#figured i would add beau in on your reply?

[gcldcnhour]

@grapefruitey where: olympic village when: few years since the trio was last together

she knew it was inevitable - running into them. so to avoid being blindsided by their sudden presence, alara decided it best to just go ahead and get it out there. once she was settled in her room with a teammate, she wasted no time unpacking and then sending a text to the long-dead group chat.

thought our glory days were behind us huh? meet me down for a bite. xx

it was no surprise the two boys were picked for the usa hockey team that year - their careers sky rocketing. beau did better than expected once he and alara graduated, and subsequently ended their brief relationship. while callum did his time in lower leagues and found the break he was looking for.

of course she had kept track of them through the years, alara was anything if not thorough. she would never admit that she missed them, yearned for their presence, to continue to poke at what was under the surface for them all.

hair slicked back in a tight pony, designer athleisure dawning her petite body, she bounded down toward the food court area, trying not to appear too eager to see them.

[a-menagerie]

Everything Has Changed

Cause all I know is we said, "Hello"

And your eyes look like coming home

All I know is a simple name

And everything has changed

Molly didn’t know where he was, barely knew who he was. When he finally opened his eyes - eyes? eyes never shut - and was faced with a pink firbolg, Molly was more confused than ever. So he ran.

Empty empty empty. He’s lost in himself and in this terrifying cavern - of flesh? - and he doesn’t know anything. There’s words in his mouth and people around him and he doesn’t know who anyone is. They’re hugging him and saying things and he’s just lost.

Except you, back behind everyone and quiet, you catch his eye and he knows you, he’s sure he does. But his heart is beating out of his chest and he can’t catch his breath so he gives in, lays on the ground, lets himself fade out.

*

Molly had never seen the Blooming Grove before, but he quite liked it and the Clay family. Eccentricity appealed to him - he was eccentric, wasn’t he? - but the family was just kind. They almost reminded him of another group, people he couldn’t quite picture or name, but the lingering feeling of family made him wonder.

For a week or so, you watched as Molly wandered the Grove, slowly recovering memories. He was never far from Yasha. Jester had fixed up his coat for him and he looked nearly like he had before you’d lost him. Some missing eye tattoos and slightly underfed but that would change with time.

*

“Is there a reason you’re avoiding a particular tiefling?” Fjord asked you, joining you where you were weeding a section of the cemetery.

“I spoke to Jester like an hour ago.” You reply without looking up.

“Alright, smartass.” Fjord scoffs and rolls his eyes.

“I’m not avoiding Molly; I’m giving him space.” You say.

“Does he know that?” Fjord asks. You look up at him sharply, frowning.

“He doesn’t remember…us. Whatever we were. I don’t wanna add any extra pressure on him.”

“And when he does remember, what then?” Fjord asks.

“I’ll tell him what I just told you.” You stand, yanking off your gloves. “What’s this about Fjord?”

“Everyone’s worried about you.” Fjord admits, rubbing his neck. “All of this is…a lot. Molly’s back but you’ve hardly reacted, barely talked to him. I just wanted to check in.” You try not to bristle at Fjord, he’s just doing what he does, checking in on his friends. But hardly reacted?

You’ve cried yourself to sleep almost every night since you returned to the Grove.

What was worse? Losing Molly or having a Molly who didn’t remember you? Losing Molly or having him so close but out of reach? Your chest aches and you fought hard not to cry in front of Fjord.

“I’m fine.” You tell him.

“Bullshit.” You and Fjord both jump as Beau speaks up. Sometime during your conversation she’d wandered over and now she was facing you with crossed arms and a raised brow. “You look like shit.”

“Beau.” Fjord hissed. She just rolled her eyes, waving her hand at him.

“You gotta talk to him or something, just watching you is making me miserable.” She said, poking you lightly in the chest.

“I don’t want to pressure-“ Beau cuts you off.

“Yasha said he asks about you, can’t figure out why you’re avoiding him. Molly’s not remembering everything yet but - just go talk to him.”

*

Molly’s been watching you, keeping track of where you were throughout the day. He wasn’t sure why. He’d wanted to speak to you before now but you seemed to disappear anytime he got too close.

Until today. He was sitting against a tree outside the Clay home, reading through Beau’s journal. Well, more specifically, he was struggling to read the journal and was considering asking Beau to just read it aloud. Molly looked up at the sound of feet crunching grass.

“Hey.” You greeted him with a small smile.

“Hello.” Molly replied blankly, confused - and intrigued - by the way his pulse quickened in your presence.

“Can I join you?” Molly nods so you settle beside him on the ground. You can’t bring yourself to say anything else though. What do you say?

“Did I…do something to you?” Molly asks and you jolt back to the present, out of your head. “To make you avoid me?”

“Oh no, no, I wasn’t-“ You sigh. “I wasn’t trying to avoid you but I was. I wanted you to have space.”

Molly cocked his head, observing you through narrowed red eyes. He looked back to the journal then his gaze wandered to your lap, where you were wringing your hands together.

“Space from you?” You nodded and he hummed in thought. “Because…we were together?”

“…yes.” You answer. Molly blinked.

“Wait, really?” He asked, grin curling across his lips.

“Yes?” You reply, slightly confused.

“I didn’t think I’d be right.” Molly laughed, reaching and grabbing one of your hands. “I’d hoped, of course, and obviously something had happened between us but- it really was like this, the two of us?”

Molly was looking at you so openly and adoringly that you almost couldn’t think straight, couldn’t really fight the heat rising to your cheeks.

“Yeah, for a while before…” You trailed off but started again. “I didn’t want to make you feel like you had to be with me, remember me right away.”

“Trust me, I’m very unhappy to have forgotten anything about you.” A sweet sentiment but you’re pretty sure Molly’s enunciation was meant to be teasing too. “Thank you for treating me so kindly though I would have preferred you spoke to me earlier.”

“Sorry.” You say softly, glancing up from your hand in his to look at him. He leaned forward to rest his forehead against yours.

“We’ll just have to make up for lost time.” Molly said. He took a deep breath, just enjoying your presence when something tickled at the back of his mind.

“You used to call me your Tea-lightful Tealeaf when you were in a silly mood.” Molly says it as a statement but pulls away enough to see your face, to see if he’s right.

“Okay, you could’ve waited to remember that.” You groan, covering your face with your free hand. “I only did it because it made you laugh.”

“Don’t you hide from me.” Molly pulled your hand off your face, held both of your hands in his. “We have all the time in the world now to be silly and laugh together.”

“I’ve missed you. A lot.” You manage to say without crying. Molly gives you a small smile.

“I feel like I’m missing me still.” Molly admits. “But I have you and our very odd friends, so my memories can take their time. They’ll return, in time.”

“And in the meantime,” Molly says, leaning his forehead back against yours, “I will delight in learning about you all over again.”

[fear-of-flyers]

holiday cards

my work for @buttercupjosh as a part of @antoineroussel winter fic exchange! enjoy kirsten <3

pairing: anthony beauvillier x fem!reader word count: 1.9k warnings: none that i'm aware of (ofc let me know if i need to add any)

Winter was by far your favorite season. It meant all of the things you loved: snow, warm drinks and spending all your free time cozied up with your best friends and family. It also meant that you got to spend all your free nights watching your favorite person in the world play hockey. You had been dating Anthony for almost 3 years and never tired of watching him live his dream. And it didn’t hurt that Anthony living his dream had led you to some of your favorite people in the world, most notably Sydney Esiason Martin. Since meeting her, Syd had become almost like your big sister. She knew firsthand what it was like dating a professional athlete but was also super funny and caring. The two of you connected on a deeper level and the connection had only increased when she had her and Matt’s daughters. You and Beau were one of the first choice babysitters and you were looking to Sydney’s advice for when you started your own family. For now though you were more than happy being an aunt and dog mom. 

Beau had surprised you with a chocolate lab for your second anniversary after months of talking about getting a dog. Her name was Amber, she was 2 and absolutely spoiled by Anthony. He went into it thinking the dog wouldn’t be on the furniture and now she had a permanent spot on the couch and in your bed. This was why you knew Beau would say yes when you asked to do a holiday card. You were at the Islanders game against Nashville during the beginning of December when Sydney was telling you about their annual Christmas card shoot and you knew you had to do it. Despite being virtually certain Anthony would say yes, you made sure to get everything you would need for the shoot before asking to increase the chances. You got matching PJs for you and Anthony and a bandana in the same pattern for Amber and used pinterest (and Syd) to figure out the general vibe you wanted for poses.

All that planning meant that when Anthony got home after practice the next Friday you were set to ambush him. At 1:15 a text from Beau let you know that he was on his way home and you set to work. You tied the bandana on Amber and laid the matching PJs out on your couch; on the side table you put out a container of Anthony’s favorite cookies and Amber’s favorite treats as bribes before sitting at the kitchen island to work while you waited. Not even 20 minutes later you heard a key in the door and Amber’s paws tapping across the hardwood as she ran to greet her favorite person. “Hey there Amber!” You heard Beau say, “How’s my most favorite girl? How was your day, huh?” You rolled your eyes at his words of choice, a small smile forming on your lips. “Most favorite girl?” You said, walking over to your boyfriend. “What does that make me?” Anthony laughed, closing the gap between you and pulling you into a soft kiss. “I have the two best girls in the world,” he said, “you’re both my most favorite.” You smiled against his lips, unable to help it. “Well,” you said. “Would you do us a favor then? Since you love us so much?”

Beau’s face immediately turned suspicious. “What kind of favor?” He asked, pulling his shoes off and placing them under the bench by your door. “A special one.” You replied, grabbing his hand and leading him towards the living room. “Did you notice Amber’s bandana?” You asked, turning back slightly to see Anthony’s response. “Yeah,” he said. “I liked it. Is it new?” You nodded to answer the question. “Yup! And it’s a good thing you like it!” You said, finally coming to a stop in front of the couch. “Cause we have PJs that match!!” You turned to him and were met with a look of confusion. “I don’t understand,” he said. “Is this it? This doesn’t seem like much of a favor.” You smiled a little, stepping closer to him. “Well, I thought that we could put on our matching PJs, then take a picture and putitonaholidaycardtosendtoeveryone.” 

“Woah there,” Beau said, raising his eyebrows. “We’re gonna do what? I just want to make sure I heard that right.” 

“Well, I was talking to Syd at the game Thursday night and she was talking about her family’s holiday cards. I thought it would be cute if we did one.” You said, looking up at Beau through your lashes, a move you knew he couldn’t say no to. “Just super close friends and family, I promise. Plus, they can’t make fun of you because it would be making fun of the other guys who do holiday cards; and no one’s making fun of Marty.” Beau sighed and pulled you into him and you knew you won. “Thank you!” You said, wrapping your arms around his waist and leaning up for a kiss. Beau indulged you and leaned down to meet your lips before asking when you were gonna take the pictures. “I was thinking tonight, if that’s okay with you.” You answered, your head not moving from its place in his neck. You felt him nod against you. “Perfect,” he said. “Just enough time for a nap.”

…

At Beau’s insistence you napped with him. And when you woke up about 30 minutes later you decided to shower and start prepping dinner while Anthony finished sleeping. Finally, about 45 minutes later you heard Anthony’s footsteps coming down the hallway and the telltale taps of Amber walking next to him. “Hi babe,” he said, arms wrapping gently around your waist. “Hi love” You responded, putting the knife you were using down and leaning back into his embrace. “How was your nap?” Beau rested his chin on the top of your head. “Good,” he said. “Turn around.” You complied, reluctantly moving yourself from his embrace. But you were glad you did because when you turned around you were met with Anthony in his brand new PJs. “Wow!” You said, smiling as you took him in. “You look wonderful! Let me finish chopping the zucchini then everything can go in the oven and I’ll change.” You said, moving to turn around and pick up the knife. But Anthony beat you to it, gently moving you out of the way. “Let me do it.” He said, pulling the cutting board closer. “You go ahead and change; we can take the photos as soon as you’re ready.”

You smiled at his thoughtfulness and turned to go change. In the bedroom you put your PJs on before applying a little makeup and pulling your hair back into a bun. By the time you finished and made your  way back to the kitchen Anthony was setting the timer for your dinner. You stood, leaning against the doorway, until he noticed you. He finally did when he turned to leave the room, a smile taking over his face. “You look good, Y/n.” Beau said and you could tell that any hesitancy he had before was gone; the excitement was shining in his eyes. “Yeah?” You asked, grabbing his hand as soon as he was near enough. “Always.” He responded, kissing your cheek. “Amber’s on the couch and I’m ready when you are.” Instead of responding you pulled him gently in the direction of the living room. 

Once there you set up your phone on the TV stand and got started figuring out poses. You ended up sitting next to Beau, squeezed close; Amber was sitting on the floor in between the two of you, her head half on your leg. And it took you a couple of tries but eventually you got the shot. But to your surprise the picture you ended up going with wasn’t one of the few where you looked perfect. You had gone into the photoshoot looking for something idealistic and came out of the experience with your new favorite family photo. In the picture you chose Beau was petting Amber who was looking up happily at you as you laughed at something Beau had said. There was pure joy in each of your eyes, joy you could tell was real. As you scrolled through the photos to choose a couple more Anthony and Amber got back from their quick walk. “What are you smiling at like that?” Beau asked, unclipping Amber’s leash and slipping his shoes off. “Come look!” You said, turning your phone slightly towards him as an invitation. “I picked the main photo for our cards.” As he started towards you the timer on the oven went off so you got up, handing him your phone on the way to the kitchen. And as he swiped through the photos you took your zucchini and chicken out of the oven and turned off the rice cooker before grabbing plates and setting your places at the island.

By the time you were finished serving dinner Beau had made his way into the kitchen and put out food for Amber. He got the both of you water before finally sitting down to eat. You ate in comfortable silence for a couple of minutes before asking the question you had been sitting on since you gave him your phone. “What’d you think of the pictures?” You asked, turning slightly to face Beau. “They were really great Y/n.” He said, pulling your hand out of your lap and squeezing it. “I had a lot more fun with it than I thought I would. Thank you for setting it all up.” You smiled at him, tension leaving your body. “I’m so happy about it. I can’t wait to make the cards and send them out. I love all the pictures but especially the fourth one, we look so happy.” At that Beau fully stood up and pulled you into a hug; “We are so happy.”

[bonus]

About a week later the cards came in and you spent an afternoon addressing, stamping, and stuffing envelopes. When that was all finished you walked with Amber to the post office and sent the cards off. A couple of days after that Anthony walked into the locker room and all heads turned to him. He didn’t quite know what was happening so he opted to go right to his locker and start getting dressed but when the staring didn’t let up he scooted a little closer to Mat. “Alright, what happened?” He asked, wanting anyone to say anything. “The cards bro.” Mat responded. “I’m pretty sure most of us got them yesterday.” Anthony nodded in realization, “Oh,” he said. “Were they bad or something?” He asked, now addressing the room at large. “No, just strange,” Oliver spoke up. “Not that it’s a bad strange.” Anders interjected, wanting to reassure Beau. “Yeah, it’s sweet kid.” Marty chimed in, a smile on his face. “Syd was saying that Y/n was talking about doing a card but didn’t know if you’d be down. It’s really nice to see that you did it; plus you look so happy.” Beau felt the smile taking over his face and the blush covering his cheeks, “I wasn’t super excited about it but I wasn’t gonna say no, and we are really happy. I would do anything for her.”

[missgurrl]

Hoofprints - Chapter 2

Summary: You are the live-in stable hand at Peña Ranch. What happens when the owner of the ranch’s son, Javier, comes back to town? Will you finally be able to open yourself up to love and trust after being hurt?

Word count: 1429

A/N: I hope you enjoy chapter 2. I had fun writing this but it was certainly difficult. Every like, reblog, and comment is appreciated and I am happy to add you to a taglist❤️

Read on AO3 Chapter 1

Javier was looking out the window by the kitchen sink while sipping on his morning coffee. He couldn’t blame himself for watching you work with your young horse in the round pen. He couldn’t stop thinking about the dinner that you two shared together last night. There was something about you that seemed special and drew him in.

The chuckling behind him made him jump and almost spill his coffee.

“Caught red handed,” Chucho teased.

Javier rolled his eyes and said, “I’m just watching her work with that new horse, pop. She was telling me about him last night over dinner.”

Chucho’s eyes widened, “I told you to bring her dinner, mijo. Not have dinner with her!”

Javier shrugged and glanced out the window again, “she seemed to enjoy my company. Said it would be nice to have another friend around here.”

“What, I’m not good enough for her now?” Chucho joked.

“You know what I mean. I can tell how much she appreciates you as a boss and a buddy” Javier replied.

“Yeah, I get it. Just don’t go breaking her heart now, yeah? She’s a real nice young lady and I want her stickin’ around,” Chucho said while grabbing himself a breakfast pastry and then heading towards the door. “If you want to be ‘friends’ with her so badly then go help her check fences before lunch!” Chucho called on his way out.

“Alright, I think that’s enough for today buddy,” you said to Beau as you walked him out of the round pen.

You tied Beau up and went to grab his box of brushes. When you returned, you saw Javier standing before the horse and giving him some scratches.

“I’ve been given orders to check fences with you this morning,” Javier said with a smirk.

“Hmm, ‘orders’, huh?” you tried to say playfully. “Well alright, you can take Sweetie. She’s an old mare that’ll take good care of you.”

“Whatever you say, cowgirl” Javier said with a wink.

You giggled and shook your head. You put Beau back in his stall and then directed Javier towards his horse.

You asked Javier if he needed any help getting the horse saddled since it had been so long, but he said it was like muscle memory for him.

After the fact, he secretly wished that he said yes just for the opportunity to be closer to you.

Once the two of you were tacked up and ready to go, you mounted your horses and headed towards the back of the ranch.

“You can follow behind me until we get to the clearing. It’s gotten really overgrown in this area,” you proclaimed.

Javier was preoccupied by the way your hips swayed back and forth as your body effortlessly followed the movement of the horse’s steps.

You eventually reached the clearing after weaving your way through the thorny bushes and trees. Javier picked up the pace to position himself on your left with Sweetie. You began around the perimeter of the cows’ fence looking for any damages due to last week’s storm.

“So, how did you end up in this area? Or have you always lived here?” Javier asked.

Trying not to get too personal, you said, “Oh I grew up about an hour away. Just kind of wanted a fresh start.”

Javier nodded understandingly. Even though he knew you were being vague, he decided not to press. “A fresh start can be exactly what you need to get back on track. That’s kind of where I’m at right now.”

“Oh really?” You looked over at him curiously.

“I resigned from the DEA the day I flew home.”

“Oh wow, I’m surprised. I thought you were just visiting,” you looked over at him. “The way your dad talks I figured you loved it. What made you resign?”

