#guess that's ok next banner guaranteed

[waterfrontcomplex]

thoughts/review on 2.4 (and a little bit of au talk)

i got yunli!! and e3 yanqing on huohuo's banner... at least i have guaranteed sunday now i guess

ouhhhh i finished the new quests... yanqing i love you....... (spoilers under cut)

skip to the next pink text if u dont wanna read the au stuff

seeing the designs for the borisin reminded me of an au i thought of a while back. i just call it the 'abundance swap' au. the idea is that instead of the xianzhou following the hunt, what if they were denizens of abundance? so like, xianzhou natives would be wingweavers, foxians would be borisin, and vidyadhara.... could be cobrakind...? or still vidyadhara. idk. the xianzhou fleet would be the cloudseizer fleet(?), the plaguemarks would instead be worshipped and nurtured, and they would spread the 'blessings of abundance' to each world they stop by. the arbiter-generals would instead have spirits bestowed by yaoshi instead of lan.

blondies would be more common, philosophies of the hunt would probably be forbidden, and most people would likely know some form of healing. what do they do with the mara struck? im not sure, actually...

ok one of the reasons i thought of this au was bc i liked the thought of wingweaver/borisin yanhuo but shhh... girls should be allowed to be beasts...

i had more thoughts abt this au but lowkey forgot like half of them... maybe ill make a follow up post once i remember

anyway, back to 2.4

oh maaaan oh man oh man oh man im glad yanqing's finally getting more attention in the main story!! he was kinda tossed around in 1.2 and in kafka's companion mission but got some attention during the huohuo event (fav event <3) and now he's a major part in the main story... this patch was made for yanqingers by yanqingers<33

hes depressed just like me fr... also, this pic was so pretty....

ok but seriously, im glad that his confidence issues were talked about here. it was brushed off in 1.2 and sword essence ended with an off screen conversation with yanqing and jing yuan. it talked about his problems a bit, but was left sorta unresolved, yk? im glad that he's not just instantly fine and recovered right away.

this conversation also gave me more insight on yanqing's feelings and personality. theres a lot of pressure being the cloud knight lieutenant, but when he uses his swords, that pressure is lifted, even for a moment. he's free, like a bird, but must eventually return to his birdcage.

this version rlly helped me understand yanqing's character more, and hopefully i can improve bnp(som) when i rewrite it, but for now i'll stick with practice oneshots.

i haven't finished much for the new march event, but HUOHUO!!!! HUOHUO IS HERE!!! AND SHE'S BEAUTIFUL!!!<333

LOOK! LOOK AT HER!!!

i decided to color her in!! here's canon huohuo

and here's my huohuo! (more yellowish-green, just personal preference)

these are free to use with credits since they're just colored<3

anyway thats all for now... might make another post if i have more ideas. sorry for the lack of art and fics :( ive been busy with artfight but now since it's ending i should hopefully be posting more art soon :)

[moni-harmonia]

I swear Hoyo... you just CAN'T give us nice things without having us suffer for them, huh?

I went to get the new running effect for Diluc. I thought it was a nice little thing, I thought Hoyo was finally giving us something.

Well you have to FIGHT for it, literally. I really thought I wouldn't be able to do it seriously. I tried the battle and I'm just not strong enough. My Diluc isn't BAD but I don't have a 5* weapon and perfect artifacts for him.

But I did it. After 5 or 6 tries I finally did it with like 2 seconds left.

All to see Diluc getting plucked.

But wait, there's more...

I'm honestly not very hyped for the new Natlan characters, at least the 5.0 ones (I do like the Archon design).

So since Navia was back I thought "Well... I'll try just 20 pulls"

And... there she was. In the first try.

I'm like... ok... I guess the game wants to reward me for that suffering? Thanks...

But then I try another 10 pulls on the Nilou banner and...

Well not Nilou, but Mona C3 did come home too.

SO. THAT WAS A ROLLERCOASTER OF EMOTIONS.

And I can't complain because I got what I wanted in the end! I even have the next character guaranteed!

I'll play more later to get to the new event which I think it's another exploration event like previous years.

[pianostarinwonderland]

what a time to be a twst fan

oh boy, I know I'm late but that's because I unfortunately have responsibilities, but like. what the fuck, I can't not say something about this

they announced March sched a day before the last day of the month . huh. and Japan doesn't have Feb 28 as a holiday so Hm

but anyway

what the fuck, dorm Malleus on early March????

they're not gonna wazowski him on anniv dorm banner???????? you can actually get him???????????

or will they pull what EN did for bday Malleus and run dorm Malleus banner the same time as the anniv banner and not add his card into the anniv banner WWWWWWWW

but also anniv banner is just a glorified standard banner, and all dorm cards are automatically added to standard SOOO huh. that's funky.

anyway. HELLO???????? MAGIC 3??????? FOR LIMIT BROKEN SSR CARDS?????????????????

oughhhhhhhhh this is so fucking exciting how is it gonna be like. are there new effects the card can do??? can you do more duo magic????? can you deal 4 hits in total??? rn I'm just so excited about doing magic 3 with my lv110 dorm Azul because HELLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOW STRONG WILL YOU BE YOU SEXY BITCH

what. is boost in HP/ATK for LB though. like. is it like a buddy boost thing ??? guess we'll find out soon huh

OK GUEST ROOM FINALLY WILL HAVE VOICED LINES???? THANK YOU????????? suddenly I am playing the guest room with volume every day

BUT EYO EYO OTHER PLAYERS CAN VISIT OUR ROOMS!!!! I'M ACTUALLY SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS ONE ;;;;;;U;;;;;; I'VE ALWAYS WANTED THIS FEATURE EVER SINCE GUEST ROOM WAS INTRODUCED LAST ANNIV, I'M SO EXCITED

I wonder if only friends can visit. It would make sense

ok but hello??????? SPARK SYSTEM IN TWST?????????? 200 PULLS GUARANTEED SSR

I am fully believing that the spark system is here because Yana Toboso had to throw 300 rolls for Masquerade Azul and she didn't like that at all. Everyone say thank you to Azul Ashengrotto.

900 pulls silk Jamil JP player must be malding in their seat right now though

Also I have known people who threw 400-500 rolls for Halloween Jade. Rip to them too

ngl I will miss the gacha horror stories of needing to throw more than 200 rolls to get one single copy. there's a kind of thrill those give.

but at the same time, thank GOD I'LL BE OK!!!! THERE ARE THREE AZUL SSRS TO EXPECT IN THE FUTURE, THAT BEING CLUB, TSUM, AND HIS BIRTHDAY NEXT YEAR, AND IDK WHEN CLUB AND TSUM WOULD HAPPEN!!! There is no need to feel like it is never enough

anyway at least I'll still kinda get the EN gacha horror stories. I'm sorry guys but .. I like hearing about others suffering in gacha .......

the fact that there are still going to be more updates.... like. what Else are they gonna do

actually, unified exams being late March is so sudden??? We just had them. BUt I'm not complaining, I got 109k in the last one. this time. this time I'm getting SSS.

ALS OSNGOIDNGSNONODSINGSODNOGNSONG CLUB FLOYDDDDDD GNBRHBJRBRBRBRHBGF NEED THE OCTA CRUMBS

course, can't forget about the latest update ramblings, but that's gonna be in a separate post after I go through 19080980180481209850128042190 messages worth of people screeching and links to tl summaries but it's like. 1am. and I need to sleep.

haha how fitting, right? absentmindedly hums Once Upon A Dream

[ezamevolni]

Rambling rants: money and freedom

Yesterday Hybe CEO announced that all 4 remaining members - Suga, Jimin, V and Jk will release solos next year and that Jk the youngest hasn't confirmed his enlistment date yet.

The article also stated that Jhope, Jin and RM have already released their solos this year (RM's one is upcoming).

I based my previous assumptions on them staggering the solo albums so that Jin wouldn't be singled out as the only one without an album before enlistment...guess I was wrong.

And the fact that they counted Jin's last minute single as his 'album'. Speechless. Are they really putting that on par with other members' solo releases including multiple songs, ample planning time and album promotions?

I'm not complaining about Jin's single, it's wonderful he got to do a song and release a physical for it before enlisting, but if they are taking this as his solo release for chapter 2... ����

Jin's promotion had included a few variety show appearances... yet The Astronaut wasn't even mentioned on Youngji's show.

And he was writing lyrics for the song the night before filming the MV????? And no one in the company was available to help confirm his lyrics, so he let Chris Martin hear them (the lyrics are Korean mind you) and Chris said they sounded ok so they went with it?

Jin came up with the cartoon character concept, chose the jacket photos, the poster... and wasn't satisfied with the stickers available to those who received the Wootteo plushie so he was going to discuss this more with the staff after he went back from Argentina.

Jin's single release also overlapped with their teasers and presale for the group 'Special 8 Photo Folio' which took away some attention and sales from Jin's solo.

It's more infuriating when I think about the reason behind why they decided to release the group photo book suddenly when not all of the members' solo photo books are out yet. It's right after the Busan expo so fan sentiment and interest is high = higher sales, and with Jin enlisting they might have issues with making a profit off the photo book once he's in the army (rule that they can't make money while serving and all profits go to the government) so it's best to begin presale before he enlisted. What about Jin's photo book? Not as guaranteed to make a profit so not as urgent?

I'm really disliking this new direction of money before artists. BTS built Hybe. Hybe is now like 'thanks guys, we'll do our best to distance this company from you so that if you fail, we won't. Meanwhile, you still have to listen to everything we say.'

I'm not going to impose my original opinions on their enlistment timings here since the timetable has already been set by the CEO's words.

I'm just disappointed in how they seem to have given Jin up from the way they dragged the enlistment announcement from BE all the way to Busan Expo (2 whole years), letting him take the bulk of the backlash and doesn't seem to care that he's the only one who wouldn't get a proper album before enlistment. They filled the guys' schedules with group activities until the last minute before Jin has to go, giving him no time to settle and work on his songs. Just look at the amount of backlog content they filmed during the past two years, they've also repeatedly said they had no time for their own work when doing group activities.

....so tired. I know some OT7 fans and non Jin biased armys are probably tired from hearing Jin stans complaining about his treatment but seriously, they don't even hide it well at times how they are so callous with Jin? I used to be more patient as I'm aware Jin wasn't that musically focused at the beginning and was someone who need to put in a bit more effort than the rest to keep up. But over the years, he's proven his worth as a singer, shown interest and initiative in making songs for fans, improved drastically in performing, did his best to entertain us during their variety shows... and yet you still see him being 'forgotten' on OT7 banners, excluded from group photos and even by some major fan accounts when they make group content. I'm so tired.

I'm holding my breathe until Jin comes back to see if they would give him a full album because as of right now I'm just done with the company.

[seelestia]

'ELLO MATE HOW ARE YOU I AM BACK-

they've disbanded me from the shadow realm!! thankfully it seems like they resolved the issue faster this time yayyyy

ohhh i see! i am biased to the jp version bc i am familiar with the va but i've been getting used to his en va too! i haven't listened to his korean va actually, maybe i should do that 👀

for zhongli... all of his va has their own charms i can't choose 😭 i love the en version va (but dear lord he grunts a lot like seriously grandpa you ok do you need to rest lol) but again, i am biased to his jp va bcs i am super familiar with maeno... i had a phase where i listened to jp drama cds in the past and he's one of my most favorite va hahah

itto was so good to me... i pulled for him with my brother in our parents' house and i screamed when i got him (cause i wasn't expecting him at all), and my brother yelled along with me, and my parents were like "WHAT HAPPENED" lmao it was chaos-

i borrowed my friends' luck and they did a total of 10 pulls for me on cyno banner.... good news: 1) i got candace, 2) i got a 5 star. bad news: it's qiqi lmao ah well at least i have guaranteed now!!

LOL it's ok i can always bow or stand on the lower ground so you can pat my head (cause i do like my headpats <3) hskdjsjdj i can only be savage in writing tho. i'm too timid to be savage when speaking ;x

all the headpats for lin~ i am excited for his voicelines too! i love that he'll help us spam ult hakdjs yes more meteors yessss *evil raccoon laughter*

RIN JIE, YOU'RE BACKKK — ahem, what i mean to say is that i've been faring quite well, as per usual! it pleases me greatly that you've returned, dearest cousin. i assume your journey has been rewarding? did it help in loosening the burden on your mind as you expected? i hope it was, lest the days i had spent missing your presence would all be for naught then.

finally, the results from our anxious wait bear its fruits. i was honestly getting concerned, especially after what happened previous times before. it serves me great joy to see you around again, truly. hm, i suppose saying "yay" would be a better way to express myself? hehe, yay!

breaking character for a sec to say that ayato's korean voice is luring me into a hole and i am absolutely and willingly following 🕳️🚶how ironic, i thought we've already established that he is, indeed, an elderly soul trapped in a young man's body? i'm starting to believe that his true age is manifesting itself through the cracking noises made by his bones. (/lh) i see, so you're similar to me; the familiarity just had that sense of preciousness that attaches itself to us~

that oni has always been clumsy and leaves trails of chaos wherever he goes... but who would've guessed he did an excellent job at coming home to you? ha, i can almost see him seething at me for saying that in the corner of my mind. i also assume your brother was mentally eating this snack called popcorn in his hands while everything went down? how amusing, hehe.

even with the power of borrowed luck, the child is still very fond of you. hm, i was looking forward to seeing a disheartened expression on your face but you seem to be looking at the bright side instead, what a letdown. aha, i was jesting, of course. i also happen to experience the same event as you did; i happened to meet a certain forest watcher from sumeru instead of the well-known general mahamatra, but i have no complaints. the both of us now have guaranteed luck for the next banner that comes around, wonderful! although for me, i don't have a specific character i'm keeping my eyes on since it seems like the yashiro commissioner's return seems very distant in the future. but perhaps, one will catch my eyes soon enough. nahida, perhaps? maybe, even that spirited fatui harbinger with the ginger hair.

i can see why you compare yourself to madam kujou sara... if i may be so bold, i'd say you're akin to a puddle of tender goo hidden inside a cold exterior? it's quite entertaining to see you let loose so easily around mr. zhongli. love is an interesting factor that stirs one's soul, indeed.

