#divide and conquer baby

[unnonexistence]

trying a new writing strategy: to-do list style outline

[theheadlessgroom]

@beatingheart-bride

"I, uh...I never gave too much thought to Annabel Lee before," Susannah confessed with a small smile: She was familiar with it, of course, but it wasn't one she often revisited when going back to Poe's most famous works. It was likely something she would've enjoyed some years before, but these days, she tended to shy away from stories and poems that dealt with romance...happy or not.

But Philippe's affection for it, the way he spoke of it with such fondness, despite the poem's somber nature...it made her wish to go back and reread it, just to see what he saw. Perhaps, through his eyes, she'd gain a better appreciation for it.

"I'll...I'll have to go back to it," she nodded earnestly, a touch excited by the notion, before flashing him a little smile, recalling, "I-I bought my copy of Frankenstein second-hand; it was near Halloween, and the, uh...the cover called to me too. It frightened me, but I just couldn't put it down!"

Her father was a great admirer of the author's husband Percy; he had a number of his poems on their bookshelf, and used to read them to Susannah when she was a bit younger. He didn't completely understand his daughter's affection for such scary stories, but he never dissuaded her from reading them. One of the last birthday gifts he gave her before his passing was a copy of John Polidori's The Vampire, she'd yet to read it.

[multishipper-baby]

Thinking about the twins and the triplets because if multiples run in families... I wonder if they'll also have multiples once they grow up 🤔

[kxsagi]

hiii i love your work so muchh

mutual period comfort with femlock :) pls and ty

like you’re both on your periods and everything Sucksss but you have her and suddenly maybe it’s not so bad. almost like you’re sharing your cramps somehow

any character is fineee but pls add kunigami, ness, and lorenzo

take your time and remember to stay hydrated :)

“𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢”

a/n: TWO FEM LOCK REQUESTS IN A ROW LET’S GOOO

ft. kunigami rensuke, ness alexis, lorenzo don, isagi yoichi, bachira meguru, yukimiya kenyu, itoshi sae, itoshi rin

kunigami rensuke (butch, quiet type, wears hoodies that smell like vanilla and fabric softener)

you wake up in pain and reach over, only to find her already curled up with her arm over her stomach, eyes barely open. 

she groans, “same,” and you two just lie there for a minute, syncing in agony. 

but then she powers through. gets up, makes hot tea, microwaves heating pads, and grabs you both painkillers like she’s on a mission. 

“we’re surviving this together,” she says, kneeling next to the bed like a knight. 

you end up wrapped in her hoodie, snuggled under her arm while she lets you rest on her chest. she strokes your hair and mutters, “hurts less when i’m holding you. i don’t know why. maybe you're magic.” 

ness alexis (soft smile, sharp edge, loyal to the bone) 

when you both get your period, she’s the type to smile calmly even as she’s clearly in pain. you can tell only because she’s gripping her tea cup a little too tightly. 

she notices everything. how your breathing changes, how you shift uncomfortably, how your brows pinch, and she’s already moving before you even ask. 

lays a warm hand on your thigh and asks, “do you want me to help with your cramps or just stay with you?” voice smooth, polite, affectionate. 

even if she’s curled up too, she’ll push through her discomfort to take care of you. her loyalty runs deep – if you’re suffering, she’ll shoulder it with you. 

“you always take care of me. let me do the same. it’s not a chore. it’s… you.” 

later, when you're lying together, she traces soothing circles on your back, her cheek pressed against yours. 

“it hurts, yeah. but i’m glad i get to go through even this with you.” 

lorenzo don (glamorous, high-maintenance, utterly unbothered unless it costs money or power)

period? disgusting. but unavoidable. she handles it like a luxury inconvenience. 

she orders expensive comfort food delivery for the both of you, fluffs the pillows, lights a designer candle, and throws herself on the couch with a groan. 

if you’re also on your period, she pauses and glances over at you. 

“... you too? great. at least now i don’t have to pretend to care about someone who’s not bleeding.” 

she only acknowledges people she thinks are strong or valuable, and she considers you top-tier. so if you’re in pain, you matter. 

wraps an arm around you, tugs you into her side, and pulls a blanket over both of you like a queen gracing her favorite subject. 

“money can’t buy a new uterus. guess we’re in this together.” 

even in the worst of it, she tries to make you laugh, her tone dry and teasing. 

“if cramps could be killed, i’d put a bounty on them. anything for you, baby.” 

isagi yoichi (supportive golden retriever girlfriend who keeps advil in every bag)

immediately checks your symptoms against hers and goes, “okay, so you’ve got cramps, i’ve got the mood swings. let’s divide and conquer.” 

does everything possible to help: heating pad, favorite hoodie, water bottle refills. 

even rubs your lower back because “i read that helps. i saw it on reddit. hey, stop laughing!” 

if you get emotional, she pulls you into her lap and just lets you cry. 

“you don’t have to be okay. we’re allowed to just suck for a while.” 

it’s a whole pity party, but you’re the guests of honor and she makes it feel safe. 

bachira meguru (goblin girlfriend who tries to fight period pain with silliness)

she’s literally like “we should name our cramps. mine is called agony. how about yours?” 

the two of you are groaning in bed, watching comfort cartoons, half-laughing, half-crying. 

she starts rubbing your tummy with both hands like she’s casting a spell. 

“begone, foul beast. leave my girlfriend’s body alone, you crusty uterus monster.” 

makes you both microwavable rice socks and insists you wear matching pajamas. 

she tucks you in, kisses your forehead, and whispers, “we’re a team. period pain has nothing on us.” 

yukimiya kenyu (clean girl aesthetic but will cry if there are no pads left in the house)

immediately syncs with you. it's a little creepy. 

she lights a candle, dims the lights, brings you tea in a ceramic mug, and says, “we are bleeding. the world must pause.” 

runs a bath for you both and sits behind you, massaging your shoulders while you rest your head back on her. 

you complain about bloating and she grabs your face. 

“no. you are glowing. you are the moon incarnate. you are allowed to be soft.” 

she lets you fall asleep in her lap while she scrolls through cute outfit inspo to show you later. 

itoshi sae (emotionally constipated but strangely intuitive, always calm, surprisingly sweet when no one's looking)

she doesn’t say much when she realizes you're both on your period. just raises a brow, tosses you the heating pad, and plops down next to you like, “guess we’re syncing now. cute.” 

makes you ramen and acts like she’s doing it for herself, then places your bowl on a tray with your favorite snack and hands it to you without meeting your eyes. 

will not admit to being in pain, but you catch her subtly pressing a pillow to her stomach under her hoodie. 

if you’re cuddled up against her, she’ll quietly shift to let you lie more comfortably and thread her fingers through yours. 

“don’t whine. just rest. i’ve got you.” 

when you fall asleep from cramps, she adjusts your blanket and kisses your temple so gently it’s like she’s worried you’ll wake up and call her out for it. 

itoshi rin (grumpy, sensitive, doesn’t know what to do with feelings unless she’s holding them in a blanket)

absolutely looks offended when the cramps start. the uterus betrayal hits deep. 

when she finds out you’re also suffering, it unlocks her most aggressive protective mode. 

doesn't know how to comfort you, so she does everything all at once: hands you a hot water bottle, brings water, sits at the edge of the bed and grumbles, “you should’ve told me earlier. i could’ve helped.” 

despite being in pain herself, she’ll rub your stomach and act like it’s no big deal. 

when you cry from frustration or pain, she gets flustered but holds you so tightly, you can hear her heartbeat racing. 

“i hate this. i hate seeing you like this… but it’s better when you’re here. for me, too.” 

eventually lets you lie on her chest while she scrolls through your messages, texting back your friends so you don’t have to deal with anything. queen of quiet acts of service. 

© 𝐤𝐱𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐢

[planetmimi]

PROLOGUE: Between Worlds

wc: 892

context: tamaranean-kryptonian reader x mark grayson cw: none, for now

Tamaran

26 years ago, a Kryptonian scientist named Val-Ren left his home in search of something his people could never offer him-understanding. He left Krypton as his desire to understand how life develops on other planets became too strong. He was looked down on by the scientific community, his desire to see energy as a living force, seemed futile on Krypton, useless. But he could not rid his mind of one question, what could Krypton become if we learned from others. That desire, that question, led him to Tamaran.

His plan was to study life on Tamaran for a decade and then head back to Krypton, using what he learned and discovered on Tamaran to make Kryptonian biology better. But four years after he arrived on Tamaran, his home planet was destroyed. It was abrupt, there was no warning, no goodbye. No survivors. Just silence.

When he landed on Tamaran, the king had died several years prior. Leaving Queen Luadn’r as sole ruler until one of her two daughters were ready to inherit the throne. When Val-Ren met the Queen her beauty captivated him, and she was by his purpose. She wondered, what could Kryptonian technology do for Tamaran?

The Queen, along with her council, decided to allow him to continue his scientific work under the watchful eyes of Tamarans most trusted scientists. The walls were built high, and trust had to be earned.

