#but nope. that woman learned something about herself

[charlotterenaissance]

i have never related to another person more than the audience member who audibly moans, "oh," when scott orders bruce to take his coat off in the hunchback sketch

[ihrtsevyn]

HOW TO GET THE GIRL: A LOVERS GUIDE

CHAPTER NINE: about jiwoo. (1.6k)

WARNINGS: angst, reader is referred to as woman.

◃ previous ep. ⊹ masterlist ⊹ next ▹

Weeks have gone by since you started tutoring Riki. To say you've started to like him more was a vast understatement. Once you dropped your "cold" act that lasted for a mere 3 sessions, You started to become accustomed to him.

Although you had gone many years without interacting with each other, it felt like the spark you had imagined between you two never left.

The both of you had grown comfortable with each other to the point you started to interact with each other outside of the usual library doors.

At first, it was embarrassing to have your name shouted at the other end of the hallway, however, it turned into a typical routine where instead of keeping your head down and speed-walking away from him to avoid lingering eyes, you'd wave back.

During these study sessions, you learned more and more about him. How he microwaves his strawberries, he has a dog named Bisco, he can play piano, and he has a large fear of bugs that you've sadly had to learn the hard way after he accidentally pushed you aside to run away from a nearby wasp.

Something else you learned about Niki was that his grades did not match up with his knowledge. Sure, he was inconsistent with his attendance and would rarely turn in classwork if any at all, but he was smart and an extremely fast learner.

It had gotten to the point where you'd just set a small bulk of his past-due assignments in front of him and study for your other classes until he finished.

The study sessions quickly turned into more of a hangout. Staying in the library together hours after completing whatever workload had stacked up over the week to share hushed laughter and talk about everything under the sun until the library had to close down for the night.

You'd even go as far as to call him your friend, and so would members of the Newspaper Club.

"You're in a rush." Lily offhandedly mentioned as she typed away on the school's computer. Her posture had straightened at the sound of you hastily packing away your belongings but her eyes refused to stray away from the screen.

"Hm? Oh, yeah. I'm supposed to meet up with Riki." you answered before slinging the book bag over your shoulder.

"To do what exactly? It's a Friday and I thought you only tutored him on Sundays." J suddenly butted in, a playful yet accusatory tone to her voice as she suddenly invested herself in the conversation.

"I don't know actually, he asked to meet me at the school gates when our session ended."

"Oh? Is he walking you home? That's pretty cute." Yoon commented, a teasing smile growing on her face. "I don't know why he would, I mean— he's never done it before. So, I don't see why he'd want to do it now." You replied with fake unconcern.

You were being honest when you said you didn't know why Riki had suddenly made this decision to meet you at the school gate, but if it was to start walking you home on a frequent basis, you're 100% sure your knees would give out.

"Did you guys need any more help before I head out?" You suddenly questioned, trying to shift focus away from your last comment.

"Nope, we got it from here. Only thing we have left to do anyway is restock the printer paper." J assured with a small smile before hoisting herself up to sit on a desk.

"Okay, I'll see you guys later then." You quickly replied as you made your way towards the exit,

Lily only hummed in response to your statement before saying "Have fun, don't get into any trouble."

A smile crept onto your face as you resisted the urge to roll your eyes at how much she sounded like a Mom sending her daughter off. "And text us when you make it back home!" Seeun responded, suddenly bordering out of the storage closet with a box filled to the brim with different bulks of paper.

"Okay, Moms, will do."

"About time." Riki groaned out, loud enough for your approaching figure to hear as you made your way into eye view. "Oh, shut up," you said as he pushed himself off of the gates.

"I feel like I've been waiting for forever." He whines as he follows behind your figure. "Yeah, right. Couldn't have been waiting that long since it looks like you went home to drop off your backpack." You pointed out, silently relishing in the feeling of freedom as you got farther and farther away from school grounds.

"I didn't feel like carrying that thing around all day. Plus, it'll be easier to carry yours." He stated nonchalantly.

He reached over to slip your bag off of your shoulders before flinging it across his own, his delicate fingers brushing over your own as he did so. But just as quick as his touch arrived, it was just as quick to leave.

His simple actions shouldn't ruffle you like they do, yet it still happens. You know that when Riki does things like this he never has an underlying intention which makes it all the more pathetic when you feel your stomach brim with butterflies the moment you make skin-to-skin contact with him.

You cleared your throat before wrapping your arms around your stomach, a meek attempt at trying to calm the raging storm of feelings that was happening inside of you.

"So, why did you want to walk me home all of a sudden?" You asked, shifting your gaze around the growing shrubbery to avoid looking in his direction.

"Oh, right. I wanted to ask you something." He shyly uttered, his free hand that wasn't holding your bag made its way to the back of his neck, nervously rubbing it as he looked down at his sneakers.

You glanced in his direction to see that whatever was on his mind had been weighing in on him for a while. "Yeah, what's up?" you asked softly before shifting your gaze forward.

"Um, you're friends with Jiwoo, right?" he asked, out of the corner of your eye you could see him turn towards you. Trying to gauge your reaction and see what you'd say.

It took a moment for the question to fully translate in your mind as if he was speaking a foreign language you had never heard before. Once it did register in your head you couldn't help the shock that overtook your body, nearly making you stumble over your feet.

You opened your mouth to speak but no words came out, it was as if you were a fish out of water. Your mouth had suddenly gone dry and it felt as if you saw the fantasy of your TV romance crashing in front of your eyes. "Yeah, Jiwoo and I are really good friends." You finally managed to push out.

"Why do you ask?" You quickly follow up, your eyebrows unknowingly furrowing.

"I asked because I wanted to know if she was single." He replied, his tone went from nervousness to giddiness in a matter of seconds.

You couldn't turn towards him because you could hear the smile in his voice at the mere mention of her name. You were afraid that if you saw how he beamed at the thought of her that the butterflies that were swarming in your stomach just a few seconds earlier would escape onto the concrete in front of you.

"She's single," you affirmed with a stiff nod.

"Do you think you could set me up with her?" He immediately asked, a hopeful tone in his voice. Each word that came out of his mouth felt like a blow to the gut, killing off each butterfly one by one.

Your head shook 'no' before you could even form the words. "I-...I don't think I could."

"Oh, come on, please?" He suddenly pleaded, turning towards you once again. He wanted you to look at him, whether intentionally or not he knew that if you made eye contact with him you'd fall into his trap just like everyone else.

"Just get one of the basketball players to help. Or one of their cheerleader girlfriends." you tried to reason. "It's not the same," he muttered, tilting his head towards the sky, another whine threatening to come out of his mouth.

"Come on, you'd be the perfect wing-woman. you're good friends with her so it'd be easy and less weird when someone she barely knows tries to set her up with me," he argued, adding onto why he wanted you to set him up with her.

You bit your lip in contemplation. It felt like the obvious answer was 'NO!' but another part of you wanted to agree to set them up. You were happy with the relationship you and Riki had started to build together and you didn't want an elementary crush to get in the way of that.

There was always the lingering possibility that you and him were only ever meant to be friends and nothing more, and maybe, just maybe, Jiwoo was the one for him.

"What do I get out of this?" You quietly asked after the lingering silence.

"Anything you want. If you do this for me I promise I'll pay you back" He swiftly responded before stopping in his tracks, instinctively making you stop alongside him. "Please, just do this for me." He begged, his hands fidgeting with the rings on his fingers as he waited for your answer.

"Fine, I'll help you."

TAGLIST: @sakiimeo @sakuxxi @ilyjxdz @artstaeh @rosas-in-the-garden @k1ttylvr @stilesks @enhagvrl @yourssincerely-mimi @rizzanna-soda @saursoob @haechansbbg @nishislcve @winuvs @kyrojackson @suhiiiies-blog @rikisgeef @soobs-things @jumigurumino @ssukiyakii @baribaaari @eleanorheartschishiya @rikibun @seunghancore @wonik1ss @sheepgardenbahhhh @rksbae @lukesboo @moomis @luvvvash @conwunder @yvjw @bunnbam @eilidiii @riksaes

[stopthisshitplease]

What I would chance about the last season of The Umbrella Academy because the last season was a disgrace for the humanity and lost of all our hopes. (#1)

SPOILERS OBVIOUSLY

- Luther's jobs were in a bar for so long so it doesnt really made sense on why he was a pole dancer. I feel like after looking less hairy and buffy he would try to socialize more. Maybe hes that one barista who is overly talkative but so done with people. We could see some Karens absulutely wailing at him. And Sloaine. Shes with him. BECAUSE WHERE IS SHE???? But Luther begin a 'dancer' was really funny af sooo

- Diego wouldnt become a mailman thing. He was trying to be a police in the first season and tried to save Kennedy in the second. He would try to be a police again. Yk the Police Academy and all that. The CIA thing was good but if he cant get in the legal way he is getting in another way. You cannot stop him as he was a literal vigilante.

- Allison, Claire and Raymond lives together now! She wouldnt overwork herself, She is finally with her daughter and her husband now. She would work a small but stable job so she can provide and have time for her family. (Keep in mind that Raymond isnt from this timeline so hes still learning about the future) And yes Klaus does visit her time to time so he can babysit Claire, even thought its more like Claire babysitting Klaus.

- Klaus is eighter a psychiatrist or has a 9-5 job while is studying in community Collage. Eighter way he is helping drug addicts, homeless people, LGBT+ people, angsty teenagers in his own way. People know him as a friendly weirdo but they all like him! Hes not doing well financially tho. Güven that he doesnt have a stable job experiance.

-Five working in CIA doesnt make a lot of sense. For all the means he probably swore wouldnt work anything like that at all. He lives in the countryside now. And is a farmer! He tells the other people who lives close to him that he inherited the place by his dead father (haha) and the others learned the hard way to not pity him.. The boy maybe cant travel now but he is sure manically dangerous!

- Ben... Agh Ben. Not sure about him. He is obviously an asshole. But in the season he was more open. He was getting better. He doesnt have a lot relationship with the other siblings so I dont think he wants to hang out with them at all. But I dont think he would be a criminal (minus minor law breakings but who is counting?) Maybe he teaches martial arts? But a really competitive teacher and his students always go to home with bruises. He swears its a part of training. The parents are not amused. His yelp revievs sure is something!