Javier let out a long laugh. “That’s a great question. Honestly, I was burned out. Spent too much time chasing the same criminals and not enough time seeing them put away.” He looked down at the reins in his hands to avoid your eye contact. You could tell there was more to the story that was bothering him.

“I’m sorry, Javi. I’m glad you’re taking a break and using the opportunity to relax. I’m sure it wasn’t easy.”

The two of continued to ride in silence along the fence for a while.

“I could see myself being happy here,” he said while looking out at the scenery. “As long as you don’t mind another coworker, that is” he smirked at you.

“I think I could manage” you giggled.

Just then you got an idea. You pushed Whiskey forward and hollered, “if you want to work with me then you’ve got to keep up!”

Javier laughed along with you as you raced back to the barn. He leaned forward in his saddle and pushed Sweetie into a full gallop sending up a cloud of dirt behind him. He almost caught up to you, but you still remained two paces ahead of him.

You both began to slow, and Javier turned to you with a smile. “You’ve got some serious skills,” he laughed again, still out of breath from the ride. He moved his horse closer to yours, nudging his shoulder against yours and teased, “Good thing I’m not chasing you down for work.”

“Yeah, I think those DEA agents would have to watch out for me,” you gave a sly smile while wondering how something as simple as this could give you butterflies.

You spent the rest of the day cleaning stalls with nothing but the sound of the barn swallows chirping and horses munching on their hay.

Chucho mentioned he was making one of your favorite dishes tonight and with the knowledge that Javier would be there, you were sure to take a shower and change into fresh clothes. It was about time you admitted to yourself that you had a crush on the man. You tossed on a pair of pale blue cut offs and a paisley spaghetti strap top before heading over to the main house.

Your heart warmed to see Javier helping his father chop up the vegetables that accompanied dinner. He looked over his shoulder and gave you a warm smile before asking if you wanted red or white wine.

Dinner went great with Chucho sharing his favorite stories of Javier growing up. You felt like you were beginning to get to know him a lot better just by hearing what sports he used to play, the different family trips they used to go on, and most interesting of all – the trouble he would get in as a boy. You started to gather that he had the reputation of quite the ladies’ man. It didn’t come to you as a surprise, but it made you curious as to what it would be like to be called his.

After helping Chucho clear the table, you announced that it was time to turn in for the night.

“I’ll walk you back,” Javier almost murmured to you.

You smiled and nodded to him. Even though your tiny house was just across the driveway, you wouldn’t dare object to those warm, inviting eyes.

As you reached your porch, Javier put his arm on one of the supporting beams and aided his weight over you. “I had a really great time on our ride this morning,” he said in his deep, baritone voice.

“I enjoyed it too, Javi,” you whispered as he brushed a stray bunch of your hair from your face with his free hand.

Your heart beat faster as Javier moved his gaze from your eyes to your mouth. You couldn’t believe this was happening.

You both leaned in towards each other slowly, gently grazing your noses and then barely your lips to test the waters. As Javier’s lips began to part, you sucked in a sharp breath out of nerves, and then pressed your lips against his.

The kiss was soft, gentle. His plump lips moved with yours as if they were a puzzle piece. You didn’t want his moment to end. Yet before you knew it, he was leaning his forehead against yours.  

“Sweet dreams,” he said before whispering your name.

“Night, Javi,” you whispered back as you brushed your hand down his arm to find his hand.

He gave you one more tender kiss before he squeezed your hand and turned around to go back to the house.

It was the second night in a row that you watched him walk away with a smile on your face.

[may-day-voice]

Prom Night Lights - The Beginning

Katsuki Bakugou Timeline | 172732014

please do not repost, but you have permission to reblog :)

• Watch/ Listen on YouTube: https://youtu.be/8SB9fJZ5a7s

• Read on Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/1112396862-katsuki-bakugou-pro-hero-au-172732014-prom-night

It was supposed to be a simple day. A simple, normal day filled with anticipation and excitement. The day when you stepped into the real world outside from the safety net. But you never prepared for what was to come, for the hurt that would inflict, for the dark to overshadow.

You weren’t prepared for your heart to break.

You grabbed hold of hands that grasped onto your fingers, hanging upside down in the air while maneuvering yourself a safe distance from the crash site. Out on patrol with fellow interns turned into a rescue mission when a massive traffic incident occurred in one of the most populous intersections in Musatafu. Cars and trucks were mangled or destroyed, billowing smoke into the air while emergency personnel made headway in tending to the wounded.

Meanwhile you floated towards the borders of the intersection, carefully dropping a casualty towards medics on the scene. Your hands were covered in blood and soot, having to pull those who were trapped within the metallic wreckage.

“That’s number three,” you called, still dangling aimlessly in the air.

“Impulse! We need help here!” Called a fellow intern from amongst the crash site.

With a click of your ankles, you landed onto the ground to push yourself back into the air, soaring towards your teammate above the fire and smoke. His large hands lifted part of a car, revealing a young woman in the crash, her eyes searching above while she breathed erratically.

“Don’t know how long I can hold this up,” warned your teammate, his usual stoic gaze now concentrating on keeping the mangled car lifted for access to the woman below.

“Here, grab my hand,” you ordered, floating slowly into the maw of the wreckage while reaching for the woman inside. The look in her eyes caught yours, finding the fear written all over them, terrified.

A slip of your teammate’s feet caused the car to creak, almost snapping onto you from above, your hands immediately pushing against the heavy wreck in reaction. Your eyes searched in his, concerned about the situation only to notice he found his footing again.

“I’m okay,” he reassured, holding the car back once more. “Go.”

You drew back to the woman, spotting her body recoil back inside in fear. With a deep breath, you slowly floated back in, hanging upside down with your hands outstretched towards her. “Come on, let’s get you out of here,” you coaxed, your open palm inviting her in.

Slowly, her shaking hand reached out, grabbing hold of yours. With both your hands securing her grip, you slowly floated out from the hole, taking the woman with you, her weight pulling at your arms before you spotted her feet clearing the maw.

“Let go now,” you called, watching your teammate finally relieve himself from the strain and the piece of metal crash into the wreckage that trapped a casualty.

Two hours. It took two hours to help clear casualties from the crash site. The aftermath left you and your teammates to be checked out by medics before being discharged from the incident, followed by your supervisor Kido back to the agency for a debriefing on today’s activities.

It felt like a quiet day, which was good for the most part. You scratched two hours of the day, plus another hour for debriefing and cleaning up. It allowed less strain on your body, and more focus on other events you had penciled in ever since-

“Man, you? A plus one? Lucky,” spat a classmate of yours inside the locker rooms. “I would kill to get past those gates.”

“You really don’t mean that,” you replied in jest.

“Oh no, I do. Truly, happily.”

“Have you figured out what you’re dressing in?” Spoke another, the same one who helped you on the rescue. “You should talk with him about that.”

“Coordination is key,” chirped the other.

“Guys, it’s a first time thing, okay?” You reassured. “They’re in the middle of graduating right now for all we know.”

“But to be invited to a prom of all things in UA? Whoever is the event coordinator is a genius.”

The vibrations of your phone caught your ear, spotting a text message appearing on your screen. A sneak peek of the message was the usual - an ETA for tonight. That was all. You noticed the messages were getting shorter and sharper with your beau. It has been over the past year. Still, being the final year in UA was probably a stressful time for students from across the board. You had felt the pressure yourself at your schooling.

“You think if I could catch Todoroki’s eye maybe-“

“Stopping you there,” interrupted one of your classmates, his drowsy aloof eye staring at the other. “He’s probably taken.”

“You don’t know that!”

“He talks about someone from his school very frequently. I think he’s taken.”

Another buzz from your phone caught your ear, checking the screen to spot a message from someone unexpected. Eijirou Kirishima’s name was emblazoned in the text box with a video attached. Watching your classmates bicker between themselves gave you the perfect opportunity for you to view this message without their attention, opening it to reveal the stage of the graduation. Perhaps this was very recent, considering the time of day it was before a familiar blond student walked up to the podium. You couldn’t hold back your smile, watching Katsuki Bakugou be congratulated on his graduation day, and turn irately towards the camera following Kirishima’s loud and rambunctious celebratory yell from the crowd.

“Did your beau send something juicy?” Chirped your classmate, turning to find a coy smile on her face.

“What? No!” You deflected, placing your phone away. “I gotta make tracks anyway.”

“You better take photos or it didn’t happen!”

You waved both of your teammates goodbye, hoisting your backpack onto your shoulders to add more weight to your less than convenient gravity. Stepping out of the agency, you tapped your toes before making your way towards the tall white gates of UA. Despite the lack of information you gave to your teammates back at the agency, you had already picked out your formal wear. You had planned to make a day of UA’s graduation for their students, knowing your own from your establishment was happening first thing tomorrow morning. The more time you could spend with the city’s foremost Pro-Hero candidates equaled sacrificing one night of preparation for your graduation, at least you convinced yourself as such.

Everything had been planned ahead of time, thanks to your beau’s meticulous need for timing. However, you had other plans ahead of his own, ones you had announced to him during his plans which, to your dismay and unsurprising predictability, did not please him. Reassurance wasn’t his strong point, and you’ve learnt it wasn’t yours as well. At least when trying to ease his passive aggressive tantrums.

Another buzz of your phone caught your attention again from those thoughts, picking it up to find a text message from Izuku Midoriya of all people.

Can’t wait to see you again! You’re on the way?

Actually, I’ll be another 20 minutes. How was the ceremony?

It was great! Everyone’s excited here at the dorms. I’ll be setting up Gym Gamma for tonight, so meet me there?

And Kaachan can’t wait either.

You chuckled at the words, wondering how Bakugou must be feeling after today. It made you wonder about the months leading up to today. In fact, it seemed a bit odd, watching him at the agency being almost cold and aloof, answering you in short and distancing himself half of the time. Again, UA was a prestigious academy. You thought the same way that the stress must be getting to the students.

Further fact, that short text felt like-

Yeah, I’ll meet you at Gym Gamma. Let Bakugou know I can’t wait either.

Lately it had been this way, communicating with other students rather than Bakugou himself these past months leading to the end of the school year. You’ve heard from Midoriya, Kirishima, even Denki Kaminari spoke to you a few texts here and there. Bakugou however had gone dark some of the time. You recalled a few times in your second year having constant late night calls with him, some of those nights being a saving grace when the both of you were too busy to just stop for a coffee or a shake. But nowadays, he had been-

Hey! You coming over soon? Kaminari is practically begging for a player two on his team.

I’ll be there. Just stopping by somewhere first. Maybe another 25?

You better hurry up. Bakugou’s practically wiping the floor with him in this game.

Well, another thing to slot in, but nothing that detracted from your original plans. With a smile, you continued on your walk to UA, hands on your straps while you felt the strain on your shoulders once more.

——

Soon, the familiar white gates appeared. As per usual, you stood by the entrance, waiting for some time before being verified to enter the grounds. It took a while for this process. At first, you were accompanied by your beau when he came along to invite you, or when he had to make it for Management classes. However, over the years, it became an infrequent visit with the Hero students. Lately though, it was between how quickly the guards could phone a friend. Even more so, it was less your beau, and more so one of the Hero students, whether it was Midoriya, Kirishima, or even Shouto Todoroki of all of them. It used to be Bakugou, but even he had been slow to answer.

After being granted entry, you immediately made your way to Gym Gamma, watching the large group of students prepare for the night. You had not seen so many fairy lights in your life while they were being strung up high across the pathways and into the auditorium. It was a mess, but it was organized chaos while you traversed between wandering students and piles of decorative materials for the festivities to follow.

“Midoriya!” You called from across the auditorium, spotting the green-haired boy ahead. His eyes turned towards you with a smile, lightly jogging his way through the auditorium.

“Hey, how are things?” He asked with a hug, his large arms engulfing you.

“Pretty good, we were in the middle of a rescue mission in the city,” you replied with a smile. “But that’s all the excitement today.”

“You’re not excited about tonight?”

“I mean, yeah, of course I am! Congratulations! Think I can collect my clothes?”

“Oh, right, I don’t have them on me because of everything happening right now, but they’re at Heights Alliance.”

“Then, why did you ask me to come here first?”

“I wanted to say hi.”

You chuckled at his reply, happy to see Midoriya well. There had been some controversy with all that happened throughout the years, things that you felt were considered taboo, however, stories came with time. You noticed the extra scars across his body, also recalling the scars Bakugou had received during Musatafu’s darker times. The worry that drowned you was immense, only subsiding after months of silence, and that one phone call from Todoroki surprisingly.

With a goodbye, you left Midoriya to his devices in the auditorium, leaving him behind for Heights Alliance. Eventually both shoulders felt sore from the weights in your backpack, deciding to only hang the bag from one shoulder and feeling your toes scraping the ground. According to the predetermined ETA, you had a few hours to spare. Still, it felt like you had very little time left until you stood before Class 3-A’s dorms. Midoriya had explained he left your formal wear with Bakugou, who by his description of the event, reluctantly agreed. With a heavy sigh, you made your way up the stairs, only to bump into somebody walking out from the dorms.

“Oh sorry!” You blurted.

“No, you’re good!” Quickly piped the student before they walked away from the stairs, lightly jogging towards the large pathway towards the school. You watched them take flight, trailing with a dress suit on their shoulders only to shrug it off and continue into the dorms, knocking on the door.

Luckily, that student left it ajar.

“Hello?” You called inside, spotting very familiar faces by the lounges in the foyer.

“Yes! My player two!” Yelled Kaminari, quickly running up to you and pulling you inside. “Kaachan keeps whipping my ass!”

“That’s because you suck, Dunce face!” Growled Bakugou, his red eyes flashing towards the door before they laid on you.

“You made it just in time. Kaminari was getting desperate,” voiced Kirishima with a toothy grin.

You nervously giggled while being dragged inside, noticing how careful Kaminari was to keep your feet on the ground. It had been a couple of years now, but ever since that scare, you figured Kaminari had learnt his lesson. Otherwise, by the way Bakugou was, it came as no surprise that Kaminari was just being more careful around him. You smiled at the irate blond before Kaminari handed you a controller, soon convincing Kirishima to join in a game of teams. It was a whirlwind of a greeting, suddenly being sucked into a game of wits and fun with the Hero students. It was the release you needed filled with laughter, for at least a good hour losing to Kirishima and Bakugou.

After admitting defeat and a quick conversation with the students, Bakugou led you to his dorm, taking the elevator up to the fourth floor. The ride was silent, leaving you to wonder what was going on through his head, stopping yourself a few times to speak until the doors opened on his floor. From the corner of your eye, you noticed a familiar dual-haired student speaking with another by the stairs with quiet voices before being led to Bakugou’s door, watching Bakugou unlock it-

“Congratulations,” you finally spoke, catching his ear. “I got to witness your graduation, kinda.”

“What do you mean?” He asked gruffly while allowing you in.

“Kirishima sent me a video.”

“That Shitty Hair sent it to you?”

“I thought you knew.”

“I’m gonna kill him.”

“Please don’t.”

A grunt escaped Bakugou’s lips before he made his way to his closet, pulling out your outfit already packed in a large box. You smiled up at him, taking the box from him and placing it on his bed.

“Thanks Bakugou, I really appreciate it,” you warmly said while you opened the lid.

“What are you doing?” he asked with genuine confusion.

“Getting dressed.”

“Here?”

“Well, Midoriya offered to help but since he’s been put on the event committee I have to do it in your room.”

“So the nerd was going to dress you?”

“Do you want to help me?”

The look on Bakugou’s face was one of confusion, anger, and frustration - a fairly normal reaction for the most part. However, unbeknownst to you, he felt a flush of heat wash through his cheeks. This was never discussed between Midoriya and himself when he agreed to hold onto your outfit for tonight. In fact, the getting dressed part was never mentioned. His thoughts held his focus until he glanced your way, already stripping off your shirt.

“Wait a goddamn minute, Lightweight!” He yelled, stopping you from stripping any further. “At least, let me turn my back on you.”

You soon found Bakugou’s back indeed turned to you, looking out his window instead. You couldn’t help a small giggle before you walked up to him, grabbing hold of his wrist. “I just need your hand on my shoulder,” you reassured, placing his hand across the crook of your neck. “Just ground me. I won’t take long.”

Bakugou grumbled under his breath, but still kept his eyes outside of his room. Every movement you made caused his fingers to slip on your skin, feeling the tension in your muscles. He figured you had that backpack on for some time to keep you from flying away, but he also felt something else other than that. The short amount of time you spent with everyone downstairs gave him an odd feeling. Even the elevator ride up to his room was tense. Bakugou knew he hadn’t been keeping contact whether at the agency or on call, but today he saw something that you wanted to say.

It bothered him.

“Okay, you can let go now,” you said, allowing Bakugou to release his fingers and turn around to see you now fully dressed in your attire. What surprised him the most was that you were on the ground without any apparatus to hold you.

“Bracelets,” you explained, showing off metallic braces on your wrists. “And anklets. It took a while for support to come up with something practical for social outings.”

“Um… you look… good,” he complimented, taking you by surprise.

“Thanks, I’m glad you think so. Anything that’s good for Lord Explosion Murder-“

“Shut it with that name! It’s Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight!”

You giggled again, finding the joy of pushing his buttons sometimes before you noticed the time - close to the ETA.

“I’ll see you tonight, God Dynamight?” You asked with a smile. All you received was a scoff, enough of a response from Bakugou before leaving his dorm room and heading for the elevators. On the way, you walked past Todoroki, greeting with a quick hello before disappearing into the elevators, eager for the night to start.

Bakugou couldn’t stop this feeling that had him aloof and frustrated. He had tried to tell himself otherwise, focusing on his studies and his credentials to become a certified Pro-Hero. But with every phone call, every text, every passing moment he saw you, something stirred. It felt good, but it was wrong. You were with someone else - that Management student - that he knew did not treat you with the respect you deserved. The number of late night phone calls were proof of that, and yet, you still stayed with the man.

He couldn’t fathom your choice. And he hated it.

“Are you busy?” Asked Todoroki by his open door.

“Does it look like I’m busy?” Spat Bakugou.

“No.”

“What is it, Icy-Hot?”

“Are you going to do something about it?”

Bakugou eyed the dual-haired man, filled with anger from his thoughts, but silent without a scoff or a grumble. “What’s it to you?” he questioned with a sneer.

“We all know he’s bad news,” continued Todoroki. “Nepotism at its best.”

“Look who’s talking Half-and-Half, son of the Number One.”

“The point is that he’s rotten, never worked a day in his life, and was given a silver spoon. All signs of an arrogant, spoiled, hand-fed individual. And he doesn’t deserve them.”