Over the years the kryptonian, gained not only the trust and respect of Queen Luadn’r, but the love as well. He found her intoxicating. Her wisdom, her strength, her unyielding love for her people. In turn Luadn’r was drawn to his intellect, curiosity, and his mind. Where most wanted to conquer and squander, Val-Ren wanted to understand, to learn.

It was not a whirlwind romance, it was slow, gradual, yet steady. A love based on a foundation of respect and understanding. When they officially started to court each other, Queen Luadn’r made sure to not hide it from the people of Tamaran. Their wedding was a public affair. The people of Tamaran were divided, ones who celebrated the couple and ones who disliked that their royal family would now include a Kryptonian.

It took time, but the public learned to accept the relationship.

After 10 years of being on Tamaran, Val-Ren and the Queen had their one and only child, Princess Kaelynd’r. A baby girl, a perfect mixture of Tamaranean and Kryptonian- fierce, bright, radiant. But most of all, she was a little girl who was love. Her older sisters Komand’r and Koriand’r adored her.

Komand’r, as the eldest, took it upon herself to make sure that Kaelynd’r would never be weak. She taught Kael to always speak her mind, to not be afraid to be different. They bonded over the fact that both looked different from the other Tamaraneans, it allowed both to feel as though they belonged. Even if some would say otherwise. She often spared with her sister, taking pride in being the one to teach the younger girl about their energy beams and how to move without a sound. Komand’r would train her at night, work on Kael’s stealth by having her sneak from her room all the way to Komand’rs room, while not alerting any guards. When Kael would succeed, Komand’r would take her flying through the night sky. Under the twin moons of Tamaran, the sisters would fly and train with each other, a secret between the two, a bond like no other.

Koriand’r, on the other hand, was the big sister ever child dreams about, was extremely kind and always wanted to play with Kaelynd’r. While Komand’r taught Kael to be bold, strong, and unapologetically herself, Kori taught Kael to be kind and appreciative of all things. The two youngest would often sneak off from their teachings to go to the lake together to swim and play in the water, they would play dolls and make traditional Tamaranean sweets together. Once Kori spent an entire evening helping Kael put on a show for their family, they played music, danced, and dressed up as different characters in a play that Kael created. Kori allowed Kael to feel free, to be a kid, to be creative.

Kori and Komand’r were the perfect balance. Komand’r was her courage, Kori was her joy. Both girls helped shape who Kael is and wanted to be, until the Gordanians arrived.

The Gordanians invaded Tamaran with a haste that could not have been predicted. Their purpose- take the planet by any means. Crush any resistance and wipe out the royal bloodline.Kaelynd’rs life was turned upside down at only 15 years old.

At 16, to keep the royal bloodline from going extinct, to protect her. Kaelynd’r had to be sent off world. Far from the Vegan solar system. The goodbye was rushed, secret, harsh, but necessary. Her mother, cried for the first time in front of her. She kissed her daughter on the forehead and told her her to be strong, to fight. Her father held her hand until the cryo chamber sealed.

Kaelynd’r was placed into cryostasis to buy her time. To allow her the chance to have a life wherever she landed.

A chance that is near.

One year ago, her pod crash landed on a world universes way. A world called Earth.

And her pod, is finally starting to open.

a/n : This prologue is basically the same for the Dick Grayson version of this story. The Dick Grayson story is following Young Justice while this, obviously, follows Invincible. But i just wanted to get this out. I’ll probably have the first chapter out in a week or so.

If you read this and you think you’d enjoy the story leave a comment and let me know if youd like to be on the taglist

taglist: @astrelz @burdened-locus @deleted-1-800 @hali-k-issy @raventtelov3r

[hotandcringe]

Loser!Matsukawa who hasn't known the touch of a woman.

He is one of those kids who "grew up ugly", so he has very low self esteem, though he is really good at hiding it and acts confident all the time! But he isn't confident enough to ever flirt with someone in real life, afraid to be rejected;

So, he makes tinder. "Just to fuck" he says to his friends.

Loser!Matsukawa who matches with you, conquers your heart with his jokes and his jaw dropping face (and he doesn't even realize it). He is glad you can't see how nervous he is everytime he sends a risky/flirty text, but grins when you reply back with the same energy and his confidence boosts.

Loser!Matsukawa who doesn't expect you to be actually so good-looking when you guys first meet irl. There was a little voice in his head telling him that you might be fake or a catfish, but he is pleasantly surprised when he sees a pretty girl like you smiling and waving at him, he thinks he might be in love.

Loser!Matsukawa who gets flustered when he sees more skin of you when there is a strong wind, your skirt riding up just enough to let him see the pink panties you wore tonight. He tries his best to look away and hide is raging boner.

Loser!Matsukawa who offers you dinner and you fight him for it, saying that it's 2023 and you guys should divide the bill, but he doesn't want to listen, mama ain't raised him like that.

Loser!Matsukawa who makes jokes one after another to hear your precious precious laugh and it fills him with pride that he is the reason of it. Still, he doesn't make any move because, again, he is an insecure little baby and he is not sure if you like him enough!

Loser!Matsukawa who bids you farewell with an awkward hug, but that hug alone was enough to make him horny and he gets blue balled, his boner hurting him while he drives back home.

Loser!Matsukawa who feels so bad jacking off to you :( you guys just met! and you look so sweet and innocent and cute, he is crazy for having all these unholy thoughts about you. He thinks about your pretty lips wrapping around his cock, your fine hands massaging his balls as he moans your name. He cums the fastest thinking about you.

Loser!Matsukawa who takes you on a second date, and this time he drinks a bit of alcohol to gain some courage and finally, he kisses you! (not before asking you though, we love a king who asks for consent first).

Loser!Matsukawa who gets a boner from kissing you and you can see the wet patch forming on his pants and he is so so so embarassed about it :(( so you kiss him more to make him feel better <3

Loser!Matsukawa who gets hard just by even touching your bare skin at any time, be it him touching your shoulder to move you a bit, or grazing your neck to clean some dust off. He. Is. Horny.

Loser!Matsukawa who jerks off every chance he gets, thinking about you.

[kumkaniudaku]

Back Up

Summary: Terry gets much needed back up during a Christmas shopping outing.

Pairing: Terry Richmond x Black!OC

Word Count: 2.2k

Warnings: Language

Previous: Spoiled

MASTERLIST

Bodies whipping past each other in a crowded department store made an already exhausting shopping session all the more uncomfortable for Terry. He hated being forced to mingle with the public, scooting past rude customers as they selfishly took up space between messy clothing racks and disheveled aisles. He’d already said more expletives than his mother would enjoy if she were with him and Patrice searching for gifts to round out their early Christmas haul. 

His wife had coaxed him out of the house with promises of his favorite hot meal and one of those Korean face masks he pretended to only kind of like for his willingness to act as her hired muscle for the afternoon. Lugging big boxed items and not so subtly shoving grown men who stepped in her path was his primary task. And, for the work he’d done in two hours, it had to be enough to earn a kiss or two as a reward for good behavior. 

Patrice and Terry stood side by side as she carefully and quietly scanned a printed spreadsheet lined with multiple names and items. 

“Hey, boo, did you see if that juicer back there was marked down? I wanna grab it for Mama.” 

Terry tinkered with the buttons on a display air fryer and shook his head. “I wasn’t looking, but everything in here seems to be on sale. Need me to go back for you? I don’t mind.”

Despite his disdain for the current circumstances, he’d gleefully double back to fulfill Patrice’s wishes. She reached out to stroke his muscled arm as a thank you for his effort.

“No, that’s okay, baby. How about you meet me over by the tableware instead so we can divide and conquer? I need to grab a new cutlery set so we can throw ours out and then get out of here. Promise. I know you’re ready to eat.”

“And go the hell home,” he grumbled. “I don’t understand how you deal with all this.”

His deep scowl, usually a deterrent for strangers looking to avoid conflict, only made him look like an adorable petulant child to Patrice. A grin spread across her face as she approached him to smooth her palms across his broad chest. 

“I know, Pooh. You’re doing a great job, though. All cute and patient for me.” 

Praise from her for even the simplest tasks never failed to switch off his defenses and soften his heart into jelly. If asked, he’d vehemently deny that he enjoyed being cooed at like a child, but Patrice caught the uncontrollable happy twinkle in his eye as she pushed up on her toes to kiss his cheek. 

He attempted to regain his composure to save face. “You’re talkin’ to me like a baby.”

“Not just any baby. You’re my baby.” More pecks on his stubbled jaw made Terry groan and roll his eyes as he slowly gave in. Sweet talk had prevailed and he was back to being wrapped around her ring finger like the shining wedding band she’d been wearing for a little over a month. She pinched his cheek and smiled in triumph knowing the battle was won. “I’ll be quick, I’ll promise. Two minutes!”

“So we cool with only two minutes now?”

Patrice mirrored Terry’s cheeky grin as she backed away in search of her final gift for the afternoon, leaving him proud of his suggestive joke. 

He prayed they could hit 120 seconds on the dot for the first time in their lives. His feet ached. His stomach growled louder than the Michael Bublé songs playing over the store’s speakers. His patience was thin. If he wasn’t in the comfort of home within 45 minutes, he’d have to introduce the public to a version of Terry no one should have to meet. 