- Victor wouldnt have a thing with every woman come on.. He loves Sissy too much for that. And his relationships never ended good. Him having his own place is nice but he strictly never dates. He adapted to the powerless life better that the others given that he didnt have them for a long time. But he still felt like the little kid who was locked up again time to time. Would be kinda cool if he and Allison bonded over it. (Allison couldnt talk for a year remember?)

- Lila wouldnt be a stay at home mom. She would still be on the 'book club' but her, a stay at home mom??? She has insane abilities in physical power, she would maybe be a coach. And for her AND Diego having three kids bespite begin scared to have one?? Nope those babies are poof! Gone!AND NO SHE DID NOT CHEAT.

[syluscore]

i LOVED In the Middle,😍🥰 thank you so much!!! Could you please write Jill x fem!reader sleepy, romantic morning sex?

I love your work!! Thanks, again!

Good Morning

~Jill Valentine x fem! Reader~

Word count: 2353

Content warnings: smut, sexual content, female reader, reader referred to as a woman, lesbian sex, dominant jill, submissive reader, pet name baby used often, tribing/grinding/humping/scissoring, PRAISE, dirty talk, overstimulation, oral (reader receiving), love bombs

!!!!!!!!MINORS DNI! THIS IS PURELY SEXUAL CONTENT!!!!!!!

“Do you ever sleep in, Valentine?” you teased your girlfriend. It’s an early Saturday morning and neither one of you work today. That leaves you free to sleep in and spend the day doing whatever you please. 

But not Jill Valentine, oh no. Sun’s up, Jill’s up. She always has something to work on. One morning you woke up only a few hours after she did, to a rearranged living room with a fresh coat of paint. 

“There’s a whole part of the day that you miss out on, baby. Do you know how much you can get done with the extra few hours in the morning?” she placed a kiss on your forehead.

“Nope. And I’m not interested in learning either,” you grabbed an extra pillow and buried your face into it. Nothing of significance could happen before noon, at least not significant enough to be better than the extra hours of sleep. Jill laughs as she rubs soothing circles into your back. If she really wanted you to wake up for the day, she sure as hell wasn’t helping. A few more minutes of this and you’d be right back to sleep. 

“Alright, sleeping beauty. I’ll let you get back to sleep. It’s too bad though, I had plans for you,” she cooed at you. She definitely piqued your interest with that statement. Jill never disappoints with her plans or ideas, especially when it comes to you. 

You sigh before propping yourself up on an elbow, “Okay, I’m listening.” Jill smiles down at you victoriously. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Come on now, before I change my mind,” you state before laying your head back in the pillows, your chest towards the ceiling. 

“I was just thinking, you’ve been working a lot of hours,” Jill raises her eyebrows at you.

“Yeah.”

“And I’ve been working a lot of hours,” she points her thumb towards her chest.

“That is also true,” you say cautiously. You weren’t quite sure where she was going with this. Knowing Jill, you could end up three towns over, remodeling the bathroom, or with her between your legs. Now that you’re thinking about it, you hope she ends up between your legs. Your heart rate slightly picks up just at the thought of it.

She shoots you a look knowingly, reading the change in the expression on your face. “And I’ve missed you so much this week. I’m hoping you missed me just as much,” she caresses your cheek and you lean into the touch. 

“You know I did.”

Jill chuckles at your response. “So, I was thinking,” she pulls herself on top of you, her legs straddling yours, “I could show you just how much I missed you.” You gaze up at her face, your eyes being pulled to her lips as her teeth dig into them, before releasing them and running her tongue along her button lip. 

You hum at her curiously, “I don’t know, I’m not feeling very missed. You might have to work extra hard.” She nuzzles her face in your neck, her lips leaving open mouthed kisses along your pulse point. You feel yourself growing steadily wet, your arousal beginning to drip into your panties.

Jill didn’t even have to try, your body always turned into putty beneath her. You always gave yourself over to the perfect woman so easily. All she had to do was climb on top of you and make promises of what she could do to you for you to become desperate for her touch. She knew your body so well, almost as if it was made for her. And in the back of your mind, you believe you probably were made for her.

“Baby,” she gently nips at the sensitive skin of your neck, “You know I’m not afraid of a little hard work.”

As soon as the last word leaves her mouth, she’s sucking the skin of your neck harshly between her teeth. Your body instinctively arches up into hers, encouraging her to bite into your neck. You hiss at the mixture of pain and pleasure. Before you can say anything, she’s releasing your skin from her teeth and gently lapping at the sore skin with her tongue.

Your hands tightly fist the back of her oversized t-shirt and she’s quick to pull it from your grasp, yanking it over her head. Your eyes take in her bare chest, nipples raised at the sudden exposure to the chill of your bedroom. You groan as you admire the sight above you. Every time Jill undresses for you it’s just as exciting as the very first time. You could never grow tired of seeing her pale skin and supple breasts.

You crane your neck up to suck one of her nipples into your mouth, earning you a glorious moan from Jill. You take her other nipple between your thumb and index finger, rolling it in time with your mouth's actions on the other. You’ve never been known as a patient woman, so you’re quickly bringing your mouth to her other nipple and sucking it just as eagerly. She must be pleased with what you’re doing to her because her hips start to grind deeply into yours.

You pull your mouth away from her breasts, head falling back into the pillows as a moan slips past your lips at the friction she’s giving you. Pure need is coursing through your body as your hips buck up into hers, desperate for more. You look up from where you two meet to gaze into Jill’s eyes, only to find her already staring down at you. The look on her face could only be described as pure admiration; it has you melting beneath her. 

“I might die if you don’t kiss me right now.”

Jill chuckles and shakes her head, “Don’t do that, baby. I’m not even close to finished with you yet.” And with that her lips crash into yours. It’s sloppy and passionate, which is often how you find yourself kissing her. Your love for her battles with your desperation for her, resulting in teeth clashing together and slobber slipping down your chins.

Your hands run up her body until your fingers are gripped tightly into her hair. She moans into your mouth at the pull, but you can’t control yourself. You don’t know if you two can get any closer, but you need her closer so you’ll certainly fucking try.

Jill’s hands roam your body, stopping to play with the hem of your pajama pants. You’re suddenly regretting wearing them to bed last night, despite how chilly the air was. Now, you are burning up, desperately trying to get the pants off of your body as sweat starts to shine on your overheated skin.

Jill grips the fabric and starts to tug it down, you can’t help but eagerly raise your hips to assist her. You whine when you realize she’s pulled your panties off with the pants. Nothing keeps her from where you want her most and you’re dying for her to reach out; to ease the ache growing between your thighs.

“Eager, are we?” she taunts you before her lips connect with yours again.

“Very.”

“No time to waste then,” she hurriedly tugs your shirt off and pulls off her panties, leaving you two completely naked for each other. She leans back down to you as you wrap your legs around her waist. You pull her hips until they’re flushed with yours again.

She gently nips at your bottom lip with her teeth, teasing you. Your lip quivers as your legs clench around her body, trying your hardest to remain patient for her.

This was how she liked you, patient and obedient beneath her. Jill liked to be in control, she needed control over everything possible after what she’d been through. You on the other hand, you needed to relinquish control. You found power and strength in submission, and Jill absolutely adored this. You two meshed together perfectly. 

Jill placed one last kiss on your lips before straightening her back, giving you the most immaculate view of her in the process. She spread your thighs until your pussy was perfectly spread for her. She hums appreciatively as she soaks in the view of your body on display just for her. 

Your hips stutter and shake the more you lay there waiting for Jill to touch you. She takes notice of each little twitch and smirks at how needy you are for her.

She closes the mere few inches separating her pussy from yours, pressing against you firmly. A pathetic whine leaves your mouth and you can’t help but blush at the embarrassing sound. 

“Awe, sweet girl, don’t be ashamed. I absolutely love those adorable sounds you make for me. They’re my second favorite thing,” she praises you. You bite your lip to fight your eyes from rolling back into your skull.

You squirm beneath her, “What’s your favorite thing?” Your voice comes out quiet and breathless, but just loud enough for Jill to hear.

Jill smiles from ear to ear, “This sweet pussy of yours. Don’t ever forget it.” She takes the opportunity while you’re distracted trying to process her words to start grinding her pussy into yours.

You can’t stop your eyes from rolling into the back of your skull now. You also can’t help the whiny, high-pitched moan that tumbles from you either. The stimulation of her clit against yours has your entire body rumbling with overwhelming pleasure. You can feel it from your toes, all the way up to the follicles of your hair.

“Fuck, that feels so good, Jill, holy shit, yes,” you mumble your words out in between pants. You can’t process a single coherent thought. The only thing you’re able to focus on is the pleasure you’re receiving. 

“Yeah? You like when my pussy kisses yours, baby?” she asks, a blush breaking out across the skin of your face and chest from her words. “Yeah you do. I can feel how wet you just got for me.” And holy fuck, can you feel it too. You can feel your whole pussy pulsing with arousal and need.

Jill continues to steadily grind into your pussy. You have to consciously force yourself to swallow your saliva to keep from drooling on yourself. Your pussy clenches around nothing as Jill starts grinding into your clit just right.

Your back arches, further pushing you into the pleasure, hitting that perfect spot harder.

You whine out desperately, “Your pussy feels so good, Jill. Grind your pussy into me, holy fuck. Just like that, just like that. You feel so fucking good, baby. You feel perfect.” Maybe you’d feel shame at how needy you sound if you weren’t so close to coming all over her pussy.

“You gonna come?” you nod quickly, “Fucking hold it. You’re gonna come with me when I come,” she demands as she starts moving her hips faster, arousal pouring down both of your thighs as your pussies grind together wetly.

“I’m trying, fuck I’m trying. You fuck me so good, you’re fucking me so so good. God, I’m gonna come, I’m gonna come,” you plead with her. You’re clenching your muscles tensely trying to hold back your orgasm, but with the way she’s fucking you, it’s basically impossible. 

“Come for me, baby. I’m gonna come for you,” Jill tells you and you’re instantly sent over the edge. Your nails dig into the flesh of her hips harshly as your body convulses with waves of hot pleasure. The look on your face while you come is what finally sends Jill over the edge as well. 

“I’m coming, I’m coming all over your sweet pussy,” Jill pants out as she keeps the pace of her fast grinding. Her head falls back as loud moans fall from her mouth, extending your orgasm. You can’t stop coming against her pussy and the overstimulation has tears falling from your eyes.

Jill’s orgasm finally passes as she looks down at you panting heavily. She slowly rubs her pussy against you, making you whimper at the aftershocks shooting through you.

