#despite them butting heads quite a bit

[artsymeeshee]

Random idea that I have very little backstory for. It was along the lines of Stan and Dipper having a pretty bad argument and having Dipper being in danger and Stan going out of his way to save Dipper. And despite Dipper still being a little upset with Stan, he still cares. A lot.

[roanofarcc]

HOT & BOTHERED

pairing: john walker x ava starr ~ ghostwalker (requested)

summary: after a mission, ava and walker are stuck for a night in a safehouse. 

warnings: lightly suggestive but nothing crazy; bonding, bullying, and bickering; john walker is an asshole but he can be a softie; ava starr deserves the world, actually

word count. 3k (I got a bit carried away with this one) | masterlist

The safehouse didn’t have air conditioning. To someone who was formerly deployed in the military and someone who grew up in laboratories, you’d think that wouldn’t be a big deal. It shouldn’t have been, really, but southern Florida in August was a bitch and so was John Walker. 

“How mad do you think Barnes would be if I killed you here? Like, kick me off the team mad or a slap on the wrist mad?” 

From across the room, Walker glared at Ava as he yanked the curtains closed with a little more force than necessary. The thick material blocked out the hot rays of the sun but made the safehouse darker, prompting him to switch on the lamp. 

“You couldn’t kill me if you wanted to,” he said. 

Ava scoffed and phased behind Walker, snatching the gun from his belt before she appeared back in the kitchen with a smirk, waving the weapon around with a smug air to her. 

Walker glared at her. “Not funny.” 

“No, what’s not funny is the team not being able to extract us until tomorrow,” she replied, tossing the gun onto the kitchen counter before she started to rummage through the cabinets for something to eat. “Me stealing from you is actually quite funny.” 

The safehouse was pretty well stocked, which somewhat made up for the broken air conditioning. 

Walker shrugged and collapsed onto the couch. The mission had been a success with minimal issues or injuries, which is what the team had assumed and only sent the two of them to carry it out. 

“I see it as a couple of hours off,” he said, cracking his neck and kicking his feet up on the coffee table. With the title of New Avengers, they were busy tackling incidents all around the U.S and the occasional international trip. It was a lot, but rewarding all the same. Any time they had a break from super-heroing, Walker took it in stride. 

With a scoff, Ava said, “Please, if I had a couple of hours off, you’re the last person I’d choose to spend it with one-on-one.” As a team, that was different. Ava was still adjusting to being a part of a team and having people to rely on, report to, and live with. It wasn’t the worst thing in the world, but Walker was certainly the one she butted heads with the most. Their bickering had become a staple within the group, with the others learning to tune them out. 

If she had said something like that to Walker several months ago, he would have retorted with some shitty remark. Instead, he just smirked lazily at the woman digging through boxes of snacks. He would have been defensive, mean, and tried to make her feel worse than the comment made him feel. The odd thing was, the comment didn’t make him feel bad; he found it had little bite to it. 

Living with the team, being with a group of people with enough issues to make a therapist cry, Walker found himself less wound so tightly. Sure, he knew he had a tendency to be an asshole and say the wrong thing from time to time, but despite the scoffs and eye-rolls, be did see the team as his friends- no matter how fucked up they all were and thus their relationships to one another were. 

“And yet, here we are,” he said. “I think I’m starting to grow on you.” 

“Yeah, like a disease.” Ava settled on a snack and took a seat on a bar stool in the kitchen. She ate in silence while Walker sat in silence, thinking about this mission report the following day and what they’d be sent off to do next. 

It wasn’t until beads of sweat started to form on his forehead did he break the silence. He tugged at the collar of his suit, heat stuck within the confines of his thick uniform. He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand before he unclicked the buckles on the side of his suit top. 

The noise drew Ava’s attention. She furrowed her brows and looked up from the spot she’d been staring at on the counter. Walker loosened the top of his suit before he tugged the material off his arms, rolling it down his shoulders to expose a white t-shirt underneath. 

“What’re you doing?” she asked. 

“Preventing a heat stroke,” he muttered, leaving his suit bunched around his waist. It only cooled him off slightly, but it was a bit better than it had been a moment ago. The windows of the safehouse didn’t open, a safety measure that Walker hadn’t thought was stupid until then. “Jesus, it’s like we’re back in that fucking incinerator.” 

Ava felt it too, the heat that wrapped its way around the house. Her suit was heavy, compressing the complicated molecules of her body in a comforting weight. The thick material also amplified the heat. She shifted uncomfortably on the stool and tried to ignore it. 

“That’s a bit dramatic,” she said, focusing on irritating him rather than how the heat was irritating her. 

He shot her a look. “Says the ones who sweating.” 

Ava didn’t even feel the sweat until it rolled down from her hairline. She wiped it away in annoyance and slight disgust. She hated the feeling of sweat, especially as it started to roll down her back and cause the clothing underneath her suit to stick to her body. 

“Don’t they ever check these places?” she grumbled, glaring at the thermostat on the wall as if she could intimidate it into working. 

“It’s pretty low on the list of priorities,” Walker answered. “Food, water, and first-aid being stocked usually is all they care about. Vanity amenities, not so much.” 

“Won’t seem like vanity when we’re peeled over,” she said. The heat made her even more pissy than usual. She opened the freezer and grabbed an icepack before placing it on the back of her neck. 

Walker rolled his eyes, deciding to discard his utility belt and then the rest of his suit. It was the fastest way to cool your body off, eliminate the layers, since there was no threat of the sun burning the skin from inside the house. 

“We won’t peel over,” he said, scoffing at her sudden dramatics, not noticing her gaze on him as he kicked his suit from around his ankles and tossed it aside, leaving him in his cotton shirt and boxers. 

“For the love of God,” Ava complained. “What happens to manners, golden boy? I doubt Captain America strips in the middle of the living room.” 

Walker breathed a sigh of relief at the lack of suffocation from the heat and his suit. The house was still hot, but the exposed skin allowed for breathing room. He had no shame in that. 

“Not overheating overrides manners, Starr.” He said her last name with a tone of teasing, dragging it out playfully. “I think Captain America can shove aside his modesty. So can I. You, on the other hand…” 

The growing discomfort was easy to spot on Ava’s face, despite her usual closed-off attitude. Her suit looked heavier and was more complicated than Walker's. He didn’t understand half of the features of it, and every time he tried to look at her to figure it out, it earned him a harsh glare that had him huffing and turning away. 

“It’s not about modesty,” she snapped, any trace of humor gone from her tone. 

Despite that, Walker pushed further instead of sulking back in silence. “Then what is it? Because, from what it looks like, you’re too stubborn to admit you're uncomfortable in that thing.” 

Her eyes narrowed in a glare, but it wasn’t pointed at him. Rather, she kept her gaze on the counter in front of her. “I don’t need to explain myself to you,” she said. 

He nodded slowly. “Whatever.” He honestly didn’t care, not really. Walker was just trying to make conversation, but clearly that was the last thing she wanted. So, he rested his head on the back of the couch and stared at the ceiling, busying his mind with whatever came to it. 

Ava sulked in the kitchen. She was hot, irritated, and there was an uncomfortable feeling aching inside of her, not from the heat. The thing with Ava is, she didn’t like talking about herself, especially not her abilities. The team knew their pasts were all messy, but for her, what they knew didn’t stem much past contract killing. Obviously, they knew of her phasing as she could do it at free will with little pain anymore. They didn’t know how she acquired them; they had tried to ask a few times, as subtly as they could muster, but the look on her face alone shut down that topic of conversation before another word was muttered. 

She assumed Yelena and maybe Barnes had looked more into her, but they never brought it up. 

The time ticked by as they sat in stretching silence and growing discomfort. Ava stubbornly stayed in her suit as long as she could muster, with the stupid feeling of needing Walker not to have a point or be right. But she was forced to relent when the heat became too much for her to handle in her suit. She slid off the kitchen stool and tugged the top half of her suit off. It landed on the floor with a thud, drawing Walker’s attention. She readied for some smug comment, but it didn’t come. 

Ava shot him a look, only to find him just looking at her, not with a smirk or an “I told you so” look, but just looking at her, which she found out of character. 

A tank top hung loosely around her frame, the dark material hiding the sweat stains. She narrowed her gaze at Walker. “What?” 

He blinked and shook his head before returning to staring and scrolling through his phone. 

Ava kicked off the bottom half of her suit, leaving her in a pair of shorts. She folded her suit with a certain amount of care and placed it alongside the rest of their belongings on the kitchen table. 

It helped a little, but the house was still hot, and she was irritable. Ava was also bored. You’d think she’d be good at entertaining herself by that point in her life, but she had grown a bit spoiled living with someone chatty like Yelena or full of stories like Alexei. There was no more work they could get done at the safehouse, which left Ava roaming around, looking at the stock photos on the wall until she realized that if she wanted to cure her boredom, even just a little, she’d have to talk to Walker, who was rather content sitting in silence. 

“The suit is a second iteration,” she blurted out, eyes fixed on a photo of a black and white flower, the kind of image that came with frames when you buy them with the intention to be swapped out. 

Walker looked up from his phone, brows furrowed. “What?” 

“My suit, S.H.I.E.L.D. created the first one to stabilize by molecular disequilibrium. That one,” she pointed to the folded suit in the next room. “Was given to be my Valentina when I started working for her.” 

Walker was quiet for a moment before he repeated, “Molecular disequilibrium?” 

“Mmhm,” she hummed with a nod. “The phasing, it used to be random, uncontrollable. The suit helped, but I used to want a cure.” 

“You wanted to give up your superpowers? That’s stupid,” he said, more so thinking of himself if he were in a situation. He wouldn’t go back and not take the super soldier serum if given the chance. It made him different than most, alike with some greats and some not-so-greats. He liked feeling strong, with a different upper hand than most. 

Ava turned around, her lips pulled in a thin line. “Stupid? It isn’t some fun, quirky superpower. I had that suit because without it, my body was becoming non-existent. It was excruciating.” The stress on the word was more intense than Walker had expected. He was taken aback, regretting his ‘stupid’ comment almost immediately. He didn’t have the chance to say something before she spoke again, telling him for reasons he was too clueless. Ava didn’t talk about her, her past, anything unless it was poking fun at him, discussing dinner plans with Yelena, or asking Bob was the latest book he read was about. 

“I had some help getting it under control, managing it. A cure fell through once the Blip occurred, so Valentina gave me a purpose, a new suit that helped correct the last bit I have trouble controlling. I can be without it; unlike I used to.” 

“Why are you telling me this?” Walker couldn’t help up ask. It made him a little squeamish, with sudden vulnerability. It was a new theme amongst the 'New Avengers,' after the whole Bob situation. Not all of their pent-up feelings and shoved down emotions could manifest into the Void, but Yelena still found it necessary for everyone to try to be less “emotionally constipated” - her words, not Walker's. But Yelena wasn’t around, and no one was asking Ava to open up. Walker, before that moment, had been almost certain Ava would only open up to him if they were on the brink of certain death. 

She sighed, standing stiff on the other side of the coffee table. “Because I don’t have to explain myself to you, but what’s that bullshit Alexei always says about us being a team? We have to…be friends, not just co-workers.” Ava thought that was stupid, but she found it a little less stupid as time progressed. 

The part she wouldn’t admit to Walker or anyone is that there were very few things she wanted more than friends, people to rely on, and who relied on her. She had craved any kind of intimacy, closeness with people since she was a little girl who lost her parents and couldn’t be touched without hands passing through her or needles poking and prodding her. She wanted friends, and now she had them within the team thrown together by chance, whose bad choices made on their own somehow led to them becoming the poster children for good as a team. Ava didn’t know if she could be considered ‘good’ yet, but she was trying. 

Walker scooted from the middle of the couch to make space. He didn’t invite her to sit, but the option was out there. 

“Does it still hurt?” 

Ava hugged herself, despite the heat. “Not anything like it used to. But, sometimes when I’m out of the suit, I phase in and out and…I can’t really tell if it’s real pain or just a memory of how it used to feel.” 

A beat passed, and Ava strode across the room and sat on the cushion beside Walker. She pulled her legs up to her chest and sighed. “It’s weird sometimes, being solid. There was a time it felt like everything passed through me, everyone, like I wasn’t really there. Yet, whether they could touch me or not, it hurt all the same.” Even when she curled into herself, there had been times and on the rare occasion still, where she wasn’t even solid to herself. 

Walker knew what he was about to do could end in him getting hit, hard, by the woman beside him, but believed it to be worth it. He bumped his shoulder his hers lightly. 

“Seems solid to me,” he said casually. 

The faintest smile tugged at the corner of her lips. She outstretched her leg, kicking him in the ribs, but not hard enough for it to hurt even a non-super soldier. He laughed in response, and her smile grew just a little more prominent. 

The day stretched into night, the heat lessening only a little as the two made themselves comfortable on the couch. 

“At least, if you ever do get cured, you’re not too bad at the whole ‘punching and shooting’ thing,” Walker said. 

Ava narrowed her gaze for what felt like the hundredth time that day, only Walker found no trace of actual annoyance beyond it. She had relaxed slightly, less curled into herself as time progressed. “I’m sorry, was that a compliment?” 

Walker shrugged. “More or less. I’m still better, obviously, but you’re not the worst.” 

She laughed, actually laughed. It was a wheeze, short and sweet, but it was nice. Walker wasn’t sure exactly why ‘nice’ was the first word he’d used to describe it, but he didn’t bother to dwell on it as she shook her head and said, “No, you are the worst.” 

The conversation drifted off, and Walker was about to turn in for the night, retreat to one of the safehouse bedrooms. But as he glanced at Ava, he noticed her eyes fluttering to a close and her head tipping forward as she dozed off. He grabbed the pillow from behind him, planning to place it between the two of them and prevent her from face-planting on the cushion, but before he could, Ava’s head landed on his shoulder. 

With slightly wide eyes, Walker froze, her weight shifting as she leaned against him, fully out with lips parted in a quiet snore. How she could fall asleep so fast, Walker had no idea. He had only witnessed it a few times on a plane ride home from a mission and during Alexei-mandated movie nights. 

He probably should have moved, but for some reason, he didn’t want to chance waking her up. Instead, he dropped the pillow back where it had been behind him and carefully rested back on the couch, doing everything to not jostle the shoulder she leaned against. He closed his eyes, knocking out not long afterwards, knowing that when they woke up, if he so much as uttered a word about what had just happened, she’d kick his ass into next Tuesday. 

Walker fell asleep with a small smile on his thinking of that.

[alucards-boots]

Okay, so I have been obsessed with Epic the musical lately, and while listening to "Would you fall in love with me again", I got this concept of Alucard who falls in love with the same soul every century or so. This time, he happened to find that person when they were quite young (late twenties), and they had a relationship for a bit before circumstances got them separated for twenty years, and when MC came back, they had the audacity to tell Alucard something along the lines of "I changed a lot since we last met, would you still love me despite it all?" And then we get Alucard pulling the "I would fall in love with you over and over again, no matter how where or when, no matter how long it's been you're mine!" (And maybe even "Don't tell me you're not the same person! You're always my spouse and I've been waiting... For you") I will let everything else up to you cause I lost the wire of my thoughts here

Ah, epic.. i have no full knowledge of it, i’ve seen buts and fanarts of it, but i’m only there for my beloved Lord Hermes to be honest. hehe, enjoy!

I apologize for this being submitted late, i have a busy life to maintain, but i do make time.

This is taken place at nocturne.

“I will love you in every lifetime.” You promised at your last breath when his supple arms held you.

he found you, once again, and you still had similar features to the same face of the past, you looked beautiful.

You both loved each other dearly, his ethereal-like beauty never failed you to mistaken him for a terribly disguised angel.

By your mannerisms, your wit, your scoldings— he knew it was you.

Oh he was so terribly in love.

Until fate had to be cruel to set you two away, wrenching him from you for your sake to live.

“How about you? Were you ever in love?” Richer asked, his voice blending in the silence within alucard’s contemplation— his conflict, his thoughts of you.

“Countless times..” he murmured— those countless times were the times he fell in love with you over and over again.

His eyes softened at the thought of you, where are you? Are you alright? Are you well? Worse. Are you dead???..

He closed his eyes, shaking his head before leaning back once again as he was about to fall off of balance.

During the moment of the drolta’s attack, instead of alucard’s sword clashing with drolta’s claws, it was yours.

Your sword.

he was shielding richter and annette, ready to attack at any moment, but somehow,

fate was kind.

You fought off Drolta for a brief moment before Alucard rushed to fight alongside you, he did not have time to keep his eyes on you but he had time to fight alongside you, you looked near old but not near to death, you looked beautiful as ever, and he knew it without a glance.

