#but she made the decision bc 'we need to get out of the house'

[thebearer]

Annnnnnd how would Lip act in the situation of the devastation fic

i’ve had to think about this tbh. bc he kinda already had his own version with the unexpected pregnancy news of freddy.

but i started thinking in terms of lip’s reader leaving and taking the kids with her, and genuinely, i can’t think of a situation where that would happen and she would come back. like they’d be done.

now, with that being said, i could see lip and you getting into a fight- a huuuuugggeee fight. bigher than the one when you found out you were pregnant with amelia. this is based off of lip with best friend!reader who’s a elementary school teacher. she does pretty well, has a salary and insurance so wayyyy better than anything lip grew up with, but they’re not rich by any means. truly comfortable. lip’s working at the auto shop, still doing odd ball jobs but more full time, got promoted to a shift supervisor and got a raise. you both share a bank account together bc it makes it easier.

debby (bc it’s always debby and i’m a debby hater sorry) does something stupid. stupid enough to need bail money, stupid enough that she might get franny taken away or placed into custody elsewhere. debby calls lip, wailing and frantic for money, and lip, of course, rushes to give in.

comes to you all frantic and manic. “hey, uh, i-i need to move some money alright?”

“move some money? why?” you frown. “lip, are you- is everything alright?”

“debby got arrested.” lip mumbles. he’s known you for a while, a long while, he knows your disdain when it comes to debby and her carelessness. more so, his incessant need to always pull her out of the hole she dug herself in. “she needs money for bail.”

“woah, woah, hold on.” you stop him. “you’re- you’re not- lip, absolutely not.”

“what?” lip snaps. “absolutely not? what-“

“-lip.” you glare at him lightly. “no, we-we don’t have that kind of money right now. jude starts daycare next month, and the daycare fees are going to double-“

“-yeah because you insist on puttin’ them in that fancy ass one by your school.” lip scoffs. “couldn’t leave them with mrs. mcgee. too fuckin’ good for that.”

“yeah, i am too good to leave my babies with a lady who chain smokes and watches the price is right all day.” you glare. “i want my babies to go somewhere safe and- that’s not even the point right now. lip, no. you’re not doing it. we can’t afford it.”

“we can fucking afford it. don’t start this shit with me-“

“-lip, we might have the money for it, but that does not mean we can afford it. that’s our savings, our safety net-“

“-and this is my family. my sister.” lip gritted his teeth. “isn’t that what the safety nets for, huh? for shit like this? unexpected bad shit?”

“not for debby.” you snap, finality in your tone. “not for someone who continues to make bad decisions and not learn from them and then wants you to run and get her out of it every time. i’m sorry, lip. this time i’m not letting you do it.”

that escalates bc one, you told lip he couldn’t do something which just made him turn more stubborn, and two, he’s blinded with irrational rage.

“what about franny, huh? she’s your fuckin’ niece, you’re gonna just let her get put in the system-“

“-franny is more than welcome to stay here. i will gladly take her while debby’s figuring shit out, but you have kids you need to think of. two kid that are yours that you need to think of, lip!”

“don’t you fucking dare.” lip snarls. “don’t you use my kids against me.”

“i’m not using them against you! jesus, lip, you don’t get to just come in here and tell me what we’re doing with our money! that’s my money in there too, ok? i’m telling you right now, if you fuckin’ use my money on this, and not think about our kids, you might as well just not come home.”

lip is furious, leaves without another word, slamming the door hard behind him leaving you in the house with freddy and baby jude. you’re fuming, upset, hurt- he’s feeling the same. lip is furious, furious at you telling him what to do.

he ends up at ian’s house after coming dangerously close to going to the alibi. ian talks him down, tells him you’re right, which was not what lip wanted to hear.

“debby can wait. she’ll get out soon enough and she can figure it out.” ian rolls his eyes. “she shouldn’t have been such a fuckin’ moron.”

“what about franny then, huh? you’re gonna just let her go into the system? let cps get her until then?” lip spat furiously.

ian scoffs. “franny is with carl right now. he’s bringin’ her here tonight.”

lip burns with embarrassment, feeling petulant but still pissed. “hey, word of advice?” ian smirks. “quit bein’ a hard headed jack ass and go home and apologize to your wife before she comes to her senses and leaves your ass for good.”

and lip is still mad but it’s dwindling, a guilt replacing it instead. he just needed to calm down, to think straight. walking back to your house, he had the time to.

lip jammed his key in the door, the ridges not sliding the usual way, not clicking. so he tried again, turning the key with no luck- it didn’t budge. he pulled on the knob, twisting again and again but nothing. “stupid fuckin’ piece of shit door.” lip grumbles, knocking on the door.

he waits, huffing, knocking louder. when there was still no response, lip goes to pull out his phone, only then does he see the pink envelope with his name on it on the welcome mat.

lip opens it up to find a note:

“phillip,

since you insist on doing whatever you want without asking me or considering our family, i decided i would do the same. you can go stay with debby since you chose her over me and my kids.

ps. don’t bother with the lock, i had them changed xoxo”

he found his car keys under the envelope. lip was furious, absolutely fucking furious and sick and upset and just overwhelmed with every emotion possible. you hadn’t even given him his lighter, so he took a walk to the corner store to buy a pack of spirits and a lighter. he called you on his way back, not surprised when you didn’t pick up.

“hey, you know, i know you think you’re bein’ real fuckin’ funny but this shit isn’t funny, ok? i didn’t choose debby, i didn’t do shit, alright? so let me back in the house and let’s be adults about this.”

then another voicemail.

“alright, seriously? you’re not gonna let me in? you’re not gonna let me come say goodnight to freddy or jude? that’s fucked up. really fuckin’ fucked up.”

“you’re bitchin’ me out about not spending money, and-and you get that done? get the locks changed? how much did that cost huh? you can use money to be petty and childish but i don’t get a say in what i want to use it in?”

“ok this is ridiculous. let me in. talk to me. be a fuckin’ adult.”

“seriously? where the fuck am i supposed to sleep tonight? i know you’re fuckin’ seeing’ these- i can fuckin’ see you! just let me in!”

you don’t budge. don’t reply back, don’t answer the calls. he knows better than to bang on the door, wake jude or freddy up, and truthfully… he’s a little terrified at the moment. very scared that you’re truly done with him, that ian was right and you’d come to your senses.

so he slept in his car. in the driveway, thankful it was warm that night and he had a few spare shirts and things in the back. he waited until the next morning, when he knew you’d be up with the boys, to ring the doorbell.

his anger had vanished to fear and guilt, retreating back to you with his tail tucked between his legs, all sad eyes and gentle apologies that you deflected with anger still bubbling.

it definitely took him a while to make it up, a very long while before you actually gave him his new key. he had to make it up to you, work on his communication and his sharing especially with you.

[sameschmidtdiffname]

Peeta as the smallest of 3 brothers definitely had to resort to dirty plays like biting in his youth.

First off, you're right and you should say it. Second off, Peeta being the youngest is 1000% a dynamic in his relationship with Katniss once they start to recover.

No bc listen. I was the youngest of three siblings and while we never got into physical fights I learned QUICK how to use my mouth to win what battles couldn't be fought physically because my siblings would 100% go to jail for trying to rock a 3 y/os shit. So Peeta was running his mouth religiously around the household. Can't tell me otherwise. "If it weren't for the baby??" Girl, he was biting AND flappin his lips. 100% would get pinned to the ground by his brothers and be like "wow I feel bad for your girlfriend" before getting his shit rocked. He'll offer them tips inbetween punches. "Aim for the throat. Wow, you're still pathetic."

Second, Katniss is the eldest, Peeta is the youngest in their families. Once they're more secure in their relationship, Peeta is 100% causing fun! problems 24/7. She's stressed the fuck out she's gonna come home one day from hunting again and half the house is repainted with all of the furniture just shoved into one big pile away from the drying walls like "WHY DID YOU DO THIS??" "bored :))" because he's so dangerously intelligent, I'm thoroughly convinced he's a practical fucking moron. He probably had to create his own entertainment as a child, he's used to being ignored. If he gets an idea to rearrange the furniture, he just does it. Katniss and Haymitch both have to intervene with how much this happens because Katniss complained about it to Effie once, and Effie started rambling about this thing called "feng-shui," and now Peeta is completely obsessed and will spend several hours to the point of obsession planning with Effie not just his decor, but literally fucking everyones, and Katniss tried to warn Haymitch "Hey, we need to fucking stop this," and Haymitch just said "get out of my house." But now Haymitch is too sober to deal with the constantly changing furniture, and why is this idiot painting his ceiling, and can you please pick up a hobby that doesn't involve majorly changing the layout of our houses? Peeta says no. Katniss instead comes home to Peeta having several geese chasing him at Haymitchs training. He's been waiting for an excuse to reveal this.

She stops feeling bad for needing his constant comfort once he starts biting her out of boredom. Oh, come on. You can see it. He would absolutely look at her arm one night and go "you look nice :))" before taking a giant fucking bite that makes her question every decision she made from age 16-18. There's a solid minute where they just sit in their bed at a standstill. She's holding her book in shock, he's just frozen still biting her. She says "What the fuck" he says "nostalgia :))" to which she's further confused and slightly terrified. She learns how to duck. He learns how to lure her in easier. Post-canon angst + comfort is cute, give me chaotic Peeta torturing his wife who just wants five minutes of peace but secretly adores her dangerously clever idiot of a husband

Imagine when they have kids. That woman is gonna go from "peetas baby!" To "your child."

He likes tossing the motherfuckers in the air. He's the kinda dad who will take off RUNNING with the shopping cart, shove the thing as far away as he can and just wave "bye bye! :))" to the baby inside of the cart that's laughing wildly while Katniss is just chasing this fucking thing down through the store like it's the quarter quell all over again and everyone else is just watching like "Jesus Christ he's doing it again." It gets worse when Peeta collaborates his children with the attacking geese to use against Haymitch when he tries to prevent him from repainting his ceiling again.

[chvoswxtch]

just started the punisher & absolutely in love with how you write frank castle. i’m already a huge simp and NEED a bodyguard!frank x reader fic where the reader gets a lil tipsy & likes to run away from him? ofc she runs into trouble with other guys at the bar and immediately regrets losing frank but he comes in at the right time?

if not i totally understand and will continue to binge all of your fics!!

-thor ✨🥰

thor!!! my sweet sparkly angel baby god of thunder!!! ✨

you're so PRECIOUS. thank you so much, and thank you so much for the request. I can't believe I hadn't thought of bodyguard!frank before like...you're a genius. I left this one kinda open ended bc I wasn't sure exactly what kind of relationship we were going for between frankie & reader, so I kept it subtle BUT as always, if you want more just let me know. 😏 ❤️

warning: contains violence and mentions of blood (frankie is the punisher after all), swearing, mentions of alcohol, & mentions of harassment (if this makes you uncomfortable, please feel free to skip!) word count: 3k

it's my job.

[next chapter] | [series masterlist]

You should’ve listened. He told you to stay close. He told you not to have that sixth drink. He told you to stay where he could see you. But you didn’t listen.

Why hadn’t you fucking listened?

Because he frustrated you. Because he was all stone cold gazes and silence. Because he ignored you like he was paid to do that instead of protecting you. Because his eyes were always over you or around you, but never on you.

Because you had a school girl crush on your body guard and you couldn’t figure out why. 

Well, you knew part of that why. He was incredibly handsome in a rugged way. He was big and broad and looked like he could snap you in half with his bare hands if he wanted. You’d seen him crack a smile once, not at you of course, but another one of the guys that was assigned to you, and God was it beautiful. It softened his face in a way that made you stupid, and that was probably why you had made the dumbass decision that you had.

You weren’t a damsel in distress by any means, but you’d certainly play the part if it meant Frank Castle was coming to your rescue. 

The plan was simple. Slip away from Frank at the bar, find a random guy to flirt with, wait for Frank to find you, and finally be his center of attention. Simple, right?

Wrong. Very wrong.

Everything seemed to be going smoothly. Frank had turned his head for one second, and you were gone, giggling to yourself as you pictured the pissed off look on his face. Were you being a brat? Absolutely. But as pretty as Frank was, he was also a huge dick most of the time. It was only fair to return the favor considering he had been driving you crazy for months now. Tipsy you had completely justified your actions, and you agreed with her. 

It didn’t take long to find an unsuspecting player in your little game. He had a godawful smirk on his face that definitely wasn’t as attractive as he thought it was, and clearly screamed ‘no one’s ever told me no in my entire life’. That should’ve been red flag number one. His overconfidence was as nauseating as the sound of his voice, but you reminded yourself you had a game to win. You subtly kept glancing around for Frank, wondering what the hell was taking so long. All of a sudden, Jason…Jake…whatever the hell his name was-decided to invite his entire frat house apparently to crash your little party. 

That was when the chaos started.

They all crowded around you in a corner in the back, completely blocking your view from the rest of the bar. You started to feel a little nervous, realizing that if you couldn’t see Frank, he couldn’t see you. That thought, along with the ravenous gaze in each of the men’s eyes, completely sobered you up. You didn’t like their lingering stares. You didn’t like how close they all were. This wasn’t fun anymore. It wasn’t a game. It was a mistake. 

“I-I think I should go find my friend. Excuse me.”

“Whoa, where you going, princess? I thought we were your friends?”

The ringleader didn’t hide the path of his eyes as they traveled down your body, and it made you feel sick. His friends snickered as they moved in closer towards you, not bothering to hide their shameless gazes either.

“What, you don’t like us anymore?”

Think. Think. Think.

Don’t piss them off. 

Play along.

Be smart.

You attempted your best polite smile, shaking your head slowly as you tried to find a gap between their bodies.

“Just wanna make sure no one sends a search party and ruins the fun. I’ll be right back.”

You tried not to move too quickly as you went to step between two of them, but a tight grip on your wrist yanked you backwards against an uncomfortable chest.

“Why don’t you just text them later. C’mon, don’t be difficult.”

There was a fear bubbling up in your chest and your throat felt tight. God why hadn’t you just fucking listened to Frank? Where the hell was he? You just wanted to go home. You sent a silent prayer up to whoever was listening that you’d never do anything stupid like this again if you could just go home.

“You’re hurting me.”

You winced, not from the weakness in your own voice, but from the harsh orchestra of laughter at your words. You felt like a lamb trapped in a circle of wolves. The horrid feeling of the man’s hand caressing your face caused your fingers to tremble, whimpering slightly as his hand gripped your jaw tightly when you tried to turn away from his touch.

“What’s the matter, princess? Don’t like it rough?”

“Frank?!”

If he couldn’t see you, maybe he could at least hear you.

“That’s not my name, baby. Don’t worry, we can practice you screaming it later. I promise, it’ll be the only one you remember after I-”

A high pitched yelp rang loudly in your ears and it took a couple of seconds to realize that it came from the man that was grabbing you. Blinking a few times, you stared dumbfounded as you realized Frank had pinned his arm behind his back in a very painful looking position and had slammed his face into the closest wall.

“You put this fuckin’ hand where it don’t belong again, and I’m gonna break it. You got that?”

Frank must have done something to prove his point, because the man cried out as he furiously tried to nod his head that was trapped against the wall.

“Fuck…y-yeah, yeah I got it! Just fucking let go!”