“Such a good girl, my sweet girl,” Jill praises you, staring at your body with lust blown eyes. A thin layer of sweat coats her body, emphasizing her post-orgasm glow. The way she looks at you has your clit pulsing painfully. 

Jill finally scoots away from your core, you squeeze your eyes shut as the cool air hits your swollen and used cunt. You spend a few seconds trying to steady your breathing before your back is arching off of the mattress as Jill’s tongue starts lapping at your clit.

“J-Jill, wait. I, fuck, I can’t. Shit, I can’t handle it,” you whine pitifully as your fingers grip her hair tightly.

She pulls her head back just an inch, still feeling her hot breath on your pussy, “You can take it, baby. Be a good girl and let me clean up the mess I made.” She quickly brings her mouth back to you, sucking and slurping your come mixed with hers off of your sensitive lips.

“I c-can’t,” you whimper before a loud moan steals your breath, “Fuck, your mouth feels so good. Oh my god. What’s the point of cleaning the mess just to cause another?” You start helplessly grinding against her face.

Jill hushes you, “Don’t ask questions I can’t answer, love. Just come in my mouth like I know you want to.”

“Ugh, yes. I wanna come in your fucking mouth. I wanna come with your tongue on my pussy.”

“That’s my girl. And my girl gets what she wants, doesn’t she? Relax and let me show you why you love me.”

“I love you for more than your incredible tongue. I mean, your talented tongue does fucking help though. You have to be such an expert at everything.”

Jill laughs at your words, “Love you too.” No more words leave the pretty woman’s mouth as it becomes occupied with more important things. Fuck, maybe you could grow to like mornings if this is how they start every day.

~masterlist~

[starlightshadowsworld]

Bsd except Francis adopted Atsushi. It was originally for Fyodor's plans and his own to find the book.

But as time went on Francis grew to care for Atsushi as his son.

The day he fled with Atsushi and disbanded the Guild was the day Francis saw what Shibusawa was doing to Atsushi.

Atsushi spent the next years growing up in a modest cottage on the outskirts of Yokohama. It was sometimes lonely but his parents were always around and Atsushi loved them dearly.

Zelda was very protective over Atsushi. He was her sweet boy, her light in the darkness. She taught him how to play piano, how to map out stars.

Her darling daughter was everything to her and so is her dear son.

Francis adored him, he taught him how to shoot and self defence. He encouraged Atsushi's love of reading and always bought him a treat whenever they went out.

Both of them were concerned about Atsushi getting a job at the Agency. Especially after hearing how he met Dazai.

Money wasn't an issue of course but both agreed Atsushi couldn't stay inside with them forever. And he really wanted to join the Agency.

Learning about the Presidents ability definitely helped. Prior to that Atsushi spent full moons in a large old barn with his father nearby.

Things went okay for a while, Atsushi was happy and visted home often. Telling his parents about his friends and his adventures.

And while, they were concerned at times they were happy for him. That was until news Atsushi had a bounty came out and it was set by the Guild.

Now Atsushi knew about the Guild. Francis had told his son everything after they left. Even the original reason for his adoption, feeling nothing but guilt and remorse.

To his suprise Atsushi just hugged him and said he was glad because now he knew for sure his dad really cared about him. He hugged him back "I do, I always will."

So news his old organisation was trying to kidnapp his son angered Francis immensely. And hell hath no fury like Zelda Fitzgerald, Francis she was going to kill Fyodor herself.

What a woman.

Atsushi was terrified and his parents reassured him no one was going to dare take him from them.

Francis decides to meet with Fukuzawa, knowing the Agency are investigating this and wanting to help any way he can.

"Apologies, but given this concerns one of our members I'd prefer if everyone was present. Is that alright with you?" Asked Fukuzawa and Francis nodded, taking a seat.

"Of course, it's good to know my son has made such good friends."

"Wait this is about your son?" Asked Dazai making Kunikida sigh loudly. "Dazai, did you not listen to me earlier?!" Dazai grinned widely "nope."

Before Kunikida strangle him, Francis snorted and both turned their attention to him. "So you're Dazai, that definitely explains a lot. And you must be Kunikida."

He went and pointed out each member, correctly identifying them from his sons descriptions. And well, he'd met Kyouka a few times because Atsushi bought her over for dinner.

She waved at him and he waved back.

"And I leave the best for last, my dear boy Atsushi." Atsushi ducked his head "daaaaddd not infront of my friends." But they both knew he didn't mean it.

"Ohhh do you're Atsushi's father" Said Dazai as Kunikida facepalmed. "That I am and proud to be" Said Fitzgerald before becoming serious. "The organisation known as the Guild was one I lead for a number of years."

He told his story, how he went in search of a guide only to find a child. One that wormed his way into his heart and how he'd fled with him.

"I dont know Fyodor's plans, but whoevers running the Guild now is definitely working with him. His organisation is the Rats in the House of Dead."

Kunikida was writing this all down. "Does anyone in your previous organisation keep in contact with you?"

"There's Alcott, Poe as well." At that Ranpo looked up, curious. "That wouldn't happen to be acclaimed author, Edgar Allan Poe would it?"

Francis nodded, suprised he figured it out. "Friend of yours?" Ranpo smirked "something like that."

The meeting soon came to a close, everyone promising to keep Atsushi safe and Francis hugged him goodbye. "He's in good hands" Said Fukuzawa when it was just them.

Francis nodded "I know, I just..." He watches Atsushi smile and laugh with his friends. "I lost one child, I can't bare to lose another."

"And you won't" Said Fukuzawa, something about that made Francis believe him. "If you find the bastard know my wife has dibs on clubbing him in the head."

Fukuzawa chuckled "I'll remember that."

Elsewhere Atsushi shows his friends a picture of him and his parents.

"... So Atsushi are you in need of another father?" Asked Dazai with a smirk. Atsushi beat Kunikida to the punch and shook his mentor fiercely.

"Dazai if you ever ask my mum to commit double suicide with you. I will burn your signed copy of the complete guide to suicide."

"Ah! Not my darling, alright alright I won't."

[cultofdixon]

That’s one hell of a goodbye

Negan Smith • She/Her Pronouns • Youngest Dixon!Reader • You miss your brothers. You were separated from them since the beginning…then this “savior” found you and grew a liking to you that he did everything to bring your family back. No one said…that blood wasn’t going to be shed for such • ANGST/SFW • TW: Canon Violence / Anxiety / Injuries

Requested by: Anon

Negan stepped out of his car walking the old yet familiar neighborhood to clear his head when he heard footsteps, fast paced ones. He quickly picked up his own to follow the sound and when he reached the house he normally visits, a woman aimed her gun directly at him trying her best to keep standing even if by the looks of it. Her leg was bothering her.

“I ain’t here to hurt yea. I’m unarmed” this was true. On these trips he takes alone, he leaves his gun and knife in his car.

“Are you alone?”

“Yes. You’re hurt. I can—-“

“I’m just peachy. Were you following me?!”

“I don’t even know who you are, darling—“

“DONT CALL ME THAT” She snaps, causing herself to stumble a bit as she lowers her gun to crouch a bit gripping her leg. “Fuck”

Negan slowly approaches her as she gave up trying to aim her gun but she did stumble back trying to avoid him getting to her. “Listen. I’ve got a community. With a doctor. He can patch yea up”

“You think I’ll just roll over and trust you right off the bat?” She scoffs continuing to pull herself away.

“No. But this could be a start.” He extended his hand and the woman hesitantly took it. Letting him full on pick her up so that none of the weight would rest on her leg.

Next thing the woman knew she was being carried into this building that looked like an old factory, but she was taken to a well set up room. Something she never exactly had but it looked like the rooms she stayed in when wandering the destroyed world.

“Who’s that Negan?”

“She needed help, mind getting the doctor and tell him to meet in my room?”

“Sure. Is she—-“

“She ain’t a danger. Ain’t bit either.” Negan states pushing the door open with his back and laying the woman down on his bed as she quickly sat up.

“Your name is Negan?”

“Heard it before?”

“No, you don’t look like a Negan…that’s all”

“What do I look like?” Negan laughs. “A Jeff?”

“Not that either” She laughs a bit bringing herself to the edge of the bed. “Just a unique name I guess”

“What’s yours? Given I brought yea here and getting the doc to check you out”

“Right. Right! Makes sense to share my name too…it’s Y/N. Y/N Dixon”

Negan sat in the conference room staring at Simon after being told about the massacre in one of their outposts. The grip on his bat could’ve snapped it in half if he continued to hold it as tight as he did.

“Get the vans ready, and given these people have some connection with our man Gregory in the Hilltop?” Negan gave Simon a look only he understood. “Go get the patrols to keep an eye on these people. Block a few roads. Narrow them in until my big reveal”

“On it, boss” Simon states making his leave as Negan notice him hold the door for a moment to let Y/N in.

The big bad scary leader of the Saviors took his bat and set it aside pushing his seat back enough to give his woman to bring herself onto his lap.

“Were you eavesdropping again?”

“Mm. I know the demon like things you do behind closed doors when I’m not around you.” Y/N brought her arm around his shoulders as he held his head low when she said such. “What happened to turning a new leaf Smith?”

“A lot of my people died. I can’t just turn a blind eye”

“Hm. Sometimes I wish I never learned about what you’ve done. But that would be asking the universe for a lot now wouldn’t it?”

“Are you leaving again?” Negan frowns keeping her close as she messes with the scarf around his neck eventually tugging it off. “Takin’ a piece of me with yea?”

“Mhm. I won’t be gone for long this time. I have a lead”

“Oh? Are you going to tell me about it?”

“Nope”

“Then all I ask is for yea to take a radio and be safe.” Negan gently rubs circles on her back as Y/N gently held his chin forcing him to look at her.

“Don’t do anything too risky, Negan”

And with that she got up from his lap leaving the room to go finish getting ready. Leaving Negan to contemplate everything.

“You’re leaving” Negan frowns finding Y/N rummaging through one of many pantries. She was fascinated by how much the community had but part of her was leaving from something she heard.

