#hoping someone will end his plight | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

m1ckeyb3rry · 4 months

Note

hi mira can i pls req a sae x reader and it’s like falling in love with someone. like you know that feeling when you’re really getting to know someone and it sounds like a soft song

i love uu take care x

── SEABIRD

Synopsis: Thanks to a chance encounter on the beach, you spend your vacation trying to apologize to the famous soccer player you inadvertently offended. Unfortunately, Sae Itoshi has other plans.

Event Masterlist

Pairing: Sae x Reader

Chapter Word Count: 11.6k

Content Warnings: love at first sight, fluff, humor, teasing as a love language, sae does not understand emotions or relationships but he’s rich asf, reader has a little brother and loves eating, meet-cutes, summer romance, SEAGULLS

A/N: although sae is a difficult character for me to get a hold of, i ended up having fun with this LMAO as i’m sure you can tell by the massive word count 😭 i hope he’s not horribly ooc or anything and that this is kind of what you were looking for anon!! tysm for requesting and ily too <3

Additional: part of my 500 follower event! see the event description and rules to make a request of your own.

You tried to evaluate the series of choices you had made which had led to you lying atop a boy with green eyes and sand smeared across his cheeks, a blank expression on his face despite the way you were literally sprawled over him.

First: your family had decided to spend your summer vacation in Spain. This was innocuous and broad enough, considering how large the country was, so you concluded that your brother’s desire to practice his rudimentary Spanish in a more realistic setting than his high school classroom could not be blamed for your plight.

Second: your father had gotten a great deal on rooms in a luxury beachfront hotel. He was like a bloodhound when it came to haggling and discounts, so it wasn’t a surprise that you were staying in such a nice place for a relatively cheap price — and with a complimentary breakfast every morning, too! Anyways, the hotel had its own private pool that you could’ve been lounging around beside, so that probably wasn’t the cause, either.

Third: your mother had told you that the beach within walking distance of the hotel was famous for its smooth waters and pale sand. You had to visit at least once, according to her and every other travel guide written about the region, but since no one had wanted to go with you, you had decided to go alone, bringing a book, a bottle of sunscreen, and a blanket with you, throwing a dress on over your swimsuit and preparing yourself to spend the entire day soaking in the sun’s rays. This was definitely a contributor to your current predicament, although considering the miles of beach that stretched out in both directions as far as the eye could see where you could’ve been instead of right there, it wasn’t the sole factor.

Fourth: you had thought you would get hungry at some point and had had the foresight to bring a sandwich with you. That was definitely the reason. If only you hadn’t been so concerned with your stomach! If only you had just sucked it up and made the trek back to the hotel upon feeling peckish instead of being so lazy and planning ahead, you wouldn’t be in this situation.

“Can you get off of me?” the boy groaned.

“I am so sorry!” you said, scrambling to your feet and offering him your hand. He did not take it, standing on his own and doing his best to wipe the sand from his face. Then he shook his head like a dog, shaking out the grittiness from his soft hair. “I’m really sorry. I was just running so fast, and I was so worried about my sandwich that I didn’t notice you were there until it was too late!”

“Sandwich?” he said. A few paces away, a seagull landed, the remnants of your lunch held in its beak. You and the boy watched as it tilted its head back, swallowing the last few bites before cawing at you in satisfaction.

“You pig!” you shouted, pointing at it, the boy beside you temporarily forgotten as you fumed over the loss. It cocked its head at you. “That was mine!”

“Ah,” the boy said. “Your sandwich.”

The seagull hopped towards you, like it was teasing you or something, and you screeched before diving at it. Satisfied with the mischief it had caused and the food it had stolen, as well as with making a fool out of you, the seagull took wing, flying well out of reach and leaving you facedown on the ground, your stomach grumbling sadly and emptily.

A foot nudged against your rib cage. “Hey. Sandwich girl. You’re not concussed, are you?”

Being referred to as sandwich girl was so humiliating that you were instantly pushing yourself into a sitting position, folding your arms across your chest as you gazed up at the boy, who still wore that same unimpressed expression from when you had barreled into him.

“No,” you said.

“That’s great,” he said, though he did not sound particularly concerned nor relieved. “Mind elaborating a bit more on why you ran me over? You could’ve seriously injured me, and then you would’ve been in a bunch of trouble.”