At the aftermath of the brutal battle,

He wanted to look for you, but you weren’t there, looking through the crowd of cacophonies whispering about the beheading of the french royal..

You were not there.

everything was starting to go back to the serene moment, the night’s veil enveloping beautifully on the sky, the lamps shined brighter,

So as his eyes when he saw you being thanked by maria.

You’ve improved so much, did you have any lovers after him? What had you done during the separation?— that, evil, painful seperation?

Your powers blended with his perfectly as if you two were one, you had a few scars on you, were you in an adventure? Journey? who were you with? His thoughts ran through his head.

You bought some croissants for them, handing each one until you gave your last to Alucard, he took the opportunity to pull you close, away from the group into a secluded place, his hands were trembling, you still held the croissant on the other hand, he looked like he wanted to cry, his steps were rushed, as if desperate.

…

“Y/n..” his voice cracked. “Where have you been all along?..”

“i’ve been traveling, just as you told me..”

His hand raised to cup your cheek, he couldn’t say anything, just reveling in your beauty, the beauty you effortlessly maintained, the beauty that complimented his.

“why.. why have you came now?..”

“i..” you trailed off before placing the croissant somewhere close, the flat surface of the railing diving you both and the seine bridge, your now-free hand found his clenching ones, clenching hard because he’s afraid that you will disappear if he ever let go.

The desperation in his eyes was prominent, waiting to hear your voice once again..

“I was looking for you..”

His breath hitched before his arms swiftly wrapped around you in a tight embrace, the embrace. Slowly, his head lifted just to look down at you, you still had the same eye color, the same glint of your eyes..just a little crinkle at the corners, but you weren’t that old.

"I’ve changed a lot since we last met..

would you still love me despite it all?"

He almost wanted to laugh at that ridiculous yet breaking statement.

"I would fall in love with you over and over again, no matter how where or when, no matter how long it's been..

you’re mine, y/n.. always been.”

“oh look at me.. i look far from—“

"Nonsense.. don’t even say you arent the same person..

You’ve always been my spouse and i.. have been waiting..”

you promised not to leave this time.. you couldn’t bear to see him witness the cycles of your passing over and over again, no matter how stoic and calm he was, you could see a flower wilting.

[georgeweasleyslostearhq]

MISTLETOE TRAP

Prompt 3: mistletoe

Pairings: Eddie Munson x Fem!reader Summary: after spending so long watching you and Eddie hopelessy flirt with eachother, the club comes up with a plan fit for the festive season to bring you guys together. Warnings: mention of kissing, brief mention of Eddie being in the hospital. one mention of Y/n, I APOLOGISE

🦌𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ་༘࿐⋆꙳❆⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°°‧❆⋆.ೃ𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶ

🦌𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ་༘࿐⋆꙳❆⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°°‧❆⋆.ೃ𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶ

Christmas music played softly in the background as the club played a festive board game, yelling and screaming over each other filled the room as everyone pointed fingers to who's cheating.

the smell of pizza filled your noses as the fire crackled of Gareth's livingroom.

the lights of the tree twinkling in your eyes as you sat on the couch next to Eddie, everyone else choosing to sit on the dirty carpet. pillows under all their buts to soften the hard wooden floor.

it was perfect, everyone having fun, laughing- more or less when everybody isn't fighting, but despite that, it was perfect.

the club did this every year, but it's the first time Mike, Lucas and Dustin have attended.

and while this was their first time hanging out for Christmas games, this was not their first rodeo when seeing a certain pair of flirty best friends that are way to close to be just friends.

"my hands are a bit cold, mind warming them up for me?" Eddie had smiled, earning many silent groans from the room, from everyone except you, who had blushed and shook your head sheepishly

"I have a feeling you just want an excuse to hold my hand, Eds" you teased

"you caught me. so what do you say?" you nudged you, holding out his hand.

you've always been the flirty type of duo, you and Eddie. you don't know when it happened, it started with little remarks in certain situations that he deemed fit, then you slowly began retaliating, giving small comments back that left poor Eddie flushed in surprise. but the certain situations turned into a weekly thing, then soon every time you'd see each other.

"I say my hands are quite cold too" you rolled your eyes, slapping your hand in his and interlocking fingers

you barely noticed the glared and groans from anyone in the room until they all got up and left, saying they are going to the kitchen for seconds

where they all huddled up, sick of their dungeon master and his best friend acting like a bunch of idiots while flirting with each other.

"I'm sick of this, it's been going on too long" Jeff sighed

"I think it's cute" Dustin shrugged "Eddie deserves love too"

"Really? you think our dungeon master complaining his hands are too cold and that she needs to hold them is cute?" Lucas shook his head, questioning his friend's sanity,

because what you and Eddie have going on, is not cute.

"it's a bit cheesy-" Dustin started before Mike cut him off

"-it's gross!"

"Well, what do we do?" Gareth bit the inside of his cheek

then Dustin had an idea.

a brilliant idea

it was just involve talking to Steve.

🦌𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ་༘࿐⋆꙳❆⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°°‧❆⋆.ೃ𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶ

You walked into the Harrington home with Robin.

a little party with Steve's friends that you had been invited to, given that his parents went out of town.

you walked in, surprised to see the whole club sitting on the couch, including Eddie- which was less surprising

you knew Steve and Eddie were mutual friends, or friends, you're still not sure, you've never seen them directly talk after Eddie got permitted out of the hospital.

but the whole club here was definitely not something you would expect. but god you were happy

"we were waiting for you" The Munson boy cheered on your arrival

"don't cream your pants, we were just stuck in traffic" you rolled your eyes, pointing the robin behind you who threw her coat on the coat hanger, literally, letting it fall to the ground

"You do know how to put a coat on a hanger, right?" Steve huffed, picking her jacket up and hanging it on a hook while you settled on the couch, right next to open seat next to the one and only Eddie

the whole club had greeted you with unsettling smiles, Dustin rocking his legs as he sat cross legged on the floor.

their faces made you suspicious, they were always up to no good with those looks on their faces

"what's up with them?" you whispered to Eddie, who shrugged

he picked up a Garfield mug, steam floating up and reaching his nose as he brought it up to his lips. humming at the taste before pulling it away and back onto the coffee table

you giggled, looking away when he turned to you

"what? do I have something on my face?" he smirked, knowing the fluffy whipped cream adorned his top lip

you shook your head as he leaned in

"wanna help me out and get it off?" he raised his eyebrows, nudging your shoulder

it was a sight to barf at to everyone else I the room, but fighting against the sickening interaction, they knew this had to happen, this was all apart of the plan, well not this but this party.

that's actually a lie, Steve had invited everyone over for a little gathering, and by everyone he means his friends, but due to much begging to his favourite child, Steve had let Dustin bring the club too, why? the Harrington boy doesn't know, nor understand but whatever.

you huffed, reaching up and swiping the foam off of his lip, silently gasping when he connected his lips with your thumb, licking it off your finger.

the party's eyes were wide with disgust and shock before Dustin spoke up quickly

"Eddie why don't you get Y/n a cup of hot coco while we explain the rules of the game to her"

Eddie looked over to the freshmen and nodded, getting up

"marshmallows?" he asked before leaving, earning a happy nod from you

"only th-" you started before he cut you off, disappearing down the hall to the kitchen

"-the white ones!"

you blushed and smiled, watching as Steve placed The Christmas game down on the table, Mike eagerly opening it up

"so the rules of the game is-" Dustin began

"I know the rules of the game, Dusty, I've been playing this since before you knew how to walk" you chuckled, shifting on the couch

you leaned over and helped set up for the game, Nancy walking in from upstairs, had being in the bathroom when you had arrived. when you were busy putting the cards down on the board, Gareth had taken the bundle of mistletoe from his bag and tiptoed to the doorway of the hallway, connecting the Livingroom and kitchen, where he peeked over the corner to see Eddie lift up the mug and put marshmallows in.

he came and sat down without you realising he left before he spoke up

"hey...Eddie's been gone for a while, why don't you check on him?" he asked you, nodding his head in the direction to the kitchen

"oh.. uh sure" you frowned, getting up, it's not like Eddie couldn't handle making a cup of hot cocoa, but you walked to the kitchen anyway.

you walked through the open wall and yelped when you bumped into his hard frame, the cup of hot chocolate swished and spilled on his chest, earning a groan from him and a gasp from you

"oh shit, I'm so sorry" you blinked rapidly.

"it's fine, love, not your fault" he smiled tightly, sighing

you went to say something but you heard a few hushed laughs and Lucas coughing

you both looked back to notice their gazes focused above you

you look up and back down, confused before you did a double take and your eyes widened, Eddie looking up right after you, a sigh leaving his lips.

a bundle of green and red hanging above you, tied with a ribbon, a bow, mistletoe.

"oh" you said in unison

Eddie looked back down at you, watching as you stared up

he whispered "we don't have to- it's just a silly tradition"

that made you frown, did he not want to kiss you?

you know you were best friends but you had always hoped for more, not that you weren't happy, but he was just so...him, so perfect in your eyes.

"you have to kiss!" Robin smiled

-she wasn't in in the plan, no one but the party was, Steve knew but he wasn't listening when Dustin was rambling, all Steve remembered was him asking if the club could come, and Steve figured half of them were coming, may as well just give the kid what he wants to shut up.

you look down at Eddie to see his concerned face

or was it sad?

you couldn't make it out, but they held something of that sort

"may as well" you shrugged "you know we'll never hear the end of it from them if we don't"

he licked his lips

Eddie was sweating, everywhere. and not just from the fireplace they were right next to. but because he had thought over your first kiss so many times before.

it was be so perfect, so romantic, gentle but desperate. maybe looking over the town or during a drive in movie he'd take you to.

definitely not in Steve Harrington's Livingroom, and certainly not in front of all of yours and his friends.

he'd want it to be right. not a forced act, but an act of love.

because it's you

his best friend.

his lifelong crush

so to say Eddie Munson was sweating balls in this moment would be an understatement.

in the corner of his eyes he saw everyone looking at you both, expectedly

but his eyes were focused on yours. looking so deep into yours that he felt he was melting away

why was it so hot? apart from the scorching hot cocoa that drenched his band tee.

the way you looked at him, so soft, you were so beautiful, the coloured lights from the massive Harrington Christmas tree illuminating your face perfectly, you always looked beautiful in red.

"I don't want our first kiss to be in front of everyone" he mumbled to you finally. moth slightly agape, eyes wide in despair

you furrowed your brows when you looked over silently, watching as they all looked away

the room was dead quiet, the only noise was the crackle of the fire, so they must have heard Eddie.

so as they all looked out the window, watching the snow fall outside, tiny snowflakes dancing in the wind of the night, you looked back up at Eddie.

you silently parted your lips.

he looked back down at you.

he silently parted his lips.

he brought a hand up, slowly.

you brought a hand up, slowly.

his hand meeting the plush of your cheek.

your hand meeting the skin of his exposed hip.

then you leaned in, slowly.

so slow.

Eddie watched as your eyes fluttered shut as his nosed brushed against yours.

and his own soon shut as his lips met yours, grazing ever so gently before he took a sharp intake of breath before fully connecting them, pressing his lips firmly on yours.

Jesus, how they fit so perfectly, he thought to himself.

God, how they fit so perfectly, you thought to yourself.

your lips moved perfectly in sync, creating the kiss that Eddie had envisioned so many times before. it may have even been better.

his warm hand cupping your cheek, his fingertips rough but oh so gentle.

everyone in the room stayed looking outside awkwardly as they heard nothing, but Dustin, deciding to take a peek, was only able to catch a glimpse of the kiss ending, you both pulling away from each other, smiling softly as your eyes fluttered open

your eyes met again. your smile growing as you saw his blown out gaze, the colour of his eyes barely recognisable through his irises as he looked down at you

"I'll make you another hot chocolate" he said, blinking, in a haze of some sort

"I'll come with you" you replied, matching his tone as you grabbed his hand

everyone watched as you both disappeared down the hallway to the kitchen

"they're going to make out in my kitchen aren't they?" Steve spoke up after a minute, frowning

"leave the kids be, Steve, they've finally found out what horniness feels like" Robin joked, leaning against the back of the couch.

Steve's head whipped around in horror. so many thoughts in the poor head of his. are they gonna have sex in my kitchen?

"don't worry guys, this is just what the mistletoe trap does, it brings people together" Dustin said cluelessly

"that's what this was!?" Steve hissed at him, finally remembering something along the lines of 'bringing a young couple together' and 'mistletoe' that Dustin had said over the phone to him when he was just trying to focus on how to shut him up.

🦌𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ་༘࿐⋆꙳❆⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°°‧❆⋆.ೃ𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶ

bonus-

Steve storms into his kitchen, it's been too long since you both went in there and he wasn't ready for a baby to be made in that room.

all he sees is you, pressed against the counter with Eddie holding you, soft moans and sighs escaping your lips as your hands roamed each others body, your mouths locked together as you made out aggressively.

"DISGUSTING!" Steve yelled.

🦌𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ་༘࿐⋆꙳❆⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°°‧❆⋆.ೃ𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶ

[shima-draws]

YIPPEE it's Malachi's updated design!! Not much has changed he's just showing his shoulders now like a s l u t

Original post for him from last year is here! But just to make things easier I'll put all his character details under the cut on this post as well ✨

Name: Malachi (Codename: Valet, Nickname: Machi/Mal)

Age: 28

Hair color: Brown (with white streaks)

Eye color: Gold

Element: Fire

The yin to Rozen’s yang 😤 A lot of his story has already been shared on Rozen’s post so I’ll just be copying over most of that!

Malachi had a relatively normal life growing up with a family who loved him, but their lives were brought to a violent end when they were suddenly attacked by a group of rogues after their fortune. Soon after he was brought to the same orphanage Rozen was part of. Losing his parents was traumatic for Malachi; he retreated within himself and could really only express himself through anger and hatred in an attempt to deal with the loss.

Out of everyone in the orphanage Malachi butted heads with Rozen the most, finding his similar prickly personality and arrogance to be extremely irritating. Rozen viewed Malachi as a little brat and basically had the opinion of “boo hoo you’re an orphan well at least your parents loved you and didn’t throw you away like mine did”. (So, a biiiiit of jealousy there. LMAO) Malachi correctly called him out for being a total fake, knowing that his entire life was just an act. They were definitely at each other’s throats for a while!

All of this changed when Rozen got a bit too big for his britches and pissed off the wrong crowd. Surprisingly, Malachi rescued him from being beaten to absolute shit and Rozen was shocked that Malachi actually helped him. Even though he’d been through some hardships Malachi was still a kind person at heart, and couldn’t just leave Rozen to get hurt (even though he was really tempted to lol). Rozen started to soften up around him after this, and slowly started to drop his defenses and show his true personality. Despite Malachi finding Rozen’s change of heart “creepy”, and his sudden personality change kind of drastic, he couldn’t help but grow attached to him too. Before long they were practically attached at the hip, and if you saw one of them you’d know the other wasn’t too far behind.

At this point Rozen was fully himself instead of the persona/act he’d been putting on for all his life. AKA he essentially has the personality of a golden retriever, is kind of an airhead (or an idiot, according to Malachi), and is a total softie. Him finally showing his kinder side helped Malachi too, and eventually, after spending two years together, Malachi was crushing on him HARD lol. Of course, Rozen only really viewed Malachi as a best friend, especially due to their age difference (being 4 years apart, with Rozen being 17 at the time and Malachi being 13). Both of them had the opinion that the other had saved them, in a way. Malachi depended heavily on Rozen, who helped him through his trauma and helped him come to terms with his parents’ death. They both looked at each other and thought “there’s still good in the world after all” 😭

Throughout the two years they spent together, Malachi actually grew quite close with one of the local shop owners, a lovely girl who ran a bakery. She was endlessly kind to him and sparked a passion in him, which lead to him wanting to learn how to bake. Most evenings he’d find himself in her shop learning the ropes (with Rozen mooching off of his end results lol). Malachi mused that maybe one day he could use his skills to make his own pastries and get paid for it ;)

As time went on Rozen and Malachi became more and more determined to leave the orphanage together, either being adopted as a package deal or just leaving when they were finally of age. This came crashing down when a couple looking to adopt just Malachi showed up, and despite the pair’s attempts to sabotage any sort of chance Malachi would get adopted, the couple was insistent on taking him home. This sparked some suspicion in Rozen, wondering just why they were so intent on Malachi. He soon found out that these people were connected to the rogues that had killed Malachi’s parents–they were seeking the same fortune and knew that Malachi was the key to finding it. Rozen confronted them and convinced them to take him instead, as Malachi had told him he had no idea about his parents’ riches so he’d essentially be useless to the couple. Rozen offered his services and promised he would stop at nothing to find them the treasure, as long as they left Malachi alone. The couple agreed.

