own personal mission to change his mind about you, and you were pretty chuffed when he actually stopped pushing you away yep this boat was firmly tied to the dock now. "I'm fine just tired" he was always tired.

The gleaming white windows of your school came into view lighting up the area around it like a child shining a magnifying glass on a bunch of tiny ants swarming to their colony. You nudged his side with your elbow getting his attention "SO I heard someone is getting transferred into the hero course next year!" you were so proud of him! This was his dream come true and he was finally getting his big opportunity "yeah it's pretty crazy" it was true he was more than thrilled to be joining the hero course but he felt like he was betraying you in some way, you should be in there with him! You were just as powerful if not more than he was. It didn't feel right leaving you "I can't believe it Hitoshi! I'm so happy for you, we should go get ice cream later to celebrate!" you walked through the door together weaving through the other people dotted around the corridor to reach your own classroom tucked away at the end . the thought hadn't even crossed your mind about how lonely you would be without Hitoshi, and it was coming up for the end of the year, you would have to cherish your time more than ever. "Ice cream sounds nice."

Th day went on rather uneventfully, thankfully it was lunch now so food was on the top of your mind "what should I get today?" you asked your lavender friend, you were determined to have everything on the menu at least once before you left school, you had quite a few options to go "what about a cappuccino and the udon?" it was pretty lucky he was keeping track of what you had and hadn't got yet otherwise you would never get close to finishing the challenge "you just want my cappuccino huh" you stepped up to the counter and ordered your food and drink which was ready in a flash thanks to lunch rush (give the dude some credit he does lunch for that entire school every day!) "maybe" he gave a lopsided grin and you rolled your eyes.

you both set off for a table near the back where you usually sat when a green-haired boy waving his arm caught your eye "hey Hitoshi is that one of your new classmates" you questioned gesturing to the freckled boy who was frantically trying to get his attention "oh yeah that's midoriya" he brushed off the topic and continued off to your table "hey wait you should go sit with them!" you called after the boy who groaned and span round his purple locks dangled in front of his eyes blocking his view fully but he could tell you weren't gonna let him leave. "but... why?" "because they're your classmates silly come on" you pulled him over to the table much to his dismay "h-hey shinso do you want to sit with us?" midoriya asked and everyone else at the table eyed him up like a flock of vultures inspecting there pray "can (y/n) sit too?" wait no what you weren't in that class why would you sit there? That was like... the top dog table right? "Of course!" oh well oh kay then guess you were one with the big leagues now. "Hi it's nice to meet you, I'm ururaka" she introduced herself with a big grin, you noticed she was holding her juice with 4 fingers and had pink pads in the middle of her fingertips "I'm (l/n) nice to meet you too" you sat down next to Hitoshi excited to make some new friends, maybe if you liked them he would like them more.

"So you and shinso are really good friends huh?" you nodded as you took a sip of your cappuccino and ultimately decided it was one of the less amazing things on the menu "yeah he's like my best friend and I'm pretty much his emotional support dog" you giggled and handed off the warm, bitter drink to him which he was more than happy to take off your hands "in all honesty she should be the one joining your class, daughter of the number 2 hero couldn't cut the hero programme" he teased and everyone else gasped "YOUR DAD IS HAWKS!" yep it was true you were the daughter of the number 2 hero hawks and someone else?? Mum didn't stick around long, your quirk was a little HOT TO HANDLE (roll with it) "what's your quirk! Can you show us!" midoriya begged from across the table which Hitoshi was not happy about he didn't like it when people gave you more attention than he did "um no I definitely cannot show you! But I can tell you what it iss" you sang and the boy grabbed a pencil and notepad out his bag "uh it's called Pheonix I have retractable wings... made of blue fire... and I can fly and shoot the feathers and I have the feather blades like dad and all that jazz" "she also has the same dumb personality" Hitoshi added and you gasped looking at him hurt "don't talk about my dad like that he loves you" he did actually like Hitoshi a surprising amount and you were pretty convinced he shipped you like a 15-year-old girl watching 2 boys in an anime about superheroes (-_-)