Bakugou turned his glare onto Todoroki, noticing the seriousness in his eyes before he walked away from the door, leaving Bakugou with his last words. The blond stood in his room, contemplating on Todoroki’s words and the number of conversations to and fro about this feeling. He knew that the Management student was a bad egg, someone undeserving, yet he knew he couldn’t actively try to convince you. Even though he had time and time again called your beau a moron, it wasn’t enough.

For once, he hated not being direct over these years.

He grumbled while he rummaged through his closet, pulling out the outfit Kirishima had picked out for him for tonight. Perhaps seeing you later would ease the tension headache that persisted.

——

Night fell across the sky with the dying light of oranges turning into purples and the stars twinkling in the clear. The number of students that made their way to Gym Gamma came in waves, including the Hero students who came as a group. Despite his friends trying to persuade him to join, Bakugou advised he needed some time to get ready, earning a teasing jeer from Kaminari. Bakugou cared less about what words were shared, preferring to keep himself hidden after a majority of students had made their way to the prom planned for their graduation.

He was left to his thoughts, hoping that you had already made your way to Gym Gamma with your date for the night. He didn’t want to see that picture of you in his arms, knowing you chose him. That frustration brewed, coming to terms with his want of asking you to the event for months, and not going through with it.

After some time to his thoughts, Bakugou made his way, walking alone on the grounds of Heights Alliance. The quiet was deafening despite the loud music catching his ear ahead in the auditorium. He felt trapped in this emotional limbo, desperately needing to do something to satiate his need to see you. Pulling out his phone, he located your number, immediately texting without any hesitation.

I’m expecting a dance.

He smirked, feeling some sense of pride in himself, and hopefully reprieve from his own emotions until the sound of a phone caught his ear, one that immediately received a text. Bakugou stopped, turning towards the entrance of the school lecture halls, past the shoe lockers that lined the room. The closer he made his way, the louder the sobs, finding your cries echoing in the empty halls.

“Lightweight?” He called, catching your attention before you quickly tried to wipe away the tears that stained your cheeks.

From around the corner of the stairwell, you found him climbing towards you, his red eyes glaring at the sight of you sitting on the stairs, leaning underneath the railings.

“What did he do?” He quickly snapped.

“Nothing,” you spoke through your tears, attempting to calm yourself down. “He did nothing.”

“Like hell he didn’t!”

“No, Bakugou, just-“

“I’m gonna kill him.”

You saw a rage unlike anything you had seen in the blond. Despite your emotional state, you had gotten used to Bakugou’s anger, even understood it. But this was almost unspoken of, seering through his very core. Bakugou lost control. His own emotions spilled upon seeing you torn and worn, used and spat out as opposed to how happy you looked hours ago. Whatever frustrations he held, they were unleashed with a furious rage.

“He broke up with me,” you admitted, gaining Bakugou’s attention from the whirlwind of emotions he felt. “He didn’t want me to drag him through the mess that I am. I didn’t save enough. I wasn’t fast enough. I couldn’t-“

You held your head in your hands, trying to keep the tears at bay until you felt large hands grab hold of yours, pulling them away to reveal yourself to Bakugou, his eyes glaring into your red sore ones.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Asked Bakugou, his voice painted with a calm tone despite his gruff voice.

“… am I a Hero?” You asked, sniffling while your eyes looked away from his. “Am I good enough?”

Bakugou was surprised and yet confused by the question. He was still trying to understand his own feelings, this abrupt need to protect you everywhere you went despite your own independent and wayward nature.

“Five. I only saved five in two hours,” you continued. “And there were more bodies-“

You stopped your breath, holding your tears back from the thought, before the realization dawned on Bakugou. He had kept up with the news recently, a way to pass the time while waiting in his room earlier that night. An incident occurred in Musatafu involving multiple cars in a massive crash, and he recalled the body count.

He held onto your hands tightly, now realizing your hesitation to speak or start conversations. It would’ve been at the forefront of your mind, only masked by the smile you had all day for UA’s graduating classes. The next thought to follow left a bitter taste, wondering what that Management student must have said to you to think this way. With what Todoroki and he had discussed earlier that day, Bakugou could only fathom the disgusting nature of your interaction with someone who looked down at failures.

Tears continued to well up in your eyes. They wouldn’t stop. You couldn’t until you felt a large pair of arms hug you close, pushing you against the stairs but closer to his chest, engulfed in his embrace.

“You’re more than good enough,” whispered Bakugou in your ear, comforting your head against his shoulder. “You don’t need my approval or anyone else’s for that matter. You make that choice for yourself. You’re smart, you have common sense, half the time, and… you’re one of the few people I can talk to.”

He pulled you away, his eyes now glued back on yours while you stared into his, swallowing the words you just heard moments ago.

“He doesn’t deserve you,” he slowly started. “You deserve better than that trash. You know I already call him a moron, because he is one. You-“

“You ground me,” you interrupted.

“What?”

“You’ve always grounded me Bakugou. You’ve kept me close. You’ve always looked out for me. Why?”

Bakugou choked, wondering what to say, almost feeling like he was cornered, surrounded by the emotions that had been drowning him for months. Was it right? Was this the moment?

“I’m sorry I asked,” you quickly quipped, trying to stand before you felt yourself pull back into Bakugou, his lips crashing into yours. It was a light kiss, despite the rush into it, almost hesitant on its touch before you eased into his rhythm. He was warm, tender, and it lit a spark that you wished would never stop while you held onto his neck. He pulled away slowly, caressing your cheek and embracing your breath on his, feeling every part of you while you sat by the stairs.

“You’re worthy to be a Hero,” whispered Bakugou. “And I’m proud to have you stand with me out there.”

“I’m worthy to be next to God Dynamight?” You asked with laughter breaking through your tears.

“Yeah, yeah, go ahead and laugh.”

Whatever sadness that broke your heart was mended in that moment, by none other than Bakugou of all people. Still, for all those moments the both of you shared, you felt a bond with him, one that incited jealousy from a growing toxic partnership. He was an explosive light that brightened the dark. He was the warmth that healed the pain.

“Still, the God Dynamight will always keep me grounded,” you continued with a smile. “Starting from zero.”

“Just call me Katsuki, dumbass,” he inferred with a growl, causing another giggle to erupt from you. “How about you come to my graduation prom with me, Twinkle Toes?”

Today was meant to be a simple day, but it wasn’t simple at all. It was more than that.

It was the start of something wonderful.

[elsinore-rose]

@jadesabre301​ also requested the five things fic, so here’s the second part!

Jester hates Caleb’s ribcage. 

Healing battlefield injuries is complicated. It’s not that the spell itself is complex — it’s the easiest thing in the world to whisper a prayer to the Traveler, to feel his power pulse through her holy symbol and then out through her hands — but it takes a lot out of her, and sometimes that energy, that glow of life, is hard to control. She’s still learning how to channel and harness it, figuring out how far to push with a broken bone, how deep to reach for a damaged organ, how tight to pull as she knits up a bloody wound. 

So it really doesn’t help that some people’s bodies have parts that just don’t cooperate. Fjord’s muscles always fight back against the magic, twitching and spasming while Jester tries to match up tendon and fiber and joint. And there’s something about Beau’s stomach that reacts violently with the positive energy and always has her throwing up ten minutes after she’s been healed. But Caleb’s ribcage is the worst. 

“Fucking...stubborn...fuckers...” Jester mutters through gritted teeth as she places her hands once more on Caleb’s bare chest and casts yet another Cure Wounds spell. This is the third one and he’s still coughing up blood. “Cayleb, you need to tell your ribs to behave.”

“I will pass the message along,” replies Caleb weakly. He’s got himself propped up on one elbow in the mud, trying to get a better view of the scene as Jester works on healing him. The rest of their small family is nearby, recovering from the fight, catching their breath or picking through demon corpses looking for stuff to loot. Caleb is the only person still actually wounded, and it’s because of his fucking ribcage. 

“It always does this.” Jester concentrates on the flow of magic, willing it to stitch together marrow and bone, to mend the ragged rips torn into Caleb’s lungs. She can feel the resistance. It’s like his body resents her touch, like it doesn’t want to be healed. “We need to get you some better armor or something so you don’t take as many hits to the torso.”

“That would be nice,” he gasps as one rib snaps back into alignment. 

Jester sits back on her knees. She exhausted and probably looks just as bad as Caleb does right now, covered in blood and mud and demon ichor. At least the fight is over. She’s so used to trying to keep people alive in the middle of things, to the frantic rush of prayer and heal and dodge and prayer and heal and pain. But it’s all over now. She has time. And if Caleb needs a fourth Cure Wounds, then that’s what Caleb will get. 

He’s sitting up now, finally, and spits one last mouthful of blood out onto the ground. “Danke,” he murmurs to Jester. “I can walk now.”

That’s not good enough. “No, sit down,” Jester insists before Caleb can move to stand. She grabs his arm as gently as she can. “You’re still hurt. Let me cast it again — ”

“Jester, look at yourself.” With one hand Caleb reaches out and gently cups the side of her head, his thumb grazing across her temple, and when he pulls back his palm and fingers are red. “You are bleeding.”

“Oh.” Now that he mentions it...yes, her head hurts, a dull but deep sting, the echo of a sword’s bite just an inch too far to the left. She hadn’t even noticed. “Shit.”

Concern and fondness are mingled in Caleb’s tired eyes. “Why don’t you spend a little of that magic on yourself, hmm?”

“I don’t have much left…” Jester eyes Caleb’s chest again, studies the dark bruises forming along his side where the warhammer crushed him. “And you’re still bleeding inside. That’s more dangerous, Cayleb, this is just a scratch.”

He doesn’t argue, which surprises her. Instead he just looks at her, and it’s like they’re alone on this battlefield together, like everyone else has disappeared. 

“I wish I could heal you,” he murmurs. 

Warmth floods Jester’s heart. “You do, in your own way,” she replies softly. “All the time.”

Caleb smiles a little. “I mean properly.” He shifts a little, moving closer, and winces at the pain it causes him. “I don’t like to always...take. I wish I could give.”

“Then give me this.” Jester ignores the throbbing in her temple, the faint tickle of blood in her hair. “Healing you. Getting to see someone I care about get better.” She raises a playful eyebrow. “Getting to see you shirtless.”

Caleb laughs, and then immediately groans. 

“Getting to see you laugh without it hurting, Cayleb,” Jester adds, an ache building behind her sternum even though she’s smiling. “Come on. Give me that.”

He holds her gaze for a long moment, before finally whispering, “Okay.”

It’s funny, Jester thinks as she pours another Cure Wounds into Caleb’s body, the way he doesn’t really understand what a gift it is. What a relief it is to be able to heal. What a pleasure it is to see someone whole, walking around alive and well, because of her hands. Caleb seems to feel like he owes her a debt, like each spell she casts is another entry in a ledger somewhere, written in red, a tally of blood pulled from Jester’s own veins. 

I wish I could heal you, she thinks, her palms flat against his skin, fingers trembling. I mean properly. It’s not his ribcage that troubles her, not really, it’s not his body at all. It’s that deeper pain that she can’t touch, not with all her magic. 

Not yet anyway. She grits her teeth again, and channels the spell, and pushes. 

[bureowo]

hi!! I’m in love with your writing 😭 can I request number 20 and 30 with jisung? 💖

hi bubby!! thank you so much omg ily (●´□`)♡ i went full fluff w this one i’m just in a mood 🤭 i hope you like it!! (◍•ᴗ•◍)♡ ✧*。

w.c: 650. | warnings: mentions of eggs if ur vegan D: | prompt list.

“Okay,” Jisung mutters under his breath as he scurries around the kitchen, his sock-cladded feet thudding softly against the floor and the onions sizzling and browning in the frying pan.

“The carrots are in the wok.” He announces brightly, hand fumbling over the counter beside him for the wooden spoon he’d been using. He begins stirring the vegetables while you take in his figure; you could get used to this – to his presence, his company, his fluffy hair and drowsy stare, to having late sunday lunches and to watching him make a mess of your kitchen as you try to guide him through cooking. “What am I supposed to do now?” He looks at you expectantly with a smile on his face and all thoughts leave your head.

You could certainly get used to Jisung; oh, how perfectly splendid would it be to get to arouse to his smile every morning, how lovely to be able to kiss his lips each night, to be able to hold his gaze without fearing what he might find staring back at him. Oh, how simply wondrous it would be to bare your heart to him at last, to finally admit how much space he takes up in your mind and in your heart, to finally recognize that every touch, every look you send his way, are laced with nothing but pure, undiluted love.

“Y/n, what do I do?” He tries to snap you out of your daze, frying pan in hand as he takes a few steps in your direction. “I need to know, the onions are going to burn!”

“Uh- you- add some more oil,” you stammer out, the appetizing smell as well as your grumbling stomach promptly bringing you back to reality. “And then you can dump in the rice.”

He twirls back around to face the stove and you hope your cheeks aren’t as burning red as they feel. But then again, would it be so bad if he caught you blushing? – If he were to catch a glimpse of it through the corner of his eye, and chuckled lowly? If he were to talk into your ear, mumbling about how enchanting he finds you? The thought alone makes butterflies flutter madly inside your stomach.

“Alright, now what?” Jisung inquires from over his shoulder. You walk him through the final steps of the beijing fried rice recipe, and can’t stop yourself from beaming at the way he parrots back each direction you give him. You really can’t help but let your mind wander – he’d be such a delightful suitor, such an alluring beau, he’d have you completely under his spell, utterly bewitched.

“Y/n, can you pass me the soy sauce?” He asks you. You get up as if in a trance, your hand reaches for the seasoning and your feet glide across the floor, yet your head is still on the clouds.

Jisung turns around to take the bottle from your hand, but his fingers wrap around yours instead, warm and snugly. You gape at him, he’s much closer than expected, though no further than you want to. He takes a step closer to you, setting the soy sauce down on the counter to hold your hands properly.

“You know,” He says with a small grin, swinging your arms around lightly. “This would be a cute first date.” You cock an eyebrow at him, trying your best to remain composed, but you can feel your face heating up by the second. “It’s only missing one thing, though.” Jisung sighs whilst pursing his lips.

“What’s that?” Your voice comes out airy and small.

“This.” Jisung replies, before leaning in to brush his mouth over yours. The kiss is short and sweet but it leaves your mind spinning and your heart racing all the same.

(You end up burning the rice, but you find that his lips taste all the more delectable.)

[cammmerrroniii]

Fever Dream

The night air is crisp and cool as usual at the Jorhouse. The mighty Nein have recently returned from Eissel Cross and were recovering from the events that had unfolded there.

Caduceus, in an attempt to comfort everyone but mostly himself, immediately busied himself in the kitchen making some of his special tea. The Willinghams, he thought to himself, they should make the perfect brew to settle these rascals. He looked back through the door leading into the foyer and saw Jester, so excited to see Essik tomorrow, bouncing around the room adding her own touches to the house to make it feel more homey since they’d be here a while.

Caleb sat in the corner pouring over a book, as usual, but every now and then you could see his eyes just glazing over the top of his worn and slightly yellowed pages to watch this little blue teifling work her “magic”. Veth was in her room, preparing little presents for Yeza, apparently their anniversary was coming up soon and of course Fjord was up there teasing her as he does.

Meanwhile, Yasha was sitting cross-legged on the second story balcony looking over the street, processing everything that had happened. The things that had occurred that she never thought possible. Seeing that coat had brought back so many memories; memories that she’d tried so desperately to bury with the others. She knew blaming herself never helped anything but she couldn’t help it. And then there was Beau. Oh Beau. Beau, Beau. What have you done to me, she thought while watching the neighbor’s peeking out their windows at their house for the fifth time.

She let out a sigh and thought about why she had acted the way she did around Beauregard. She felt that itch begin to rise once more inside of her. It always started this way, her toes would tingle and make her legs ache to run. The sensation would travel through her muscles like a ripple, until she found herself clenching and unclenching her fists and looking around for an exit. But Beau, with her captivating blue eyes and crooked smile, had complicated things.

Unbeknownst to Yasha, Beau was up on the roof staring down at the Aasimar woman. She knew she needed to talk to her about the poem, but she also knew that she sucks with feelings. She’d been watching her from afar for a while now, and, thinking about it, she thought about how stalkerish she probably seems. She took a deep inhale and deftly got to her feet without making a sound.

“Hey Yasha! I was wondering where you were hiding” she called out acting like she had just stumbled upon her.

“Oh!” Yasha jumped slightly in surprise, “Hallo, Beau. I’m sorry. I thought I had told everyone I’d be up here. Were you looking for me?” She had said where she would be. They all heard her.

“Yeah! I mean, no, well I mean not for like a long time or anything I mean, don’t worry about it, aha!” Gods why is she so weird all the time. Beau parkoured down to the balcony and leaned awkwardly against the rails for a second. “So, Yash....” Fuck, why didn’t she think of something to say first?!

Yasha looked up at Beauregard through her lashes expectantly. “What is it, Beau?”

Beau swallowed hard. “Um, ah. So that, ah, poem.. I uh gave it a read”, quite a few times, though she neglected to mention that part. A surprised look that was a mix of nervousness and horror spread across Yasha’s face. With everything going on, she had forgotten about that silly little poem.

“Oh, uh, that’s.. good. Yeah I, um, Jester gave me the idea and um she thought... I mean, uh, I-I thought that you know I,” she chewed on her words for a second. “I have been thinking about you- I mean, thinking about telling you how I feel, that is. So.. what did you think?” She bit her last few words off sharply and held her breath.

Beau knew that something had changed in Yasha since she had gotten her wings back. She saw it more and more as the barbarian woman continued to slowly open herself up to the group. She looked her over for a second and did, in fact, notice just the faintest bit of white at her roots and her skin held a light shine to it. She was literally glowing, and radiating beauty. Beau shook herself for a moment and realized she had been staring at Yasha awkwardly for a few seconds while she was clearly anxiously awaiting her reply.

“Um,” she cleared her throat and sat down beside Yasha, their knees brushing against each other as she did so; the slight intake of breath Yasha did at the contact did not go unnoticed. “I think that you definitely have a way with words that is unique. And I wanted to tell you that, if I understood your poem correctly, I’ve felt the same way since the first day I saw you.” She told her honestly and unabashedly, though her heart was hammering into her ribcage.

Yasha stared back at Beau, looking a bit stunned. They sat in silence for a few moments, though it wasn’t as awkward now that they’ve both discussed somethings out loud.

“Beauregard,” Yasha started slowly. “I care very deeply for you. And I don’t want you to end up hurt again because of me.” Beau looked like she was going to say something but Yasha cut her off. “I’ve been going through big changes recently and accepting everything has been a big part of that. And I forgive myself. For Zuala, and Molly, and you most of all. I-I need to go for a little while, not very long, I promised you I wouldn’t leave and I’m going to keep that promise but I just need to go and commune with the Storm Lord. He sent me these visions in my dreams and I know I must go there in order to complete my change and prove myself worthy. I didn’t want to tell anyone, old habits die hard I guess. But, I cannot hide things from you. Not anymore.” She opened her eyes that she wasn’t aware she had closed and looked back over to Beau. She was thinking. Yasha could tell because of the way the tip of her tongue just slightly glazed over the corner of her mouth repeatedly.