Malachi, of course, was devastated to find out about Rozen being adopted (and right before he’d become of age too), not wanting to be apart from him. Rozen explained his reasoning and revealed it was all part of his plan–he’d go away with the couple and then slip back to the orphanage in the middle of the night, where he and Malachi would run away together. With a promise to return, Rozen left with the couple, leaving Malachi behind to wait.

Malachi didn’t get the chance to wait, unfortunately, because suddenly the village was attacked, and the orphanage was set on fire. Desperate to get to Rozen, Malachi tried in vain to get out, but found himself trapped. He was burned badly by the fire, and right as he thought he was going to die, he suddenly awakened his elemental powers–the power of fire. Ironic that the thing to save him was the thing that hurt him in the first place. Using this gift, he was able to escape the building, and was rescued by none other than the baker girl he’d been training under. She rushed him off to the nearest recovery shelter, and after days of being unconscious, when he awoke she broke the news to him that Rozen was most likely dead. She explained that the couple who had adopted him were found slaughtered in a nearby manor, along with all of their associates, and that they were found out to be criminals. Malachi was absolutely heartbroken by the news and demanded more details about Rozen. The girl told him that Rozen’s body was not found, but it was unlikely that he escaped unscathed. This was enough for Malachi, who was certain that Rozen was out there alive somewhere. Maybe he’d come back to the orphanage and was waiting for him right now!

The baker girl took Malachi to the now destroyed orphanage in an attempt to find Rozen. However, Rozen wasn’t there. Malachi refused to give up and decided to wait for him. Days passed and with no further sign that Rozen would show the baker girl gently told him that maybe it was time for him to move on. Devastated, Malachi still remained stubborn and told her he would wait, despite knowing that it wasn’t likely Rozen would come back for him. But there HAD to be a reason, right? Maybe Rozen was in trouble. If he had been attacked that night, maybe he couldn’t make it back to the village. Maybe…

Malachi was placed under the baker girl’s care, and from there he began his search. Any sort of leads or sightings of Rozen was the treasure he sought after for the next 15 years, absolutely determined to find any clues to his whereabouts. Between his searching, he continued to hone his craft as a baker, along with learning how to use his magic. Eventually he was scouted by a sort of intelligence agency, who promised to help him in his search for Rozen in return for his services. Malachi leapt at the chance, knowing that this would open avenues previously off limits to him.

After years of essentially being an agent, and now a very skilled fighter, Malachi was given a new assignment–infiltrate an underground crime organization, a gambling ring, in order to get information so that they could eventually be dismantled. After being accepted into the organization under the codename “Valet” and meeting their leader, Roi, Malachi was shocked when he was introduced to one of Roi’s top members–a master of cards, a man by the codename of “Cavalier”. Malachi recognized him immediately. It was Rozen!! Finally, after years of searching he’d found the person he’d been looking for. Rozen didn’t seem to recognize him, but, well. Malachi couldn’t really blame him, he HAD changed a lot over the past decade or so. (It stung though, just a little bit.)

Malachi was immediately ready to blow his cover and abandon the mission in order to get Rozen out; this was part of the terms he’d set with the agency–if at any point he found Rozen, or if the agency found Rozen for him, he’d be able to leave of his own volition. However, the agency refused to let him blow his cover, saying the mission was too important, and that Rozen, working directly under Roi, was likely in grave danger. (To Malachi, this seemed like an even bigger reason to get Rozen out ASAP.)

After a lot of back and forth Malachi finally came to an agreement with his agency, but he was NOT happy about it. He had to spend the next several months undercover as Valet, tortured by the fact that Rozen was literally within reach but he couldn’t do shit about it. And to top it all off, he witnessed everything happening behind the scenes–how toxic Roi was, how he manipulated and threatened and abused Rozen, and Malachi was seconds away from attempting murder at any given time. All he can do is be as sympathetic as possible and try to butt into his business, urging him to break free from Roi and find a better path in life. Rozen isn’t too happy with someone intruding on his personal matters and lashes out at Malachi, causing a rift between them. Malachi only wants to help and doesn’t want to see Rozen suffer; Rozen knows better than anyone that there’s no escape from Roi and has resigned himself to his fate–and he doesn’t want to see Malachi get hurt either.

This is when Nahu and co. come in ;)

Nahu and co. are sent to infiltrate the gambling ring, and immediately things are thrown into absolute chaos. After many twists and turns (and plot), Nahu goes to face off against Roi in one final fight. Roi captures Rozen and chains him up, unwilling to let his perfect pawn go free, and poisons him so that he loses any strength to escape. While Nahu is absolutely wrecking shit fighting Roi, Malachi sneaks up to where Rozen is being held and attempts to set him free. Through the haze, Rozen witnesses “Valet” trying to free him, and sadly reminisces about Malachi. Rozen tells Malachi to let him go, to let him die–that way he can be with the only person he cares about again. Malachi yells at him and says no, he can’t die, because HE’S Malachi! Screw his cover, screw everything he’d been taught about keeping his identity secret, Malachi’s been suffering for MONTHS and he won’t let Rozen go now that he’s so close.

Nahu defeats Roi, and before Rozen succumbs to the poison, Malachi threatens him and says he’d better not die before he can kick his ass. Days later he finally wakes up to find Malachi beside him, and immediately bursts into tears. Malachi explains everything about his past, about what happened that night, about how and why he’d infiltrated the gambling ring, and about how desperate he’d been to reveal himself to Rozen. Malachi tells him that he hadn’t thought of anything else but finding him for the past 15 years, and now that he’d found Rozen he’d never leave his side again 🥺 Rozen feels the same way. They both realize they’re probably in trouble, with Malachi prepared to abandon his duty to be with Rozen and Rozen with his…complicated history being involved in an underground crime organization. LMAO

Luckily for them, Nahu is all about recruiting them, and they both agree to join his squad <3 Their new life together begins!! Rozen has to grapple with the fact that Malachi is definitely not the kid he used to know and has grown up, a lot. Malachi, meanwhile, has been in love with Rozen since he was 12 and is trying everything he can to properly express that. Rozen slowly comes to terms with the fact that yeah, he’s probably in love with Malachi, and things just get more interesting from there as they dance around each other for months just trying to figure it out ;)

[butchreg]

cgs ! nat and shauna with a kittyre reader !! ⤷ featuring : teen tl 𓈒 platonic 𓈒 gender neutral reader 𓈒

requested by anon 𓈒 yellowjackets masterlist here & upcoming list here 𓈒

despite the cracking relationship between shauna and nat the two remain equally dedicated caregivers to you , shauna being too stubborn to let nat "win" you and nat being far too caring to let shauna's one sided beef get between him helping you feel safe 𓈒

you love following your babas around 𓈒 it's pretty comical to see shauna who is so large aggressive dog coded being tailed by you , a kitten who is hardly a fluffball 𓈒 you're quite the curious little kitty , always trying to follow nat on his hunting trips mewling in protest when he insists you stay back with the shelter where it's safe 𓈒

you love when shauna begins wearing her hair down and the more nat's grows out 𓈒 you love to play with their hair , lazily batting at the strands from a lap or on the off chance that they're resting on the floor 𓈒

always trying to pounce on your babas ! shauna who is very competitive always tries to be on top of it avoiding your pounces and smirking challengingly at nat 𓈒 nat just wants you to have fun often letting you catch him , chuckling and scratching underneath your chin until you purr 𓈒

you're constantly butting your head against both nat and shauna when you want their attention 𓈒 if they're too wrapped up in an activity for you to have this opportunity you'll mew incessantly until they have no choice but to look up 𓈒 shauna will roll her eyes though it's only mock annoyance when it comes to you 𓈒 she'll drop her knife carefully out of your reach , reaching down to pet you 𓈒 nat will chuckle , playfully scolding you for distracting him yet he's quick to rub your belly and plant kisses between your ears 𓈒

shauna who loves to teach you tricks , using scraps of fish or loose threads from her worn flannels to get you interested 𓈒 you're more interested in shauna than the tricks but you obediently go along with them to earn the reward of her pleased smile and reserved praise 𓈒

nat will often hum to you as he pets you or plays with you 𓈒 this always gets you excited !

nat loves to play with you 𓈒 he always takes time out of his busy days for his kitty 𓈒 he's always dangling something in your face playfully pulling it out of reach once or twice before winking at you as he let's your claws pull it from him 𓈒

you love making biscuits with shauna's flannels 𓈒 you're always trying to squirrel away with a few to make a little nest in , wanting to curl up with a piece of your mama 𓈒 eventually she gives you one , not her particular favorite one that's perhaps a bit more faded and worn than the rest but nonetheless it's your prize 𓈒 you're very very fond of it which secretly pleases shauna immensely 𓈒

you're always bringing your cgs little treasures 𓈒 a scream from mari signifies another dead mouse you've brought nat , or a bird for shauna 𓈒 you're always pleased with yourself and are confused when someone scolds you for such a behavior 𓈒 are they jealous ? do they want treasures too ?

you love to take little cat naps in the sun 𓈒 you'll stretch out outside nat's hut closing your eyes and almost immediately dozing off 𓈒 your favorite spot to nap is either the garden or nat's hut 𓈒 you like being close to him and all the attention taking up this spot gets from the rest of the yellowjackets doesn't hurt either 𓈒

[miserableworm]

Hiiii !! Would it be alright to ask for a lyney x reader where he comforts you when you’re sick/period? Thank you <33

★ a/n - thank you sm for the request <3 getting taken care of when not feeling well gotta be one of the best feelings ever so this was pretty fun to write

★ sypnosis - Lyney had a show come up, but your period had other plans for the evening.

★ tags - Lyney x fem!reader, comfort, fluff, period (no mentions of blood), cramps

"I can't go to your magic show tonight," you whisper, feeling a pang of guilt. The discomfort from your period cramps is almost unbearable, and the idea of sitting through a performance seems impossible.

Lyney, who had been adjusting his magician's hat, turns to you with a concerned look. "Oh? And why is that?" he asks gently, though you can see a teasing glint in his eyes.

You take a deep breath, trying to muster the courage to tell him. "It's just... I'm not feeling well. My period started, and the cramps are really bad."

Lyney's expression softens even more. "Ah, I see," he says, nodding knowingly. "Lynette has those too sometimes. Say no more." Then, with a mischievous grin, he adds, "Though I must admit, I thought you might be avoiding my grand finale. It is quite dazzling, you know."

You manage a weak smile and rolled your eyes at him. "As if I'd ever miss one of your shows by choice."

He steps closer, his eyes filled with a mix of concern and amusement. "Let me take care of you," he says softly. "The magic show can wait."

"Lyney, you can't just miss your show because of me," you protest. "People are expecting you. They'll be disappointed."

Lyney waves a hand dismissively. "Nonsense. The show will go on without me. My assistants are more than capable. Besides, what's more important right now is making sure you're comfortable."

"But Lyney-"

"No buts!"

Before you can protest further, he's already in motion. Lyney heads to the kitchen and returns with a hot water bottle. "This should help with the cramps," he explains, placing it gently on your stomach. The warmth spreads, bringing a measure of relief almost immediately.

"Thank you.." you murmur, touched by his thoughtfulness.

Lyney isn't done yet. He disappears for a moment, then comes back with a small box. "Here," he says, handing it to you. Inside are your favorite snacks and some herbal tea. "I always keep these things ready, just in case," he adds with a wink. "Lynette taught me well."

You can't help but smile, feeling a bit of the heaviness lift. "You really didn't have to go through all this trouble."

"Of course, I did," Lyney replies, sitting beside you. "You're important to me. Besides, magic isn't just about tricks and illusions. It's about making people feel better, making them smile. If I can do that off stage as well, then I'm happy."

"You're so cheesy."

As you sip the tea, Lyney begins to tell you stories about his adventures and mishaps with Lynette. His voice is soothing, and soon you're laughing despite the discomfort.

"But really, Lyney," you say, interrupting his tale about a mishap with disappearing doves, "you should go. The audience will miss you. They'll be wondering where their favorite magician is."

Lyney raises an eyebrow, a playful smirk on his lips. "Are you trying to get rid of me, Y/N? Because if you are, it's not working. I can be quite stubborn when I want to be."

You chuckle, shaking your head. "No, I just don't want you to get in trouble or disappoint your fans."

"Trust me," he says, leaning in closer, "the only person I care about disappointing right now is you. And I know you need me more than they do at this moment."

Before you can argue further, he pulls out a deck of cards and begins performing a series of close-up magic tricks right there. His fingers move with mesmerizing skill, each trick more astonishing than the last. For a while, you're completely absorbed, forgetting about the cramps entirely.

Seeing your smile, Lyney gets up and performs another trick. This time, he makes a coin appear from behind your ear and then disappear in a flash of light. As you clap softly, he bows dramatically.

"And for my next act," he says, reaching into his pocket for another prop. But when he looks up, he sees your eyes closed, your breathing even and peaceful.

He chuckles softly, shaking his head. "Was I that boring?" he murmurs playfully.

Quietly, he tucks the blanket more snugly around you and stands up, careful not to wake you. Stepping closer, he gently places a kiss on your forehead.

"Sweet dreams, Y/N. "

requests are open <3

[theycalledhimastar]

I demand your take on ABO 141 with a male reader PLEASE, there's never any good male stuff

Bestie do NOT give me this kind of brainrot, but also I accept the gift graciously-

Also, I had no idea what you wanted the male reader to be so there's a bit of everything so everyone's happy :) They come off a little oc-ish to me, the way I did the reader but oh well, I like it.

Forgive me for anything I got wrong, I'm not an A/B/O master guys. This was way longer than I initially planned, lol. Enjoy!

Omegaverse!141 x Male reader!!!

I'm not the most bright brained alright, I agree with literally everyone else and I think Price and Ghost would both be Alphas with Gaz and Soap being betas, it just makes sense in my mind. The two Alphas need the cool-headed inbetweens to keep them from toppling everything and/or butting heads from too much hormones going around.

They're all fairly skeptical about yet another person joining them for any given reason, four people is plenty and having yet another person in the fray, while it might be helpful sometimes, is a bit of a balancing act to fit into their already perfect schedule. Changing things to accommodate you, while not the worst thing, isn't the most easy feat for everyone. Especially depending on what you are...

☄. *.

You were an Alpha, purebred, built like a brick wall and about as stubborn as one too. Although you weren't loud about it, you weren't going to let people forget tat you were not to be messed with. Raised with a bit of an ego as most purebred Alphas were, you knew you were destined for greatness from the moment you presented. Started physical and mental training as soon as you were old enough, the goal had always been the military for you, no doubts about it. But you had never imagined, in all your wildest dreams, that you would be a part of the task force.

Most people, upon first glance, would likely assume you fit right in, but shoehorning you in with two other alphas was way harder than anticipated, seeing as you immediately began trying to prove yourself before you had gotten settled in. Which, would have been adorable if you weren't so damn stubborn about it.

Ghost is working out? You join him without a second thought, attempting to lift twice as much as what he's doing. Of course, his numbers were already nothing to scoff at, so all you truly succeeded in, was nearly dropping the weight on your foot and damaging your precious alpha pride. "You alright there tough guy?" Ghost seemed amused by your ambitious failure.

"Shut up." Was all you growled in retaliation, storming off to go sulk elsewhere.

Soap is practicing at the range with Gaz? You grab a pistol and try to show off just how capable you are with it, easy right? Not really. You fumble in a way you weren't even sure you understood, and to put it simply, you missed the target significantly and blew an entire round trying to make amends. By the time you had finished it, the sergeants were trying not to lose their composure and die laughing at your cockiness despite it all. Damnit, you could normally do this all so easy, what the hell was wrong!? You set down the weapon with a nearly frightening calmness despite the seething rage in your chest that demanded respect as an alpha. Your self-righteous upbringing had done you no good now as you stormed off to go beat the shit out of the next inanimate object that pissed you off.

"How exactly did he make it here?" "Eh, cap says he's good. Let 'im cool off, I'm sure he knows what he's doin."

There was no cooling off, of course, as you ended up nearly punching a hole in the wall as you had graciously slammed into the doorway in your blind rage, smacking yourself square in the nose and nearly toppling over in pain. That was, quite honestly, the last straw for your dignity as you snarled something ferocious. Not caring that it had been rather close to the Captain's office until you were unceremoniously yanked back by your scruff, held face-to-face with the unamused John Price. Although you were an alpha, even you couldn't quite deny the effect his scent had on you now. Not one of anger, but certainly not a playful one either. He was projecting his authority, silently telling you to quiet down a little and stop being such a loudmouth showoff. Shame and something akin to an excited fear sparked briefly in the pit of your stomach before you cleared your throat and swallowed hard.