(and ty for the headpats, lin is very flustered by them <3 actually, speaking of voicelines, it reminds me of the in-game script/template for voicelines that you did! 👀 and yesss, ult spam is satisfying, especially in domains 🤌)

[mintjeru]

will you grant my wish?

an (over)dramatization of my rolls for xiao constellations drawn as a thank you and goodbye to his rerun banner

open for better quality || no reposts || image desc under the cut || ko-fi

[Image description: A three page comic about wishing for Xiao.

The first page depicts Wangshu Inn with the mountains, moon, and clouds in the background. There is a panel of a chibi Aether standing on the balcony of the inn as he looks wistfully at the scenery. The text at the bottom of the page reads, “Please.”

At the top of the second page, there is a panel with the Primordial Jade Winged Spear and the Staff of Homa. The text states, “I don’t have the best weapons for you.” The next panel contains an Intertwined Fate. The text in this panel says, “and I don’t have enough wishes to guarantee you’ll show up for me.” Below this panel is a shooting star and a chibi Aether, eyes closed, head turned down, and hands in a prayer position. The text is broken up into parts as you move downwards, and it reads, “But even so, can I see you again... Xiao?”

The third page begins with a panel of Aether with his eyes opened in surprise. The text states, “Silly mortal. I told you already, did I not?” Below this is the text, “All you have to do is speak my name.” The bottom of the page shows a backlit Xiao with a small smile on his face as he lands on the balcony railing. He is gazing down at Aether, who has a surprised expression.]

[heatwa-ves]

:'( I've been saving for Thoma since Kazuha's banner, but I really wanted Chongyun so I spent 20 wishes on Childe's banner (I got Chongyun!), and I still had 60 wishes left so I thought that would be enough for Thoma, right??

Here's what I got on all the 10-pulls I did:

1. 4-star bow (ok, fine, I wasn't expecting to get him on the first pull)

2. Sayu (I was really happy because she's really cute and strong too!!)

3. c1 Xiangling (hmm ok I guess)

4. Sayu (again??? That's fine, but still no Thoma....)

5. 4-star bow (ok whatever) and Sayu (AGAIN????)

6. 4-star sword (ughh) and.... JEAN????

So I didn't get Thoma and now I have no wishes left :')

oh no :( hu taos banner just began tho so you'll still have time! I hope you can get him :)

AND jean is AMAZING she's always on my team, I've made her kinda a sub dps and healer, I definitely reccomend building her! and now you have guaranteed for the next 5 star you want

Manifesting thoma for u tho! U will get him 🛐 and with all the starglitter(?) u got from the wishes u did there's probably enough to buy a few fates :) thoma will come home!!

[unmeiokaemasu]

cyl 6 results reaction!!

I’m just going down the list and writing out any reactions I have in real time!

1 chrom you deserve this sweetie, last year was a disaster I’m glad you’re #1

4 I’m actually replaying 3h for the first time in a while and uh....fbyleth isn’t just my fav player avatar, I really love her in general. I didn’t vote for her but I’m happy. I hope her brave unit is the academy uniform!

6 again replaying 3h.......love this asshole. can’t wait to get a base felix in the game. don’t care if if it’s pre- or post-timeskip.

7 SOREN!!! SOREN!!! You did it sweetie you did it!! This bodes really well for a brave in hypothetical future cyls, but even without that this is excellent! he’s gotta be guaranteed an alt this year right. better yet, one soren for every ike.

11 edit: azura doesn’t have a brave yet? even with all those alts huh. between her, lyn and camilla, I like azura the most tho, so I don’t mind if she’s ranking high I guess.

14 again replaying 3h etc etc I like yuri

18 fittingly enough, after having played heroes and 3h, awakening was the first time seeing anna finally made me go “oh cool, anna!”

20 lmao omg, alfonse barely made it, good job bby

26 further down than I’d hoped, but still bodes pretty well for nino for next year

49 a top 50 surprise, ninian!

53 a just barely missed top 50, mercedes. yup, aaaaaaall of my 3h feelings are coming back to haunt me.

55 “unparalelled popularity” plumeria huh. I guess they were desperate to get a feh oc on that banner and freyja and fjorm were busy. still not as mystifying as catria

59 not top 50 but still top 100, give us bruno intsys

62 oh there’s catria

63 :’’’’’’[ I’m not sad at lin’s placement, I’m just, as stated, having a lot of 3h feels rn

69 sonia, really? she’s already in the game. I mean I have a lot of feelings about her dgmw. anyway, nice

71 I’m putting all y’all memers on notice

74 absolutely slighted laegjarn. where’s her brave

81 can’t believe my guy’s so low. idk I thought lif was more popular than this. I don’t have super strong feelings I’m just...idk acknowledging I was wrong I guess. at least he’s top 100

91 just barely introduced letizia squeaking by top 100 here, and all she did was look cool and briefly gaslight veronica

93 henry! this’ll probably be the last pleasant surprise of the top 100

97 no super strong feelings about jeralt but he is on my bingo card

98 sain the highest not-yet-in-feh blazing blade rep eh. not bad I guess. I prefer kent but

ok well we’re out of top 100, already know several favs are missing, but, eh.

102 couldn’t be bothered to show up for even the top 100 huh dwyre. :’(

106 wait grima is a different vote than robin? is it just the dragon?? I was sure robin placed high because of the grima fans

108 tibarn’s the highest voted bird huh. fine I guess

123 hi yes I’d like to report a murder, seriously dagr deserved better

131 HEY NOT BAD?? NOT BAD I THINK?? lemme check their ranking in previous years...AW BEANS. o n e lower than last year??? oh well at least it’s not a huge slide. It’s also more votes than last year, so did more people participate in cyl this time? That’s a good sign. Side note now I’m really mad at the placement of abysskeeper.

133 I guess I’ll just note when I see my favs from now on, hi niles

165 *narrows eyes* I smell memes...

173 is kent really this much less popular than sain?? maybe I didn’t read enough of either of their supports.

197 :( :( :( :( perhaps lucius and raven matching resplendents will remain a pipe dream...seriously I might vote for lucius next year

203 y’know I thought elm was pretty cool, but tbf he ain’t done shit yet

226 idk how many people actually like the nino/jaffar ship, but I do dammit, I’m sad they’re so far apart

228 greil the one I realized I probably should’ve included on my hopefuls bingo card. oh well

229 all the way down here huh xane. well that saves intsys trying to figure out how the fresh hell to make a base for him

232 >:[ who’s been doing my birds dirty. also strongly tempted to vote for naesala next year. also where the hell is reyson

233 mirabilis also deserved better

235 another of my bingo entries, looks like I’ll need to fight to keep feh alive into like 2032 if I ever want bingo (skrimir)

254 christ my bingo picks were bad (janaff)

255 riddle me this, if raven’s this low why did he get a resplendent so early?? was it complaints about the artwork. if so w h e r e ‘ s  l u c i u s ’  r e s p l e n d e n t. (also someone pointed out: actually-red-haired raven when)

261 I guess I’m glad judith’s even this high

274 this hurt more than I thought it was going to (izana) :’( I mean I still have a host of other people I’d vote for before him but

301 I might vote for uther out of spite next time. I know he’s an npc in an older game but c’mon. Hector’s got like 5 alts we can’t get one uther.

302 Leanne just got an alt, I thought those alts were based on perceived popularity!? also WHERE THE HELL IS REYSON??

308 😡😡

316 how the mighty memes have fallen, oliver

321 didn’t...wasn’t lehran on here earlier. did I imagine that. why would he be counted separately under different names. it’s like he put on fake mustache&glasses

322 welcome to “never getting bingo” hell, rhys

324 aaaaand there go my dreams of getting staff!libra

326 the only thing I know about dew is that the japanese voice actress who does xane loves him, and her feh interview was really cute, so I have some fondness for this character I don’t know through her

339 glad nuibaba’s here! I mean this’s pretty low but she’s a pretty obscure side-boss so

346 I somehow like knoll despite knowing very little about him. he has the vibe of someone who puts up with a lot

346 the bingo hell deepens (harken)

352 I’m glad we got the baller kurthnaga alt that we did given this result

383 =sigh= hi luthier...

394 edit: realized I never found vaida the first time I looked at this. is that the last of my bingo squares?

defo down low this I’ve been scrolling past a lot of “who the hell are you” entries lol. alright let’s get d e e p in this dumpster

401 LOL GET DUNKED ON EPHIDEL. he might be on my bingo but this is where he belongs.

416 ulki really in the weeds here

454 hi eliwood’s hot dad. we’re down pretty far here, I wonder how many characters are left I even care about (answer: none)

474 sparing a wave at last royal bird rafiel here

506 half of me is thankful to jorge for making sure a blazing blade character wasn’t dead last, but a larger half of me wishes desmond had been at the very bottom. oh well, pretty close.

....aaaaand that’s a wrap!! this was my first cyl and it was a ton of fun. biggest triumph was soren, biggest disappointment was reyson...my votes for soren didn’t end up mattering, but if I’d cast them all for limstella they’d only have ended up 1 1/2 spaces higher tied with jeritza...although that would’ve put them at a higher ranking than last year, dang. what really stings is that the four votes I did use didn’t move them up at all. but, of course, there was no way to know that.

with the way things shook out, very earliest inclinations might be to vote for lucius next year. it was very fun getting swept up in one of the popular votes, but I might prefer casting votes where it was make a tangible difference. obv will still vote for limstella if they’re not in yet.

I think I had more thoughts about the anniversary celebration, but this went waaay long so if I do I’ll do a different post. happy cyl everyone! I hope everyone had at least one fav rank high!

[i-drink-and-i-write-fics]

Crush

Chapter 6: Truce

Summary: Peter and Sonic talk it out.

You waited quietly while Parker fidgetted in his seat. He was clearly struggling with whatever he wanted to tell you, but you weren’t about to prompt him as you had in the past. Peter made his bed now he could lie in it.

Finally, after five minutes of anxious movement, Peter jumped to his feet and began to ramble. “Ok, so I want to start off by saying I’m sorry. I was really lousy to you and Cap and that was no way for me to behave and Aunt May said-”

“Ok, ok, ok!” You held up your hand to stop him. “Let’s try this again. Only this time, think before you speak, breath, and put spaces between your words. Now, what the hell were you saying?”

He nodded his head and tried again. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I’m- I’m here to apologize to you and Cap. I was really horrible in how I behaved to you guys and I have no excuse.”

You didn’t respond, just watched as the words came pouring out - although this time at a slower speed.

Parker sighed. “I was hurt by MJ rejecting me and stressed about trying to be an Avenger and still go to college. I wanted to prove to Mr. Stark that I could do it. And then you came to the compound and I just thought you were someone that understood me. Someone that knew what it was like to have powers you didn’t ask for. I mean, yeah. Dr. Banner kinda has that problem. But he seems more at ease with it.”

“It also happened to him later in life, not in his teen years like for us.” You pushed yourself away from the bar you had been leaning on and walked over to sit on one of the loungers.

He nodded his head as he sat back down. “Yeah, that too.”

“Listen, Parker, I don’t have any words that won’t sound cliche and hallow. I mean, this is one of those love triangles you see in a rom-com.”

“Except the person who had the main person’s heart gets to keep it.”

You sighed, “yeah. Which is why I always hated those types of movies. They are so unrealistic. You are the hero of your story, but that doesn’t mean everything will go your way. Getting the girl, saving the day, having the good life. None of it’s guaranteed.”

Peter grimaced. “You’re right: all your words are cliche and hallow.”

You couldn’t help but laugh. “I told you. Pop culture is not always your friend.”

He blushed and nodded his head. “Yeah, yeah. So are, uh, like are we cool?”

Sighing again, you stood up and looked out over the compound. “It’s not that simple, Parker. You said some really hurtful things to myself and to Steve. And in return, I lashed out as well. I forgive you, but it’s going to be a while before we are like we were. And as for Cap, you’ll have to find that out yourself.”

“Yeah, uh that- that makes sense.” The sadness was unmistakable in his voice, but you had to stand strong. This wasn’t the first time you’ve had to teach someone Parker’s age that their words will have consequences.

“If you want to talk to Cap, you better hurry. Sam and Bucky have plans to steal him away tonight.”

“Ok, ok. Thanks, Sonic.”

“Of course. Take care, Peter.” You watched as the kid left for the stairwell.

Wanda and Nat would be wondering where you were, but you wanted to avoid any conflict that may be going on inside. To let the boys settle this issue between themselves. So you made yourself a drink from the rooftop bar, walked over to the edge of the compound, and threw your legs over so you could look out over the nearby lake.

“You know, anyone else would think it’s crazy to sit on the edge of a five-story building.”

“I guess they would. But we’re not exactly normal, are we?”

Steve settled on the ledge next to you. “No, I guess we’re not. But I sometimes imagine what it would be like.”

“I’m assuming boring and predictable.” You rested your head on his shoulder. “Which wouldn’t be a bad thing, but what would we do with all our free time?”

He sighed, “I don’t know.”

You lifted your head to look Steve in the eye. “How did it go?”

“It was rough at first. I almost didn’t want to talk to him.”

“Rogers!”

“Can you blame me? He really hurt you and I would do anything to keep you from crying.” He reached over to cup your face.

“No, I guess not. But he’s just a kid. Heartaches are a big part of that time in his life.”

“Don’t I know it,” Steve mumbled.

You leaned in to kiss him. “Parker will have his time just like you did. And I’m glad he’s at least realizing he overstepped in his reactions.”

He put his arm around you. “Do you have to go out tonight? Can’t I just steal you instead?”

“Changing the subject already? Listen, Rogers, if we keep running off together Nat’s going to just flat our kidnap me. And Sam and Bucky aren’t exactly thrilled with you either. So we’ll split up, head out, fill in everyone on the Parker situation, and then we’ll reconvene at the end of the night.”

Steve raised an eyebrow at you, “oh?”