She’s going to feel betrayed, that I’ve lied to her. She’ll never forgive me, Yasha let herself think.

“I understand,” Beau finally said. Yasha looked at her in surprise. Of course she understood. As blind as Yasha is, even she could tell that underneath all of that bravado - and abs, oh gods so many abs - Beauregard understood Yasha on a far deeper level than anyone ever had. Beau connected eyes with Yasha and grinned. “But I’ll be expecting a kiss when you come back to me.” Yasha heart did a back flip just thinking about kissing Beau. She couldn’t form words as her brain got all goopy, so she simply nodded.

They both got to their feet slowly and stood facing one another. Yasha leaned down and gently laid her lips onto Beaus forehead. Beau was grinning like an idiot when Yasha pulled back.

“One for now, and the other when I come back. I promise.”

“Good luck.”

And with that, Yasha hopped the railing and landed perfectly on her feet. She began walking to her destination, already planning the kiss. She looked back one last time just in time to see Beau fist pump the air and do a little happy shimmy before she saw Yasha looking and froze, sheepishly waving goodbye to her before ducking into the house.

—————-

It was late, Beau would guess around 3AM. The witching hour, she thought to herself. Yasha had left some two or three weeks ago and Beau hadn’t been able to sleep very well after about the first week of her absence. They were still at the Jorhouse and everyone was fast asleep.

She quietly crawled out of bed and slid out onto the balcony, looking out in the direction Yasha had left.

The group did not take the news of her leaving well at first, mainly because they were concerned for Yasha’s safety. But, they all understood and came to the resounding conclusion that she could take care of herself.

“Who in their right mind would mess with Yasha,” Fjord had said. “She could bench press all of us with one arm if she wanted to.” Beau let some dirty thoughts of Yasha bench pressing her seep into her gutter of a mind and Fjord had scoffed at her while Jester wiggled her eyebrows and cackled at Beau’s expression.

“Ja, our Aasimar friend will be fine. She has a new belt that I’m sure she’s itching to add some notches to.” Caleb had remarked.

“And I can send her a message!!” Jester squealed, about to do just that. Beau had grasped her blue friend gently and advised against it.

“Yasha just needs some time alone, I think. Just her and the Storm Lord. She’ll be back soon.” Beau gave a small smile to Jester, who grinned knowingly back and gave her a small nod in understanding.

Looking out over the cool and quiet streets thinking back to the day Yasha had left and the conversation they had had, Beau couldn’t help but feel like she was being watched. She heard a thud and spun around to see a tall figure standing over her. Long white hair, glowing eyes boring through her, and though covered in dirt her skin shone through dimly.

“Yasha!” Beau startled out. She didn’t have much time to process before Yasha enveloped Beau with her arms, pulling her into a warm hug. They stood like this for a few moments, just basking in each other’s embrace.

“I missed you Beau. I mean, I missed all of you. But, you know what I mean.” Her voice sounded faintly of angelic chimes and hums. They pulled apart though staying very close as Beau looked up in awe.

“You look.. different. Still very beautiful, though.” She blushed at the fact that she just straight up said Yasha was beautiful to her face which was literally only a few inches away, oh my gods. “I’ve never seen someone after a change like this before.”

Yasha just smiled softly, and gazed at Beau for a moment. “You’re beautiful, too.” And then she leaned down and captured Beauregard in a mind blowing kiss. For both of them, it felt as if this were the first time they have ever kissed another person. It was electrifying.

As Yasha was welcomed back into the Nein, her family, there was something there in the back of her head that was just overwhelmed with joy and love that she had finally found her soulmate. And as she connected eyes with Beau across the living room of the Jorhouse surrounded by their family and friends, she knew that Beau felt it too.

I know this is super long and I’m so sorry. But this is the dream I had and was told to write so I wrote it for you guys. I hope it’s okay, like I said, I’ve never written fan fiction before. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. If it’s terrible, also please feel free to DM me, I always accept criticism so long as you’re not being, like, a huge dick. :)

[peach-the-owl]

50 and 32 with Caleb. Maybe they are in a battle and the kid accidentally hurts someone (M9) with a spell gone wrong. She hides and doesn't trust herself anymore? Thank you and I hope everything is going great!

Hello, hello! It is always a pleasure to fufill a request. I’m doing pretty good, thank you for asking and I hope you’re doing well too. Now onto the story!! 😁

Acidic Touch

Child of the Nein (Caleb & Child!Reader)

32- Just go away! 50- It was an accident. I didn’t mean to.

You’d come across a scroll for the spell Acid Splash while in your travels and instantly got to work putting it into you little spell book, practicing it whenever you got the chance. You hadn’t told Caleb about it yet hoping to surprise him with a new spell you learned all by yourself in hopes to impress him. This was the first spell you had that could actually do damage to a person and you were feeling confident in your skill, now all you had to do was wait for the perfect moment to show it off. Luckily for you this was the Mighty Nein we were talking about so coming across a scuffle with foes was somewhat of a common occurrence. While on the road to Zadash a small group of assassins decided now was a good time to spring an attack on the party. You were focused, you were ready, you lined up your shot and hurled the bubble of acid at your target, they weren’t paying attention to you so you felt you got this in the bag. They moved out of the way to dodge Beau's attack leaving her in the range of yours, the spell hits her on the shoulder and she yelps in pain looking around to try and figure out where it had come from. You throw your hands over your mouth in shock, that wasn’t supposed to happen, Beau was your friend how could you hurt her? You quickly duck away into a nearby thicket using a shrub as cover for yourself while trying to get a grip on what just happened. You felt ashamed of yourself thinking that maybe you should’ve just stuck to playing a supportive role so that way you wouldn’t end up hurting anyone else. You couldn’t help but wonder what the Nein would think, specifically what Caleb would think if he knew what you did without his permission, he may never let you use magic again after that horrible display. A figure darts past you through the thicket, one of the assassins was making an escape, this could be your chance… but what if you screw up again and just make it worse? Your hesitance made you loose sight of the assassin but now another figure had entered the thicket.

"(Y/n)! Where are you?!" You could defiantly pick out Caleb’s voice from anywhere, he sounded panicked. While you’d normally jump out and yell "here" you couldn’t bring yourself to do it today, still stuck on what you did to Beau worrying that you’d end up doing it again. You didn't want to risk something like that again. You shift slightly from your position having been uncomfortable with it causing your shrub to shake and gaining Caleb’s attention. "There you are, I nearly had a heart attack thinking they had taken you."

"Leave me alone." You didn’t want to sound rude but you also didn’t want to be close to anyone right now either. Huh, was this how Caleb felt sometimes when he was in one of his hazy states?

"Kleiner, are you feeling alright?" He reaches a hand out for you.

"Just go away!" You sudden outburst shocks him, having never seen you act like this in all the time he’s known you. "I don’t want to hurt you too." You add the last part quietly, he still heard you though.

"Hurt me? What are you talking about?" You just turn and try to hide yourself in the shrub more. "Please, you have to tell me what’s wrong." You pull out your spell book, opening to the page with the Acid Splash spell and hand it to Caleb.

"I wanted to surprise you with a spell I learned all by myself, but instead I hurt Beau with it."

"You what!?"

"It was an accident! I didn’t mean to… But I get it if you don’t want to teach me anymore." You rush your words out, voice wavering by the end and a tear slowly made its way down your cheek, you were scared of what his full reaction would be. A moment passes… then another. Your gently brought out of your shrub cover as Caleb places an arm around you, rubbing soothing circles on your back.

"I don’t like seeing you putting yourself down like this, if anything it is my fault for not preparing you to properly engage in combat. There is still so much I want to show and teach you."

"But what if I mess up again?"

"That’s normal, you can’t expect every outcome to be the same, those are the risks you have to take in battle." You nod in slight understanding. Caleb slowly starts bringing you both back out of the thicket towards the group who were patching themselves up after that little scuffle. You hesitate a second before taking a breath and walking over to Beau, who was getting tended to by Jester.

"Hey Beau." You start a little nervously.

"Oh hey, what’s up kid." She replies, stretching her arms out casually once Jester finished healing her.

"It’s good that your ok, and I’m sorry for hurting you." Beau raises a confused eyebrow at this. "I didn’t mean to, I was aiming for the assassin guy but hit you by accident."

"That was you who threw the acid?" You nod feeling your face heat up a bit in embarrassment. "Not bad kid. Hey Caleb, your kid finally knows how to pack a punch! Good on them." She yells over at him, surprising you with how impressed she sounded.

"Best part is they learned it on their own." Caleb responds with just a hint of pride in his voice.

"So your not mad?" You ask still confused by Beau’s reaction.

"Nah, I’ve taken much worse. You’re good." You give her a smile and make your way back over to Caleb.

"You see, all is well in the end." He says once you reach him.

"Yeah, I guess it is… Soooo when do I get to learn a spell like Fireball?" You look up at him with big eyes, he freezes for a second.

"Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves now."

[villainousshakespeare]

Family Night

Tom Hiddleston/Fem!Reader RPF

Warnings: some angst, family drama, squabbling, fluff, feels, warmth, love, implied future smut After reconnecting on the set of In The Timing, Tom wants you to meet his family. How bad could it be?

I am feeling soft and fragile this week, so I had the urge to drop in on this couple and see a little slice of their life. Just some feels and a little bit of angst, but lots of love.

@yespolkadotkitty @just-the-hiddles @alexakeyloveloki @arch-venus25 @caffiend-queen @ciaodarknessmyheart @frostbitten-written @grufflepuff-writes-stuff @hiddlesholic @hopelessromanticspoonie @kellatron55 @myoxisbroken @nonsensicalobsessions @poetic-fiasco @redfoxwritesstuff @shiningloki @shae-annelore​ @vodka-and-some-sass​ @wolfsmom1​ @yespolkadotkitty​

"I've changed my mind. I don't think this is a good idea," you said nervously as the car pulled into the driveway of a nice house in the suburbs of Oxford.

"Darling, relax," Tom sighed, shifting the jag into park and turning his devastatingly blue eyes on you. "Everything is going to be fine. They'll love you."

"I don't know how you can say that," you fretted. "Your mother hates me!"

"Correction," he grinned, "she hated you. Past tense. But back then you were the evil siren who had seduced her baby boy into a hedonistic life of sin he was too young and naïve to be prepared to resist, putting his entire bright and shiny future at risk."

"This is not helping!"

"Now though," he continued, ignoring your interruption, "you are the brilliant author of her favorite novels, and the screenwriter who has single handedly elevated her perfectly grown up boy to new heights of acclaim."

"I am the same person though!"

"I know that darling. I have inspected you very closely to catalogue that all of you is, indeed, just as I remember it from our first meeting-"

"With a few more pounds," you muttered.

"And you are exactly as perfect as I remember, if not more so. My mother, on the other hand, has a more selective memory."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning, that by this time I am sure she has managed to convince herself that she always loved you, and wanted only for us to end up happily together."

You gave him a hard look, wanting to believe the slightly smug smile that tilted his lips but having a hard time doing so. Mrs. Hiddleston had definitely not approved of you all those years ago, and you doubted time would make her forget. You couldn't really blame the woman. You yourself had been convinced that the difference in your ages and circumstances had been an insurmountable barrier to your relationship. Tom had been a young student, just out of university and about to begin intensive training to become an actor. You were years older and already settled into your life as a writer, although you had yet to have much success at it. While the passion between you was undeniable, you had let your insecurity lead you to end the relationship.

Now, years later, situations had altered. Tom was indeed all grown up and an international movie star to boot, as you had always known he could be. You were still older of course, but the difference in your ages seemed less significant now that you were both established in the world. Everything had changed, except for the fire that still sprang to light when you were in the same room. That miracle had somehow managed to survive the separation, reigniting stronger than ever when your paths crossed again to make the movie you had written drawing inspiration in part from your love for him. For the millionth time you thanked whatever gods might be listening for giving you a second chance with this man.

"Come on, best face the fire and get it over with," he said, getting out of the car and trotting to your side to open your door like the perfect gentleman he pretended to be. Only you knew better.

"What fire? I thought you said there was nothing to worry about?"

"Merely a metaphor love. Besides, my sisters and their families are here, so that should smooth things over."

"Yeah, that's going to make me feel less nervous," you groused.

Tom held the door open and ushered you into the house, steering to the left and into a cozy, tastefully decorated living room.

"Mum, we're here!" he bellowed as he helped you out of your coat and hung it with his on a peg in the hall.

"Uncle Yay Monster!!!!"

A quick thunder of steps was heard as a small child hurtled down the stairs and straight into the impossibly long legs of your companion.  Tom laughed with genuine joy as he tousled the curly blond hair and attempted to pry the arms from around his legs. When he finally freed himself, it was only to swing the young girl, you guessed she was around 6, up into his arms for a bear hug that should have crushed her. Only your knowledge of how deceptively gentle he could be kept you from fearing for the child.

"Hello Pip!" he said, lifting her higher to balance on his shoulders. "Miss me?"

"Yes! Daddy's not as tall as you are!"

"Oh, so that's all I'm good for, is it? A better view? You women are heartless!" Tom winced as two little hands grabbed clutches of his hair, tugging for balance.

"No, not all. You also bring me presents!"

"Presents? What presents?" he made his voice baffled.

"Uncle Tom, you did bring me something, didn't you?" the shameless child wheedled.

"Maybe... grab my knapsack, would you?" he asked you.

As you moved to pick up the bag from where he had dropped it, you felt the girl's eyes focus on you as she suddenly realize she and her beloved uncle were not alone in the room.

"Who are you?" she asked with that directness only children could get away with.

Trying to hide your nerves, seriously how could you be nervous of a six year old? you introduced yourself, smiling up at her. From her lofty perch the girl regarded you as if you were an intruder into her realm and she was not sure whether to welcome you or order your beheading.

"Why is she here?" she asked Tom, who was moving from foot to foot in order to bounce her.

"Mind your manners, Pip," he scolded with a laugh. "She's a friend of mine. A very special friend."

"Gran did say you were bringing someone... I had thought she meant Luke."

"Why would I bring Luke to a family dinner?"

"Well, he's almost like family," she whined.

Tom swung the now squirming child off of his shoulders and hunched down to look at her more closely. You could see the disappointment in her face, and from the slight stain of her cheeks you had a sudden flash that her irritation was not so much at your inclusion than at the publicist's absence.

"Oh, Luke is fun, isn't he?" you asked, earning yourself a quick, incredulous look from Tom. "It's a shame he couldn't come tonight."

"He is!" the little girl turned her attention to you with a smile. "He scolds Uncle Yay Monster, and sometimes gets cross at him, but he's always very polite to me. He says that I'm the only Hiddleston who knows how to behave!"

"Shows what he knows," Tom huffed under his breath, making you struggle not to laugh.

"He's a very smart man," you nodded, ignoring your beau. "The first time I met him he said that he hoped I might be able to keep your uncle in line. I haven't had much luck so far. But to honest I don't really want to. I rather like it when he misbehaves. Sometimes."

"Me too," she admitted after a moment. "But don't tell Luke that!"

"I promise, it will stay between us," you said solemnly.

"I guess you can stay then," she decided. "Now, what did you bring me?"

"Greedy little Pip!"

"Pip?" you asked.

"Short for pipsqueak," Tom supplied with a grin.

"My name," she said with all the maturity of a duchess, "is Emilia. Only he calls me Pip. And only because he refuses to stop, even though I am much too old for that name now."

"Well, then I will call you Emilia. It's a very pretty name. Much more suitable than Pip."

"Traitor," Tom accused as he fished through his bag.

"I thought I heard voices!"

Emilia was squealing over her Shuri action figure, autographed on her feet, when a small group of adults entered the room. The family resemblance between Tom and his sisters was unmistakable. Fair haired and blue eyed, they were a classically attractive British family. Tom affectionately hugged both women with genuine warmth before moving on to the two men hanging slightly back and also gripping them in embraces. You stood aside and let the voices wash over you for a moment before he Tom turned back you and raised an eyebrow, drawing you to his side.

"Allow me to introduce my family. My sisters, Sarah and Emma, and their poor, beleaguered spouses Yakov and Jack."

"Hi," you managed. "Nice to meet you all."

"Oh, I love your books!" Sarah gushed, easing your mind a bit that the first response was positive.

"So, this is the woman we've heard so little about!" Emma, the younger of the two women said with a familiar grin.

"I've told you about her!" he insisted.

"You'll have to excuse Tom," Sarah told you with a roll of her eyes. "He loves to stoke the drama by being mysterious."

"I didn't realize I was such a secret," you said, glancing at him.

"They're grossly overstating things," he replied.

"No such thing. Tom never brings his women home. Not that there have been a lot of women," Sarah hastened to add.

Emma nodded. "And never for more than -"

"Three months!" they said in unison.

"Shut it!" Tom warned eloquently.

"Ah, the three month rule," Emma sighed dramatically, reminding you of her brother. "Give them just enough time to become fatally attached, poor deluded things, and then kick them to the curb."

"We never even get to meet most of them. He's always been that way. Ever since the woman."

"Sarah," Tom's voice was a warning.

"The woman?" you asked at the same time.

"Years ago, no one for you to worry about now!" she insisted quickly.

"Some older woman who broke his heart. Poor boy was never the same since. Not that he was such a catch before, mind you," Emma put in.

"That's enough," Tom snapped.

"Ooh, Tommy's angry!" Emma teased. "What was her name? Sarah do you remember?"

"Let me think," the older sister tilted her head to the side.

"No need," you decided to end the torture. "Um... it was me."

"What?" two sets of blue eyes stared at you while Tom ran his hand down his face.

"Can we maybe sit down now and talk like adults?" he asked in a pained voice.

"Oh, I need to hear this!" Emma said, falling into a chair.

Tom closed his eyes briefly and pulled you to his side on one of the comfortable sofas. You gave him a week smile and drew strength from the way his hand squeezed yours.

"Yes, alright," he said with a sigh. "Let's not all make a big deal out of this. We dated years ago. It was not an ideal break up -"

"I'll say," Sarah interrupted. "You cried for months!"

"I did not cry for - that is not the point. We met again on the set of the film, and the feelings were still there. We've been back together ever since."

"That would be so romantic if it wasn't about Tom!" Emma cooed.

"I think it's plenty romantic with anyway, thank you very much," he replied.

"I don't know what to think," Sarah said. "On the one hand, I swore if I ever met the woman who hurt my baby brother so badly I would beat the stuffing out of her. On the other... well, he does look fairly happy now."