"Captain." You nodded shortly, not missing the way his hand tightened around the back of your neck.

"Heard you've been causing a bit of a ruckus for the others, been busy?" He raised a thick brow, making you swallow back your nerves. You attempted to shoot back some of your own alpha scent, but it felt puny and overpowered entirely by his.

"Not intentionally, sir."

"Let's settle down a little, you've barely been here a week, quit causing trouble or I'll have to take care of your behavior myself. Got it?" He leans close, you could swear he was breathing on the back of your neck now and you know for a fact your heart is racing for reasons you don't think are fear.

Not wanting to find out what he means by that just yet, you give a quick nod that seems to satisfy him enough to let you go. Allowing you to scamper back to your room, the adrenaline cushioning what was going to be a very hurt ego when it settled in that you had been grabbed by the collar and scolded like a child. Damnit, you would prove yourself one way or another...

☄. *.

You were a Beta, always being told you were unremarkable, nearly always forgotten in the squabble between Alphas and Omegas. So, in an effort to at least be something impressive to yourself, you took to bulking up. Genetics and luck both seemed to favor you as you certainly bulked up. To the point where you were constantly mistaken for an Alpha by anyone that didn't truly know you. If they did, they would know that you were far more of the beta disposition in reality. Laid back, cheerful, extroverted enough to make friends, but not gratingly so. The perfect addition to the task force at first glance...

Minus the fact that you were both clumsy, and a little bit ditsy from time to time.

Sure, you weren't incapable, you could definitely hold your own in battle. But it seemed that when the adrenaline wasn't pumping through your veins, you were a tangle of long limbs and jumbled thoughts. It was obvious that you weren't trying to be a mess, but the others seemed to assume you were up to something. Surely, a mountain of a man like you, such a capable Beta on the battlefield, can't be such a... dolt in real life, right?

The same man they had witnessed absolutely nail a small squadron all by his lonesome, had momentarily forgotten how to lace his boots after unlacing them entirely to replace them. And had practically tied his feet together.

"You think he knows he's doin' it wrong?" "Oh he has to by now... right?" "Guys, did I get it? I'm so confused, why is this so weird!?"

Not to say you were entirely unaware of yourself, you knew you were scatterbrained at times. But you didn't know that they had assumed you were taking them for a fool sometimes. The sergeants decided to confront you about it, with Soap cornering you after a particularly amusing incident.

"Mate, ye know we've seen ye on the field right?" He sighed, running his fingers through his overgrown curls. "uhh, yeah?" You kind of stared between the two of them, completely confused as to where the conversation was going. Gaz snuck behind you, wrapping an arm around your shoulder in a friendly manner. "Right, so you don't have to act like a total numpty off the field, you aren't foolin' anyone anymore." He chuckled, nudging your head with his playfully. It would have been a comforting thing, except for the fact that you had no clue what they were on about. "What do you mean?" "Stop acting like such a hare-brained dingus. Just be yourself, mate." He shook your shoulders gently, the two staring at you so earnestly, just trying to convince you to just be yourself around them. "Oh... About that..."

Of course after that, they both felt really bad and you had to explain for over an hour that no, it wasn't on purpose, yes, you were that messy sometimes, and no, you weren't mad for their assumption. Although Ghost certainly seemed to find it hilarious that you were such a gentle giant, and a total hot mess express. Not that he told you that, truth be told, he didn't feel the need to talk to you much off of the field. Not because he didn't like you, he simply felt you fit in so well with the betas and he didn't want to throw off things. Although he did want to know how you had gotten so huge naturally.

Price thinks you're downright precious with the stark contrast between on and off duty with you. It's like you become a completely different person and he can't help but smell the scent of a content beta every time he tells you that you've done him good. He was certain that everyone could tell just how excited you were when he referred to you as "his good lad". It was a simple nickname, rolled off his tongue before he could stop it, but you nearly lit up in elation. So now not only him, but everyone else makes an attempt to give you subtle little praises like that just to see you get all giddy, and to this date you have yet to notice, or at least say anything about it.

☄. *.

You were an omega, not what any of them expected when they were told that someone would be joining them, as omega were notoriously... well... Violence avoidant to put it simply. But you were not the type that wanted to feed into stereotypes. You wanted any excuse to not become some boring old stay-at-home omega that took care of children and housework. The parts of the world you had grown up in were very traditional and expected just that of you. "Settle down with a nice Alpha, have babies, live the peaceful life." Yeah right, it was like they didn't even know what you wanted.

So, in an effort to escape that life, you decided to enlist, and it turned out that you were... actually kinda good at it despite it all. Your fight or flight chose to flee more often than not, but that meant you were quick on your feet despite the stomach churning levels of anxiety that pulsed through your veins at any given moment. Your adrenaline raced and kept you moving before you could chicken out, and that made you a damn good soldier.

Off field was a different story but that didn't really matter seeing as you liked minding your own business and having your own space more often than not.

When you first met all of them, the aura of two alphas was quite a lot, especially as it seemed at least Ghost was projecting a little bit more than he needed to, getting across the point that there was an order to the way things were and you needed to not ruin that. (He's just nervous having an omega around as he isn't used to it and he isn't sure exactly how to act around you.)

Gaz is rather quick to step in and soothe you with his beta scent, like warm coffee and vanilla and something distinct that you hadn't ever smelled before. But it soothed your racing nerves and made you feel a little less alienated. Although with a nudge from John, Ghost realized he was only successfully scaring you, and he cut it out just as quickly.

Johnny is excited to have an omega around, although he doesn't really treat you any different than Gaz. It's the equivalent of short people acting different when they're around someone shorter than them, yknow? Like he doesn't see you as beneath him, he just knows you're different than anything he's been around and he's nosey about absolutely everything.

"Do all Alphas scare you?" "No... why would they?" "I dunno, it seemed like every omega I met before was either addicted to Alphas or terrified of em." "Uh, no, I think you just knew weird people before."

Another thing, is that Price seems to view you as a sort of stray cat. Skittish if anyone approached you a little too loudly or excitedly, but plenty sweet if they got to know you. At least, that was how it was in his head. In reality, you were just an introverted guy who wanted to at least get along with his teammates and they thought you were the cutest thing ever. Sometimes, John would call you into his office just to tell you that he noticed your hard work and he was proud of you. He loved the way your cheeks flushed whenever he got close or projected his scent a little extra, filling the room with the scent of expensive cigars and warm, woody cologne. It made you a little fuzzy int eh head and he could tell, so he avoided using it. But the face you made when you got all spacey and distracted during meetings because you were sandwiched between him and Ghost, it was just too good to resist.

"You alright there sergeant?" "Yes sir, all-all good." "You look a little flushed, you sure you're not coming down with something?" He pressed the back of his hand to your forehead, trying not to smile wider when your eyes widened just slightly. "Positive, Captain..." You squeaked.

[xxlady-lunaxx]

Hi:3 I’ve come to request InoTanZen going to the shopping district! But Zenitsu gets very scared as that’s his home town, which possibly results in an anxiety attack? And InoTan comfort him the best they can due to their circumstances, and they buy him some type of fancy clothing as a treat! (Based on my hc of Zenitsu preferring to wear women kimonos as they fit him better lol) It’s okay if not, thank you in advance if you do:D

OF COURSE! <3 sorry its so short/seems rushed 😭 also love that hc

tw not very detailed but still anxiety attack ?

After getting some time off from their missions because they weren’t quite in position to fight yet, Inosuke, Tanjiro, and Zenitsu made their way to a shopping district. It was Tanjiro and Inosuke’s first time since neither had grown up in cities and, because of that, Zenitsu had decided to take them to his home town. Mostly because he was most familiar with it and it hadn’t occurred to him until it was too late that it might not actually be to his advantage. It wasn’t until they had actually stepped inside, maneuvering through the streets and trying to prevent Inosuke from head butting anyone that Zenitsu began to panic.

He said nothing at first, trying to ignore the memories he’d dredged up simply from the familiar sound of the city. Somehow, it was still the same as before. Unchanging despite his own drastic transformation from his younger self. Which only served to constrict his heart, making it harder to breathe. But he told himself he was just being tense, that he just had to take a breath and he’d be fine. So he continued walking, avoiding Tanjiro’s questioning gaze as he redirected them to the food center where he knew Inosuke would love. He was keeping up just fine, Zenitsu told himself. He was going to be fine. He was just surprised at the bombardment of emotions that had hit him with entering his hometown.

He was cruelly proven wrong when, while telling Inosuke to not put the boar head back on, all that came out was a shaky croak. Inosuke seemed unbothered but it instantly skyrocketed Tanjiro’s concern and he went full on worry mode, turning to Zenitsu and asking if he was alright. Somehow, that broke Zenitsu, and he found himself shaking his head unconsciously, cheeks hot with the tears that burned his eyes. He didn’t want to cry, he didn’t want to be like this in front of them. Yet the salty tracks made their appearance only a moment later, clearly enjoying embarrassing Zenitsu.

It was at the silent tears that Inosuke snapped to attention, frowning and huffing about something incoherent. Although, everything seemed like a blur. It felt like all the sound around Zenitsu had become amplified and blurred at the same time, pounding against his head as a heavy reminder of his constant failures here.

Tanjiro hustled Zenitsu to a bench, sitting him down and dragging Inosuke over. He sat next to him, rubbing circles on his back and murmuring to him, trying to console him. He seemed a bit confused, still piecing things together from what little Zenitsu had told them prior the trip. He pulled him into a hug as Inosuke shouted at whoever began staring at them. Vaguely, Zenitsu registered Tanjiro asking if there was anything he could do. He shook his head, pathetically, trying to rub the tears away, only resulting in making room for more. Shaky breaths and hiccups followed quickly after, until even Inosuke was trying to make him feel better by offering his boar mask.

Even so, it took a while before Zenitsu managed a watery smile at the offer, taking the mask just to make Inosuke stop pouting at his lack of response before apologizing quietly for inconveniencing them. In response, Tanjiro promised that they would go to wherever Zenitsu most wanted to go here then finding somewhere else to get food so they could pacify Inosuke. Zenitsu’s protests were silenced by Inosuke’s quick tug towards a clothing part of the district, pointing and loudly announcing that there were some of the clothes Zenitsu liked wearing there.

Tanjiro was still laughing about Inosuke’s contagious enthusiasm when they got to the stall, Zenitsu cowering behind them and trying to make himself look less like he’d just been crying. It became easier when Inosuke offered to buy Zenitsu something, only to realize that he had no money and that Tanjiro and Zenitsu were the ones with the money. He looked very sullen at that, taking back his boar mask and sulking as Tanjiro and Zenitsu went through some of the kimonos, picking out some to buy—some for Zenitsu and some for Nezuko.

After they had bought what they wanted, Inosuke led the way to the food stalls, eyeing the ground for any lost money he might be able to use to buy something, but finding absolutely nothing in the end. Food cheered him up quickly, however, and the instant mood change brought a smile to Zenitsu’s face—much to Tanjiro’s relief. They spent the rest of the day wandering aimlessly through the streets, avoiding the places that Zenitsu told them he wished to not go to. They arrived back at the Butterfly Estate in the late evening with only Zenitsu’s slightly puffy eyes as any proof of his earlier anxiety.

[anyamaris]

It's You

Title: It's You

Word Count: 2540

Summary: Getting lost at an Ateez concert has an unexpected experience you'll treasure forever.

Pairing: Choi San x F!Atiny!Reader

Trope-Idol AU/Angst

Warnings: Concert stuff, a bit of vulgar language, a bit angsty...I think that's it?

Tags: @cultofdionysusnet @wooyoungmybelovedhusband @yoonguurt @shinestarhwaa @stardragongalaxy @kpop-stories-21 @starlitmark @millennial-fangirl @ericssmile @wooahaeproductions @changbinslovelylegs @yeosxxx @starillusion13 @minki-moo @woosanbby @frenchkisstheabyss

@cafekitsune Thank you for banners and dividers! 🤍💜🤍

A/N: I'm dedicating this to @sanjoongie because you helped me talk through this and you know what you did 🤍💜🤍It's short and a bit rushed but I had the idea the other night and wanted to get it out of my head. I hope you all enjoy!

The air around you is humid as you watch Ateez wave and walk off stage.

Sound check was entirely worth it, though you’d waited in lines for hours.

Despite the disorganization, the chaos, the other random not so pleasant events building to this moment.

Despite it all, the moment you got to see Ateez walk out onto that stage, in person, right in front of you?

It was all worth it.

You look around the enormous venue from your place on the floor, at all the Atiny gathered around talking.

Sweat beads on your brow and one of the girls you met today smiles at you as she fans you both.

“I’m going to go get some water and possibly stop at merch, did you want anything?” she asks.

Touched at her offer, you nod.

“Yes, please! Can you get me a Yeosang picket?”

She nods as she stands, “Of course!”

“You have my insta, message if you need anything!” You wave as she wanders off up to the higher floors.

One of the best things about concerts was meeting all the fans, at least for you that was a massive part of it.

Turning to see what your friends are doing, you try to join the conversation but they seem to have their own thing going on.

Fighting down the feeling of third wheeling, you just slap on a smile and wander around to meet some more new people.

The screens keep randomly coming on with some videos to tease everyone, making you all think the concert is about to start, but it’s not quite time yet.

After what seems like ages, you finally spot your new friend walking back down the arena steps, pickets in hand.

Excited to see her, especially since the concert is about to start soon, you watch her approach as you wave to her.

Yet when she presents your two other friends with pickets and nothing more, your stomach drops.

“Oh…they didn’t have anymore Yeosang?” you ask, fighting back the sadness overcoming you.

Oh well, maybe next time, you think.

“Oh….” the younger girl says, looking between your two friends who now hold their own biases.

“You didn’t say you wanted one?” One of them throws in and you feel your heart plummet.

“I…I did…when you left…” You tell the younger girl who’d gone.

“Oh…when I messaged they said they were the only ones who wanted them….” She says, regret washing over her face.

“It’s okay.” you say, fighting back the way your throat clenches and tears prick your eyes.

“Maybe next time.”

After a bit of back and forth and waving it all off, you turn to just try to focus on the show.

It didn’t matter if you didn’t get a silly picket, really.

You were here, at Ateez.

But still…

A hand on your arm brings you out of your sad thoughts.

“Hey, I’m so sorry….I know you said Yeosang when I left but when I messaged them…they said just the two….”

Glancing at your two friends who were back to conversing, you just shake your head.

You had asked her when she was going…and they hadn’t asked you at all.

They are just excited to see each other, catching up.

Things you tell yourself over and over as whenever you’ve attempted to join the conversation just earns you a tight smile, a nod, a snappy retort that makes you feel as if you’ve butted in.

So you just retreat into your own mind, ignoring the overwhelming feeling of heartbreak threatening to ruin your experience.

“Really, it’s fine. I don’t think they were listening when I said it anyhow.” you tell the poor girl, who looks like she’s about to cry.

You can’t help but glance back at the stairs, head spinning now.

For some reason, you know you don’t need the damn picket, but…

Now it feels like you need it to stop your mind from imploding.

“I have some time…you know what…I’m going to go get one.” you finally announce.

The younger girl’s sad face perks up and she nods, “I’ll come with you!”

“No, it’s okay, we have twenty minutes and I don’t want you to miss anything.” You tell her.

It’s not her fault, and she doesn’t need to make up for anything.

She hands you a Yunho pc with a smile and gestures for you to follow her.

“Really, I’ll at least show you where to go. And have a Yunho cause I feel really bad.” She says.

Not wanting to argue, you just smile, touched that she’s willing to accompany you.

It sounds painfully selfish in your head, but it was nice to feel like someone cared about you, even for a moment.

This wasn’t how your first kpop concert was supposed to feel.

You’d wanted a week building up watching Ateez, eating and breathing them.

Squealing with your friends over the upcoming show, just being a completely ridiculous fangirl.

It had been anything but that.

All you can do now is make sure the rest of your night was happy.

Just focus on Ateez! You think to yourself.

That’s what brought you here.

All the other Atiny you’ve met have been amazing, spending the time you’ve waited in line and after soundcheck talking about your biases and what you’re looking forward to.

Finally getting into the long merch line, you wave off the younger girl as she returns downstairs and turn to wait.

Here too, you find yourself chatting to other Atiny, especially when the videos keep coming on to tease at the show starting, watching everyone in line around you panic.

“Please…please please….” you mutter, watching the merch sell down, eyes on your Yeosang picket.

As you draw closer, you hear the music start again, mere minutes for the start of the actual show.

Heart pounding, you can’t help but grin as the man pulls down your picket and you scan your card in record time.