"But if your dad is the number 2 hero how come you aren't in the hero course" ouch. You gripped your chopsticks harshly "some bitch thought it would be funny to knock me out during the entrance exam and it was too late to get me in by recommendation" the chopsticks snapped splintering off into a bunch of smaller pieces. The lively nature of the cafe suddenly turned to one of concern when 2 mini puffs of thick smoke filtered out from the back of your blazer blanketing the roof and the smell of burning fabric infiltrated your noses "your burning" Hitoshi said from beside you "OH sorry sorry I didn't notice" you said and started to calm yourself down by stealing Hitoshi's lemonade "you must be upset about having to be in different classes after the new year" the boy with the bird head said. Well yeah but he wouldn't be leaving you completely, you opened your mouth to speak but before you could start Hitoshi started "I don't intend on letting her go half a year alone in that class, either she moves up or I go back down" he grit his teeth at the thought of you being alone in that class by yourself, and if it meant he had to give up his dream of being in the hero course he would. You smiled and then sighed when you realised you couldn't finish your udon since your chopsticks had transformed into toothpicks.

Ah yes, finally the end of the day. You and Hitoshi walked out of the nicely air-conditioned school into the dry blistering heat of the outside world "oh god whyyy" you cried and shook your fist at the sun then immediately regretted it as a bunch of white spots danced around in your eyes (FUN FACT THOSE ARE CALLED PHOSPHENES. Y'know, like phosphor) "so ice cream" you stumbled around trying to your friends and jumped when he put his hands on the back of your shoulders "just keep walking dummy" he said and you did so until you gained your sight back. "It's such a hot day this is evil" you crossed your arms angrily as you made your way to your house since you had decided to get changed before you got ice cream so that the sweltering heat didn't melt you both to a puddle of sweat and ew (THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING WITH OKAY).

"HEY DAD ARE YOU HOME?" you shouted into the house and a little red feather shot down to where you were standing "I'LL TAKE THAT AS A YES THEN" you and shinso wandered up to your room dumping your bags with an audible thud "crop top and jeans?" you asked holding up your clothes and showing them off to Hitoshi "sure why not," he said and pulled out the bag of clothes in the bottom of your wardrobe that you kept there for him. "Vest and shorts?" he held up the clothes and you nodded and he descended down the hall to the bathroom waving to your dad as he went past. It was such a perfect day, it was too good to be overthinking little things like clothes or how lonely you would be without Hitoshi or what he meant when he said when he wasn't leaving you behind or how he really felt about you or- "how's my chicklet?" (hawk's most defining personality trait is that he likes chicken don't @me) your dad asked ruffling your hair "it is too hot to exist right now but Hitoshi and I are gonna get ice cream" you grinned and cracked open your window hoping a breeze would come through and cool you down a smidge. "Like a date?" "No dad it's not a date" "finneee have fun" he pouted and left you alone to get changed.

"Hey, Hitoshi what ice cream do you want?" you asked looking over the menu on the side of the truck that was parked in the park... "it's a vanilla day I think," you stepped up to the counter ordering your ice creams both with a flake obviously and sat on a cool metal bench which was hidden by the big weeping willow tree, it was your favourite spot in the whole park because it was always shady and the big tree made you feel like little kids again, you were so small in comparison and when the wind picked up the branches whipped around like a carousel and tangled together like a curtain to hide behind.

"hey you'll be okay in the class by yourself for a while right?" he asked and took a pit off his ice cream "I'll have to be won't I. I'm really proud of you you know that" you stole the flake that he was about to bite into and took a bite out of it letting the chocolate bit's fall off and land on your crop top melting almost instantly "I know. But I promise I'm gonna get you up there with me. You won the sports festival I don't know why they're taking me" (ROLL WITH IT) he stole your flake in retaliation and started eating his ice cream "because you deserve it stop doubting yourself" you preached. You listened to the cars drive by and the angry drivers honking at each other, in all fairness there were indicators for a reason. The bustling life of the city drowned out by the calm bubble surrounding the 2 of you "well you deserve it too (y/n)" he argued and you both burst into a fit of laughter knowing that it was almost impossible to be mad at each other and this wasn't even close to a reason.

"Hey I need to tell you something" he whispered taking a bite out of the sugary cone "oooh~ are you going to profess your undying love for me" you giggled not knowing what you were getting into in the next few minutes "yes... I am" ".....WHAT!" WELL, THIS TOOK A TURN "I like you. Like in a girlfriend type of way" he sighed when a big flake of his cone cracked and fell into the dirt under him "oh. This is unexpected" you whispered taking a bite out of your own cone getting crumbs down your top "if you don't feel the same it's okay I just wanted you to know" he pursed his lips and drew little circles in the dry dirt "no I do, I do feel the same I guess I just didn't realise I felt the same... does that make sense?" it probably didn't.