You gave him a wicked smile. “Oh, indeed. Now get going, Cap. Before those boys come up here to drag you away.”

He chuckled and pulled you towards the doorway. Downstairs, Bucky and Sam immediately rushed Steve while Wanda and Nat strolled over to you.

“Don’t tell me you’re ditching us again?”

“No, Nat. Steve and I just had to finish business with Parker.”

“How did it go?”

“It went really well, actually. I think Parker should be able to rejoin us in the compound really soon.”

The three of you looked over at Parker heading for the exit. He turned to look at the room briefly and raised his hand. You returned the gestured.

“I better hear that you’re acing all your classes when you return, Peter.”

He blushed. “Always, Sonic.”

After he left, you turned towards the girls. “We fight aliens, arms dealers, psychotic robots, and mutants, but it’s always the personal struggles that nearly tear this group apart.”

“But that’s how you know we’re family. Only family could drive each other nuts that way.”

“Oh my god, Wanda. Talk about cheesy. C'mon, let’s get out of here. I need copious amounts of alcohol to wash off that Brady Bunch level of cheese.” Wanda smacked your arm as you headed for the garage.

“It may have been cheesy, but you know I’m right.”

“Yeah, you are right. And I wouldn’t change this for anything. Drama and all.”

[witch-hazels-musings]

ack, ok nevermind, i saw people’s pain on not getting husbandos and i just want to pat you all in the back,,, a lot of us are on the same boat huh,,,

the only ones i have are kaeya and (thank god) zhongli,,, and the latter was only because i had him guaranteed and i had to hit hard pity 😭

now kazuha’s is 50/50 and i'm deathly afraid i’ll lose it,,, i mean i guess it means i'm guaranteed for whoever is next but i just want one anemo boy to come home,,, because venti decided to dodge my invitation (i love qiqi though, despite all the hate she seems to be getting. her healing has been the lifeline of my main team)

i pray to all of us that we get those husbandos, and we get them soon! best to luck to all of you, especially kazuha wanters!

- 🍡

I can’t remember even where I am -- I think I got Childe and I pulled nothing for a long time ... so I have absolutely the worst fear that I will lose the 50/50 pull too my friend 

it’s so hard -- i want to pull on other banners just for the characters, but i can’t risk getting the five star I don’t want lol (plus i’m so low on gems it aint funny lol) 

I hope you get Kazuha, when his banner is up you and I can cry and cheer together!! I will be routing for you!! 

[kazuhasbunny]

hello!! i was looking for some genshin friends to ask this (and i hope its ok for me to ask) im ar33 so and im still lost in this pity sistem. today i got keqing on yoimiya’s banner and i was at soft pity. i really want albedo so bad and i guess pulling keqing means i guaranteed albedo,, but i like gorou too so i was also planning to roll just for him on the next banner/s, is it ok for me to roll since im now guaranteed albedo? i mean i probably wont get baal/kokomi if i do some rolls - right? TT

hii !! what server are u on ? if ur on asia we can play tgt sometime hehe <3

that , i can’t really promise since it depends on luck :( you could get a character around soft/hard pity OR get them under 75 pulls with no pity … so yea :( since albedo won’t be coming for like 2-3 updates i think u can go and pull for others before he comes out ! i’m sure u can save up enough for him during his rerun <3

[mantaarays]

heya! wanted to ask if you could explain what genshin impact is (you seem to be really passionate about it and idk what it is)🦕🐸

ok #1 i love you for this actually i’ve been wanting an excuse to talk all about this game ahh (this is gonna be long i already know i’m sorry in advance)

simple answer: it’s a video game that i’m obsessed with

complex answer: so the basic premise of the story is that it’s you and your twin (you get to pick which one it’s just a boy or a girl i don’t really think it makes a difference to the game) but you guys are from some world and also there’s this Unknown God that steals your powers and also your twin and then you land in Teyvat which is the world where the game takes place.

so you have to find your twin and they way you do that is to go and look for all the archons, which are basically gods, there’s 7 of them and each one goes with one of the elements/regions. so right now there’s mondstadt (anemo) and liyue (geo) but next they’re planning to add inazuma (electro) and more acts of the story which is really exciting because the story is AMAZING (they’re going to have a hard time outdoing themselves though, i finished the 2nd story chapter like a week ago and the end of that was like end of the GAME material honestly)

the game is open-world so you can travel all around and do whatever you want honestly (you don’t even HAVE to do the main story if you don’t want to i guess? i think it unlocks some quests and stuff though) anyways the main thing you do in the game is battle monsters and stuff which is cool because there’s 23 different characters you can get right now, and there’s 7 different elements (anemo, geo, hydro, cryo, pyro, electro, and dendro) and 5 different weapons (sword, claymore, catalyst, bow, polearm) so they all have different skills and play styles, even if they have the same element and weapon. it’s interesting because some of them can do support/healing, there’s elemental reactions you can make, stuff like that so it’s cool to make teams that work well together

something i really love about the game is the characters. all the playable ones either show up in the story, or have their own story quests that are separate from the main story which i love, it’s cool to interact with them. ALSO if you get the characters on your team (you get them through wishing that’s a big thing) you can increase your friendship level through doing quests and stuff and when you get to higher levels you unlock stuff about their backstories and voice lines about them, their opinions on other characters, stuff like that which i love.

the wish/banner system is a big thing you hear about too, because there’s 4 star characters which you can get any time, but there’s also 5 star characters which only show up in banners for a few weeks, and you have to be really lucky (or spend a lot of money) to get them bc it takes 90 wishes to be guaranteed a 5 star, BUT that could also be a 5 star weapon or one of the permanent 5 star characters instead. if you get a 5 star though, it’s a 50/50 chance of getting the event character, but if you get one 5 star and it’s not that, next time you get a 5 star it’s guaranteed to be the event character,,, so it could take up to 180 rolls to get the character you want which is part of why the 5 star characters are so popular i think (they’re also all so cool, like character design in this game is top tier)

another thing i like is the co-op system (sort of) so you can invite friends to join your game and they can help you with battles or just run around and stuff, but also you can join random people or they can request to join you which always freaks me out haha it’s way better with friends (i’m thinking about convincing some of my irl friends to join but they’re not that into video games)

this was really long, sorry again haha i’m really into this game right now but hope you enjoyed my explanation :)

here’s a summary: open world video game, elemental powers you use to fight monsters, cool story and characters, co-op mechanics, and cool events 👍

[gurikajis]

WAIT WUT, AAAAAAAAA FROM THE CHIAVE GACHA GUARANTEED.

I SHOULD’VE SAVED FOR THE NEXT STANDARD BANNER BECAUSE IT’S SHINING & CHEN, BUT WELL I WANTED ROSA SO I GUESS IT’S OK.

[coffee-obsessed-writer]

The Devil in Disguise, Pt. 3

Dean Winchester x Reader

Masterlist

Summary: Dean’s on the run from escaping a prison where a job went south. Sam is in the wind. With nowhere to go and an injured leg, Dean takes refuge in the only place he could find—an old remote cabin. Normally empty for long stretches, Dean happens to stumble in the same day that the cabin’s owner returns. After a rocky first encounter, Dean comes to believe that a distant connection they share could be the thing that saves his life and gets him back to Sam. But will it happen before Y/N’s finance, a prison guard at Green River, finds the secret she’s hiding in the woods?

A/N: The fic was inspired by the song “The Devil’s Backbone” by The Civil Wars. This is part 3 of 5 written for multiple bingo cards that go for both chapters. Set around S2 (Folson Prison Blues). New tag lists are at the end of the fic. I have tag spots open, let me know if you want to jump on or off for SPN (Dean and/or Sam, or RPF for Jensen)

Warnings: (Part Three): Language, Mild angst, Hints of abuse, Drinking, Smut (18+ only)

WC: 5.7K

*Banner created by me. I do not own any of these pictures.

Dean didn’t say much to her for the next couple of hours. After [Y/N] helped set him up in the bathroom so he could take a makeshift shower, he made his way to the kitchen without any assistance, albeit very slow. She tried to help him hobble his way along, but he insisted on doing it himself. Once he was clean and his wound was tended to, she placed down a big bowl of chili and a hunk of cornbread, warmed and oozing with butter. He thanked her and as the fragrant spices filled his nose, his stomach rumbled fiercely. Dean dove in and greedily ate every bite until the bottom of the bowl was so clean it was hard to imagine there was much in it, to begin with.

“I guess it was good?” she asked with a half-amused grin. 

Dean leaned back in the chair and groaned along with the wood. He smiled, satisfied, and patted his stomach. “So good. I feel like I haven’t eaten real food in, well, forever.”

“Can’t imagine your meals at Green River were exactly gourmet. Then, living on soup and protein bars the last couple of days couldn’t have done much for your taste buds…” she trailed off and shrugged, rising from the table and clearing his dish. 

She seemed different, like something in her was changed by the earlier encounter. Despite their close moment after Derek left, Dean felt like she was holding something back; maybe it was the need to cry or just the urge to rage, but even he could feel the shift in her mood without her saying a word about it. 

He sat quietly and watched her move around the kitchen, cleaning dishes, putting away the rest of the food. Silently going about her business, and yet, he could almost see the wheels in her head-turning. His own thoughts kept going to what he overheard while in the closet, but also, to the closet itself. A lock on the outside, sure, why not… but one on the inside could only mean trouble. But, was it trouble for [Y/N] or someone else? Unable to keep his thoughts to himself, Dean leaned forward on the table but didn’t look in her direction at first. “Can I ask you something? And, I don’t mean to pry, but... my curiosity is piqued.”

She stood at the sink, and just when he thought she wouldn’t say anything, [Y/N] turned around and he could already see she knew the questions he wanted to ask. She still didn’t speak, just used her expression to grant permission for him to ask.

“Alright…” he started then turned in the chair and did his best to stand with a bit of weight on his injured leg. He didn’t wobble this time, though held onto the table for support and now that he was secure, his gaze focused on her. “Why is there a lock on the inside of a closet door in your bathroom? What were you trying to hide from?”

[Y/N]’s gaze fell to the old hardwood floor, but that half-amused smile stayed on her lips as she considered her answer. Finally, when she lifted her (y/c) eyes, Dean saw years’ worth of pain and heartache in them. It didn’t make him sad for her, but instead anger at the people who were the cause of it. 

“My father used to hit my mom. She put it in there one day when he wasn’t around so I could have a place to hide if I needed it.” Her reply was so matter-of-fact and calm, that Dean had to take a moment to process what she actually said. 

“He what?” he asked through gritted teeth.

“He hit her, a lot. We lived here for a few years when I was very little. He had been asked to leave his prior parish, so my mom fixed this place up for us to live in until he found a new one. It was her grandfather’s cabin. So, she loved the place and was thrilled to live here for a while.”

“Guessing your dad didn’t care for it,” Dean spat, the words leaving a bad taste in his mouth just as the impression of her father did.

“Nope. Not even a little. He drank, got violent, took all his frustrations out on her. You know how it goes. Eventually, the offer from Green River Baptist came through and here we are. We moved out of here and down into the house adjacent to the church, and she installed one there, too.”

“Did he ever hurt you?” Dean’s question had more of a punch than he intended, which didn’t go unnoticed by her. 

“No. Well, once, but not like he hurt my mother. Once we were moved into the new church, his outrages stopped for the most part. ”

Dean shook his head and inhaled slowly, trying to still the rage he felt towards her father. “Your mom… where is she now?”

“Residing in Green Valley cemetery. Remember I said I had family there?”

“Oh,” Dean replied awkwardly and shifted weight off his bad leg, “yeah…”

“Here, come on,” [Y/N] said, and quickly dried her hands on a dishtowel before moving to help Dean. “Come sit in the living room. There’s a fire going and then I’ll put the kettle on for hot chocolate.”

“Got any booze to throw in there?” Dean asked hopefully.

“I do, but you can’t have any. Not while on those meds. I need you clear-headed as you can be.”

Dean sighed heavily. “Awesome, thanks Nurse Ratchett.”

“Yeah well, you’ll be thanking me should Derek show up again. Cause I guarantee the next time he does, he’ll have a shotgun in hand.”

“Peachy,” he mused and rolled his eyes as he slung an arm around her shoulder as she helped him walk into the living room. 

Once in the living room, she let him go so he could sit on the couch then turned to tend to the fire. That was when he really watched her closely; from the glow of the flames against her face, tracing the lines and curves of her body, right on down her tight jeans to her wool-socked feet. He was so curious about so many things--including how she would look sans the layers of the thermal and flannel she wore--but had no idea whether he should or could even bring himself to ask. She was a stranger to him, but yet, he felt close to her in a way that even surprised him. 

Dean watched every move she made and studied her face as she seemed to be lost in the dancing flames. When she snapped out of it and turned back to him, he didn’t try to look away or pretend he hadn’t been watching her. 

“What?” she asked nervously, “why are you staring at me?”

“Just watching you work the fire,” he replied casually, though they both knew it was much more than that. 

“Ok, weirdo,” she snarked and turned to go into the kitchen. 

“So, can I ask you something else?” Dean called out to her, and when she didn’t respond, he twisted his torso to see her moving about the kitchen. 

She just finished filling the kettle and gently rested it on one of the burners then turned it on. “Ask me whatever you want, Dean. I have no secrets.”

“You got me,” he replied, his wide, toothy grin made her chuckle.

“Other than you… what do you want to know?”

“What the HELL are you doing with that guy?” 

“Derek?”

“Yeah, Derek. Derek is a douchebag.”

“Well aware, thanks.” She continued on making the hot chocolate, and when she retrieved the bottle of rum from the pantry, Dean couldn’t help but smile when he saw her pour a small shot into each mug. 

She was quiet for a while, long enough that the kettle began to whistle and he assumed it was her way of avoiding the question. Dean wouldn’t push her, not when she was doing all she was for him, but he couldn’t take his focus, or his eyes, from her. Nor could he understand how such a beautiful woman, with skills and balls of steel like her, would stay with an overbearing shithead like Derek and that being based on only hearing a few minutes of their lives together. 

