#canon divergence to the max

[jademint2581]

this is absolute gibberish but here goes

i have a craving for sweet kaifics where kai gets to have a happy life BUT then again... what if Kai but he absolutely loses his shit and embraces the darkness??? opposite Kai.

this cinnamon roll, absolute gem of a man spiraling into a horrid, monstrously lethal version of himself while still having his sweet dweeb moments every now and then because that's just how he is??? but he just keeps collapsing into his own darkness and detaching from his emotions and perceptions and embraces being a weapon and an object and becoming just absolutely ruthless

so basically, canon divergence: what if Kai but he just absolutely fails at what he succeeded in canon? what if Kai, but he's not strong enough to maintain his integrity growing up under the pressure of the asunaro environment? what if Satou Kai, but he traumatizes himself by killing a person (Sei, possibly???), and then just never stops because he thinks he can't redeem himself anyway.

[mrhunnynuts]

fanart for the fanfic invisible string!! one of my fav dadvid fanfics of all time i love it sososo much 🫶

[one-in-a-million-fishsticks-blog]

Kidnapped Firepaw AU

Following up the "Banished Fireheart AU" with this absolute gem.

Premise:

As Spottedleaf recounts the prophecy of fire to Bluestar, Tigerclaw lurks and listens, wholeheartedly believing in the words of Starclan like the UWU good pureblooded clan cat that he is.

Obviously he now needs to find himself a highlighter orange cat, he can't have the clan destroying itself before he ever even gets the chance to lead it after all, but where on earth is he supposed to find one when highlighter orange genetics aren't exactly common in the forest?.......

Enter Rusty, wondering the border of two-leg place all helpless and alone, itty bitty wittle barely apprentice aged kitty.

He's perfect, he simply HAS to join Thunderclan, the prophecised cat has gotta be him.

Besides, "rescuing" a kit from potential danger is the right thing for a noble warrior like Tigerclaw to do in this situation.

(Scourge? Never met her.)

Recruitment speeches and independent thought processes? What in Starclan's name are those?...

Tigerclaw could just carry this kit home right now if he wanted to.

So he does, he just stalks Rusty for a while, pops out of the bushes when the timing is right and straight up catnaps him.

Rusty is still the Rusty whom we all know and love, so he isn't THAT deeply upset about getting to live in the wild, but his little paws are rated E for everyone and he vows to make this entire experience as difficult for his kidnapper as possible.

Measures taken by Rusty to ruin Tigerclaw's life now include:

Acting more cynical and prickly than even Longtail on the daily

Ensuring that the cat assigned to escort him back home one final time as he says his last goodbyes to Smudge is Tigerclaw, the one cat who hates two-leg place more than Darkstripe

Cozying up to Bluestar (and later Yellowfang) when he knows damn well that Tigerclaw wants to be the adult in his life for some stupid reason

Making Ravenpaw his best friend as soon as organically possible because he also knows perfectly well that Tigerclaw will be forced to tolerate Ravenpaw if Firepaw takes a fancy to him

Ravenpaw: "Tigerclaw wants to kill me...."

Firepaw: "So that he can convince Bluestar to make me his apprentice instead?.... No thank you!"

Firepaw is a paw-length from convincing Bluestar to be his mentor, he will not be letting Tigerclaw ruin that for him.

The petty grudge continues into Fireheart's career as a warrior, prompting a neverending series of events seen as unfortunate only by Tigerclaw.

What do you mean his orange cat likes all of the remaining cats that he was planning on murdering?.... That was supposed to be HIS orange cat! Now how is he supposed to continue on his bloodthirsty quest for power?

Fireheart is best friends with Goldenflower now, she is his big sister, all of the adoration, attention and respect that Tigerclaw wishes he could get from Fireheart goes to Goldenflower

Bramblekit and Tawnykit are on the same level as Cloudkit, they are also his niece and nephew and he goes out of his way to hog nursery visitation

Longtail and Dustpelt are going to be Fireheart's friends now whether they like it or not, he is going to slowly squeeze their Tigerclaw love out of them like two-leg tooth paste and make them part of the 💥 Fireheart Squad 💥

Graystripe, Ravenflight(paw), and Sandstorm are already part of the 💥 Fireheart Squad 💥 and they help him bully Darkstripe

[trans-jon-rights]

I think there's always a very neat parallel to draw with the headcanon that Jon stopped talking for a while after Mr Spider and the fact that the Web used his voice to bring on the apocalypse.

His voice being stolen twice by the same Entity adds a very particular flavour of tragedy

[liwysz]

Imagine if the protagonists just died in the first scene

Max Verstappen x Charles Leclerc

Max wished could go back in time, to the moment when they were just two dreamers talking about planets. The moment when the only certainty he had was that he and Charles would be together.

--

With his last breath in that cabin surrounded by rosso corsa red, Charles wished he could have another chance.

Lestappen Time Travel Au!

⚠️ Warnings: Major Character temporally death; Major Character Injury; Angst and emotional hurt (With comfort I promisse);

[rocketinthesky]

We’re not meant to be, but my heart refuses to listen

Max already found his soulmate, and is in a committed relationship with her. But why is his heart defying fate and pulling him back into George’s orbit?

- A Soulmate AU (GAX)

-fluff, slight angst, happy ending, canon divergent, rated Teen and up

Part I

(Read Part II next) (OR read on ao3)

Max’s eyes drift over to George’s wrist, an intricately inked tree without any leaves peeking out through the long sleeves of his suit. They’re in another post-race press meeting, joined by Oscar, Carlos and Pierre. He’s mostly zoning out, which is easy to do when the reporters finally decide to take pity on him and ask the other racers questions for a change. He fiddles with his own left sleeve, skin cold under his fingertips as he runs them over it. It feels numb, the dark outline of a rose on his skin. It didn’t used to feel that way, once.

It’s not as mortifying as the first few times were, when George catches him staring. It’s both disarming and electrifying when that camera ready smile of George’s softens into something more genuine—reserved—as if Max and him are currently sharing a secret only they’re privy too.

Max can feel the automatic, almost desperate, way his own mouth pulls into a matching grin. And the resulting fit of giggles between them attracts the attention of the other racers and reporters.