“You would’ve been in a bunch of trouble,” you mocked, making your voice high and smarmy. “Jeez, what are you, some kind of celebrity or something? I ran you over because I was taking a break from reading my book, and I realized that I was hungry. Well, luckily, I had brought a sandwich along with me, so it wasn’t a huge deal. I was just about ready to dig in, when that fat pig of a bird swooped down and stole it right out of my hands! The gall! The shamelessness! It was definitely laughing at me, and I can’t stand anyone who laughs at me, so naturally I took off in pursuit, and, uh, that’s how I ended up crashing into you. Though you really should’ve been paying more attention, too. What’s so fascinating about the horizon that you just blocked out the rest of the world for it?”

“I like looking at the ocean,” he said. “But, wait. What do you mean, some kind of celebrity? Don’t you know who I am?”

You gave him a once-over. He was tall, though not impressively so, and definitely well-muscled. His hair was a warm shade, and his green eyes were framed with long eyelashes that fluttered every time he blinked. A pair of sunglasses was perched atop the crown of his head, and the top few buttons of his white shirt were undone, lending him a breezy appearance.

“You’re not handsome enough to be an actor, so that can’t be it,” you said, chewing on your lower lip in thought. “Plus, I’ve seen a bunch of movies, and I’m pretty sure you haven’t been in any of them, so if you were in the film industry, you’d be a D-lister at best, and there’s no way you’d want to flex that kind of status.”

He furrowed his brow, the first hint of a different expression than the one he had kept for the entirety of your very brief acquaintance. “What?”

“What else are people famous for?” you said. “Oh! Are you a singer or something? Were you in that one boy band from a few years ago? I’m sorry, I was too busy having a ‘not-like-other-girls’ phase when they were popular, so I never got into them. I’m over the phase now, if you were wondering, but that would be why I didn’t recognize you.”

“You are amazingly off the mark,” he said.

“I am? I’m kind of out of ideas at this point, though. Can I have a hint or something?” you said.

“Do you watch soccer?” he said. You made a face.

“Hell no,” you said. His eye twitched, so you hurried to elaborate. “My little brother is obsessed with it, so by law, I’m required to hate everything related to the sport. Do you have any siblings? You’d get it if you did.”

“Ask your brother about Sae Itoshi,” he said.

“Okay,” you said, drafting a text to your brother and sending it when you had deemed it to be a perfect blend of uninterested and cool while also underscoring the urgency of the request. “So, your name’s Sae Itoshi? I’m Y/N L/N! I’m not a celebrity, though. If you text anyone and ask them about me, they’ll probably be pretty confused.”

“Yeah, I got that impression,” he said. Your phone vibrated in your hand, and when you looked at the notification, you saw that it was from your brother.

uglier sibling: no shit i know about sae itoshi. he’s that one super talented midfielder on re al. he’s dad and i’s fav player atm.

You gulped, glancing up at Sae before returning to your phone.

me: lol wtf is re al.

uglier sibling: it’s madrid’s team lmfaooo dumbass how do you not know that

uglier sibling: actually wait why are u even asking lol

uglier sibling: did u meet him or something

me: funny story actually!

uglier sibling: WHAT

uglier sibling: y/n are u with sae itoshi rn.

uglier sibling: y/n answer pls

uglier sibling: can you at least get his autograph for me or smth???

Pretending like you were still texting your brother, you typed the name Sae Itoshi into your phone’s search engine. The photos that came up matched the boy in front of you, and the news articles made your heart pound. He actually was a celebrity, and furthermore, his earlier arrogance was deserved. If you had somehow injured such a famous player and put him out of commission for the season, then you really would’ve been done for. It hadn’t been an exaggerated sense of self-importance but an honest evaluation of himself.

“Ahem,” you said, feigning a cough to appear dignified and mature. “It seems like you are a pretty well-known soccer player, Mr. Itoshi.”

“It seems like I am,” he said.

“My brother and dad are big fans, apparently,” you said.

“Good thing you didn’t take me out permanently, then, or I’m sure they would’ve been pretty disappointed,” he said.

You cringed. “I’m sorry again.”