[Y/N] came back into the living room a minute later with two steaming mugs that smelled heavenly of chocolate and liquor. 

“If you end up having a reaction to your meds with that shot of rum, it’s your own damn fault,” she said and handed him a mug before sitting on the opposite end of the couch, one leg tucked beneath her. 

Dean smiled smugly and sipped at the piping hot liquid. “I’ll take my chances, thanks.”

She stared into the fire for a beat, and when she finally turned back to him, he realized that she wasn’t just being quiet, she was thinking; most likely trying to phrase her answer to his question.

“I met Derek in high school. My mom had died by then, the incident in the church with Deacon had happened, and I was a wild kid. Summer before sophomore year, I met Derek at church. His family just moved here and my dad set me up on a date with him… a good Christian boy.”

“Oh, I bet that date was gads of fun,” Dean mocked and licked the chocolate from his lips. 

“It was, actually. Derek wasn’t as good of a Christian boy as he pretended to be. We went out drinking at the pits in the woods, and had a great time.”

Dean raised his brow in surprise. “I certainly didn’t expect that answer.”

[Y/N] chuckled but it was flat and sad. “It didn’t last. We dated for two years, and by the time we were about to be seniors, in his head, my father already had us walking down the aisle. The second I graduated, he wanted to marry me off and get rid of me. By then, Derek wasn’t exactly the guy I thought he was and I was so ready for it to be over.”

“So, why are you still with him all these years later?”

She shrugged. “When you are mentally beat down and told you’ll never do better than what you got after so long you start to believe it.”

Dean swallowed hard and felt his teeth grind together in an attempt to bite back words he had no business saying to her. As they sat there in the heavy silence following her words, he was seething in anger that anyone could think of her as anything but wonderful.

“That’s horse shit, you know,” he said softly, raking his teeth over his bottom lip in frustration. 

“Yeah, well… tell that to eighteen year old me who was getting kicked out of her house and forced to live with a guy who I didn’t want to be with, or be homeless.”

“Well okay, but you're clearly not eighteen anymore. You work? Right? Have money… why stay?”

“It’s just not that simple Dean. I wish it were, but it's not. Besides, what do you care? In a few days or two, you’ll be able travel and I will somehow get you back to your brother. Speaking of… I guess we should talk about that. How do you wanna--”

“Don’t do that.”

“What?”

“Change the subject. I’m not letting this go, [Y/N]. That guy is a massive dick. I have known plenty of guys like that in my life. Bullies, all of ‘em. Chances are if he hasn’t raised a hand to you yet, he will.”

She raised her brows subtly and didn’t look him in the eyes. He knew what it meant, but didn’t want to press her. Truth was, he didn’t have any right to get into her business, but yet…

“[Y/N], I’m not trying to--”

“I know,” she interrupted, but it was quiet, almost a whisper. 

Dean moved closer to her, ignoring the burst of discomfort it caused in his leg. He left a bit of breathing room, but reached out and placed a hand on the bend of her knee. He waited a moment to see if she would recoil, or react negatively to his touch. She didn’t. 

“No, you don’t know,” he said. “I won’t tell you what to do, but sweetheart, you do not need that guy. Not for a damn thing.”

Her eyes slowly came up to meet his and he could see the conflict brewing in them. Despite the temperature, she gulped down the hot chocolate and placed her mug on the small table beside her. Without saying anything, she got up, Dean’s hand falling back to the couch, and went into the kitchen only to return a moment later with the bottle of rum. She sat down in the same position, only much closer to Dean; close enough that her knee was gently pressing against the side of his thigh.

[Y/N] took a quick pull of the brown liquor and winced as it trickled down her throat. She passed the bottle to Dean, who looked between it and her with uncertainty.

“My very beautiful nurse said it would screw with my meds,” he shrugged, flashed her his most charming smile. 

“She’s an idiot. Get drunk with me, wouldya? Cause honestly, after these last few days I could use it.”

Dean placed his mug of hot chocolate down on the other table and took the bottle from her. The taste of the rum was like heaven on his tongue, but he knew he had to pace himself. She wasn’t wrong about keeping a level, clear head, yet the allure of getting drunk with her was something he didn’t want to pass up, either. After spending the last few days down with an infection and fever, Dean knew he couldn’t be too carefree with his actions. 

Passing the bottle back to her, she took a shot from it, her (y/c) eyes intently watching him. “I don’t want to talk about Derek. Tell me a story, Dean. Tell me about what you and your brother do. What other creatures or monsters have you killed?”

Dean scoffed and stammered a moment before he could formulate an answer. “I--Well… why? Why would you want to hear those stories?”

“Because,” she shrugged and drank from the bottle again before passing it to him, “at least what you’re doing seems important… meaningful. Me… I am a bored soon-to-be housewife who likes to pretend I write important things when really it’s just a bunch of bullshit.”

“I doubt that,” he replied, keeping his green eyes locked with hers as he raised the bottle to his lips. He was feeling the effects of the alcohol quickly; could feel it coursing through his veins and an overwhelming need to touch her rose with it.

“Just tell me a story,” she laughed, “I don’t want to think… I want you to distract me, please?”

“Alright,” Dean nodded and gave her back the bottle. She took a healthy pull from it, placed the cap back on and reached over to leave the bottle on the floor beside the couch. The fire crackled and popped in the background while Dean tried to think of a case to tell her about; one that wouldn’t be too dark or heavy, but he was struggling because they all were like that. She thought what he and Sam did was important, and maybe it was, but it certainly came with a hefty price.

“This one time Sam and I had to join a traveling circus,” he shrugged and felt his heart warm as she broke into a disbelieving smile.

“Seriously? What was going on there?”

“A killer clown, or so we thought. Thanks to a little help from a friend, we found out it wasn’t so much a clown but a rakshasa--”

“A what?!” she snorted, the alcohol clearly affecting her as well as she tried, and failed, to repeat the word. “A rakssha--rakeis--a what?!”

“A rakshasa… a spirit, shapeshifter of sorts that likes to feed on humans. This one had set up shop in a traveling carnival. Passed itself off as a clown, got kids to let it in the house and then would eat one of their parents.”

“Oh,” [Y/N] said, wrinkling her nose in disgust, “gross.”

“Yeah, very,” Dean chuckled, his tongue darting across his lips while looking at her. It was an involuntary response, but he could see her watching him closely now, too, and he didn’t hate it.

“What else, tell me more,” she requested and leaned forward enough that he could see a spark of life returning to her eyes. 

Dean recounted a few other cases he and Sam had worked over the years, keeping them short and sweet, and mostly ones where there was a happy ending. He left out the demon stories or the time when Sam had to put down a woman after he’d fallen for her because she had been bitten and turned into a werewolf. He went more in-depth about the case they worked for Deacon, too, and other times he’d been in their lives. [Y/N] listened attentively, her eyes never leaving his face and the more he talked, the closer she got. 

What felt like hours later, she moved off the couch and once again tended to the fire. From the corner of the room, the CB radio crackled to life again, making both Dean and [Y/N] freeze, then catch the other’s nervous gaze. They waited silently through the unintelligible voice mixed with static, waiting to see if one would make sense; if Dean’s name was the topic of the call or if--

“[Y/N].... you…*static* ...up. Now! Over.”

Dean saw her face fall the minute the voice was clear enough to understand. Her whole body stiffened, a coating of fear mixed with anger taking hold of her expressions and forcing her to walk towards the CB. He realized as she got closer that she still had the fireplace poker in her hand. Even from across the room Dean could see how tightly she was gripping the iron weapon, her knuckles turning a ghostly shade of white.

[Y/N]’s free hand darted out and snatched the handle from its base and gave a quick look over her shoulder. Dean nodded, his way of agreeing to be quiet. She drew in a deep breath and pressed the button. 

“I’m here. Over.”

It took a minute, but the voice came back clearer this time. “What the hell you thinkin’, girl? You better get your ass back to town... *more static* ...ing. Storm’s …. *static* ...for days! Over.”

There was another moment of hesitation on her part before she pressed the button and spoke again. “I’m not a God-damned child. I’ll tell you what I told Derek. I’m fine. I will be back when I am back. Over and out.”

Without hesitation, she turned off the power to the radio and gently placed the handle back in its cradle. [Y/N] stood motionless, still holding the poker with a fierce grip as if she couldn’t decide whether she wanted to use it or not. She finally moved, turned back around to face him and that’s when she noticed the poker in hand. Paying it an absent glance, she gently laid it back on the rack and shook the haunted thoughts from her mind. 

“I don’t wanna tell you what to do, but maybe turning that off isn’t a great idea,” Dean suggested carefully. “It’s kind of our early warning system, you know?”

“You’re right,” she replied, and went back to the radio to switch it back on, then maneuvered a few of the controls so music began to play through the small speaker on the unit. “There, at least that’s better to listen too. And it’ll flash when something’s trying to get through.”

“Who was that?” Dean asked, unable to quell his curiosity. 

“My father. Derek probably left here and went straight there. They’re always conspiring something,” she muttered.

Dean nodded and tried to think of something he could say that would change the sudden change in her demeanor. Seeing how her father’s voice alone affected her, made him just as disgusted as he had been when he saw how Derek’s presence changed her. [Y/N] was a special kind of woman, how she was so mistreated by the men in her life left him baffled and angry.

Before he could think of something to say, she spoke up first as she knelt down by Dean’s injured leg.  “I should check your wound…” 

“You’re just surrounded by douchebags, huh?”

“You don’t know the half of it,” she replied and began to pull up the bottom of the sweatpants when he leaned forward and put his hand on her shoulder. 

“My leg is fine,” he said. “I mean, if you’re just looking for a way to get me to take my pants off, I can think of better ways, sweetheart.” He knew he was being blunt, and while he certainly wouldn’t turn down the mysterious beauty, he was only trying to get her back in that light-hearted, easy-going way she was before the CB had gone off. 

[Y/N] laughed but then caught his gaze, and in it, he saw that maybe his comment wasn’t as laughable to her. 

“Is that so?” she asked and stopped pulling up his pant leg, but didn’t remove her hand from his ankle. He could feel her feather-light touch on his skin and desperately wanted her to touch him everywhere. “And just what way would that be?”

Dean chuckled and needed to decide how far he could, or should try to take this. He was injured, after all, and she was a stranger with two very aggressive men in her life. Getting involved with her in any way was only going to mean trouble. But then she looked at him, challenging his comment with nothing but the tick of her brow and the pout of her lip; subtle, but sexy. He knew there was only one way it could go.

“Well, you could come back up on the couch and let me show you…”

Dean’s heart was pounding, unsure of how she would react. When [Y/N] slowly rose from the floor and stood before him, he sat up straighter on the couch silently praying she would take him up on his offer. Everything in the room seemed to shift at once; the fire popped and hissed as it caught a new log ablaze, the song on the radio ended, the first few notes of Unchained Melody started on some distant AM station, and [Y/N] was slowly removing the flannel she wore over her thermal shirt, and tossing it to where she had been sitting on the couch. 

“You shouldn’t say things like that if you don’t mean it,” she whispered, her expression unreadable, but intense. 

Dean reached out for her hands, pressed his palms into hers, then laced their fingers together before gingerly pulling her forward and gauging her resistance. When she didn’t fight him at all, he continued guiding her closer which forced her to straddle his lap, or she’d fall on top of him. She did so without any hesitation, but hovered over his lap and kept her eyes locked with his. He wished he could read her, get a feel for what exactly she was thinking. Though he had been with plenty of women over the years, she made him nervous; more surprising than that was that he liked it.

“Who says I don’t mean it?” he breathed, more taken with her with every inch closer she came. “If you’re uncomfortable, or you want to--”

“Shut up,” she huffed and leaned into him, her lips pressing to his while his hands released hers and immediately went to her ribs, sliding down to her hips and holding onto her tightly. 

Her lips were soft and sweet and heavily laced with the taste of rum. She kissed him with a tempered need; he could feel her wanting more, just as he did. Yet there was still a hesitancy to how she pressed her mouth to his. Wanting her to feel comfortable, he let her set the pace and happily followed with every step further she took it. [Y/N] sank down lower on his lap, her hands sliding up his chest, towards his neck; her fingers locking together behind it as her thumbs gently rubbed against the sensitive spot behind his ears. 

Dean moaned softly into her kiss and wrapped his arms around her back, slowly lifting the back of her shirt and lacing his fingers together against her skin. She parted his lips with her tongue, her need beginning to overcome the shyness of their first encounter. [Y/N] didn’t stop Dean when his hands moved up her back and unclasped her bra; she didn’t protest when he began to lift the thermal shirt up just enough for him to feel the bottom curves of her breasts. Through all this, she only kissed him deeper. For as much as he wanted her, and as much as he would hate himself should this derail their momentum, Dean pulled back from her suddenly. 

[Y/N] was surprised, her breath coming in short spurts, her hands still clinging to his neck. 

“What? What’s wrong?” she asked, desperately searching his face for a reason. “Is it your leg? Are you in pain? Is it me?”

“No! No, absolutely not… you… you are…” Dean exhaled heavily and licked his bottom lip as his fingers kneaded into her skin and his dark, lustful eyes drank her in, “... you’re perfect. It’s just that, you don’t know me, not really. This… this can stop if you want, I don’t want you to blow up your whole life because of one night.”

“Dean, if I am going to implode my life, I can’t imagine anyone else I would want to do it with. Besides, how is this any different from if we’d met in a bar and had a one night stand? Hm?”

Dean considered her answer and shrugged. “I guess it’s not.”

“It’s not. And right now, I don’t care about anything outside those doors. I just want to feel good. Can you make me feel good?” she whined softly.

“I think I can help you out there,” he smirked, his tongue again running along his bottom lip as he sized her up and imagined the things they could really do if not for his bum leg. “But, huh, I’m not playing at full capacity here, so…” he trailed off with another shrug, but she didn’t miss a beat. 

“Well then I guess it’s up to me then, isn’t it?” she breathed and leaned in to kiss him again. 