It’s easy enough to dodge the question of what’s making the two laugh like a pair of schoolchildren when Pierre butts in with a joke, and it gives George the opportunity to lean in closer to Max, mics distant enough to not pick up the almost airy whisper of George’s voice as he asks, “What were you staring at my hands for, mate?”

Max stiffens at first before quickly relaxing when he registers the teasing undertones to George’s question. He deliberates it, thinks the logical thing to do would be to make an excuse or a quip, make them both laugh at the ordeal. But the curiosity has been gnawing at Max’s psyche long enough that he can’t help the way the question rolls off his tongue, relieved in their freedom.

“Did you find your soulmate yet?”

George seems to freeze at his question, the playful grin on his face tightening. Max immediately feels guilty for asking such a prying question. They’re friends, but they’re not quite close enough to delve into these topics. Questions about each other’s personal lives always stayed on the surface level, never breaching family.

Max might have just crossed a line in their already fragile, somewhat undefined relationship. They’re friends in a broader sense. They never hang out alone together, they barely text each other outside of the usual fire emoji react on each others’ instagram stories and obligatory congratulatory messages. But then there’s also this…tension, Max thinks, that’s always surrounding the air between them. A spark crackling down Max’s spine when they meet eyes across the room or accidentally brush shoulders. The heat of George’s body branding his skin whenever they pat each other’s shoulders in friendly conversations.

There’s that numbness where his own soulmate mark lies, a permanent reminder of Max’s failure to be normal, to be less selfish.

George evokes in him a thrill he’s only gotten before on the podium, above everyone else. The champion of the fucking world.

“I did,” George says, stretching the word out. The emphasis there feels past-tense—as if there’s a but there.

Max wants to press the matter, but knows not to. Only shrugs. “Cool.”

George’s face relaxes, the corners of his eyes softening before he leans in close enough that his breath scorches the shell of Max’s ear. “Didn’t quite work out, though.”

Max holds down the shiver from wracking his body outwardly, but he can feel the goosebumps rising on his flesh.

This knowledge shouldn’t excite him. He’s with his own soulmate, for fuck’s sake.

When George pulls back, corners of his eyes crinkling, Max knows for certain by the battering of his heart that he’s fucked.

Fate already gave him everything he could possibly want. But Max hungers for more.

Trying my hand at a trope i’ve been wanting to write for a long time, and what better ship than Gax! My first foray into writing for f1 rpf so i am very very nervous lol i’m still pretty new to the fandom. Feedback is very very appreciated, i’d love to know your opinions on this if you managed to stumble upon this drabble! I do plan on this having a part two, and potentially more depending on how many it takes to finish the story. Hopefully not too long lol. Hope you enjoyed <33

[steddierecs]

took you for a working boy by pukner

Word count: 43,823 (complete) / 6/6 Rating: M Trigger and content warnings: none

Summary:

"Do you--Harrington, do you know other gay people?" "One," Steve says, and then, after a moment, "and a half." "And a half?" Eddie boggles at him, "What does that mean?" "He's figuring it out!" says Steve, defensively, "Taking his time, y'know? Whatever, the point is. It's cool you're gay, man."

Eddie comes out to Steve, and Steve's heartbroken about it for some reason. Eddie thinks Steve's dating Robin. Everyone else thinks Steve and Eddie have been dating this whole time. Robin doesn't get paid enough for this shit.

Also, Hawkins has been cracked open like a badly-baked cake, and everyone's settled into the most mundane apocalypse possible. Eddie Munson starts a radio programme about it.

Meanwhile, Steve gets his nails painted, and outsources a crisis he isn't having.

[lucassinclaer]

would've killed to see a storyline for jonathan and billy, btw... think that them being antithetical to each other would have fucked severely. think that it would have given jonathan and max room to find someone who understands the complexities of this kind of abusive dynamic they both had. hell, get el in there, too, to round out the trifecta, with a sprinkle of will understanding and byers family building. emphasize jonathan's arc from s1, show him in a confrontation with billy and have people arrive to have his back. contrasting the two of them visually to back up the narrative. give it all the storytelling juice.

foils ✨ this really could've been something

[extralargechips]

EVIL LAUGHTER AHAHAHHAHAHAHA

god i should make more oneshots

AND AND IM ALREADY WORKING ON A DRAWING FROM THIS FIC AHDHHSHSHDHR

[idyllicwillowtree]

A Good Pair (of Skates) - Part 3

Genre: Steve Harrington x fem!reader, afab!reader, skater!reader

Summary: Steve’s in love with his childhood best friend and he does everything he can to keep his feelings a secret from you. A rollerskating injury might change that.

Word count: 4.4K

Warnings: swearing, friends to lovers, slow burn, injury, broken bones, mutual pining, mentions of drunk driving, surgery, anesthesia, medication, mentions of selling drugs, steve’s feeling very insecure

Author’s note: Please read part 1 and part 2 before reading this one or else it probably wouldn’t make much sense! 

Thank you so much for reading my first story! I had so much fun writing it and I can’t wait to share more. Feel free to let me know if you have any feedback or comments, I love hearing from you!

Part 1 | Part 2 | main masterlist

Part 3

It had been eight whole months since you had broken your arm and Steve still hadn’t made a move on you yet. You two have had some close calls, but nobody was brave enough to cross that romantic threshold yet.

It was driving Robin and Eddie insane.

Steve assured them that he would ask you out eventually but in reality, he probably never will. He’s convinced that his whole self-worth would come crumbling down if you said no, it just didn’t seem worth it.

He even thought about distancing himself from you for a while. Steve figured he could get over you, he just needed time. But that plan crashed and burned the second you saw him and smiled. You hadn’t seen him for a week so you jumped into his arms and told him how much you had missed him. After that, he was too weak to leave you for that long ever again.

“You’ve fought actual monsters before, but you’re too scared to ask out a girl?” Dustin said with a teasing smile.

“Hey! I seem to recall a nervous little middle schooler who had similar problems,” Steve glanced away from the road to look at the curly haired boy.

“I wasn’t…okay, maybe I was a little nervous. But this is Y/N we're talking about, the sweetest person ever!” 

“Exactly! That’s what makes the stakes so high. I don’t want to ruin the friendship and lose her forever.”

“Even if she did say no, you’d at least have the closure to move on.” Steve’s eyes widened, “but she’s not going to say no, so you don’t have to worry about it,” Dustin added.