As Frank released him and took a step backwards, the man fervently turned around, ready to strike until he took in the look on Frank’s face. There was pure fear in that man’s eyes, and you could’ve sworn you saw him gulp as he quickly took a step backwards. He looked comically small compared to Frank. It fueled something within you to see him look so small and fragile. Frank turned his head slightly to shoot a warning look to the others, one they quickly responded to by taking a step back and holding their hands up in surrender.

Shooting one last glare to the ring leader, Frank finally turned around to face you. A shiver tumbled down your spine at the fury burning in his eyes. He was pissed. 

“You alright?”

The tone of his voice was so harsh and gruff it almost hurt your ears, having the complete opposite effect it normally did. You brought your trembling hand up and held your wrist against your chest, trying to ignore the sting of pain you felt as you cast your eyes downward and nodded.

You jumped slightly when you felt the warm weight of Frank’s palm on your arm, noticing the way his face fell ever so slightly as he recognized the terror in your eyes. He gave your arm a gentle squeeze, nodding his head towards your wrist.

“Lemme see.”

If Frank was pissed before, he was fucking enraged now. Allowing him to hold out your wrist to inspect it, his jaw immediately hardened when he saw the faint outline of fingerprints blooming on your skin in light shades of maroon. 

“Fuckin’ piece of shit.”

Before you had a chance to stop him, Frank’s fist was colliding with the man’s jaw, causing you to wince as you heard it crack like thunder across the sky in a violent storm. You could hear one of his ribs shattering like glass as Frank landed a powerful blow to his chest, grunting as he dragged him back up by his collar.

“Thought you liked it rough, huh? You pussyin’ out on me now?”

The man feebly tried to push at Frank’s chest to create some distance. He would’ve had better luck trying to knock down a brick wall with his bare hands. His friends stood stunned in place by Frank’s wrath, paralyzed with horror as their fearless leader sobbed and pleaded for mercy. 

“You like putin’ your hands on women, yeah? That make you feel big? Make you feel like a man?”

Frank’s voice boomed in your ears the louder he got. There was a frenzied look in his eyes, and you’d lost count of how many times his fist had collided with various parts of the man’s body. 

“Frank, please.”

Frank’s unrelenting fist paused midair at the sound of your voice, head snapping in your direction. He wasn’t going to stop unless you begged him to. You could see it in his eyes.

“I wanna go home. Please, Frank. Please take me home.”

A muscle feathered in his jaw as he glanced between you and the man whose bloodied face was now unrecognizable. Grabbing onto his jaw roughly, the man whimpered as a fresh stream of blood leaked from his mouth. Frank leaned in close, staring directly into the eye that wasn’t swollen shut as he growled lowly.

“You ever come near her again, or I hear anythin' ‘bout you putin’ your hands on another woman, I’ll fuckin’ make you scream. And it’ll be the last goddamn thing you do. You got that?”

Frank didn’t wait for an answer. He swiftly guided you out with his hand on your lower back, ignoring the horrified looks from everyone as they parted for him like the red sea. The slam of the passenger door caused you to jump, buckling yourself in with trembling hands as Frank sped out of the parking lot like a madman. 

You couldn’t look at him. You couldn’t face the rage on his face and the disappointment in his eyes. One glance in his direction had you immediately turning away. His fist was coated in the man’s blood as it gripped onto the steering wheel, crimson almost gleaming under the moonlight as it dripped down his wrist. You pushed it too far. You pushed him too far.

The entire drive home was silent. You desperately wanted to get out and get away from him. How were you ever supposed to look at him again? He was probably going to quit after what you did. How could you have been so reckless? So stupid? You stared at your reflection in the side mirror.

Well, you got what you wanted.

As soon as his truck pulled into the driveway you were unbuckling yourself and dashing out towards the front door. Your fingers trembled as you struggled with the lock, heart thrashing in your ribcage hearing Frank’s heavy boots pounding angrily against the concrete. He silently reached around you to grab the keys, turning the lock and shoving the door open angrily as you rushed through the threshold. 

His large hand caught your arm before you could disappear into your bedroom, spinning you around quickly as he stared down at you furiously.

“Why do you gotta always be so goddamn difficult? Why can’t you just do what the fuck I ask, when I ask it?”

“Frank-”

“You are a fuckin’ relentless pain in my ass, you know that? You got any idea what coulda happened to you? What they woulda done? Is that what you want?”

“No, I-”

“Because that woulda been on me. Somethin’ happens to you, it’s on me. It don’t matter that you’re a goddamn spoiled brat that can’t fuckin’ listen to save her fuckin’ life, it’s my ass. You get that? Or are you so goddamn selfish, you can’t see past yourself?”

He was right. You knew he was right. You had been selfish. You could’ve gotten yourself seriously hurt, or worse. You could’ve gotten Frank hurt or worse. And for what? Because he did his job too well? Because he wouldn’t entertain your bullshit? A lump of regret caught in your throat and you could feel guilt brimming along your waterline. You were a selfish, spoiled brat to him. That’s all he saw you as, and would ever see you as, because that was all you had proven to him. He probably hated you, and that thought alone is what finally broke you.

“I’m sorry, Frank. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to-I wasn’t thinking. I was being stupid. I…I was being selfish. If you hadn’t been there…I don’t…I can’t…”

You shuddered as you thought about how that sentence would end. You didn’t even wanna think about it. You realized in that moment how complacent you had gotten because of Frank. He was always there. The thought of someone getting past him never even occurred to you. There was never a chance for anyone to get too close to you until you created one.

Frank paused his irritated pacing, his face softening as he heard the remorse that cracked through your voice. Your hands were trembling as you choked words out through your heavy tears, and for the first time that night he thought about how scared you must have been. He glanced at the bruises that marked your wrist and let out a deep exhale through his nose. You were a pain in the ass, but he knew you hadn’t intended for tonight to happen. You could be careless sometimes, but not enough to put yourself in that situation.

Frank took a few cautious steps forward, placing his hands delicately on your shoulders.

“Hey, breathe. Everythin’s alright, yeah? You’re home. You’re alright. Just…breathe for me, sweetheart.”

“I’m so sorry, Frank-”

Frank let out another deep sigh as he pulled you in close, hugging your head against his chest as he gently rubbed your back.

“Hey…hey, I know. I know you didn’t mean for it to happen. Look, it’s over, yeah? Don’t matter anymore. Just focus on breathin’ for me.”

“You could’ve gotten hurt, and I-”

Frank pulled back slightly as he cupped your jaw delicately, searching your eyes with confusion knit between his dark brows. It felt drastically different than when that man had grabbed your face earlier. Frank’s fingers were rough, but they were soft as they touched you. Frank would never hurt you. His full lips were pursed in almost a pout as he searched your eyes, and it was the first time you were able to look at them so closely. They were a breathtaking shade of chocolate brown, and looked so different when he wasn’t angry. His entire face was different when he let that brooding mask slip. 

After a beat of silence, the edge of his mouth curved in the tiniest of smirks as his eyes lit up with mischief.

“The hell you worryin’ ‘bout me for? I’m the one protectin’ you, ya’know.”

“I don’t make that easy.”

“No, you don’t.”

There was a somewhat playful tone to the normal edge of his voice. He was trying to make you feel better, but you didn’t feel like you deserved it.

“And I could’ve gotten us both hurt because of it.”

Frank had expected you to banter back with him. You always had some smartass comeback ready to fire, and he secretly enjoyed it. But the dejection in your voice made him worry he’d been too hard on you earlier. A bigger part of him was nervous that he’d scared you in the bar, and that gnawed at the pit of his stomach.

“Have I ever let a single thing happen to you?”

“No, but-”

“Do you think I ever would?”

“No, but Frank-”

“Good. My job is to protect you. I don’t need you worryin’ ‘bout me, sweetheart. I can take a lot more than you give me credit for. What I do need is you to worry ‘bout yourself, and listen. I don’t tell you shit to be a hardass or try to control you. It’s to keep you safe. You got that?”

“Yes, Frank.”

“So, we understand each other now? You gonna start listenin’?”

“I will, I promise.”

“Attagirl.”

Frank granted you a miniscule smile as he wiped a stray tear away from your cheek, and a tiny surge of pride flowed through you at his praise. You wanted more of that. You gently wrapped your hand around his wrist, finding yourself unable to break his mesmerizing gaze.

“I don’t ever want anything like tonight to happen again.”

“That makes two of us.”

“I was really scared, Frank.”

“Did I scare you?”

Frank’s voice was quieter as he voiced his inquisition, and you could hear the vulnerability laced in it. You quickly shook your head, holding onto his wrist a little tighter.

“I wasn’t scared of you, Frank. I never have been. I was scared I wouldn’t be able to find you. That you wouldn’t be able to find me. That I…might never see you again.”

“I’ll always find you, sweetheart. I promise.”

You thought you liked how your name sounded coming from Frank’s mouth, and God you did, but sweetheart…yeah you liked that much better.

“Frank-”

“Go get some sleep. We’ll talk in the mornin’.”

“Are you leaving?”

Frank quirked one of his brows as he looked at you, a smile ghosting over his mouth so fast you had to convince yourself you hadn’t imagined it.

“Kinda defeats the purpose of body guardin’ if I ain’t here to guard your body, yeah? And since someone can’t manage to keep herself outta trouble, can’t really take any chances.”

Something about that sentence had heat violently spreading across your cheeks, and traveled very far downwards. You nodded your head quickly, trying to will your brain to remember how to speak as you cleared your throat.

“Right…um…guest room is-”

“Across from yours, I remember.”

“Um…goodnight, Frank.”

“Night, sweetheart.”

You flashed him a tight lipped smile, trying to gather yourself as you turned around and headed towards your bedroom. What a fucking night. As you opened your bedroom door, you paused for a second and turned around, only to find Frank still in the same spot you had left him, watching you closely. He turned his body to face you expectantly, cocking his head slightly to the side in question.

“Thank you.”

Frank’s hand twitched slightly as his side, giving you a slight nod.

“It’s my job, sweetheart.”

[vex91]

Nicha Yontararak - You're losing me

Pairing: Nicha Yontararak x Female Reader

Fandom: (G)I-DLE

Requested by: @1luvkarina

Request: minnie x fem reader, secretly dating and y/n is tired of hiding their relationship from their friends

Summary: After years Minnie finally realizes that she's slowly losing you and tries to fix it but is it already too late?

A/N: Angst bcs I say so @1luvkarina

3rd's POV

You felt cold.

The winter air felt more cold than usual as you sat in the empty house. Minnie wasn't home, she went out to a friend's party. In her words she had to go alone to not raise any questions among her friends about you - in their eyes you were friends and that's how Minnie wanted it.

Everytime you asked her about the reason of why she wanted to hide your relationship so badly, she always answered the same.

"I don't want anyone getting into our business"

You knew she wasn't honest. She had to have another reason for it but she just wasn't able to confine in you and it hurt even more.

The sound of keys jiggling resonated around the house as you were washing the dishes. You could hear footsteps followed by Minnie's joyful voice as she told you all about the party but you couldn't focus on it, not when you wished to be anywhere else other than with her - something you never thought you would want in your life.

"Baby?" Minnie asked when she noticed how silent you were as you dried your hands "Is everything okay?" She pulled you closer to herself, a worried expression looking back at your blank one.

"Maybe you'll tell me Minnie, is everything okay? With us?" This took your girlfriend by surprise and she let out a nervous chuckle.

"What do you mean? Of cour-"

"I think we need a break"

Minnie froze.

Her heart sped up as panic was clear on her face and in her voice as she blurted out all sorts of questions.

"Minnie can't you see? This whole secret thing, it hurts our relationship. You went to the party without me so people won't see us together and it's not the only example of how you've been treating me. You can't even confine in me about this and you want to tell me that we're fine? That we're not barely hanging in this relationship?" You finally broke down, tears you've been holding the past months finally let loose and Minnie watched it.

Her heart broke at the sight.

She never meant that.

"Love-" She tried holding your hands but you pushed her away "I never meant to make you feel like that, I just... I never wanted anyone to mess with our relationship, make you feel bad about dating me but I guess I went overboard huh?" She mumbled and it nearly made you hesitate but you knew that you deserved better and it Minnie couldn't try then there was nothing left in this house for you.

"Please love, please let me make it up to you" She whispered as she tried to hold back her tears. She didn't deserve to cry, not right now.

You thought about it. It was a hard decision to make as memories flooded your mind. The bad ones kept overshadowing the happy ones but still, you really wanted to focus on the good ones.

So with a kiss on her cheek, you took your bag and left the house leaving her with a lingering kiss on her cheek and words that will continue ringing in her head for days.

"Make sure that in the end we'll end up back in each other's arms or I will never forgive you"

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for sending a vaguely passive aggressive card?

i (25M) bought a card that says "i will always value our friendship" and inside i handwrote "you dont get to take this decision back, it is unfair to me too. i wish you the best." and gave it to my ex (27F) the day after she cut me off.

we met 2 years ago when we started working at the same job. we instantly hit it off and became close friends, and pretty soon after mutually crushing on each other.

however i had JUST left a super toxic relationship literally the month before and was in no way ready for a new relationship, and i made this clear to her. despite this she still asked to start dating almost every month for the better half of a year. i finally gave in and said yes, but she has to be super ptient as i still dont really feel ready for a relationship and am not over my ex, and havent even gone back to therapy yet to process the trauma of said previous relationship. she said she doesnt mind and even wants to help me process it herself. (key note: she is in college to become a trauma-specialized therapist.) i initially refused but upon her repetitive insistance gave in and let her give me "therapy talks" and whatnot. i dont exactly think i needed traditional talk therapy bc it hasnt benefitted me in the past and instead mostly benefit from EMDR and hypnosis. thats neither here nor there i guess lol.

fast forward a couple months and her car breaks down. she doesnt have any local friends or family so i ended up being her main ride to and from our job even though it was super inconvenient for me. we live in opposite directions on our job, each of us ~30 min drive away from work. so i would have to drive 45 min to her apartment to pick her up, then drive 30 min to work. after work i drive the 30 min back to her apartment, then the 45 min home. for unrelated reasons i end up leaving our mutual job and get a different job, closer to her apartment. ...but i am still her only ride. so now i am driving 45 min to her place, 30 min to HER job, 30 min BACK to her town where i work. now i drive 30 min to pick her up from work, 30 min to drop her off, and 45 min home. (that over three and a half hours of driving a day. she does not contribute to gas money.)

i am admittedly probably the asshole for this but i grow a little resentful of her lack of contribution and her expectation of me to be her ride despite the fact that she does not save money to fix her car or get a new one (she has a shopping addiction and spends a lot of money on knick knacks at antique/thrift stores). so we hardly spend time as a couple since i am always exhausted from work and driving her around. i tell her i dont Want to driver her everywhere and its putting a lot of tension and strain on the relationship bc of it and she is kind of like "well what am i supposed to do, lose my job and get evicted?" and so out of guilt i continue to be her ride.

she decided that me not spending enough time with her outside of driving is unfair and she wants to end the relationship. i agree this is for the best but because we used to be such good friends before, i want to try to be friends still. she agrees. i lay down a hard boundary now though: i will no longer be her ride. she does in fact lose her job and gets evicted from her apartment. by this point she has become friends with one of our old coworkers and ends up moving in to their house with their family, i end up helping her move.

we try to be friends, but she never texts first or asks to hang out or invites me anywhere, and on the rare occassion she agrees to my hangouts, shes extremely snappy and passive aggressive with me and is quick to remind me of what an "absent" boyfriend i was. i get fed up with this after a couple months and tell her i cant be friends with her is shes going to be so mean to me all the time, even if i WAS a bad boyfriend the relationship is over now and it isnt fair to keep holding it over my head. she agrees to try and be nicer to me. we slowly start becoming really good friends again and eventually start regularly hanging out again for a couple months.

my dad fucking dies. i take a month off work and have weekly grief counselling appointments. i kind of ghost everybody i know, not just including my ex/friend, but also my best friend, my cousin, and even my step sister. after a couple months back to work (sleep, go to work, come home, sleep. i didnt do Anything. i barely ate.) i finally start to get out of my depressive funk. i start reaching out to people again. most are super understanding and some are kinda weird about it. when i reach out to my ex and say i finally am starting to feel like a person again and we should hang out, she tells me that i broke her heart again by ignoring her and that i dont get a third chance, and shes cutting me off. she requests i drop off anything i still have of hers (she had some clothes and other stuff at my house) and so i decide to, kind of half genuinely and kind of half sarcastically, buy a "friendship" card.