Within a minute, Dean pulled off her thermal and her bra with it, her chest bare and glowing in the light of the fire. He trailed his mouth in soft, lingering kisses across her neck and down to her chest, while his hands traced the lines of her skin delicately. He could feel himself getting harder as she moved in the slightest bit against his lap. By the time his mouth had found her nipples and her hands were pressing his face into her chest, he was fully erect and desperate to feel more of her.

[Y/N] must have felt the same because her hands unlocked from his neck and roughly ran down the length of his torso, coming together between her legs, and palming his erection through the thin layer of cotton sweatpants. The moment he felt the pressure of her hand against his dick he inhaled sharply and growled low, relishing in her touch. They continued that way for a minute, kissing and touching and rubbing and grinding deeper, until [Y/N] couldn’t take it anymore. 

She suddenly rose from his lap, quickly unbuttoned her jeans and took them off, tossing them aside with the rest of her clothes. She stood in front of him, slotted perfectly between his knees in only her pink cotton panties. [Y/N] slowly knelt in front of him and ran a finger along the waistband of his pants, carefully peeling them back over his engorged member. She took him in one hand, the flesh on flesh contact causing him to exhale slowly. It was when she brought her mouth to his dick, and lightly kissed the tip did he close his eyes and roll his head back against the couch. Letting her tongue linger on along the shaft, she licked down to his balls before lifting her head and gently removing his pants all the way; taking special care around his wound.

[Y/N] again stood in front of him, but Dean couldn’t wait for her to resume her place on his lap. He gripped his dick and began to massage himself as she watched, and the way she watched made him want her even more. Just as she removed the last piece of clothes, he sat up and with his other hand reached out for her. Neither of them spoke, as he once again guided her on his lap and as she hovered over him, he dragged the tip of his cock through her warm, wet folds and felt himself go weak at the sensation. 

Her breathing became shaky as he continued to pushing and pull himself through her sex, brushing her clit delicately at first. But after a few times, even he couldn’t take the teasing anymore. 

[Y/N] bent her head down into his neck, her teeth nipping at the lobe of his ear as she begged him in a needy whisper, “Please, Dean… don’t make me wait another second.”

He complied, gladly. Dean let go of himself, and grabbed her hips, rocking her in a way that he could slip into her and filled her with the first thrust upwards. She cried out, but not in pain. It was as if the instant euphoric feeling of him inside her needed to be released so she could concentrate on the rush that followed. 

Dean rocked her slowly on his lap, while his mouth toyed with each of her nipples, taking turns lavishing each with attention. His moans were muffled by her chest and he found himself completely lost in how good it felt to be inside her. Her hands were wrapped around him, her nails digging into his back, then his shoulders, pressing him as close to her as she could. Her hips moved in rhythm with his, as her mouth fell open and her eyes closed. 

The sounds of heavy breathing filled the room, muffling the Righteous Brothers pouring from the radio, and even drowning out the sound of the fire. 

“Fuck,” Dean grunted, his lips snarling into a smiling as she moved her body faster when he cursed. He used the pad of his thumb to rub her clit, the instant he touched her there, she whimpered, her whole body melting at his touch. 

“Oh… GOD… fuck, Dean! Feel so good…” she panted, her head rolling back then around so her chin fell to her chest. She was riding him with speed and purpose, the need to climax so great and so close she let go of him to grip the couch for better leverage.

“Damn, baby,” Dean mewed, unsure of how much longer he could go before he would cum. She felt so good on him, and even though that final push towards orgasm was downright euphoric, he didn’t want it to end yet. 

He finally released her clit and grabbed her hips tighter, pushing and pulling her into him as roughly as he could. One last time and he felt her walls flutter and spasming around his cock as her body began to tremble and his name didn’t just fall from her lips, but rang out like church bells, followed by a string of expletives that would easily get her sent to Hell. 

It was all he needed to cum, and though he tried to move her off him before he did, she finally resisted him, intent on taking his release inside her and crashing her lips to his as he did. 

Dean held onto her for dear life, his mouth falling away from hers as he buried his head between her breasts. She held him there and slowed her movements against him, finally coming to a stop and letting her body relax, but still not moving from his lap. He lifted his face to see her, she was sweaty and beautiful, her hair falling around his face, causing some of her features to linger in the shadows of it. He reached up and tucked a hair behind her ear. 

“Well? Feel better?”

[Y/N] absently licked her lips, then revealed and small, impish little grin. “Dunno… I think maybe we should go back to the bedroom and try again. Just so I know for sure…”

“Well I am absolutely good with that, but--”

“But, what?” she asked, an ounce of doubt moving into her eyes. 

“But, as much as I wanna be the romantic guy and carry you in there, I’m gonna need you to help me hobble that way. I do believe you just drained any strength I had left in my leg.”

“Oh,” she said and moved off him, clearly panicked. 

“No… sweetheart… I meant that in a really, really good way. Whatcha say you help me up and we take this back there,” he smirked and nodded towards the bedroom off the kitchen.

“Happily,” she grinned and moved off his lap. 

Standing in front of him, she held out her hand and helped him rise from the couch. The pain in his leg was noticeable, but not nearly as much as it had been before. She left her clothes behind and slung an arm around his waist as he slung his over her shoulder.

“Just one request,” she said as they made their way to the bedroom.

“Anything.”

“This needs to go,” she demanded, tugging at his shirt. “I want to feel all of you this time.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he complied and quickly discarded the shirt he’d been wearing, tossing it behind him, not caring where it landed. “For you sweetheart, anything.”

Everything Tags: @sorenmarie87 // @yallgotkik

SPN Tags: @kazosa // @wings-of-a-raven // @closetspngirl // @idreamofplaid// @screechingartisancashbailiff // @linki-locks11 // @winchesterxfamilybusiness// @spnhollis // @sandlee44 // @stoneyggirl // @clarinette07 // @negans-wife // @deans-baby-momma // @hobby27 // @breereadsthings // @katehuntington // @81mysteriouslyme // @mrswhozeewhatsis // @deathofmissjackson// @lauravic // @aomi-nabi // @akshi8278 // @whereismyangel-damnitdeanshare// @coffeebooksandfandom // @rebelminxy // @22sarah08 // @fictionalabyss// @adoptdontshoppets // @blackcherrywhiskey // @babypieandwhiskey // @maddiepants // @lefthologramdeer // @his-paradox // @unlikelygalaxygiver

[welllpthisishappening]

All was Golden in the Sky (2/27)

Magic is dying.

Emma knows it. She can feel it, the emptiness rattling around in her, like it’s trying to make sure she disappears as well. What she doesn’t know is what to do about it, because, suddenly, there is a man in Storybrooke claiming she’s the Savior and a seeress certain a prophecy promises the same and the last thing she expects is for her minimal amount of lingering power to pull her away.

To New York City.

And another oddly familiar man with blue eyes and a smile that sinks under her skin and makes magic bloom in the air around her. Things are about to get interesting.

—-

Rating: Mature Tag List: @kmomof4 ; @shireness-says ; @profdanglaisstuff ; @captainsjedi ; @ultraluckycatnd ; @thejollyroger-writer ; @winterbaby89 ; @melsbels ; @tiganasummertree ; @jennjenn615 (If you’d like to be tagged or not tagged or tell me your thoughts about library chairs, let me know.) AN: THANK YOU GUYS FOR BEING SO LOVELY ABOUT THIS STORY. I am genuinely so excited about what’s to come and we’ve got some banter and Chinese food and Ruby and KISSING. THERE’S KISSING IN THIS CHAPTER. Another huge shoutout to @resident-of-storybrooke for her art @distant-rose for her chapter banners @bmbbcs4evr for being the best and @cssns for hosting this event. 

|| Also on Ao3 if that’s your jam ||

—-

They don’t find much. It’s incredibly frustrating. 

And what they do find isn’t in English and only leads to more dead ends and Emma wonders if she’ll end up in the papers if she starts pulling her hair out. The next few days pass in a blur of lingering worries and latent anxiety, slightly musty books and a very nice librarian with brown hair and an easy smile and she’s still got no idea how to save magic or defeat some sort of mythical evil. 

Ruby’s spent the whole afternoon trying to figure out how to translate the latest book they’ve requested. It’s not in English. 

“This is the worst thing we’ve ever done,” Ruby announces, slumped into one of the chairs at the table they’ve commandeered as their own. Emma is starting to consider the chairs some kind of New York Public Library torture device. 

She’s definitely got a bruise on her back. 

“Is it?”

Ruby nods seriously, and the bags under her eyes have bags. “Bar none. Including that one time you and Mary Margaret tried to sneak me out before the full moon so she could talk to that one group of rabbits.”

“That was not my idea at all,” Emma argues, memories flitting through her mind and Mary Margaret had been certain that Ruby’s heightened wolf senses would help. It was absurd. The rabbits were terrified. Ruby was hungry. And Granny had threatened to tie them up by their shoestrings in the basement of the diner as soon as she figured out what was going on. 

“Semantics,” Ruby mumbles. She huffs out a breath of air, frustration obvious in the sound and someone wearing very expensive headphones actually has the gall to shush them. Emma widens her eyes. “God, this city is the worst,” Ruby continues, voice rising. It’s on purpose. 

Emma knows. 

She understands. 

She’s going to have find ice for back. 

“What if we call it a night?” she suggests. “We’re not going to figure anything else out and you’re going to go attack that guy sooner rather than later.” “I resent the suggestion.” “Rubes.”

Ruby sticks her tongue out. “He’s just being a dick for the sake of being a dick. Those headphones are definitely noise-cancelling. It’s ridiculous.” “Chinese or pizza?” “You’re changing the subject on purpose.” “Yes,” Emma nods, slamming shut the book in front of her. The dust it emits makes her cough. “And I really can’t sit in this chair anymore.”

“Ah, well, I guess that’s fair. Alright. And pizza, obviously.”

They order pizza. And eat the whole thing. Plus garlic knots, Ruby making several pointed jokes about vampires that fall a little flat, but Emma’s exhausted and they don’t find anything the next day either. Or the day after that. 

And the sun is just starting to go down when Emma jogs up the stairs towards her door, keys clattering in her hand and several different emotions that, mostly, boil down to just pissed off lingering at the base of her spine. There’s someone standing in front of her door. 

“C’mon,” Emma groans, and she does not have the energy to fight the Dark One right now. Or his minions. Animated or otherwise. “Are you kidding me?” she yells, a sudden tension in the air that she refuses to take responsibility for. Mostly because it only serves to make it blatantly obvious that the person standing in front of her door is not intrinsically evil. 

He turns slowly, like he’s a little worried about the reception he’ll get otherwise, a hand in his hair and one side of his mouth tugged up and--

“Hey,” Killian says. “Sorry, uh...hold off on the curses, ok? This isn’t an attack.” “I’m sorry, what?” “Was that not a funny joke?” “No.” “Ah,” he nods, lips quirking back down. He hasn’t moved his hand. “Right, right. Well, ok--that’s thrown a wrench in my plan, honestly.” Emma lifts her eyebrows. “Did you have a plan?” “Like. Half a one. Possibly three quarters.” “To?” “Talk to you? I saw you this afternoon.”

She cannot possibly get her eyebrows to go any higher up her forehead. She tries anyway. “You know you’re really not selling this whole no-stalker thing.”

“Yeah, I realize that,” Killian laughs, hand falling back to his side when he takes a step towards her. Emma doesn’t flinch. “I don’t usually work that far uptown, but Belle asked me to cover her shift and she’s been telling me about this woman coming in for the last few days asking about myths and legends and--” “--Hold on, hold on,” Emma interrupts sharply. Her hands are resting on his chest. She doesn’t remember deciding to do that. “Belle the very nice librarian? Is talking about me? To you?” “She’ll like that title quite a bit actually.” “Killian!”

Emma has to stop staring at his mouth. It’s doing weird things to her...soul. And the voice in the vision or whatever she’d had a few days before was oddly familiar. Killian swallows, tongue flashing between his lips and he moves his hand excruciatingly slow, fingers curling around her wrist like they belong there. 

“Belle and I have worked at the library for years,” he explains. “Known each other since the dawn of time and all that cliché shit. She’s my friend. And Scarlet’s fiancée.” “No shit.”

He barks out a laugh and for one, incredibly crazy, sleep-deprived second Emma is certain he’s going to kiss her. Right there in the hallway. 

She has to glance down to make sure she hasn’t burst into flames. 

She hasn’t. 

And Killian doesn’t kiss her. 

Damn. 

“I promise I’m telling you the complete and honest truth, Swan,” Killian grins. “But, uh...Belle’s been fascinated by whatever it is you’re working on. Said it was the project of the century or something. Only, well, she and Scarlet had to do some wedding venue thing today--” “--Wow, you’re really getting into the romance of it, huh?” His eyebrows are more impressive than hers. “I hate the uptown D. It always smells like garbage on that train.” “We’ve been walking.” “God, that would take forever.” Emma hums, tugging lightly on the shirt her one hand is still resting on “Tell the rest of your story. So, you were stalking me again?” “Not intentionally.”

“Points for effort I suppose,” she mutters, hopeful she’ll get another smile for her joke. She does. “And you didn’t want to...you know, say something when you saw me?”

“You looked rather caught up in thought, love. It’d be rude to interrupt someone so studious.” “Sure it would. So...what is this, then? You letting me know that you were staring longingly across--what’s the name of that one room?”

“The Rose Main Reading Room.” “Naturally.” Killian scoffs, ducking his gaze and digging the toe of his shoe into the horrendous carpet of their apartment building’s hallway. “I just...well, like I said, Belle mentioned that you’d been in there. Obviously she didn’t know I knew you, but--what?” The face thing. It’s got to stop. 

“Do you?” Emma challenges, and it’s too much, an overstep and movement away from flirting, but her magic is soaring and she’s having a difficult time staying cognizant. Her fingers grip Killian’s shirt tighter. “Know me?” He blinks. “I’d like to.”

And that’s enough. It shouldn’t be. But it is. It’s enough and then some, a promise and a guarantee and Killian’s soft exhale is warm on Emma’s cheek when he moves his head back up.

He can’t possibly feel her magic. 

She knows it. 

She wants to be wrong. 