“You don’t know that.”

“Sure I do! And the longer you wait the more likely it is that she’ll find someone else.”

Steve was actually counting on that. He’s hoping that if he could see you happy with someone, even though he knows it would break him, it would at least give him a good excuse to move on. Since the “avoiding you at all costs” plan didn’t work, he thought this one might.

Dustin eyed him suspiciously, “you don’t actually want that to happen, do you?”

Steve stayed silent, the car turning into the school parking lot. Once he stopped his BMW at the drop off area, Dustin turned to him. 

“Steve, you’re a great guy. She’d be lucky to have you. Stop being stupid and go get her, she doesn’t deserve to just wait around for you.”

Before Steve could ask him what he meant by that, Dustin was already out of the car and heading towards Hawkins High. 

-

“Yes ma’am, I understand. Unfortunately, we don’t get movies that are currently in theaters.”

“Oh, but my husband loves sports films. And I just think that Rob Lowe is so handsome,” the elderly woman reiterated for the third time.

“It would be nice if we had Youngblood, but like I said before-” Steve stopped as he heard the gentle purr of your Volkswagen Kleinbus outside. Robin rolled her eyes, already on her way to assist the woman once Steve inevitably abandons her to greet you.

He opened the glass doors and stood in the doorway. Steve watched as you ushered the younger kids out of your car and into the arcade next door. You gave Max a handful of quarters before turning towards Family Video, locking eyes with Steve.

You took a deep breath and approached him with a small smile. Steve noticed something was off, your smile not quite reaching your eyes. You were anxiously squeezing your left wrist and chewing on your bottom lip.

“Hey, Stevie.”

“Hey, doll. You okay?”

“I-I need to tell you guys something.”

-

“So, you guys know how I fell outside in the parking lot back in the summer?”

You were pacing slightly in front of Steve and Robin as they sat in the Family Video  breakroom. 

“When that drunk asshole almost ran you over? Yeah, I think I remember,” Steve said sarcastically.

Unfazed by his sarcastic tone, you continued to pace, “well, I went to the doctor–”

Steve stood, his chair legs squeaking against the floor, “is everything okay?”

“Y-yeah, yeah totally,” you stuttered, trying to calm Steve’s worry. You know he’s about to get even more worked up with what you were about to tell him, “well, sort of…”

“Okay…” Robin said expectantly.

You chewed your lip, “It turns out my left wrist wasn’t sprained… It’s been broken this whole time.”

Robin and Steve’s jaws dropped to the ground. The silence was tense as your eyes shifted from one friend to the other.

“It’s- you…broken?” Steve stammered.

“How are you even functioning?” Robin translated for him.

“Honestly, I have no idea. I mean it hurts a bit when I’m at work but I just figured a sprain takes a while to heal and I’d be fine after a bit. But then eight months went by and it still hurts.”

You work at a 50’s themed drive-in restaurant that makes the wait staff use roller skates when serving the customers. Those four weeks you worked while your right elbow was healing  were stressful enough for Steve, but now he knows you’ve been doing it all with an untreated broken wrist too. 

Steve looked at your left wrist, you were still anxiously rubbing at it so he gripped it gently to release it from your hold. It looked the same as it usually does, no obvious swelling or bruising. 

“Why don’t you have a cast?” Steve asked.

“Umm…I will after.” You said, trying to avoid eye contact.

Steve glanced over at Robin, checking to see if she was as confused as he was. “After what?”

“...surgery.”

“WHAT???” screeched Steve, causing Robin to jump slightly.

“Y-yeah, I need surgery,” you laughed awkwardly.

Steve was not amused, “it’s been broken for eight months and now you need surgery?! It was that goddamn doctor at the emergency room, wasn’t it? Let me call my dad, I’m sure he knows a good lawyer-”

“Steve,” you gripped his wrist with the hand he wasn’t already holding, “it wasn’t his fault.” You were surprised by his willingness to call his father and wanted to shut that idea down immediately. He never called him.

“What do you mean? Of course it was! He probably didn’t even look at your x-rays.”

“Well, that’s the thing. Apparently, fractures in the bone I broke don’t even show up on an x-ray until, like, 10 days later. So he was technically right, I guess.”

Your shoulders were slumped and you were avoiding eye contact. Steve realized his first reaction probably didn’t help you that much. He was quick to assign blame when he should’ve been comforting you.

You let out a quiet “oof” as Steve wrapped his arms around your waist and squeezed. You slithered your arms around his broad shoulders and let him hold you, breathing in his floral scented hair products. 

“I’m sorry you’ve had to deal with this for so long, I had no idea,” Steve said, voice muffled by your hair.

That wasn’t completely true, he had some sort of idea that your wrist was still troubling you. You started doing everything with your right hand once your elbow healed up. Putting your seatbelt on, opening doors, and carrying shopping bags all became right-handed tasks. After a while, Steve thought he was reading into things a little too much. He felt a bit obsessive so he chose to ignore it, now he was hating himself even more for letting you go on like this. The guilt was already starting to eat away at his gut.

“It’s alright, Stevie. It’s not your fault,” you pressed your nose further into his neck. Steve could’ve sworn you read his mind.

“Dude, that sucks!”

Steve almost forgot Robin was here. He reluctantly let you go so you could receive a hug from her too.

“The good news is we can have a bunch of movie nights while I’m recovering, if you guys are down.”

“You’re not even going to be able to get Steve out of your house this time,” Robin said with a smirk. She remembered how insistent Steve was to take care of you when you were in a cast the first time. All the doting would’ve driven her insane but you were so patient with him and had even made sure he was taking care of himself at the same time. 

“Shut it, Robin,” he hissed.

-

The day of the surgery approached faster than you would’ve wanted it to. It felt unnatural to willingly let a bunch of strangers force you to sleep while they cut you open and screw a piece of metal into your bone. The worst part was that Steve had to work today, you were hoping he’d be the one to take you to and from the hospital. You knew he’d make you feel relaxed and safe but you had to settle for Eddie instead.

“M’lady, your chariot awaits.” Eddie bowed dramatically at the waist and gestured towards his van. Despite it being 4 AM on a Saturday, he was still as hyper as usual. You would’ve laughed at his theatrics if your nerves weren’t overwhelming you so much.