Of course, you felt the same, he had been your best friend for a while now so obviously you caught some feelings but you had never given them a title like, a crush or love or anything like that, they were just there. They would either go away or they wouldn't and now you were here. You were glad they hadn't "yeah it does" he smiled and the wind picked up a bit lacing the branches together to create th perfect veil as he leaned down and kissed you softly, it was nice and filled with love and admiration and your face turned soft pink and matched the heat of the sun beating down right now.

It didn't last long unfortunately as 2 pillars of smoke started coming out of your shirt and burning fabric once again took over your senses "NO NO NO NOT NOW COME ON" you shouted feeling the fabric separating on your back and you held the front of your crop top on your front "okay well we're gonna not do that for now" Hitoshi said calmy and you shot him a panicked glance gesturing to your unfortunate situation with your other hand. The back of your top fell off and you arched your back when it came into contact with the cold rugged bark of the willow tree "OKAY WELL NOT WALKING HOME LIKE THAT" he shouted and took off his vest throwing it to you and turning away.

You put it on quickly after you calmed down a bit and you weren't burning anything. "Okay you can turn around," you instructed focusing only on the branches in front of you "what not gonna look at me?" "nope" "why not?" you cleared your throat and clicked your tongue "because if I do this shirt will just burn off too and then we'll have to phone dad and get him to bring me a shirt and then he'll ask how I managed to burn two of my shirts off and then I have to listen to him go on and on like a 15-year-old girl about how he totally called that we would get together and then-" "alright I get it," he said putting his hand over your mouth 'well you just set yourself up for failure' you thought and licked his hand which he pulled back and wiped on your jeans "your gross" he chuckled and stood up wiping the dirt off his jeans and standing directly in your eye line putting his hand out to help you up. Which you didn't accept since you were rather busy ogling those goddamn washboard abs "well your not burning yet but you might be brain dead" he flicked your forehead and you shook your head slightly accepting his help up.

You started to walk home as the bright blue sky turned to a medley of tangerine and lavenders with pink brush strokes in between. "We should get ice cream more often," he said his honeyed voice cutting the silence held between you "I agree, we train so much we deserve it!" you exclaimed "you just wanna see me shirtless" he teased. It took every ounce of willpower you had to not burn the shirt off by accident but thankfully you didn't "pfft no. I want ice cream the shirtless thing doesn't have to be exclusively an ice cream thing" you pointed out nudging his shoulder with yours as your house got closer and he rolled his eyes wrapping his arm around your waist pulling you next to him like 2 magnets sticking to each other.

"Well I'll see you tomorrow Hitoshi," you said once you reached your door "yeah see you tomorrow," he said pecking your cheek and walking off down the road leaving you astonished at your door. "DAD YOUR NOT GONNA BELIEVE THIS" you screamed as you entered the house.

4 weeks later

"We have another student joining the hero course" the grumpy teacher announced and you bust into the 1-A classroom with your wings outstretched behind you "PUT THE GREMLIN BACK" shinso shouted from the back of the classroom "GO BACK UNDER THE BRIDGE YOU CAME FROM" you shouted back and took your seat next to him "dad wants to know if you're staying for dinner after training" you whispered, "yeah what are we having?" "chicken" 

[abarbaricyalp]

Idk if you are still taking prompts, but you know the vine two dudes chilling in a hot tub 5 feet apart cause they're not gay, and a girl quoting it in a park about two girls in the distance and one of them hearing and going "Actually I am gay" Like that scenario, only involving them fixing the boat? Maybe Sarah quoting it to give Sam shit when she thinks Bucky cant hear and Bucky goes "Wait, no I'm gay" or something, or just the general gist of that. Sorry if this us too specific, I've never sent anyone a prompt before :P

Hello Friend! Thank you so much for sending anything in at all! I know the vine you're talking about, but I couldn't find it on Youtube. (I did find a two day rabbit hole of old compilations though) This was also my first foray into writing Sarah as a fully fleshed character! I was excited to get the practice 'cause I had an idea bouncing around in my head about her and Bucky talking after he wakes up in the Wilson house. I kept her a little more like she had been in my other fics pre-show here. I so wish we got a little more of her!

Feel free, anyone, to send me Sambucky prompts!