Following Patrice’s instructions, Terry mosied toward a glittering section full of discounted crystal and fine china. Where others saw Patrice as a complex maze of desires, feelings, and unmeetable demands, Terry knew exactly what she liked. Natural textures and earthy tones kept their home grounded in nature to match her love for the small flower garden she kept in the backyard. Every kitchen accessory, big and small, revolved around the coveted ivory dinner set she purchased with her first check as an educator. Forks and spoons would be no different. Terry didn’t need another hand slap and stern lecture to learn that lesson.

His fingers tracked option after option on cluttered shelves until he found two sets of flatware that fit her strict specifications. Sleek? Check. Matching her favorite plates and blows? Got it. He prided himself on making her decisions easier and this latest attempt was his best to date.  

Grabbing the first set was a piece of cake. He slid it from the shelf with no issue to place into the already-packed shopping basket. The second attempt came with a struggle as another, much daintier hand attempted to tug his wife’s prize from his grasp. 

Terry looked down to find a small, frail older woman with ivory skin and a tight frown looking back at him with contempt. He tugged a little harder, but she pulled back. 

Not wanting to cause a scene for fear of being seen as the angry Black man terrorizing fellow patrons, he tried placating the older woman with a polite smile and disarming chuckle. “This is for my wife, actually. You know how that goes. I’m happy to give it to you if she chooses otherwise, though.” 

The attempt at a friendly tone and winning smile did little to deter his unlikely adversary. What charm he thought he possessed only seemed to make her angrier. She eyed him up and down, thin lips twisted into an indignant smile as she attempted to nab the item a second time to no avail. 

“But you already have one,” she complained, pointing at the item in his basket. “You can’t have another.” 

“I’m not trying to have two. She’ll make a decision and put back what she doesn’t want.”

“So, you’re just gonna hold it?” 

Terry regarded her with a blank stare. “…Yes.”

“You can’t do that!”

“Will you be the one to stop me or what?” 

There wasn’t much left in Terry’s tank for niceties. Greying hair and crepey skin wouldn’t do much to stop a tongue-lashing if static was what she was after. 

The woman stood firm, reaching to grab the item from Terry’s hand but missing when he snatched it back. She raised her voice. “I’m going to have security come over here and make you give it up.”

“Ma’am, I truly do not care who you call. Stop trying to put your hands on me.” 

“Or what?” She was challenging a nearly unshakeable man. He didn’t budge and it left her incensed. She attempted another angle. “Call your wife over here. Go on! I want to talk to her face to face.” 

He scoffed and shook his head. “Nah. You don’t want that. Call security. It’s better for everyone involved.”

“Call her over here!”

“I’m not about to let you piss her off and ruin the rest of my day. Let’s figure something out.”

She had no idea what she was asking for, the kind of trouble she was welcoming into her life. Terry tried to reason with her. He tried to compromise to keep the peace. But, as Patrice rounded the corner to find an unfamiliar woman embroiled in a verbal tussle with her man, time had just run out. 

“Oh, no ma’am,” Patrice started with the look of a protective mother in her eyes. “You better figure that out and quick. We’re not playing that game. What’s the problem?” 

Fear gripped the older woman as Patrice approached. Terry slowly placed the second set of utensils in the basket and scoffed. Whatever happened next was up to God and whoever his newest foe served.

“I told you,” Terry reminded, shaking his head. “Good luck.”

“Is this your husband?” 

Patrice moved to stand in front of Terry with the juicer in tow, acting as a human shield. She spoke low and slow. “And what about him? What exactly is your issue?” 

Terry watched the exchange with bated breath. Her calmness was a war tactic she employed to size up her enemy. At any moment she might explode and leave you shell-shocked.

“He has two sets of flatware in that cart saying he’s waiting on you to decide. That’s not fair! Choose one,” the woman accused, her voice rising in a feeble attempt to intimidate Patrice.

“That’s not how shopping works! We’ll buy every single one of these motherfuckers if we want to! Who gon’ stop us?”

“With cash, too,” Terry mumbled in support.

The woman clutched invisible pearls, feining disgust at the use of adult language. “What a foul mouth! That is not the way you speak to people. Especially not your elders. ” 

“Baby, if you keep talking to this one behind me crazy, my mouth will be the last thing you need to worry about.”

“Is that a threat?” 

She should’ve prayed for a threat. A threat would’ve been the easy way out - a free pass to avoid making an enemy of someone with such an intense passion for using quick wit and a slick tongue to eviscerate her opponents. 

Patrice calmly turned to thrust the heavy juicer into Terry’s arms without a word before turning to make her point clear. He shook his head in pity. Poor woman. She’d tell this story to her family at dinner later, looking for sympathy when what she really needed was the foresight to recognize when she encountered the verbal assassin he called his better half.

Silently, he mouthed Patrice’s favorite opening statement in time with the words leaving her lips.

“Let me tell you something.” Terry smiled to himself, knowing he had her down to a science. Patrice pointed a manicured finger in her direction for extra emphasis. “I’m sure we’ll never meet again, but hopefully this will help you the next time you think about running up on someone you don’t know. Don’t you ever holler at my husband or your ass’ll have to cash that check your mouth wrote this afternoon. Have I made myself clear or are you so deprived of the sense God gave you that you need a demonstration?”

This time, Patrice’s heavy suggestion to drop the issue before it could escalate and retreat to another section of the store was received with renewed clarity. The woman huffed in defeat. Terry and Patrice watched her reluctantly pluck another option from the shelf and scurry away with her tail between her legs. Patrice tracked her with her eyes and a scowl that looked just like her husband’s on her face until the coast was clear. 

Terry watched her try to physically reset by rolling her shoulders down and back, but her face betrayed her once she turned to face him. 

She reached for the sets of cutlery and examined both under harsh fluorescent light. “These are nice. I think I like the left more though.” 

“Treece.” 

“Mmm, but the left is a little bulky now that I look at it. Maybe the right? Which one did you like?” 

“Patrice.” Terry used his index finger to tilt Patrice’s head upward and redirect her attention. The corners of his lips lifted into a small smile before leaning down to kiss her nose. “Thank you, Piggy. I had it, but I love when you back me up. What you want as repayment tonight?” 

“Mmmm, my feet hurt a little. Think you can work your magic?” 

He hummed in response. “I was gonna do that anyway for myself. Pick something else.”

“I want you to help me pick eating utensils so we can get out of here,” Patrice laughed to discharge the tension growing between them. “Left or right?”

“The left is my choice. But I’ll buy every single one of these motherfuckers in here if you want ‘em.”

His callback had both of them dissolving into a fit of giggles that only stopped once another patron browsing the aisle forced them to make a quick decision and make a move to return to their side of town. 

In the car, Patrice playfully jabbed a finger into Terry’s arm as they pulled out into mall traffic. “Don’t you go tellin’ my mama and daddy about this. I don’t have time for their mouths today. And stop letting people talk to you crazy in the first place. I’m serious, Terry.”

“Yes ma’am. You have made yourself abundantly clear.” 

“Shut up!” 

Silly jokes about the absurdity of hemming up an old woman passed between the pair as they sat in a bumper-to-bumper jam were interrupted by an incoming call on the car’s Bluetooth system. 

“How you doin’ mama,” Terry answered as soon as the call connected, leaving Patrice to entertain herself. “I got Treece in the car. You know she threatened to stop feeding me if I didn’t go shopping with her. Crazy, ain’t it?” 

“That’s what she should do! No way she should be out there with all these holiday crazies by herself.” 

Patrice nodded in agreement. “Thank you, Ms. Dee. You get the biggest gift under the tree this year.” 

“Oh, thank you, Treecey Girl!”

“Hold on, hold on,” Terry interjected. “Treecey is a holiday crazy! Let me tell you how she just threatened an old lady about some forks and knives today.”

“Terrence, don’t sit up here and lie. My girl is way too sweet for that.”

“Hand to God, mama. Almost body slammed somebody’s grandma.” Terry bore all of his teeth in an impish grin as Patrice’s eyes grew wide. 

“Snitch,” she mouthed at him before responding to Diedra. “Okay, threatened is an over-simplification. She was yelling at your son and I stepped in!” 

“Yelling!? Girl, start at the top.” 

The message ‘I can’t stand you’ typed into a note and flashed in his direction made Terry choke back laughter as he listened to Patrice defend her actions. Though he knew what he was doing, in his mind, she should’ve been more specific in her instruction. 

She never said he couldn’t tell his mama.

-----

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[daddychi-01]

Happy Thursday, here is some depression:

Just thinking about Jason Todd having a panic attack the first time one of his nieces or nephews calls him “Uncle J” and the family has to divide and conquer to take care of Jason and explain to the poor baby why they can’t call their Uncle Jason by that name.