"I am very happy now, so there will be no beating of anyone!"

"I really didn't mean to hurt him," you demurred. "I just thought the timing wasn't right."

"And I disagreed," Tom said through gritted teeth. "However, we both concur that the timing is impeccable now, so here we are."

"Wait, does your mother know?" Jack asked, interrupting the sibling banter for the first time. All eyes swung to him and he raised his hands defensively. "What? I know I'm the newest one, or was until now, but even I have heard of that woman who broke her baby's heart."

"I knew this was a bad idea!" you groaned.

"Well, it's not as though we had many alternatives," Tom shrugged philosophically. "You could hardly just never meet my mother if we are going to be together."

"I'm sure we could make it work some how," you said in a panic.

"Oh, don't worry about mum," Emma waved off your concern breezily. "Once she sees how dopy the Little Prince is over you, she'll come round soon enough."

"I'm just excited that Tom finally has a partner!" Sarah grinned.

"A partner for what?" you asked, a new sinking feeling hitting you.

"Game night of course!" Sarah answered.

"There are too many of us not to play partners, not if we ever want to go to bed," Emma explained, "but poor Tommy never has anyone for his team."

"Not since he made Mum cry that one time," Sarah added.

"I did not make her cry!"

"Yes you did!" his sisters said in unison.

"He made Luke swear once," Emilia added in from where she sat, previously forgotten by the grownups, introducing Shuri to Loki and Peter Parker figures. "I heard it all the way up in my room!"

"Pip! Hush! You're supposed to be on my side!" Tom told her.

"I thought it was funny," she giggled.

"Well, yes, so did I," he admitted, "but that's not the point."

"The last time he brought Bobby and said the dog was going to be his partner," Yakov sniggered.

"As I recall, we won anyway," Tom said superiorly. "I don't need a partner to beat the lot of you. Of course, I am glad to have you anyway, darling."

"I can't say the feeling is necessarily mutual," you looked at him in dawning horror.

"It shouldn't be," Emma mouthed at you in an exaggerated stage whisper. "

"Mr. Bossy Pants doesn't like loosing, you see," Emma told you gleefully.

"But he looooooves rules!" Sarah added.

"Well, there's no point without rules!"

"You are such a tight ass!" Emma mocked.

"Just because you're damn squib when it comes to games has to cheat to win!"

"Thomas William Hiddleston, how dare you talk to your sister that way!"

All heads turned to the entryway where a stylish woman of advancing years stood, arms on hips, looking fierce despite her red apron. Tom stood and took a step forward, face flushing as he realized his mother had caught him out.

"That's right, you tell him!" Emma couldn't seem to resist saying.

"Hush Emma," the matriarch said to her younger daughter, "I have no doubt you were provoking him."

"See, she always takes his side!" Sarah pointed out to you.

"That's because you two always gang up on me!"

"Stop it all of you, or do you all have to go sit on the naughty step for a time out?"

All three Hiddleston children looked mutinous, but held their peace as their mother stared them down.

"Some day you will have to teach me how to do that," Jack sighed wistfully.

"I'm afraid it wouldn't work for you dear," she smiled at him. "You have to be a mother. Now, Tom, would you like to introduce me to your friend?"

"Of course," Tom seized the change in conversation and grabbed you by the wrist, pulling you to your feet like an overzealous puppy. "Mum, I know you've been telling me you wanted to meet the woman who had made me sound so happy on the phone. Well, here she is!"

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Hiddleston," you lied, smiling anxiously.

"Oh, please, call me Diana," she smiled, moving in to hug you. "From what I've gleaned from my son, you are practically part of the family all ready."

"She certainly is," he agreed, beaming. "And I want no more jokes about three month rules or mystery dates."

"Oh, have the girls been giving Tom a hard time?" Diana sighed, rolling her eyes at her children. "They do love to needle him."

"It's good for him," Sarah opined. "Helps to counteract all that Sexiest Man Alive nonsense to hear from people who know the truth."

"Not to mention it's proper payback for the therapy bills from having to see our brother's arse on the big screen every time we go to the movies."

"Mum..." Tom wheedled.

"Alright girls, that's enough in front of Tom's friend. So, you two met on the set of the film? I love your writing by the way! Did Tom tell you I was the one who suggested he go after that project?"

"He did," you confirmed.

"From the moment I read your books, I couldn't help but think of my Tom. Well, perhaps not in the steamier scenes... I confess I had to skip those. I'm not a prude you understand, it's just in this case..."

"I understand completely!" you interjected as her children shuddered and squirmed.

"Good. I just couldn't get past the idea that the stories were written specifically with him in mind!"

"Well, actually," you took a deep breath, deciding to face the fire head on, just as Tom suggested, "they were."

"Oh, you mean you were a fan of his work?" she smiled. "I can understand that. He is rather charming on screen, at least in the movies where he is not forced into some ridiculous wig."

"No," licked your lips nervously and glanced at Tom.

"You see Mum," he took over, taking your clammy hand in his firm, warm embrace, "we had met before. In point of fact, you two have met before."

"Oh, Tom, don't be silly. I would remember that!"

"Oh, I think you do," he grinned, making you wonder if he'd gone mad. "It was the first time you dropped by my apartment at RADA. You hadn't called, and I thought you were the pizza deliveryman."

"Oh dear," Sarah pinched the bridge of her nose as you cringed in memory.

"Now Tom, the only woman I ever met at your apartment was that dreadful... oh!"

"Indeed," he nodded.

"You mean you were..."

"I'm afraid so," you mumbled, staring at the floor.

"But you were so old," she said. "So much older than my Tommy."

"Real tactful, Mum," Emma commented.

"I am older than him," you confirmed.

"But you don't look it all," Diana said, looking from you to her son. "If I didn't know any better, I would think that Tom was at least your age, if not older."

"Thanks, Mum."

"It's all that time in the sun," Sarah said. "I've told you to put on sunblock."

"I do."

"Children," Diana said, voice crisp with command, "the table needs setting."

Clearly knowing when fun time was over, Sarah and Emma jumped to their feet and with startling alacrity were out of the room, husbands in tow. Tom put his arm around your waist and stubbornly stood firm in a power stance, glaring at his mother.

"You too, Tom," she told him quietly.

"It does not take five people to set a table," his voice was just as soft.

"Then you can make the salad. We all know from that silly addvert you filmed that you know how to do that at least."

"It's okay, Tom," you told him as he geared up to protest again. "I'll be fine."

"Of course she will. Emilia, don't think I don't see you there. Go with your uncle and make sure he doesn't cut himself on any of the knifes."

You could tell that Tom wanted to protest further, but with his niece staring up at him adorably he was unable to do so. At last, with a disgruntled grunt, he lifted Emilia back onto his shoulders and harrumphed off towards the kitchen.

"Please, have a seat."

Diana gestured to one of the highbacked chairs. You perched on the edge as though prepared to fly off at any moment. The older woman settled herself straight backed in the seat across from you and looked you over carefully.

"So, you're her," she said at last. "I must confess, you look quite different in my memory."

"It was some time ago," you mumbled.

"A decade and a half. You broke his heart when you left him you know. He never really got over it. Oh, he dated of course. Actresses, popstars, but his heart was never in it."

"I never got over it either," you confessed, tears fighting to form in your eyes. "I loved him very much, even back then."

"But you left him."

"I did."

"Why?" she seemed very intent as she held your gaze. This mattered, you knew. Deeply.

"Because I loved him," you admitted. "I loved him from that first night. But he's Tom, and was even back then. He was brilliant, and driven, and had the whole world spread out in front of him."

"He did. I thought you were going to stand in the way of all of that. Be a distraction."

"I would have. If you know Tom, and of course you do, you know he is incapable of doing anything by half measure. If he committed himself to me, he would have gone all in. How would he be able to do that and gain the experience he needed?"

"He wouldn't have."

"I agree. He would have missed out on all the adventures waiting for him. And he would have secretly resented me, maybe even hated me for it."

"I don't know about that," Diana said, thinking it over, "but I would have. Yes, I can admit that. He was always destined for greatness, that boy. His father and I knew it from a very young age. When he told me about you, I thought you were an opportunist. Using an up and coming young boy for all the things that an older woman would. When you dumped him, well I just assumed..."

"That I had gotten bored with him?" you guessed.

"Well, yes I suppose. But that wasn't it at all. You weren't being dismissive, you were being protective. You put Tom's needs above your own."

"I don't know that I was being all that altruistic," you laughed. "Being tied to someone who resented me didn't seem like all that much fun for me either in the long run. But yes, I wanted what was best for him."

"Of course he couldn't see that. He's always been a stubborn boy. But now, after all this time..."

"It was like fate," you blurted out. "I know that sounds hokey, but it was as though the universe wanted us to end up together."

"Maybe it did."

"Then you're not upset?"

"My dear," she said, "I have watched my son his whole life. He is not an easy man in many ways. He is elusive, competitive, bossy, and highly driven. His standards for others are only exceeded by his standards for himself. If you have managed to maintain his interest, not to mention his heart, for all this time, who am I to gainsay that? Yes, I objected to your relationship in the past. You were correct about the opportunities he would have missed out on. But it's different now. Tom is a man, and well established in the world. He can pick and choose his projects to a great extent, and has the clout in the industry to set his own terms. If that includes bringing his wife on a shoot, or scheduling so that it fits in with her schedule, well, good for him."

"Wife?" you squeaked. "There's been no talk of that!"

"Oh, just wait. As I said, I know my son. He is not one to let the grass grow under his feet. If he is introducing you to all of us, and I admit, we can be a trial, then his plans are not of the short term variety."

"I want to be the flower girl!" a high pitched, excited voice called from the hallway.

"Emilia! Were you eaves dropping?" Diana exclaimed.

"Only because they told me to!" the little girl poked her head in to say.

"For the love of... if you'll excuse me, I have some children to reprimand."

"Of course," you said with a small chuckle.

"But first," you were suddenly embraced in a warm, maternal hug, "allow me to officially welcome you to the family. You have your work cut out for you. But please, for me sake, try to get him to cut his hair, or at least buy a new outfit. We are all heartily sick of The Uniform."

With a last squeeze, Diana got up and headed for the kitchen, leaving you shaken on the couch. Tom had been right, you had faced your fear, and the worst had not happened. In fact, things had gone better than you ever hoped for.

"Everything alright, love?" he asked, stepping in from a side door that you hadn't realized was there.

"Everything is wonderful!" you smiled tearily at him.

"See, I told you she'd love you!"

"Wait, aren't you supposed to be getting scolded?" you asked, coming into his arms.

"Ah, well. Every good obnoxious brother knows all the escape routes. I slipped out as soon as heard footsteps. By the time Mum finds me, she will be worn out from dealing with the others. Classic technique! Time tested."

"You must have been a terror," you laughed.

"Oh, most definitely," he agreed happily. "But now I'm your terror. And I assure you my sisters are very happy to have me off of their hands."

"I'll bet."

Tom grinned, and then kissed you soundly, making you forget for a moment the large family argument doubtless going on in the other room. He had a way of taking every thought from your head except for how perfect it felt to be in his arms, pressed against him. When he finally pulled away, you were both breathing hard and more than a little excited.

"Best stop that for the time," he said regretfully. "Or we'll be in for it even more."

"You're probably right," you had to admit. Then a thought struck you and you couldn't resist a giggle. "Tom?"

"Yes love?" he asked, kissing your neck.

"What's the naughty step?"

"Just wait until everyone else goes to bed tonight," he told you, head in his voice, "and I'll show you."

[utilitycaster]

palecrepegold replied to your post “Monks are I think a really good example of a focused class that’s...”

Does this beat Vax's top speed in Campaign 1? Because, wow.

It doesn’t beat his final top speed, but it does beat his speed at the same level, and it’s also not dependent on items (even assuming Vax could have haste cast on him rather than using the boots); it’s also far more universally applicable.

Vax with the wings of his armor activated had a 60 ft flight speed. As a rogue, he could dash as a bonus action. Hasted, he’d have the same math as Beau, but that extra 10 ft/round adds up: 120 ft movement, plus the same for his action, hasted action, and bonus action, for a total of 480 ft/round. However, he had to be flying (I don’t know if this would have been permitted for swimming), whereas this is Beau’s speed for anything. He also didn’t get this armor until level 13, and didn’t figure out the wings until level 14.

By level 18, Beau will have the same hasted speed just as a basic monk ability, assuming no multiclassing. She can further buff this by taking the Mobile feat at L16 (which grants an extra 10 feet of movement). Also, I remembered a second spell, which is longstrider, which also grants an extra 10 feet of movement, and which stacks with haste. While no one in the party has longstrider, Caleb could easily learn it at some point, and more importantly for the current situation, Vilya at least has access to prepare it even if she doesn’t have it right now. So if for some reason the party decided they needed someone to go really really fast (and that they could deal with the downside of haste, which is that when it ends, either from concentration breaking or the minute it lasts being up, you can’t move or take actions for a round), current level Beau with haste and longstrider could match Vax’s endgame speed, and a L18 Beau with the mobile feat, haste and longstrider would be able to go 640 ft/round (60 base L18 monk speed + 10 mobile + 10 longstride, doubled with haste, movement + action + action + bonus action), or almost 73 mph.

[notwritinganyflufftoday]

How to Break Every Rule in The Caretaker’s Handbook: Excerpt

The First (of many?) Group Sessions with Sunflare

Characters: Dewdrop, Fifi, Helia (mentioned), Plume, Sunflare, Violet

Themes: how to keep an open mind, reminiscing, character study

Words: 1297

"I'm only here to observe," Sunflare says while hanging off my arm. It's the third time he repeats himself and I still don't know what he wants to hear from me.

Maybe he just wants to turn back to spend time together in the privacy of my room. I won't lie, that does sound tempting, but we shouldn't right now.

I tug Sunflare along the road to the meeting place and sense his ever-growing resistance as he starts dragging his feet. I stop in my tracks and turn to him.

Placing both of my hands on his shoulders, I say: "My Sunbeam, no one is gonna force you to talk, but I would really appreciate it if you could go into this with an open mind and don't be afraid to voice your opinions."

"I can't make you any promises," Sunflare fixes me that warm, 'you're so irritating but I like you regardless' look and sighs, "but I'll try my best to be open-minded today."

"That's all I can hope for."

"Now let's go before I change my mind."

I let go of his shoulders and lead him further into the garden. I feel his hand slip into mine, oh so naturally, and suddenly it's like we're young saplings again, exploring our world with a naïve sense of wonder. Our adventures would last hours or even days if we were lucky. They always left me more energised, but in hindsight, I think Sunflare had trouble keeping up with me.

Our adventure in the garden lasts only a few minutes before we reach a clearing where the others are already waiting for us. Fifi's sitting behind Violet, braiding little daisies in her hair. Plume lies down in the grass beside them, one foot sticking up in the air, twirling idly in circles.

"Do I wanna know where Helia is?" I ask, as countless doom-scenarios fill my mind.

Violet opens her mouth to speak, but Plume is faster, "No, but she's gonna regret she missed you bringing your beau over."

My attention is pulled back to my hand still holding Sunflare's. I inconspicuously slip my hand out of his hold in favour of crossing my arms. I ignore Plume's remark and turn to Violet. "What were you about to say, Violet?"

Violet smiles like she bit into a sour plum and says, "Well, it's just, Helia told me to tell you that she's, um, busy reading a book."

"Wow, she really didn't even try with that lie, did she?" Plume comments dryly and receives a punch from Violet in the shoulder along with distressed shushing noises.

They're acting as if I haven't already figured out how Helia works. If I didn't know her any better, I'd assume this was indeed a poorly crafted lie, but Helia very well may be reading a book right now...  in the library... from which she is banned to enter. Well, if she manages to break in, then I'm sure she'll worm her way out of trouble as well.

I let all thoughts and worries about Helia drift from my mind (for now) and sit down cross-legged on the grass. It takes only a few moments and a couple of looks from Violet and Fifi, for me to realise Sunflare is still standing up, like his feet are frozen to the ground.

"You can sit down, you know," Plume says without looking. Even though they've switched which foot to stick in the air, the twirling motion never stops. It’s a nervous tic, but who it’s making more nervous I don’t know. Plume, Sunflare or me?

Sunflare focuses his dark brown eyes on me and for a split-second I struggle to breathe.

"Where do you want me to sit?"

It's difficult to hear him speak when his voice gets soft like that, but not impossible.

I reply, "Sit wherever you want."

"On the grass?"

"Did you expect us to sit on chairs placed in a neat circle or something?" My question is 90 percent sarcasm, but from the way Sunflare stays quiet, I realise that yes, he did think that. "Never mind, just..." I end my sentence by patting the empty spot on the grass next to me.

I don't even need to look at Sunflare to know he's on edge. The tension is so thick it practically radiates off of him. After what seems like ages, he obliges, but the tension doesn't let up.

I decide not to waste anymore time with idle chatter and jump right into this meeting.

"Violet, why don't you start," I suggest, "I believe you had something you wanted to discuss during this session?"

"Right, right," She mutters. It's clear she hasn't prepared what she's planning to say yet, but she makes a valiant attempt anyway. "I've, uh, been having a bit of trouble with Nia lately. She's really excited about going to college and all, but I think she's been taking on too much stuff, you know? I just know it's gonna take a toll on her physical and mental well-being in the long run, but... I really don't know how I can broach the topic without bursting the happy bubble she's in." Her eyes make contact with Sunflare and she needlessly adds, "Nia's my human by the way."

"I figured as much," replies Sunflare.

Plume puffs their cheeks and groans as if listening to the problems of others is the greatest kind of punishment they could suffer through. "I think you should just rip off the band-aid and give her a reality check."

Fifi, who's only been observing up till now, shakes her head vigorously. "Slow down." She gestures by trailing her index finger up her arm. "There's more to consider before offering advice."

Plume has a tendency to ignore Fifi, purely because they don't look at others when speaking. However, Fifi makes a good point, so I reiterate what she said to Plume.

Plume's foot stops moving for a moment and they open their eyes. "Sorry, Fifi."

She raises her thumb. "It's okay."

"Anything else you want to add, Fifi?"

"Nia is taking on too much stuff, how come?" She directs this question to Violet.

"Oh, well, she's taken up art classes again and sighed up to be a student council member. On top of that she has to balance her actual classes. It's only the beginning of the semester so she doesn't have too many assignments yet, but... she will soon."

"Is it possible that you might be getting worried a bit prematurely?" I ask.

"No offense, Dewdrop, but her human has a history of frequent hospital stays and health scares. She has every right to be concerned," Plume interjects.

I raise my hands up in defense, "Hold on, Plume, I was merely considering the possibility."

"And it isn't possible, obviously," Plume snaps in return. Something is clearly going on with them, but confronting them right here and now about their negative attitude would be the singlemost foolish thing to do.