“Yeah. I have to find my brothers. I’m not going to give up even if the burning feeling in my chest is telling me something bad happened to them or they stopped looking for me”

“You can always come back to the Sanctuary. There will always—-“

“Listen. Negan…I don’t understand you” Y/N stops stuffing her pack giving him a saddened look. “When you helped me here, I thought I was getting myself into a positive situation…but then I found out you have wives and you’ve killed hundreds. You expect me to ignore that? I’ve been here a month and you’ve kept so much from me. Hell you’ve kept an entire side of the community away from me just so I wouldn’t see who you actually are”

“You don’t know who I actually am because before all this? I was just another deadbeat”

“That doesn’t excuse your actions”

“But I’m gonna be honest with you. From here on out”

Y/N gave him a confused look as he slowly approaches her keeping a respectable distance as well.

“Ever since yea came here. I stopped doing my usual bullshit. Inflicting fear onto those I have under my thumb. My right hand has an ego of his own and makes one of the communities I “rule over” go through hell all on his own. Not saying I don’t take responsibility. I just have too long a leash on the man. Besides. The wives yea knew about? Aren’t my wives anymore. They’ll be pissed and not for the fact that I took them as my trophies but because of the hell I put them through. I haven’t killed a soul since you arrived”

“Will you continue if I leave?”

“I wouldn’t force yea to stay if I said yes. But then again, I wouldn’t. You’ve changed me but none of them will ever forgive me”

“You’re going to keep your rule on these people? These communities? And for what? It’s the end of the world. No one is going to want a president. All they’d want is to survive. Remain safe”

“I’m changing a lot. But I know for a fact, I will act on my anger”

Negan sat in the RV that they highjacked from this man named Eugene who was a sobbing mess sitting in his spot in the line up while the Saviors got the rest of this man’s group in line. Including revealing those they’ve caught in one of the vans they brought.

“Negan?”

The man quickly scrambled getting his personal radio out to reply that he was there. His anxiety built when he heard Y/N on the other line.

“My lead was a dead end.”

“I’m sorry darling…you’ll find uh Daryl right? You’ll find him soon”

“Most likely only him. I doubt Merle is still around…it’s a lawless time. Someone probably took out his racist ass”

“Are you heading home?”

“Yeah. Gonna check on Sherry when I get back and give the doc the meds I found”

“I wish I was there to greet yea when you get back…” Negan frowns when she didn’t immediately reply back in any way but he soon heard a sigh. “Y/N?”

“You’re acting on your anger, Negan.”

And her end turned off. Negan gripped onto the radio tightly before putting it away and right on cue he heard the knock from his right hand.

It escalated. It escalated fast and a man is dead. A man is dead and Negan got a shiner from this brute that should’ve had a hard time getting up given the blood loss from his gunshot wound. The leader of the saviors turned to the now pinned brute while a few sobbed over the death of their friend, their love. He crouched to his level seeing him struggle against those keeping him down.

“You have quite the balls on yea, dontcha?” Negan exhaled a short lived laugh as the brute continued to struggle while one of his men, Dwight readied the crossbow in his hand right at his head.

“Daryl has caused us a lot of trouble. Give me the word and I’ll—-“

“Daryl?” Fuck. Fuck fuck F U C K! Negan shouted in his head as he kept a front when internalizing he wished he was dying. “Yea have a last name or what?”

“Like I’ll tell yea” Daryl struggled some more noticing Negan’s grip on his bat get to the level of a white knuckle grip.

“Is it Dixon?” Negan frowns as the silence grew louder especially when Daryl stopped struggling against his men. Simon took note of what he was seeing as he took his radio adjusting the frequency to match the private one between him and Y/N. Something Negan didn’t know that Simon wrote down for his own future gain.

“Daryl Dixon” Negan repeats over and over with spaced out moments until Daryl nodded. “Do these people know you also have a sister? Y/N Dixon”

Rick and Michonne instantly shot a look to Daryl as his body went limp but not from added injury, but from the shock of how much this monster knew about his personal life. Rick turned to his people as they were going through everything that was happening personally and united but he tried to find a way to get them out of there that when he shot Michonne a look, she shook her head. Knowing what was going on in his mind and how it will most likely kill Daryl if he acted…then he wouldn’t be able to reunite with his remaining living blood.

But that didn’t stop Negan from acting on his anger. His anger toward Daryl’s action and toward his own.

Once Daryl was pulled back to his spot in the line up and the man couldn’t help the silent tears that spilled as they only got worse when Negan held his bat with both hands and simply gave up.

“Back to it”

Then another life was taken, causing more pain than he had initially thought. But in his mind he had to make a point…

He’ll never change Y/N frowns holding the radio in her hands as her own tears fell from her eyes. “Simon”

Simon took a step away from the group once the RV drove off with Negan and Rick. Raising his radio to his face. “Yeah?”

“You’re a monster for this”

“Someone has to tell you the truth”

“Is he taking Daryl back to the Sanctuary?”

“Most likely”

“ETA?”

“I’ll chime in when we leave.” Then Simon turns his end of the radio off looking over to Daryl who kept his attention glued to the life that was taken, that he’ll forever take the blame for.

When Negan showed the leader of their group that he means business and that he’ll be going back to how he ran things. He returned to the Sanctuary before the vans did as he was greeted by a saddened Y/N.

“Darling…”

“You killed people…almost killed my brother?”

He held his head down as Y/N brought herself close looking up at him watching how hard he tried to avoid her beautiful E/C eyes.

“Negan did you—-“ Then her attention quickly turned to the banging on the van that suddenly her older brother Daryl stumbled out of. “Daryl. Oh my god Daryl!”

The youngest Dixon quickly ran to her older brother dropping to her knees in order to hug him. The second he latched on the best he could, he fell silent knowing a few tears fell that once his mind was sure it wasn’t playing tricks. He tightened his grasp on her.

“He killed some of my friends, Trouble” He whispers feeling her hold onto him tighter from her end as her tears spilled but hidden in his shoulder that she soon realized was injured.

“You’re hurt”

“Y/N…we have to leave” He whispered.

“You need to see the doctor. I’ll—-“ then Y/N was pulled away by Negan causing the rage to stir in her brother but he was quickly pulled away by a few saviors and then taken to see the doctor they have. “Let go”

“No. He’s gonna see the doc. Then put in your room. Alright?”

Y/N frowns thrashing in Negan’s grasp until he finally let go when it was just the two of them in the loading dock. The tears spilled down her cheeks causing the knife to dig deeper in the man’s chest.

It didn’t take long for Daryl to get patched up and tossed in this unfamiliar room but there were a few things that stood out to him. The first thing he picked up was an old Polaroid of Y/N when she was little and forced her brothers to join the picture. Merle of course not looking at it and Daryl only complying because it was his sister. Then her army green jacket with a patch on the arm for the biker gang Merle was temporarily in. And a few things that were most likely found in the now but scream his sister. Then she finally entered the room met with an angry yet confused older brother.

“You fucking that guy?”

“Woah! No!”

“Are you sure?! Cuz how do you have all of this with a monster like—-“

“Because he changed for me! He changed for me. Then your group triggered that part of his mind that I can’t reach…”

“Why didn’t yea kill him when you first realized—-“

“I didn’t realize until a month of being here and I’ve been here for six now…I—-“

“STOP SAYING YOU THOUGHT HE CHANGED! You learned the hard way just like I did when it came to Merle saying he’d never do meth again. He “changed” but never truly did.”

Y/N turned away to avoid her tears being noticed because she knew Daryl would be upset with himself and apologize. But he was just being honest.

“He saved me Daryl…he…kept me from losing myself when I had endless runs to look for you” She frowns keeping her head down. “I know you and your friends will never forgive him. I can’t for going back on his word…”

“Y/N…you know this place” Daryl frowns grabbing his sister’s shoulders to get her to look at him. “We need to leave and tear this place down with it”

“I can help you leave…but I’m not leaving with you”

“Y/N”

“Daryl” Y/N brushed his hands off of her looking him dead in the eye with the seriousness she held even in this weird reunion. “If I leave without a word, he’ll come after all of you”

“Please…we’ll end him and you go out free”

“The thing is Dar, I’m not trapped.”

The two didn’t share a word for a few days and Daryl was brought to a cell. But suddenly his door opened and Dwight was with Sherry in their streets. The man gave Daryl his crossbow and vest back as Sherry shined a light on blueprints of the building they found. The two that caused a lot of hell for him before the Sanctuary, were now the two helping him out but little did Daryl know that their escape was planned by his sister.

That kept Negan busy, but also in the know of what the future plan is.

“He’ll come after me, darling. I’ll never be safe even when it’s just the two of us”

“Well, you’re leaving this hell behind. You’ll always be haunted, but you’ll never be alone. And knowing my brother…”

He knows when to stop looking

Daryl stood beside Rick and Maggie, including a few of the community heads that were once under Negan’s thumb watching the place burn once they got all the good people out. He took in a deep breath before walking away from the scene ignoring the concerned questions from his family.

As the fire continues to go and the smoke rises from the ruins of the Sanctuary, Y/N stood within the nearby tree line watching everyone leave in the night as she felt Negan gently take her hand after burying his bat for his own sort of send off. She carefully takes out the Polaroid from before looking at it and remembering the past she never thought she’d wish to go back to knowing she never will.

This was one hell of a goodbye

[americana-antihero]

Long post, but TLDR: Lois is allowed to be flawed.

Everyone and their mother is talking about how Lois responded to Clark's secret. It seems like many are on the side of Lois, believing she did nothing wrong. And then there are many who are on the side of Clark, believing he did nothing wrong.

Before I say what I believe, let me make this point: it seems that any time a female character does something wrong, fans immediately dislike the character from that point onward. And before anyone thinks I am referring only to male fans, nope! It's actually all of my female friends who grow immediately disgusted with the female character and refuse to redeem her.

And honestly, it's hard to blame them. Because often, when a female character does something that is morally wrong, it's not written as a character flaw that she will learn to work through. It's written as an Epic Girl Power Moment! Look at this Strong Indepedent Woman! She'll jump off a building to prove she's right - that's so cool and edgy and not a sign of emotional instability at all!

What Lois did came from a place of emotional instability, and that's not a bad thing. The writers need to lean into that to flesh her out as a character, and I think they will.

Someone else mentioned how Lois's issues with her father have led to this moment. Her father concealed everything from her, and growing up, Lois probably had to learn how to get the truth out of him, even if she had to use manipulation. It was kind of a survival skill. She can't stand not knowing something, and that's why she's at a job where she gets to learn EVERYTHING.