[twopoppies]

I think what a lot of people, especially those who question themselves, need to realize is babygate was a very desperate effort to divide and conquer the fandom. PR comes with a lot of strategy and imo two objectives: red pill the general public and blue pill the fans. The general public easily buys into whatever is being sold to them so it doesn’t take much effort and same goes for a casual fan like a solo. A dedicated fan like a Larrie is usually what PR targets because those fans will question every little thing and provide receipts. People call Larries cockroaches as a derogatory term but it’s also true. I think the Larry fandom is probably the strongest fandom there is in regards to longevity and organization (the fact new fans can discover most of our history very accessibly proves that) and the Larry fandom is probably the only “rpf” that has never truly been able to be dispelled or really discredited if you pay attention (which most people don’t.) Every attempt by Syco post X Factor up until 2014 was to get us to stop shipping it and take our pills, but we wouldn’t comply and in fact got stronger. So what does Syco have left to do when a fandom exposes your failure at every turn and continues to grow? Up the scale to a mind boggling degree. And what’s the best way to do that? A baby. People have a rightful discomfort when it comes to discussing children and babygate was the 1 thing that really weakened the Larry fandom and strengthened the antis. It was an embarrassing tatic but for the purpose of dividing and conquering the Larries and tarnishing our image for all time- it worked.

[mydaylight]

The show didn't keep all the book details of Zhen Huan's poisoning of the Emperor in the last episodes, but there was actually quite a lot happening in the years following the aftermath of Yunli and Yuyin's deaths. Zhen Huan has Wei Lin use medicine to render Yongzheng infertile, so that he won't be able to produce any more children to threaten her and her sons. This also enables Zhen Huan - who is the de-facto empress at that point - to use a "divide and conquer" strategy in ruling the harem; she keeps throwing new concubines at Yongzheng to keep him occupied, but none of them are able to ever get pregnant. The result is that all the low-ranking concubines exhaust themselves in petty fights for favor while Zhen Huan's position, as the one with the most kids, is unattainable. At the same time Zhen Huan letting the Emperor have more consorts gets her a reputation for being virtuous and generous. This was actually one of Zhen Huan's most cruel moves towards the end, since she knows none of these girls have any future in the harem, and she's basically just waiting for Yongzheng to die anyways. I think this scene might indicate show!Zhen Huan is using the same strategy, although we don't see it be explained exactly.

(also I have to mention that one concubine comes up pregnant and Zhen Huan immediately knows the baby cannot be the Emperor's but her reaction is basically ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. She couldn't care less and even felt vindicated at hoodwinking him in this way)

[holdmytesseract]

moodboard by @chennqingg | divider by @fictive-sl0th

Biker!Daryl Dixon x fem!Reader | No Outbreak AU

Warnings for this Chapter: none, really... some curse words, alcohol, Merle being Merle

Word Count: 1,4k

a/n: Since it's my birthday today, I thought why not give y'all a little gift and post two chapters of LITRM this week. 🤗

I'm a lil' insecure about this chapter, though... I hope you are going to like it! Also, we have small cameos of two well-known TWD characters, hehe. Oh, and Merle, of course.

《 M a s t e r l i s t 》

《 Chapter Three 》 《 Chapter Five 》

Chapter Four...

... in which Daryl takes on a destiny changing job and you desperately try to forget the stranger who had conquered your heart so surprisingly - without success?

It had been two months and two days since Daryl's motorcycle trip through America with the gang and three months and eight days since the night he had spent with you. Now he was back at work; things bouncing back to normalcy.

A grunt left his lips as he realised that his break was over. He took a last drag of his cigarette, before he let the stub fall to the ground; stubbing it out with the heel of his boot. Then the biker returned to his current workplace in the motorcycle shop his brother, Merle, owned.

He picked up where he left off, exchanging the bike's chain, as he suddenly saw Merle approaching him in the corner of his eyes. "Got a job for ya, baby brother," Merle came to stand beside him; a piece of paper dangling between his pointer finger and thumb. Daryl looked up at his brother. With a grunt, he stood from where he was squatting beside the vehicle and wiped his greasy hands on the light blue, baggy overall he wore. "A job, huh?" Daryl said; taking the piece of paper.

It was an offer from a few different motorcycle dealer, who wanted to sell some of their customised bikes. "You wan' me to check 'em out?" Merle nodded; crossing his arms over his chest. Daryl scoffed and shoved the piece of paper into his brother's chest. "Nah. Got better stuff ta do. Go check 'em out yourself or send T-Dog or someone else."

Merle laughed out loud at his little brother's words. "Ya really think I'd send someone like T-Dog? Lil' piece of shit can be glad that I'll still let 'im work here." "Then ya gotta go yerself," Daryl shrugged his shoulders and focused back on work.

Merle stood beside him for quite a few more moments in silence; just watching. At some point, it got on Daryl's nerves and he looked up at his older brother again; "Wha'?" noticing that he had a shit eating grin on his face. "Ohh, baby brother... You should really give this another think, ya know... 'Cause all of them dealers are in Montana - and from what I heard 'bout your last trip with your lil' friends, you had a lotta fun there, right?"

Daryl scoffed; already disliking this conversation. "Righ', fun."

It wasn't a lie. It was the truth and he couldn't deny it.

Merle's dirty grin widened. "So yer goin'?" Daryl grunted, but nodded; not having the nerves or want to continue this 'discussion'. "Fine. 'M goin'." The older Dixon laughed once again; "Thought ya couldn't resist." giving Daryl a rather harsh clap on the shoulder. "Hope yer havin' just as much fun this time, baby brother. Jus' make sure ya don't get too caught up, eh? I want dem bikes." The biker grumbled under his breath, while Merle walked away; amused by his brother's behaviour.

A few days later, Daryl was on the road again for his almost thirty hours ride to Montana with a stopover in Sioux City, Iowa, where he stayed the night in a motel and continued his journey very early in the morning - until he reached his (first) destination... Miles City. The moon had already replaced the sun, when he threw the keys to his motel room on the bed; angel-winged vest, sunglasses and helmet following. The biker was tired from all the driving and travelling, but he didn't feel like going to bed. Not yet.

He quickly paid the tiny bathroom a visit, before he searched his backpack for his beloved cap, grabbed his run-down wallet and the keys again. Then he made his way to the bar he held very good memories of... 'The Rowdy Raccoon'.

Being way closer to the establishment this time than a few months ago, he could walk and didn't have to drive - which was fortunate, in case he decided to have a few more beers or drinks.

The bar hadn't changed. It was still the same. Nice people, good music and excellent alcohol. Daryl immediately had a good feeling - just like last time. Like a déjà-vu.

His eyes scanned the area; not finding a single familiar face in the crowd, but he didn't care. He was here for the drinks, a round of pool and perhaps to find some company for the night. After getting himself the first beer of the evening, Daryl joined a group of three men, who had just made their way to the pool tables. They were open and friendly; letting him join the game, of course and welcoming him in their circle.

'Start Me Up' by The Rolling Stones was blaring from the old jukebox as Daryl's cue hit the white cue ball on the pool table.

He was definitely in for a long night. That much was clear.

You didn't know why you had decided to go in town this evening. Perhaps it was the urge to escape the same four walls around you and with that your mind - which had become more and more a trap for you the past days and weeks... Tess told you to get over it. Over him. And you tried. God knows you did, but you just couldn't. You felt utterly stupid for holding on to this, but your heart acted on its own will. One night was enough to make you a fool for man, who you barely knew and you'd most likely never see again.

You sighed; grimacing as you stopped at the bar.

I need a drink, you convinced yourself, but deep down you knew that you just went there because it reminded you of him. You weren't able to escape it. It was like an invisible string pulling you in. So, you did what you had already done nth times before... Stepping inside the 'rowdy Raccoon'.

The by now familiar smell of alcohol, cold smoke and a trillion different perfumes hit your nose. Without wasting another thought, you stepped directly over to the bar counter; sliding on one of the stools. "Hey, Y/N," the bartender greeted you with a smile. You became quite good friends over the last few months. "Hey, Magna." "Same as always?" You nodded. "Yeah, please." The woman with inked skin wiped her hands on a towel and immediately went to work.

"There you go, honey," Magna said; placing a glass in front of you. "One Whiskey Cola." "Thanks."

You did some small talk with Magna; trying to not get too lost in your own thoughts - and it worked. In your eyes, it was a success. A step in the right direction - but only mere minutes later, you got thrown off track once again; harder than ever before...

Returning from a visit to the restrooms, Magna placed a second glass of Whiskey Cola in front of you, causing you to frown. "Magna, I didn't-" "I know," the bartender interrupted you immediately. "But that guy over there insisted on buying you a drink. Guess you got a secret admirer." Magna winked; jutting her head into the direction of the pool tables. Still frowning, your eyes followed her gesture - and what you then saw made you question your sanity for a good minute...

Beside the left pool table stood none other than the man who had managed to turn your whole world upside down within a few hours; a cue in his right hand, a beer in the other. He was talking to some other dudes he was playing with - all of them unfamiliar to you and not his motorcycle gang. The signature angel-winged vest, chestnut brown curls and black baseball cap was unmistakable... It was Daryl.

"No fucking way..." You mumbled underneath your breath; still trying to grasp this. You were quite a bit afraid that you were drunk already or dreaming and therefore hallucinating - but when your eyes met those endless blue-grey orbs, you knew it was real. Your thundering heart inside of your chest was enough proof. The world seemed to stop turning around you. All you could see, was the handsome biker across from you - and the beautiful, cheeky little smirk playing around the corners of his mouth.