...so, am i the asshole for buying a card that says "i will always value our friendship" and writing "you dont get to take this decision back, it is unfair to me too. i wish you the best." on the inside, and giving it to my ex the day after she cut me off?

[hannya-writes]

When they save you from a brothel (Zoro Edition)

Title: The perfect Girl

Fandom: One Piece

Pairing: Zoro x Reader

Other characters: The Owner

Category: romance, adventure

Warnings: there's a Kiss! Zoro is a bit Ooc because I couldn't found a way to make this happen 😅, as before there is kidnapping and violence in this chapter, there's no smut in here, walk away, horny people!! (No wait come back!!)

Author's note: just like with Luffy, this happens 6 years in the future, so Zoro would be 27 years old, why did I wrote this in the future? Bc I thought only that way Zoro would change enough to take the decisions he does (?) Nah, I just like characters to be older! Anyways, to the story we go!

• • •

You didn't started working there because you wanted.

When you were 15 your Mother/Father were sick and you wanted to help them.

You started cleaning the floors, washing dishes, serving the woman who needed help with make up or hairstyles.

The owner of the place tried to make you work for them as a prostitute, but you didn't wanted to.

So they started to pay less, at first just some berries. But those berries lost made you unable to pay for your parent medicine.

After a month without the medicine your parent started to feel worst and worst.

And like a balm, the brothel owner offered you a loan, just the right amount for the medicine.

And you thought the owner was a good person, that you would be able to pay back. :readmore:

But one day some one robbed you and the owner give you more money.

In another occasion someone stole your clothes as it was drying in the sun, the owner gave you money to buy yourself some clothes.

You couldn't pay the owner back and somehow the loan got bigger and bigger until it became an impossible amount.

Then the owner offered a deal: You could pay working for them as a prostitute or he could turn you to the police for stealing.

That time there was no room for you to say no.

Since then they gave you a room, nice clothes and even a maiden to help you with everything you needed.

Close to no clothes, very tight clothes or the worst: Lingerie and a silk robe.

And you do what you are forced to do.

There are clients that are gentle but there are those who get violent, who creep you out, who enjoy when you say no.

It's a nightmare so you try to escape. At first you sneak out but get caught.

Then you jump from the window of your room, but the guards save you from a sure death.

When they realize that you are trying to kill yourself they start to drug you.

And that's the worst because then you can't leave, you need the drug if you don't have your dosage you start to feel ill. You feel like dying but without dying.

And then you just… give up.

Zoro

Unlike Luffy, Zoro actually had the pleasure house as his objective.

However, it wasn't to exchange his money for sex. He was only interested in the Sake. The pleasure house you were trapped in was famous because of theirs.

The thing was, the place was full of people. Men with women at each of their sides. Women with skimpy clothes and big smiles.

The bar was packed too, but he was lucky as a men decided to stand up and leave with a woman.

He took the open spot and he would have ordered sake but the bartender was too busy.

"Oh god, here comes the golden bitch" a woman commented by his side and Zoro tried to not pay attention to her

"Ugh she's the favorite but she's so arrogant, who does she think she is? Boa Hancock?" The other woman complained and suddenly he got interested, he had met the ex-shichibukai but in his opinion she wasn't as beautiful as everyone said.

He followed the gaze of the two annoyed women and saw "the golden bitch" (aka you) walking towards the bar.

Zoro had seen his fair share of women, princesses, queens, warriors, samurais, minks, giants, mermaids, etc. but in all that time he had never seen a woman quite like you.

You were elegant dressed with a black dress that accentuated your figure, with a turtleneck and window in the shape of a heart. At first sight you seemed arrogant and intimidating, but after further inspection Zoro noticed how empty your expression was.

However it was easy to overlook your expression with all that gold jewelry in your wrists, neck, ears and hair. You were so eye-catching, he even felt there was a halo around you.

'Golden bitch' he almost laughed because of the accuracy of the nickname. He turned back to look if the stupid bartender was free but to no avail "the fuck do I have to do to get some Sake?" He thought to himself.

"Excuse me" you said, taking the seat by the side of Zoro before bending over the bar, almost giving everyone around an excellent view of your ass hadn't been for the dress.

When you sat back there were three bottles of sake in your hands and a sakazuki cup on your cleavage.

"I believe this is what you want to drink," you said calmly, putting two of the bottles and the cup in front of Zoro, suddenly turning into the most beautiful woman he had ever met. "I apologize for the wait the bartender is having a hard day"

"Sure" he said as you got down from the seat with your bottle of sake "thank you" he added as you turned to look at the two women who had spoken before.

"If you two have time to bad mouth me, serve the clients and stop being a couple of common bitches" you said and Zoro actually enjoyed seeing you metaphorically bite them.

After that he poured his sake on the cup and tasted the very first sip of the famous drink.

You on the other hand walked back to the side of the room, to the owner of the pleasure house, just on time to hear someone inform him that a very important pirate was there.

The owner asked who it was and the person informing showed him a wanted poster of the man you just had helped.

Which explained everything, after all you had heard his thoughts over those of everyone else.

Some time ago you had eaten a devil fruit in hopes of getting a power to escape from the pleasure house, but all you got was a power to hear people's thoughts, desires or intentions. The more powerful they got, the louder and clearer were the voices.

Moments ago all you had been able to hear was "sake, sake, sake" and the person giving you a headache with his desire for sake had been Roronoa Zoro.

"Come on, darling" the owner told you as they took you by your hand and dragged you back to the bar. "You got a special assignment" he added as he pushed a little bottle of poison on your cleavage.

'I'll get so much money if I kill him' the owner thought to himself and you felt dread filling your body.

You didn't want to do this, not again. If Roronoa Zoro discovered you were trying to poison him he would certainly kill you.

"Don't make that face, it makes you look ugly" the owner ordered you before caressing your cheek. They disgust you, with a sigh of defeat you composed your face."That's it, much better"

The owner walked to the swordsman and introduced you, adding that you will be serving him his drinks in a room since he was one of the most wanted pirates of the world and he didn't want some marine to appear and try to stop him from having fun.

Zoro accepted without a doubt, after all a place away from all those people sounded good.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Roronoa-san" you said when you got in the room.

Zoro only hummed. not wanting to give the impression that he was interested in you since you were a prostitute. He knew that give you attention would only make you try to get physical with him.

"Do you always do this?" He decided to ask as you poured the drink for him.

"Only for very special clients" you admitted without lying since this wasn't the first time you were forced to do poison someone.

"What kind of clients?" You could literally feel his distrust, it was like a needle piercing your chest.

"Ummm…" you thought for a moment, feeling that if you lied he'll know, and you weren't wrong, Zoro was studying your face. "famous clients" you smiled but he noticed the happiness didn't reach your eyes.

"How did you know I wanted sake?" He continued and you felt a cold sensation wash down your back.

"It was a hunch, I also like sake, I know how a sake lover looks like" you lied and mixed it with a truth, you liked sake, you could recognize someone who liked it.

"Get another cup then, you'll drink with me" he decided and you looked at him surprised. He hadn't took that decision as a safety measure to avoid getting poisoned, but out of a whim. That made you giggle, he seemed invincible.

"Roronoa-san is very generous" you commented and that time when you smiled a spark of life appeared in your eyes. Zoro liked that spark of vitality, he wanted to see more.

You left for a moment and when you got back you had brought the cup and more sake.

That time Zoro poured the drinks and you took a sip that made you sigh.

"Roronoa-san, you must have many stories, would you share them with me?" You spoke to him with respect and fake admiration but so naturally he almost believed it.

"I'm not good at telling stories" he answered and he immediately regretted it since you simply accepted and drank another sip of your drink with a slightly disappointed expression.

"I met my captain the day I was going to be executed…" he started his story and was instantly rewarded with an expression of surprise and happiness on your part.

'How cute' you heard him think at some point of the story when he described his friend Chopper and you got excited.

Usually men thought you looked hot, sexy, fuckable and those kinds of things. No one saw you as someone cute, it made you blush and Zoro enjoyed the unrestrained emotion his thought had provoked.

"It's your turn" he said when he ended his story and you looked at him with a confused expression.

"My turn?" You asked frowning.

"Your turn to tell me your story, it's how it works" he explained and for a moment you got trapped in a flashback, a succession of escapes ending bad, hits, lightened cigarettes being pressed on your back only for someone of the staff to "erase" your scars with the power of a devil fruit.

"I'm afraid that will kill the good mood" you commented but since he had told you a story, you decided to humor him. "This story is not mine…" you said as you started your narration.

You were creating the story as you told it but everything made sense, it was about a Swordsman, since Zoro was one.

Zoro enjoyed the story, as you were telling it, he noticed how relaxed you were, how your vacant expression came alive every now and then.

"You are good at telling stories" he praised you making you blush again.

"Thank you" you answered with a smile that made Zoro's ears turn red, how were you doing that? How were you managing to get all of his attention?

"Could you tell me another story, Roronoa-san"

"Sure, why not?" He said and noticed how you leaned forward on the table expectantly.

"Wait, Roronoa-san, I'll go for more sake" you interrupted him moments later as he told you about Enies Lobby, he nodded and you left in a hurry wanting to hear more.

"What is taking so long?" The Owner asked you when he saw you in the kitchen.

"He asked me to drink, I can't poison him" You explained and the man slapped you across the face.

"Stop being useless and find a way" he said angry and left you there.

When you got back to Zoro it was with a tray in your hands that had three bottles of Sake and a plate of snacks you ordered to poison.

"What happened?" He asked the moment you crossed the threshold.

"I'm sorry I took so long…" you started to apologize but Zoro wasn't listening, his gaze was on your cheek. In the small amount of time he had seen you, you had shown to be a level headed, smart and elegant woman who didn't bother anyone… So, who had slapped you and why?

Fuck, why was he so fucking angry about it? Has Sanji's character rubbed off on him?

"What happened?" He asked curious, pointing at your cheek and you touched it softly

"I made a mistake" you said without thinking, touching the burning skin where you had been hit. "It's ok, I deserved it"

'no, you don't' his thought warmed your heart, it made you wonder how could such a rough looking man be so sweet.

"I thought you were the favorite" He said frowning and you laughed without happiness.

"I'm just a caprice of the owner" you said, offering him a cup full of sake that he gladly took. "I'm their precious canary, but that doesn't mean he won't hit me" it took you a moment to realize what you had said, you had spoken your mind without thinking, showing him the real you.

"What an idiot" he said, still bothered every time he saw your red cheek.

Feeling his annoyance directed at the owner made you comfortable but wary, no one was that good.

"Why? Would you treat me better if I were yours?" You teased taking a seat on the table, by his side. "You know what's my work?"

'of course' Zoro answered in his mind but only looked at you with a serious expression. You leaned towards him and kissed the corner of his mouth.

"I'm a whore I kiss men, I make their fantasies reality, I let them use my bo…" it was his hard gaze that made you shut up.

Why were you saying that? Why were you discouraging the infatuation the swordsman had on you? Why did it bother you that he had made you drop your act of the perfect girl?

'how annoying…' His thoughts made you smile, a weird sensation prickled on your brain and it took you a long moment to comprehend what your devil fruit power was catching on him.

Yeah, coexisting near the love cook had finally rubbed off on him because he wanted to hold you, kiss you… get you to a safe place.

'protect' was what you were catching from the swordsman. He wanted to protect you and you were building walls to reject feeling like a damsel in distress.

"Roronoa-san…" you whispered before pushing away the sake for you to sit right in front of him with parted legs in an inviting way. Your hand took his and you guided it to your thighs. Maybe if he fucked you he'll forget about his attraction to you "It's fine if you want me" you guided his free hand to your chest but he suddenly reacted by getting away from you.

He couldn't do it, he was not made of stone, he felt things, he had urges but he didn't want to do that with you. No when you were doing it because it was your job. It would be like taking advantage of you.

"Roronoa…" you followed him with your eyes only, knowing he didn't want you to touch him, knowing what he was feeling because you were in synchrony with him.

"Shut up" he told you and you obeyed "Stop trying to get in my pants" his choice of words made you blush and laugh, laugh for real.

With a huff you hopped down from the table and he watched as you went to the very lavish bed in the room. The very same bed Zoro had been actively ignoring from the beginning.

"You aramazing...Your feelings are overpowering me" you finally said as you lay in the bed hugging a pillow.

"What?" Zoro asked, taken aback by your words.

"You have a crush on me but you respect me, you think I shouldn't be here, that I should leave" you said so softly that Zoro got closer to hear you.

"I don't…" Zoro was blushing big time.

"I ate a devil's fruit, I can read minds, so don't bother denying it" you cut his sentence.

A slight blush stayed in his cheeks.

"Fine, whatever" he almost went back to the table but noticed that you had in your hand the last bottle of sake "hey, what are you…?" He saw you drink from the bottle, his eyes followed the path of the sake that spilled from the corner of the bottle's mouth forming two very appealing rivers that traveled from your mouth to your chin and then down your throat.

He hated his sudden urge to lick the sake from your skin.

"There's been others like you," you said when you drank, taking him back to reality. You cleaned the corners of your mouth and continued. "You think you are heroes, but you just want to chain me, hide me where no one else but you, can see me" Zoro got closer and tried to take the Sake from you but you pulled your hand away to avoid his hand. "I mean, it's kinda an implanted fantasy, look at these" you showed your wrists with bracelets that covered almost half of your forearm. "This scream shackles, this says save me! Be my Prince charming" you mocked

"Pathetic" He suddenly said and you looked at him bewildered since you were able to feel his very clear desire for you but his words and attitude were the opposite. "You have embraced your cage" he leaned over you, you felt his intentions of taking the sake from you.

He was right, you were able to read minds but you felt like he was the one reading yours.

You were afraid, you didn't want to get your hopes up only to crash and discover he was a liar.

'Say the word' his mind was saying and your movement to get away from him staggered at that.

Word, what word? What was that supposed to mean? You tried to retreat but in a blink you were caged between two strong arms, the bed and the body of Zoro.

You took the last sip of the sake but before you drank it Zoro lifted you from the bed and put you over him, straddling his lap. The gravity did its job and the sake went from your mouth to his as you graced his tongue with yours slowly, so very slowly and sensually.

'Ask for Help' he thought and you pressed closer to him, wanting more if only for him to stop asking that of you.

"I'm not a damsel in distress...They sent me to kill you, Roronoa-san" you confessed not expecting anything from him. He clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"And how would you do that?" he asked amused, taking you by surprise. You tried to get away from him, but his hands kept you close to him.