“Yes!” you say out loud, feeling silly, but then sprinting off to get back down.

Suddenly, you look around, watching the Atiny at the general admission seats all file out to see the show.

Yet, it feels like you’ve gone far past wherever you came out.

“Uhhh…” you hum aloud, turning in a circle to look around.

Heart pounding as you hear the music growing louder, you try to fight back panic as you find a staff member.

“Where are the elevators?” you ask, and nod as you try to comprehend directions.

Yep, you’d run right past them in your haste.

Feeling stupid, you turn and run back, randomly stopping a staff member to make sure you’re heading the right way.

After three times, you’re finally directed to some nondescript doors and push through, a sense of relief washing over you as you see the elevators.

“C’mon…” you mumble, watching some people come through behind you.

The door dings and opens, and the people behind you file in.

“Which floor?” one of them asks.

“Ummm..”

Good question, you think.

“Down, maybe P1?” You tell her.

She shakes her head, halting the door from closing.

“This is going up, you’ll have to catch the next one.”

Shit.

Nodding, you exit off so they can go, apologizing, then turning to press the button down.

Stop making mistakes cause you’re in a hurry, you chastise yourself.

Suddenly, everything building up the whole week feels heavy.

The feeling of not being wanted around, third wheeling.

The sense of being alone in an arena packed with people.

Heart breaking even while your favorite group is about to step onto stage in moments.

Am I going to miss this?

What floor am I even supposed to be on?

Your mind races, getting on an elevator alone and hitting a button for one of the lower floors.

It feels like hours, even though it’s only seconds before the doors open and you race out, finding yourself in a long hallway.

“Shit…” you grumble, clutching your picket to your chest.

Turning around, you make your way back to the elevators and try another floor.

Finding a moment of clarity, you message your friend.

“I have no idea where I am…”

You doubt they will be looking at their messages though.

Your heart drops as you realize you actually may be lost, stepping out onto a floor that looks just like the rest.

You run halfway down, heart sinking as you realize you’re going to miss it.

You’re going to miss Ateez.

And no one is likely even wondering where you are.

It’s not supposed to be like this.

You feel your eyes burn, not even worried anymore about your makeup as you swipe at your eyes.

Picket clutched to your chest, hair damp from the heat, crying in a stupid hallway all alone at an arena packed with people.

How fucking ridiculous.

A sob escapes you before you can stop it, doing your best to collect yourself because crying isn’t going to-

“Hey…you’re not supposed to be down here!”

The male voice startles you, heart skipping as both panic and relief fill you.

Maybe he can help you find where you’re supposed to be.

Maybe you’re about to get kicked out for going somewhere you’re not supposed to be.

“Calm down.” You hear another voice, then your heart about jumps right out of your throat.

The security guard turns to look behind him and take in the sight that threatens to overwhelm your poor Atiny heart.

Choi San.

He rests a hand on the guard's arm, then turns to you with a worried look on his face.

“Are you..okay?” He asks softly, and you feel your cheeks heating at your appearance.

Shit, crying in front of Choi San….

“I…” you swallow, blinking to try to make your brain work, “I’m lost.”

“Ah…well…our friend can help you find your way. Right?” He says, turning his dimpled smile to the guard.

“Of course.” The man says, immediately coming to direct you back to the elevators.

Embarrassed beyond belief, yet feeling surreal at being this close to San, you can only nod your head and mumble an apology and a thank you to him.

“Don’t cry, Atiny. Just look at me and smile, okay?” He calls out, waving to you as he rushes back to where some voices are calling to him.

You can only nod, the image of his crinkled eyes and adorable smile setting your heart back on the right path.

Before you get to the elevators, you hear his voice once more behind you.

“And Yeosang is mine!”

The elevator door close, and you look down at your picket where Yeosang’s face is clutched in your arms.

The guard just chastises you lightly for getting lost but you can only smile as the doors open to the correct floor and you step out, finally rushing to find your friends on the floor.

Holy shit…Choi San?

If nothing else happens tonight, this is a memory you’re going to hold with you forever.

You smile at your picket as you join your friends, the crowd erupting as you watch the show start.

Everything is a blur once it begins.

Every single one of them is amazing, and the entire show feels surreal.

You’d told yourself that it’s just a show but each member seems larger than life.

Wooyoung’s solo stage, each unit song….Cyberpunk…HALAZIA?

Give the cameraman an award, you think.

And when Mingi says fucking jump, despite the sweat coating your skin and your aching knees, you fucking JUMP.

Each one comes over and waves during certain moments, and it’s of course your own personal delulu but it feels like sometimes they look right at you.

You beam with pride, hoping every Atiny around you feels as if they are looking directly at them because damn this is a wonderful feeling.

But there’s a moment, when San makes his way to your part of the stage.

You swear that he looks right at you.

He opens his mouth as he points and waves, just like the rest of them do, but you swear he winks at you.

No way, he definitely didn’t notice you in a crowd of people based on a moment of meeting.

But when he touches his eye and runs it down his face, then shakes a finger at you as if to say, “Don’t cry!”

…well your heart just bursts with happiness.

As with all good things, the show seems to fly by and before long you’re filing out.

You’ve gotten such good videos, so many good pictures.

You can’t wait to go through them all.

Watching your friends talk, you find yourself waiting outside the venue for some of their other friends as you just let the evening swirl in your head.

The post concert rush was washing over you, the ache settling in, the reality of it all.

But it wasn’t a bad thing.

Sure you still felt left out.

Of course your body was covered in disgusting sweat, makeup probably looking like some halloween costume, clothing soaked through from dancing and jumping around.

I hope I don’t stink, you think to yourself.

It’s a long drive back and by the time you finally get to your friend's house and head to bed, you swear you pass out before you even close your eyes.

The next day, you wake early and head back to real life.

You’re now deemed the “cutest toad” by some friends that you send voice messages to and you can’t help but laugh because yeah….

You’d screamed and sung your heart out.

There was only a small little croak left of your voice.

Life goes on of course, but you enjoy the time you get to spend uploading your pictures and videos to everyone.

Instagram, Tumblr, sending to friends and your little groups.

It was a blur, a memory but you choose to keep the good ones and ignore the small little things that peppered your heart with sadness.

It’s only days later, when the excitement is dying down that something happens that you’re not expecting.

You hadn’t mentioned your encounter to your friends, for a few reasons.

First, when you’d tried to mention you’d gotten lost and cried, they’d just brushed you off and you swear they weren’t actually listening.

Second, well….somehow you wanted to keep this experience to yourself.

It even sounded fake in your own mind.

And besides, San had said maybe three things to you?

It wasn’t that big of a deal.

At least, that’s what you tell yourself.

Really though, you know it’s because it’s your secret now.

A silly, secret thing that happened because your stupid ass got yourself lost.

It was all fading into the little memory box in your heart until it happened.

Of course your posts have gotten plenty of likes and some comments.

But what you don’t expect is the comment you are currently staring at, slack jawed as you look at your phone.

No way.

It’s not really….

Is it?

Your brain seems to seize as you read the comment a few more times.

You hadn’t said a word to anyone.

It had to be him.

“You’re not crying, right?”

Choi….San???

[advantage-zweig]

thinking about artrick at a party playing never have i ever. . .

cw: explicit topics and underage drinking (no smut but still preferably mdni)!

enjoy, pretty people! XOXO

he seems like he would've been pretty vocal about all his conquests, you know? like he's the kind of guy to hook up with girls at parties every weekend, keep a list of names in the back of his one notebook that he uses for every subject, and tell all his friends exactly who he's gonna go for next. he's always just been that guy.

so i think we can all agree that patrick likely had a bit of a. . . reputation back at the academy. let's say, as a manwhore, perhaps.

by the time they hit senior year, there probably wasn't a single soul in their graduating class who didn't know that patrick zweig was the only cocky asshole to ever have earned the attitude. he was good at tennis and he was good at sex, and as much as they may have wanted to, no one was ever able to prove that wrong.

which is why it came as no surprise to anyone present that when the school party group sat down with a full bottle of vodka to play 'never have i ever,' that patrick drank at least a quarter of it all by himself.

what did turn out to be a bit of a shock, though, was that his supposedly innocent roommate/sidekick was meeting him almost shot-for-shot.

art, who everyone assumed had been dragged to that party against his will, who was a straight a/b student, and who still opened the door for girls and helped old ladies cross the street, was getting absolutely hammered in the raunchiest drinking game they had literally ever played.

art, who had teachers and parents alike praying he'd be a good influence on his best friend, was taking shots after prompts like:

"never have i ever stolen a lighter from a convenience store,"

"never have i ever dropped acid,"

"never have i ever hit it raw,"

and, "never have i ever made a girl finish."

at first, everyone was laughing and cheering him on, excited that he wasn't as innocent as he looked. art was actually enjoying being the center of attention for once, and patrick was watching him with an expression that seemed oddly proud. they were having the most fun they'd ever had at a friday-night dorm party.

but still, despite all the encouragement, it was obvious that the whole circle expected him to tap out pretty soon. there was just no way he had actually done enough wild shit to keep up with the rest of them. unfortunately for their egos, they were very quickly proven wrong when he kept drinking as the game progressed into questions like:

"never have i ever eaten a girl out under the bleachers,"

"never have i ever gotten head in the locker room,"

"never have i ever had a threesome,"

and, what was apparently the most surprising of all, "never have i ever hooked up with someone in the academy pool."

"no way! there's no fucking way you did that," some guy named brandon finally said when art and patrick were the only two to drink for that one. "i thought patrick was, like, the only guy in player history to ever pull that off."

"well, I helped him out a little," patrick admitted, laughing at everyone's shocked expressions. "come on, guys. you assholes didn't really think i'd let my best friend graduate a virgin, did you?"

everyone in the circle just glanced around awkwardly, not making eye contact with either of them.

"you guys thought i was a virgin?" art asked, frowning while patrick tried not to start laughing like a madman next to him. "all of you?" he asked again when no one responded.

"huh."

poor art was way too shitfaced to even process how that revelation made him feel. he may have been a slut, but he was also still quite the lightweight.

"you just seem so. . . sweet," one girl pointed out, giggling nervously from the alcohol.

"he is sweet," patrick butted in, more sober than art but still hammered enough that his words were beginning to step on each other's tails. "he's a very gentle lover, and a lot of girls know it. they just don't talk about it much because he's too pure to be gossipped about the way girls talk about me. they all think they're, like, his first or something."

art nodded solemnly, remembering all the times he'd been called 'a natural,' in a sexual context. oh, if only they'd known.

"how are we just finding out about this now? is he, like, as bad as you are, pat?" another girl asked, looking art up and down with an unreadable expression.

"well, considering he's only fucked one of the girls in this circle, i'm gonna say no. speaking of which, hailey, you for sure thought you were his first, right?" patrick asked, grinning.

hailey looked like a deer caught in headlights, opening and closing her mouth like a fish until she conceded with a guilty, "yeah."

"and there you have it, ladies and gents. the donaldson charm," patrick cheered, ruffling art's hair excitedly. "i've been getting this kid laid for years. he's like my very own slutty apprentice."

truthfully, art wouldn't really need much help if he decided to go off and find himself a hookup partner on his own. but, there was no doubt that when patrick felt like taking control of his sex life, it got significantly more. . . fruitful.

sometimes art wondered why pat took getting him laid so seriously, but when they were side-by-side on his bed, jacking off together while he told him all about it and tried not to stare at his best friend's dick, he found that he didn't really care that much anymore.

anyway, patrick's joke got a laugh from the group, and it seemed like everyone was starting to warm up to the thought of art being some sort of sex ninja they'd never caught. and that's exactly when the teasing started.

"so what else have you done?" hailey asked him, her embarrassment subsiding.

"hold that thought," patrick interjected, standing up slowly to not lose his balance. "if we're gonna keep playing, i'm grabbing him a gatorade, 'cause i do not feel like carrying his ass back to our dorm."

as soon as art's shotglass was full of his favorite color gatorade, and patrick's was split fifty-fifty, that's when the prompts really started flying.

"never have i ever had sex while high."

they both drank.

"never have i ever had sex while getting high."

they both drank again.

"never have i ever. . . watched two people get it on from the corner."

they both drank again.

naturally, that meant they had watched each other with a girl on seperate nights, each pretending to be more into her than the boy beside the bed. thankfully, their partners seemed content enough with the level of interest they recieved.

"never have i ever. . . had someone put a finger up my ass during a blowjob," one guy suggested later in the game, sipping his shot idly since he hadn't taken one in a while.

art was getting tired, the attention and the alcohol making him feel pretty out of it. no amount of electrolytes could even begin to counteract how much vodka he'd already downed.

that's probably why he didn't even hesitate to take his "shot" as soon as he registered the question. patrick took his too, confident as ever, but he definitely got a few raised eyebrows for that one.

"i'll try anything once," he said with a shrug, pulling art closer to wrap an arm around his shoulders. "and apparently, art'll try anything four times."

art squirmed away, grumbling, "you're such an asshole," under his breath. it was nothing patrick hadn't heard a hundred times before.

"i don't know how i've been with so many girls who are into that," he said, hiding his blush with forced nonchalance.

patrick scoffed, staring at him in disbelief.

"dude, don't act like you weren't fucking begging for it," he teased, messing up his hair again. "i have watched you jerk off enough times to know-"

"you've what?" brandon asked, horrified.

"doesn't matter. the point is, those girls just wanna make you feel good, so they do it because you look like you'd be into it, and they're absolutely correct," patrick explained, gesturing loosely as if he were giving an important, drunken lecture.

"are you saying i look gay?" art asked, pouting as he slumped sideways onto patrick's shoulder. "that's not very nice."

patrick helped him sit up straight again, rolling his eyes dramatically.

"no, i'm saying you look like if you were gay, you'd be. . . a reciever."

"oh," art responded, furrowing his eyebrows in concentration. "is that worse? i feel like somehow that's worse."

"hey, man, as long as you're having fun-"

"moving on," another guy across the circle ordered, and the game continued.

eventually, the master did end up out-drinking the student, and when the group played three rounds in a row where patrick was the only one to take a shot,

("never have i ever been called daddy unironically,"

"never have i ever put it in all three holes in the same night,"

and, "never have i ever slept with a girl and her sister in the same week."),

they decided to play one more round before calling it quits for the night. the girl who's turn it was thought for a minute before settling on what she believed to be the perfect game finale.

"never have i ever had a 'no-homo' makeout sesh," she announced, smirking proudly.

most of the girls laughed excitedly before taking their shots. that wasn't really surprising since it was considered more of a fun, feminine boarding school pastime to them than anything even remotely gay.

however, the group did seem a bit taken aback by art and patrick also discreetly taking their shots amidst the excitement.

it didn't take a genius to know that if one person has made out with someone of the same gender before, and so has their best friend and roommate, that there's really only one thing that could've possibly happened.

"wait. . . seriously?" brandon asked them, looking more intrigued than disgusted, thankfully.

patrick shrugged again, taking one more non-gatorade-infused shot for good measure before standing up and helping art to his feet.

"art's a needy drunk," he replied in lieu of an explanation, and without further ado, they headed for the door.

the last thing the group heard from them before they were fully out of sight was art groaning uncomfortably and whining, "I gotta piss so bad, pat."

patrick snorted, wrapping his arm around art's waist so he wouldn't trip and bust his head open.

"i bet you do, you fuckin' whore."

so anyway, that's about it! i'd love to hear your thoughts, questions, concerns if you've got any. and if you want more of these two in this specific au, then my inbox is always open!

XOXO 💋✨️

[still-not-over-transformers]

hi! could you do i mirage x fem bot where she's kinda got the build of a mech and is super self conscious about it. and when noah and elena meet her they think she's a mech and she gets upset and they've got no clue whats going on but mirage does and he comforts her? sorry if this doesn't make sense 🫶

Just the Way You Are

ROTB Mirage x Femme Autobot Reader

Warnings: None

Word Count: 1300

You had heard much about the Autobots’ human allies. As you waited patiently inside a warehouse which was the current hideout for Optimus Prime and the Autobots, you couldn’t help but feel excited. You had never directly interacted with humans during your short time on Earth, and you were looking forward to finally meeting them. Shortly after the Transwarp key had sent its beacon into the cosmos, you had followed its signal in your ship to Earth. This is where you would come to join up with the Autobots and make this planet your temporary new home. 

As for your new comrades, you found them to be welcoming but you got along with some better than others. Of course you regarded Optimus with the utmost respect, but he wasn’t much for conversation and you didn’t want to risk embarrassing yourself in front of him. Arcee was informative and kind; Bumblebee was quirky and fun; but Mirage definitely made you feel far more comfortable. Actually, he made you laugh quite a bit, and despite Mirage’s antics often butting heads with Optimus, you couldn’t help but want to spend more time with him. Besides, he was highly in-tune with human culture and close friends with their human companions. 