So now she's got this good friendship with Clark in which she has tried to be more open with him than their first story together. They have built trust. When Lois finds out that he is Superman, she gives him the chance to open up to her. Judging by her playful attitude, if Clark told her that he is Superman, Lois would have probably reacted positively.

And then things take a turn. Lois is so desparate for the truth that she handcuffs herself to Superman. And then he leaves her at the Daily Planet so she won't get hurt.

That's probably when Lois was at her most unstable. Because that whole time, she waited for him, wondering if he would get hurt. And when she saw the scratches on Clark, it probably reminded her of how she felt when she found out her mom was sicker than her dad would admit. That was the nail in the coffin for her.

By taking a step off that building, Lois is acting out of unresolved grief.

Yes, what Lois did was wrong. But that doesn't make her a bad character. It makes her a real one. By trying to defend her actions as "good," "right," "just," and "morally sound," it would do a disservice to where the writers are going with her character. Or at least, where I hope they go. I really hope this isn't a case of "Epic Girl Power Moment."

As for Clark, he did nothing wrong. People (albeit few) are trying to say he should have told Lois the truth...but he already tried. His fear about her publishing his secrets was valid, because that's what she said in Episode 1 - "We'll make him tell us his secrets - AND THEN WE'LL PUBLISH THEM!" Clark has no reason to believe that Lois wouldn't do that.

I also think Clark struggles to see what people actually think of him. Because maybe if he could see how much Lois cares about him, he wouldn't have been scared to tell her the truth about his identity. Instead, he believes that she "hates" Superman...which she never said she did, that I can remember. Clark just assumed that.

So I think maybe Clark had an experience growing up that made him think that everyone would hate or disrespect him. Probably something to do with why he couldn't play sports, or how his connection with Lana ended up. It's seen in how desperate he is to be a "normal man with a normal life." He's afraid that people won't accept him for who he is.

If Clark and Lois talk through it, it could be the most touching moment in Clois history.

[soulmate-game]

Work burned me out, middle management positions are draining. What was supposed to be an angsty oneshot is now… yeah I’m continuing it. Not a full series, just a two-parter… hopefully.

Edit: I DON’T KNOW WHAT THE FUCK THIS CLUSTERFUCK OF AN EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER IS, but BUCKLE IN BECAUSE IT PROBABLY DOESN’T PASS SAFETY REGULATIONS! HOOOOO BOY

Part 1

—*—*—*—*—*

“…” she stared at the being in front of her, face frighteningly blank. Next to her, Bruce fidgeted.

“I’m not going anywhere, so you either gotta learn to love me real quick or get lost quicker,” the child snarked from where he was sitting upside-down on the bat computer chair. “And don’t call me Richard, my name’s Dick.”

“I don’t remember you working with a fetus, Batman,” Marinette slowly drawled, emphasizing the vigilante’s name despite none of the three of them being suited up. Dick shot up with a cry of indignation.

“I am not a fetus! I’m fifteen! I’ve been Robin since I was twelve!”

“Nope,” Marinette countered, unmoved. “I started out as Ladybug when I was twelve, and I was never as small as you,” she blatantly lied. Dick was already taller than her, which wasn’t much of an achievement considering that she was five-foot-one-inch tall. “You are six years old, tops.”

Dick let out an almost inhuman screech of complaint. Even as he rambled on angrily about how wrong she was, Marinette only nodded as if he proved her right about something.

“That was a good squawk though. Definitely a birdie.”

It took another twenty minutes before Dick ran off to tell on Marinette to Alfred, giving her and Bruce some alone time. With which she used to whirl to him and immediately hiss in equal parts fury and worry;

“Please tell me he wasn’t—“

“The timeline is gone,” Bruce reminded her, bracing her by putting both his hands on her shoulders. “He doesn’t remember.”

“Still!”

He let out such a heavy sigh that he seemed to deflate with it, his dark circles growing more pronounced.

“He wasn’t supposed to be,” he admitted softly. “When he turned sixteen, last time, I allowed him to form his own team of teen heroes. Supervised from afar by myself of course, not that they knew that. I had given them the order to stay back and guard their city, but they disobeyed me and snuck onto the battlefield anyway.”

Marinette rubbed at her temples, nodding. “Teenagers have a habit of doing that. This time around, can we ask Bunnyx to supervise them? She has all the energy of a teenager, so she’ll fit in, but the maturity of someone trusted to guard all the timelines.”

Bruce paused, thinking of what little he knew of the pastel rabbit themed hero, and then reluctantly nodded. “That… might be for the best. And giving them more opportunities to train with…” he hummed, hand on his chin. “I might actually change things up, in that case. Instead of jumping to put teens on their own in a tower, the old Justice League headquarters is more protected. And if we started with the ‘sidekicks’,” he gave very purposeful air quotes, “of other Leaguers, it would create a better support system than letting teenagers run around with… really, not enough regulation.”

“Gotta love hindsight,” Marinette agreed with a nod. “The whole teenagers by themselves thing only worked for my team because we were overly traumatized and each saw different apocalypses before we turned sixteen. Bunnyx could fix them herself back then, but still.”

“Best to do better by the new generation,” Bruce agreed with her unspoken statement. “I can still put that old team together again when they’re older, support their development elsewhere in the meantime.”

“Oh, and now that we’re done on that topic,” Marinette snapped her fingers before pointing to the staircase that Dick had disappeared up. “He’s going to make my life a living hell, isn’t he?”

Bruce groaned, offering her a lopsided grimace of apology. “He’s a menace,” he agreed. “He’s scared away any woman I’ve brought to the house, even though most of them are completely platonic. I have to make the press believe the whole playboy thing somehow, and inviting my friends over to chat is the easiest way to do so without breaking hearts for real. Dick hasn’t caught on yet,” Bruce rubbed his forehead. “His antics to scare away Selina Kyle are legendary already, and she’s sapphic. She couldn’t be attracted to me if I was the last man on earth.”

“Could have fooled me,” Marinette teased, suddenly impish. “She’s catwoman, isn’t she?”

Bruce narrowed his eyes, saying only: “Chat Noir. Year one.”

It was Marinette’s turn to grimace. “Point taken. But in my defense, he took way too long to realize he’s gay and watched too much anime at the time.”

Bruce let out one of his unfairly charming chuckles, changing position so that his arm was around her shoulders and pulling her to his side. She fit there surprisingly well, for someone almost half his size. She leaned into him, and the both just soaked in the comfort of one another for a long moment.

“You know,” Bruce started for a while. “If you want to stay in Gotham, we can make you another alter ego so that you don’t accidentally lure Shadow Moth here. Tell that fox of yours to make it seem like you’re in Paris and take some of the weight off of your shoulders for a change. Blackmail Constantine into charming some jars to keep the butterflies in until you can purify them.”

“Hmmm.” She closed her eyes. “Ladybird sounds nice. Fits with the bird thing that Robin has going for him.”

Bruce laughed. “That’ll really annoy him,” he warned, amused. Marinette’s close-eyed smile was pure mischief.

“That’s the whole point. I’m not letting a fetus win against me, bat-boy.”

—*—*—*—*—*

Marinette wasn’t speaking to Bunnyx. Bruce didn’t know what they had said to one another, but he could guess it had to do with Jason.

With his baby, who he just buried. The boy Marinette had thought of a son ever since he first brought him home. She had even smoothed things over between Dick and Jason, which he had considered nothing short of a miracle at the time.

But that miracle was nowhere to be seen now, with Marinette every bit as despondent next to him as he was. He wanted to be angry with her, he did, but he couldn’t. He had seen her blow up at Bunnyx, seen her try to hold her status as Grand Guardian over the bunny holder.

Bunnyx had simply said that she wouldn’t answer to Ladybug until after the grief passed then, and ran away into her burrow.

“Is this the payment?” He heard her whisper, her voice hoarse and broken. “For the do-over? We passed the old timeline. We took down Shadow Moth. Is this the price?” Tears dripped down her face silently, she didn’t seem to notice them. “Was I not a good enough mother? Should I—“ she stopped herself, shaking her head. He didn’t ask what she was about to say. Maybe he should have.

—*—*—*—*—*

Tim was great. He was too much like Marinette at times, which made Bruce’s chest ache, but he was a great Robin. A great son. His experience with Marinette proved priceless when it came to helping curb Tim’s overworking habits and caffeine addiction.

But not even Tim could find where Marinette had disappeared to, even with his detective skills surpassing Bruce’s already.

Tim was the first son of his that didn’t get to grow up with Marinette at all.

—*—*—*—*—*

“It’s fine, Baobei,” she whispered, stepping to the side. Behind her was the waterfall that hid the tunnel to the Batcave. “He’s not the one to blame. He did his best, even now he’s doing his best.”

“Then why does—“

“Because other people need him, and he has too big of a heart to turn them away,” her mouth tilted a little, smile lopsided and sad. “Timothy didn’t replace you. He just forced Bruce to live again. Bruce didn’t kill Joker, because he didn’t want to taint another child with the sight of murder.”

“And you?” The voice was dark, deadly, gruff. Older, and yet… so achingly familiar. She smiled at him again, soft and sad and… proud.

“I don’t have one,” she lied. She had tried, tried so hard. Bruce had gotten in her way first, and then the very same desire to not taint more children with the image of death.

But her baby needed a scapegoat, and she was willing to throw herself on the fire for him.

“That’s why it’s fine,” she repeated. “If this is what you want. Just, please. Let it end with me.”

This time, Marinette made sure she had the Time miraculous safely in her pocket. Nobody would interfere with this.

The bullet sent her into the flow of the waterfall, red flowing behind her like the carpet she used to walk down with Bruce whenever she released a new collection. She felt no regret as she closed her eyes and fell.

—*—*—*—*—*

The shot hadn’t been fatal. Red Hood might have been mad with Pit Rage, but his fondness for his only true mother figure was ever present. He simply wanted to see if she was serious about taking that shot.

His regret was immediate when she didn’t even try to dodge. The bullet had only grazed her shoulder, but she didn’t seem to notice that. She had been so ready to die— to let him kill her— that she had passed out before hitting the water. He dragged her to the Batcave, knowing he had a lot to answer for.

Bruce wished he could have found her sooner, found both of them sooner. But at least they were back.

—*—*—*—*—*

“… I mean,” she rocked on her heels. “You are growing a bit old for Robin…”

Tim glared at her, not appreciating the insight.

“Bruce is stuck in the timestream, and you aren’t doing a thing about it. I don’t hold your opinion very highly right now,” he snipped back. She snorted, glancing away.