"With poison" you answered with seriousness and he smirked.

"Poison" he repeated in a mocking way dismissing you "I'm no prince charming, you know? I'm a pirate" one of his hands gently pushed a strand of your hair away from your face.

You didn't have time to even be confused by his words because the idea in his head slipped inside yours: kidnap' Your eyes grew bigger and the smile in his face let you know that he was aware that you knew. You opened your mouth to tell him not to do it, but with an easy move he put you over his shoulder and started his escape.

The next minutes were filled with people trying to stop him and you giving him directions to get out of the brothel.

But Zoro is terrible with directions, so of course he turned in the wrong direction and of course he entered the wrong hall and somehow he ended up destroying the whole place.

When you finally got out, you looked in disbelief at the building in flames. How had that happened? You were not sure, but sake was flammable so…

"Roronoa-sama, you are amazing" you said as he walked away from the crime scene "wrong direction" you let him know and he stopped, turned in the other direction and started walking again.

"Your welcome" he said and you groaned in his shoulder.

"It would be easier to get you to your ship if you put me down," you said, resigned to your future.

"I'm fine, I don't need…curly brows?" When he said those last words you frowned.

"Marimo?" A man's voice answered, leaving you in the dark "that is no way to carry a lady!" He complained and Zoro growled.

'I forgot about the love cook' you heard Zoro think and you were puzzled wondering what could that mean.

The swordsman put you down and you looked at the blond man before you with an expression that made Sanji's eyes become hearts and you were able to hear his thoughts, all of his thoughts.

And Sanji's dirty and sweet thoughts at full speed scare the shit out of you, making you hide behind Zoro and fist your hands into his clothes.

"Oi! You scare her!" Zoro complained annoyed. There was a small discussion and finally Sanji guided you two to the ship where Zoro had a short conversation with the captain, who got closer to talk to you minutes later

"Y/n, do you want to be a pirate?" Asked Luffy in front of everyone and you looked at him seriously.

"No, I just want to stay by Roronoa's side"

Luffy laughed, satisfied with your answer.

"Then, welcome to the crew!"

• • •

Next... ?????? Edition

Who's edition should I write now?

[mahs-dumpster]

"Happy 100th anniversary"

a/n: this is soooo self indulgent please. It's a vignette (written only in dialogue) for Daisy's (my Yuu) birthday jacket card that I just made! I'll be linking it here once I edit this post!

cw: oc x canon (Ruggie x Daisy; they're established to be in a relationship and Daisy has already made her decision to stay in twisted wonderland); dialogue heavy; poor attemps at making this look like a fake translation from a vignette bc I'm delulu

The template for the frames of the paintings can be found here.

Words: around 1k

Happy birthday, Daisy!!

Daisy: To think I'm able to visit a museum like this! I wonder what sort of paintings I'm going to see…

Daisy: I'm expecting to maybe recognize a few from the stories mom used to read to me… let's see if I actually can recognize them!

Daisy: I wonder… is she someone I'm aware of? A lady who constantly cleans her house…

???: That's the princess who inspired the glass slippers you always wear.

Daisy: Huh? Oh, Ruggie! I thought you were all the way on the other side of the museum! 

Ruggie: I was, but then I met Trey and we kinda ended up wandering around until I got here. 

Ruggie: What a coincidence that I found you looking at the painting of the lady who inspired your favorite shoes, shishishi~

Daisy: I guess it is a fun coincidence. Oh, right! Would you mind explaining more about her to me?

Ruggie: Fine! But don't go walking around telling people I've gone soft…

Daisy: No need to worry, I wouldn't even dream of it. 

Ruggie: *sigh* anyway… This lady is the princess that inspired your shoes, do you know the story behind it?

Daisy: Sam only explained to me that the princess who wore them danced with them until midnight… so I guess I don't know much more than that.

Ruggie: Right. Legend says she was an orphan who was forced by her stepmother to become basically a servant.

Ruggie: She cleaned the house all day everyday, was forced to hear awful things by her step family and when she wanted to go to a ball her stepsisters tore down her dress. 

Ruggie: A Fairy Godmother – well, her Fairy Godmother – decided to help her get to a ball, she gave her a gown, a carriage and everything! 

Ruggie: the Prince fell in love with her almost immediately and when she ran away and left her glass slipper fall, he tried it on every lady in the kingdom to find out who his beloved was. Then they got married and she never saw her family again.

Daisy: That’s basically the story of Cendrillon. 

Ruggie: What? Oh– one of the fairytales from your world?

Daisy: Yes. I’ve always admired her story, I reread it a lot growing up because I related to her. 

Ruggie: Ah… you did say your stepmother treated you horribly.

Daisy: She… treated me as best as she could.

Ruggie: Which wasn't anywhere near good enough. 

Daisy: Haha… I guess you're right. 

Daisy: What I mean is just… she treated me badly, but I don't hold grudges. 

Daisy: Whatever she's doing, I forgive her. And now that I'm somewhere better and living a happier life… I hope that her and her children manage to grow as people.

Daisy: That's what my mother taught me. 

Ruggie: …sometimes I really do wonder how I fell for such a goody-goody.

Daisy: W-what’s that supposed to mean?

Ruggie: I’m just saying, you're way too naive and nice to forgive someone like that.

Ruggie: if it were me, I’d never forgive them. No way someone's gonna step all over me and I'll forgive them.

Daisy: because that's exactly what you did to Leona-senpai, huh?

Ruggie: besides the point. 

Daisy: Ruggie, isn't this painting depicting that story you told me about? The ones about the dogs sharing spaghetti?

Ruggie: Oh, that one, yeah! I didn't know they actually painted the scene, who would've thought.

Daisy: They're so adorable, I see now how romantic this is.

Ruggie: I guess? It's still just spaghetti…not only that but it's outside in the middle of the night. I guess for dogs it would be cool but for people? I’d honestly just be excited because it's free food.

Daisy: Oh, come on now! This is super romantic! It's a candlelight dinner under the night sky! 

Daisy: If someone did that for me, I know I’d be pretty happy and satisfied.

Ruggie: You’re just trying to convince me to ask you on a date, aren't you?

Daisy: …

Ruggie: Should’ve figured, shishishi!

Daisy: You can't blame a girl for trying, I’ve been pretty lonely these past few weeks since you’ve been working more than usual.

Daisy: But jokes aside, this right here is already enough. I’m already way less lonely just by walking around this museum with you, it's practically a date!

Ruggie: I don't think a date would consist of everyone from our school coming with us…

Daisy: You get what I mean…

Ruggie: Tell you what, once we get back I’m cooking us both some spaghetti and lighting some candles if that's what you’d like.

Ruggie: If my flower is feeling lonely then I better give her a proper date so she can feel loved, right?

Daisy: You really don't have to… but thanks. I would love to. 

Ruggie: Ah, this one's actually a very famous painting, I’ve seen pictures of it around quite often.

Daisy: R-Really…?

Ruggie: What? You don't believe me?

Ruggie: It ties with Sunset Savannah’s history and with The King of Beasts’s story! 

Daisy: Well, forgive me for not understanding the historical significance of a monkey holding a lion cub…

Ruggie: *sigh* Alright. Lemme explain.

Ruggie: This is a ceremony often done by members of royalty when a new child from the royal family is born. 

Ruggie: It goes so far back even the lions from The King of Beasts’s story did that. They basically present the baby to everyone else in the kingdom… it's kinda hard to explain.

Daisy: Oh, I get it now!

Daisy: I see why it's so famous, seeing how it portrays an aspect of the royalty of Sunset Savannah. 

Ruggie: Eh… I never went to one, as you can imagine.

Daisy: Never? Is it not open to the common folk?

Ruggie: Well yeah, but back when there was one for who I now know is Leona-san's nephew, I was trying to survive.

Ruggie: I didn't have the time to go to a ceremony just to watch a new baby I didn't care about being presented to the whole kingdom.

Ruggie: I’d learn about him regardless, so I just didn't care much.

Daisy: I guess that makes sense.

Daisy: Still, it must be super interesting to see it happening. How cute would it be to see a baby cub being shown to the entire world just like that, hahah! 

Ruggie: Ah– sorry, before I got here I told Leona-san I’d go fetch something for him at the cafeteria in a few minutes… if I don't go now he’s gonna be pissed.

Daisy: Why didn't you tell me sooner?!

Ruggie: Well, ya know– it's impossible to resist spending time with you~

Daisy: Alright there, Romeo, enough! Go before he gets upset. I'll be looking around this area for a while more if you want to come back.

Ruggie: *sigh* ‘kay, I'll be off then! 

Daisy: Hm? Ah, this is another painting of Cendrillon.

Daisy: She looks so much free... I'm happy she got her happy ending.

[fairysluna]

NOT THE BEST IDEA — Modern!AU | Final Part.

MASTERLIST | A little playlist that helped me to write this fic.

Pairing: Aemond Targaryen x Fem!Reader x Cregan Stark.

Summary: While the guilt is eating you alive, Cregan seemed to grow worried about your sudden distance, and he suspects of what really happened in the Lake House. A big decision is to be made now that Aemond seems eager to gain you back.

Tags/TW: angst, hurt/comfort, mentions of blood, aemond being a menace, wounds, violence, mentions of murder, miscommunication, toxic behaviour, veeery brief smut at the end. If something is missing pls let me know!!

Author's Note: i never expected this story to be more than one part long, but here i am posting the fifth part bc you loved it so much!! thank you for reading this story and for showing your support, this is dedicated to every single one of you!!🤍

Word Count: 5.3k

Tag List: (bold means i couldn’t tag you) @immyowndefender @bellameshipper @mysticgothicgirl @aemondswifeisme @issshhh @serrhaewin @loglady00 @melsunshine @izzy-the-ginger @champomiel @iiamthehybrid @ghostheartbeat @introverbatim @earthangels-things @omgkatherine01 @flosaureum @justanotherkpopstanlol @tssf-imagines @doublesparrows @aaaaaamond

This must be a punishment from the Gods.

You were laying in your bed, feeling as if the whole weight of the world was on top of your weakened body. Turns out that the kiss Aemond stole from you not only left you feeling terrible, but it also caused you to get the flu. 

Your throat was sore, and all beverages turned into torture to consume. Helaena has been kind to you, as she usually is, bringing you soups and herbs infusion that should be helpful to improve your sickly state. Cregan had gone to visit you too, taking chocolates, extra soft tissues and fast food. However, you would feel extremely guilty everytime he would arrive with his enormous smile by your side; after what had happened with Aemond, you no longer felt worthy of Cregan’s love.

He wasn't oblivious to your obvious and sudden change of attitude towards him. He knew that something was going on with you, but he couldn't find an answer to his questions, for you were refusing to speak with the pathetic excuse of having a sore throat. Though Cregan knew it was just a false justification, he didn't pressure you to tell him anything; he was hoping you would talk to him once you were ready to do so. 

But he couldn't help thinking that it was something that he did. 

And you were scared. Scared to face the truth and the consequences of them. Losing Cregan was, right now, your biggest fear; the fact that he could find out the truth and dump you for it was terrifying. You cannot allow it to happen, so you just find a solution by remaining quiet, without being conscious of the negative effect that it would have on Cregan. 

Helaena would be the wise one, telling you that even if you were scared, it was the right thing to do. And still, you couldn't find the courage to do it. 

"Aemond would make sure he knows," Helaena had told you, "and that will be so much worse because he will make it seem like you wanted it too."

"I should've left that bloody house as soon as I saw him there," you whined, trying to hold back tears as your beloved friend caressed your hair, "none of this would've happened if I had listened to Cregan."

"But it did," she told you, using that soft voice of hers that would always manage to calm you down, "it happened, y/n, and now you need to be honest with him… and with yourself." 

"I am being honest with myself," you cried, "I don't love your brother, not anymore. Not when he is constantly making me feel like shit."

"Cregan needs to know this. He wouldn't get mad at you, he knows about Aemond, he had known him since high school!" 

"But-" 

"He's a good man. A genuinely good man," Helaena interrupted you, now standing up and grabbing the empty bowl of soup from your hands, "We both know that he's not Aemond. He will listen before he does something irrational."

Helaena left the room, and you curled up your body hugging a pillow as you felt the distress running up and down your weak body. You close your eyes for a moment, but the feeling of the tears falling down your cheeks made you roll your eyes with frustration, because even two years after your break up with Aemond he was still able to do this; to wreck you and leave you helpless, with your mind as a mess and your heart filled with sorrow. 

You never thought you could hate someone in the way you hate Aemond right now. 

When a very well known song sounded and echoed in the room, you knew it was Cregan calling you from work. You thought, for an instant, about letting the song play until he would get tired of waiting for you to pick up, but again, he didn't deserve it. 

He didn't deserve any of this. 

"Hi?" you said softly, trying not to sound as if you were just crying. 

"Hey, love," he replied, and you swore you were able to hear the smile in his words, "How are you doing? Did you have a good night?"

You sighed, remaining quiet for a few minutes before actually saying something. 

"Y-yeah… I've been doing well. Hel just cooked me soup for lunch," you mumbled. 

"Oh, that's good," he cheered, "well, I hope you hadn't eaten too much because I just got out of work and I'm on my way to Wendy's. Do you want something special or just the same thing?" 

"The same thing, I guess," you spoke half-heartedly, feeling the knot in your throat growing with each word.

There was silence in the other line, but you were still able to hear the soft music playing in the background so you guessed he was driving his car. Then, a sigh was heard, a heavy and tired sigh that made you close your eyes as the guilt returned to you. You knew exactly what it meant. 

"Baby, can we talk once I get home?" He asked softly, patience showing in his voice. 

You bit your lip and considered the answer to that; you really didn't want to talk, you weren't ready to do it, and yet, you agreed. 

"Sure," you said in a choked sob, wiping the rebel tears with your free hand. 

"Great, so… I'll see you later," there was a dubious pause in the middle of his words, as if he was debating whether to say something else or not. Eventually, he said, "I love you, y/n."

Your breath was caught in your throat as a cry threatened to escape you. A little voice in your head was constantly reminding you that you didn't deserve him, that he was too good for you, that you were unworthy of his love… and you started to believe it. 

"See you later," you answered, your voice coming out shaky and breathy, so soft and low that Cregan was barely able to hear you. 

And then, you just hang up. 

On the other side of the line, Cregan’s eyes remained fixed in the screen of his phone as he was seeing the screen saver; a picture of you. His brow was furrowed as his heart ached a little, a bit hurted by the sudden distance you were installing between you both. He was growing desperate to know what was going on, though he was certain that Aemond was the one to blame; there was no other explanation. 

The sound of the horns from the cars behind him were enough to wake him up from his trance, and he shook his head and started to drive. An anguish feeling growing inside his chest was barely letting him breathe, and the fear of losing you was starting to succumb him.

He bought the food, ordering your favorite meal and taking it to his car to then drive towards your home. His hands were shaking with expectation and nervousness, not being sure of what to say once he started this so-needed conversation. He tried to remain calm, playing some of his favorite tunes on the radio, but it would do little to help. 

Once he parked his car, entered the main area and went into the lift, he bit his nails, seeing how the numbers would change in the tiny screen until it reached the number 7. The doors opened and he walked out, reaching the door that had a '7B' hanging from it, and knocked on the wood as he took a deep breath. A few minutes later, Helaena appeared in his sight, receiving him with the same kind smile as always. 