“Whatever. I won’t hold it against you; all’s well that ends well, after all,” he said.

“I feel really bad, though,” you said, rubbing the back of your neck sheepishly. “Is there any way I can make it up to you?”

“You didn’t do anything, so there’s nothing to make up for,” he said.

“Not true! I knocked you over and said you’re not handsome!” you said. “I’d say that warrants some kind of recompense.”

“It’ll warrant more recompense if you keep saying it,” he said.

“You agree that you deserve payment, then? Great! Um…how about I…buy you lunch?” you said, the insistent pangs of your stomach reminding you that you still hadn’t eaten.

“Is food the only thing you can think about?” he said.

“For your information, it is not, but I haven’t eaten since the morning, so I’m hungry,” you said.

“Whatever helps you sleep at night,” he said. “It’s okay. I’m not interested, and just so you know, I’ve been asked out by plenty of girls, but by far, this has been the lamest attempt.”

You supposed, looking back, that it did seem like that was your end goal. But, of course, it had been nothing of the sort; you were just planning on going to eat yourself and thought that you might as well kill two birds with one stone. It was just your luck that he had twisted your words into such a request, though! How were you supposed to maneuver yourself out of this position? If you denied it furiously, then it would seem like you were just ashamed at getting caught, but if you didn’t say anything, then it would be akin to agreeing with his accusation.

There was only one way out of it, and even though you were usually opposed to lying, and even more opposed to bullying others, it was the only thing you could think of. So, bowing your head, you clasped your hands together in front of your heart.

“I’m sorry, but you’re not my type, Mr. Itoshi,” you said. “Like I said, you’re really not that handsome. Also, I’m into tall guys.”

That was how you found yourself sitting across from Sae Itoshi in a private booth at a fancy restaurant, your hands trembling as you read over the menu items and their associated prices.

“I’m in the mood for steak,” Sae said, stroking his chin and setting down his menu, interlacing his fingers and raising his eyebrows at you. “What about you?”

“Steak is a dinner item, don’t you think?” you said, your head spinning at the fact that he had picked the most expensive thing that was served at the entire establishment. “It’s lunchtime.”

“I’m an athlete,” he said seriously. “I need a lot of protein in all of my meals. Especially because I’m so short. It’s important for me to build muscle, don’t you agree? How else will I manage to compete with the taller, better-looking players?”

“Steak it is,” you said with a faux smile. “As for me, I’ll just get crackers.”

“Crackers? What kind of lunch is that?” he said.

“An affordable one,” you muttered under your breath.

“What?” he said.

“Nothing!” you said. “It’s nothing. I just really like crackers.”

He gave you an odd look. “Alright.”

You waved the waiter over. He had been hovering around your table for the past few minutes, and as soon as he saw you beckoning him, he sprinted to your side, fumbling with his pen and notepad before reaching you and bowing.

“Sae Itoshi, sir! I’m sorry to interrupt your date, but I just wanted to say that I’m a huge fan of yours. If — if it’s not too much trouble, could I have your autograph?” he said.

Sae sighed, a long-suffering and irritable sigh. “Just take our order first. I’ll give it to you after we’ve eaten.”

“Oh, my apologies,” the waiter said. “What would you like?”

“I’ll have the steak, and I also want this sandwich, but omit the tomatoes, please,” he said, pointing at the menu items he wanted.

“Got it,” the waiter said. “What about you, miss?”

“Just the crackers,” you said. The waiter paused, but when you did not say anything more, he giggled nervously.

“Would you, uh, like some cheese with those?” he said.

“Nope,” you said. “I’m really the biggest fan of plain crackers. That’s all I want.”

“Sure, miss, if that’s what you’d like,” he said. “So, one steak, one sandwich, and a plate of crackers?”

“That’s right,” Sae said, hardly looking up from his phone when he did so. It was only once the waiter had run off to place your orders that he put the device away, resting his elbows against the table, setting his chin in his hands and giving you a bored look. “Why are you glaring at me?”

“Steak and a sandwich, really?” you said.

“A conversation with you was more than enough to increase my appetite,” he said. “Forget about that. This is the part where you ask me questions about myself and I pretend like I am interested enough to answer them.”