Like in a trance, you slipped off the bar stool; legs carrying you over to the man in leather and jeans.

"D-Daryl?" You breathed in disbelief, as your hand twitched beside your body; desperately resisting the urge to touch him and see if he was truly real.

The man kept on smirking softly; nodding at you. "Hey, cowgirl. Thought I was never gonna see ya again... 'N yet here we are."

Tags: @dixons-sunshine @angelwings-crossbowstrings @bigbaldheadname @making-the-most-0f-it @imadisneyprincessiswear @loz-3 @fictive-sl0th @erebus-et-eigengrau @belitoxx @coleigh-1205-blog @chaoticevilbakugo @thevegandarkelf @lou12346789 @marvelcasey05 @whore4romance @stitchintimefan @km-ffluv @0-aubrie0 @sweetz1919 @mikaela-granger @secretsicanthideanymore @dilfdixon @txtttttttttttttt @cakesandtom @mayday2007

If you want to be added or removed from this taglist, please let me know!

[garaks-sewing-gun]

[or, that time I spent almost nine months perfecting a self-indulgent playlist for the morally grey space lizard. if anyone checks it out i hope u like it aough <3]

▶︎ a very good tailor [1h41m – on spotify]

♦︎ fave lyrics under the cut ♦︎

Pedestrian At Best – Lynks (Courtney Barnett) put me on a pedestal and I'll only disappoint you / tell me I'm exceptional, I promise to exploit you

Killer Queen – Queen gunpowder, gelatin / dynamite with a laser beam / guaranteed to blow your mind

Compulsive Liar – Ezra Furman and even if I love you / I'll always be conniving / I'll always be negotiating with the truth // it opens at a young age / that all-protective closet

There’s a Good Reason These Tables Are Numbered, Honey, You Just Haven’t Thought of It Yet – Panic! At The Disco talk to the mirror / oh, choke back tears / and keep telling yourself that I'm a diva

Karen by Night – Jill Sobule I overheard Karen whisper on the phone / she said, "meet me at the club, there's a shipment coming in / and I can't pull this one off alone"

Snake – Halflives I'll twist the knife and leave you with a vicious ache / I won't blink, I won't shake, no / because baby I'm a snake

Dangerous – Son Lux are you dangerous? found your way to my bed / spend fewer nights with the living then I do with the dead // are you dangerous? carved right into my head / quick lobotomy, then left me for dead

Ghosts of Utopia – IAMX you're the conquered stars, the divided heart / you are the ghosts of Utopia / you're the miracle of America

Government Hooker – Lady Gaga I could be girl (unless you want to be man) / I could be sex (unless you want to hold hands) / I could be anything, I could be everything

Symphony for a Spider Plant – Mort Garson [INTSRUMENTAL]

I Think I’m Going To Kill Myself – Elton John I think I'm gonna kill myself / cause a little suicide / stick around for a couple of days / what a scandal if I died!

Mein Herr – Liza Minnelli (Cabaret) you mustn't knit your brow / you should have known by now / you'd every cause to doubt me, mein Herr

Edelweiss Waltz – Irwin Kostal (The Sound of Music) [INSTRUMENTAL]

Michael – Franz Ferdinand Michael you're the boy with all the leather hips / sticky hair, sticky hips, stubble on my sticky lips

Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) – Eurythmics some of them want to use you / some of them want to get used by you

The Partisan – Leonard Cohen when they poured across the border / I was cautioned to surrender / this I could not do

Cold Cold Cold – Cage The Elephant doctor, the problem's in my chest / my heart feels cold as ice, but it's anybody's guess

The Alcoholic – Röyksopp [INSTRUMENTAL]

Heroin – Lana Del Rey I'm flyin' to the moon again, dreamin' about marzipan / taking all my medicine to take my thoughts away

Mosquito – Model/Actriz down the mirrored halls / wearing cuffs with insignias gleaming / with a body count, higher than a mosquito / with a body count, higher than a mosquito

Faggot – Mindless Self Indulgence dig me now and fuck me later / and sing it to the tune of "faggot, faggot, faggot"

Terrible Things – Brick + Mortar sometimes I think of doing terrible things / I know I shouldn't think it but I do anyway

Before the Line – dodie now every morning since the line between my lives / I greet the sun, and ask, "have I already died? / If not then why am I alone? / and when can I come home?"

Old Money – Lana Del Rey but if you send for me, you know I'll come / and if you call for me, you know I'll run // If you change your mind, I'll come, come, come

Everybody Wants To Rule The World – Tears For Fears all for freedom and for pleasure / nothing ever lasts forever / everybody wants to rule the world

Snakeskin – Rina Sawayama buy my expensive, exclusive, pain wear / my fine couture is your branded repayment // like a snakeskin, like a snakeskin / wear me out and tear me down like

Me and the Devil – Gil Scott–Heron early this morning when you knocked upon my door / and I say: hello Satan, I believe, it's time to go

Maybe This Time – Liza Minnelli (Cabaret) something's bound to begin / It's gotta happen, happen sometime / maybe this time / maybe this time I'll win

[smytherines]

I keep rotating season 2 episode 1 in my mind because it's just such a perfect example of disrupting labor organizing, of splitting a united team with a clear goal into factions and pitting those factions against each other so a company can more effectively exploit everyone

The propaganda video is the first most obvious thing, because anyone who has worked in a non-union workplace (but especially food service and retail) is more or less familiar with that video. It features happy, aggressively friendly actors dressed in your work uniform or dress code, telling you about the family spirit that makes your workplace so great (please don't unionize please please baby don't unionize), about how open communication and neat perks and whatever other bullshit they're selling can replace your need for higher wages and better protections on the job.

Now if you end up starting to form a union, the first thing bosses will do is attempt to split the workplace up, to weaken that solidarity. We saw a bit of it in season 1-- only one team member gets to stay for the waffle party. The team can participate in the MDE, but incentives like that are very explicitly a reward to honor one member of the team, not the entire team. Lumon uses these little incentives to drive severed workers to compete, which can end up fostering resentments and driving a wedge between them

And that escalates dramatically in just the first episode of season 2. Mark and Helly's kiss being shared and celebrated in the propaganda film, while Irving's romance (the entire reason he wanted to fight back to begin with) is erased from the narrative entirely. Burt is edited out of the scene in O&D, his existence and death never even acknowledged, which may end up fueling a split between Mark and Helly (or Helena, who knows?) And Irving and Dylan.

Dylan being told about the (definitely sincere if taken at face value) plans for a special unit to allow him to see his family, which he is told to keep secret because his coworkers don't have families and might get jealous. That feels very reminiscent of the boss giving you a tiny raise and warning you not to tell your co-workers because they'll just be jealous of you.

Lumon is leaning into these divide and conquer tactics the same way any other company would when faced with worker solidarity. By giving some people perks and some people punishments, by encouraging secrets and resentments and disunity

I imagine this will only escalate whenever we end up seeing the terrifying "perks" advertised in the propaganda film, like bobbing for pineapples and the funhouse mirror

[thelov3lybookworm]

Pretty Princess.

Day 2: Hair

Summary: Cassian has spectacular hair.

•○●⛦●○•

Word Count: 501 (one word extra 😔)

•○●⛦●○•

A/n: look, i wrote this in 30 mins. i didnt expect any better, but just so you all are warned, this came out not like i wanted, but i dont have the time to make it beter.

(i feel like this is good but im not used to writing fluff so im disgusted lmao but then again i wish this was angst 😔)

(hol up i just got an angsty idea 👀 might be getting 2 fics today hehe)

anyways, my fic for @cassianappreciationweek day 2 woohooo 🥳

(dividers by @tsunami-of-tears)

Pacing his room in the middle of the night had become a regular occurrence, one he would have yelled at himself for if it had not been for Aaron. After all, he had helped make the baby. It was only right he helped his mate take care of the baby.

Currently, she was passed out on the bed, tired out of her mind after nursing Cade, their second born. Aaron had run into their room an hour ago, almost waking up Y/n because he was scared.

Thankfully, by the miracle of the Mother, Cassian had awoken before Y/n could, and since then he’d been carrying Aaron around the room, the little boys curled tightly into his father’s arms to ward off the terrors that plagued him.

Though it messed up his schedule, Cassian wasn’t complaining.

Just when Cassian was beginning to think that Aaron would fall asleep, he jerked up, staring at Cassian with wide eyes. "Papa. I want hair like you."

Cassian blinked, brows furrowing. "Sure, Ron, you can grow out your hair once you get older, yeah?"

"No papa, I want long hair." He had his mothers eyes. Which made it harder for Cassian to argue with the little boy, especially when he stared at him so pleadingly.

"I know my boy, you can grow out your hair-"

"Now."

Cassian sighed, nodding as he felt his hair being pulled. Aaron continued tugging on the free strands, and Cassian wished he had tied his hair up.

"Aaron, my darling boy, you can have your hair long, okay? But for that to happen, you will have to sleep."