"Hi, Hel," he spoke softly as she took a step aside to let him in. 

"Hi, Creg," she said, before rushing her way back to the kitchen, where she was baking something that smelled too delicious. "She's been sleeping this whole time, she's getting better tho, the fever is gone."

"Good," he said a bit relieved, closing the door behind his back, "I brought some burgers, but I know you don't eat meat so I brought you some fries and an oreo smoothie."

"Thank you!" Heleana raised her voice for him to hear as he left the bag with food on the dining table. "I'm baking a lemon pie, so if you stay for supper you'll get a piece!" 

"Now I will," he smiled before walking towards the kitchen, grabbing two plates to place the burgers and fries. He was about to pick them when he stopped for a moment and saw Hel cracking some eggs, he couldn't help but to ask, "what's been going on with her lately? Do you know something?" 

He saw the way she tensed, he perceived the nervousness and how her hands slightly trembled. She swallowed hard, almost gulping out of nervousness, but she just ended up shaking her head, playing dumb. 

"I don't know," she lied, shrugging, "but I don't think it's something that you should ask me."

"Yeah," he sighed, "you're right."

Helaena pressed her lips in a thin line as she saw him go to your room. She didn't pay any more attention to it, turning around to keep doing what she was doing, though, for some reason, she was left behind with some weird sensation installed in her chest. 

Cregan opened the door of your room and saw your body covered in blankets, all curled up and hugging a pillow. He smiled softly, thinking that even now you were looking absolutely gorgeous. He looked at you for a while, observing your beauty as you slept. His attention, however, quickly went to the phone laying on the floor, so he left the plates on the nightstand and then he picked it up. 

There were no notifications in it, and Cregan was not the kind of person who would lurk inside someone else's phone even when he was dying to know what you were hiding from him, so he just left it on your desk before he started to softly move your shoulders to wake you up. 

You slowly opened your eyes, Cregan immediately noticed how swollen and red they were. There was no doubt that you were crying, and it killed him to think that you were not allowing him to help you. 

"Hey," he cooed as he started to caress your hair. 

Your eyes fluttered open and you slowly lifted your head to look at him. Your lips were dried and chapped, and you felt the need to drink water. Cregan noticed it, and he immediately grabbed the bottle of water to pour some of it into a glass and give it to you. You drank it all in less than four sips. 

"I brought the food," he informed, taking one of the plates and leaving it in the bed as you sat up. "Hopefully it is still warm."

"Thank you," you weakly said, taking a few fries and putting them inside your hungry mouth. "How was work?" 

"Boring as usual," he shrugged, "I couldn’t wait to see you. You look better."

"I feel better," you lied. 

"Do you?"

"Yes, Helaena prepared me a soup and-" 

"I think we need to talk," he interrupted you. You nervously ate a bunch of fries as you looked at the food in front of you, trying to avoid the eye contact that you knew would be the death of you. 

"Okay…" you subtly nodded, "what is it?" 

He grabbed your hand, and took a deep breath before he spoke, "I need to know what's going on, y/n. Ever since we returned from the Lake House you've been acting different."

"Cregan, I…" 

"You've been ignoring me," he muttered, and the fact that you were able to hear the sadness reflecting in his deep voice made your heart ache. 

"I haven't," you rushed to say. 

"Yes, you have," he replied, speaking softly as usual, not wanting to raise his voice at you. He tried to remain calm, "don't- don't try to deny it. Have I done something that bothered you? Are you mad at me?"

"Of course not."

"How am I supposed to make you feel better if you keep pushing me away? We're going through something, you can't deny that, but I want to fix it. How are we going to work this out if you don't tell me what is wrong?" 

You felt your nose itching, once again feeling the weight of the blame in your shoulders. It was a sensation that it was starting to suffocate you, almost unbearable. 

"I'm begging you, y/n. Talk to me, whatever happened back there we can find a solution and make it better, I swear it."

"I- I can't…" you cried softly, wiping your own tears as you were now unable to hold his haze, "I can't do this now, I'm not ready."

"Love-"

"Cregan, I don't want to talk about this right now," you said, raising your voice to make him stop. 

"You told me we would talk once I got here, and now I'm here," he sighed, losing his patience, "please, tell me. I can't do this anymore."

"Creg-"

"It's been five days!" he interrupted you as he stood up from the bed, louder words than before, "And in these five days you've told me you love just once, when you used to tell me that all the time! Is that what this is all about? You don't love me anymore?" 

"Of course I love you!" you whined, standing up from the bed and walking towards him. 

"Then what is it?" He lowered his voice once he saw you getting close, "Fuck, y/n, I need you to explain this to me, I'm losing my fucking mind."

"I just need time-" 

"More time?" He scoffed, and it was probably the first time you've seen him mocking you this way, "Don't you see I'm fucking desperate?! My damn girlfriend is ignoring me! What am I supposed to think about that?" 

"Cregan, you need to understand me," you spoke in a thin voice, reaching for his shoulder and trying to calm him down, "this is- is not easy for me either."

"Then let me help you!" 

"You can't." 

"Does this have something to do with Aemond?" He dared to ask, and your response immediately told him the answer. 

You froze, as if the pure utterance of his bloody name brought chills into your spine. Your lower lip shook as your vision became blurry with threatening tears. Cregan let out a sly, mocking laugh as his hands brushed in his face. 

"Cregan…" you tried to say, but he, once again, interrupted you. 

"Something happened between you and him at the lake, right?" 

Your head slightly shook, but Cregan was too blinded by his broken heart that he barely saw it. He just nodded, assuming his words were correct, and started to pick up his things. 

"Fuck this," he muttered, and then you broke. 

Thick tears running down your face as you saw your worst nightmare coming true. You tried to reach for his hand but he shoved it away before you could even touch him. 

"Cregan, please…" 

"I can't talk to you right now," he muttered, "just- just… fuck." 

He opened the door of your room and slammed it behind his back. The sound made you shrink in your position as you stood there, still contemplating what had happened. You looked around and before you could drop on your knees, Helaena walked into your room. 

Her haze softened in the minute she saw your poor state; trembling and sobbing quietly as your reddish face was soaked with tears. She rushed to your side and held you between her comforting arms. 

That night, Helaena let you sleep in her room, cuddling you as you cried and constantly woke up from nightmares that tormented you not only while being awake, but also as you slept. Suddenly the flu was nothing compared to the thoughts that were haunting you even as you tried to find peace in your dreams. 

Two days later you booked an emergency session with your therapist, and you told her everything. Every single detail of your life, your relationship, how you were feeling about them and about yourself. And the solution she gave was unexpected, 

"Leave," she told you, "Sometimes running away is the bravest thing we can do. You will not be able to heal if you stay in the environment that broke you in the first place. It's like digging your finger in an open wound; it would only make things painful for you."

"What about Helaena?" You had asked. 

"Helaena is your direct connection to Aemond," she tried to explain with soft words, trying not to make you panic, "I'm afraid you'll have to leave her behind until you know you are in a good mental state."

Those words were engraved in your mind, adding another negative thing in your life; leaving your best friend. Helaena has been your other half since you both met in preschool, never leaving her side, not even when you went to separate high schools. You would always find your way back to her. 

For a long time you thought that Helaena was the one true love of your life, for her loyalty to you was beyond the charts, and vice versa. That's why the idea of being away from her was unthinkable until your therapist mentioned it… and now all you wanted to do was to cry. Cry until there is no more anguish inside of you, until it leaves you dry. 

Of course you told Helaena. Later that day, when you both were in the living room watching some reality show, you opened your mouth because you couldn't hold it any longer. The bowl of popcorn between your hands was now on the center table as Helaena held you close, caressing your hair and tearing up too. 

"It doesn't matter if you go to the other side of the world, y/n," she softly whispered, "we will always find our way to each other."

"You're my soulmate, Hel," you whispered back, wiping the tears that had fallen in your cheeks. "Probably the only one who ever truly loved me," you muttered the last words, and you quickly saw your best friend shaking her head with a gentle smile drawn upon her face. 

"We both know that's not true," she said as she placed a strand of hair behind your ear. 

And your haze quickly softened once you realized who she was referring to. 

It's been three days, and the only messages you've been receiving from Cregan are 'good morning' and 'good night'. You knew for sure that all of this was your fault, the miscommunication and lack of honesty had brought the doom of your relationship with Cregan and you wondered if it was too late to save it. 

But you owed it to him. Cregan loved you as much as you loved him, and for that you need to try. 

A few days later, when the flu had already left your body and you finally got the guts to dare to speak about it, you sat on the balcony of your apartment, cuddling in the chair that you bought in a thrift store. The summer days were already leaving as a cold breeze sent you chills all over your body, making you shiver. Your phone was in front of you, and in the tiny screen it was Cregan's contact.

Just a tiny touch would do to start a very much needed call. You were longing to hear his voice again, soothing you as his strong and protective arms made you feel safe. You needed him. 

You were alone in the apartment; Helaena went to an exhibition of bugs in the Natural Museum of Westeros with some of her work mates. She had invited you, but you rejected it; you needed to start to learn how to live away from her.

That's why it was so weird for you to hear noise inside the apartment, steps clicking against the wood of the old floor as your body froze with fear. Without even thinking, you stood up, and you committed the mistake of leaving your phone behind on the table in order to go and see what was going on. 

You checked the rooms, the bathroom, the living room, and you couldn’t find anything out of place. You let yourself relax for a few seconds before hearing the fridge being open… and then you panicked even more when you noticed the main door being opened. 

"Helaena?" You asked with a shaky voice, sneakily walking towards the kitchen being grateful for being barefooted, "Hel?" 

And then you saw him. 

Aemond turned around at the same time he closed the fridge. He was wearing all black and his eyepatch was nowhere to be seen. You were able to see the precious stone replacing his missing eye; a look that would make him appear even more intimidating than he already was. You shrunk in your position, feeling helpless and belittled with his mere presence. 

The anguish returned to your chest, and the feeling of hopelessness was installed in you. Your lips were pressed in a thin line as your hands started to shake. Your mind felt dizzy and fuzzy with this unwanted visitor. 

"What are you doing?" You asked in a breathless tone, as if you were too tired of repeating this all the time, "Gods, why can't you just leave the fuck alone?" 

"I've came for what is mine," he answered, shrugging as a smug grin appeared in his lips, "I've came for you, y/n."

"I'm going to call the cops-" 

"I'm not doing anything illegal," he mocked. 

"You entered my house without my permission."

"My sister's house," he corrected you, "now, now... did you dump that stupid excuse of a man?" 

"Don't talk about him like this," you threatened him, speaking sternly. 

"Does he already know what happened between us, darling?" He stepped closer to you, and you looked up at him as he grabbed your chin, "does he know that you kissed me?" 

"You kissed me!" you yelped, already feeling the itching in your nose announcing the upcoming tears. 

"And you kissed me back," he pointed out. 

"You- you forced me to-" 

"No excuses, love, I know what happened between us that night, you barely fought against me," he leaned closer to your lips until he was close enough to rub your nose against his, "you wanted it as much as I did." 

And then, you were under his spell again. Your breath shaking as you tried to sigh to regain some of the strength you've lost in his presence, but with him it was impossible. 

His hand wrapped around your waist, pulling you close to him as his other hand wrapped in around the side of your neck, keeping you still. You could only look at him, for your limbs were unresponsive to your consciousness, and no matter how hard you tried to pull away, you just couldn't bring yourself to do it. You froze in your place. 

"Mhm… you're going to be mine forever, darling," he said, now brushing his lips with yours, "I will make sure everyone knows it."

You closed your eyes, and tears fell down from them as soon as you did. 

"Everyone will know that Cregan's little girlfriend belongs to me now."

And then it hit you right there, like a hard slap across your face. 

Aemond never loved you, and he never will.

For him, you were nothing but a trophy to brag about with others, a sign that he had finally won something over Cregan Stark. Aemond saw you as a consolation prize after all the times he lost against him, after all the competitions where Aemond was second place. In his eyes, you were just another thing to compete for. 

Suddenly, something switched within you. The sadness that used to make you freeze in front of his respectable frame was now becoming something else; rage. Anger washed over you as you finally woke up from those dreams your past self had left behind. You started to breathe faster, heavier, your face turning red as your tears stopped from falling. 

A feeling was installed in your chest, the same one that you felt the day when you saw Aemond and his new girlfriend. A feeling that made you see only red. 

With a strength you didn't even know you had, you pushed him away. He took it by surprise and stumbled backward until his back reached the fridge, dropping a few magnets in the process. The madness was clear in your face, your exorbitant eyes staring at him as he tried to regain his composure in order to grab you again. But before he could get any closer to you, you grabbed a knife from the center table and quickly put it against his neck. 

His eye widened with surprise as he gulped, and once he tried to move you away from him, you buried the blade against his skin, not so deep but enough to cause a small cut and let some drops of his blood fall down his milky skin. 

"I won't let you ruin my life!" You yelled between sobs and gasps, "Not anymore!" 

"Y/n…"

"I should've fucking killed you at Helaena’s party!" you screamed, as you saw a glimpse of fear on Aemond's eye, "Get out of my life, leave me fucking alone!" 

Your yells became a bit too loud and you didn't even notice. You were out of your mind, completely blinded by the rage and the adrenaline rush of the moment. Aemond was trying to calm you down, visibly anxious with the situation he was in. He never expected you to react this way, to actually put a knife against his throat, he was actually fearing for his life as he saw the crazy look in your face. 

You lost it, you had gone mad thanks to him. 

"If you ever dare to fuck with me or Cregan I'm going to fucking kill you, Aemond!" You threatened him, grunting as you push the blade a bit harder, now the blood staining his clothes and your hand, "I'm not fucking lying, you better leave alone."

Aemond gulped and slightly nodded, but before he could even pronounce a word, you felt a presence behind your back. You followed Aemond's haze until you found Cregan's frame, looking at you with widened eyes and a confused look in his face. 

Your eyes instantly softened with the sight of him, and the knife in your hand fell onto the floor setting Aemond free from your grip and threats. You started to shake, and feel weak; it was as if all the emotions arrived into your body at once making you feel like you were about to faint. You eyed Aemond who was grabbing his throat and looking down at your bloody hands with an horrified look, as if he could not believe what had just happened.

It was so fast, that you barely regained consciousness of yourself when you started to feel your breathing fastening and your heart beating too loud. Your vision became blurry and seconds before it turned black, you felt a pair of arms holding you tight against a firm chest. You felt everything around you disappear once the sweet cologne of your boyfriend reached your nose, leaving a feeling of peace before you passed out. 

You didn't know how much time had passed before you woke up, but you knew whose arms were surrounding your body, making you feel safe. Cregan noticed your eyes fluttering open and he quickly started to loose his grip so you could properly move. The first thing you did once your eyes were fully open, was to search for his face. His beautiful, ethereal face. 

His hand immediately went to your cheek, which had a stain of dried blood that he had not been able to clean as you were sleeping. He used his thumb to wipe the dry tears out of your eyes and then you sighed. 

"Aemond kissed me," you finally confessed, your voice sounding raspy and lower than usual. 

"When?" He asked, without stopping his caresses on your face.

"At the Lake House." 

"Did you kiss him back?" 

You took a minute to think about it. You did kiss him back, but it was because he had forced you to do it. The mere memory brought tears upon your already swollen and red eyes. 