The chill hit you immediately when you opened your front door, reminding you to get your coat. The phone in your house started ringing as you turned back inside, but you ignored it. It was probably just a telemarketer.

“Hang on, Eddie. I just need to grab my coat.”

Eddie followed you inside and looked around, “your folks home?”

“Nope, why do you think I need you to drive?”

He shrugged, “I dunno. Maybe you just wanted to hang out with your favorite person.” He smiled at you innocently.

“I already asked Steve, but he’s working this morning,” you deadpan.

“Ouch, sweetheart,” Eddie grabbed his chest, “I didn’t have to wake up at the ass crack of dawn to take care of your sorry ass.”

“I know, but you did, because you love me,” you said smugly. Finally, you found your coat right when the ringing of your phone had stopped. You walked up to Eddie and kissed him on the cheek, “thanks for your help today, Eds. I really do appreciate it.”

“Of course. C’mon, let's go.” Eddie wrapped a comforting arm around your shoulder and started steering you towards the door. He stopped when the phone rang through your home again, “you need to get that?”

“Nah, I’m sure it’s just someone selling something. Let’s go before I lose my nerve.”

As you approach Eddie’s van, you hear the distant slaps of shoes running across the sidewalk. Not paying it any mind, you assumed it was just an early morning jogger. That was until you heard your name.

Looking down the street, you spot Steve sprinting towards you and waving his arms frantically. He was wearing his flannel pajama bottoms, and a sweatshirt he must’ve thrown on last minute. His hair was sticking up at odd angles and as he got closer you could see the wrinkles from his pillow imprinted on his face. He was stunning.

“Hang on…give me…a minute,” Steve said through gasps of air.

Eddie’s eyebrow quirked up behind his bangs, “jeez, Harrington. Has it been that long since you’ve done cardio? You only live a few doors down.”

“Shutupmunson,” Steve managed to breathe out. His hands were on his hips, head tilted towards the sky. You couldn’t help but stare, Steve looked so beautiful, all flustered and tired. “I just needed to make sure I saw you before you left.”

“You did?”

“Yeah, I tried calling but you weren’t picking up so…I ran and, uh, now I’m here.” Steve said as he scratched the back of his neck.

Eddie’s eyes widened. Was this it? Was Steve finally going to confess? He wished there was a phone handy so he could call Robin, but in the meantime he’ll just wait in the van.

“Steve, you didn’t have to wake up so early. You need your beauty rest,” you said teasingly.

Steve had been going around in circles in his mind thinking about your upcoming surgery. It isn’t a risky procedure but you never know, things go wrong all the time. He just wouldn’t be able to live with himself if something happened to you and you didn’t know how much you were loved. Loved by him. 

 A last minute confession before you went under the knife seemed like the perfect romantic gesture. At least that’s what Robin told him.

“There’s- I should- I should say…” 

“What is it, Stevie?”

But alas, his nerves got the better of him.

“Uhh… good luck! I know you’re feeling nervous, but you’ve got this!” Steve’s voice raised a couple octaves higher.

“Thanks. I guess I am a little nervous,” you said with a shy smile.

“Come here,” Steve pulled you closer, holding your head to his chest and rubbing a comforting hand up and down your back. He felt as you squeezed him back, refusing to let go.

Eddie rolled his eyes. He had been watching from the rearview mirror, ready for the declaration of love, but of course, Steve chickened out. Again.

-

Robin dropped the stack of tapes on the counter that Steve was resting his head on. He jumped up at the sound and tried rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

“What the hell, Robin?” Steve mumbled.

“Eddie told me what you did. Or rather, what you didn’t do.”

Steve blinked at her. Robin was glaring at him with her arms crossed against her chest.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he deadpanned.

Robin huffed and walked off to return the tapes back to the shelf. Steve watched her go with a raised eyebrow.

“What? Now I’m getting the silent treatment?”

“Yup.”

Steve rolled his eyes at her lack of commitment, “the silent treatment? From Robin Buckley?”

Robin spun around to face him, “yes, Steve! Maybe I’m just annoyed that my friend is hopelessly devoted to someone who…” doesn’t have the nerve to ask her out. Robin trailed off, realizing half way through her point that she was about to tell Steve your secret.

“I’m not hopelessly devoted to her, okay? That seems a bit dramatic, even for you.”

Robin and Steve jumped as the glass door swung open, causing the bell on the door to rattle violently. Eddie came busting in, eyes wide and scanning the store for his friends.

“ROBIN, I can’t fucking take it anymore!”

“Eddie, don’t,” Robin warned, like he was a dog about to do something he knows he’s not supposed to do.

“What the hell, Eddie? Did you just ditch Y/N at the hospital?!” Steve interrupted.

“Seriously, Robin. It is causing me actual physical pain,” Eddie said, blatantly disregarding Steve’s question.

“I’m in the same boat, Eddie, but we promised.”

“I know, but-”

“EDDIE! Did you leave Y/N alone at the hospital?” Steve yelled, getting tired of being ignored.

“Yes,” Eddie said simply, “what are you gonna do about it, Steve?”

“I can’t- you were-...what??” Steve was deeply confused but mostly he was just pissed off. You were all alone at the hospital, probably in surgery now. If something were to go wrong, there wouldn’t be anyone there for you.

“Go do something about it, Harrington! If you leave now you should be able to get there before she wakes up.”

“B-but what about the store?”

“Why are you questioning it? Just go, Steve!” Robin yelled.

“Don’t worry, I’ll cover for you. Putting away tapes can’t be that difficult, can it?” Eddie said, directing the last part to Robin because Steve had already vaulted over the counter and was out the door.

-

“Surgery went very well. She should be waking up in the next few minutes,” a nurse said, leading him through the post-anesthesia recovery room. Steve was anxious to get to you, he felt bad that you were here alone, even though you weren’t conscious for most of it. He needs to see you with his own eyes before he can allow himself to relax even a little. 

Steve took a deep breath as the nurse slid the privacy curtain to the side, revealing your sleeping form.

The only new thing about you was the thick plaster cast on your left hand that was tucked in a sling and elevated by a couple pillows. Steve smiled down at you, relieved to see your face again. You were sleeping so peacefully, deep and slow breaths expanding and contracting your chest. He didn’t hesitate to grab your uninjured hand to bring to his chest as he sat on the edge of your bed. The nurse left him alone so he leaned down to place a delicate kiss on your knuckles. His thick fingers brushed a wayward strand of hair away from your face before delicately grazing the back of his hand against your cheek.