The North American Superhero in a Domestic Situation

Sarah Wilson loved her brother deeply. The kind of soul crushing love that could only be formed through family, loss, and approximately four thousand brawls around the living room throughout their life. She looked up to her brother more than she could ever imagine looking up to anyone. Even when they were fighting or picking on each other, she couldn’t help but feel a swell in her chest when he came into her line of sight.

That didn’t mean she understood him. In fact, from the age of eight, watching her brother interact with the world had become her go-to pastime. Why did he have to roll every pea around the plate individually before eating them? Why did he and his friends spend seven years socking each other in the arm to prove friendship? Why did he talk to himself in the mirror, even when he knew Sarah or someone else was standing in the doorway?

Sam Wilson was just deeply weird. She had no idea how he had tricked the Avengers, a plethora of bad guys, and half of the media world into thinking he was remotely cool. She saw a news story once that had King T’Challa standing on a platform with Sam and the newscasters talked about how impressive Sam’s suit was. It was unnatural, the effect he had on people.

And in all her years, she never thought she’d see anyone weirder than Sam. But then James Barnes had showed up. It was like a complete reversal of Sam. Sarah was taken in for approximately three hours by his charm and face before she realized he too was deeply, deeply weird.

She justified sitting on the edge of the Paul and Darlene, watching her brother and James Barnes spar off about some dumb trivia fact, by deciding it was an anthropological expedition. The North American Superhero in a Domestic Situation. She watched Sam watch Barnes take a long pull off his beer. She watched Barnes kick his feet up near Sam’s legs and then draw them back quickly when a current jolted the boat. She watched Barnes’ fingers tap-tap-tap against the edge of the boat, inching closer to Sam’s shoulder before he chickened out and brought his hand back to his own lap. She watched Sam suggest Bucky take his jacket off, ‘unless you plan on sun blinding me with the robocop arm.’ She watched Sam look away when Barnes did shrug his jacket off.

When she was seventeen and Sam was fifteen, she had found Sam crying in his room, pillow pressed to his face to muffle the noise. They were at the age where going into each other’s rooms uninvited started international conflicts, but Sarah, who watched her brother intently, felt like she knew what was going on. So she let herself in through their Jack-and-Jill bathroom and shut the door behind her.

Sam didn’t stop crying, not even to yell at her to get out, so she sat on the end of his bed and rolled a baseball under her foot for a while. Finally, she’d said, “You don’t have to tell Mom and Dad, y’know.”

Sam had just about wailed and bit the corner of his pillow to stop himself.

“That’s gross, stop it,” Sarah ordered and pushed Sam’s shoulder back enough to yank his pillow free and then reached over to wipe the tears from his cheeks. “I should make you do the laundry this week so I know I’m not touching your snot germs,” she teased softly.

“How did you know?” Sam hiccuped out. Tears were still brimming at his eyes, but they didn’t fall.

“I’m your older sister. I made you. Like a doll. You think there’s something about you that I don’t know?” she joked. And when the tears did spill over his long lashes, she sighed and pulled him closer to her side. “I just know the way you interact with that boy from the basketball team ain’t just friendly.”

“Jesus, do you think he can tell?” Sam asked and she could hear the mortification in his voice.

“Sam, he’s a freshman in high school. The only thing he knows is that he’s scared of everything too. No one’s paying that much attention to you.”

“Screw you,” Sam muttered.

“What’re all these tears for you if you didn’t make a move and get shot down?”

“God, Sarah, can you not say things like that?”

“Watch your mouth,” Sarah warned with no heat in her voice. “Come on, tell me what’s wrong. I’m not leaving until you do.”

“I just…” Sam sat up and worked his jaw for a while. His chin dimpled and his eyes watered but he managed to control himself. “I’m scared, Sarah. I’m scared of never being in love. Of having to leave if I am. I’m scared to say something and I’m scared not to say something. I’m so scared of...losing any of it.”

“Sam,” Sarah sighed and pulled Sam into another hug. “You’re fifteen. You’re not supposed to be in love yet. You don’t have to think about any of that. You just have to focus on passing Geometry, alright? Mom’ll whoop your ass more for failing than anything else.”

“I have a B+, that’s not failing!” Sam snapped. He kept his face against her shoulder for a second long before he sat up and wiped his tears away. “Please don’t tell anyone.”

“Who am I gonna tell? I told you, my friends don’t like you as much as you think they do.”

“Your friends like me more than they like you,” Sam shot back and he almost sounded normal.