Desperately. 

He didn’t actually object to her use of longing. 

“Huh,” Emma says lamely. Killian smirks. “Belle’s been talking about the research? “She’s a giant nerd.”

Her smile moves across her face like it belongs there, any sense of nervous energy disappearing into a cloud of magic and...something else. The cloud is metaphorical. “It sounds a little bit like you’re the giant nerd and you just don’t want to give yourself up.”

“I’m not disputing the possible idea that I may be passably curious in whatever you’re doing in the classics section and why some of the books that you’ve been requesting are not in English.”

“Shouldn’t there be, like, some kind of librarian-patron confidentiality agreement?” “Not as such, no.” Emma clicks her tongue. This is flirting. “Ok, so. Belle’s a great, big giant gossip and she tells you...what? That I’m researching something, some of which is in a language I absolutely cannot understand and--” “--I can.”

“I’m sorry, what?” “She mentioned one of the books you requested two days ago was a myth about the Olympian crystal and as far as I know the only version the Library has of that is very much in Greek.” “And you can read Greek?” Killian nods, all smug and certain and it’s not a bad look either. “Jeez,” Emma groans. “That’s ridiculous.”

“Why are you looking at scripts about the Olympian crystal, Swan?” “No explanation about the Greek thing, huh?” “I was in the Navy. It was an elective.” “Honestly?” He eyes her meaningfully, a look that probably shouldn’t send a spark of heat down her spine, but Emma’s lost control of the entire situation and even the idea of the Olympian crystal freaks her out. “You’re really not going to let this go? Why were you lurking outside my door? And don’t tell me it’s about the Greeks. It’s--I know, that’s not it.”

She really, truly does not mean for it to be an accusation. She doesn't. It just comes out that way. And she’s positive she’s right. 

Killian sighs. 

“I wanted to apologize,” he mutters. “For...well, upsetting your friend and even letting myself into your apartment and--”

“--I invited you in.” “Yeah, but that doesn’t…” He cuts himself off, a tick in his jaw when he clenches it. “What’s going on, Emma?” They both tense slightly at the use of her name – the first time that’s happened and it’s only their second conversation. Emma resists the urge to shake her arms at her side, flush with energy and magic and missing something. Something big. 

“The Olympian crystal is supposed to be incredibly dangerous,” Killian continues. “Destroy someone’s entire existence. It’s not…” “Real?” “I didn’t say that.” “And what are you saying? Exactly?” Killian tilts his head, looking almost defeated. That’s a not-so-great look. “When I woke up the other morning your friend said that you couldn’t let people in. Why? Because it has to do with the Olympian crystal?”

“Oh my God,” Emma hisses, yanking her hand back to her side. She elbows herself in the ribs. “Who the hell do you think you are? And can you pick a goddamn lane? One second you’re apologizing and flirting and doing that stupid eyebrow thing and--” “--Stupid eyebrow thing?” “Shut up! I..” She exhales, hard enough that she ruffles the ends of her hair. Killian doesn’t move. “I can’t tell you what is going on, because it’s--well, frankly it’s way too much for you to deal with and you’re some guy from the hallway. You’re not...you don’t know anything about me. Nothing. And this would...you’d run.”

Killian takes a step back. 

He looks like she’s slapped him. 

“Try me,” he challenges, a sneer to his lips that makes Emma’s blood and magic boil in equal measure. 

“No.” “Swan.” “No.” Killian clicks his tongue, the blue in his gaze getting sharper when he crowds back into Emma’s space. The hand that lands on her hip is heavy, warmth seeping through the thin material of her shirt and the light at the other end of the hall flickers again. “Try me,” he repeats. “You can even say it in Greek if you’d like.” “I can't speak Greek.” “Then I’m afraid we’re at an impasse, love.”

She considers her options. Option one is punching him squarely in the jaw. It’s appealing, honestly, but she can’t remember if she’s supposed to keep her thumb insider her fist or out and that kind of nullifies the whole thing. Option two is cursing him. Also appealing, but just as irresponsible, even if the magic roaring in her ears is any indication of what she’d be able to do.

Option three is..terrifying. 

And, naturally, the one she picks. 

“I’m a witch.”

The pinch that suddenly appears between Killian’s eyebrows will very likely linger there for the rest of his life. “Wait. What?” “I told you, you wouldn’t be able to handle it.” “You’re putting words in my mouth, Swan. I never said that. I’m just...trying to process. Like. A real witch? Do you have a broom?” “That’s rude.” “That’s a legitimate question!” “No, it’s not. I don’t need a broom.” “Naturally.” She rolls her eyes at the forced casualness of his voice. “Ok, so why would a witch need a powerful soul destroyer from the Gods?”

“Sit down. This might take a couple minutes.”

Emma tells him. The whole goddamn story. Prophecy and evil beings and she’s not sure she can actually destroy someone’s essence like that, but she’s not sure she has another choice and she can’t figure out why the Dark One hasn’t made a move yet. 

And Killian, to his credit, doesn’t interrupt. He listens and nods and that pinch is still there, but Emma figures that’s more than fair and her mouth is dry by the time she finishes. It really is an incredibly uncomfortable wall to lean against. 

“Huh,” Killian says when Emma finishes, twisting her mouth at the rather lackluster response. 

“You don’t believe me.” “I need you to stop making such sweeping assumptions about me, love. It’s disappointing.” “I don’t know you.” “And yet you told me about this.” “You were waiting outside my door to apologize for being invited inside.” He hums, fingers finding the back of his hair again and it’s a nervous habit. Emma’s starting to catalogue those. Maybe she’s also a librarian. “That’s true,” he admits. “But, uh...just to make sure I’ve got it all right here. You, the prophesied Savior of magic, left your magical hometown when the evil guy--” “--The Dark One.” “Right, right, when he showed up. And now you’re going to use the Olympian crystal to destroy him from existence.” “God, it sounds like shit when you say it like that.” “I’m afraid it’s not a particularly positive experience, Swan. The heroes of the stories didn’t use it very often. And how do you figure the crystal will help you restore magic? Keeping in mind that you do, in fact, still have to find it. If it’s real.”

He catches her hand when she tries to swat at him again. 

“You’re no help at all.” “I’m pointing out facts. To go along with your fact-based story. You really can’t do any magic?” Emma makes a noise in the back of her throat, not an agreement nor a disagreement because she feels like she could teleport to the moon. Or the sun. They’re on some kind of light-based theme. She closes her eyes, trying to focus on the hum in the back of her head, a quiet push of energy and power and it should be easier than this. 

It’s always been easier than this. 

Her magic has always been instinctual, like walking back into a dream or falling into a memory. Now it feels like it’s buried deep within her, as if using it will take all her energy and she gasps at the taste of blood in her mouth. 

She’d been biting her lip. 

“Swan,” Killian mutters, thumb brushing over the curve of her jaw. “C’mon, look at me love. It’s fine, you don’t have to prove anything.” “Holy shit, are we honestly doing this again?”

Emma’s head slams into the wall when she snaps up, Ruby all but snarling a few feet away. Killian sits up straighter. “I don’t think we’ve actually been introduced,” he says, standing up and offering Ruby his hand. She glares at it. “Killian Jones. I live next door.” “And want to keep flirting with Emma.” “Yes, that’s true.”

Ruby clearly isn’t ready for that particular brand of honesty. Neither is Emma. Her heart grows and shrinks and grows again, hammering against her chest in double time. “Em,” Ruby calls, bypassing Killian’s outstretched hand to kick at Emma’s outstretched legs. “Are you going insane? Honestly, tell me because I feel like I deserve to know at this point.”

Emma opens her mouth – her own pointed and vaguely sarcastic remark sitting on the tip of her tongue, but her eyes move to Ruby’s hands and the longer-than-usual nails at the end of her fingers. “Rubes,” she nods. “Look.” “Fucking a…” “Yeah, that’s something isn’t it? When is the next--” “--Tomorrow, actually.”

“Does someone want to explain what is going on?” Killian snaps, and Emma’s going to concuss herself if she keeps slamming her head into the wall. 

“Oh, uh, Ruby’s a werewolf,” she says. He can’t quite school his face on that one. It makes her smile. That feels wrong. 

“Em, are you fucking kidding me?” Ruby yells. She’s jumping again, bouncing up and down while Killian stares at Emma and the whole thing has dissolved into chaos rather quickly. 

“Should we worried about some kind of hallway transformation?” he asks. 

Emma’s head hurts. She’s not sure if that’s from the repeated hitting or the eye rolling or how small that type had been, although it may just be a perfect storm of all of that, and Killian’s lips quirk up when she looks at him. “That’s what the amulet is for,” she explains, nodding at the the stone clutched in Ruby’s hand. “So she can control it and--” “--Like wolfsbane potion?” “I need you to stop comparing everything to Harry Potter, it’s not like that.” Ruby makes another strangled noise, disbelief in her gaze when she realizes what that means. Emma holds her hands up. “He can read Greek.”

Ruby stops making noise. At least any that are immediately threatening. “Yeah?” “Yeah. And, I...well, I trust him.”

In the grand scheme of everything, that’s definitely not the most surprising thing that has happened in the last few weeks, but it somewhere in the top five, at least, and Ruby’s mouth falling open is slightly offensive. 

“That so?” Emma’s eyes dart towards Killian. He nods. “Yeah,” she says. “I do, and I know Regina said we have to be focused on this and I am. I am all in on operation: save everyone, but I can’t read Greek and his roommate is marrying that librarian.” “Belle?” “Why do you know her name?” “Why don’t you? We’ve talked to her, like, sixty-two times.”

“She brings up a fair point, Swan,” Killian murmurs, moving back towards her and every instinct in Emma’s body, magical or otherwise, screams out to let her head loll to the side. So she can rest it against his leg. 

She doesn’t. So she’s at least got that going for her. 

Ruby nods approvingly. “Exactly. You know, maybe you’re not the absolute worst. You can stick around, sailor.”

Killian’s hand falls on Emma’s shoulder, gripping her like he’s trying to stay afloat and they all need to stop making water puns. “What?” Ruby asks. “That was funny.” “Not the only one making bad jokes,” Emma mumbles, tilting her head up. As soon as she fixes her magic and gets rid of the Dark One and there are no more imminent threats to most of society, she’s going to break down this wall. 

With her hands. 

“That turned out to be a far more accurate joke than I was anticipating,” Killian chuckles. “Alright, so this leaves us...where, exactly? Because we still don’t know if the crystal is even a real thing.”

“Oh my God, did you tell him everything?” Ruby screeches, Emma nodding before she finishes the question. She huffs, but it doesn’t sound entirely like exasperation, more like acceptance and Emma will have to thank her for that eventually. “Ok, well--it is kind of weird that your roommate is marrying Belle. And you were just...out here when Em was coming back from her Twinkie quest.” “Zebra Cakes.” “It’s also weird that you remembered that.” “She bought a lot.” “And am still sitting right here,” Emma points out, but Ruby barely acknowledges her. She’s staring at Killian instead, a penetrating gaze that looks a little predatory and a little defensive and the déjà vu has got to stop. 

“Wait say you, sailor?” Ruby asks. “You going to help? And not fuck this up for us?” “I don’t have any magic,” Killian says. “I’m not sure how I could possibly fuck it up for you.” Ruby hums noncommittally and the anxiety lingering in the pit of Emma’s stomach moves to wrap around several other internal organs. It’s the worst. “Alright,” Ruby mutters. “Well, I’m still not big on this whole fate thing, but there was a prophecy involved--did she tell you about that too?” Killian nods. “Figures,” she continues, “ok, you’re in, I guess. You better translate the hell out of the Greek.” Killian salutes. They order Chinese food. And he hands Emma the last fortune cookie without asking if she wants it. She totally wants it. 

“Thanks,” she says, letting her fingers brush across his and the spark that snaps there is obvious and visible and Emma is positive it has to be a trick of her eyes. It isn’t. She’s really bad at lying, even to herself. “It’s getting kind of late.” Ruby fell asleep twenty minutes earlier, curled into the corner of the living room with more blankets than one person should be allowed to use. 

“Yeah,” Killian breathes. He doesn’t move. He’s still staring at her fingers like Emma is going to combust. “What time tomorrow?” “It’s your job, not mine.” “Are you actually in law enforcement?” She laughs. “Yeah, actually. Even the magic folk need laws.” “And you’re the…” “Sheriff of Storybrooke.” Killian lets out a low whistle, thumb moving back and forth across the back of her wrist. “I’ll admit I’m a little intimidated by that kind of power.” “I’m not the mayor.” “There’s a mayor?” “It’s a real town,” she grins, and she’s not sure how they’ve gotten even closer. Her forehead is half an inch away from his, close enough she’s positive she can feel the heat radiating off him. “There’s just some caveats.” “Of the magical variety. Sheriff though, that sounds like an authority.” “Where are you going with this?” Killian shrugs – and there’s no explanation for how easy this is, like they’ve been having these kinds of conversations for their entire life. “If I tell you I have absolutely no idea, but I’m incredibly curious is that going to make you try and hit me again?” “That’s very dramatic. It’s not really hitting it’s--” “--Playful flirting?” His eyebrows defy modern science, twisting and jumping in time with Emma’s ridiculous pulse and she’s going to kiss him. Or he’s going to kiss her. It genuinely does not matter. So, naturally, it gets fucked up. 

“Can you guys be quiet for two seconds?” Ruby whines, burrowing further into her den of blankets. Emma sighs, embarrassment mingling with disappointment and neither of those emotions make sense for a grown woman who fate claims will save anyone, but she suddenly feels like a teenager caught making out with her boyfriend and they didn’t even get that far.

“Ten?” Killian asks. “I’ll bring caffeine.” “You don’t have to do that.” “I know a place. I’ll be the one on the other side of the door, ok? Try not to curse me when you open it.”

He’s as good as his word the next morning, although he is a few minutes late, kicking lightly at the bottom of her door and the smile he flashes Emma as soon as she opens it is equal parts stupid, charming and stupid again. Just for good measure. 