Plume will have to talk eventually (I hope) and my focus now should be on de-escalating the conversation and bring it back to the topic at hand. 

I wonder what Sunflare is thinking about all of this. I'm slightly surprised he hasn't attempted to run away yet, considering how tense he was at the start of this. Furthermore, he's always been terrified of even the slightest hint of a conflict brewing. And Plume is singlehandedly brewing up a storm.

But instead of meeting a frightened little sapling, I'm greeted by a seasoned caretaker who has seen his fair share of conflict over the many centuries he's been alive. The expression on Sunflare's face is a far cry from fear, it's interest and a hint of amusement.

"What's so funny?" I lean in to whisper to him.

"Seems like keeping an open mind to consider all possibilities isn't doing you any favours, is it?"

***

Taglist: @theramwrites, @giosele

[mithrilwren]

22 for beau/yasha/jester or fjorclay, or 15 for fjorclay

I chose 15! I’m not sure this is really a soulmate!au, so much as I took the prompt and ran slightly adjacent to it :) But hopefully still enjoyable! This isn’t quite a full fic - I still have a bunch of other prompts to fill - but more like a teaser. Maybe in the future I’ll come back and finish it properly!

soulmate au prompts (15) - the one where every lie your soulmate tells you appears on your skin.

Many living things communicate, but fungi have a peculiar language all their own. What one individual of the colony learns, it passes along to the next - stem to stem, cap to cap - until the whole organism is consumed by the same thought, the same consciousness: the same reality.

All living things, but fungi most of all, prefer to bend towards the truth.

—

Fjord doesn’t think much about the lichen growing from his chest; at least, not for the first few days.

The night before the peace talks begin, they’ve all settled back into their insular sleeping arrangement: tucked tight into Caleb’s bubble, curled beside each other on the cold wooden floor of the gun deck.

It stands to figure that the first night he was alone - the first he’d slept without a shirt in a year and a half - would be the one he’d be attacked. Fjord still finds himself the most modest of the group, despite everything they’ve gone through together. No bare chests in sight now: they’re all wearing armor to bed, or at least the ones that have it. He’s happy for the excuse not to hide his blush.

And besides, even if he could sleep naked without fear of a saltwater burial to follow, he knows that Jester would stare, and it wouldn’t be out of lust or admiration. She would look at the ragged scar and its flowered dressing and her eyes would fill with sorrow, or fear, or guilt. Beau would flick the wound with her nail and ask if it hurt, and both of them would pretend that she wasn’t watching for a real wince behind his offhand reply. Caleb would delicately avert his eyes, and they’d add it to the list of things they can’t put to words, no matter how much progress they’ve made.

And Caduceus…

Shit. He still needs to talk to Caduceus.

Fjord finds him on the quarterdeck, tucked against the side of the stern mast. His long legs are tangled up in spooled rope that Fjord is almost certain a more experienced sailor neatly arranged in its proper place, before it was dragged up here and made into a makeship seat. On any other ship Fjord has served on, it would be the boatswain’s job to ensure nothing was out of order on the deck. They would certainly not be the cause of the mess, but their crew is nothing if not irregular.

The sun is just beginning to dip as Fjord drops to his haunches at Caduceus’s side. He looks up - or rather, slightly down - and smiles.

“Is it time for bed?”

“Just about,” Fjord says. There’s a cup of long-cooled tea by Caduceus’s feet, the chipped crocker mug far less elegant than the kind Fjord’s used to seeing balanced between those bony fingers. When did Caduceus finally give in and start using the ship’s complement? “Might stay up for a while. Watch the sunset, while we’re still out on the water.”

“Mm,” Caduceus hums. “It is a nice sky.” He takes a long, deep breath. “We’re close to land. I can smell it.”

Fjord sniffs the air. He can see what Caduceus means - there’s a heavy scent drifting off the bow, like rotting wood, or fruit gone too long to seed. He knows it well. It’s what you expect to smell before rain comes. He shivers, doused in the memory of slick skin and searing pain, and turns back to Caduceus before his eyes can flick to the base of the main mast. Not a single stain survived the original torrent of that fateful night, but he knows the crew avoids the spot, and he’s tried to do the same. Like passing over a grave - bad luck, and worse to come.

Fjord doesn’t mention the promised rain. Instead, he says, “You might be right,” and drops the rest of the way down, until he’s tucked into the side of the coil of rope. A moment later, Caduceus slithers down off the pile, until their hips are inches apart, and their eyes are a little closer to level.

“Something on your mind, Fjord?”

“Not really,” Fjord says. Caduceus shifts, and his smile dips into that familiar little frown, the one that reminds him nothing can stay hidden from their resident empath for too long. Fjord sighs. “No more than usual.”

Caduceus gestures at the cold tea. “I’d offer you a cup, but I only made the one.” Fjord glances down at the mug. That’s right - no offers had been made after dinner, no promise of a calming drink to alleviate the crew’s woes. That had been part of Fjord’s concern, and one of the reasons he ventured out here, to scour the deck for mint silk in the coming dark.

“That’s ok. I’m not thirsty.”

It’s been a few days since the night, since the morning after, since Caduceus pulled the breath from his lips and the poison from his chest, and they still haven’t talked about any of it. A ship’s price in diamonds, crushed between Caduceus’s palms and poured into his body, and it’s already a passing blip on the horizon of their relationship. If he lets it go, it’ll be like it never happened at all.

If they let it go.

“Thank you, again,” Fjord says at last. “That’s twice you’ve brought me back to life now.” Caduceus immediately goes to his fingers, and Fjord smiles affectionately at the bemusement in his expression.

“Unless I’m missing something - and that’s very possible - I think this is the first time you’ve died.”

Fjord chuckles. “True. But that doesn’t mean I was living, before we met.” Caduceus’s confusion deepens. “Somebody was, in my body, but it wasn’t me. I… regret that it took me so long to realize it, but I don’t regret anything that came after. You showed me that there was another way to be. You showed me there was a life I didn’t know I could have.”

It’s more honesty than he ever expected to spout tonight. Fjord swallows back the anxiety as he waits for Caduceus’s response, reminding himself that if it’s with anyone, with anyone, he’s allowed to say what he really feels, it’s to Caduceus. This is the person he ran to in his most vulnerable moment, the one who’s given him so much, and maybe all he has to give in return is his gratitude, but as long as it’s received, he’ll keep on giving it. He’s never had much to call his own, but gratitude, he has plenty to spare.

“I’m glad I could help,” Caduceus says finally, and Fjord watches the fading light shift across his face, catching in the wiry wisps of his beard as the sun finally sinks below the water’s surface. “I’m just… very glad I could be there when you needed me.” He can’t tell if it’s the change in illumination, but the circles beneath Caduceus’s eyes seem more pronounced than they were a minute before.

Caduceus usually makes them tea before bed, and he’s never slept better in his life than after sipping a mug of some heirloom strain whose namesake he won’t remember in the morning.

Has he ever offered to do the same? To be the one to soothe a troubled sleep?

“How are you doing? Got anything on your mind?” Fjord hesitates. “You seem a little down.”

“I’m fine, Fjord. A little tired, but just fine. Happy we’ll be back on land soon.”

Fjord’s chest begins to prickle as Caduceus speaks, and he scratches at his leather breastplate absentmindedly as he stares at Caduceus, not quite sure how much he believes the casual tone. “You sure?”

“Fine,” Caduceus says again, and the prickle turns into an itch, persistent and creeping enough that Fjord’s mind immediately fills with the notion that a beetle or spider might have gotten inside his shirt. It’s happened before, especially after spending the night on a forest floor, and all thoughts of comfort are lost in the panicked compulsion to check under his shirt, preferably without stripping down in full view of everyone on the deck.

“Good,” says Fjord, more and more strained as the sensation crawls - crawls - from his chest to his sternum, and he stands as quickly as his legs are able to get him up. “Good, I’m- I just need to check on something in the captain’s quarters. I’ll be down in a while.”

And with that, he hurries off, leaving a little less bemused, but a little more forlorn Caduceus to his solitary perch. He’s already pulling at the bottom of his chestplate before the door is fully closed. His hands fish up into his long tunic, searching with nausea trepidation for the telltale smoothness of a shell or the crunch of spindly legs, but all he finds is a ragged scar, and soft fuzz, less coarse than the dark hair that covers the rest of his chest. He probes around, worried now that a creature might have found a nest in the newly grown bed of lichen, and…

Fjord yanks his hand out from beneath the tunic, breathing heavy. Maybe he’s gone crazy with the night air, but he could have sworn… the lichen was probing back. Moving beneath his fingertips, independent of his own touch.

He tears the tunic over his head and looks down. Everything looks the same as it did the night before, except… was that a little tendril of pink, slipping back into the brush between his ribs? Just a small movement, it could definitely have been a trick of the light too.

It must have been. The alternative is… far more unsettling than he cares to contemplate at this hour.

By the time he gathers himself enough to step back onto the deck, Caduceus is nowhere to be seen. Fjord reluctantly makes his way towards the steps below, but as he grabs ahold of the railing, he pauses again. There’s something smudged into his skin, just above the knuckles on his right hand. Rubbing at the mark with his left palm does nothing to remove the stain, so he summons the Star Razor and holds the sword aloft, until the dim blue light illuminates the back of his hand.

He only gets a moment to absorb what he’s seen before the letters fade, their dusky rose hue fading back into his skin until only an afterimage remains. The moment is so brief he can’t help but wonder if this, too, is another dream, his mind attempting to make sense of the incomprehensible, or god of one word messages, playing tricks on him again.

He mouths the word aloud, and it tastes… sour. Like the promise of rain on a clear, starlit night.

“Fine.”

[geekgirles]

Una rosa es una rosa

In all honesty, this one-shot is an excuse to describe an outfit I came up with for Poppy, but hey, it got me to write something, didn’t it? XD

Special thanks to my lovelies @foxlanaeshrek and @tipolover22. You guys rock! And because you do, this one-shot is set on the Rock!Branch AU.

Read on AO3

With the Skulls and Roses Ball fast approaching, Branch asks Poppy to go with him as his date. However, an unfortunate comment sets Poppy out to prove to her boyfriend she can be the last thing she expected she'd want to emulate: a Rock troll.

Ever since the different tribes of trolls had been reunited and agreed to coexist once again, many changes were made to Troll Village. It had been decided the home of the Pop trolls would take in the rest of the kingdoms, because it was the one that held the most chances for other trolls to make a home of their own, adapting the landscape to their particular needs. And it had the sweetest acoustics by far, too.

Now that all tribes lived together, the leaders had agreed on creating spaces where all trolls could enjoy each other’s company at the same time as any individual kingdom could gather to speak about issues that concerned their kind specifically.

One of such places being a grand pod, known as the Conference-pod, that was built the closest to the centre of the village as possible. It was of every hue that was once represented by the six strings that used to hold each realm’s music. The top was electric blue, representing the techno string; its bottom was a golden yellow, that of the classical string; rotating around the spacious place were purple swirls and warm orange rope-like shapes, symbolising the funk and country strings, respectively; and finally, in the very middle of the pod, where the entrance was, zig-zagged blood red shapes intertwined themselves with bright pink hearts and flowers, a reflection of the rock and pop strings.

Said pod served as a ballroom and an assembly room. In there the trolls would celebrate any party in need of an indoor space, as well as the leaders meet to discuss different ways of ensuring a better collaboration and coexistence between their people. Even so, the place served another purpose, any king or queen (mayor and conductor in the Country and Classical trolls’ case) could request to use the pod in order to hold a party or meeting exclusively for their kind.

Being that last purpose the reason why it was currently being occupied by the Rock trolls, Queen Barb currently addressing her subjects, “As you know, our annual Skulls and Roses Ball is in two days’ time. I doubt I need to remind you it’s our most, if not only, formal event.” She said as she looked at her people. “I’ve already asked Queen Poppy if we can use the pod for it and she gave me the green light, so dudes”, she leaned in closer from the podium she was standing, “we’ve got a lot to do!”

After a minute or two she gestured for her trolls to calm down after the uproar that came when she shared the news, “Captain Branch here will read you the memo. They’re all yours, Branch.”

“Thank you, your rockness,” he thanked her as he took the place she’d previously been in, “As the queen just explained, the Skulls and Roses Ball is a formal event. That means the requirements for it are: we must all look our best, we must bring plus ones with us ‒if somebody can’t bring a plus one, either because they’re in a poly or just can’t find anyone to go with; we must be informed ahead of time‒, and absolutely, under no circumstances must we trash the place. Did I make myself clear?”

He narrowed his eyes at the lack of response from his comrades and repeated himself, louder, “I said, are we clear?!” Immediately, a chorus of agreements and clapping hands came, satisfying him. “That will be all. Dismissed; we have much to do.”

As the Rock trolls retreated, Branch stayed behind to clean up the pod. In doing so, he was approached by the queen of rock, a knowing smirk placed on her lips, “So…,” she began playfully, “are you bringing Poppy as your date, Branch?”

“That is correct, my Queen,” he turned back to face her, then his expression became worried. “Why, is there a problem with my decision, your Rolling Highness?” Branch feared not being able to have Poppy accompany him to the ball. He was well aware his relationship with the pink queen ‒the pink queen of Pop, to be precise‒ was something unheard of, even from back when the trolls still lived together the first time. But he simply couldn’t take anybody else as his date to the event; she was his one and only and he would not accept anyone but her.

“No, no. It’s cool, dude”, the redhead replied, motioning with her hand to ease his concerns, “Popcorn is pretty hard-core once you get to know her.” She smirked at him, which he answered with a smirk of his own. It was true, Poppy could be a force to be reckoned with if pushed too far; outright terrifying. He loved her so much. “But,” that made him worried, “you should really let her know she can’t come in her usual pop fashion.” Barb was now looking at him, her expression serious. “This is a rock formal event, Branch, she must look the part.”

The Captain nodded, “I will make sure she knows, your rockness.”

After the Rock Queen took her leave Branch was sure to follow, he had to find Poppy.

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

Poppy could barely contain her excitement the moment her charming boyfriend handed her an invitation ‒scrapbooked by him, might I add‒ to invite her to an upcoming rock event as his date. That would be their first appearance as an official couple! She really wanted to sing as loudly as she could to express her excitement right now. But, figuring there were still things they had to talk about, she did the next best thing; she tackled Branch to the ground in a hug.

“Oh, yes, yes, yes!” She practically yelled, “Yes, Branch! Of course I’ll be your date!”

After allowing himself to relish the attention his beautiful ladylove was giving him, he reluctantly broke the hug, “Poppy, angel, there’s something I should tell you.”

She looked at him with a furrowed brow. Seriousness wasn’t really the mood she’d thought he’d be in after inviting her to a party. “Okay…,” she said, feeling a little uneasy, “What’s up?”

Branch took a deep breath, “You see, the Skulls and Roses Ball is a huge deal for us Rock trolls. It is literally the only day of the year where we are expected to behave and follow certain rules.” His nervous gaze found her confused one, her nodding head encouraging him to continue. “This is the first time ever a troll that worships a different type of music will be attending, so I need you to be in your best behaviour.”

Wording his thoughts like that had been a mistake, he could tell from the queen’s narrowing eyes. “What do you mean by ‘my best behaviour’?” she air-quoted.

“I need you to look and act like a poised, elegant rock troll.” He explained, hoping he didn’t screw up. “I know it’ll probably be difficult-“

“Why would it be difficult?” She cut him off, crossing her arms. She had a feeling she knew where he was going, and she didn’t like it one bit.

“W-well… Y-you k-know… Be-because…”, Ugh, how did she manage to make him lose his usual level head?! In twenty years nobody had ever managed to make him lose his level head!

Then again, he had never met anyone as unique, inspiring, and incredible as Poppy… Oh, Rock. He really did have it bad.

“No, Branch, I’m afraid I do not know. Please, enlighten me…” she challenged.

“W-well, because…” he averted his eyes from her as he uttered the words that were sure to cause him several nights away from his pink, sweetly scented Eden, “…you’re a Pop troll.”

At the confirmation of her suspicions, something stirred inside Poppy. The same kind of resolve that only awakened when her people had truly needed it. But this time it was mixed, once again, with the desire to prove herself… And a hint of smugness.

And so, with a new purpose, she slowly got closer to her tattooed beau, a fire in her pink irises that, hadn’t it been for the fact that he was now slightly disturbed by the heat of its fury, under any other circumstances the Captain of the Rock trolls would have found insanely hot. Without a warning, she quickly pecked him on the lips before whispering, “Challenge accepted.”

As the retreating form of the Pop Queen was finally far enough, Branch let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.

“…What was that about?”

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

Poppy had been pacing and ranting inside the Fashionistas’ pod-shop for twenty minutes. Any troll from another land would be at a loss at what to do with the agitated ball of pink fury, but the twins, having been close friends with the queen since childhood, knew just exactly what was troubling her.

“So Branch invited you to Rock troll party-“, Satin started.

“-But he doesn’t actually think you can pull it off?” Chenille finished.

“Yes!” Poppy threw her arms at her sides, exasperated with her boyfriend. “I can’t believe him! We’ve been together for months and he still doesn’t trust me when it comes to his people and their customs! Like, what gives?!”

The twins exchanged a look. As siblings that were literally bound to each other, they knew of unsaid things, hidden behind bickering, better than anyone. “Poppy, hon.” Satin called her as Chenille put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

When their friend was finally looking at them, the blue sister began to explain, “We don’t think Branch doesn’t trust you.”

“Really?” Poppy asked, incredulous.

“Really.” The pink twin assured her with a soft smile.

“Then why doesn’t he think I can actually behave like a ‘poised, elegant Rock troll’?” She rolled her eyes as she did a half-hearted impression of her boyfriend’s voice.

“It’s probably not that he doesn’t think you can’t behave like one of his kind-,” Chenille tried to reason.

“-But more like he’s trying to protect you from them.” Satin added.

“What?”

“You know how we trolls can be, Poppy”, Satin shrugged, “We get very defensive of the things we care about.”

“So Branch probably fears his people will give you a hard time if you don’t act like them on such a special occasion.” Chenille smiled at her, reassuringly.

The royal troll’s eyes widened. It all made so much more sense now! Of course her romantic, thoughtful, and caring boyfriend would never think anything but highly of her! He just had a hard time delivering harsh things gently due to his upbringing. Sometimes even to her. He’d explained himself before.

“I want to make things right.” She spoke up. “I want to make Branch see I can handle myself so he doesn’t worry to death for my sake.” Poppy suddenly felt very small under the amused smirks and knowing eyes of the twins. She knew they saw right through her… “And… I also want… to… make his jaw… drop… when he sees me.” She admitted quietly, a blush spreading over her already pink cheeks.

The Fashion Twins simply giggled. Those two were adorable!