"Noo papaaaaa. I want long hair like you."

"Cass?" Cassian whirled faster than he had in his life to meet the curious gaze of his mate. "What is going on?"

Cassian grunted, letting a wiggling Aaron down and watching as he waddled over to his mother’s side. "I want papa’s hair."

His lip jutted out as his mother cooed at him, picking him up and laying him down next to her. Y/n glanced at Cassian helplessly after a few minutes of quiet chatter with the toddler, who just shook his head, running a hand through his hair.

It took them an hour to get the little boy tired enough to get him to sleep, and when he finally did, Cassian turned to stare in the mirror.

"You know what?"

"What?" Y/n asked, laying back down next to her two sons.

"I do have spectacular hair."

The laugh she let out was pure melody to Cassian’s ears, one he would give his life to keep hearing till the end of time.

"Come sleep, my pretty princess."

He snorted, but did as she asked and lay down in his designated spot, now half conquered by his oldest. Cassian knew it would be useless moving the child, knowing it would barely take him a moment before he kicked Cassian off the bed.

Better to enjoy Y/n’s head scratches while they lasted.

Permanent Taglist: @berryzxx @sarawritestories @milswrites @throneofsmut

@daycourtofficial @sweetorangeblossom @secret-third-thing

Cassian Taglist: @moonlwghts @samslittlespoon @nickishadow139

Acotar Taglist: @bubybubsters @eos-princess @nightless @harrystylesfan2686

@cassie6392 @kennedy-brooke @tele86 @miluiel1

@hnyclover @minnieoo @sidrapotter @piceous21

@mybestfriendmademe @saltedcoffeescotch @lady-of-tearshed @starsinyourseyes

@starswholistenanddreamsanswered @cumuluscranium @byyalady

@lilah-asteria @girlswithimagination @garden-of-runar @girlswithimagination

@sunnyspycat @artists-ally @milswrites @kingdomofstarrynights

@berryzxx @buttermilktea11 @loving-and-dreaming @yucanbmylxdy

[wileys-russo]

I heard that Mary is obsessed with to do lists on her days off, imagine her reaction to the reader constantly messing with her lists like adding her own name to the to do list!

to do list II m.earps

you exhaled deeply as your body slowly started to awaken, a high pitched grunt left your lips as you stretched your limbs out against the soft silk sheets of your bed, settling back into them and blinking a few times.

you frowned when there wasn't a body still in bed beside you, instead only half a neatly made bed which had you rolling your eyes at your girlfriends odd habits. you adored her regardless though which is why a grumpy mood set in that you'd been deprived of a lay in with her on your day off.

but not wanting to waste the day away in bed if you were doomed to be alone you weren't long to get up, making your half of the bed and donning it with the ridiculous amount of throw pillows you loved and mary always hated, but she found it near impossible to say no to you at times.

nodding satisfied with your work you padded off to the bathroom. washing your face and doing your morning skincare, you exhaled through your nose as you were now much more awake.

it didn't surprise you to make your way downstairs and see your girlfriends back turned to you as she hunched over the dining table, furiously scribbling something down. "good morning baby." you settled behind her, arms draping over her shoulders and tucking your face into her neck.

"hello sleepyhead." mary smiled, pushing away her notebook and intertwining her hands with yours, pressing a few gentle kisses to your knuckles. "it's nine thirty mary that is not a sleep in!" you protested with a laugh, your girlfriend squirming as your breath tickled her neck.

"we're normally up by seven love. sounds like a sleep in to me!" she teased, scooting her chair back and nudging you with her shoulder as you rounded her and settled yourself on her lap. the two of you sat wrapped up together in silence, your girlfriends hands gently slipping up your top and tracing lines across your back as yours tangled in her mane of hair, scratching lightly at her scalp.

you pulled away to smile down at her affectionately, leaning in and pressing your lips to hers. you sighed in pleasure as her tongue invaded your mouth, tightening the grip you had on her hair as the two of you made out for a moment before your girlfriend gently pushed at your chest far sooner than you’d have liked.

"right. up we get! things to be done." mary announced as you sighed, head falling to her shoulder as you knew what this meant. "it's the first thursday of the month, isn't it?" you groaned, feeling her nod and tap your back a few times as you huffed, standing up and off of her.

"where's your stupid list then?" you rolled your eyes, following her into the kitchen and pulling yourself up and onto the counter. the first thursday of every month mary insisted the two of you do a deep clean of the entire house, despite how tidy the two of you kept it on the day to day.

"they are not stupid!" mary scolded with a scowl, sticking the lists up on the fridge as you rolled your eyes when she wasn't looking. "babe why have we got one each!" you protested noticing your individual list beside hers.

"divide and conquer my love." mary smiled as you threw your head back with a loud groan, hopping down and venturing over to the fridge. "it's our day off mary honestly i know you love your lists but this is overkill!" you scoffed as your eyes raked down your list of assigned tasks.

"it's one day of the month, we have monday off where we can relax and be lazy all day. today we will be productive!" you jumped as her hand smacked your bum with a cheeky grin, handing you a pen.

"you're lucky i'm blinded by your beauty or else i'd have left you the first time you pulled out your bloody lists." you sighed dramatically, crossing your arms and squinting lightly as you read through your assigned tasks.

"charming as ever darling." she kissed your cheek and you shook your head with a smile as she ticked a few things off your list.

"wake up, have a good morning kiss and a cuddle, moan about the lists. very funny!" you gave her a playful glare as she only grinned, tapping your next task with her pen.

"i know i am. now put your glasses on or you'll give yourself a headache!" "mmm but i don't see that on my list babe?"

~

you sighed as you ticked another couple of tasks off your list, which thankfully was growing shorter and shorter as the day seemed to fly past, the hours feeling like minutes.

your patience was also wearing thing, hardly having seen mary all day besides a quick kiss as you'd glance past one another, flitting from room to room and task to task, the house filled with music at least to spare silence.

looking to your left and seeing mary was also narrowing down her own list, and then turning and seeing her notebook on the counter an idea popped into your mind and a smile curled onto your lips. ripping out a piece of paper you scribbled down her existing list, adding a few new tasks of your own as you did, replacing her list with yours.

she must have been busy as it wasn't for another forty minutes until she'd seemingly noticed your little changes. "baby!" you looked up from the pile of washing you were sorting at your girlfriends calls for you, standing from the bed and jogging downstairs.

"yes?"

"why does my list now tell me i need to remove the stick from up my ass?" mary asked, lips pursed into a thin line of disapproval as your own curled into a grin of amusement.

"no idea love, guess you better do it quick though. daylights fading!" you winked, returning quickly upstairs before you could give her the chance to yell at you.

another hour passed, the house filled with a soft golden sunlight of the afternoon shifting over slowly into the evening, the sun starting to duck away behind the horizon.

you exhaled heavily as you ticked off the final task on your list, body just as sore as if you'd trained anyway. glancing over to marys list you ran your finger down the page, tapping on it and making your way to where you knew she'd be.

you stepped into her office, seeing the blonde heavily focused on the desktop in front of her, clicking away at something for her clothing brand which seemed to be the approval or disapproval of some new samples.

"hello." you mumbled into her neck, hugging her tightly from behind. "hi stranger." mary chuckled, clicking out of her browser and shutting down the computer, tapping your leg as you let go of her and she pushed back her chair, standing to her feet and stretching.

"i'm fucking wrecked." you sighed, wrapping around her and breathing in the familiar scent of her perfume, allowing it to drown you in a sea of comfort as her arms drew you in even closer.

"i know, and i know you hate my lists but i appreciate that you always follow them." mary mumbled into your hair. "like i have a choice." you smiled into her skin as she flicked your ear playfully.

"you still have one thing left on your list though." you pulled away from her as your girlfriend raised a curious eyebrow, almost certain that she'd done all of her tasks. with a smile you handed her the list, watching her eyes scan the words.

"and why is your name at the bottom of my list baby?" mary questioned, smirk tugging at her lips as she knew why. "cause i'm the last thing you need to do, obviously." you replied with a grin of your own, watching as mary shook her head, crumpling up the list in her hand and tossing it over her shoulder, advancing toward you with purpose.

"well, you know i am a stickler for doing what my lists tell me."

[witchygagirlwrites]

Consider Me Gone-Part 2

Greg "Mouse" Gerwitz x Reader x Jay Halstead/Gerstead x Reader

A trauma rolls into med that nearly brings you to your limit. You need Jay and Mouse yet for the first time when you reach your hand out there's not even one there to grasp it.

Warnings: SCENE OF AN O.D.

“Please no” Cassandra begged, falling into your arms. You requested to come along on this notification and now you were regretting it but knew you had to face it “I’m so sorry Cassie” you whispered and felt her knees go out from under her. The two men with you moved to support her but you glared at them as you sank to the floor with her, wrapping your arms protectively around the other woman “He wasn’t alone. I promise you, I was there. I held his hand. I made sure he wasn’t hurting in those last moments. That’s all I could do” 

You shot up out of the bed, a fine sheet of sweat covering your body. Mouse and Jay both were on high alert, shooting up on either side of you. “Sweetheart, what is it?” Mouse asked and you shook your head “Nothing, doesn’t matter” the sting of their words the previous night was still a little too fresh to admit that while finding Mark plagued their memories, his wife’s reaction and pain plagued yours. Jay’s face fell as if he knew just exactly why you’d said nothing “Baby, talk to us”

You shook your head “I said I’m fine” you glanced at the time and saw it was only about an hour before your alarm would’ve gone off anyways. “I’m gonna grab a shower and start coffee” “I’ll start coffee” Jay offered so you nodded and slid out of the bed at the foot of it so you didn’t have to go over either one of them. 