As if that little stunt to “kill Batman” could ever fool her. She’d been there for the real thing, thanks, she could spot a fake a mile away. “He’s got Bunnyx going to find him. She owes me big time, let her do the heavy lifting for a change.”

“How many years have you held that grudge?” Barbara asked, eyebrows raised as she wheeled herself towards the bat computer. “Even Jason thinks you should have let it go by now.”

Marinette scoffed at the exact same time as a certain someone tutted next to her, making them look for a moment like a perfect pair.

Crossed arms, a scoff, annoyed glare? If a DNA test hadn’t already proven otherwise, they might have thought Damian was hers.

“Fetuses don’t get to judge me,” was her only argument before she turned on her heel and walked away.

“I am not a fetus! Lady Marinette, I am ten years old!”

—*—*—*—*—*

Bonus:

Jason was curled up around Marinette, despite being told numerous times not to crowd her on the med-bay bed. He argued that he shot her, so he gets to nurse her back to health.

Did she use her blood, tainted by years of use of the Ladybug, to purify his pit madness? Yes. Had he figured that out yet? Nope.

“Love you, Mom,” he murmured in his sleep. Marinette, who had been awake for about an hour already, smiled to herself.

“Love you, Baobei.”

[mhevarujta]

I saw for the first time someone claiming that Elain employs 'weaponized incompetence'.

That would entail that Elain is DELIBERATELY trying to not be competent to displace responsibility from herself.

We are talking about the same girl who wanted to ASSUME responsibility of her treatment of Feyre when people were pointing the finger only at Nesta.

The one who took the initiative when the circle was to meat the human queens, offered a meeting place, made the arrangements, even thought of using Graysen's house for the humans to find shelter, and overall always wanted to provide safe spaces to people in different ways.

The one who was kidnapped and yet subverted the 'damsel in distress trope' by grabbing Briar and kicking bloody the hound that was attacking Azriel.

The one who thought she was going crazy and yet started getting better fast from the moment she was given a reasonable explanation for her condition, despite still being unaware of what she was doing.

The one who is a woman of peace and didn't want a knife, yet used it with no hesitation to save her sister and Cassian.

The one who kept trying to not just sit, to help with the gardens, to bake, to learn to offer.

The one who wanted to scry herself and called out Nesta for doing to her exactly what everyone has been doing throughout her life and what this fandom doesn't seem to grasp: Suffocating her and yet judging her for being as she is.

Elain did not CHOOSE to have issues with asserting herself. She is not delighted by it. Her mother tried to raise her to be a pretty doll that she could take advantage of at the marriage market. His father treated her similarly. He was emotionally attached at least, but the way he fussed was not helpful for her to develop her personality. Despite their love for Elain, Nesta and Feyre learned to treat Elain just like their parents did. Even the Night Court has not given her responsibility and have excused her when she didn't want to be excused.

The fandom tried to act as if this is some deficiency rooted in who Elain as a person, but it's something that was forced upon her as if, just because of her kindness, she is fragile and breakable. For people who use (incorrectly) terminology relating to psychology, some fans have no scope or sympathy over how, especially during people's developmental years, personalities are shaped by the way one is being treated.

"ELaiN CouLd HaVe OppOseD ThEM. FeYrE and NEsTa ArE DiFFeReNT".

Nope. Feyre and Nesta are their parents creatures. Feyre supporting the family and making sure they don't starve WAS founded partly on her mother's request. Nesta had become the woman that many initially disliked by being raised on their mother's knee. The problems their upbringing held for each were dealt with throughout their respective arcs with both of them having ALREADY gotten their own novels and they are still not completely free of them despite doing better, because ultimately you can't just completely throw away the way you were raised. Neither of them were like Elain because they weren't treated like Elain was.

I genuinely think there are double standards when it comes to the way Elain's character and her potential are evaluated, and the intentionality that is attributed to what is actually a STRUGGLE for her is a very shallow and short-sighted interpretation of her predicament.

I can't wait for the day her book will make many take a fork and a knife and eat their words.

[hazelkjt]

Learning Together

It was sundown at Mehryde's Meyhane, and all eyes were scouring the restaurant to find which table ordered the curry hot enough to distort the air. The Auri waitress brought the two steaming plates up the stairs to two regulars near the open partitions. Hazel greets and thanks the waitress, Mihleel as she's come to know, with a smile and takes both plates, passing one over to Zero. The Voidsent woman gives a slight nod with an even less perceptible smile as her own thanks, pulling her own plate of curry the rest of the way cross the table. Mihleel gives a bow, a smile back to Hazel, and returns to waiting the other guests.

Hazel wastes no time digging in to her plate. She might not be able to handle spice as well as Zero, but she still enjoys a meal with a kick to it. "So, how long are you planning on staying this time?" She asks after finishing a bite. In contrast to Hazel's enthusiastic attack on her curry Zero was more methodical with her eating. Slower, calmer, almost graceful in how effortless she made it look. "I'm unsure." Even her tone was calm and soothing. "Golbez claims to have the current situation under control, though there is still much infighting. Many Voidsent still are clinging to the old methods." She explains between bites of her curry, seemingly unfazed by the high levels of spice. Gods, she's...Hazel lets her mind begin to slip. Taking notice of how Zero's faded brown, almost grey hair shifts and frames her face as she eats. The way the lights around them add warmth to her pale skin. Her cold, yet somehow lively white eyes changing their attention back and forth from her plate to her accompaniment... "-zel? ...Hazel? Is something wrong?" The Au Ra jolts upright in her seat, coming back from her daydream to reality. Zero's facial expression hadn't changed much, but from the small frown and slight eyebrow raise Hazel could tell she was confused and concerned for her. "Nope! No uhhh...yeah! Everything's fine." Her rushed tone could not have made it any more clear she wasn't fine, but hoped it was enough to convince Zero otherwise. She returns to eating her meal, faster this time. Zero rests her gaze on Hazel for a few seconds, the Au Ra feeling her cheeks heating up the longer she stared. Must be the curry...yeah. The curry. Zero returns her attention to her own plate, absentmindedly beginning to stir around its contents. "From your letters, it sounds as if things have been rather eventful for you, apart from your upcoming voyage overseas." Zero practically mumbles out, which makes Hazel tilts her head out of curiosity. From her tone, it almost sounded like Zero was...disappointed? At this point Hazel had finished her plate, pushing it towards the center of the large table. "Oh yeah, I-" Hazel cuts herself off, taking a moment to compose her thoughts before standing up and beginning to walk around towards Zero. "Wait a minute, how did you know about that? I never mentioned the trip to Tural in my letters." She continues to have her head tilted as she quizzically stares down at the Voidsent. A smirk escapes onto Zero's lips and a very short chuckle vibrates in her chest. "I have my informants. And it seems everything they've reported was true down to the letter." Hazel's jaw drops slack. "Was that a joke? Did you just make a joke?" She can't contain the laughter in her chest as she finishes her question. Zero closes her eyes and stands up, facing Hazel. She is nowhere near close in heights to the tall Auri woman, Hazel unconsciously bending down to be closer to eye level with her. "I've learned much and more from my time with you...something I will forever be grateful for. Now and always." The sincerity of the statement catches Hazel off guard, but not as much as the genuine smile across Zero's face. White eyes full of life, cheeks ever so slightly tinted pink, the light reflecting on the creases of her larger than ever smile. Say something, ANYTHING!!! Hazel's own mind screamed at her. "I...Zero I-" She's interrupted by Zero placing Hazel's chin between her thumb and index finger. "I know. I've known for a good bit of time now. You haven't been the best at hiding it after all." Zero's blunt honesty makes Hazel turn a deeper shade of red. "You've taught me much about how to live again, but there are some things I've learned on my own...but to fully understand them one has to learn with another. Someone you cherish...someone you love. So, how about it?" She begins gently rubbing her thumb across Hazel's chin. The Au Ra's tail rises in surprise. "Do you wish to learn together with me?"

[wombywoo]

13 and 14 please for the beloved boys?

(.maybe we'll learn why Quinn's mom and aunt can't look him in the eyes 👀👀)

13) Does your OC have a good relationship with their parents or no?

A very complicated question, for both 🤌

As a kid, Quinn had a fairly normal relationship with his parents. He'd always found his dad a bit odd and lame, but he was very close with his mother. Then [redacted] things happened and that all changed 🙃 (nope, I'm not gonna reveal this stuff yet because reasons) but yeah--after that, his relationship became, ah...very strained. Currently, he's been trying and failing to reconnect with his father, but they don't really have much in common and it's all a bit awkward. His dad still tries to make an effort though. As for his mum--he hasn't spoken to her in years 🤐

Vincent had a similar bond with his mother. She was quite a reserved woman, and rarely spoke up in a public setting, but she was far more energetic and loving behind closed doors. Due to the prejudices of the time, they were often shunned or blatantly discriminated against (Vincent's own paternal grandparents refused to acknowledge either of their existences), so having such a close connection meant they could protect each other, in a way. Conversely, Vincent didn't have much of a relationship with his father. He was a cold, austere man, often too busy with work to be around. Vincent always assumed his father hated him, tbh, even though he made strides to put him in all the best schools and social circles, despite the obvious racism and intolerance of his contemporaries. He'd even been the one to pull strings and demand his enrollment into flight school, something that had been unprecedented for black people at the time. But in spite of all those sacrifices, they never bonded, or even spoke at all outside of forced propriety.

14) What about any siblings, do they have any and is their relationship good?

Quinn has a sister, Nora, who's older than him by a few years. They pretty much had a typical sibling dynamic in their youth--petty fighting, Quinn being a little shit, Nora trying to boss him around, etc. After 'certain incidents', she became far more protective of him. There was a lot of guilt there, and Nora felt like she failed him and will always blame herself for not protecting him. As adults, their relationship is a bit forced. Quinn had been distant for a few years, not making any attempt to be around his family, so they're almost strangers now. In recent years, Nora got married and now has a step-son. She's been trying to get Quinn to connect more, wanting him to open up to the kid, but it's been awkward and ineffective for the most part. I like to think that things will get better eventually...