“Luckily for you-,“ Satin began to speak.

“-We happen to have the perfect idea in mind for your outfit.” Chenille completed the sentence as she showed Poppy a very peculiar flower. A flower Poppy knew all too well but had never given much thought. After all, it wasn’t the kind of flower a Pop troll would have a soft spot for.

“A-are you sure?”

“Positive.” They answered in sync. “Besides, it sure is perfect if what you’re aiming for is something that helps you erase your pop vibes temporarily. It does symbolise death, hatred, farewells, and tragic romance… It’s sure to grant you the darker side that is so characteristic of Rock trolls, since it’s a stark contrast to your usual, well, you.”

Poppy didn’t know which twin had said it, but she didn’t care. She had the perfect chance to become a poised, elegant rock troll and she sure as Hair was going to use it.

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

Branch had been waiting anxiously at the entrance of the Conference-pod for the last ten minutes. Despite their disagreement, Poppy had sent him a card saying she’d be there at 7:00PM. And yet, it was already 7:10PM and she was nowhere in sight.

He couldn’t help but think back on their “argument”. Ugh, if only he’d been better at choosing his words! How he was simultaneously able to smooth talk his girlfriend until he swept her off her feet and speak to her with his foot in his mouth was beyond him! But alas, it was a power he had been both blessed and cursed with, apparently.

He was also feeling very curious regarding her outfit of choice. Even if he knew for a fact Pop trolls had their own formal events, a part of him still worried about his queen’s (the one by choice, not the one he’d sworn to serve because he was her Captain) choice.

He, himself, never really lost sleep when it came to his own clothing. He was dressed smartly; wearing a buttoned-up white shirt, a black tuxedo and a navy blue tie and waistband to match his dark hair, which was carefully combed back, giving him a refined presence. Even if his attire was appropriate for the occasion, his mind was still going back to Poppy’s.

Just what would she be wearing?

“Branch, over here!”

As he turned his head to the sound of his name, he could feel his eyes widening like saucers, his rocker heart skipping a beat, his jaw hanging right open... And he was pretty sure he’d stopped breathing, too.

It was so strange. The female in front of him looked so much like Poppy. Her skin was the same pink he’d compared to the sunset’s hue dozens of times. Her magenta eyes still sparkled with the same sense of wonder and excitement Poppy’s always reflected. Her glittery freckles shimmered when the light hit them just right… And yet, the troll before him looked nothing like his sweet, happy angel of morning.

The pink troll before him had a certain feeling of mystery and danger to her. Her beauty screamed enchantress, siren, goddess of the night! …Of course it was Poppy, Poppy always looked like a goddess! He couldn’t take his eyes off of her.

Her magenta hair was reminiscent of a bud that was yet to bloom, with both the strands at the top of her mane and framing her face shaped after two perfectly round spirals. But what really caught his eye, though, wasn’t the extra softness it seemed to radiate, but the single black streak that went across his mate’s silky locks. A black highlight he’d only ever seen once before; when she was (seemingly) turned into a Rock troll.

Glinting in the night almost as much as her rosy gaze, three silver earrings gave the pink troll a bit of a wilder look. Two of them adorning her right ear, and one on her left. The smoky eyeshadow she wore made her eyes resemble two magenta lights in a fog of mystery. A spiked choker covered her neck, forcing his mind to daydream with the thought of marking it with a love bite.

The masterpiece she was using as dress was black and strapless, it hugged her body perfectly; the bodice accentuating her curves in such a manner that it reminded him of a corset. And the skirt, the long, filmy skirt, had a cut on both sides of it; teasing Branch with the sight of Poppy’s long, perfect legs. From closer inspection, the unusually smooth texture of the dress reminded him of a flower’s petals, rather than fabric. And yet, its rose-like velvety feel gave it a quality no other silk could amount to achieve. It was almost as if Poppy had picked rose petals and woven them together to create such garment.

That’s when it clicked. The dress was inspired after a black rose.

What really sold the look, however, were the twin armlets she wore, alongside her headband. The bracelets, made out of obsidian, were crafted in the form of vines with thorns. And, in contrast to the Pop Queen’s usual style, the headband followed a simple design; a halo of silver decorated by three black roses.

He gulped.

From the corner of his eyes he could see Riff arriving with his own date. At the sight of his Captain, he subtly motioned to the corner of his mouth. Following the movement with his own hand he realised what the drummer was referring to, he discreetly wiped the drool falling out of his open mouth.

A triumphant grin made its way to Poppy’s lips. Judging by the look on her boyfriend’s face ‒and his jaw, which was barely avoiding touching the floor‒, she’d succeeded. She looked like a classy Rock troll. Still, even if it was just to tease him, she asked, “So? How do I look?”

Breaking out of his stupor, Branch lightly shook his head before speaking up, “Poppy you… Rock, I don’t know what to say!”

She giggled, “Tell me, do I look like the perfect Rock troll now?” She wanted to sound confident, but a part of her still feared not meeting her boyfriend’s expectations, making her direct her eyes to the floor, only looking up at Branch ever so slightly.

His heart sunk at the insecurity hidden behind her melodic voice, “Poppy,” gently grabbing her chin, he directed her eyes to his before continuing, “you’ll always be perfect for me.”

A soft smile appeared on her lips at the clever reference of the beautiful ballad Branch once serenaded her with to express the depth of his feelings for her. He truly had the soul of a poet.

He then offered her his arm, “Shall we, my lady?”

“Branch, before we go in, I wanted to tell you something.” She watched as he turned, fully facing her now with his icy blue peepers. She had his full attention. “I’m sorry.”

His eyebrows knotted in confusion, “You’re sorry? What are you sorry for, Pops? I’m the one who doubted you!”

“No, you didn’t.” She said with finality. “I now know you weren’t doubting my blending in with your people, you were worried they wouldn’t be pleased with my ensemble and give me a hard time for it.” She sighed. “You were just trying to protect me.”

She really did get it. Sometimes he wondered if this selfless creature could read him like an open book. As a matter of fact, that didn’t sound so bad. “Yes, you’re right. That’s what got me worried, but still, Poppy, I should’ve voiced it differently.” He let out a humourless chuckle, “Looking back, no wonder you thought I was underestimating you for being a Pop troll. So,” he shrugged after holding her hands, “I’m sorry too.”

After a minute of silence, he asked, “Does this mean the gates to Heaven won’t be closing on me?”

Poppy snorted at that, “No, they won’t. ‘Sides, it’s not like you don’t have the key to them anyways…” She replied in a sultry voice.

Smiling widely at each other, no more words needed to be said. So, instead, they just closed the distance with a soft kiss before settling in an embrace.

Poppy was the first to break the silence, “Branch, I love you. And it means so much to me that you worry about my wellbeing so much, really, it does; but I don’t want you to have a heart attack every single time I find myself in a difficult situation. I swear, I can take care of myself; I did save my people from the bergens, after all.” She winked at him.

The blue troll chuckled, “Yes, you do.” He then offered her his arm again, “Now, shall we join the others, my rose?”

She took it, “Well of course! But tell me, Branch, do you really think I’ll be fine at the ball?”

He gently kissed her nose, a stark contrast to the roughness he treated almost everyone else with, “Believe me, they’re fools if they can’t see you’re the most tender flower in the rose bush.”

[goldstonegolem64]

epilogue

On the planet of Olkarion Rebels,Queen slayers Mercarnies and Olkair alike were celebrating the Huge Victory they just had against the empire .But above the planet the Castle of lions , Along with several other rebel ships were being repaired by Vanguards cloud of nanobots. An as this was happening inside of the Castle of lions .Lance,Keith, Hunk, Pidge,Jay and Matt  Were all sitting around The healing pods that housed Thace and Shiro now both armless seeing as Shiro was rejected do to his metal arm being severally damaged in the fight  

“ Hey Jay can you put some music on sitting here in silence is really depressing “Matt asked 

“ Alright  “ Jay replied as he tapped on his wrist computer and let his music start play 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wccRif2DaGs

“ Thank you “Matt said 

“ Your welcome “ Jay said before the room return to the semi silence it was before just with music playing in the background They all sat there for a few minutes until Allura,Coran, Ezra,Shay and Kolivan walked in

“ So how's everyone doing  ?” Coran asked But no one answered” Oh that bad uh” Coran rubbed the back of  his head as Ezra and Shay walked to their respective Boyfriends 

“ Well after everything they have gone through it makes sense that they would be tried and well worried “Allura looked towards  The healing Thace and Shiro

“ So Allura what is are next move?” Keith asked

“ Well I wanted to talk to you about that. After learning Zarkon’s plan to capture your families and use them as a bargaining chip against us. I believe we should go back to your homeworld and make sure your families are alright and to well recruit Earth to the coalition along with recruiting Mars if that’s ok with you jay ”  Allura looked over to jay to see his reaction 

“ Yeah it’s fine we would  have to go there eventually” Jay said as he leaned his head on Ezra’s shoulder 

“ An the rest of you ?” Allura turned her head towards the other 

“ Yeah going home sounds nice” Lance said

“ Same here it would be nice to show Shay around my hometown   “ Hunk said  

“ I would like that” Shay add

“ I wouldn’t mind going home after a year of fighting see mom again would be a breath of fresh air.Right Katie “ Matt said as he elbow bumped his sister 

“ Yeah it would be nice to see mom again. I just hope see doesn’t loss it when she sees what happened to my leg “ Pidge said as she tapped on her right foot   

‘ Yeah that’s going to be a pain explain also she might want you to stop being a Paladin after seeing your foot” Matt replied 

“ Keith what’s your opinion on this ?” Lance asked 

“ I mean where am i going to go. I live on this ship and my brother brother in law and Nephew also live here.So where they go i go” Keith said Bluntly 

“ Alright it looks like were all in agreement So when are we heading out?” Jay asked 

“Once Adam and your kids are back on board and the repair are done will be heading out to your home system“  Allura said

“ Alright with that out of the way is there anything else we need to take about?” Lance asked 

“ Well i think K-7 could be useful he was made to be pilot so having more mech pilots on are sie would be nice.Once we start make are own V-types. As for the twins “

“ They did help us fight Zarkon” Pidge add  

“ But they almost kill us the first time we meet them” Hunk said he felt Shay’s grip around his arm tighten a bit 

“ Yeh i don’t trust them to much after that “ Shay added 

“ But they also worried us about zarkon plan to kidnap  are families “Pidge countered 

“ But they helped kill entire rebel outpost” Matt add 

“ Ok but they helped us and can pilot Robeasts and i firmly believe that they can help us in the long run and i mean if the do betray us we can just end them without a second thought “ Jay said 

“ Not to interrupt your discussion” Everyone turned to look at the speaker who was Kolivan “ but i believe the Twins should go with us seeing as they are children of are former members “ Kolivan said     

“ Well Before we make a concrete decision  let have Adam be here and see what the twins want to do.” Jay said 

“ no i think they Should go with the Blade it would get them out are hands, An they could still help us in th long run”Keith said   

“ Yeah that sounds fine but still lets wait for adam to get he so we have a full team decides “ jay replied 

“ Well you are third in command so will wait “ Lance said 

“ Well Allura’s here and her word trumps mine” Jay turned his head to look at the princess  “ So boss what do you want to do with them ?” He asked

“Lets wait til Adam is here and when Shiro wakes up “ Allura said she then turn to look towards Kolivan “ Will you being willing to wait an few more hours ?”

“ It will be fine i am not need back for a few more day.But if you don’t mind we would like to send Thace back to base with Axtok?”

“ That is fine “Allura replied 

“ Thank you “ 

[ Princess The prometheus is approaching and will be docking soon.  ] 

“ Well i looks like will get are answer soon “ Matt add 

“ So whose going to be the one to tell Adam what happened to Shiro ‘ Hunk said 

“ I will i’m a doctor intraining and i was the one who had promised to Shiro home alive” Jay got to his feet helped Erza up to their feet  ”  lets get this over with  “ Jay said as he walked out of the room followed by Ezra 

Elsewhere 

in his peranol chamber of his Capital Ship Lotor looked at The badly damaged Command center with thousands of plasma impact burneds ,Bullet holes, and a long gash that lay their like an open wound on the side of the command center. “ I wish i could have seen it. Most have been a beautiful fight “ Lotor said to himself as he starred at the carnage caused by the Rebel army. As he looked the door to his chamber.Lotor turn to see a Women with lite blue skin dark purple and blue hair. Blue eyes with yellow sclera  She also had four small horn sticking out of the side of her head and they wore the armor of his generals

“ Lord lotor we have collected the fragments of those cubes “ The woman said 

“ Good have are top researchers on in i want to know what they're made of and where they came from “ 

“ Yes my lord” 

“ Then once your done with that bring me the man named skyver followed by Contacting are spies in the rebellion and tell them to watch this Jay person closely i want any and all information on them. He is are only lead to this second Altean Colony and we must find it before my mother does .  I will not let her kill of what is left of my people. “ Lotor ordered 

“ Yes my lord” 

“ one last have we found where bandor disappeared to ?” Lotor asked 

“ Yes we have  “

“ Where “

“ Back i the first colony we was found by guard barely alive. He is currently being treated there and is said to make a full recovery in the come months. We also did a head count after the crash and found that we are now missing one other person”

“ Who is it ?” Lotor asked 

“ Bandors older sister Romelle Silva ‘ 

“ Do we any idea on her current whereabouts ?” 

“ No she has disappeared near the Void’s opening she may be dead My lord “

Lotor clenched his fists hearing that “ And what of CenterPoint labs 

Axca voice when from her normal stern and militaristic tone to more somber one “ completely destroyed and only a few members of the team survived”

“And what about the few survivors “   

“ Off world and in recovery “

“ Alright We'll hold off  on the gate project for another few year and keep me posted on the recovery. You are dismissed “Lotor order 

“ Yes my lotor “ Axca said as she left Lotors Chamber    

Lotor stood there in silence for a few minutes 

“ It was not your fault My friend sciences as it’s rises   “ Ragna said as he walked out from a shadowy corner of the room 

“ Still It was my orders that sealed  the fates of all those people “ Lotor said looking at the smokey wolf      

“ True but you now know what not to do next time “

“ Not to follow my parents notes and stop trying to tear a hole into the fabric of reality “

“Correct Now what is the next step seeing as your father failed to capture  Voltron or the Valkyrie  “

“ I still believe conniving  Voltron  to join us is are best options and to make peace with the rebellion.But i don’t think mother or most of the Generals that were under my fathers rule wouldn’t  be happy about it “

“ Then fight for it and make them listen to you”  Ragna said 

“That is the easy part the hard part is going to be talking to the Paladin in the first place”

“ The worst thing they can do is kill you and fully shatter the empire and bring peace to the universe “ Ragna said 

“  They won’t kill me hopefully when they make this new universal government.Now how is my mother doing “

“ She is in grieving still “ 

“ And of the force that influencing her.”

“ It’s still there stronger now then it was before ” 

“ Alright then it’s going to be but we most keep pushing forwards if we are to stop what is coming “  Lotor said as he walked over to a desk in his room and tapped a button on it to reveal a screen that show a crack in the fabric of reality that was slowly getting bigger and had several different energies leaking out of it

Back in the castle of lions   

Jay and Ezra walked down the hall way towards the hanger beau had told them to go to meet Adam and Jay’s kids

“So you guys going to stay with the fleet or got back to hunting down Queens?” Jay asked 

“ once the repair are done will follow you guys for a few day see what worlds your going to recruit some people then go back to bugs” Ezra replied as They  held onto Jay’s arm 

“ Good to know ‘Jay replied

“ So have you figured out what your going to tell ADam when you see him ?” ill Ezra asked 

“ I’l just tell  him the truth we won and Shiro’s in the healing pods and is missing his arm. “ Jay replied as the two entire into the Hanger. As they entered the Hanger they saw several rebel Ships parked along with Seeing the Valkyrie sitting there surrounded by dozens of rebel pilots engineers and ground troops They also saw the Prometheus parked with next to the dragon mech  

“ Looks like Val has a little fan club “Ezra said 

“ Yeah it looks like it and it looks like Adam’s already he let get this over with then ” Jay replied as the two walked towards the crowd surrounding.

As they got closer to it A female voice Yelled out to them“ Hey Silver lining do you have a moment “Jay stopped in place with Ezra stopping alongside him 

  Jay didn’t know if the person was referring to him or someone else but he turned his head towards the voice and saw a Coeihns woman with short Green hair, Blue eyes  wearing a muscl-t and a open  fleet suit with the upper half tied around her waist .she was walking towards them and the only reason he know the women’s race the moment he saw here was because she looked very similar  to bastion which made him fell a little uneasy.

“ You talking to me “ Jay said while pointing to himself as his helmet automatically pitch shifted his voice to sound like sound wave 

“ Oh my god really” erza asked as they fought back laughter at the stupid voice 

“ What i am i suppose to do it just happens “ Jay said as he pulled of his helmet and started to messing with the in working off 

“ Well that answer my first question “ The Coeilhn woman said as a carma bot float in front of Jay’s face and was about to take his picture 

But if on reflex most of Jay’s facial features disappeared leaving just as the flash when off  

‘ OK that one’s new” Ezra said starring at a now faceless jay 

The Jay mouth reappeared” Next time ask someone  if you want to take their  picture” Jay pushed the carma bot away from his face as he put his helmet back   “ Now who are you and why are you bothering me “ He said he voice dripping with annoyance and anger following that his face marking glowing brightly    

The Coeilhn women stepped back a little scared by the sudden tone shift “ I’m Rey Wellmore I’m photographer working with the Rebels. An i was hoping that i could get a few pictures you and the valkyrie along with Asking you a few question “ REy replied 

Jay’s anger faded away ‘ Next time ask a head of time because  right now i have some where to be and someone to me wi” JAy was cut off as something slammed into his back nearly knocking him to the floor. Jay’s head did a 180% and looked down to see bastion face pressed against his back followed by him  hugging Jay “ Oh hi Bastion”   

“ Your back “ BAstion said his voice muffled   

“ Yeah i am .What did you think i wasn’t going to comeback ?”

“ Maybe”

“ Why?” He question 

“ I don’t know when you didn’t come down with everyone. We thought maybe you had died  “

“ You could have called i bought you all phones for that reason” 

“ we may have forgotten that “ Bastion replied 

“ God you guys really are taking after me “ Jay said as he patted Bastion on his head 

“ Excuse me but who are you talking to ? “ Rey asked

Jay’s neck snapped back into place to look at the reporter “ Sorry Ms. Rey This is Bastion one of my Boy . say hi Bastion “

Bastion walked from behind Jay and looked up towards Rey and when their eyes meet Rey He felt like he was looking  mirror into a which made him felt a little uncomfortabl.So he step back behind Jay  “ Hello Ms.Rey Bastion said “ He said with a wave. and a noticeable hint of nervousness in his voice 

“ Hi Bastion “ Rey said but she sounded Distance and a little confused  

Jay notice this an made a note of this “ Alright with that out of the way. If you wish for an interview when i’m not working you can find me either living in there “ jjay pointed towards the Prometheus “ or in the med by learn from doctor Ventair or in the training deck ‘ Jay said as he, Ezra and bastion started walking towards the Prometheus 

“ Yeah talk to you later “Ray said lose in thought . She watched the three entire into the prometheus   and once she knew she would see her she pulled out a her phone and call someone “ HEy Gillmore it’s me Rey can you check check something out for me ?”