Sarah smiled softly and patted Sam’s cheek. “I won’t tell Mom or Dad. Of course not. That’s for you to do. But--”

“I’m always going to tell them when you sneak out the window.”

“No! Sam! You can’t! You owe me now!”

“Going to field parties is not the same thing!” Sam said in a shriek as Sarah leaned over to pinch his sides. They grappled for a second before Sam managed to push Sarah off the bed.

“You owe me,” she reminded him as she walked back to the bathroom.

Sam wiped his eyes again and nodded. “Sure, Sarah. I do.”

Sam almost had the same look on his face now. Like there was something he wanted to reach for that he thought was too impossible to hold. The Older Sister Instinct to Antagonize into a Solution kicked in.

“Two bros, chilling on a boat, five feet apart ‘cause they’re not gay,” she sing-songed. Sam looked mortified again but masked his face into something more irritated with a roll of his eyes when Barnes looked over at him.

“Ignore her. It’s this old video--” Sam started.

But Bucky interrupted to say, “Actually I am gay,” as he looked back over at Sarah. “Sorry if I got your hopes up,” he added with a grin that really did get the hopes up.

“What?” Sam asked and Sarah, ever watchful, could see the beer bottle shaking in his hand.

“What?” Bucky repeated innocently.

“He said he’s gay,” Sarah clarified.

“Thank you, Sarah,” Sam ground out. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

Bucky snorted. “When would I have said anything? ‘Sorry for ripping your wings off and kicking you off of a hellicarrier, by the way I’m gay.’?”

“You did what?” Sarah asked.

“‘Sorry for claiming I didn’t bomb the UN only to be reverted back to the assassin who would have done that and then fighting you again. By the way I’m gay.’ ‘Thanks for saving my life. Sorry about the giant undersea prison. By the way I’m gay.’ ‘There’s an imminent battle with weird ass space dogs that want to eat our faces. By the way I’m gay.’ ‘Sorry about Tony Stark, whose life I kind of ruined. Lovely funeral. By the way I’m gay.’ ‘I’m in the middle of being pissed at you about the Shield. By the way I’m gay.’ ‘Maybe don’t take me rolling through a field of flowers. It does things to me ‘cause I’m gay.’ ‘John Walker’s fucking insane. I’m gay, but definitely not for this bullshit.’ I mean, come on, Sam.”

“Flowers?” Sarah asked.

“Besides, why would you care? I don’t make it a habit of telling straight guys I’m into guys.”

“You don’t seem to make a habit of telling many people that,” Sarah pointed out. “I googled you. Nothing suggesting that came up.”

Bucky shrugged. “I’m a guy from the 30s. It was trained out of me.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Sarah said quickly. “Back up away from that because we’re not gonna try to Oppression Olympics our way through our histories. Did you just say Sam was straight?”

“Sarah!” Sam hissed.

“Sure. I mean, I saw him with Romanov. Hill. He has Tinder on his phone.”

“Samuel Thomas, you better not,” Sarah warned lightly. “You’re better than that.”

“He’s a lady-killer.”

Sarah snorted and had to bring her hand up to her face. “He definitely is not. There has been no lady-killing on his end for a long time.”

“Sarah!” Sam tried again.

“You explain it to him then. Mr. 30s is gonna need the long way round explanation.”

Sam sighed and dragged his hand over his face. “Dammit. Fine. I’m not straight either, alright? I’m...bi, or something. It’s been a while since I’ve had to think about it.”

“What?” Bucky asked, not unlike Sam had.

“He said he’s bisexual. Interested in both parties. Swings either way. Hit a homerun and then hasn’t really swung since.”

“Sarah, Jesus Christ,” Sam groaned.

“What?” Bucky asked again.

“I was engaged. To a man,” Sam said.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Bucky asked, clearly missing the irony.

“Oh, it was inconvenient for you but I had plenty of opportunities, huh?” Sam asked. “Ms. Tell-It-All over there wasn’t joking. I haven’t swung any direction in a while. Not since before I met Steve. My fiance died. And then it never came up.”

Bucky blinked at Sam. He kept bringing the bottle halfway up his body and then setting it back on his leg without ever taking a drink. “Fuck, Sam, I’m sorry,” Bucky said, which was not what Sarah was expecting and it clearly wasn’t what Sam was expecting because Sam finally moved closer to Bucky on the bench.

“What for? You didn’t do anything. This time.”

“Yeah, but if I’d known you were into me too, I woulda kissed you in Germany.”