“Sorry I’m late. Too much stuff to hold, couldn’t knock,” Killian explains, answering a question Emma apparently didn’t need to ask since he appears to be some kind of mind reader. And she doesn’t actually make any noise, which is probably good, but she hadn’t really noticed before and now she’s kind of staring and there’s only one hand. 

He’s only got one hand. 

He nods towards one of the cups, lips shifting again when her fingers brush his and she’s half a second away from calling him out on how absolutely, goddamn charming he is when-- “There’s cinnamon in this.”

Killian blinks. “Yes.” “Why?” “What?” “Why?” Emma repeats, the word scratching its way out of her throat. It feels like an impossibly large question and an even bigger answer, his eyebrows flying into his hairline. “How did you know that?” “Do you need the coffee to make sense, Swan? You’re speaking in tongues.”

Emma sighs, kicking her foot forward until he gets the message and the cup is going to burn her hand. That probably isn’t a sign either. She’s a disaster. Honestly, prophecy can suck it. “How did you know about the cinnamon thing?” she presses, enunciating every syllable for emphasis. 

Killian laughs. 

It’s kind of offensive. It’s way too early for quasi-strangers that she inexplicably trusts with her deepest secrets to be laughing at her coffee habits. 

And yet…

“Are you suggesting that you’re the only person who puts cinnamon powder in their coffee?” Killian asks. “That’s awfully presumptuous, don’t you think?” “Do you?” He stops laughing. Emma grins triumphantly. “That’s not an answer you know,” she continues, bumping her shoulder against his and she’d barely noticed that they were still moving. They’re already at the bottom of the stairs, the sounds of the city making their way towards Emma’s ears. It’s getting more and more difficult to breathe. 

“No.” She almost doesn’t hear him at first – there’s a siren and people and then another siren because someone’s always seemingly getting arrested in Manhattan – but it’s a very slim almost and Emma’s head nearly flies off her neck when she snaps her gaze towards Killian. He doesn’t blink when she looks at him, staring straight ahead with a certainty that’s kind of jarring and kind of comforting and the absolute, visual embodiment of an answer. 

He knew she put cinnamon in her coffee. 

Weird. And not. Very not. 

“Good guess, I suppose,” he mutters, but those words sound like a lie and taste bitter in the air around Emma and her magic needs to chill the fuck out. 

She hums, taking a sip of coffee. It’s good. Sweet. It wasn’t a guess. “Right, right. Well, more points to you or whatever. So you want to go find some crystal that can wreck people?”

Any hint of tension around them evaporates as soon as Emma’s tongue presses into the corner of her mouth, a look that makes Killian’s expression shift slightly, eyes going just a bit darker and brows pulling low and the fluttering in her stomach is oddly pleasant. 

“You’re not nearly as funny as you think you are, love.” “Incorrect. I think you think I’m hysterical and you want to help. You said so.”

That’s not flirting anymore. That’s serious – deathly, even, or however the Olympian crystal works. Emma’s still not really sure what the difference between a person’s life and their existence is and she’s only a little confused by the inclusion of souls in that, but she can’t think about any of those things when Killian’s eyes do something again. 

She takes a deep breath. 

“Yeah, I do,” he agrees softly, rocking forward like he’s trying to stop himself from touching her. It’s a dangerous line of thought. “Car or train?” “What?” “Car? Or train? I was serious about the uptown D though, it’s the worst train in the world.” “Seems kind of dramatic, right?” Killian shakes his head. “No, worst train. Bar none. I don’t think they’ve even gotten any of the new ones on there. The map’s not digitized or anything and I live in fear of what exists on those seats. Probably the plague or something.” “Jeez.” “Car.” “Why did you ask then?” “I was being polite,” he says, flashing a smirk over his shoulder when he pulls open the door and Emma can’t roll her eyes when she’s being impossibly charmed by the whole thing. 

“Ah, so a gentleman, huh?” “Always.” Emma scoffs, but she knows he’s telling the truth – at least when it comes to her and neither one of them say anything about how close their legs are in the back seat of the cab he hails. He refuses to let her pay – “It’s absurd, you know I have a shit ton of money.” “How is that legal, Swan?” “I mean...it’s not really.” “Poor example of the law, love.” – tugging on her hand to weave through the crowd of people who seem to always be assembled in front of the library. 

“Wait, wait, what are you doing?” Killian hums in confusion, Emma yanking on the hand that’s never actually let go of hers because they’re not going to the room with the torture chairs. “What are you doing?” Emma asks again. “Don’t we have to go that way?”

She jerks her head back towards an ostentatious staircase with ridiculous banisters and what may actually be marble steps and the the tips of Killian’s ears go red. He squeezes one eye shut. “Uh, no,” he says, voice clipped and Emma can’t help the way her lips curl up. 

“No? I think you’ve got a plan again.” “Part.” “You ever think you’ll come up with a full plan?” He clicks his tongue, but Emma’s close to actually giggling at this point and she barely notices any of the tourists anymore. “I think that I have,” he twists, pulling out a set of keys from his back pocket with the fingers that are currently twisted up with Emma’s, “the ability to provide the lady a very quiet room with, at least, one kind of chair that is not a patented torture device.” “You’re sure you not magic?” Emma quips, ignoring what those words do to her heart beat. She wishes the words would just be words. Maybe not in a library. “You seem awfully good at reading my mind.” “Those chairs are the worst. No give at them at all.” “Yeah, well, they’re wood or something.” “Wood,” Killian confirms, the hint of a laugh on the edge of his voice. Emma’s fairly certain she doesn’t imagine his head dropping closer to hers. It makes that one piece of hair drift dangerously close to his left eyebrow. “And old. We love old here, but they’re not exactly conducive to prolonged research. So,” he jangles the keys in front of Emma’s noise, “you’ve already stolen from CitiBank, what do you think about some casual breaking and entering?” Emma giggles. It’s ridiculous. And her magic flares to life again, the ends of her hair ruffling with the force of it until she’s a little worried she’s also inadvertently levitating. She’s not. That’s good.

Less good is the look on Killian’s face – slightly stunned and a little awed and he can’t feel that. That is impossible. People can’t feel other people’s magic. Unless…

No. No. Absolutely not. 

“Swan?” “Yeah,” Emma nods, pushing the magic back into the corners of her brains and her right heel. Like it’ll ground her that way. “Let’s break some laws.”

The whole thing is actually ridiculously easy. They get the scripts from the main desk, Killian grinning at a few more workers and making quiet requests that sound a bit more like demands and Emma probably shouldn’t be impressed by the whole thing. 

“You’re like...captain of the library,” she says, half a step behind him as he directs them down a hallway behind a different door. “How’d that happen?”

“You’re very loud.” “I’m curious. Not all of us are mind readers.” “That seems incorrect,” Killian objects, and he has to let go of her hand to get the keys while still holding everything else. Emma is not disappointed by that. Obviously. “Shouldn’t magic work that way?” Emma makes a contrary noise in the back of her throat. “No, no, you’re making sweeping judgments again. Magic’s very...particular, I guess. And personal. It settles into you and...I’m not very good at explaining it.” “I’m in no rush.”

The lock clicks, and Emma only just notices that this door has the words barred from the public emblazoned on the slightly foggy glass. She mumbles several pointed opinions under her breath and every single one makes Killian laugh. 

So, points, or whatever. 

And it is quieter, fewer footsteps and soft lights and the chair behind the far-too-large desk in the corner has padding. 

“Oh shit, that looks comfortable,” Emma mutters before she can stop herself. Killian’s hand tightens when he laughs, head thrown back with ease and a distinct lack of any concern regarding the end of the world or the questionably late appearance of the Dark One. 

“That was the point, love. C’mon, sit. Explain the particulars of magic to me.”

Emma does as instructed – only because her back is starting to ache again and she does her best not to audibly groan at how absurdly comfortable the chair is. Killian smirks. “You’re looking very pleased with yourself,” she points out, swinging her feet onto the edge of the desk. If only because she’s fairly certain it will make the smirk more powerful. She’s not disappointed. 

“I love watching a plan come together, that’s why.”

“Yuh huh. And avoiding my questions, it seems.” “I think we may be running at the same pace on that one, actually.” “How’d you end up at the library?” Emma asks, doing her best not to make it sound like an accusation. Or an interrogation. “Doesn’t seem…”

Killian’s eyebrows jump. She’s given the smirk too much power. “Doesn’t seem like what?” “I mean...ok, well, you brought it up. You said that some guy wasn’t the worst thing you’d ever been called. So, like...what’s the worst?” “You’re very curious aren’t you?” “I just like to know who I’m talking to.” “Is that a law enforcement thing?” Killian counters, and they’re going in circles. Ruby’s going to be very annoyed if they don’t translate anything. “Or just a magic thing? A need for even more power?” His voice turns hard as he continues talking, an edge that wasn’t there when his fingers were laced through hers and Emma’s getting whiplash from it. “Wow,” she breathes. “That’s kind of a dick move.” Killian sighs, body sagging like he’s holding the world’s heaviest weight. “Yeah, it absolutely is. I--um, well it’s not a good story.” “I told you that I’m the prophesized Savior of magic yesterday and then couldn’t actually prove that I’m capable of doing magic. That’s not the best story either.” He doesn’t object, but Emma knows he wants to, is undeniably convinced that the story she’s about to hear is completely and utterly depressing and she’s only a little disappointed to be proved right. “I wasn’t lying about the Navy,” Killian starts, moving around the desk until he’s perched on the edge and neither one of them point out that his hand lands on her shin. “Enlisted as soon as I could, followed my brother and--” “--What’s your brother’s name?” “It was Liam.” “Oh.” HIs smile doesn’t reach his eyes. He squeezes his hand. “Right,” Killian says, hissing in a breath of air through his teeth. “We were--poor’s not really the right word. It was...bad. But I was young and didn’t realize at first and then Liam enlisted and it was a little better, until it wasn’t and--”

He cuts himself off, face turning pained and Emma doesn’t think. She moves, feet landing on the floor with a thud and her arm moves of its own volition, like there are magnets there or, more likely, magic and Killian presses his cheek against her palm as soon as her skin touches stubble. 

Like they’ve done this before.

His fingers are cold when they wrap around her wrist. 

“Anyway,” he continues brusquely, “Liam was dead and I was...drowning. God, that’s not even clever.” Emma chuckles, finally letting her forehead rest against his and she’s moved between his legs at some point, an arm around her waist that doesn’t feel strange at all. “It’s almost true though. I did not--” “--Cope?” He nods, eyes flitting down to the plastic at the end of his arm and Emma’s barely noticed it. Really. She’s not sure if that’s a good thing or not. “I ran. Which, as you’d probably guess, is generally frowned on by the Navy and most of the armed services. Those in charge don’t really appreciate when you refuse to be held accountable for your actions. I’m not--I’d rather not be told what to do anymore.” “That’s understandable.” Killian jerks back like he’s been shocked, eyes wide and impossibly blue and Emma knows he can hear the magic singing in her veins. “It is,” she adds. “I--well, I get it, I mean. That’s...I’ve never really had something like that, but I...well, I said magic is personal right?” He nods, gaze turning piercing the longer he stares at her. “It is. And my magic has always been instinct. No thinking, just surges of power. But it’s also only ever been mine. Sometimes, when there’s a deep connection between people, they can feel it. David and Mary Margaret are constantly aware of where the other person is.” “That doesn’t sound like it would be enjoyable at all times, love,” Killian reasons. HIs thumb is doing that thing again. 

“Eh, it’s more just...knowing that the other person can feel it. Does that make sense?” Another nod. Maybe the mind reading thing is paying off. “Because that means there’s that connection. That...I have no idea how I got to Storybrooke.” Killian blinks. “I don’t understand.” “Neither do I, honestly. I know I’ve been there for years, remember things with Ruby and Mary Margaret and even Regina, but I don’t...the specifics of it don’t make much sense.” “And you don’t…” “You need to finish your sentences,” Emma mutters, curling her fingers around the front of his jacket. “But, uh, no. Not that I’m aware of.” “You don’t know what I was going to ask.”

She scrunches her nose. “I’ve got a very strong hunch. And, no, I have no idea about parents or seemingly any family and it’s…well, lonely is depressing, isn’t it?” “A little.” “You’re no help at all,” Emma says, and she can’t move her hands. He’s still holding onto her, nearly every inch of him pressed up against every inch of her. It leaves her breathless and a little overheated and-- “You still didn’t tell me how you became captain of the library? What were you in the Navy, by the way? Like...an officer? Was there a uniform?” “It’s the Navy, love, of course there was a uniform.” She’s going to self combust. 

“Not an answer.” “I think you’re thinking about me in uniform.” “Presumptuous.” The smirk has taken on a life of its own – aided by ridiculous eyebrows and a color Emma is certain she’s never seen before, particularly when his eyes flicker towards the lip she’s biting again. “Lieutenant,” Killian mutters, and if Emma was concerned about souls before it’s nothing to what she feels now, as if she’s being twisted and yanked and gravity appears to have disappeared entirely. “I was a lieutenant when I left.” She nods dumbly, trying to get her brain to stay on this plane of existence, a challenge she didn’t entirely expect after having just one cup of coffee that morning. 

“I ended up in New York by chance,” Killian continues. “Bounced around a few other cities and thought about staying in Boston for a little while because, well, there’s water there, but...I started stacking books for minimum wage her and then just--”

“--Became captain of the library,” Emma finishes. Her throat is shrinking. That may just be her lungs. 

“You’re giving me far too much credit, Swan. I just like knowing things.” “Because you’re a nerd.” He grins – and it would be so easy to kiss him, a quick head tilt and a push of her fingers in his hair, the grip on his jacket tightening slightly with the force of how much she wants to do just that, but Emma’s still teetering on the edge of something that may honestly be insanity and she...has to save the goddamn world. 