Steve thought back to Robin and her insistence on getting him to admit his feelings to you. She seemed to think you liked him back but Steve never allowed her to get his hopes up. That never stopped him from dreaming about what he’d say to you, if the moment were to ever present itself.

I guess I could try it out to see how it sounds… 

Steve glanced around the room to make sure no one was listening in on him. “Hey sugar… glad surgery went well,”  Steve looked at the ceiling before puffing out a breath, feeling a bit silly all of a sudden, “look, I’ve been having difficulty telling you this because I didn’t want to ruin our friendship but…I don’t know, you’re just so amazing, and sweet, and caring and it’s just gotten harder and harder to pretend that I’m not completely in love with you anymore. You’re the greatest person in my life and you make me feel so secure and loved. I always find myself thinking about you and smiling from ear to ear and I just…I love you so much.”

Before Steve could think, you moved your hand out of his grip and face palmed him, pushing his head back.

“Get the fuck outta here,” you slurred. “Woah, is that your real hair?”

“O-oh, hey Y/N. How’re you feeling?” Steve said nervously. He’s hoping you’re too drugged up to have heard his little confession.

“Y’know, I rather you didn’t,” you said lazily, your hooded eyes not focusing on anything in particular. 

Steve’s brows furrowed, “didn’t do what?”

“Love me.”

Steve paled. Any sliver of self-esteem Steve had was ripped from his grasp. He knew you could find someone better but a small part of him thought you liked him back. Those lingering gazes, soft touches, and the teasing from his friends were all just some sort of facade. Some sick joke at his expense. Of course this is how it ends.

“S-sorry,” Steve mumbled, trying to blink away the tears gathering in his eyes.

“I don't love you, ya idiot! Cause I love Steeeevie,” you sang. “I love Steve with all my heart, and more.”

Steve’s eyes widened and his cheeks flushed. What is happening?? “uh, I-I think you’re a bit confused, doll.”

“I thought you knew? You’re always teasing me ‘bout it,” you said, swatting at him lazily. “Y/N’s feeling real good right now, Eds. Like, reeeeal good. You should totally sell whatever they got me on, you’d make a fortune!”

-

Eddie looked so silly with his new Steve haircut. You made sure to tell him that a few more times.

“Ser’sly, Eddie you even smell like him. Did he tell you his Farrah Fawcett secret?” You tried leaning into him to get a better whiff of his hair but he was easily able to pin you back down to the bed.

Kinky, you thought. 

You probably just exposed Steve’s deepest secret but for some reason you didn’t care. All you could do now was laugh hysterically at Eddie’s attempt to look more like Steve.

Eddie seemed uncomfortable. Maybe embarrassed was the right word. You were probably being really loud, but you were on cloud nine with whatever drugs they’ve got you on so you weren’t worried about anything at the moment. Plus, Eddie dressed like Steve to make you feel better, and it worked. Your friends were so thoughtful. 

“One time I braided Steve’s hair. It was soooooo soft, and it smelled like flowers. Pretty, pretty, flower boy.” Eddie was just staring at you owlishly, so you kept going, “I just always feel the need to smush his face onto my face, y’know? I love him so much! He makes me feel like– holy shit, what happened to my arm?”

-

Steve was a bit stumped.

On one hand he desperately wants to believe in your drug influenced love confession but he couldn’t help but feel a bit skeptical at the same time. He didn’t want to put you in an uncomfortable position if you didn’t actually mean it. He didn’t want to get his hopes up just for it to come crashing down. Again.

Steve drove you home and put you to bed where you immediately fell asleep. He sat by your bedside, contemplating his next steps. Overthinking everything, as usual.

Once his restlessness started to set in Steve made himself busy. He spent the next couple hours cooking meals you could save in the freezer and tidying up your house. It helped keep his mind busy so he wouldn’t go crazy thinking about what you had said in the hospital. 

Eddie, Robin, and Max stopped by in the evening with your favorite takeout but you were still sleeping. Steve wasn’t hiding his huffy attitude towards Eddie, still mad he left you at the hospital. Eddie just ignored him and did his best to hide his smug smile.

“So, did you tell her?” Robin said.

“Robin,” hissed Steve, “not in front of the kid.”

“Oh, Steven. It’s so sad that you think I don’t already know,” Max said condescendingly. 

Steve rubbed his face in embarrassment, “am I really that obvious?”

“Yes,” Robin, Eddie, and Max all said at the same time.

“Great, that’s just great” Steve grumbled as he leaned back in the armchair he was sitting on.

“I’m just surprised Y/N doesn’t see it,” Eddie added.

“What don’t I see?”

Everyone’s heads whipped towards the doorway of the living room where you were now standing. You still looked tired but you were standing on your own and not slurring your words anymore. You adjusted the arm resting in the sling with a slight wince, the strap digging into your neck. It had been a few hours since the surgery and you haven’t had any pain killers since.

You were trying to hide how uncomfortable you were but Steve saw right through it.

Steve stood to greet you, “hey doll, how’re you feeling? Let’s get some food and medicine in you,” he said, trying to change the subject.

“Okay, thanks Stevie,” you smiled but furrowed your brows at him, like you were trying to remember something. The adorable tilt of your head was making his knees weak as he escaped to the kitchen. 

Steve brought you a pill, a glass of water, and some food to nibble on as you sat in his previously occupied chair. He kneeled next to you, offering the pill and then the water to wash it down.

“How’re you feeling, Y/N?” Robin said from her spot on the couch she was sharing with Max.

“Fine, I guess. I’ll be better once this medicine kicks in.”

“Well, you look like shit,” Max said bluntly. 

“Thanks, Maxine,” you said sarcastically, “Geez Eddie, you letting just anyone in my house while I’m passed out, huh?” You chuckled before noticing everyone’s confused looks, “what? I’m just kidding.”

“Y/N, I didn’t take you home from the hospital. You don’t remember that?”

Over your shoulder, Steve’s eyes widened as he started waving his hands around, trying to get Eddie to shut up. Steve didn’t want to jog your memory, hoping you two could just live in blissful ignorance in hopes of saving you both from embarrassment.