Jay climbed out of bed after you and walked past you while you were picking through your dresser for a pair of scrubs. He placed one hand on your lower back and it took everything in you to not tense under his touch. “I love you” he spoke before kissing the side of your head. “I love you Jay” you whispered, keeping your eyes on the contents of the drawer in front of you.

You didn’t have to look to know he shot Mouse a look before leaving the room. Divide and conquer was always their route when it came to thinking one of them had done something to hurt your feelings in some way and since Jay was the one who’d actually voiced the thought, apparently Mouse was the one tasked with damage control.

You didn’t hear the bed move before you felt Mouse at your back. “Can I please put my arms around you?” he asked and you nodded. He slipped his arms around your waist, pulling you back against his chest “I’m sorry for what was said, Jay is too. It came out wrong” you nodded simply because you didn’t trust your voice to not waver at the moment.

He stood there for a moment just holding you and you wanted so bad just to forget the hurt. How humiliating it felt when they both had acted as if your time spent overseas was nothing because you weren’t an active combatant. You had the same base training as them, you weren’t exactly Desmond Doss. You believed in kill or be killed and had done whatever it took to keep your unit safe. On top of that to know that they couldn’t even turn to a man that served, it was another woman. Yeah she’d been in your unit but how could they not realize how that would make you feel?

“Greg, I’ve got to get a shower” you whispered and he pressed a kiss to your shoulder where the tank you’d worn to bed left it bare “Ok. You want some breakfast?” you shook your head “I’ll just get some coffee” he left his arms drop and you had to remind yourself to not run from the room. What the hell were you doing to yourself? You had to get in a better mindset before work.

When you got out of the shower and were dressed you headed to the kitchen and could hear the two of them talking. “You know that was a nightmare right?” “Well damn Greg I never would’ve guessed” “Since when does she not tell us about them?”

You stepped around the corner and cleared your throat. Both of their heads whipped around at the sound and they looked like kids with their hands caught in the cookie jar “Is the coffee ready?” Mouse held up your mug and you knew it was made to your taste. You walked over and took it from his hand with a small smile “Thank you”

You leaned back against the counter and took a sip before asking “How’s the case going anyways?” They exchanged a look before Jay said “Voight think’s he has a lead. Him and Al were gonna go talk to a few people they knew this morning” “Good” you replied and left it at that. Normally mornings in your house were spent talking over coffee, planning for the week ahead. Today felt like there was a space between you and them that was strangling you with every breath you took.

______________

You dumped the rest of your coffee “I’m gonna get going” “Can we talk after work?” Jay asked and you cut your eyes at him “Sure you want to talk to me?” his shoulders sagged slightly “Princess there’s no one else on earth we’d rather talk to” you laughed humorlessly “Really?”

He ran a hand down his face “Baby, it was a freaking beer!” “A beer with another woman Jay!” you argued and he waved a hand “A woman who was in our freaking unit! Who was in the field with us! Who saw the same shit we did!” you shook your head “I was there Jay! I saw the same shit! Who the hell do you think they drug Mark back to? Who do you think had to try their fucking hardest to save him only to have to tell his wife that they couldn’t?”

Mouse stepped between you and Jay “Take a breath, both of you” you glared at him “You aren’t fucking innocent either Greg. You did the same thing! Jay is just verbal about his bullshit! Why don’t you tell me how fucking useless I am too? About how my trauma isn’t valid because I wasn’t in the field? How I WASN’T THERE TOO?”

They both flinched when you screamed but you didn’t care, hot tears were spilling down your face by that point “Ever stop to think that when Erin called to give me that heads up that it took me right back to that day too?” you looked between them and they both dropped their gaze. You nodded slowly “Of course not. You two found him, yeah and that was fucking horrific. I care enough about you two to never take away from anything you’ve endured but I am the one that he was laid on a stretcher in front of and tasked with trying to save! I am the one who had to lie and tell him he was going to be ok! I am the one who watched life leave his eyes and I am the one who held his wife when she was told her husband, the father of her twins, was not coming home. I don’t give a fuck what Athena saw. You two were drowning, ok. You come to me! ME! No one else! We’re supposed to have each other’s backs! We’ve always had each other’s backs but because she’s in town all of a sudden I’m not good enough?”

“We never once said that!” Mouse argued but a phone chiming interrupted all of you. You glanced towards the counter to see Jay’s phone lit up. You knew both of their passwords like they knew yours so you walked over to pick it up and saw it had Athena’s name on it. You didn’t even look at the text. You picked it up and threw it at Jay’s chest. 

“You two don’t even care that I’m here in front of you do you? Just because she was in the field. Did she put you two back together? Did she let herself jump so far down into that darkness just to help you two dig yourselves back up? I did! I needed you two to talk to me last night because then that meant you trusted me with the hell in your head. You didn’t. You talked to her. You chose her. Sometimes what you don’t say comes through so much clearer than what you do” 

You spun on your heel to walk out the room but both of them caught you, trying to put their arms around you. You shoved them off “No! Fuck you! You don’t get to touch me!” They both put their hands up defensively. You hadn’t realized your hands were shaking until you raised them to point one at each of them “I love both of you with my entire fucking heart but you need to decide what it is you want”

You stormed out of the room, stopping just long enough to grab your keys and phone before slamming the door behind yourself.

You sat in your car with your head leaned back against the seat, trying your best to stop the damn tears. Your phone hadn’t stopped ringing since you left home. Jay and Mouse were taking turns calling and texting. When they got to work they would probably resort to either using landlines or stealing the unit’s phones.

You took a deep breath and clicked on the group text thread. M:Sweetheart please answer your phone   J:Baby just talk to us  M:You know we would never want anyone but you  J:No one would ever compare to you   M:We love you more than anything   J:Please just answer your phone

You texted back I have to go into the hospital now. I can’t have my head on this when people are hurt or sick in front of me. You both know what you mean to me. I don’t know what that text said and I don’t want to know. I do need to know where I stand by the time my shift ends

With that you locked your phone and slid it into your pocket, checked to see just how horrible you looked then climbed out of your car. 

Two car wrecks, a delivery done in the ed, a GSW and three people with the flu covered your first five hours of your shift. You still weren’t in the best mind set but you were doing what you did best, pushing it to the side to help the people in front of you. That was how you maintained your balance, how you didn’t lose yourself. That was something you’d found long ago.

You were in the breakroom when Will came in and you dropped your gaze, pulling out your phone and hoping he hadn’t noticed you weren’t quite aces. “There’s my favorite sister in law” you cut your eyes up with a small smile “Hey Will” he sat down across from you “Are you ok?”

You nodded slowly “Yup, can not think of a single reason why I wouldn’t be” he stared at you for a moment before raising an eyebrow “I’m not the brother you’re in a relationship with but I have known you for quite a while. I love you, you’re like a sister to me.If something is wrong, even if it's something my brother or Mouse did you can talk to me” You nodded “I know. I promise, I’m ok Will. I had a bad night, dreams of delivering bad news kept haunting me” 

“Why did you do that? It wasn’t your job” he asked and you shrugged “I had letters, messages or just to let them know I held the person they loved so they wouldn’t be alone. I would want to know Jay or Mouse wasn’t alone” he smiled “You’re an extraordinary woman. Don’t know how the hell my brother and Mouse of all people got you”

You gave him a small smile “They looked cute in their ACUs” he shook his head with a laugh “There she is” then tapped on the table “I’ll be around if you need me. Just holler and I’ll come running sis” “Thanks Will”

__________________

You stepped out of the break room and heard Ethan call your name “We got an OD in trauma one Y/N! I need you”  you feel in step with him, running around the main desk and into the trauma room. You heard April calling out stats and saw Will administering another round of Narcan but when you glanced at the body on the bed, it felt like their voices were underwater. You could hear them but they were muffled. Your hands felt like they were tingling and your head felt like it may very well slip off your body. That jacket, that black jacket.

You hadn’t been back in Chicago but maybe a month. You just managed to rent a new place. It was a little one bedroom but it was in an ok neighboor and the rent didn’t kill you. You’d just gotten off back to back shifts and was curled up under three blankets from the harsh winter night. The sound of your phone blaring woke you up.You scrambled for it and squinted against the harsh glare before bringing it to your ear “Halstead I swear to christ..”

Before you could finish the threat he cut you off “I had a missed call from Mouse about an hour ago. He left a voicemail, he was slurring Y/N and now he isn’t answering” you were out of the bed before he finished talking “Come pick me up”

You followed Jay to the apartment he said was Mouse’s. He hadn’t let you out of his sight and honestly in this neighborhood? You were grateful. “How the hell are we gonna get in?” you asked and he cut his eyes up at a window. You shrugged and slung your med bag across your chest before pulling his knife out of his pocket “Give me a boost?”