“Oh, I am so not into you,” Sam denied. “And I wouldn’t have our first kiss ruined by immediately running into the government’s roving show monkey.”

“That’s the worst,” Bucky agreed and also finally moved over on the bench until they were pressed thigh to thigh. “Tell me how much you don’t like me again,” he challenged.

“I can’t stand you,” Sam answered and brought his hand up to Bucky’s jaw.

Sarah couldn’t fight down the grin that came to her face and turned to prop her feet on the pier, back to Sam and Bucky. Just this once, she didn’t need to watch her brother to understand him.

Read on AO3 here!

[tricewithaz]

THOTS ON SHADOW AND BONE

Hello everyone! it is I, Trice, and i come with my thoughts on the Shadow and Bone show cause ive got many

I'm gonna divide this in what i liked, what i disliked, and what i think could have been better but didn't really bother me. Feel free to send your opinions too!

As a whole, I really liked the show and I think it's a great adaptation that both fans and newcomers will enjoy. It's super well done! and every episode had me glued to the tv even though I knew what was going to happen.

Beware this is long

To start,

What i liked

Mal and Alina

I never really liked Mal in the books, mainly cause he had like, nothing going on for him, and not having his pov made him no favors whatsoever. Alina's perception of him was everychanging, two factors that didn't make him unlikeable necessarily, but that made me not want to read about him. In the show he's way more likeable and even though he still doesn't have a lot going on for him, you can see that he's always trying to protect alina, and you also see a bit of his demeanor through Archie's acting. I think he made a great job at portraying him. And Alina! Alina who in the books was essentially a y/n sort of character (although she did get better over time), her character, likes, dislikes, her DRIVE was incredibly portrayed in the show. Also Jessie (loml, marry me) and Archie have incredible chemistry together and they sold their yearning SO WELL (and so did the kid actors portraying them as children oh my GOD)...yall...i cried when they held hands. My favourite scene was definitely when Alina took care of Mal's wounds (a favorite trope of mine). And the HURT in their eyes whenever they thought the other was in danger....i saw the show dubbed but I'm sure their voices made it beyond incredible as well, their face acting was just on. point. Overall the show rEALLY makes me root for them both individually and together which is something the books didn't manage to do.

The Darkling

AAAAA i really enjoyed the Darkling omg, incredible charisma, Ben does such a great job (and so did his voice actor in Spanish oh my GOD). His acting was just as I imagined it in the books and i loved how he could be as sweet and mysterious as he could be menacing. In fact! i liked him more than i did in the book, and i think it was a great choice to make him more human. I'm not sure if this was Ben or the writing, but i could really see his yearning for an equal, for Alina, his loneliness and his thirst for power and control too. Great love interest, even greater villain. And his wardrobe was phenomenal. I also really liked how they implied that The Darkling was a name given by other people, it was very believable that people would call someone who literally controls shade something akin to "son of the dark" or something of the sort, instead of it being a name he gives himself or his job title (both if which are incredibly pathetic and cringy to think about).

Jesper

No comments. He was just great. I love Kit.

Nina

Omg Danielle did SUCH a great job at portraying Nina, it's exactly how i imagined her in Six of Crows.

Helnik

THE. YEARNING. THE. CHEMISTRY. I didn't love their scenes at the boat but once that was over I was practically screaming at the screen to jUST KISS ALREADY. Calahan and Daniell have such good chemistry together and the few changes they made only served the story better. I did wish they had development over more time cause Matthias' change of mind felt too quick, but i get why they had to rush. Because of how good their chemistry was, their fallout also was incredibly painful.

Inej's fear of the Menagerie and her morals

Amita's portrayal of Inej's hurt, devotion and her refusal to kill (and later hurt cause she has killed) is incredibly subtle but so SO effective. She's so talented really and truly sold Inej's feelings throughout the show.

VFX

Man.....the fold, the volcra, the grisha powers.....kudos to the animators and overall artistic team cause they were incredible. Also seeing the different title animations in each episode was such a tiny detail that made me so excited and they all looked so good.

Ketterdam

Again, kudos to the artistic team, everything about Ketterdam felt so alive (and weirdly moist), truly sold a kind of aesthetic and life that is so characteristic if the Barrel, even when i didn't imagine it that way in the books.

David

He appeared like, twice, and both times were so cute and charming I can't wait to see more of him both on his own and with Genya.