“What? Yes you did. I woke up and you were…” 

Steve watched in horror as your face dropped and your cheeks reddened in realization. Steve could practically see the memories coming back to you as your breathing started speeding up and your jaw kept opening and closing. It was all coming back to you and you were absolutely mortified.

“Wait, what’s happening?” Robin asked, observing the matching blushes on yours and Steve’s faces.

“NOTHING,” you and Steve said at the same time.

You finally looked at him, taking in his wide eyes and pink ears. You groaned in embarrassment before standing up quickly and slapping your hand to your forehead. 

“Sorry, I’m gonna…I just need to, ugh sorry,” you were scrambling to come up with a good enough excuse to leave but it was just making you more flustered. “Steve, I’m sorry I didn’t– I didn’t mean to say, fuck, I mean maybe I did. I just…shit, shit, shit,” you started smacking yourself in the temple in an attempt to get your brain to work properly.

Steve observed you for a moment. This wasn’t the reaction of someone who regretted what they said because it wasn’t true. Your reaction showed Steve that you regretted it because you thought he didn’t feel the same way. Steve didn’t wait any longer, he couldn’t.

“Fuck it.”

Steve took one big step towards you and took your face in his hands. Before he could chicken out, he pressed a soft kiss to your lips. He felt your body stiffened on impact, but it felt too good to stop. He slotted his lips perfectly into yours as he took it all in. Reluctantly, Steve slowly pulled away as it hit him. He just kissed you.

Holding his breath, he hesitantly opened his eyes to apologize but he sees you unable to move. You keep your eyes closed for a few moments, letting your mind process what just happened. The moment it all clicked was when you finally looked back at him and grabbed his shirt collar to bring him back for a desperate kiss. Steve furrowed his brows as he kissed you more passionately, trying to savor the taste of you. It felt like you were having an out of body experience, although that could have been the drugs kicking in.

You both forgot about your friends that were still in the room until Max said “I’m gonna call Mike, he owes me ten bucks.”

“It’s a little weird watching our friends make out, isn’t it?” Robin turned to Eddie, expecting to exchange a long-suffering look with him.

Eddie sniffed hard before aggressively wiping at his eyes, “you kidding? It's beautiful.”

-

main masterlist

[draganwhorror]

Everybody's Somebody's Fool

Author Note: This short story idea came to me while I was listening to my iPod one day and the Connie Francis song came on. The story's a bit...dark, I guess, and there will be trigger warnings in the tags. Also, the ending of this fic was inspired by this gif:

His heart ached. The type of ache that could crush a man’s soul if he let it. And Travis Hackett was ready to die.

He had known it was too good to be true. Of course it had been too good to be true. No woman in their right mind would want someone like him. Travis wasn’t stupid. He had flaws. Lots of them. Travis hated his little pot belly. Of course, he also drank too much, which was the most likely cause of said pot belly, but he needed at least one vice in his life. Why not whiskey?

Travis hated his bald spot. His hair had been thinning for years now, but the bald spot on the back of his head was becoming more pronounced, and he wished there was some way to cover it up that didn’t require a hat.

His personality wasn’t much better than his looks, at least in his own eyes. He knew he could be a miserable grump sometimes. He had his moments. But deep down, Travis was soft. He’d never admit that to anyone, not even his younger brothers, but he was a bit of a hopeless romantic, and he just wanted to be loved. Loved for who he was. Flaws and all.

But it had never been meant to be. The love he’d thought he’d found was no more. And death would be preferable to the heartache he felt in this moment.

Travis sighed, sitting on his worn sofa in his quiet cabin in the woods. He had a bottle of whiskey on the table next to him, and his gun sat next to him as he contemplated ending it all. He doubted anyone would miss him. Maybe his brothers. But they would move on. Live their lives. Have their happily ever afters, whatever that might entail. But for Travis, there would be nothing. No happiness. No love. No joy. Just…darkness.

The memory of her surfaced in his mind. He closed his eyes, wishing he could forget her. Wishing he had never met her. She’d given him too much hope. And hope, for someone like Travis, was a dangerous thing. But he’d let her get under his skin. Let her in. And she had destroyed him. Torn his heart straight from his chest and stomped all over it.

Travis picked up the gun, holding the weight of it in his hand. He stared down at it, wondering what it would be like to be here one moment and gone the next. Would it hurt? Would there be a flash of light and then nothing? What if I failed, though? Travis imagined himself screwing up his own death, lying here alone, in pain—or more pain than he was already in—bleeding out, but not enough to actually kill him. What if I end up paralyzed? Or disfigured? Wouldn’t matter anyway…

Travis scowled, his thoughts running rampant through his mind. Between thinking of her and thinking about death, he felt like he was being torn in two. With a growl, he set the gun down and grabbed the bottle of whiskey, tipping it up so the liquid flowed down his throat, burning as it settled in his belly.

Images of her swam behind his eyes. Her long blonde hair tied back in a ponytail. Her bright blue eyes that seemed to look straight through him into his soul. Her soft pink lips that had pressed a kiss to his cheek…

“No!” Travis grunted, slamming the bottle of whiskey back down on the table.

He didn’t want to remember. He didn’t want to care. He didn’t want to hurt anymore.

He pushed himself up off the couch and walked over to the window, gazing out at the trees that lined his property. A light rain was falling, and the gray sky matched his mood. Closing his eyes, Travis rested his head against the cool glass.

“Laura…”

He murmured her name softly, as though saying it any louder would summon her and bring about another fresh wave of heartache. Travis had dealt with his fair share of terrible people—criminals who had done bad things and hurt others—even in a small town like North Kill, but Laura…she had been an actual monster.

Well, okay, no…not an actual monster like a vampire or a werewolf, since those didn’t exist, but Travis viewed her in the same vein. Someone who was out to hurt. Destroy. Kill. And she had succeeded.

The memory of her surfaced again as he opened his eyes, staring out into the gloom. She had come to North Kill with her boyfriend at the time, a nice kid named Max. They had been counselors at his brother’s camp for the summer, but when camp ended, Laura had decided to stay in North Kill and work at the local vet’s office to get some experience before starting school. Max had balked at the idea of sticking around, but he’d gone along with it and had found a job working at the local paper as a junior photographer. That was how Travis had met him. And through Max, he’d met Laura. The first meeting had been the beginning of his downfall.