“Why would I do that?” you said, rolling your eyes at him. “Actually, I’m pretty sure your answer to that question will be something that makes me even more annoyed than I already am, so don’t bother. What’s your favorite movie?”

“You’re not going to ask me about soccer?” he said. “It’s Taxi Driver, by the way.”

“I don’t know that much about soccer, so what would I even ask? Based on what I’ve seen from the matches my brother and dad watch, it’s just a bunch of sweaty guys kicking around a ball and pretending like they’re dying whenever another player happens to look at them the wrong way,” you said. “Oh, actually, I am curious about that. How many of those injuries are real? Have you ever faked getting hurt?”

“Almost none of them,” he said. “Generally, players will overreact for the sake of entertainment and the possibility of the opposition receiving yellow cards. I’ve never needed to do anything like that, and I never want to, because it looks stupid. Also, soccer is more than that mediocre description you just gave me.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever you say,” you said. “Man kick ball. Ball go in net. Man happy. That’s the extent of it.”

“Women play soccer, too,” he said.

“It’s the same concept there, but with women instead of men. Not the argument you thought it was,” you said.

“I can’t believe you actually dislike soccer,” he said.

There was definitely some irony in the fact that you couldn’t care less about his chosen sport, and yet you were the one who had somehow finagled your way into eating with him — even if you were the one who was paying. There were so many people who’d do anything to be in your place, but to you, it was a begrudging chore that you were only performing because you felt obligated to. Mentally, you had already marked the entire encounter down as something that you’d laugh about to your friends later; a fun story you’d tell at parties, but little else.

“Like I told you earlier, I’m the older sister. If I didn’t rag on my brother’s interests, then I couldn’t claim that title in any way that mattered,” you said. Sae’s eyes flicked down to the ground.

“You should be nice to your brother when you can,” he said.

“Are you some kind of an only child or saint, then? There’s no way you’re saying that if you have a normal relationship with any possible siblings,” you said.

“I have a little brother,” he said. “Our relationship is okay. I haven’t seen him in a while, though.”

“Long distance?” you said, reaching over to pat him on the hand sympathetically. “That’s the worst. I miss my friends and my pets already, and I’m only here for vacation.”

He snatched his hand away. “You make it sound like we’re dating or something. It’s alright. I’m sure it’ll be the same as it was whenever I go back.”

“True, it’s not like he can dump you and find a new brother who’s both better and more conveniently located than you are. He’s kind of stuck with you forever,” you said.

“Enough about my brother,” he said. “Let’s talk about something else.”

“Okay,” you said. “What TV shows do you watch when you’re bored?”

The two of you continued on in that mindless manner until your food arrived. Your mood, which had steadily been rising as Sae proved himself to be, if nothing else, a willing conversationalist, rapidly plummeted as the waiter set the steak and sandwich in front of Sae and the crackers in front of you.

“Enjoy your meal,” the waiter said.

“I’m sure one of us will,” you said, picking up a cracker and biting into it rebelliously. Sae began to cut his steak into small pieces, using his fork to demurely place the meat on his tongue, doing nothing to disguise the indulgence of eating such a wonderfully prepared meal while you were stuck with crackers.

“What a shame,” Sae said when he was about halfway through his steak. You hadn’t spoken since the food had come, mostly because you were too busy fervently hoping that he would choke and you would somehow be awarded a free meal as an apology on the restaurant’s part, so you jumped at the sound of his voice cutting through the silence. “My eyes were bigger than my stomach. I don’t think I’ll be able to eat that sandwich after all.”

“We should send it back, then,” you said.

“What sort of place do you think this is?” he said. “It’s already been ordered, so it’s ours now.”

“Are you serious?” you said. “What now? I’ll have to pay for something that you didn’t even eat!”

“You’ll just have to have it,” he said.

“Me?” you said, already salivating at the delectable sandwich, the bread which was taunting you. Come, it seemed to be calling out to you. Eat me. You know you want to. “I guess that’s a sensible prospect. Someone’s going to have to take it.”

“Someone will,” he agreed, sliding the plate across the table and stealing a cracker for his troubles. “It might as well be you. My coach will be pretty upset if I get stomach cramps next season because I overate too much on my off time. I’d have to tell him that it was your fault, and then you’d have all of Re Al after you, and you don’t want that. They’re relentless.”