[gaydogmarriage]

i think it would be so funny if before ganyu and keqing reached some kind of understanding, in the pre rex lapis retirement era, ganyu had just a bit of a "i could fix her" attitude towards keqing. not a whole lot, just an occasional moment of insanity. like she can see this woman who is in her eyes arrogant, self assured, overconfident, and blatantly ignorant, someone who doesn't appreciate what their god has done for liyue. but at the same time she clearly cares about the nation and works hard to maintain and improve it. her heart is in the right place and that has got to be more frustrating than if she was irredeemable. more complicated. and ganyu seems to be the type of person who wants to see the good in the world and in people

like she'd have moments of thinking maybe she's ok. maybe she just needs to grow a little as a person and she'll come to her senses. but then keqing gives a banger passionate speech abt her beliefs n ganyu's like nope what was i thinking that's a lost cause right there. and the cycle continues. keqing in her lane flourishing while ganyu is having a Time with this funny politician living in her head rent free

ironically in the end ganyu ends up growing a lot herself as they reconcile their differences and become closer. tho keqing's had her own growing to do. without anyone needing to fix her lol. learned her own lessons. something something the kind of person liyue needs right now also being the kind of person ganyu needs

[mermaidsirennikita]

I remember struggling to enjoy The Dukes Perfect Wife because of Hart’s relationship with his mistress (Mrs. Palmer?) I couldn’t get over the fact that he went back to her after she ruined his relationship with Eleanor. This was years ago so maybe I’m misremembering… Was my reading wrong?

Nope, Hart does go back to Angelina Palmer; I think that for me, it's just not really an issue and honestly something I find to both make sense and act as a supporting factor for his journey.

I don't believe he went straight back to her—there's the gap in time during which he briefly is married to Anne, who it sounds like he was pretty incompatible but Determined to Make It Work with, and then Anne AND their baby son die. So he's lost Eleanor, he's lost his wife and his son (and feels immense guilt over those things), there's the whole "and I killed my dad for Ian" thing...

I'd be kind of surprised if he DIDN'T go back to Angelina. Because the thing is that SHE didn't ruin his relationship with Eleanor at all lol. Hart did. Hart ruined it by not being open with her, and by being domineering and trying to aggro his way into making Eleanor forgive him. AND, as I think is often dismissed when people critique this book, he didn't just have a big fight with Eleanor and have that be final. He went to her DAD and told him he'd slept with Eleanor (which would be humiliating today, but way more so back then) so that her father would force her hand. He told her she'd been seen as his "leavings".

Eleanor doesn't blame Mrs. Palmer; she calls her on being manipulative, sure, but she also understands that the woman is basically operating in a no-win game and is doing her best to win by whatever means she can. And then she learns that Mrs. Palmer would go even further to try to keep Hart's interests at points... and Hart would be disgusted.... and he wouldn't leave her...

And based off what we can see in both that book and Ian's book (when Mrs. Palmer is alive) they pretty much had an incredibly toxic relationship in which she framed herself as the person who could take his darkness~ at a point when he had a pretty low sense of self worth despite telling everyone he was THE SHIT, and he both felt like he didn't deserve any better than their shitty relationship, AND felt like nobody else (i.e. Eleanor) would accept him. (Plus, there was the whole thing where he fully knew that he'd encouraged Angelina's dependency on him and didn't realize the consequences until it was too late.)

Like... should Eleanor have accepted him as he was when they broke up? Nope.

By the time Hart and Eleanor get back together, Mrs. Palmer has been dead for two and a half years. And even before she died, the relationship had collapsed to the point where she was doing some WILD SHIT to try to keep him, and he was on his way out, but he also was clearly aware that it had gone a bit far and she might kill herself if he left. Just a MESS. And he did care about her—it would be kind of worse if he didn't after this long-term deal. The point being that the Hart who got back together with Angelina is not the Hart who was with Angelina when it ended, AND. Even after that point, he's still not in the place he needs to be with to be with Eleanor.

I think it's a better creative choice to have Hart go back to Mrs. Palmer, ESPECIALLY in the midst of a fuckton of grief and trauma. Because if he doesn't, he's either with some other lady who functions similarly to her (take aside her relevance to Ian's book) OR he's... what? Celibate? That doesn't track at all.

But if he is, say he doesn't go back into that toxic place... Why are he and Eleanor apart for so many years after Anne dies? Why doesn't he reach out to her? Why doesn't she reach back out to him? What's keeping them apart—because it sounds like Hart learned his lesson, at least on that level.

The point is that he didn't learn his lesson. He lost the thing he loved most, AND he then lost the other thing he loved most (his baby son), and he still kept fuckin' going. Because rather than rising to the challenge Eleanor basically laid out for him, he sank internally while projecting success and power externally. Some ground work is laid in Ian's book (and tbh the other books before Hart's) for him to have his real turning point, and I do think it's so deliberate that he basically gets stepped on by all his little brothers before he gets his HEA... He's basically getting a reality check that his mythical suffering to protect them is bullshit that he uses to ignore the work he needs to do on himself....

But Hart has to decide to be worthy of Eleanor, and before that I think he has to get a lot of narrative punishment.

(In turn, I think that Eleanor has to learn that she can call him on his bullshit and expect him to LISTEN... while also placing more trust in his feelings. Because he didn't cheat on her lol, and she did kinda just take another person's perspective on him wholesale versus hearing him out.)

And then I mean if we put all that aside I'm still very... Well why the fuck wouldn't he go back to a woman he had a long-term relationship with, with whom he was very sexually compatible, if he legitimately thought there was zero way that he'd ever be happily with the person he wanted to be with again? Lol, it's very human to me.

I get why a lot of people don't like it, but I sort of prefer romance novels where people fuck up in a way that rings at least somewhat true to life. One of the reasons why Hart and Eleanor are two of my favorite leads is that the relationship feels very real to me. They read like two people in their thirties who had this wild passion for each other and still do but have sense Been Thru It. He is finally ready to be with her, but it's in part because he fucked up like 7x between their breakup and now (and I also frankly just appreciate that he actually reads as someone who's been through the degree of trauma he went through as a kid, because there are a ton of books where Hart and Eleanor's initial courtship IS the love story, and he immediately throws his pride aside and grovels after their fight and she forgives him, HEA, and that is NOT satisfying to me... People who have been THROUGH IT tend to fuck up more than once) and she's finally ready to hear him out because she had time to take the stars out of her eyes and become a grown woman who has an existence separate from him.

EDIT:

Lol I opened my copy of Ian's book to confirm something before I type this out, and then I opened it back up and forgot than Hart was twenty and Angelina/Mrs. Palmer was thirty-three when they started up. (Which also means she'd been his mistress for about seven years when he met Eleanor.) Which isn't illegal! But does explain a lot about that relationship.

[tabbyofwisdom]

Don't ask me why I'm doing this now. Maybe it's because we're hitting the one year anniversaries of the end of the show, but here's a thesis that I've been ruminating on as to why I believed the symbols from the psychic pointed to Ted.

Presented below the break

My thesis, if it can be called anything, is that each of those symbols were meant for each of the three romantic interests in Rebecca's life, that they symbolized that they were one part of what Rebecca wanted and needed but that they were not the right man. I'm going to break down each symbol. Also, I don't remember reading anything like this but if someone has written something like this, I apologize.

The Green Matchbook: This was for Sam. Sam came into Rebecca's life and showed her that she could have fun again. That love can be fun. In season one, Sassy says, "No, the real Rebecca is silly. Strong, yeah, but not cold." She's relearning fun. But Sam is too young. The power dynamics honestly are really cringy. It's one thing to date someone more than half your age, it's another to date someone you pay that's more than half your age. Aside from that all, their life experiences are totally different. His is just beginning. Rebecca is, to use a metaphor, a phoenix. She's starting it all over for the second time, but she's got a lifetime of experience.

Shite in Nining Armor(honestly, this 'sign' was so stupid, imo): This one is obviously John Stamos Wingsnight. Rebecca's relationship with him was all about learning that love is leaving yourself open to being heartbroken. He obviously was not the person that was meant for her to be that open with......but he was age appropriate.

Upside down, drenched, but safe: Ok, this is the big one and the most controversial. This is boatman. She falls into the water but ends up being fished out by him. Their evening is all about Rebecca learning to let go. She's always dressed to the nine's and is always put together. She never lets her hair down, to be colloquial . That evening she lets herself be Rebecca. 100% her. Silly, in command, sweet, hopeful. We get to see the person Sassy knew but with the strength and stripes that she has earned through her marriage. Flashing back to a year ago, I was so happy to see this. I thought, "This is it. This is Rebecca and now that she's let herself be herself, she can be that with Ted." 😒 I have SO many issues but I'm just going to focus on "Sunflowers". As a woman, I was so nervous throughout the episode. If I was in a foreign country, by myself, fished out of a canal by a strange man, and he threw his phone into the canal(thus eliminating any type of communication) and then he made a joke about how my drink was not spiked, I'd be out of there faster than a Ted Lasso spit take. Again, I was so happy to see Rebecca let herself be....herself but I was just uncomfortable the entire time. When he kissed her foot due to 'habit' I was like, NOPE GIRL, GET OUT OF THERE. He's weird at best. I think the writers were going for "meet-cute" of the 90s and 00s romcom persuasion but we've all come to realize that those movies are rife with misogyny and creepy male behavior and while we may still look back with fondness for them, we don't like to see it in our new media. It wasn't cute. Beyond all that, if you're looking at this through a literary lens, you've seen the two signs so far but the wrong men for Rebecca. Logic would dictate that the third is not right either but that we're close to the end of our journey.

I felt like these signs were pointing the way for Rebecca to realize her feelings for Ted(apparently I was deluding myself). I'm reminded of a post that broke down the response of Darcy and Elizabeth from Pride and Prejudice after the first proposal. They both individually went out and worked on themselves and then came back together after they had realized their faults and worked on them. But the key is that they didn't do it, Darcy does not do this, in order to try again. To try to get the other one back. It was a realization of things, in this case pride and prejudice, that they individually worked on because it was pointed out to them. I bring this up because I see Rebecca's signs, and Ted's therapy(but I'm not going to get into that right now) as them working on themselves. Through these three men, Rebecca learns, or re-learns, things about herself and about what she wants out of a relationship. She gets back to herself, but with the wounds she gained. She is a better and stronger person. They are sign posts pointing to where she should go and where she should be headed. Follow these signs and you will get your lighting.