"Y-yes…" you replied unsure, making it sound more like a question rather than an affirmation. 

"And what did you feel?" 

You frowned, "what?" 

"When he kissed you," he explained, "what did you feel?" 

Your bottom lip slightly trembled, and Cregan was quick enough to take his thumb to it, caressing it with care and delicacy. Inevitably, a couple tears escaped from you. 

"I thought that I would feel something," you confessed, "but the only thing I felt was fear, of you finding out and leaving me for it."

"And when you kiss me?" he asked shyly, in a whisper that you were only able to hear thanks to the proximity between you two, "when I touch you? what do you feel then?" 

It was indescribable, you thought. His mere presence was enough to bring calmness to you, to make you feel good and relaxed. It was something that no one had made you feel before, something that you didn't experience until you met him. 

You couldn’t find the word to describe it, but you chose the word that seemed to be close enough, 

"Peace," you muttered, taking your hand and placing it in his cheek. 

"Peace?" He asked, and you nodded. 

"When I was with Aemond, everything felt like waves crashing against my body in a sea which I could never leave," you shrugged, now going to his soft brown hair, stroking it with much care. "It was as it was drowning me, tossing me around without letting me escape… until I met you." 

Cregan swallowed nervously, and you could perceive a slight rose color in his cheeks. 

"You made it stop, Cregan. You brought calmness and peace to my life," your voice came out shaky and whiny as you started to sob. He wiped your tears as you sniffed and then, you continued, "You saved me from drowning, you pulled me out of the ocean."

You saw his eyes gleaming as he stared quietly back at you. You saw his pupils dilated after each word you would say. He never, not even for an instant, stopped watching you. 

"I love you more than I ever loved anyone before. I'm in love with you in every sense of the word. And I'm sorry if I was a shitty person and allowing you to think otherwise, I would never forgive myself for that… but I was so fucking scared of losing you because of what had happened. I was scared of hurting you."

He remained quiet, his eyebrows slightly furrowed as his lips parted a little, as if he wanted to say something but he regretted instantly. 

"So now I beg you to forgive me. I cannot lose you, Cregan. I- I love you so much that I feel I can't live without you anymore," you shrugged, feeling your cheeks soaked with your tears, "And I know that right now you're probably seeing me as a fucking psycho, as mad woman, but please, please, Cregan, I beg you to-" 

His lips silenced you in the most romantic way as he softly kissed you, holding your face in a delicate manner that actually made you forget about the rest of the world. The only thought in your mind now was the fact that Cregan was yours once again, and that you were his in the same way. 

Your heart barely burst once you felt his sweet caresses, and you heard his soft 'i love yous' against your lips as his arms returned to their favorite position: around you. 

With breathless words, he whispered once he had the strength to pull away from your lips, "Let us get away from here… come to the North with me, away from everything that troubles you. We can be happy that I promise you."

"Cregan…" you gasped softly. 

"No more tears for you, I promise you that. You would never get to feel as if you were drowning, because I'll make sure you won't."

"But-"

"We can find a small apartment for the both of us, we can have a new beginning together…" he muttered, pecking your lips every now and day, "I'll make sure to find an apartment with two bedrooms, so Hel can come and visit us whenever she pleases… what do you think?" 

And then, after days of feeling completely miserable and unhappy, a genuine smile appeared on your face as the tears dried in your cheeks and you nodded. Cregan chuckled softly, 

"Yes?" He asked, smiling back at you. 

"Yes," you said, grabbing his face just to kiss him once again. 

The need to show your love once again started to create a heat between you two. The big fight was over, your troubles will soon vanish, you had never felt more happy than you felt in that little intimate moment. It was all you ever needed. 

Soon your clothing started to disappear with the increasing need of feeling each other's body pressing. The necessity of feeling him closer than that. The kisses deepened, your hands became more curious and your breaths became heavier with each passing minute. 

Sweet moans were heard a few minutes later as Cregan was thrusting inside of you. Your arms and legs wrapped around his big and wide body, holding him close with the fear of losing him again. 

Your eyes closed as Cregan softly moaned against your ear, whispering sweet nothings and kissing your neck. You couldn't help but smile, feeling so loved, so treasured. Each touch would translate into an unspoken 'I love you'.

Right there in that moment you knew everything would be fine. All the nightmares had disappeared from your life, and a new beginning was finally waiting for you. 

And you couldn't wait to see it. 

[verfound]

FIC: "The Dorm" (MLB; Lukanette; LBSC Lukanette Month 2024)

@lovebugs-and-snakecharmers is doing a Lukanette Month for September 2024, and we all just kinda tossed some prompts in the disco to compile a list?  We ended up with 71 prompts, so I decided I’d roll some dice to pick a prompt, do a twenty minute (ish, bc we all know sometimes they run away from me) sprint, and try to get some short fics out this month?

Read on Ao3

Prompt 22: Dorm

Luka wasn’t sure who was banging on his door at…seven o’clock on a Sunday morning, but he had Words for whoever the hell it was.  Colorful words he had learned at entirely too young an age from the Captain that he probably shouldn’t use in polite company, but it was seven o-fucking-clock in the fucking morning on a fucking Sunday, and he wasn’t feeling very polite.

The banging continued, and Luka groaned as he scrubbed at his face.  He finally reached the door and yanked it open, ready to chew out whoever the hell was on the other side.

He swore to God, if it was Dingo…

Except it wasn’t.

It was Tom.

Still wearing a flour-dusted apron and looking…kind of desperate.

What the fuck…?

“Luka!” he cried, his smile as wide as ever but filled with too much nervous energy.  He looked like…well, Marinette stressing the night before a big project was due.  “So glad you’re up!  Can I come in?”

“…I was not up,” Luka said, numbly, as he blinked at the man.  “Just because I’m ‘up’ now doesn’t mean I was ‘up’ when you…Tom.  Tom.  Do you realize what time it is?”

“I would have come earlier, but Sabine seemed to think you’d still be asleep,” Tom said, and a strangled laugh was startled out of Luka.  And Tom HADN’T?  Hadn’t he known him long enough to know better?  On a SUNDAY?  “Please, son.  It’s important.  I have a huge favor to ask you.  It’s about Marinette.”

Luka was suddenly very ‘up’.

…awake!

Alert!

Not…God-fucking-dammit he needed some coffee…

“What’s wrong?” he asked, his brow furrowing.  “Is Marinette all right?”

“Luka.  Son,” Tom started, wringing his hands anxiously in front of him, “have you seen her dorm???”

– V –

The problem had started about a month ago, when Marinette was first looking into student housing.  Technically she lived close enough to ESMOD that she could commute from her home at the bakery, but it had been important to her to live away from home while she was studying.  After so many years fighting Hawkmoth, she had wanted that freedom.  That independence.

Luka could understand that.

Her mother could understand that.

Her father, on the other hand…Tom had always been protective of his little girl.  And that was fine, usually.  He just loved her fiercely and unapologetically.  It was one of the things Luka loved about him.

It was also one of the things Marinette was finding particularly…well.  Smothering.  At the moment.  And she desperately wanted the chance to live on her own.

Student housing was usually reserved for international students or special cases, so she had had to start looking for nearby flats to share with fellow students.  Juleka and Rose were moving in together and would have offered a spare room, but their own respective universities were far enough away that it made commuting just a bit trickier, and Marinette hadn’t been willing to risk exposing the Miracle Box using Kaalki for transport every day.

“You could portal your scooter,” Luka had suggested, shrugging, but she had just rolled her eyes and nudged his ribs with her elbow.

“Kaalki would throw a fit,” she insisted, “and it’s still too risky.  Yeah, Hawkmoth…Gabriel’s in prison now, but the city is still tense.  Gabriel had his Miraculous too long for Paris to not be.  Ladybug is still needed, at least for now, and I can’t just go tossing portals all over the place.  You know better, Luka.”

He did, and he usually respected and supported her decisions when it came to the Miracle Box  - she was the Guardian, after all – but he was still…concerned.  The places she had been looking at weren’t…well.  He would rather her risk a portal and live with his sister, where he knew she’d be safe, than stay at half the places she’d looked at.

He had never really thought Paris was so…dangerous.  Before.

She had eventually found a place, although it wasn’t…it didn’t…they all had concerns.  To put it nicely.

“…why don’cha have her move in with you?” Dingo had asked him when she had first brought them over.  Well.  She had invited him, but he had been with Dingo when he’d gotten her call, and Dingo had refused to buzz off.  Something about how he ‘hadn’t seen his baby girl in months, Lulu – stop hogging her!’  Or something.

“I can’t do that, Ding,” he had sighed.  “She’s not…we’re not…”

He wasn’t quite sure what they were anymore.  Less than what he wanted but more than what he’d ever hoped for.  Asking her to move in felt like it would tip that delicate balance, but he wasn’t sure in which direction.  He wasn’t sure he could live with it, if she said no.

“You barely live here,” Dingo had sniffed.  “She could keep your bed warm for you while you’re on the road.”

He had said it with an impressive waggle of his eyebrows.  It was almost a shame Luka had had to shove him into an alley (and a pile of overripe garbage bags tossed next to a dumpster) as they passed.

(He had resumed the argument the day before, when they’d helped Marinette move in, and had kept it up well into the night – which was part of why Luka was so cranky that Sunday morning.)

Still.  The place was…fine.  It was fine.  For a first flat.  A ‘dorm’.  Her roommates were…all right.  He was trusting her, and she had looked so happy as she’d showed off her room with the kinda-sorta-maybe broken window (it was just the lock, not the glass, and Luka wasn’t sure how he felt about that) that he couldn’t just…declare it a shithole and insist she find somewhere else.  Somewhere like his flat, with its locking windows and running water.

“It’s a work in progress,” she had conceded when she’d seen their expressions, “but it’s home!  I’ll make it work!”

Which is what led him to Sunday morning, barely awake after staying out with Dingo until entirely too late (early) Saturday Night and listening to Marinette’s father rant in his living room.

“Make it work?” Tom parroted, staring at Luka with wide eyes.  Apparently he had tried to surprise her with a ‘First Day Breakfast’ – but she had still been asleep, still wiped from the day before, and he had left her coffee soaking into the welcome mat when one of her neighbors had come out of his own door and asked if Tom was the new dealer.  “She’s going to make it work?!  Luka, you’ve seen the place – she’s going to get herself murdered!”

“She can handle herself,” Luka had offered, even though he very much had the same concerns.  Still.  It was Marinette’s choice, and he was trying to respect that.  “She’s going to pick up some pepper spray.  She knows how to hold her keys.”

“Oh, yes, because that will make it all right when some ruffian mugs her on her way home from the library!” Tom scoffed, still fuming.  He stalked over to the couch and sat down on the crates Luka used a coffee table directly across from Luka.  “Luka.  Son.  I need you to do something for me.  For Marinette.”

“Anything,” Luka said automatically, without hesitation, because of course he would.  If it was for Marinette.

“I need you to ask her to move in with you,” Tom said, and Luka froze.

Well.

He almost froze.

He was pretty sure his eyes bugged out and his mouth dropped open.  Then he froze.

“She will, Luka.  If you ask.  I’ve already tried to convince her – Dingo’s already tried,” Tom said, shaking his head.  And Luka was surprised by that, because Dingo hadn’t said anything and…he actually hadn’t realized Tom knew who Dingo was.  He hadn’t thought they’d met.  There must have been some kind of look on his face, because Tom rolled his eyes and smiled at him.  “It was adorable that he thought letting his hair down and removing the shades would fool us.  I give him points for trying, though.”

“…I don’t think I want to know,” Luka sighed, shaking his head.  “Look.  Tom.  I can’t –”

“You can, Luka,” Tom said, frowning.  “She’ll say yes.  If it’s you.  If you ask.  She won’t ask you herself – believe me, I’ve tried to convince her to – but if you ask her…”

“…you told her to ask me?” he asked, sitting up a bit straighter and blinking at him.  “You…you’d be ok with it?  Her living here?  Us living…together?”

“Luka,” Tom said, giving him a Look that Luka was ninety percent sure was supposed to mean something, but he was still a little too caught up on Tom’s fine with us living together to pick up on it.  “Son.  Please.”

He pushed something into Luka’s hand, and he looked down to see it was his phone.  He had forgotten he had left it on the coffee table the night…earlier that morning.  There were a few notifications on the screen – from Marinette, he saw, from the night before.  Quickly reading through them, he noted they all sounded too…falsely cheerful to be really convincing.

“She hasn’t even unpacked yet, Luka,” Tom said.  “We could have her settled in by this afternoon.  I’ll close the bakery, and we’ll use the van.”

…his building didn’t have rats.

It would be nice to spend more time with Sass again.

It would be really nice, having all that extra time with Marinette…

Juleka had never complained about having him as a bunkmate, either – well.  Nothing too serious, at least, and he didn’t loiter in the stairwell selling questionable substances.  Most of her complaints stemmed from being his sister.

“…go get the van,” he sighed, massaging his temples.  “I’ll call her.”

When he showed up at her door fifteen minutes later – without calling, because it had gone straight to voicemail (like his would have, if she had tried calling him at seven o’clock on a fucking Sunday morning) – she was already up.  He had an entire speech about how he had a spare room within a reasonable walking distance to her school and the bakery and how important things like dependable plumbing and pest control are and the dangers of questionable doo-wop groups prepared, but when she flung the door open and stood there, panting, with…a kitchen knife held in her hand like she was ready to attack someone?

What the shit?

But she stood there, knife in hand and a look of terrified panic on her face, and he’d barely gotten her name out – never mind his speech – before she threw the knife behind her and flung her arms around his neck, holding onto him tightly as she started sobbing.

“Please, Luka, I can’t stay here there are rats bigger than Sass please let me live with you,” she gasped in a rush.  Her ‘roommate’ – the stoner with the septum piercing that had called Marinette by a different name every time he’d been over – was sitting on the couch behind them, and she rolled her eyes before turning back to the television and muttering something that sounded suspiciously like ‘pussy’ in their direction.  “I swear the unit the landlord showed me wasn’t this bad, and it was so cheap, but I never thought…I didn’t want to overstep, but I hate this place, and I haven’t even been here a whole day but the shower was brown, Luka, and I didn’t sleep because of the screaming and the rat –”

“Hey, hey, it’s ok,” he said, rubbing her back.  “Mari.  It’s ok.  I wanted to ask, but you…it’s ok.  Tom’s getting the van.  We’ll have you out before noon.  It’s ok.”

She was still crying when she looked up at him, but there was a hesitant smile on her face that was enough to break his heart.  He brushed her bangs back and kissed her forehead, and when she sucked in a breath and her hand fisted in his shirt…it was a little too easy, when he started to pull away and saw how wide and blue her eyes were, staring up at him like that…her hand twisted in his shirt to pull him closer, and he wasn’t kissing her forehead that time.

“…come on,” he said, his voice soft and low when the finally separated.  He swallowed, his eyes flicking back down to her lips for a moment before returning to her eyes.  Her smile felt easier, and it was too easy to steal another quick kiss.  “Let’s get you home.”

[explosionshark]

my favorite Miorine thing is that she's so laser focused on suletta to an almost comical degree. prospera reveals that she wants to ruin delling's life (like, her dad, who is dying at the hospital) and miorine goes "ok but leave suletta out of this!". near the end prospera goes on a tirade about eri and miorine, pissed out of her mind, says "you have another daugher! suletta, remember??". i love her.

LIKE. YEAH.