Travis had been smitten immediately. Sure, Laura was a lot younger than him, but he couldn’t help the way his heart had fluttered in his chest the moment he’d laid eyes on her. And even though he knew she was dating Max, Travis couldn’t help but want her.

He had fought against his feelings, buried them deep down where they couldn’t see the light of day. But despite his best efforts, his heart had betrayed him. Travis had found himself drawn to Laura like a moth to a flame, unable to resist her pull. He had tried to ignore her, to avoid her at all costs, but fate seemed determined to intertwine their lives.

Travis remembered the first time they had spoken alone, a chance encounter at the local diner. Laura’s smile had been so bright, so inviting, that he had found himself opening up to her without even realizing it. They had talked for hours, about everything and nothing at all, as if the rest of the world didn’t exist. In that moment, Travis had allowed himself to believe that maybe, just maybe, there was a chance for him to find happiness.

But then reality had come crashing down around him. Laura’s true colors had emerged slowly but surely, revealing a cruelty that had cut Travis to the bone.

He had been blind to her lies and deceit. She had played him like a fiddle, pulling the strings of his emotions. She had known just what to say, just how to touch him, to make him believe that there was something real between them. And Travis, poor Travis, had fallen for it all.

It wasn’t until he caught her with another man that he realized she had no qualms about hurting not only him but Max as well. It had been a blatant betrayal of trust that had shattered the fragile illusion he had built around her, when he realized the depth of her deception. Laura had used him, toyed with his feelings for her own amusement, discarding him like a used napkin once she grew bored.

Travis’s chest tightened at the memory of her mocking laughter, the way she had smirked as she twisted the knife in his back. He had never felt so foolish, so utterly defeated as he did in that moment of realization.

Travis felt like a fool for falling for her tricks, for believing that someone like her could ever care for someone like him.

As he stood at the window, staring out into the rainy afternoon, Travis clenched his fists in frustration. He couldn't believe he had let himself be so vulnerable, so easily swayed by a woman who cared for no one but herself.

But as the memories of her betrayal swirled in his mind, a sudden determination sparked within Travis. He couldn't let Laura's deceit and heartlessness be the end of him. No, he refused to let her have that power over him any longer.

With a resolute expression hardening his features, Travis turned away from the window and walked purposefully back to the table where the gun lay. He picked it up once more, but this time, it was not to end his own life. Instead, a steely resolve gleamed in his eyes as he checked the chamber to make sure it was loaded.

"I may have been a fool once, Laura," Travis muttered under his breath, his voice firm with newfound determination. "But I won't give you the satisfaction of destroying me completely."

He tucked the gun securely into the waistband of his jeans and grabbed his jacket, heading out into the rain.

It was time for Travis to make things right. To put an end to the pain and heartache she had caused him. He knew deep down that killing Laura wouldn't bring back the pieces of his life she had shattered, but it would at least give him a measure of closure.

As he stepped out into the downpour, Travis felt a primal sense of clarity wash over him. This was his chance to avenge the betrayal she had inflicted upon him, and on Max, and he wouldn't let it slip away.

The journey to Laura's house was a cold and wet one, but Travis barely noticed the rain as he focused on the mission at hand. He knew her daily routine like the back of his hand, and today would be no different. She'd be home from work, sitting in her living room, relaxed and perhaps even feeling a little smug.

As he approached her house, Travis's heart pounded in his chest, each beat sounding like a drum in his ears. The rain soaked through his clothes, plastering his hair to his forehead as he stood on Laura's doorstep, staring at the familiar wooden door that had once seemed so inviting. But now, it was a barrier between him and the closure he sought.

Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, Travis raised a hand and knocked firmly on the door. The sound didn’t seem to elicit any movement inside, and for a moment, he wondered if she had gone out for the evening. But just as he turned to leave, the door creaked open slowly, revealing Laura standing on the other side.

Her eyes widened in surprise at the sight of Travis standing there, soaked by the rain, a conflicted expression on his face. Before she could utter a word, he reached for the waistband of his pants and pulled out the gun, pointing it directly at her chest.

Laura's expression shifted from shock to fear in an instant as she stumbled backward, her back hitting the wall behind her. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Instead, her eyes darted around wildly, searching for a way to escape Travis's wrath.

"You..." Travis began, his voice shaking with a mix of anger and sadness. "You hurt me. You broke my heart. But more importantly, you hurt Max. You destroyed that young man until he felt like there was no other option. Do you even care that he’s gone, Laura? Do you?!”

Laura's eyes filled with terror as she realized the gravity of the situation. She tried to plead for her life, but her voice caught in her throat, and she could only manage a faint whimper.

Travis took a deep breath, the gun shaking in his hand as he willed himself to pull the trigger. This was it. This was the end of Laura's reign of destruction. This was the closure he so desperately craved.

But as he focused on the sight of the gun, a new thought crossed his mind. A thought that made him hesitate. What would happen if he pulled the trigger? Would it really fix everything? Would it bring back Max or fill the emptiness inside him?

As the rain continued to drench him, Travis's resolve began to waver. He stared at Laura, her eyes filled with fear and desperation, and felt a pang of sympathy. Maybe she wasn't as heartless as she seemed. Maybe she was just as lost and confused as he was.

With a deep sigh, Travis lowered the gun, his resolve shaken by the unexpected wave of empathy. He couldn't bring himself to pull the trigger, not when he now understood that maybe, just maybe, there was a chance for redemption, for healing.

Laura let out a shaky breath, her body slumping against the wall as the gun fell to the ground between them. For a long moment, both Travis and Laura stared at one another, each trying to process the turn of events.

Then, without warning, Travis's emotions overcame him. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he let out a pained sob. He had been so close to ending it all, to easing the pain that Laura had caused, but in the end, he couldn't bring himself to do it.

Laura, for her part, looked at Travis with a mix of relief, guilt, and confusion. She had expected him to pull the trigger, to end her life.

"I'm sorry, Travis," Laura said softly, her voice barely audible over the sound of the rain. But Travis could hear the slight edge of amusement creeping into her tone, giving her away. "I... I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't mean to hurt Max. I thought... I thought I…

Before she could finish her thought, Travis picked up the gun again.