Your thoughts were interrupted as you heard the familiar rev of Mirage’s engine, causing you to transform from your vehicle mode into your Cybertronian form. In usual Mirage-fashion, the mech peeled into the warehouse in his Porsche vehicle mode before halting to a sudden stop. You couldn’t help but roll your optics slightly, thinking to yourself Always with the dramatic entrance. 

As Mirage parked, both the driver’s side and passenger doors opened, allowing two humans to emerge. Once his cab was empty, Mirage transformed from his vehicle mode and stretched his limbs. As he glanced around, Mirage’s optics focused on you, “Hey, Y/N! Ready to meet my friends?” His tone was upbeat and full of excitement as he beamed with eagerness. You took a few steps forward before focusing your gaze towards the two small human figures standing before you. “I’m glad to meet your acquaintance. I am Y/N,” you lower your frame slightly, trying to decrease the height difference as much as you can. 

Mirage steps in to introduce everyone, “Y/N, this is my boi, Noah, and the badass Elena.” Both Noah and Elena smile up at you, with Noah stepping forward to address you, “Y/N, it’s an honor to meet you. It’s great to have another Autobot on the team. Maybe Mirage, you, and me can head out on the town afterwards. Just the three of us guys hanging out.” Before you can fully process Noah’s words, Elena chimes in, “It’s nice to have you joining us, Y/N. Hopefully Mirage and Noah don’t rub off on you too much. Honestly, we don’t need too many boys misbehaving after all.” 

You pause briefly, taking in what you just heard, Do they think I’m a… mech? You tried to keep your thoughts to yourself, attempting to force your emotions to the back of your mind. As much as you tried, you couldn’t stop the surge of emotions that would ultimately bubble to the surface. You were aware that your frame build wasn’t as feminine as a bot such as Arcee. That you were built thicker and more muscular than the average femme on Cybertron, a fact that had plagued you even before the war, as many a mech would make a jab at your more masculine appearance and voice. It all would become too much, and your body language betrayed your thoughts and feelings. 

Noah and Elena watched you in confusion, unsure of what was bothering you. Noah stepped forward to speak, “Hey, Y/N, are you okay? Was it something we said?” 

Unable to contain your emotions any longer, you turned suddenly and glared down at 

Noah and Elena. “Yes it was something you said! It’s something that everyone, human or Cybertronian, apparently has to point out!” Your words came out in a tone of both anger and agony. You would swiftly turn away and transform into your alt mode, before driving out of the warehouse, your destination: anywhere but here. 

Both Noah and Elena are left speechless and with a sense of guilt, although they had no idea why. Mirage looked down at the two of them and gestured to Noah, “Hey, don’t worry about it. I’ve got this.” He quickly shuffled away from them both, transforming into his vehicle mode then driving off in pursuit of Y/N. After a short drive, Mirage follows your trail to a secluded and abandoned lighthouse on the edge of the bay. Mirage had been here before and knew this was usually where you went to relax or calm down after a hard day. Mirage transformed from his vehicle mode and walked around the exterior of the lighthouse, finding you sitting down, your back leaned against the building. He notices your dour demeanor and softly speaks, “Hey… Y/N, are you feeling alright?”

Although you weren’t expecting Mirage to follow you after your outburst, you weren’t surprised as he was Mirage after all. You kept your gaze averted from Mirage, “...I could be better…”

 Mirage tries to keep a positive attitude and sits beside you, scooching closer to you, “I’m really sorry for Noah and Elena… I promise you they didn’t mean to offend you. Even humans can make mistakes and I’ll let them know what’s up.” His optics are locked onto you, his expression soft but clearly full of concern. 

“I’m sorry if I overreacted, but… it’s not just them, it’s just… everything and it’s hard not to be affected by it.” Your entire life you had to struggle with your appearance and how so many Cybertronians mistook your gender. You always tried to ignore and deny how this made you feel, but there was only so much you could handle. Despite having known him for a short time, Mirage had always tried to make you feel better in his own quirky way. You always laughed at his jokes and you were always down to join him on patrols or occasionally risk a lecture from Prime after breaking curfew. Primus forbid anyone should know you had developed a crush on him, although you never thought you had a chance with someone like him. 

Sensing your distress, Mirage shifts towards you and places a servo on your shoulder. “Y/N, I’m gonna be honest with you. You’re cute as hell and I think you are one of the finest femmes in the universe.” He flashes a brief smirk before his expression changes to be softer and more vulnerable. Mirage begins to go off on details about your personality and how he finds your mannerisms absolutely adorable. But this mech isn’t done yet. “Don’t get me started on how a chick who could bench me is beyond hot as slag. And don’t get me started on what’s ‘feminine.’ Cause what even defines that? Tall, short, skinny, built, thick, all the same to me.” He fires off a shameless wink towards you before clearing his throat and re-focusing, “Look, Y/N, I’m sorry I haven’t told you sooner, but I really like you. As in… ‘like you’ like you. But… I understand if you don’t feel the sam–”

Before Mirage can finish his sentence, you wrap your arms around him and pull him close, planting a soft kiss on his cheek. Catching yourself, you quickly pull away embarrassed, “...I-i’m sorry…! I don’t know what came over me—” You are in-turn surprised as Mirage brings you close once more and kisses you, 

As his lips slowly pull away, Mirage smirks to you, “I one-million percent feel the same.” 

END

[teyamsgrl]

folded ✧ jake sully

❗️ MDNI ❗️

here is my first sub!jake fic and i am quite excited to say the least 😉 i've wanted to do sub jake for sooooo long but always found myself falling into the dom!jake trap lol but here we are enjoy all you horny individuals 🥴

°˖➴ warnings: fem omatikaya reader, sub!jake, dom!reader, jealous!reader, mommy kink (sub!jake has a mommy kink nobody can change my mind), dirty talk, tying up, oral m receiving, reverse cowgirl, THIS MAN LOVES ASS - tìyawn: love

it was difficult to not be attracted to jake; you as his mate knew this very well. despite this fact, it didn't stop the burn of jealousy that made your cheeks turn a purple hue when other omatikaya women would surround him the second he dropped in after a successful fight against the rda. they flocked to him like a magnet, touching the scrapes on his body and toying with the few braids that dangled in front of his face. you weren't threatened by the other women, but more so irritated by jake's cocky remarks and smirk as he interacted with them, purposely pushing your buttons for the hell of it.

you weaved through the many omatikaya as the war party returned, vibrant chatter filling your ears. you could hear jake's deep chuckle from afar, tilting your head to see the usual women huddled around him. you scoffed lightly when he winked at one of the women, another one of them trailing to a large scrape on his abs. he knew what he was doing to you. you nudged your way around people, reaching jake and his circle of groupies. you grabbed his large bicep once you got past the women, squeezing firmly. "ma'jake, let us go home. i need to clean you up" you had to hold back your eye roll when one of the women spoke up, "i can clean you up, jake! i am training well and-" "his mate will take care of him, thanks" you bit back the small hiss that was desperate to escape your mouth, deciding to be the bigger person and drag jake to your hut.

"how was your day, babygirl?" he asks as you clean his scrape gently with a cloth, your cheeks still warm from the earlier occurrence. "fine" you state, placing the cloth on the table and standing to your full height. "just fine? what's up?" he wraps an arm around your waist, pulling you close and flush against him. "what's up? i don't know... your fans seemed pretty eager today" he sighs at your response before gulping as he catches your sharp gaze. "you know what you were doing, letting them touch you and compliment you, makes me possessive..." you growl the sentence out softly, tracing a finger along his bottom lip. "you like making me jealous? you like that i have to come over and drag you away, don't you?" he nods under your stare, eyes big and amber. "tell me you like it, tìyawn. tell me" "i like it, mommy..." there it was. jake folded. "mhmmm, good. i'd say good boy, but i don't think you've been very good, have you?" he shakes his head, tsk leaving your mouth, "n-no, i've been bad..." you hum and push him to his knees, circling around him after. "you have been, which is why, unfortunately, i have to tie your hands" you pout tauntingly, snatching a length of rope from the basket on your table. "mommy, but-" "no buts" you crouch behind him and bind his wrists with the rope, tugging gently to ensure it was tight enough. his whimper was quiet, but audible enough for you to know he was getting restless already.

"what is it? so desperate and all i've done is tie you up" he can hear the smirk in your voice, cock twitching underneath his loincloth. "is something restricting you?" you saunter in front of him, studying the way his chest heaves and his eyes glimmer with need. you place a hand on his sternum, tail flittering as you urge him to lie on his back. once he is flat you crawl in between his legs, gripping the waistband of his loincloth and toying with it. "please" he whines, hips jerking upwards at the mere touch to the very cloth housing his already stiff cock. you giggle at jake, hands pressing his hips down, "now, i'm gonna need you to beg harder than that if you want mommy's hand, let alone her mouth or pussy..." you lick over his v-line, awaiting a response. "mommy.. mommy please.. i'll be good i promise, you've already tied me up. please please, i'll be your good boy i just need you i want your mouth, and- and your pussy, oh please" the whimpery tone of his voice makes you squeeze your thighs together momentarily, lifting your head from his toned stomach. "that's my good boy.." you whisper, hands moving from their place on his hips to remove his loincloth, cock bouncing out and precum dripping down the shaft. you smirk at the sight, catching jake's gaze before dipping your head down, kitten licking the tip ever so slightly.

he whines loudly at the touch, dying for more. "awwww baby..." you giggle, engulfing his tip in your mouth. his ears press against his head, moan escaping instantly as you begin to sink further, his entire length slowly making it's way into your mouth. "fuck- fuck, so good.." he whimpers while you bob up and down, spit coating his cock. you continue sucking him, one hand trailing to fiddle with his balls, his hips twitching as you massage them teasingly. "mommy- sensitive- no" this makes you squeeze them more, rolling them in your hand. he whimpers and arches his back at the sensation, shiver crawling up his body. you pull off of him with a pop, line of spit connecting your lip to his tip. you move to stand up, removing your loincloth as you tower over jake. you watch him lick his lips, craning his neck to look at your backside. an airy chuckle escapes as you watch his attempts to look at your round ass, turning so your back is now facing him. he groans softly, squirming around due to his bound wrists. "do you wanna touch it? wanna squeeze?" you bring your hands back to grab your own ass, "wanna spank?" you bring your hand down on yourself, hand print visible for a split second. "let me touch, please let me!" he whines below you, still writhing around. "baby, that squirming is not going to do anything, plus i'm not untying you" you straddle his hips, pussy floating over his aching and deep blue cock. "all you get to do-" you angle yourself properly over him, tip aligned with your hole perfectly.

"is watch" you breathe out as you fully sink down, cock filling you up entirely and nudging your cervix. "jesus-" jake groans, head leaning back onto the floor of your hut. you moan faintly as you start to bounce, steadying yourself with your hands on his knees. "that's it, such a pretty cock all for me, isn't that right?" you mewl, ass clapping down onto jake as you ride him vigorously, his head spinning at the sight and feeling. his moans are filling the room, mumbled and jumbled words thrown in the mix on occasion. "are you pussy drunk, baby? can barely speak.." you breathily state, rolling your hips. pussy drunk was a term jake had taught you, and now you use it to your advantage in situations like these. "mhmmmm!" he whines, eyes rolling into his head. all you could do was giggle and moan back, legs like jelly as you milk his cock with your drenched pussy. you took note of how his hips began jerking and his back started arching, his impending orgasm on a fast track. you dragged a hand up to circle your clit sloppily, walls tightening on his shaft. "mommy- cum-" is all he's able to spit out, pleasure clouding all of his brain as you pull his orgasm out with each movement. he's groaning loudly as his cum paints your insides, your orgasm occurring at the same time, your legs quivering around his hips.

you lean forward after you cum, breathing heavily as his cock slips out. once stable, you help jake sit up and undo his wrists, bringing them to your lips and gingerly kissing them. he smiles drunkenly at you, reaching to hold your face. "how are you, tìyawn?" you inquire and brush a hand into his hair, his forehead coming to rest against yours. "tired but good, you?" he grazes his nose against yours, "same" you giggle and peck his lips, nuzzling into his neck after. he croons and wraps his arms securely around your waist, falling onto his back once again with you atop him.

[shima-draws]

Malachi time 🥰

More info on him below the cut!

Name: Malachi (Codename: Valet)

Age: 28

Hair color: Brown (with white streaks)

Eye color: Gold

Element: Fire

The yin to Rozen's yang 😤 A lot of his story has already been shared on Rozen's post so I'll just be copying over most of that!

Malachi had a relatively normal life growing up with a family who loved him, but their lives were brought to a violent end when they were suddenly attacked by a group of rogues after their fortune. Soon after he was brought to the same orphanage Rozen was part of. Losing his parents was traumatic for Malachi; he retreated within himself and could really only express himself through anger and hatred in an attempt to deal with the loss.

Out of everyone in the orphanage Malachi butted heads with Rozen the most, finding his similar prickly personality and arrogance to be extremely irritating. Rozen viewed Malachi as a little brat and basically had the opinion of “boo hoo you’re an orphan well at least your parents loved you and didn’t throw you away like mine did”. (So, a biiiiit of jealousy there. LMAO) Malachi correctly called him out for being a total fake, knowing that his entire life was just an act. They were definitely at each other’s throats for a while!

All of this changed when Rozen got a bit too big for his britches and pissed off the wrong crowd. Surprisingly, Malachi rescued him from being beaten to absolute shit and Rozen was shocked that Malachi actually helped him. Even though he'd been through some hardships Malachi was still a kind person at heart, and couldn't just leave Rozen to get hurt (even though he was really tempted to lol). Rozen started to soften up around him after this, and slowly started to drop his defenses and show his true personality. Despite Malachi finding Rozen’s change of heart “creepy”, and his sudden personality change kind of drastic, he couldn’t help but grow attached to him too. Before long they were practically attached at the hip, and if you saw one of them you’d know the other wasn’t too far behind.

At this point Rozen was fully himself instead of the persona/act he’d been putting on for all his life. AKA he essentially has the personality of a golden retriever, is kind of an airhead (or an idiot, according to Malachi), and is a total softie. Him finally showing his kinder side helped Malachi too, and eventually, after spending two years together, Malachi was crushing on him HARD lol. Of course, Rozen only really viewed Malachi as a best friend, especially due to their age difference (being 4 years apart, with Rozen being 17 at the time and Malachi being 13). Both of them had the opinion that the other had saved them, in a way. Malachi depended heavily on Rozen, who helped him through his trauma and helped him come to terms with his parents' death. They both looked at each other and thought "there's still good in the world after all" 😭

Throughout the two years they spent together, Malachi actually grew quite close with one of the local shop owners, a lovely girl who ran a bakery. She was endlessly kind to him and sparked a passion in him, which lead to him wanting to learn how to bake. Most evenings he'd find himself in her shop learning the ropes (with Rozen mooching off of his end results lol). Malachi mused that maybe one day he could use his skills to make his own pastries and get paid for it ;)

As time went on Rozen and Malachi became more and more determined to leave the orphanage together, either being adopted as a package deal or just leaving when they were finally of age. This came crashing down when a couple looking to adopt just Malachi showed up, and despite the pair’s attempts to sabotage any sort of chance Malachi would get adopted, the couple was insistent on taking him home. This sparked some suspicion in Rozen, wondering just why they were so intent on Malachi. He soon found out that these people were connected to the rogues that had killed Malachi’s parents–they were seeking the same fortune and knew that Malachi was the key to finding it. Rozen confronted them and convinced them to take him instead, as Malachi had told him he had no idea about his parents’ riches so he’d essentially be useless to the couple. Rozen offered his services and promised he would stop at nothing to find them the treasure, as long as they left Malachi alone. The couple agreed.

Malachi, of course, was devastated to find out about Rozen being adopted (and right before he’d become of age too), not wanting to be apart from him. Rozen explained his reasoning and revealed it was all part of his plan–he’d go away with the couple and then slip back to the orphanage in the middle of the night, where he and Malachi would run away together. With a promise to return, Rozen left with the couple, leaving Malachi behind to wait.