In the Prometheus 

Jay,Ezra and Bastion walked into the Living room 

“ Hey everybody i’m home  “ Jay said as he walked in the living room.

The moment his voice rang out  in the room  Molly head turned around and She scrambled out of Fitz lap crawled up the couch and throw herself at he father. Not noticing the two foot gap between the two of them. Jay with the reflexes that all people get when they become Parents. Quickly grabbed his Daughter out of the air before she even started to fall.Once she was in his hands he quickly pulled her close to him “ God you are going give me a heart attack one of this days”  Jay said

“ Papa’s home” Molly said as she wrapped her arms around Jay’s Helmeted Head 

“ Yeah i’m home Sweety daddy’s home “ He said sweetly as he hugged his daughter back 

“ Hey Jay how was the Mission?” Fitz asked as he looked up toward Jay from his seat 

“ Yeah how did the mision go and why did it take you so long to get back ?” Usamu asked

“ Well that’s a long story see ‘ Just stopped mid Sentence as something Grabbed his Leg. So he looked down and saw Clay hugging it “ Hey Clay “

“ Where you go “ She said as she looked up to him with tears in her eyes 

Jay felt like he had just been punched in the heart as he looked at his other daughter “ I’m sorry Daddy had to go save the universe “ Jay said felling really bad 

“ No leave again “ She said as her grip around Jay’s Leg tightened

“ Yeah no go away again” Moly said as she tried to wiggled out of her father’s arm.Jay didn’t want to drop her. So he place her down .Once she was on floor she grabbed onto Jay’s other leg mimicking her sister 

“YOu both know that not going to stop me right.” Jay said as he start walking  as he did molly started Giggling while Clay stayed quiet  

“ Oh god this is the adorable “ Ezra said as they watched their boyfriend and his kids just goof around as Usamu jumped onto jay back while Bastion and Fitz watched and laughed 

“ Yes it is “ Adam said as he walked out of the stairway holding onto a walke and curious Izuku 

Jay stopped in place “ Hey bub”

“ Is Shiro alive ?” Adam asked already know what jay was trying to do 

“Yes missing his arm but yes “

“ Alright Same medbay as before “

“ Yes “

“ Alright  See at lunch and thanks for for keeping your promises man “ Adam said as he patted Jay on the shoulder before walking out of the Prometheus 

“ Your welcome man “ Jay replied as he watched adam leave “ Ok tat was easy”

“ Yes it was “ Ezra said 

“ Now with that out of the way “ Jay looked to fit then Bastion seeing as the other three were still holding on to him “ Um So there is a chance that were going back to my home world and then to the home of the other Paladins  “ Jay said as Usamu jumped off of his back 

“ So were going to meet Grandpa then?” Usamu asked as he walked in front of his father with a tone of wonder in his voice 

“ Yeah along with my brothers and sister some friends of mine and my mom’s parents  an if we're lucky hopefully not my dad’s family “Jay said that last bit with a little bit of venom in his voice

“ Why not you dad’s family ?” Ezra asked 

“ it’s along story my dear and my DAd can explain it better . Now who wants hear how the mission when “ Jay said not wanting to talk about his families problems 

In what remained of Galra central command

Haggar stood looking over her comatose husband. She had been starring there for the past few hours and wonder how this could have happened . They had taken ever precaution studied every battle that the paladins were in and even equipped the titan with weapon’s tailor made to handle Voltron and the Valkyrie at the same time  but when the snap dragon self destructed on top of the Titan it sealed his fate “ Oh my love what have they done to you” She asked herself 

“ They butchered him “ A very familiar yet strange disembody voice said right behind her

She quickly turned around and slashed at the person behind her only to swipe at empty air “ Who goes there show yourself ‘ She yelled To the empty room

“ I’m hurt Honvera how could you forget me..I’m the reason that you and your husband are even alive after your little encounter that beast from the void ’ the voice said 

“ What “ Haggar thought back to when she and Zarkon had died she remembered hearing a voice talking.But she had put that up to being on death's door. ‘ So it was  you i have to thank for our revival “

“ Yes it was me” The Voice said as a faint humanoid being started to form from purple quintessons  that was powering the lazuriz chamber that Zarkon was resting in  the figure had only defining feature was the two bright soul burning yellow eye “ My name is  Deceit and despite my name i’m here to help you again. ”

“ Why “ Haggar asked  not trusting this thing but she had to be weary seeing as this thing was just sitting on her husbands healing chamber 

 “ Because  every time you  drained a world of it’s quintessens and used it to fue you and your husband.It feed me and i wish to keep that relationship on going. So i’ll help you again by keeping your husband alive. Seeing as this thing “ He tapped on the Lazarus chamber “ Is only postponing the inevitable .” Deceit    said as a jagged smile started to appeared on his avatar’s face.

“ What do i have to do for this deal to work?” Haggar asked knowing that it’s not that easy 

“ Your a smart one “ Decit pointed the newly formed finger at her “ I want you to find this ship   “ Deciet’s hand seemingly grabbed onto reality itself and opened at portal that showed of a massive ship that looked like the castle of lions mixed with her Son’s Capital ship surrounding it it was a massive ring around it “ An destroy it”

“ Why ?” 

“ It’s existence has put plans i have had in motion for a long time in jeopardy. and that is all i’m will to tell you at the moment “ Deceit said 

Haggar glared at Deceit but she really had no real choice  but to follow “ Alright then we have a deal ‘

“ Good i’ll see you in the funny pages Honvera “ Deceit said as he faded out leaving the tear in reality that show off the ship there for a few seconds before it closed up 

Haggar stood there starring at the empty space before turning back to her husband and hoped she man the right choice 

Back in the Castle of lions  

“ So right before Zarkon Die he grabbed on to the black lion’s head with his robeasts remaining arm and tried to electrocute shiro to death but his arm took most of the damage and now he’s healing for the next hour.An once he’s a wakes We’ll be deciding whether or not will be going back home along with the Fates of The twins and K-7 am i correct “ Adam said

“ Yeah that sums it up real well “Matt said

“Alright and thin else i need to know before me and Izuku have to wait another hour just so we can take to him “

“ Uh were going to need a new black paladin for a few months while Shiro new prosthetics are installed from what Jay and that spider said “ Hunk added 

“ That spiders name is  Ventair and she is one of the best Doctor in the whole rebelion so please show her some respected “Matt said 

“ Sorry what Dr.Ventair said “Hunk said  

“ Alright when will decided who the next black paladin then ?” Adam as 

“ After we decide are next course of action will pick the next Black Paladin and with Shiro still around along with Leonidas it won’t take to long i hope “ Allura said 

“ Yeah lets hope “ Lance said 

“ It would be funny if Jay was chosen to fly the black lion “ Matt said Jokingly 

“ I mean Val’s design was some what based off of the black lion so it could be possible that if we  run into  trouble we could possibly combined with the Valkyrie  to make new version of Voltron  “ Pidge added as she grabbed her laptop and started typing away at the possibilities of powers that could come from the union between the two mechs  

“ We could run that by Jay and Val before anything happens i know val was against at first but maybe she changer he mind after the fight with Zarkon. I’ll go ask him“ Lance  said as he got up.But before could full get on his feet Beau’s voice came over the P.A System

[ Alert Alert A gargantuan class dreadnaught of unknown origin as exited a wormhole  8 kilometer north east from are location ] This was followed by a screen show ff the massive ship

Everyone stood or sat there in stunned silence as the massive ship which was a weird mix between the Castle and That war ship that attacked then before they had left the battle fleet 

“ Hey guy is anyone else getting a weird case  desaviolooking at this thing  ?” Pidge asked  

“Yeah i feel it too” Shay said 

“ Same here” Hunk add 

Allura looked at the ship as she did one name came to mind “kronse” Allura said under her breath.Before hundreds and hundreds of Image flashed right in front of her mind causing her a massive and painful head that caused her to fall to the ground clutching her head 

“Princess !!” Everyone yelled in surprise 

“ What’s wrong” Coran asked worried as he helped Allura back to her feet 

“ I don’t know but something about that ship is causing me to see thin Ah “ She grabbed he head again as another set of flash happened 

[were receiving a message from the Ship ]

“Send it through”Adam said taking charge of the situation as he said that a message written in english which surprised everyone.But that’s wasn’t what caught their attention what was write on was 

Hello my old friend let us take like the old day :Signed Queen Allura of the Altean/Galrain Empire 

To be continued in Book two Time to change History 

[unicyclehippo]

Prompt idea? Jester talking to Yasha about "realizing things", as a young/newly queer person wanting advice/acceptance from an older wlw ("whats it like- having a wife?"), and maybe conflicted feelings re beau bc on one hand jes doesnt want to get between beau and yasha if they'd make each other happy but on the other hand she is jealous and isnt her own happiness worth fighting for too??

‘what’s it like - having a wife?’ jester asks. nearly immediately regrets it when the other woman jerks, eyes darting to hers, wide and surprised. ‘i’m sorry,’ she’s quick to say, shaking her head quickly, enough to make her jewellery jangle as the movement tosses them against her curling horns. ‘that’s not - it’s probably the worst thing to ask you right now, and, i mean, you look busy—‘

yasha looks down at her empty hands, around at the largely empty room, and back to jester, eyebrows raised. ‘i am not busy.’

‘oh.’

‘would you,’ yasha swallows hard. gestures toward the other piece of furniture in her room beside the bed, a solid chair. ‘do you want...to sit?’

‘um.’ jester glances behind her, down the empty hallway to the closed door of the room she shares with beau. ‘yes. sure, yes.’

‘you don’t have to if -‘

‘i want to!’

yasha seems to recoil a little at the very forceful show of what was supposed to be casual. she nods. arranges herself awkwardly as though they are about to have an interview, and jester wonders if maybe she’s afraid. just afraid would be bad enough but afraid of what jester might ask, might do because of her answers? that feels bad.

jester forces herself to relax. she closes the door and takes the seat, folds her legs criss-cross and plays for a minute with her skirts, getting the pleats to sit just so.

‘have you been sleeping better?’ jester asks, voice breaking the silence. yasha doesn’t flinch this time, but jester thinks that might be because she’s holding herself too tight and still. like a perfect alabaster statue.

‘ah. yes. caduceus came by with some tea,’ yasha says. ‘he...says some very strange things,’ she adds a little hesitantly, unsure if she’s allowed to comment on his strangeness when she—has done what she has done.

‘oh yeah, he’s great, isn’t he?’

yasha nods.

it’s a bit dizzying, actually, to be watched so intently by yasha. her gaze hasn’t fallen since jester entered the room, and she watches each small motion of jester—the way she brushes her hair behind her ears, the way her tail curls, the way she fiddles awkwardly with the rings on her fingers—but jester isn’t sure how much of it is the other woman understanding that she feels incredibly deeply nervous or, or off-kilter or strange, and how much is yasha watching out for an attack. the intensity is one thing. yasha’s dual coloured eyes are another. jester finds her own attention split between them.

‘we weren’t married for long.’ yasha jerks when jester does. ‘i’m sorry—did you, still want to know?’

‘only if you want to talk about it!’ jester insists.

‘i—don’t mind.’

‘i don’t ever want to make you do something you don’t want to do!’ jester says that forcefully, entirely on purpose. yasha needs to know, she needs to know, jester would never—

‘jester,’ yasha says, her voice low and soothing. her accent breaks jester’s name in two, each spoken with infinite fondness, gentleness. ‘everything is okay.’

for once, jester doesn’t reply to that. sometimes she denies it sadly, other times agrees fervently, but now she just sits in it. yasha is right, more or less. they got her back. killed the Hand. killed obann. things are better than they have been for a long time.

‘we were married at dawn,’ yasha tells her. ‘it was...not romantic. except that it was her, and we were getting married.’ jester can’t sit alone on her chair; she hurries across the room to sit next to yasha on the bed, brings her knees up to her chest, chin resting on them as she listens, bright eyed. ‘okay,’ yasha says, and shifts accordingly. turning her body toward jester and crossing her legs. ‘when you are married in the tribe, you, ah, you make offerings to distract evil spirits from you, so they are not watching, will not curse your union. i delivered a great sacrifice,’ yasha says, almost sounding like she’s trying to convince jester or herself of it. ‘but it mustn’t have worked.’

‘i’m sorry, yasha.’

the woman shrugs. ‘i don’t—there are some things that are missing still. from my memory. but if you have questions...’

‘i don’t know,’ jester admits. maybe she should have written some down. maybe she should figure out why she’s so interested in the first place. probably because if she knows how marriage is supposed to work, why it works, why it is good, she can get the gentleman and her mama back together and they can live happily ever after. or maybe—

‘is this—‘ yasha looks like she has bitten her tongue but she continues very carefully, very quietly. ‘about beau?’

jester plays it very very cool. ‘what? no? why would - did she - why would this be about beau? that’s totally ridiculous and not at all something i am thinking about.’ as she rambles, super convincingly, she starts to wonder herself if maybe she isn’t being entirely...truthful. ‘is it?’

‘i don’t know,’ yasha shrugs. ‘is it?’

jester frowns down at the blanket on yasha’s bed. plucks at It where it is frayed and works for a few minutes at mending those small rips. ‘she—‘ nearly died, jester thinks but doesn’t say, because that, despite the mind control, that was yasha. jester wants to cry all of a sudden. when had things become so difficult? when had she started to think seven steps ahead in a conversation to make sure she didn’t upset, didn’t offend, didn’t hurt her friends? it feels like a cage pressing in around her and she sucks in a shaky breath.

‘jester?’

‘i’m okay.’

‘no.’ yasha—so carefully that jester wonders if the woman thinks she is fragile, about to crack into shards at a too-heavy touch—sets her hand on jester’s. the little mending magic fizzles out with the jolt of surprise, fibres and threads of blanket untwisting and snapping apart once more. ‘you can talk to me, jester. i am—not weak.’ there’s a charge that flickers, over her fingers and behind yasha’s eyes. ‘you are my friend. whatever you say, we can...figure it out.’

it isn’t a question but it almost feels like one. like with the gesture yasha has reached out on two levels, both with hands extended, and is asking for her trust. and jester’s trust is small now and bruised and scratched but she hands it over regardless.

‘she died,’ jester says, flat and pained. ‘or nearly did. and i was so scared.’

yasha nods. ‘you are scared when any of them—us,’ she corrects after a moment, ‘falls. is she...different?’

‘yes,’ jester says, no need to think. ‘she’s my best, my first best friend.’

yasha hums. her expression is blank of judgement but there is a faint air to her like she remains...unconvinced.

jester falters. ‘she’s my best friend, isn’t she?’

‘yes.’ yasha squeezes her hand. ‘tell me, jester, do you think of her first in the morning?’

‘well...yeah. we’re roommates, she’s the first person i see.’

yasha shakes her head. ‘before that. before you even open your eyes.’

jester frowns. yasha seems to be hinting at something, the meaning of which slides sneakily away each time jester tries to grasp it, to find what it looks like, what it feels like, what it is.

‘she snores, so i hear her.’

yasha nods. ‘okay. well. when you are doing, mm, fun things like—‘ she blanks for a moment and then says, hesitantly, ‘dancing?’

‘i love to dance!’

‘okay, when you are dancing, who do you want to be dancing with you?’

jester squints suspiciously. yasha seems to be hinting that she thinks jester’s answer will be beau. and the thing is, of course it is beau! beau would make an amazing dance partner? that’s just natural? she’s taller than jester and strong and lean, with the build of a dancer and when she fights she has the grace of one too. she’s also great at leading and not leading, so that wouldn’t be a problem if jester got carried away and jumped into lead when maybe she shouldn’t. jester explains all of this very matter of factly to yasha, who just nods again.

‘and when you are bored?’

‘nott is very funny,’ jester is quick to point out. ‘and fjord has the best stories of sailing, and caduceus knows so much about so much, and you of course,’ she adds, just to see yasha smile.

it works. yasha smiles very fondly down at her and says, ‘and beau?’

‘beau, no, she isn’t good for boredom.’

‘why not?’

‘because she—‘ because i’m not bored with her, jester thinks. and just shrugs instead. if she thinks the small concession will halt the questions yasha asks, these big seemingly easy but oddly confusing questions, she is wrong.

‘what is your favourite colour? what do you give beau when she is hurt? does she make you laugh? do you want to make her laugh? has sh ever given you a gift? who do you want to be with when you are sad?’

‘that’s too much!’ jester cuts her off, oddly anxious. she jumps off the bed, hurries to put a few yards between them.

yasha doesn’t move to follow, but she watches jester go with a soft expression jester doesn’t recognise.

‘i...thank you for talking to me, yasha,’

‘it was like being more than myself,’ she says before jester makes it to the door. her voice is louder, warmer, richer, and when jester glances back at her, she sees that soft expression has morphed to something...peaceful. deeply sad, but peaceful. ‘i always heard it was two halves of a soul—the man and the woman, joined together. united, a match. but when i met zuala, when we met again and again and spoke, and laughed, and danced,’ yasha’s breath catches and she begins to cry. her eyes close. ‘it was more than myself, what we had. perhaps it was two halves joining, but it never felt like that.’

‘what did it feel like?’ jester whispers when yasha is silent for a short while.

‘terrifying. wonderful.’

‘terrifyingly wonderful?’ jester suggests.

yasha opens her eyes. the tears have leaked a little, spilling down her cheeks, and her eyes—watery, washed out—are clear and bright. ‘she made me very happy, in a time where that was very difficult,’ is all yasha says, and though she doesn’t send jester away, jester can hear that she needs some time.

she steps out with a quiet ‘thank you’ and closes the door behind her. leans back against it. lets out a long, slow breath.

she is still there when beau climbs the stairs, hair slicked with sweat and skin glistening, mottled with purpling bruises. beau grins, lifts a hand.

‘hey.’ her eyes flicker to the door behind jester. ‘everything alright?’

jester stares for a moment. beau is handsome and beautiful—hot, she thinks beau would insist upon—and so much more, and some of yasha’s questions make a lot of sense all of a sudden in a big, important, kinda scary way.

‘jes?’

‘yes. yes, everything is great. just a little chat.’

beau doesn’t look convinced, but she nods anyway. ‘okay.’