Not wanting to give her the chance to continue excusing her actions, he aimed it at her once more. She flinched back, her eyes wide with fear as she realized that he was serious this time.

"I can't let you keep hurting people, Laura," Travis said, his voice steady and firm. "You have caused so much pain, and I won't let you do it again. Not to me. Not to Max. Not to anyone else."

Laura's face twisted in anguish, her eyes welling up with tears. She looked at Travis, pleading for him to understand how sorry she was, how much she regretted her actions. But it was too late for that.

Travis squeezed the trigger, and the sound of the gunshot echoed through the room. Laura's body crumpled to the floor, her life suddenly and violently cut short.

Travis's heart ached. He stared at Laura’s lifeless form with wide eyes, realizing the gravity of what he had done. He released a primal scream into the air, all of the pain and suffering he’d been keeping bottled up leaching out of him.

Glancing down at his hand, he saw he still held the gun. His eyes darted to Laura once more before he lifted the gun and shakily brought it up under his chin.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, bracing himself for the inevitable end.

In the silence that followed, the only sound was the patter of rain against the ground. Travis's heart pounded in his chest, every beat echoing in his ears. For a moment, he felt like he was floating, suspended between life and death.

A single tear fell from beneath his lashes, mingling with the rain that pelted his face as he knelt there on the doorstep. With one last breath, Travis pulled the trigger, letting the darkness consume him.

[swanqueenelmaxshadowhunters]

I'm working (trying to, between work that sucks all my energy harder than those dementors from HP - and another long ass fic of another ship) on an elmax fic set right after S4 finale and if I ever get to finish it will be the most painful yet beautiful elmax fic I've ever written (I haven't written many so far to be honest)

[plumsfromyouricebox]

"bUt ThEy WoUld nEveR gEt TOgeTHeR—"

May I point you in the direction of over 200k words in which I illustrate in great detail exactly how they get together?

:)

[celestiall0tus]

Reawakening - Knowledge

Table of Contents

            Max sat on his bed as he observed Min. He jotted down his notes, filling out his first notebook on kwami research. He searched his collection of books for a new journal. He slid the other journal towards Min.

            “Finished?” Min asked.

            “Yup. Let me know if I made any mistakes.”

            “Like documenting all this to begin with?” Min asked.

            “It is a risk, but we need to better understand. We can go about our daily lives as we have been and learn what we can, but there is always the possibility that we may forget. Furthermore, we need people like me, Alya, and Juleka to analyze the kwamis and discover what has changed. That was we can be prepared.”

            Min hummed. “I still have my doubts, but I suppose I see the use in it at this point. Everything has changed and you all will need to be ready when the dastardlier of my siblings rise.”

            “When do you think that’ll be?”

            “Hard to say. There’s already Orikko. Nasty creature he is. Not mention when Styx gets involved.”

            “Who is Styx?”

            “Kwami of fear, opposite of Roarr, valor. Styx is also responsible for all this. Well, Styx and I. We petitioned for this, but Styx drove home the notion. Riled our siblings up using their fear and won. Velze undoubtedly saw the truth of what Styx was doing, but likely couldn’t deny the grain of truth hidden within. This cycle had to end. The only way that was going to happen was with him. And so here we are.”

            “Perhaps it would be best if we prepare ourselves for when that day comes. Train and be ready.”

            “It’s not the worst idea. You lot have a team, no more secrets between all of you, it is the ideal arrangement.”

            “And all thanks to Velze. Though questionable at first given our knowledge at the time, it is turning out to be a blessing in disguise.”

            Min chuckled. “Velze always worked in mysterious ways. We often questioned him and his methods when we were owlets, only to be shown how completely he messed up or succeeded. It was always fun seeing which it would be. Fang and I often made bets to see which it would be. Which, she always won.”

            “Did you spend a lot of time with Velze?”

            Min bowed her head. “No time was ever long enough with him. I would have preferred to spend eternity with him. But here we are.”

            Max moved to scoop up Min when her head shot up.

            “But facts are facts. Velze is not with us as we would like, but another takes his place. We must live with that reality. Kwami and mortal alike.”

            “Did you want to talk about Velze more? You seemed… troubled,” Max asked.

            “Facts are facts. Come along. We can discuss Velze more after you inform your friends of your idea.”

[hellcheerficdatabase]

still awake, playing chase with the sunrise

Author: @cyraclove

Rating/Warning: Teen and up audience

Chapter Count: 1/1

Description:

Max will never understand how boys can be so oblivious and so obvious all at once, all while thinking they’re playing it super cool. She hasn’t known either Chrissy or Eddie for very long, but she’s got eyes. It’s sort of cute, in a way, how they get all fidgety and weird around each other. Pretty bizarre, but cute.

She could press Eddie a little, maybe get him to turn even redder or do that nervous throat-clearing thing that he does. Max decides to cut him some slack instead, considering that he’s grappling with his own mortality. She’ll give him extra shit about his cute, cheerleader-y crush if they live. Ha.

Tags: Alternate universe- canon divergence, alternate universe- everyone lives and nobody dies, hurt and comfort, fluff, lil sister Max, Max likes to tease Eddie, Eddie is obvious, Chrissy is obvious, Max knows all, confessions, first kiss, outside POV, one-shot, status: completed

[the-magnificent-otaku-draws]

Chapter: 1/1

Fandom: Infinity Train, Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Rating: General Audiences

Characters: Grace Monroe (Infinity Train), Leonardo (TMNT), Grace Monroe's Mother (Infinity Train)

Additional Tags: Sleepovers, Dress Up, Sharing Clothes, Grace Monroe needs a hug, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Protective Leonardo (TMNT), Good Friend Leonardo (TMNT), Grace-centric (Infinity Train), Post-Train (Infinity Train), Childhood Memories, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Male-Female Friendship, Crossover, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Background Simon Laurent/Grace Monroe, background Leo/Usagi, but like mostly pining, Grace Monroe-centric (Infinity Train), Numbers (Infinity Train), Happy Ending

Summary: It's been a while since Grace left the Foot Clan and even longer since she escaped the magic train that whisked her away into another dimension. Now she's back home on earth with new friends and ready to pretend everything before then never happened. But memories never fully go away.

A/N: This is part of a larger Infinity Train x ROTTMNT AU I'm going to make someday. How canon you want this to be is up to you