I think the show does a really good job acknowledging that 1) Suletta and Miorine both have REALLY different methods of parsing their emotions and expressing themselves and 2) holy shit they're fucking IN LOVE WITH EACH OTHER FOR REAL

You really cannot meaningfully analyze these characters and the decisions they make and the way they relate to each other without keeping their toxic relationships with their parents in mind. There's SO much projection going on - Miorine project herself onto Suletta and Suletta projects her mother onto Miorine.

When we meet Miorine she's isolated and miserable and her only concern is to spite her father and secure her own future. She feels at once dismissed by Delling and also oppressed and controlled by him. Suletta and, subsequently, Earth House are the only real connections she's made with other people. It doesn't take very long for her priorities to shift from getting herself away from her father to providing for her groom and gund-arm.

By late S1 she's undergone this massive shift - she's in charge of a project she chose, working with people she cares about. She's got two things she never had before: autonomy and support.

When Miorine hurts Suletta's feelings by trying to take greenhouse duties away from her, by endorsing her spending time with Elan, she is trying to give Suletta the most important thing she can think to give: autonomy. Freedom to choose how she spends her time and with who. It's a great conflict because it's such a revealing miscommunication. By projecting her own feelings and trauma onto Suletta, Miorine misses what Suletta actually needs. And it beautifully foreshadows the conflict in s2.

Bc the turn in s2 is that Miorine needs to reconcile the version of Suletta that she has come to know and care so much about with the Suletta she was confronted with at plant Quetta. Correctly, Miorine identifies that Suletta is being manipulated and controlled by Prospera. But she takes it further - she overlays her own parental trauma onto Suletta. Miorine sees herself and her father in Prospera's control over Suletta. Worse even: to her father, Miorine was a chess piece in reserve. But Prospera isn't holding Suletta back from anything to preserve her though: she's putting her on the front lines. She's using her as a weapon. And Suletta lacks the perspective to see it.

Suletta is, it seems, incapable of conflict. She can't stick up for herself. We see this all the time but especially in the whole lunch fiasco when she decides everyone hates her because she's too sad to ask for food. Miorine, on the other hand, actually has an easier time expressing conflict and disapproval than she does vulnerability. Calling out Prospera for the way she dominates Suletta makes perfect sense because Miorine has been calling her own dad out for the same things pretty much her whole life.

So, ultimately, Miorine deciding that she has the moral right and authority to make decisions on Suletta's behalf is a great piece of character work. The thing she spent her whole life resenting her father for becomes exactly what she does to Suletta.

Suletta projecting her mother onto Miorine is definitely another part of the dynamic. Again, it's something we see most in s2. Right before the sabotaged duel, we see this moment of total cognitive dissonance in Suletta's thinking. Miorine and Prospera come to hold fully oppositional places of importance in Suletta's world. She ascribes basically an equal level of authority to them.

She loves her mom > her mom loves her > her mom would never make choices against Suletta's best interests > whatever her mom says must be right > if it hurts or if it feels wrong, it's because Suletta has to be more mature. And at the same time she loves Miorine > Miorine is smart and capable > Miorine wouldn't make a wrong decision > if she hurts Suletta, it's Suletta's own fault.

After she loses to Guel, Suletta copes by blaming me herself. She doesn't know how to be angry at someone she loves, but she does know how to feel shame for not being good enough. She wasn't the victim of a cruel betrayal, because her love for Miorine means she CANNOT be capable of doing something that bad. It becomes instead a failure of Suletta's - if she has been better, Miorine wouldn't have abandoned her. It's her own fault for losing and for wanting more than she should have in the first place.

It's the exact kind of broken, warped thinking she applies to Prospera. And it's why Prospera is exactly right when she tells Miorine that she too could get anything she wants from Suletta.

This is why I love the reunion so much. It's so explicitly about owning your own actions and allowing the person you love the space and freedom to decide how to respond. Suletta extends her hand. Miorine decides to meet her there.

Suletta chooses to risk herself in the Calibarn. Miorine alone respects her choice enough to raise the permet score, even if she breaks down immediately after.

Anyway wow I'm fully brainsick about these two. Sorry for that long ass rambling reply but oh my god I'm in a chokehold atm

[albed-hoe]

RAHHH i’m back 👹👹👹

today i made the subconcious decision to pull for c1 hutao with my 30 saved wishes for furina and genuinely cannot tell if i’m upset abt it or not (i have so many unbuilt 5 stars it’s TERRIBLE i cannot afford to add her to my collection 😭.)

BUT IM NOT HERE TO RANT YOUR EAR OFF!

i’m here to deliver that lynette version you oh so requested 😘

NOTE: IK YOU LEGIT JUST GOT BACK INTO WRITING SO DONT FEEL THE NEED TO WRITE THIS ASAP JUST LET IT SIT UNTIL YOU FEEL UR CREATIVE MIND JUICES FLOWING AND TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOURSELF 👹👹👹👹

but yes, i thought while it’s fresh in my mind i’ll submit this entry to you for when you feel like writing this specific prompt 😁

SO without further adieu,

FOUND FAMILY /w COMFORT PT 2: so this is following a similar path to my freminet one. basically m!reader decided to take a peaceful walk around the court of fontaine with freminet (it can be a continuation of the first part or a completely seperate writing piece, up to you!) and on the way they run into lynette. ofc they invite her along and ask why she isn’t with her brother, and she explains how he’s off with the traveller on some errands.

they all decide to sit down to have some tea & sweets and m!reader offers to order (bc freminet is a lil shy and lynette jus isn’t a people gal), so freminet goes to sit at a table & lynette stands in line to wait for the order after m!reader has finished paying (once again, lyney scored bae material 😍).

after m!reader sits down with freminet and starts a lil conversation abt what he found diving a few days ago, he notices lynette getting hit on by some random dude. she’s visibly uncomfortable and attempting to move away from this man but he is PERSISTENT (not physically touching her but he’s pretty pushy)

ofc, m!reader isn’t gonna tolerate this vile behaviour towards his future sister-in-law, so he goes up to the man and creates distance between the two and (not so kindly) tells the dude to fuck off. creepo notices the vision on our person (idm what element 🫶🏻) and quickly scurries off.

m!reader verbally assures lynette (he’s wary of making her uncomfortable by hugging her bc ifykyk) that he won’t let anything happen to her whilst he’s around and lynette gives a lil smile (FJAKFKWKFKQ I LOVE THE TRIO SM 😭)

eventually the tea & cakes come and freminet runs up to lynette worried abt her, but she jus reassures him that she’s okay and they enjoy a peaceful afternoon snack together <33

later on m!reader gets a knock on his door, only to open it and find a teary eyed lyney with a massive fuckin bouquet. ofc we’re in shock, but before we question everything he chucks them on the floor of our house and gives us a massive hug, thanking us once again for looking out so much for his family (with lynette’s heartbreaking backstory i just know something like this would freak lyney tf out). we just hug him back and say how his family is our family and how he loves lyney’s siblings like his own (fixing my family issues w this request for real 😔) and i’m lyney is 100% planning their marriage once more in his head 😭.



Found Family (Lynette ver.)

Characters: Freminet, Lynette & Lyney x GN!Reader (no mention of gender, but reader is putting ring on Lyney's finger in daydream at the end)

Summary: Lynette is attacked by a creep, but Lyney's future husband/partner comes to the rescue!

Warnings: Creep attacking Lynette, fluff, silly little Lyney at the end

Word count: 674

A/n: Okayyy I have an ask from over a year ago about reader’s first time with Kazuha and I wanna write that so bad?? Do you guys want that too?👀 (This is not a continuation of the Freminet ver.)

The streets of the Court of Fontaine were busy as a usual weekend afternoon would make them. You were walking around, observing the different food stalls and stores with Freminet trailing you. The boy was looking around at different things that interested him, tugging on your sleeve to show you items from time to time. (HELP HE’S SO ADORABLE) Suddenly, you spotted a familiar whisp of hair in the distance. You take Freminet’s hand and pull him to catch up with the other person.

“Lynette!” You call out to the boy’s sister, catching her attention. She turns around and gives you a nod in greeting. “Hello, [Y/N].” She ruffles her brother’s hair to greet him, as she usually would.

Lynette had a good feeling about you as soon as Lyney had introduced you to her. She had a knack for being able to ‘detect’ someone’s intentions and from day one, she was sure you were a good person. Normally she would keep her guard up and try to protect her brothers from people who would try to take advantage of them, but… You were different. She approved of you.

You invite them both for some tea and sweets at a smaller café, bringing them over to find a table. You ask them what they both want and head over to place the order at the counter. As you finish telling the server the orders and paying, you return to the table and sit with Freminet, striking up light conversation. When you turn to the lineup to see where Lynette is, you find a man getting quite close to her. You knew she was not a fan of social interactions, so it was a little odd to see someone acting so familiar with the girl while she was looking nervous. Something about his mannerisms was getting to you, but you could not quite figure out what it was until he touched her upper arm. The sudden disrespect towards your (future) sister-in-law prompts you to walk up to the two, and you grab the man’s arm holding on hard enough to make him let go.

“Kindly leave, before I make you.” You say, with a sarcastic smile on your face. Lynette is standing behind a hand resting on the area the man had been grabbing. He laughs in disbelief and scoffs.

“Or what? She obviously wants me.” Lynette turns away in disgust to wait at the counter for the order. Your vision glows and your grip strengthens.

“Or you’ll regret it.” An expression of fear settles on his face as he sees the anger in your eyes. You let his arm go and he turns around and leaves without saying another word. You turn back to Lynette, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder to get her attention.

“You okay?” You ask her. She nods and you both take the order and join Freminet at the table.

The tea and sweets get gobbled up and the three of you make your way back to the siblings’ home after finishing up. You say your goodbyes and you part ways with them, heading back to your small apartment.

A few hours later, a knock is heard at the door. You open it to see Lyney holding a massive bouquet with tears in his eyes. Before you can question him, he drops the bouquet on the ground and throws himself in your arms.

“Thank you so much for taking care of my siblings!!” He says into your neck, your arms coming to wrap around his back after you recover from your shock.

After a few moments, you pull him away from you and set your hands on both his shoulders.

“Your family is mine, Lyney. You entrusted your siblings with me, so I cared for them.” His eyes water up again and he hugs you even harder than the first time. As he cries into your shoulder, his mind keeps replaying a scene of you slipping a ring over his finger to tie the knot between you both forever.

Not 100% proud of this one but eh :/

[argentinagp]

so in 2016, i was scrolling tumblr when i saw these selfies reblogged by my mutual. it was of a girl sitting on some breakers near the lake with a caption about it being the one nice day of the year so far. i was like wait. is this person also in Wisconsin? so i went to her blog and lo and behold, she was. so i scrolled through her stuff and found out that we had a lot of the same interests. so i followed her. (what i didn't know at the time was that she'd been following me for awhile).

soon after, she posted something about her mom and being upset and i was like hey. i know all about that kind of stuff so i messaged her to talk to her and we chatted a bit. we started chatting more and more and eventually ended up in a group chat with two of my friends talking about (of all things) one direction. but we kept up our private convo where we talked about literally everything.

then in june of 2016, my mom was rediagnosed with cancer and had surgery. she talked to me through all of this and was there when i was upset an then i made the decision to go home to california for all of july to help my mom out. so i was suddenly on west coast time while she was on central time. and we talked all the time. on snapchat, via text, on tumblr, everything. and slowly, i was like wow. i really like this person. like, a lot. and we talked about her exploring her sexuality and i was like if she's exploring her sexuality i cannot like, come onto her so i'm going to remain chill and be her friend while she needs one.

but through all of this - we had matching layouts on tumblr. multiple different matching layouts. as friends. and then on like, july 12 2016, a bunch of anons came into my inbox calling us grizzy and grazzy and asking about us being like "(eyes) why are you matching" and it was all very silly but it kept me smiling during a really hard time.

and again. we talked all the effing time. the whole month of july. and i had stopped saying "omg i love you" like a friend and started doing "ily" bc my feelings were HUGE i was def like, head over heels. fell very hard very fast.

so then i flew back to wisconsin and literally within days, she was flying to europe for her godfather's birthday celebration. and we tried to text through all of it, i remember sneaking my phone out at work to text her and send her selfies and we counted down the days until she was back in america because it was horrible trying to text across countries with unreliable wifi for her.

and then she landed in wisconsin again and we were talking all again and suddenly she invited me to her house, an hour and a half away, for a bonfire on august 14th. and i was like. sure sure i can do this. let's uh do this. i had no idea what was going to happen. i was unsure of it all, very much like "we're just friends" mindset. and so i drove all the way to her city with butterflied in my stomach, terrified she didn't like me or that we were just friends or we wouldn't click in person, and boy was i wrong. we clicked immediately, hugging and getting along. and we went to get food and our hands kept brushing. and we sat around the bonfire holding hands awkwardly. and then her roommate said she'd leave for the night so i could sleep in her bed instead of grace's bed because she had a twin. and the futon was uncomfy.

and then sometime after midnight, after laying there talking and giggling and generally being awkward, i kissed her. the next day we went to the pancake house as our "first date" and walked to a beach on the lake and then i got vertigo and threw up like, 18 hours into us dating and slept at her house for a whole day (called out of work) and stays at her house for like. three days? basically. i was there for awhile.

and now, 8 years later, grace and i are married and living our best life with two cats and a cozy apartment <3

🥹🥹🥹 this is SOOOOO cute and makes me so happy. I always love when u or grace talk ab each other, there is so much love and your story is the best thing, im honored i can be mutuals of you two and see ur love in my dash 🫶🏻

send me ur love story/crush/etc

[horizon-verizon]

If Rhaena gets Sheepstealer then, as far as the book go, that confirms it for me that Nettles really was Daemon’s biological daughter. But in HOTD, instead of bonding with his bastard daughter, Daemon will bond with Rhaena, his trueborn daughter. Laena asking Daemon about their daughters made me realize. Daemon is going to take Rhaena with him, train her in dragonriding arts, and they’ll become closer. She’ll want to step up for her father before they face Aemond and Vhagar, but he sends her away to protect her. Doesn’t make me like the idea more or accept Nettles being cut (because wow, way to just remove one of the only canon black characters IN the original story, and combining two Black women’s stories without understanding how each of them are completely different but both entirely necessary to the story) but as far as just wanting to make a show and not faithfully adapt the book ? Eh. It gets the job done.

rhaenin-time writes in this post's comments about the writers likely making Rhaenyra's later "madeness" into a more shocking spectacle by making her turn against Rhaena & having Rhaenyra turning against Rhaena nonsensical even for the show.

a) IF you are the first adapting a story, the aim should be to tell the original story as it is as best you can without undermining the themes, the plot-time-event sequence, and characterizations...since those make the story. ARE the story. Later adaptations can come in with their alternative storylines, etc. if they wish, but the point of wanting to see the story that you encounter made live....is to see that story made live.

Sometimes you need to make some changes because time constraints, production costs, or you find that you can cut some stuff/add others and the point of an original event from the original has both similar enough WEIGHT and the similar enough MEANING that the audience mostly understands the point of. However, HotD doesn't do these. So I do not see why "as far as just wanting to make a show and not faithfully adapt the book" was supposed to endear or pacify me to such changes? All it looks here is that they think Rhaena and Nettles are interchangeable & the story remains the same....which it does not and it is very obvious why when you read the book.

b) It never made sense for Daemon to treat his daughter, Rhaena, the way he did. That was forced drama. So for him to now have to finally bond with his own daughter from his Black wife only after she has a dragon presents a Daemon who has his come-to-Jesus moment way too late into his arc...he's supposed to come to himself and what he wants in his marriage to Laena.