Rebecca wants someone to have fun with, to feel safe enough to be open to being hurt, and to be herself, wholly and completely. Who in our little show does that for her? There are so many instances where Ted proves time and again that he is all these things. From the insistence of Ted's that Rebecca join the team for the exorcism to his joy at seeing her join the team on the bus in Amsterdam and his laughter at her singing. The absolute care Ted takes to make sure she always feels safe and always has an option to say no, or to voice her concern and the forgiveness he gives her for her sabotage plans. With Ted, Rebecca was always able to be herself. It's slow to come out but through his use of "Oklahoma" we get pure, honest Rebecca. Through Biscuits with the Boss, Ted takes the time to get to know Rebecca, not Ms. Welton, but Rebecca. Ted gets to see the huge generous heart Rebecca has. By the last season Ted is open enough to ask "Am I a mess?" and Rebecca can respond that of course but she is too and that's why they get along.

The show didn't go the way it seemed to logically be going and many of us were left heartbroken and confused. There are many more signs that can be talked about (the September 13th connection, the way Rebecca can tell when Ted is having a panic attack, etc. etc.). Those are for later posts.

If you're still reading, thanks! And you're as crazy as I am :)

[gurugirl]

I love stepdad Harry! Always brings a smile to my face when i see youve posted (guilty pleasure yum). Thank you for the last one!

but i cannot get enough of stepmom reader. You’ve made that one into something really special. In fact I told someone about it last week and they were like ~ nope. Not into stepmom stuff or older yn. Nope ~

but then guess what? they wound up reading it and binged all three parts and admitted to me that they were wrong 😂 I’m like ‘yeah I know’

just wanted to share that with you! Your stepmom fic is so shockingly good (not shocking bc you’re not a good writer, shocking bc it’s a trope most of us were not interested in) that it’s quickly become my top 5 all time favorite.

i cannot wait for part 4! I adore them and you so much. Do you have any idea when part 4 will come out? Any sneaky???

ps.. sorry for the weird capitalization stuff going on there. My phone decided when to capitalize randomly and I’m too lazy to fix.

A Good Boy sneak peek under the cut below!

🥹 thank you so much, babe. Really glad you liked the stepdad!harry from yesterday! That was a quick little fun thing to write.

As for stepmom!reader - wow! I really love that you're liking it so much and talking about it with other people and that your friend changed their mind 😂 Seems to be the theme for that fic. So many of y'all didn't think you'd like it based on the trope alone but I'm surprised that you guys did enjoy it anyway! Makes me smile.

So, I'm almost done with part 4. I think I can have it out by Thursday? Maybe? I'm super busy today (well, busy for me LOL) and gonna try to write but I've also got something I'm working on that someone paid me to write so I'm prioritizing that. Thursday at the earliest I'll post part 4 but I'll let y'all know.

And the random capitalization? My phone does the same. 😂 The words can't, can, and don't often get capitalized in the middle of sentences and it's a crapshoot on when the beginning of a sentence will be capitalized or not. I need to turn it off so it just leaves everything lowercase. So no judgement from me!

Sneak peek below !! (just remember this is literally copied from the word doc I'm writing in and hasn't been proofread or edited so some changed may be made before I post part 4)

Y/n was wearing her newly altered peach silk dress. The alterations were simple. The straps and hem were adjusted and the back column was dropped down a bit to drape to her low back. Her strappy nude heels were well-worn but comfortable because she was just simply not in the mood to wear the stiff, new heels she’d just bought.

The estate of Rebecca Manera was impressive. Probably equally as impressive as Leonardo Styles’. Most of the guests had already arrived by the time the Styles’ walked through the front door a little late.

Leo scolded Y/n for taking so long to get ready and making them run behind but in all honesty, she didn’t give a fuck. They could be half an hour late. No one would care. Why rush to go to a party? It’s not like they needed to clock in and earn a paycheck.

“It’s rude, Y/n. That’s why it matters. You’re so goddamn rude sometimes. You only think about yourself.”

She turned sharply to look at her husband in shock. That was the first time he’d ever said such a thing to her. Normally he had no opinion on how she conducted herself. She was chronically late. Yes, she could admit that was a flaw in her character but she was on time when it really counted. But to get so worked up over a party? And to insult her on top of it?

That had set the whole mood for the night. And now she was even more suspicious about this Rebecca.

But when Rebecca did make her appearance and introduced herself to Y/n she was taken aback. The woman had to be in her 50s. She was pretty, sure, but not quite Leo’s type. If Y/n were any sort of indicator of a type.

Servers walked around with trays and served the couples in attendance. There were only ten couples there as well as Rebecca’s two daughters, Y/n learned. Quite the intimate affair really.

Leo brought a glass of wine to Y/n as she chatted with Mrs. Topman (she never learned her first name, as the woman literally introduced herself as Mrs. Topman).

“Here you are darling.” His green eyes shined down at her before searching the room casually. She was on to Leo. But she found it odd that the woman he was with in the Hamptons was Rebecca. She was intrigued.

She watched Rebecca mingle and sip wine and laugh and there was nothing there that made Y/n think Leo would be interested in her sexually. But maybe that was it, Y/n thought to herself as she cocked her head to the side watching the woman speak boisterously. Maybe it wasn’t sexual. Maybe it was a woman he felt a deeper connection with than he did with Y/n. Perhaps it hadn’t started sexual but led there.

The snack table was set up with decadent treats. Y/n picked up a toast smeared with something pink, topped with heart-shaped tomatoes on top as she scanned the room for Leo, wondering where he’d gone off to. It hadn’t been that long but knowing about Rebecca being with him made things feel like she was in some kind of true crime detective story and was trying to get to the bottom of a mystery. Though there was no crime being committed, she could entertain herself with that thought.

“Are you enjoying your time tonight?”

Y/n turned her sight to Rebecca who was next to her picking up the same toast with pink schmear.

“It’s amazing. Your home is so lovely, Mrs. Manera,” she smiled and noted the woman’s massive diamond ring in addition to her massive diamond wedding ring.

“Why thank you. Phineas has put in so much work to make this large shell into a lovely cozy home.”

Y/n nearly spat her bite out. The home was anything but cozy.

“It’s incredible. Where is Mr. Manera tonight?”

“Oh, just over there,” she pointed to a man in tweed with thick black-framed glasses, “You haven’t met yet?”

Rebecca led the way as Y/n walked in her wake to meet Mr. Manera. She had still not spotted her own husband.

“Phineas, dear, this is Mrs. Styles. Leonardo’s wife.”

The man held his hand out, “Very nice to meet you, Mrs. Styles.”

“Likewise. You can call me Y/n.”

 “Well, Y/n. We’re happy to have you here. Where’s Leo anyway? Haven’t seen him.”

Turning around quickly to look over her shoulder she shrugged and faced the man and his wife again, “Not sure actually. I haven’t seen him in a bit myself,” she laughed. And before she could even think about what she was implying she spoke to Rebecca, “But I’m sure you’ve seen enough of him since you saw him in the Hampton’s this weekend.”

Rebecca and Phineas’ smiles dropped as they looked at one another and then back to Y/n, “I haven’t been to the Hamptons in over a decade. Are you sure you’re not mistaking me for Parker? Our daughter? She was just there all weekend with her girlfriends.”

A Good Boy Masterlist

A Good Boy tags: @becauseheartsgetbroken-hs @shishcabobsworld @daphnesutton @spinnerswife69 @holy-macncheese-balls @cookielovesbook-akie @lilfreakjez @itsgigikay @amateurduck

[ferinehuntress]

◈　 ⇢  @skyheld　 ⋯　 An Extremely Self-Indulgent Meme ♡ 　 　 ⸻　 ❰❰ TACKLE ❱❱ sender hugs the receiver so hard they almost fall over / do fall over (reverse ameridan @ karlach)

Karlach took a breath, picking up the firewood for the campsite. The others needed fire to stay warm and while she didn't need it, she would always ensure the others were safely taken care of. A silver lining to being a commander of the army in the Hells; she learned plenty of survival skills to ensure the team would be well taken care of and safe. She wasn't the best cook, but she was good at plenty of other things. Still, she couldn't help but pause for a moment, glancing back at the camp where she spotted Shadowheart milling around her tent. Setting up the cloth, a little chair outside of the tent, preparing her mats. Something about the woman stirred within her chest, and she didn't believe she was as dark and evil as she tried to be. Shar was a cruel mistress, but Karlach didn't know how to show her that.

Thought of Shadowheart fluttered into her mind, as she briefly wondered what she might look like without clothing, and then Karlach's eyes widened. "Nope, Karlach, stop it!" She snapped at herself as she laughed. "Yes, she's gorgeous but come on, not yet! Do not think about those thoughts, nope nope nope. Okay, stick, tree,… OH!" Karlach twisted her head around, allowing herself to get distracted so her hypersexual fantasies didn't take over and include one gorgeous black beauty before her mind. She grabbed another stick as Scratch started to run around her legs. "Mistress, Mistress! Can I help?" The dog barked happily, wagging his tail and she grinned. "Of course you can buddy, whatever stick you find, bring it back here," Karlach said, as she placed down down onto a bundle of cloth.

With a happy bark, the dog bounced off, picking up sticks and dropping them onto the cloth. She brushed her hand up against her forehead, the leathery hide of her dragon scales brushing against her fist as she heard Ameridan.

It happened all too quickly. She saw Ameridan running toward her, half expecting trouble, and then he just flung himself into her arms and instinct took over to catch him. "Ame!" Karlach shouted, not processing the fact first, she hadn't even fixed her engine yet and two, he was hugging her. She had fallen backward, hitting the ground in the process as she sat on her behind and her tail didn't move. "What's wrong, what's---" After a few seconds she just froze and it rippled through her mind. Ameridan was hugging her.

He was… hugging. HER!

Karlach found shock in her system at first, holding him but her brain short-circuited in the process. However, she couldn't stop herself as her arms wrapped around him and pulled him in close, burying her face into his shoulder. Fucking hells! IT WAS A HUG! She clung to him, her claws gripping at his shirt, and just held him close for a moment, knowing she had to let go sooner or later. Better sooner, as after he left to go, Karlach just let out a laugh. "YOU HUGGED ME!!" In which her engine let out a roaring sound, and her hair, horns, and shoulder lit up on fire and Karlach let out a gasp. "FUCK!" Karlach shouted, scooting far away from the pile of wood and trying to douse out of her fire. So what did she do? She kicked her hooves underneath her lunging into the river, and plopped down on the banks of it. Her body fell backward and she just lay in the water, giggling in the process.