Malachi didn't get the chance to wait, unfortunately, because suddenly the village was attacked, and the orphanage was set on fire. Desperate to get to Rozen, Malachi tried in vain to get out, but found himself trapped. He was burned badly by the fire, and right as he thought he was going to die, he suddenly awakened his elemental powers--the power of fire. Ironic that the thing to save him was the thing that hurt him in the first place. Using this gift, he was able to escape the building, and was rescued by none other than the baker girl he'd been training under. She rushed him off to the nearest recovery shelter, and after days of being unconscious, when he awoke she broke the news to him that Rozen was most likely dead. She explained that the couple who had adopted him were found slaughtered in a nearby manor, along with all of their associates, and that they were found out to be criminals. Malachi was absolutely heartbroken by the news and demanded more details about Rozen. The girl told him that Rozen's body was not found, but it was unlikely that he escaped unscathed. This was enough for Malachi, who was certain that Rozen was out there alive somewhere. Maybe he'd come back to the orphanage and was waiting for him right now!

The baker girl took Malachi to the now destroyed orphanage in an attempt to find Rozen. However, Rozen wasn't there. Malachi refused to give up and decided to wait for him. Days passed and with no further sign that Rozen would show the baker girl gently told him that maybe it was time for him to move on. Devastated, Malachi still remained stubborn and told her he would wait, despite knowing that it wasn't likely Rozen would come back for him. But there HAD to be a reason, right? Maybe Rozen was in trouble. If he had been attacked that night, maybe he couldn't make it back to the village. Maybe...

Malachi was placed under the baker girl's care, and from there he began his search. Any sort of leads or sightings of Rozen was the treasure he sought after for the next 15 years, absolutely determined to find any clues to his whereabouts. Between his searching, he continued to hone his craft as a baker, along with learning how to use his magic. Eventually he was scouted by a sort of intelligence agency, who promised to help him in his search for Rozen in return for his services. Malachi leapt at the chance, knowing that this would open avenues previously off limits to him.

After years of essentially being an agent, and now a very skilled fighter, Malachi was given a new assignment--infiltrate an underground crime organization, a gambling ring, in order to get information so that they could eventually be dismantled. After being accepted into the organization under the codename "Valet" and meeting their leader, Roi, Malachi was shocked when he was introduced to one of Roi's top members--a master of cards, a man by the codename of "Cavalier". Malachi recognized him immediately. It was Rozen!! Finally, after years of searching he'd found the person he'd been looking for. Rozen didn't seem to recognize him, but, well. Malachi couldn't really blame him, he HAD changed a lot over the past decade or so. (It stung though, just a little bit.)

Malachi was immediately ready to blow his cover and abandon the mission in order to get Rozen out; this was part of the terms he'd set with the agency--if at any point he found Rozen, or if the agency found Rozen for him, he'd be able to leave of his own volition. However, the agency refused to let him blow his cover, saying the mission was too important, and that Rozen, working directly under Roi, was likely in grave danger. (To Malachi, this seemed like an even bigger reason to get Rozen out ASAP.)

After a lot of back and forth Malachi finally came to an agreement with his agency, but he was NOT happy about it. He had to spend the next several months undercover as Valet, tortured by the fact that Rozen was literally within reach but he couldn't do shit about it. And to top it all off, he witnessed everything happening behind the scenes--how toxic Roi was, how he manipulated and threatened and abused Rozen, and Malachi was seconds away from attempting murder at any given time. All he can do is be as sympathetic as possible and try to butt into his business, urging him to break free from Roi and find a better path in life. Rozen isn’t too happy with someone intruding on his personal matters and lashes out at Malachi, causing a rift between them. Malachi only wants to help and doesn’t want to see Rozen suffer; Rozen knows better than anyone that there’s no escape from Roi and has resigned himself to his fate–and he doesn’t want to see Malachi get hurt either.

This is when Nahu and co. come in ;)

Nahu and co. are sent to infiltrate the gambling ring, and immediately things are thrown into absolute chaos. After many twists and turns (and plot), Nahu goes to face off against Roi in one final fight. Roi captures Rozen and chains him up, unwilling to let his perfect pawn go free, and poisons him so that he loses any strength to escape. While Nahu is absolutely wrecking shit fighting Roi, Malachi sneaks up to where Rozen is being held and attempts to set him free. Through the haze, Rozen witnesses "Valet" trying to free him, and sadly reminisces about Malachi. Rozen tells Malachi to let him go, to let him die–that way he can be with the only person he cares about again. Malachi yells at him and says no, he can’t die, because HE'S Malachi! Screw his cover, screw everything he'd been taught about keeping his identity secret, Malachi's been suffering for MONTHS and he won't let Rozen go now that he's so close.

Nahu defeats Roi, and before Rozen succumbs to the poison, Malachi threatens him and says he’d better not die before he can kick his ass. Days later he finally wakes up to find Malachi beside him, and immediately bursts into tears. Malachi explains everything about his past, about what happened that night, about how and why he'd infiltrated the gambling ring, and about how desperate he'd been to reveal himself to Rozen. Malachi tells him that he hadn’t thought of anything else but finding him for the past 15 years, and now that he’d found Rozen he’d never leave his side again 🥺 Rozen feels the same way. They both realize they’re probably in trouble, with Malachi prepared to abandon his duty to be with Rozen and Rozen with his…complicated history being involved in an underground crime organization. LMAO

Luckily for them, Nahu is all about recruiting them, and they both agree to join his squad <3 Their new life together begins!! Rozen has to grapple with the fact that Malachi is definitely not the kid he used to know and has grown up, a lot. Malachi, meanwhile, has been in love with Rozen since he was 12 and is trying everything he can to properly express that. Rozen slowly comes to terms with the fact that yeah, he’s probably in love with Malachi, and things just get more interesting from there as they dance around each other for months just trying to figure it out ;)

And there we go...both of them posted and together at last <3

[sdfgderp]

a/n: pouty geppie >>>> enjoy this drabble pouty geppie enthusiasts because i enjoyed writing it for a friend too!! i forgot the english for “suyuin” a word in filipino BUT THIS IS TECHNICALLY WHAT WE’RE DOING HERE… i think it’s wooing? that doesn’t sound quite right… anyway we’re fighting geppie a little here but we’re weak so he gets his way!! knowing about him being a plant killer tore my heart a little bit as a gardener/green thumb <\3 love him nonetheless. i have another fic for argenti about plants!! stay tuned (he does not kill the plants dw)

gepard x gn! reader as always kiss kiss

cw: minor arguments but it goes alright in the end, cutie geppie, plants dying (pls be careful with plants! take care of them or i’ll burn you :3), feisty reader but they love geppie anyway

—

despite gepard’s best efforts, the plants he tries to grow always wither. it seemed cute at first until he started tending your perfectly tended plants. as expected, your plants withered. you confronted him about his inability to care for plants and insisted you take care of the garden instead of him. gepard argues back, saying it isn’t his fault, escalating to a point you proposed to ban him from ever stepping foot in the garden.

“…absolutely not! i will not have you killing the rest of our plants, we’ll have no flowers to look at!” you said, hitting his forehead repeatedly with your finger.

“but-“

“no buts! you know what you did!”

gepard’s eyes droop at your adamant refusal, seeming genuinely guilty. his hurt expression reminded you of a kicked puppy or a kitten that got shut out of the house, imaginary animal ears drooping down along his downcast look. to stand your ground, you look away and huff. in all actuality, he did not look as sad, but your lovestruck eyes made him look sadder than he is. your resolve dissipated quickly when poor geppie tugged your shirt.

“please? i’m not a green thumb like you…”

a shotgun bullet of guilt tore through your heart instead of a silly arrow of love as gepard pleaded. when gepard gets all pouty and needy, who were you to refuse? that gepard had you wrapped around his finger, gnawing in deviance but still powerless to his puppy-like look. you wondered if his name really fitted his attitude. feeling guilty, you immediately turn back and ruffle his hair, taking back his banishment from your garden.

“aiya, you sneak. fine,” you surrendered. gepard tilts his head in confusion at your comment.

“i’m not a sneak,” he says through a pout.

“fine! ugh, geppie. you should learn to water plants at the right time, transfer plants gently, and toning down on cutting too much of them! i want us to have a flower and herb patch, not a sad field of mud and poor withered plants,” you reasoned. “they need love and care as you do. how would you react if someone pulled you up and left you on cold, cold concrete? with no water to sprinkle over and no soil to burrow in too.”

“i know, i know,” he chided. “i’ll listen to you this time.”

you give him a doubtful look and poor gepard immediately promised you a reasonable compromise.

“i won’t kill them, dear. i’ll keep my hands off the flowers, but give me a plant i can take care of. a flower at least, and i’ll give it to you. i’ll grow you the fairest flower you’ve ever seen in our garden.”

“…i wish i can believe that.”

[amelikos]

Some character notes and episode notes for HZ092, writing them down for future reference.

Quick summary of the ep. 

First half of the ep: Uruto is following Liko and Roy. Liko and Roy catch up with Dot and they head to the place where the Rakurium signs have been spotted. They start battling the Haganeil.

Second half of the ep: The battle continues. They eventually manage to calm down the Haganeil. Pagogo awakens again. Liko meets Uruto. Last scene of the ep is Zir and Conia talking to Hamber, who tells them to find Amethio who has gone missing after the events of Rakua. 

--

Uruto.. Still in the process of forming my thoughts on the character, but I thought he had nice moments in the ep?? 

His awkwardness and inability to talk to girls was kinda endearing, because he looks like the kind of kid who is trying hard to be cool, and ends up embarrassed no matter how hard he tries. Yamirami making fun of him for being scared of going to talk to Roy at the beginning of the ep showed off their relationship between trainer and Pokemon quite well, too. Makes them feel like equals and gives a sense of how they are around each other. I wonder if there is a reason why Uruto is awkward around others, or if it just comes down to him not being used to people other than Roy? Either way, I thought it was cute that he was unsure how to act around Liko. Roy called him out on it (acting weird), and Uruto pretended everything was okay.. I was afraid he’d be rude to Liko or something, but he just seems to be awkward, which is cute. I thought it was nice that he told Liko to drop the “-san” and to just call him by name. I wonder how he’ll react to Dot when/if she eventually joins the group, and how Uruto’s relationship with Liko will change? Or will he just remain a character who mostly interacts with Roy? I am curious about that. 

I was also pleasantly surprised that Uruto seems to be someone who doesn’t jump headfirst into danger? He followed Liko and Roy, sure, and he accidentally found the Haganeil. But he immediately recognized the Rakurium and made the connection to the Kekking encounter, so he tried to run away because he acknowledged how dangerous the situation was and he didn’t try to handle it by himself. I thought it was nice, and it showed that he isn’t necessarily getting ahead of himself and that he is cautious. He also helped Liko and her Pokemon, and later on helped the whole group deal with the Haganeil and worked well with them. He didn’t cause trouble and didn’t get in their way. Though he mostly worked in tandem with Roy, I do wonder if we’ll see him learn to work with Liko or Dot? Either way, he showed that he can be helpful. Another moment I liked is that Uruto immediately noticed that something was wrong with the Haganeil after the battle and that they were both fighting each other, which was due to the Rakurium’s effect. He showed that he can be observant. He pays attention to his surroundings, and it’s something that I didn’t necessarily expect from his type of character. 

I also noticed that Uruto seems to bring out Roy’s desire to show off a bit, which is fun because Roy isn’t usually like that. Uruto teases Roy about feeling driven into a corner, to which Roy replies that there is no way it’s the case. It feels like Roy wants to show off his cool side to Roy, probably because Uruto is younger and Roy is older so he feels like he can’t appear “lame” in front of Uruto. Also interesting to me that they seem to be in sync and on the same wavelength despite butting heads outside battles.. It was cute when Roy introduced Uruto and put a hand on his shoulder (reminded me of when Friede did this to Liko and Roy), and when they both looked at each other and smiled when they showed off their Mega Rings to Liko and explained that they used Mega Evolution. 

One thing I’m worried about in regards to Uruto is that he might be used as a running gag too much. Horizons usually avoids running gags detrimental to characters, so I hope it’ll be the case here, too.. Uruto seemed happy to be asked about Rayquaza and wanted to tell his story, but Roy led Liko away because he thinks Uruto can get annoying when he gets like this. I can understand Roy’s side of things, it seems like he wants to protect Uruto and not have him get caught up in the Rakurium stuff. Roy probably feels a sense of responsibility towards Uruto, and doesn’t want him to get hurt? Though, Uruto seems to genuinely like Roy and wants to follow him around (it was so cute when he showed the picture of himself and Roy at the beginning).

I am not sure how much Roy told Uruto about what he was doing. Is him avoiding Uruto in such a way supposed to be something that will be addressed by the narrative? Roy is avoiding Uruto on some level by ditching him, which indicates to me that Roy has closed himself off to some extent. Also, it makes me sad that Uruto is ignored when he wants to share things that clearly matter to him. He just wants someone to listen to him. It doesn’t really help that I interpret Spinel as a character who wants to be chosen and gets left behind by someone he wanted to be noticed by, so I can’t help but draw parallels between the two characters. Something, something, both green-haired characters being ignored and left behind by someone who matters to them. 

Anyway, I’m curious about Uruto. I wonder what his story is. His role is still a bit unclear to me. I don’t want him to be only a running gag character, especially since in his case, being ignored when he wants to be listened to feels sad to me. Horizons usually takes its own characters seriously and handles occasional humor well, so I hope it’s the case here. If Uruto is meant to stay around, then I want him to be handled with care as a character. 

Roy’s moments were pretty nice this ep, too. Liko noted that he became more dependable, and it felt that way for me too. 

I think my favorite Roy moment was when he checked the ground and noticed that it had softened up. It struck me as such a Friede thing to do?? Especially since I remember Friede checking the soil in Rakua and analyzing the area they were in. It’s small moments like that that make me think Friede really influenced the kids. I think it was an interesting moment for Roy, too. It highlights something I like about the way the trio is handled, which is that all the kids are smart and capable in their own ways. Something that I also remember from Terastal Debut, too. I remember when the kids were doing their homework for the course. Roy knew something about a Pokemon they met simply because he looked it up, and he shared that information with his friends. Dot may be the character who is into information gathering and interested in Pokemon studies the way Friede is as a professor, but it doesn’t mean that she is the designated “smart” character at the expense of the others. There is not a strict separation between “smart” “strong” etc between the trio, they all show moments highlighting these aspects. It feels very respectful of the characters in general, I think. 

Liko and Dot.. Liko getting nervous to talk to Dot after such a long time felt real. Not sure how she was supposed to react after seeing a friend for a long time, etc. Both girls apologizing to each other and naturally catching up was nice. Dot saying she feels bad about involving Liko in all of this was also interesting, because it highlights Dot’s protectiveness over Liko, an aspect I really like about her. Dot is strongly loyal to her friends and has expressed guilt multiple times through the story when Liko got in danger and she wasn’t able to help her.. Like, Dot held strong resentment against Spinel for what he did to Liko, for example. So, the implication that Dot potentially avoided Liko so she could keep her safe emphasized that protectiveness of hers. Liko asserted her agency though, and she said she was curious and wanted to know more about what was happening, so Dot doesn’t have to feel guilty. 

Another moment I liked is when Liko told Dot that Pagogo hadn’t come out of its Pokeball ever since Rakua. Liko’s expression was hidden at that moment, so I wonder what kind of face she was making.. Dot pointed out that Tebrim being relaxed meant that Pagogo was okay, and I liked that kind of reassurance coming from her. Dot giving back to her friends and being able to offer support when they need it is meaningful to me. She spent a lot of time trying to catch up to them, after all.  

Trio moments in general.. Roy smiling when Liko stopped walking to look at the scenery was cute. I also liked when they took time to reminisce about their past adventures and got nostalgic about the Terastal course. In retrospect, it makes the lighthearted episodes of Terastal Debut hit deeper because they are now adventures the trio looks back on fondly and instrumental in showing the tangible passage of time and its impact. The past impacts the present. Also shown through Liko remembering the way the Six Heroes rampaged when she saw the Haganeil fighting each other. It was painful for her to remember that and it’s something that clearly weighs on her mind. 

The battle was okay. We got lots of battles in these past episodes. I do like that we got to see the trio working together again, though. I always enjoy seeing them cooperate and think of strategies together. The constant presence of the secondary Pokemon is something I enjoyed, too. Seeing them casually out of their Pokeballs, etc. Tebrim reassuring Liko about Pagogo. Masquernya carrying Tebrim around was adorable, and it reminded me of HZ051 when Nyarote was carrying Mibrim and trying to take care of Pagogo, too. Hope we see more stuff like this, because once Tebrim evolves, Masquernya won’t be able to carry her like that anymore so I’d like to see more casual moments between them as their current forms. I wasn’t sure when Pagogo would come back, but it seems like they didn’t intend to stretch it out too much. Pagogo awakening to protect Liko being such a constant thing in the series is really cute too, it emphasizes the strength of their bond. A worry I have is that we’ll get a pattern of Roy and Uruto finishing the battles with their Mega Evolution. I don’t want the male characters to hog the spotlight. It’ll rub me off the wrong way if this keeps happening. Liko showed interest in Mega Evolution and asked Roy and Uruto about it. The PR account posted about this after the episode (here) and highlighted that Liko was curious about it, so I hope this leads somewhere. The trio all got Terastal, so they should not restrict Mega Evolution to the male characters only. 