And no I don't really care abt them having to follow their own bad choices bc of all the costs. Those choices were their own when they had options, therefore we still have the room and right to continue criticizing their later decisions that come from earlier ones. They also decided to be the ones directing this adaptation.

.............................................................................

below is just a reiteration of why I would never approve of a Rhaena-Nettles merge in any adaptation:

c) Rhaena has trouble hatching her egg; after Rhaenyra & Aegon die and Aegon III ascends, Rhaena's egg finally hatches thus representing some sort of hope and new beginnings but she cannot use said dragon to protect her brother as a war machine and thus still relies on her diplomacy and plotting w/Baela and Alyn Velaryon to do so. It also ensures that their house, for longer, out of the direction of other greedy houses like the Hightowers and the Peakes. However, she at least had the privilege to have access to a eggs to one day bond with.

Nettles is a lowborn teen girl with Valyrian ancestry who's enlisted to fight in the actual war, has likely been discriminated against her entire life whether due to skin or class intersected with her gender, & that matters bc she bonds with a dragon the sort of "twist" or surprise in a young girl having a dragon is precisely that they didn't expect a girl who looks like her to be able to...bc yes you do need Valyrian blood for a dragon to want to bond with you. Dragons "choose" their riders, you can't "tame" them. Nettles also coaxed Sheepstealer to bond with her, unlike nearly every other then wannabe-rider during the "Sowing", does it by continuously and patiently offering Sheepstealer sheep and thus establishing herself to the dragon as one interested in caring for them. A promise is made before the bond. [You can read more on Nettles' connection to Dany, dragonriidng, and her fire-goddess cult HERE on danylanzhou/brideoffires' Twitter thread]

Unlike Rhaena, who was put in the Vale for her protection and to disperse their scions to ensure the family/dynasty's survival, Nettles was in the very midst of fighting, was fighting and in the action of the war. But bc of classism and classism triggered by Ulf & Hugh's Betrayals at Tumbleton, she's also subjected to suspicion from Rhaenyra's council and nearly killed, thus propelling her to have to leave and later inspiring a huge fire goddess cult where people in the particular ethnic group must prove their bravery. Nettles and "Sheep"stealer, as I recently learned, also mimic how the first contact b/t Valyrians and dragons might have went--the first Valyrians were sheep herders in Essos.

Rhaena does not have this parallel, which emphasizes Nettles' ancestry, even as both--for all these reasons concerning dragons and bonding--contextualize and stem from Daenerys Stormborn's own dragon/magical arc.

Aside from all of this, Rhaena was raised alongside Rhaenyra's kids and became one of her own children whereas Nettles, though loyal, was never a "daughter" to Rhaenyra and possibly was one (I think she was, biologically) of Daemon's. It makes much more sense for Rhaenyra to want to execute a person who is "stranger" to her than her own stepdaughter she raised from young. Note, if Nettles WAS Daemon's daughter, she wouldn't have known that and bc he dies and Nettles flies off she would never know as much as she never knew that her youngest son, Viserys, was actually alive. So either Rhaenyra sought to kill her husband's daughter who she may have, once, been more amenable to have around (Nettles was 17, while they had been married for much shorter, so he hadn't cheated on her) if she had known but also bc this ties Nettles much closer to the Targs similarly to how Brynden Rivers was politically. I say Brynden Rivers bc he, like Nettles, was actually very loyal.

So the Rhaena-Nettles merging has little logical basis other than them not reading and understanding their stories thematic wise and/or misogynoir. It also has little moral basis.

How else can you explain to me that we have Hugh Hammer as our smallfolk look-in AND sympathized when he and Ulf are responsible for Tumbleton's Sack bc they wanted to be "kings" or high lords & raping at least one woman during war? And not Nettles, the teen girl from the lowest drudges of society, who had to fend for herself for seemingly a very long time and thus observe others to survive (Hugh was at least a blacksmith with a more reliable profession), who raises herself up from her deprived beginnings through a dragon and her own wits/charm?

[lady-of-the-spirit]

So you have Sersi from the eternals as your dp. What do you like about her? Why do you think she is important? Just curious.

I waited to answer this so I could have time to collect my thoughts on Sersi and why's my fave.

I mean, the first time I saw the movie I was just. Drawn to her. I think from the moment she turned the stone dagger into gold, and then the timeskip and we saw her walking into work and talking to the statue of Charles Darwin I was like "Oh, she's gonna be my favourite, I can tell." And then I was right because every point after that I fell more in love with her and by the time the movie was over I was obsessed with her forever. So inexplicable attraction is the first reason.

One of the things I like about Sersi the most is that, for a movie that's about a team of aliens who have to live amongst humanity for thousands of years, Sersi is the one who fully embraces it, for good and bad. Phastos stopped, but came around again after making his own human family. Druig loves humanity, but his form of love is control - he would rather they not have any control over their lives if it meant they'd stop having conflict, because he knows better than them (I need Druig stans to stop acting like he loves humanity without acknowledging this, bc it's creepy and fucked up). But Sersi loves humanity, for good and for bad. Every time she's interacting with humans - back in Babylon, with the kids she teaches, in Druig's village, even the brief scene at Phastos's house - she's having a great time. She loves them. She more than anyone else has embraced this planet as her home, and these people as her own.

But that's also part of her internal conflict. the movie isn't as in depth with this unfortunately, but she's spent the last 7000 or however years thinking they'll all eventually return to Olympia, which is their 'real' home. So as much as she loves these people, however long she spends on Earth with them, she's going to have to leave eventually. She says it herself - they're just waiting for Arishem to tell them they can come home. And the Mission is what matters most, right? So she has to set up a barrier in her heart - Earth isn't her home, Olympia is. And that also is part of the conflict when they find out the truth about the convergence. Because it's throwing EVERYTHING she believed into question. because she spent forever loving these people, this planet, but also believing in the mission because why wouldn't she, she trusts Ajak, and now suddenly the mission has changed. and she has to choose between The Mission (even if the mission has changed) and everyone she loves dying. but she's still the first to say "We're not going to let everyone on earth die, right?!" like regardless of how much she struggles with making a choice on what to do, she knows there's only one right outcome, even if they don't know how to get there.

and like, as a story, narratively I wish Sersi had gotten to actually take charge of the group and make a clear decision without circumstances forcing her to do something she's still unsure about. but with her personality in mind, it makes sense to me. She's been thrust into leadership unexpectedly, not to mention it's made explicitly clear that her leadership isn't actually respected by the group (as a whole, individually it's different) because everyone thought it would be Ikaris instead and he's their de facto leader anyway. So her not having any idea what to do in this situation? Trying to decide, doubting herself, but still having to step up in the end - and STILL not sure she made the right choice? Makes so much sense to me. Very relatable. I felt that, I am her. Wish it had been different for the sake of her character arc, but I still get it.

I guess the final answer to your question of why I think she's important and what I like about her is that Sersi is that out of all of them, she fully steps into the life they have to lead. Sprite admits to being jealous of humans and sides with Ikaris, Ikaris is self explanatory, Gilgamesh and Thena both stepped away from human life, Ajak loves humanity and changes her mind but still is shown to be living a solitary life out in the middle of nowhere, Druig and Phastos I already talked about, Makkari hides away on the Domo for several centuries and besides curiosity about their artifacts doesn't seem interested in humans themselves, and Kingo does love the people of Earth but lives as a celebrity so not exactly one with the common man.

Sersi lives a normal life among the people she loves. Sersi is unsure about everything except that she won't let humanity die. Sersi is the one who wholeheartedly embraces Earth as her home the moment she's free to do so. Sersi is the one who loves them enough to do anything to save them, even when she doesn't believe she can. Sersi is the heart of the story, and the one who saves the day, even when she's scared and doesn't know if she's doing the right thing, because it's the only way to save everyone.

this whole thing got away from me I hope this makes sense I'm not going back to reread this and make it make sense or make it cohesive.

other random things I love about Sersi

she loves kids. every time she interacts with a kid she looks so happy. it's so cute.

green is my favourite colour so there was no way I wouldn't love her just because of that. and she looks so good in it too.

just watch her face when she, Ikaris and Sprite are watching Kingo's performance - she looks so delighted. Ikaris and Sprite are just like wtf but she looks so EXCITED!

she's 7000~ years old and she's still a terrible liar. Dane brings up her ex who's 7000 years old and can fly, and she says "he's a pilot".

her indecision is so relatable to me I said this already but it's true. Anyone would be struggling in her shoes.

she's GOOD and she's KIND. she tries her best.

her powers are so cool like. there's a boulder 3x her size flying her way, shot out of a volcanic eruption, and it takes one quick touch to turn it into a flock of birds. like if she were even a second off she'd die, but she doesn't even flinch.

people claim that druig doesn't care about anyone but Makkari and they're so wrong for that like he listens to Sersi, he does, in fact, care about her opinion and care about her. she doesn't demand his help or threaten him, she asks for his help and then tells him he's better than this, and he listens to her.

Ajak and Thena, obectively two of the coolest Eternals, are her biggest supporters so if you don't support Sersi they wouldn't support you, sorry.

in the comic on webtoon (which was not good but whatever) she collects trinkets and artifacts from everywhere they've been and it's filling the whole Domo, she's just like me fr (she and Makkari)

the way that when they're leaving Phastos's home, she reaches out to comort him as they're walking down the street. and when he's telling her (not Ikaris, he's only talking to Sersi even though Ikaris is also there) about losing his faith and getting it back with his family, she's listening with a sympathetic, understanding look. she gets it. she loves that he's found this family for himself. she's happy for him. they're best friends to me.

she's chronically late, talks to statues, is obsessed with her phone and apps, and forgets to silence her phone in the middle of important meetings. she's a dork. I love her so much.

hope this late, long rambling answer makes sense and answers your question!

[nicistrying]

My sanity is hanging by a thread today. Had a lovely day at work sat with all the girls, chatting wedding stuff and just generally having a nice time. Met my sister in law for lunch and she was just really off with me, judgmental about the wedding, has been talking to our mother in law about my IUD which frankly is no one else's fucking business. I was pissed that Matt had talked to his parents about it at the weekend when I didn't go over to their house with him bc I was in agony, but I don't need family discussions to be happening about my uterus and my choice of contraception. Matt had explained to his mam that I made the choice to be in significant physical pain rather than be mentally fucked up with paranoia, anxiety, mood swings and depression which is what happened when I took the pill. I spent years working on my mental health and finally got meds for it and didn't want to ruin it by pumping myself full of hormones. Like this was not a lightly made decision but it's the decision I made. And yes I am still going to complain about it bc it's really fucking painful and the options I was choosing between were all terrible. It's bullshit that these are the choices women have to make and then we get judged for them, by other women of all people? His mam is a fucking doctor and she often works on maternity wards!!! Like pray tell, what other magical option do I have?? Doctors would never give me permanent sterilisation bc I'm too young, likewise with a vasectomy for Matt and if he did have one his parents would go ape shit that he wasn't carrying on the family bloodline 🤢🤢🤢🤢 like why can't they just leave us alone and accept our decisions that we make in our own lives. I was thinking I should reach out to them since I haven't seen them for a few weeks but they can fuck themselves.

Anyway then went back to work for the afternoon, our systems were totally off for annual billing process so we literally couldn't do any work so I just sat ordering wedding stuff. A lil flower crown for me to try on, a load of cute little coloured glass bottles for the tables, and the cake topper. AND THEN I get home feeling a little icky, drag myself upstairs to work out and get some endorphins going, and I have to push Maggie out of my way and she fucking snaps at me?? She's been told to go to bed and we'll ignore her the rest of the night but come on dude! I didn't need this! So now I'm sitting on the floor in my gym gear about to give up ans go eat dinner with Matt instead bc I don't really have time to work out now. Urgh thank god it's Friday tomorrow. We're going for a little date night to a restaurant down by the river and I was going to invite Matt's brother and sister in law but after how she was today we'll just go by ourselves. Happy Thursday everyone!! 🤘

[secretnimh]

Misconception that DC has tried to retroactively make the new canon to varying degrees

"Jason died because he was reckless and angry and wanted to prove himself - thus ignoring batman's order's to stay put and getting killed by the joker because his experience was inadequate to take him on"

What actually happened, largely abridged

"Jason was trying to prove himself to Batman" bull, actually - after Jason overheard Bruce and Alfred saying he should be benched from robin, he ran out of the house to clear his head, and returned to his old apartment. there, he unexpectedly came across the info that his mom wasn't actually his birth mom, and decided to go find her (bc Bruce is terrible with expressing his emotions, and inadvertently made both dick AND Jason feel like their place in his life/at the manor was dependent on being robin, so being fired feels a hell of a lot like being unwanted/kicked out - like. we know this. it happened with dick. It's gonna happen similarly but differently with Tim. it's a theme)

finding her just also happened to mean checking out various potential moms, not all of which were local, or even in the country...  so, sure, angry, but also really upset and all those other complicated emotions that come along with "I think my dad doesn't want me around anymore" and "oh wow i have a living parent out there in the world"

Bruce didn't even notice he ran away btw?? to another COUNTRY???? Bruce was tracking down Joker for a case and legit just HAPPENED to come across him bc his search for Joker coincided with Jason's search for his mother???? sir????????????? Jason is 15???? and also canonically so, so small. 4'6" i mean come on, not only is he objectively young but he definitely *looks* young, too

anyway they team up. it's kinda cute - also would have been low-key fun if Shiva *was* his mom I won't lie, but like, Cass exists and is so wonderful, that funky lil opportunity for additional bat and shiva drama was banked on

then they find Jason's mom and Bruce... leaves him with her???? Like, okay, sure, she's biologically related to him, and seems like a nice enough person bc she does work w a humanitarian organization, but sir. That is your small child you're leaving alone with a stranger in an unfamiliar place in an unfamiliar COUNTRY can we re-think this decision.

shenanigans happen and they both team up again for the joker thing, which ends w Bruce running off to save civilians from a truck full of bombs or something, and Jason keeping an eye on the warehouse joker and his mom are in. B tells Jason to stay put, and Jason is annoyed but agrees. he has literally every intention of staying out of Joker's way while Batman is away!!

of course, baby 15 year old jason (and b!!) think jay's mom is being *forced* to work with joker. What's a baby to do when his mom comes out and says he needs to leave well enough alone?? a baby will tell her he's robin and can help, that's what!! That she doesn't need to worry and he's more capable of protecting her than she thinks! and what's a shitty mother who cares more about her reputation and money than a child's life to do?? Tell him joker isn't at the warehouse anymore, obviously, it's all totally fine and Jason should definitely come inside while she grabs some things - oh but yes please walk ahead of her, of course. And *then* she pulls a gun on on him, right before they meet the very clown she swore had left.

He's not expecting the joker! He definitely wasn't expecting his mother to lie to him!! Reckless, rash, and angry my ass. If anything killed Jason, it was that he put too much love and trust and the earnest will to see good in people.

And it's really fucking sad that, after all that trauma - his death and resurrection both - after feeling betrayed and forgotten by his family, feeling his life wasn't *worth* a damn in the end, that he ultimately lost that ability to see the good before the bad and just trust that there are better people in the world - from too much empathy to not nearly enough