The Wardrobe

So, at first i hated the keftas. I thought the looked tacky and costume, but when you see them on screen they're just perfect (although i have to say the patterns on some of the keftas were kind of...cheap looking? and the training keftas were just kinda boring. My favourite was the Darkling's. Aside from that, i really liked Kaz's and inej's clothes too. Very distinctive and recognizable (although it was kind of weird seeing Inej in teal instead of purple lmao).

And the queen's dresses. Chefs kiss.

It's...so cheesy (affectionate)

The whole show felt like the kind of movies I would watch as a kid like Harry Potter and Pirates of the Caribbean. The writing was stylized enough to make it incredibly dramatic and overall there was just so much heart behind all of it. Definetely a show to watch again and again and feel all of it, cause that's what it being so cheesy managed, to make me actually feel for it. It feels like something to watch on a rainy afternoon after a bad day....it's great okay i really enjoyed it, even (specially) the most unbelievable parts of it. And here's the thing, it's something that i think a lot of newer tv and film have lost, so this is good.

What i didn't like

Zoya

Mostly cause of the writing. Originally, in the first book, i didn't like her, neither as a character (stereotypical mean girl with no other motivation than to bang the love interests....all three of them....what's new i still think it's an incredibly sexist trope) or a person (hey at least this was intentional), but over time i grew to LOVE her (mean girl turns out to have a good heart and actually respects the mc and decides to fight alongside her cause it's what's right, without necessarily liking her or giving up her character??? AND she has strong motivations??? now THAT'S new). In the show, i hoped they would keep her mean girl nature while foreshadowing her depth, but all they did was turn her into a petty seductress with barely any screentime, and that only makes her not even a bad antagonist but just a boring character to watch. Not only that but they took away a big part of her character that needed to be developed in the next books. I wanted to watch her rivalry with Alina, her unjustified venomous tongue too, I wanted to be entertained by her and I wasn't. This was also a problem cause when she finally changed teams, and when she hugged Alina, it was incredibly unsatisfying, it would have had a way stronger effect if we had seen her being Ruthless Zoya with a big ambition. I also didn't like how we were told that she didn't like alina, or that she had a family, instead of it being shown on screen. Just from the show, all i can tell you about her is that she likes to bang people and she has a good moral code i guess. Yall, I'm so petty about this.

Kaz

So, I didn't hate him, in fact i think I would have enjoyed him if I hadn't read the books first, cause the two things that bother me about him were two essential characteristics of him in the books. FIrstly, he seems so strained, instead of the seemingly laid back, almost chill looking (even though we know he's not chill at all) Kaz we see in the books, the Kaz that always knows something that you don't. Show Kaz doesn't seem to always be in control, to always have the last word, the last laugh. Instead he seems strained, all the damn time. And I think this is mainly a writing and directing issue. And he also seems weak, something Book Kaz would never do. This is also an issue cause because he doesn't have the same presence he has in the books, the times where he is weak, don't seem as effective. Sure, Pekka Rollins has essentially reduced him and humiliated him, but I haven't seen enough of Kaz being actually dangerous for this to be shocking and for Pekka to seem even more hateable (and, i really liked Pekka, loved him as an antagonist more than i did in the books). Idk, Kaz was so charismatic and just fun and engaging to read in the books that his portrayal in the show felt lacking.

Alina's power's VFX

The little suns were cute and all but the light coming from within her was just ugly I'm sorry.

SFX

A lot of the sound design was just too stylized for the tone of the show i think. I particularly remember the sound of Mal's punches....what's that about.

What i think could have been better, but didn't particularly dislike

The Crows' storyline

And i think part of this is a consequence of Kaz not being as witty as he was in the books. Where's the incredibly complicated heist moves? the even more unbelievable C and D plans when something goes wrong? I didn't like that them getting Alina was essentially just luck, cause i didn't see enough of them being smart and quick on their feet. I also think it was unnecessary to have their storyline mixed with Alina's, i would have enjoyed watching a different heist, maybe in Ravka as well, and them incidentally crossing paths with Alina, more than i liked this storyline. ironically enough, the heist was the part i was least interested in

Genya and Alina

I just feel like her relationship with Alina wasn't strong enough, and i think it's because the show tried to make us believe they were much closer than they were without spending the necessary time in them.

Overall, I really really enjoyed the show, i will be watching it again (particularly cause i want to watch it in English) and i cannot wait for the second season omg (although i have to say, I'm scared for Nikolai)

I think that's all! I would also love to read yall's opinions and have a conversation.