Onto Hamber’s scene at the end, which was the most thematically interesting to me. We learn that Amethio went missing at Rakua one year ago and that Zir and Conia couldn’t protect him. According to Hamber, Spinel reported that Amethio betrayed Gibeon and that both of them perished in the ensuing struggle. Neither Crave nor Hamber believe this report. Hamber entrusts Zir and Conia with the Zygarde Cube and asks them to find out Amethio’s whereabouts. 

From Crave’s perspective.. It’s genuinely heartbreaking to think that he had to hear the news that Amethio died. Something about the continuous tragedies in Gibeon’s family. Gibeon lost his only daughter and he outlived her, and now Crave has lost his only son and outlived him. (I do know that Amethio is alive, btw. But narratively, Crave is put in a situation which leads him to believe that his son might be dead.) 

Crave lost his wife, and from what we can infer from his scenes, he buried himself in work to cope with his grief and ended up distancing himself from Amethio as a result. Ie, Crave is still wearing his ring even now (so he hasn’t forgotten his wife and didn’t take off his ring despite being a widow), Hamber is the one who was mostly present for Amethio after his mother died, Crave and Amethio’s only interaction onscreen was quite strained and awkward.. Crave has now quit work entirely and seemed to have intentionally vacated his seat as a director. He is probably torn apart about Amethio, especially knowing that he didn’t listen to his pleas in HZ078. I do think he had his reasons (the Rakurium is shady and dangerous and even if Crave didn’t exactly know what it was, it stands to reason that he wouldn’t want Amethio to get involved in something like that), but I’m sure he is thinking about their last interaction and potentially wishes it could have gone differently. If he had looked at Amethio and tried to talk a bit more, who knows if things could have ended differently? I can’t help but think about things like that and fill in the blanks with the information we’ve been given. 

Interestingly, Crave doesn’t seem to believe Spinel’s report. Hamber doesn’t believe it either. From Hamber’s side, I think it stems from his absolute belief in Amethio’s strength.. He personally trained him and raised him (Amethio considers him a parent too). In HZ083, he spoke fondly about Amethio’s reckless behavior and just commented that it’s just how Amethio is. But from Crave’s side, I wonder about his feelings. Is his refusal to believe the report based on faith or denial? Does he also have faith in Amethio? Does he need to have faith in Amethio and need to believe he somehow overcame the odds and is alive out there because the opposite is unthinkable to him? Losing the only family he has left is probably his biggest nightmare, so he probably refuses to entertain that possibility for even a second. If he accepts the possibility that Amethio is gone, it means he is never going to see him again and that he knowingly avoided Amethio’s gaze the last time they interacted. Maybe he is hoping for Amethio to come back eventually, but he is starting to lose hope after months of waiting? It’d be easy to get discouraged and lose hope in such a situation. He has no way of knowing the truth, and last time he lost someone, that person never came back. 

The only interaction between Crave and Spinel that we’ve seen in HZ078 was a civil one and they appeared to be on cordial terms. I wonder if Crave’s refusal to believe his report is because he doesn’t trust Spinel’s word specifically. I tend to think that he has no reason to distrust him in particular. From Spinel’s perspective, I wonder what led him to make such a bold claim. Either Spinel knowingly lied to Crave about Amethio being dead to make sure a grief-stricken would retire from work and vacate his seat as a director so he could take over his position. It could be a shameless lie on Spinel’s part. Maybe he didn’t do anything to Amethio. Or it could be that Spinel has a real reason to think that Amethio is dead. He might have attempted to do something to him while everyone was escaping from Rakua, and the outcome of such a situation led Spinel to believe that Amethio had no possibility of getting out of that situation alive. Both options are pretty cruel. He either told Crave, Amethio’s father, that his son was dead knowing that it’s a lie that would shake him to the core regardless of whether Crave believes that report or not, or he personally made sure that his statement was true. 

Really a heartbreaking situation all around for Crave and I feel a lot for him. Also, I want to add that he is pretty interesting to me as a father character. He doesn’t hold any power in particular in his family. He is powerless and all he can do is watch his entire world crumble around him as he keeps losing everyone he loves. He seems to be unaware of a lot of things, and he is a regular man who ended up in the strangest family? He is quite passive in comparison to how active Amethio is. I think it’s very compelling tbh. He is a pretty effective character in spite of his limited screentime because there is so much we can infer from his scenes and interactions with others, as well as the implications about Amethio’s family.  

Hamber’s scenes with Zir and Conia were really good. Zir and Conia expressed guilt for not being able to protect Amethio (which I thought made their characters nuanced), and Hamber didn’t blame them in the slightest and entrusted them with the Zygarde Cube so they could search for Amethio. Hamber doesn’t believe Spinel’s report and has faith in Amethio and he is always his ally trying to help him from the backstage. The scene with the Zygarde cell was nice because in HZ083, Amethio interpreted Zygarde’s cell sticking around Hamber as a proof of Gibeon’s trust towards Hamber. Now, Hamber is entrusting it to Zir and Conia precisely because Amethio opened up to them and believes in them. This chain of trust and belief between all these characters. Gibeon’s partner being instrumental in eventually finding Amethio and saving him, as though Gibeon was doing one last thing for Amethio through his Pokemon? 

  

I am pleased that Zygarde is most definitely still relevant and is going to come back somehow. It feels like we’re probably going to see Zygarde’s Complete form at some point in the show..? After all, Zygarde is said to use the Complete form power to suppress those who willingly endanger the ecosystem. I have to say that I don’t like this form much. 10% form being a dog and 50% form being a snake was peak in terms of duality regarding Gibeon. The dichotomy between a loyal dog and a sly traitorous snake fit the story really well. Zygarde “betraying” Gibeon out of loyalty towards him was really good. Very curious about how/where Zir and Conia will manage to find Zygarde, though. I do wonder what Zygarde is up to right now. The Rakurium is still active, so Zygarde will probably get involved in this situation and try to do something about it as the order Pokemon. We know he watched over the world the whole time after the first incident in Rakua to make sure nothing bad was happening. I also wonder how he feels about Gibeon’s death. Gibeon was the partner he chose.. So maybe Zygarde feels a little bit lonely.

Either way, I feel like this scene setting up the quest for Zygarde adds more weight to the idea that Amethio will eventually inherit Gibeon’s Pokemon. I see the vision of Liko Pagogo, Roy Rayquaza, and Amethio Zygarde. The idea of the Pokemon of the ancient adventurers becoming the partners of the next generation is really beautiful. Liko has recently officially caught Pagogo and they became partners. Roy is still on his way to becoming Rayquaza’s partner and it’s his current goal. And now, they are sowing the seeds for Amethio eventually getting closer to Zygarde, so I look forward to seeing how this plays out.  

Friede and Amethio.. I am very pleased that both of them are in the same position in this chapter. More parallels between Friede and Amethio! Both Friede and Amethio have gone missing after the events of Rakua, and their absence left a massive vacuum in their loved ones’ lives. Mega Voltage is an arc that mirrors the first chapter of the series, and there were lots of parallels between Friede and Amethio during Liko And Roy Set Off. Friede and Amethio were in similar positions in their own respective groups. The trio we mostly saw during the Explorers encounters in the first chapter was the trio of Liko, Roy and Friede. Amethio was with Zir and Conia. Both Friede and Amethio were the leaders of said trios in terms of experience and skills, they were quite even in terms of battles and often faced each other, etc. Their similar positions served to highlight the mystery around Amethio’s character and emphasize his immaturity in comparison to Friede’s composure (Amethio is a kid, while Friede is an adult etc). Now, both of them are in a similar position: they are missing and it seems no one knows what happened to them after they disappeared. It does make me wonder what’s stopping them from contacting anyone else if they are still alive?

Also, both Friede and Amethio have had false narratives fabricated about them by Spinel, which in turn reinforces Amethio’s ambiguous status as the character who isn’t fully on either faction’s side as of now. Not fully on the RVT’s side, not fully on the Explorers’ side as they are currently, he is in the middle and he is just following his own path. Just very happy about the direction this is taking because Liko, Friede and Amethio are the first three major characters who were introduced in Horizons and set the story in motion. Mega Voltage which parallels the beginning of the series sets an intrigue and mystery around these three characters once again.

As for Amethio and Spinel.. The reveal that Spinel made a report claiming that Amethio perished with Gibeon was a lot? 

I don’t know why Spinel is able to make such bold claims and I wonder if he had a hand in making sure his statement was true, but it’s so strong symbolically because he is metaphorically killing the last of Gibeon’s bloodline to make sure he reigns supreme as Gibeon’s legitimate and rightful heir. Taking over both Exceed and the Explorers and claiming Gibeon’s chosen heir, Amethio, has died. Spinel seething with jealousy towards Amethio is something that was becoming increasingly clear since HZ064. In that episode, Spinel said that Amethio was special to Gibeon and that he would eventually get in their way because of this.. And in the last episode of Rayquaza Rising, Spinel was blunt and direct about the fact that he thought he was going to be the one to inherit Gibeon’s will. He specifically wanted to be chosen and he doesn’t seem to take it well that he wasn’t. Spinel witnessed Gibeon entrusting the future to Amethio, but he still creates a scenario in which he reigns as the victor and as the one who was chosen. He is lying to himself, and probably knows that he is, but he still keeps going anyway. 

Spinel getting rid of Amethio is an act of fratricide out of jealousy for not being chosen, and it’s a bit insane to me. I’ve had interpretations and readings of their dynamics as one that echoes Cain and Abel for a while now, and this episode just added a lot of weight to this reading by specifically mentioning that Spinel has pronounced Amethio as dead. Amethio wasn’t declared as missing or anything else, Spinel stated that he was dead. Both of them are narratively “brothers” in everything but blood. The fight over Gibeon’s legacy, the jealousy, the need to be chosen, the older character (Spinel) resenting the younger one (Amethio), Spinel coming off as the bastard child trying to usurp the throne and steal what rightfully belongs to the legitimate heir.. Welcome back Cain and Abel. Actual fratricide (in the narrative sense) in my Horizons has me shook. (It also adds in terms of parallels between Friede and Spinel, etc. Friede also comes off as this older brother figure to Roy, but their version of brotherhood is much healthier compared to the messy connection between Spinel and Amethio, etc.)

I do wonder if Spinel genuinely sees Amethio going against Gibeon in Rakua as an act of betrayal? Spinel upholds Gibeon’s warped fixation towards the Rakurium and he continues his will in that sense, while Amethio wishes to do something for humans and Pokemon and he vowed to find a way to do without using the Rakurium, so he is continuing Gibeon’s pure dream. Spinel’s report made me think that it added parallels between Amethio and Lucius too, as both of them were said to have betrayed Gibeon. Gibeon thought that Lucius betrayed him, while Spinel’s narrative is that Amethio betrayed Gibeon. 

It does make me sad to think about Spinel’s situation, though. He is similar to Gibeon as both of them were fascinated by the potential of the Rakurium. Spinel was chosen by Gibeon and he is sinking deeper in his ways with no way out currently. Gibeon had never reached the same low as Spinel (lying to others, or using the Rakurium on Pokemon). Gibeon had people and Pokemon who all cared about him. Lucius, Amethio and Zygarde all tried to bring Gibeon back to his senses and make him realize what was truly important, and they eventually succeeded in making him feel at peace enough to move on. Gibeon’s dream was stated multiple times to be something noble, which was the reason why Zygarde (the order Pokemon) even chose him as his partner in the first place. Gibeon genuinely wanted to bring happiness to people and Pokemon. 

Spinel, on the other hand.. I’m not sure what his true motivations are, or what his ultimate goal is. Spinel hasn’t really given an indication of what he truly believes in? (he does seem to be fascinated by the potential of progress through research, though) No one has any reason to care about him, except his Pokemon. Blacky, in particular, is a friendship evolution and the one being who highlights Spinel’s better sides as they are both very affectionate towards each other and love each other.. Blacky might be a key eventually, but I’m not sure. Unlike Gibeon, he doesn’t seem to have close bonds with others and keeps people at arm’s length. No one in the Explorers seems to trust him. Agate is the closest to him, but it is mostly a professional relationship rather than a friendship?

Either way, Spinel doesn’t have anyone who would care enough about him to stop him in his tracks or make him reconsider his actions. He is lying to others, and making enemies out of everyone by framing both the Rising Volt Tacklers and Amethio. There is something really tragic about it to me, because I interpret his actions as being motivated by the desire to be chosen to some extent, yet no one is choosing him and he is unwanted. From his perspective, Amethio is taking everything from him. In the story, Spinel has an interest/attachment to people like Gibeon and Friede, yet in both cases, Amethio is favored by both of these characters. 

Spinel is digging his own grave and I’m not even sure what he needs narratively to think twice about what he is doing? Or what would be satisfying to him as a character in terms of closure? In comparison, Gibeon’s deal was quite straightforward to me. Once he mentioned Lucius in HZ045, I had a hunch about their past and knew that Lucius would be instrumental in saving Gibeon from himself. I just had doubts about it because it wasn’t certain that Lucius was alive then. However, once the series hinted at Lucius actually being alive when he didn’t show up at the Crystal Pool, it was becoming more clear to me that Lucius and Gibeon’s ending was going to be both of them passing on together and Gibeon finding peace. (The alternative was unthinkable to me, because Gibeon not finding peace would mean that Amethio failed at reaching his heart, and it just wasn’t going to happen. It wouldn’t be satisfactory for Amethio’s character from a writing perspective, etc.)

On the other hand, Spinel.. Unlike Gibeon who needed to clear up the misunderstanding with Lucius to be able to pass on, I don’t know what he “needs”. Spinel wanted to be chosen by Gibeon, but Gibeon is gone now. Even if Spinel wishes to hear specific words from him, it’s not going to happen. So, I am not sure what is going to happen to him. His character still remains very enigmatic. 

To me, this episode hammered home the weight of Spinel’s despicable actions towards Amethio. Not that he wasn’t terrible before, but his actions reached a new low in this episode. I thought that report was probably the most cruel thing in Horizons (by that, I don’t mean it’s bad btw lol, it’s one of the most compelling writing choices I’ve seen and I do like that cruelty takes different forms in this way, and that out of all the things that happened in this series, such a sentence makes me think about all the implications it had on other characters etc). Telling a father his son died (either as a lie or because you somehow made sure it happened) is something I find heartbreaking, and it really made me feel for Crave’s character. Eventually, Spinel is going to face what he’s done, and I’m not sure what’s going to happen when the time comes for it. He is so far gone in a way that I find both interesting and tragic. Why is he willing to go to such lengths? What happened to him in the past? Why did he fixate on Gibeon? Did no one value him before that? I don’t know what pushes him to do everything he is doing and if he ever will find it in himself to change/reconsider his actions. I can’t even say “I could fix him” because I’m not confident I can do that, actually :/ Either way, I’m really looking forward to his arc, because it’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen. 

Overall, I’m just very pleased with what they set up for Amethio’s character. After Rayquaza Rising, I was curious about where his character would go. I didn’t expect them to take the direction of “Amethio has been pronounced dead by Spinel”, but the more I think about it, the more it makes sense. Amethio is experiencing metaphorical death at the midpoint of Horizons as part of his hero’s journey, so he can be reborn and gain new insight. It’s not a coincidence that they specifically chose to mention that Amethio “died” because it’s one of the stages of the hero’s journey. Amethio’s journey mirrors Liko’s, and both of their arcs are influenced by classical narratives (Liko losing her mentor is part of this, for example). It really gives Amethio strong exiled prince vibes as well. His Pokemon have a knightly aesthetic, so it fits too. Amethio will eventually come back and get back what is his and what Gibeon entrusted him with. I hope it’ll be satisfying and rewarding to witness. 

Anyway, I really liked the ep, especially the last scene! Written by the lead writer (Dai Sato) of Horizons btw. So rich thematically. So happy about Amethio’s current direction (there is so much to say about it), the hints of Zygarde coming back, Friede and Amethio parallels (I can’t help but hope we’ll see them working together again someday, but even if they don’t, I’m really pleased with the fact that they are parallels right now), Crave’s tragedy, Spinel committing fratricide, Spinel’s messy situation that is all his own doing but that makes me question how he got to this point in the first place.. Horizons, my favorite magical girl show with biblical narrative influences and sprinkles of Shakespearian and Greek tragedies, etc <3