He put his hands around your hips and hoisted you up. It didn’t take you long to pop the flimsy lock on the window and shimmy inside. “Y/N!” he called and you looked back out. He handed you a flashlight and his gun. “What do I need that for?” he shrugged “We don’t know what you’re going into. If it’s bad yell and I’ll kick the door in”

You turned the light on and readied the gun before stepping away from the window. Your heart shattered the moment you saw the interior of the apartment. There was no furniture,at all. A single mattress was on the floor and it felt colder inside than it did outside.

You cleared room by room and was starting to think maybe Greg had just drunk dialed Jay when you pushed open the bathroom door. “JAY!” you screamed. 

Mouse lay in the middle of the bathroom floor, a couple pill bottles lay in the sink and it didn’t look like he was breathing. You slid to your knees,throwing your med bag off onto the floor.  You rolled him over onto his side, the black jacket he wore was icy to the touch, when you noticed how grey his lips looked tears sprung to your eyes “No no no” you heard the front door bounce off the wall from the force of Jay kicking it in.

You reached for Mouse’s pulse and felt a weak, thready one. “CALL AN AMBULANCE JAY! HE’S OVERDOSED!” you screamed. You dug into your bag, shaking fingers wrapping around the narcan “Greg please don’t fucking do this to me” you whispered before bringing the medicine up to his nose and administering it. You turned him for rescue breaths, praying you hadn’t been too late. Jay ran into the room, still on the phone with the dispatcher “My-my friend is a trained medic”

You didn’t try to listen, your goal was getting to see those sky blue eyes you loved looking up at you again. “Please Greg” you whispered, administering the second dose after the time passed and was rewarded by a harsh gasp of air being forced into his lungs. “Tell them he’s breathing” you sobbed, turning him on his side again in case he puked. His eyes cracked open “Y/N?” you nodded, tears flowing down your face “Hey” “Don’t cry baby” he whispered weakly and you shook your head “Then stay awake till the ambulance gets here ok?”

“Y/N! Y/N!” you hadn’t realized you froze or that everyone in the room had realized it. Ethan, Will and April had gotten the patient stabilized but were now staring at you like they were worried you may be next “I’m sorry” you whispered and ran out of the room. 

Ethan found you in the break room, sitting on the floor with your head between your knees shaking. He crouched in front of you, close but not touching “Hey, can I touch you or no?” you shook your head and he smiled slightly “Ok. Can I get April or Maggie?” you nodded and he smiled “Stay here soldier. I’m gonna get you help. I won’t leave your side for long, I promise”

He came back a few moments later with April in tow. She climbed down next to you and slowly put her arm around you “Match my breathing honey”. You listened to her breaths and were able to slow yours after a few minutes while she kept two fingers on your pulse to check it. 

Once you were able to actually focus your eyes on them Ethan sat cross legged in front of you “Talk to me” you swallowed hard “That jacket the kid had” he nodded and you met his eyes “Greg had one just like it the night he overdosed and I thought we lost him” He shared a look with April and she nodded “I’m gonna go back to the floor sweetie. If you need me just send Ethan” you nodded “Thank you”

Once she left he looked back at you “When did it happen?” you swallowed hard “When we got back we all kind of went our own ways for a while. Jay, he sought comfort in bodies. Any bed he could warm he did. I visited families of the men I lost, delivering messages then I went to stay with my sister for a while, I barely slept or ate during that time. If it wasn’t eighty proof I didn’t want it and Greg well he found his own way to numb the pain” 

“How’d you get out of it?” he asked and you smiled slightly “Greg pulled Jay out of a hole. He was in bad shape. He’d started drinking bad, doing stuff that well he shouldn’t have been involved with. Greg got him home to Chicago. Those two being back here was like a magnet to pull my ass back” “What happened when Greg overdosed?” he asked so you recounted that night “He was so thin Ethan. I mean Greg has always had a slimmer frame but he’s always been lean muscle. We’re talking about a man that could toss me over his shoulder and laugh about it. That night, I could move him by myself with no issue. His lips were grey…it took two rounds of Narcan”

“I didn’t know” he offered and you nodded “I don’t think it would’ve hit that bad had intelligence not had just caught a case that trudged up memories of how we lost a man too. I was the medic that couldn’t save him..they don’t get that pain” he smiled slightly and nudged your knee “Lucky for you someone you know does. Any time anything like that hits you, call me. April won’t care. She loves you and wouldn’t want you to have to face it alone”

“You don’t know how much that means” you whispered and he nodded. “Feel like facing the outside world or wanna sit in here a while longer?” you shook your head “We’ve faced worse right?” he smiled “There’s that medic who sends em running” 

__________________

The moment you and Ethan stepped out of the break room you spotted Will. “Are you ok?” he asked and you nodded “Yeah, a little embarrassed” Ethan cut his eyes at you “That? We’re not doing that, ok?” you nodded “Ok” he smiled “Get to work medic” you grinned “Yes sir”

Will looked at you “Do I need to call Jay?” you shook your head “I’m ok” he gave you a look so you sighed “I’ll text them!” that seemed to appease him enough. “If you need me holler, ok?” “Ok”

How do you text your boyfriends that you screamed at that morning that you had a flashback and panic attack at work? Before Will says anything, I’m fine. Just a case threw me off. No big deal

M: What do you mean you’re fine, no big deal???  J: Do we need to come to you??  M: Are you ok??  

I’m fine, just had a bad time with a case that came in

M: What case? You stared at the text because no matter how mad you were you didn’t want to put guilt on him. He’d gone through hell. He’d fought to get and stay sober. You didn’t want to throw it in his face. Doesn’t matter and I don’t mean that like this morning. I’m ok now

M:If you need us, call. I love you  J: Even if I can’t come, Mouse will. I love you

Love you both, always

You slid your phone back into your pocket and jumped back into work.

By the time you got off you were dead on your feet but you considered stopping by the precinct to see everyone before going home. You didn’t want to text Jay or Mouse so you texted Erin Hey babe, want some coffee? It didn’t take long for her to text back Omg yes! I’ll steal you from dumb and dumber I will love you so much you laughed and sent back Text me orders

___________

You pulled into the front lot with the two carriers of coffee. You’d texted Erin to send help down and smiled when you saw Al coming out the front door “Oh she sent my favorite detective” he smiled “Hey kid” you passed him one carrier then grabbed the other and the extra coffee that was Trudy’s. 

“How was work?” he asked and when you grimaced he laughed “That good huh?” you shrugged “Put it this way? There’s days I kinda miss the simplicity of being a trauma medic compared to an ed nurse”

You followed him in and stopped at the front desk to offer Trudy her cup. She smiled “I have no clue how Mouse and Detective chuckles got a woman like you” you winked at her “Neither do they” 

You followed Al up the stairs after he scanned his palm. You could hear everyone’s voice drifting downstairs and smiled when you heard Erin and Kim laughing. You’d gotten close with the unit over time. They were your friends, hell your family. 

You made it to the bullpen and started passing out cups. Voight smiled “You’re an angel sweetheart” you shook your head “No one likes a liar now Hank” and everyone cracked up. You were about to ask where Jay and Mouse were when you heard their voices coming from the back hallway. You turned towards the door with a smile that quickly fell when you realized they weren’t alone. Athena was with them. “What the fuck” you and Erin both spoke in tandem.

All three heads turned towards your voice and Athena had the nerve to smile “Fireball” you grabbed the cups of coffee and threw them at Jay and Mouse “I’m done” you didn’t try to stop yourself from running that time. You ran down the stairs, hearing Erin’s raised voice along with Jay and Mouse’s followed by Voight yelling for everyone to shut up.

When you got to the lobby you slowed to a fast walk and nodded to Trudy but the moment you hit the door you ran for your car, collapsing into the driver’s seat.

____________________

You moved through the house with your duffle bag shoving everything you came across that belonged to you in it. Thank god the United States made sure to supply you with a bag big enough to pack your life in.

You snatched your old dogtags off the corner of the mirror where they hung with Mouse and Jay’s. They didn’t need them. You would burn your photos if you had enough time. Your goal was to get gone before they could get home. They knew how you felt, they knew your insecurities. You’d laid everything on the line for them and they hadn’t cared. She’d smiled in your face! SMILED.

You’d kill her if you ever got within arm’s reach again. She didn’t know them like you did. She didn’t know a damn thing about them compared to you. Every demon, every dark corner YOU faced. More tears broke free but that didn’t stop you. If you weren’t worth fighting for in their opinion why would you fight for them? 

You did a final look around then took your key off and laid it on the counter. You didn’t need it anymore. You locked the door behind yourself and threw your duffle into your trunk. Maggie would let you sleep on her couch until you could figure things out. Your life just fell down around you, the men you love just turned their backs on you. You’d never felt more alone but knew she wouldn’t turn you away. You did have some people that truly did love you even if Jay and Mouse weren’t on that list after all.

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