“Wait until we translate things and then come back with the pointed insults.” Emma nods, a rushing in her ears and she’s glad for the desk so she doesn't fall over. And Killian’s arm. “Swan,” he says lightly, fingers ghosting over her spine, “what are you thinking, love?” “Nothing.” “You’re a rather terrible liar. Everything you’re thinking, straight on your face and--”

She’s going to scream. He won’t finish his sentences and her magic will not do what she wants and the world genuinely cannot wait any longer. “Let’s translate and then I’ll, um...I’ll buy you coffee once we know if I can wreck the Dark One, ok?” The smirk is a genuine smile. It’s worse. Better. Emma clearly needs to read more. 

“Of course,” Killian says, moving her back into the chair and her back appreciates that. “Give me a couple minutes, ok?”

It doesn’t even take a few minutes. Emma’s a little annoyed by that and just...everything, because the, approximately, two seconds it takes for Killian’s eyes to scan the research in front of them leads to one very obvious and world-ending realization--

“It’s broken.” Emma waves both her hands in the air, jumping out of the chair in the process. “What is?” “The Olympian crystal,” Killian answers, tugging on the hair at the nape of his neck. “It’s broken. By Zeus himself, if I’m reading this right.” “And we’re sure you’re doing that?” “Swan.” “I know, I know,” she sighs, and that one cup of coffee was not nearly enough. “So what--why was Zeus an ass about this?” “Well, you’ll find that, more often than not, that was just his normal state of being, but, according to this particular legend, Hades had used the crystal to destroy Kronos.” “Am I supposed to know who that is?” Killian smiles, moving back into her space and it takes some finangling to get into the chair with her perched on his leg. Strangers. Neighbors. Obviously not that. The light in the corner of the room flickers. “He was a Titan,” Killian explains. “Father of several gods, including Zeus and Hades and, if you don’t want to interrupt me again, was also kind of a dick.” “Seems to be a trend.” “It’s par for the course when it comes to mythology, I’m afraid.” Emma scoffs, letting her head loll onto his shoulder. “Anyway, what I just read claims that Kronos had chosen Zeus to be king of Olympus and Hades didn’t particularly like it. So. He tried to use the crystal to destroy Zeus. Only it didn’t work and Zeus was well...Zeus.” “Meaning?” “Meaning he destroyed the crystal so Hades couldn’t destroy him. Self defense.” “He’s a god,” Emma argues. “That’s bullshit. So there’s no crystal? Nothing? Not even pieces I could find somewhere?” 

Killian shakes his head. “It’s in the Underworld.” “Oh, well, yeah, naturally. Fucking hell.” “So, uh...it seems in order to get the shards of the crystal from Hades, you’d...you know, have to actually die.” “I understand how the Underworld works,” Emma snaps, more ridiculous eyebrow movement and lip quirks and she’s going to fall on the floor. It’s the most absurd sentence in a conversation about Greek gods. “God, don’t look at me like that.” “Like what?” “I don’t know. Like...I can only say mind reader so many times before it starts to get redundant.”

Killian chuckles, nosing at the curve of her shoulders and Emma’s fingers are going to actually spark if she doesn’t get them in his hair sometime soon. “God forbid we start getting redundant. So, what now, Swan?” That’s not the question she expects. 

“What?” “Well, it seems to me the Underworld option is a bit out of the realm of possibility--” “--And possibly not even true.” She’s starting to resent the tongue click a little bit, leaning back when Killian does it again. His eyes are wide. And she hadn’t been that off about the finger sparking thing. 

Emma mumbles a few curses under her breath, including some rather scathing opinions about every Greek god she can think of, but the light in her hand doesn’t disappear and the bulb on the other side of the room shatters loudly. 

“Holy fuck,” she breathes, every letter shaking its way out of her. “What the hell, what the hell, what the hell?”

She tries to jump again, is determined to pace out the energy she can feel shooting up and down her spine and every single one of her limbs, but the arm around her waist is too tight and the look on his face makes Emma freeze. “Hey, hey, relax,” Killian says, but there’s a worry to his voice that makes Emma’s lungs pinch again. “It’s ok. It’s ok. You’re ok, just breathe.”

She doesn’t follow instructions. Maybe they’re both bad at that. 

“Emma, c’mon, look at me, love. It’s fine. That wasn’t you.”

There’s a sudden surplus of oxygen in her lungs – a complete turnaround that’s jarring and terrifying and the look on Killian’s face is dangerously close to pleading. Because it doesn’t make sense. He couldn’t know that. 

“Right at me,” he whispers, fingers moving across her like he’s trying to make sure she’s still there or something as equally impossible as him knowing what magic was her magic. It certainly wasn’t the light bulb thing. “Count in three and exhale five.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Emma mumbles. Her head falls forward again, colliding with his collarbone and the skin under her his warm. 

She needs to stop making so many sun puns in her head. 

“Everything about this has been ridiculous.” “God, it’s really frustrating when you’re right.”

He laughs again, easier than it’s been all day and the crinkles around his eyes are distracting. “You’re not counting, love.” “And you’re endearment obsessed.”

Killian hums, fingers cupping her elbow because Emma’s never actually let go of his jacket and it takes approximately one deep breath, the word cyan flashing across her brain and the magic in the air turning electric for everything to feel as if it’s, finally, settled. 

“You alright?” Killian asks lightly, and Emma licks her lips before she answers. She’s got absolutely-no-fucking idea. 

“Where’d you learn the breathing thing?” “Honestly?” “No point in beating around metaphorical bushes, right?” She can see his jaw tense, lips pressed together until they’re barely more than a line and that’s kind of...awful. “Right,” he sighs. “I, uh...have no idea. Just felt like the right thing to say.” “Ah.” “Yeah. Well--that’s magic, huh?” “Something like that,” Emma says, anxious energy curling in the pit of her stomach. He’s still staring at her like he’s surprised she’s there. She’s kind of surprised he hasn’t run. Or she hasn’t run. God, they’re a mess. “Thanks for the help. With the uh...breathing thing.” Emma is going to curse his tongue. It darts between his lips and clicks in reproach because they both know they were half a second away from something and he knew what to say and none of this makes sense. They’ve got to get out of that rom – the walls feel like they’re closing in, air turning heavy and a little muggy, but there’s still an arm wrapped around her middle, skin tingling and pulse racing and--

“My pleasure.” Emma scoffs because none of this is fun and he can’t possibly keep staring at her like that. It’s unnatural. It’s-- “Ah, fuck it,” Emma mutters, and the rest is only slightly irrational. All things considered. She yanks on the front of his jacket, pulling him forward when he lets out a soft grunt of surprise and that’s the only sound she registers until her brain realizes she’s the one making the sounds, a groan and something that might actually be a moan because Killian is impossibly good at kissing her. 

Emma’s fingers fly into his hair, carding through strands and scratching lightly at the back of his head. She still doesn’t let go of the jacket. His teeth nip at her lower lip, nose pressed against her cheek and she can feel him inhale, like he’s trying to breathe her in. 

She honestly wouldn’t object. 

They only pull apart so they can fall back together, a steady rhythm of lips and tongue and slightly heaving shoulders. She can feel his fingers curl around the back of her head, holding her there with a desperation that should probably be far more terrifying than it is. Instead, it’s almost comforting, like he wants her there or needs her there and Emma’s magic rushes through every inch of her, a burst of power and flare of belief and they’re both going to knock this goddamn chair over.

They rock back and forth, trying to occupy the same space and it’s as if someone’s hit some kind of switch. Or moved them to the next level. Of making out. And possibly getting this jacket out of the way. 

Killian’s fingers brush over skin, working a sound out of Emma that she refuses to be held accountable for, particularly when she can feel his smile against her mouth. 

“That’s stupid,” Emma grumbles, drawing a laugh out of him and the sound feels like it works its way into the very middle of her, settling between the spaces in her ribs and dousing out that nervous, anxious feeling lingering in her stomach. 

“You can’t say things like that, Swan, you’ll give a man a complex.” “Yuh huh, you seem to be really lacking confidence.” “Maybe I’m just particularly inspired.” “What a line.”

He leans back, lips far too red and gaze drifting a little bit towards wrecked in a way that makes Emma wonder if they do, in fact, have to leave this room. “That’s not what it is,” Killian says, another promise she hopes she’s not imagining. “I, um...I think I could--” And just like that, the whatever is gone completely and the darkness on the edge of Emma’s vision starts to creep back in and the ringing phone in her pocket is impossibly loud.

“--Don’t,” she warns. “Don’t say things you can’t actually mean.” “Swan…” She shakes her head quickly, standing up and all but slamming the phone against her ear. “What?”

The scream she hears makes Emma’s knees buckle, a piercing sound that’s nothing short of absolutely terrified. “Emma,” Ruby cries, other voices in the background and a few grunts of pain from a person she can’t distinguish. “Minions. Now. Here. Now!”

The line goes dead, but that may be because Emma’s dropped her goddamn phone and she needs to stop doing that. 

“Swan--” Killian snaps his jaw shut as soon as he sees whatever look has landed on her face and she barely gets her hang onto me  out before she’s lacing her fingers through his and squeezing her eyes closed. 

[fehspinning]

Guess This Blog Is Going Inactive as Intsys Works Hard To Make Me Quit

Recently there are a lot of problems with Fire Emblem Heroes that became apparent and enough is enough.

1. The duo Ephraim being one time only.

They have dug their heels in as of the time I am writing this; Ephraim duo will be a one and done period end of story. The duos are a HUGE power creep all around and they are going to be ultra limited which makes total sense from a business perspective. They want your money and they hate the player base as they have shown time and again therefore of course they will make the best units in the game buy only. Personally I am super tired of this bullshit when once I have a team I know can handle the content I can autobattle all the content to completion the first day it comes out.

2. The numbers on Legendary Leif were fucky.

When it comes to interaction online I tend to see a pool of three or four hundred people and for any given unit it tends to be between twenty and thirty percent of the player base gets the most sought after unit. Well I didn’t see that with Leif and then I started talking to people who had begun throwing money at the game and still no luck so I broadened my pool to a thousand people. One got Leif; OK so I went to close to two thousand people, two got Leif. There have been rumors that in the legendary banners this year there is a second set of hidden rarity where within their colour the featured person sits around ten percent while the others in the colour sit around forty five. I didn’t care about the last few but went back and looked online and...yeah it’s close. I think the numbers are closer to 40-40-20 but still. Again they want your money and they hate the player base as they have shown time and again therefore of course they will make the best unit in the pull ultra rare compared to others. 

3. The power creep has made +10ing non-five star units as five star units obsolete.

I think I noticed during the last forging bonds was that the numbers looked off so I have sat down and compared an IV neutral 40+10 Lukas Sharp Soldier with 40+0 Forscyth. Lukas has: +2 HP -1 Att +8 Spd -5 Def -10 Res Total: Net of -6 So the range tends to be +/- 5% between the new 40+0 five star only characters and a 40+10 character that can be gotten at four star or lower.  Add in the type of weapons these new characters can get compared to the weapons the four stars and under can get. Sure I can pour everything in terms of super rare abilities and stuff to cover that 5% gap but how many five stars will that take? Exceptionally high investment and how wide does that gap get when I put the average version of the same abilities on the 40+0 five star only? Sure you can totally stan your favs so you don’t need to care about these one time only duos except in order to stan your favs you need things like Heavy Blade 4 which means you need to get copies of things like one time duos to blow up. So you get all the grind and being screwed around with; with the additional resource grind. Yes new units should be stronger at 40+0 than a four star upgraded to a 40+0 five star. The new units should dwarf them BUT if I am spending the hours to gather a minimum of 200,000 feathers, plus pulling till I get 10 copies of the guy I want from a massive pool seeing as you naturally will dwarf me with your weapon and on board abilities I should at least have comparable stats to say a 40+1 character that is five star only.

4. I found a game that is player friendly gatcha and makes all your old investments good again with often without you needing to make any additional investment.

In Final Fantasy Dissidia Opera Omnia they don’t peek-a-boo you with characters at the last minute they at the beginning of the month show you what is coming over the next five weeks. You need gear and not characters and in order to guarantee the best gear in the game for a particular character you need to make a maximum of fifteen 10+1 item pulls costing you a total of 75000 gems. Every month they give away a minimum of about 25,000 gems. They also give away a minimum of fifty single shot tickets where the best item in a pull has a 1% chance of showing up.  You don’t need to get the newest best item from every banner to rock the game; yes there are a handful of characters you really should have to ensure your ability to do end game content (Warrior of Light, Sharlotta, Ultimecia) but people can still clear content without them.  And here’s the best part they upgrade the older characters to bring them up to the new base line, so for example I invested a lot into Zell and he did great for me for a long while but he fell off. This week or next, I can't remember off the top of my head his abilities will be changed to make him viable in the new age with no extra pulling or work required. Once they cycle through updating all the characters? They start over again re-updating all the characters so your favs never get left behind forever. Also when they introduce a new game mechanic everyone will eventually get it, so in my Zell case now that they have entered an ability level called EX+ Zell will one day get the EX+ and cause I have all his stuff I will have to grind item upgrade resources from weekly events and not have to pull a banner to give it to him. One day he will get something called a Burst, and for that weapon I will have to pull but I will be given a minimum of five weeks notice to save my tickets and gems to pull on it and it will be the only item at that rarity on it’s banner so they can't skewer the numbers against me. 

5. They have trained me that I must have the newest unit to succeed and that sometimes requires dropping cash so I WILL. 

The general level of content is always tweaked to match the power creep forcing you to want to whale in order to guarantee you can do it. Also the art and designs are always top notch and I have a weakness for pretty things.

After the Dimitri and Summer Wolt debacles I swore off not spending money on FEH but all the fuckery with Legendary Leif and how over powered he was, plus how pretty he was got me to spend a small amount anyhow. 

If I stay around for the story they will eventually make Nils or a new Lukas alt or a Dimitri alt and given how fucking fucky they are being now in an attempt to exploit money from the audience I will give in. With the number of orbs that disappearing from things like the monthly missions every action they take says they are out to exploit every last penny from you and they give no fucks about how crude and absolute they have to be. 

Things in term of exploiting funds have been becoming more transparent and aggressive as this year has gone on so there is no reason to doubt that these trends will continue to snowball and they can’t get me, and I can’t get mad at how little shame they have doing what they are if I don’t play.