Your fingers inched towards the sandwich. “I definitely don’t. That sounds scary.”

“It would be amusing,” he said. “A waste of resources, though. They might cut my salary to make up for it. ”

“Then the only solution is for me to eat this sandwich,” you said.

“Essentially,” he said. You gave in, taking an enormous bite of the tantalizing sandwich and exhaling in delight. It really was as good as the exorbitant price tag claimed it would be, and although you would never buy such a thing for yourself, you found that you were a little more grateful for the series of events that had led you to be in this position now that your stomach was finally being greeted with something substantial.

“It’s good,” you said, your words muffled by the napkin you held in front of your mouth as you finished chewing. “I can kind of get why they charge so much now. It’s still way more than any sandwich should ever cost, ever, but…I kinda get it. Is your food good, too?”

“It is,” he said.

“Alright!” you said, giving him a double thumbs up. “Then you can consider this a worthy apology! Let’s finish eating and be done with the entire mess.”

“Hm? But how can it be a worthy apology when I’m the one who paid for everything? To me, that doesn’t sound like an apology at all,” he said. You froze, your mouth wide open, the sandwich still halfway to your mouth and drooping in your hands. Sae looked at you, still expressionless, though if you really focused, you would’ve noticed something like mirth dancing in his irises.

“What do you mean?” you said. He unlocked his phone and showed you his screen.

“You can pay by app here,” he said. “I did it as soon as we were done ordering. I was going to tell you after you ordered what you wanted for yourself, but I wasn’t expecting you to be so frugal that you’d really only order crackers!”

“But — but I was supposed to pay! To apologize for—”

“You don’t have to say it,” Sae said sourly, cutting you off. “Believe me, I remember exactly what you have to apologize for, and I’m not going to forget. I just paid this time because I was feeling generous, but you still owe me.”

It was a little suspicious, but you didn’t have any reason to accuse him of anything, so you only narrowed your eyes at him. Taking another bite of your sandwich, you mulled over the latest reveal. He was paying for the entire lunch? You still owed him? You could manipulate that in your favor, then.

“Tomorrow morning, I’ll pay for your breakfast,” you said. “The hotel I’m staying at has complimentary breakfast for guests, but outsiders can eat for a certain fee. I’ll pay for your entrance, and then we can be even.”

“Sure,” he said. “I eat breakfast early, though.”

“How early?” you said.

“I have a snack at 7:00 a.m., before I go for my morning run, and then I eat a proper meal afterwards,” he said.

“Oh!” you said. “Any chance you could not do that?”

“It’s part of my training regimen,” he said. “How about you pay for my food and come on my run with me?”

“I hate running,” you said.

“You’re apologizing. It’s supposed to be an agonizing process,” he said. “You’ve called me short and ugly at least three separate times already, not to mention the entire slamming into me ordeal. It’s really the least you can do.”

“7:00 it is,” you said, though you were fighting back tears at the mere thought of getting up so early while on vacation. “Give me your phone.”

“No way,” he said, holding the phone away from you while you tried to swipe at it. “What are you going to do, post something embarrassing on my social media accounts?”

“Why would I do that?” you said. “I was going to text myself so I had your number and could send you my location for tomorrow.”

“Or you could tell me which hotel you’re staying at now, and then my phone is entirely removed from the equation,” he suggested.

“Do you think I remember the name?” you said. “That’s a rhetorical question, by the way. I don’t.”

He handed you his phone with an aggravated huff. “Fine. Don’t abuse the privilege. I only give important people my contact information.”

“Woah, you really are stingy,” you said, scrolling through his contacts list. All of them either had the designation of work attached to their profiles, or they were clearly members of Sae’s family.

Clicking on the plus sign in the corner, you created a new contact for yourself, typing in your number and giving yourself the name Y/N L/N — sandwich. It fit the naming conventions he had going on, and if it weren’t for the reminder that you were the so-called ‘sandwich girl’, you doubted he would remember who you were in the first place.

“Of course I am. Imagine I gave every crazy fan I met my number. I’d have a million stalkers before you could say Re Al,”he said.

“I’m not a crazy fan. To clarify, I’m not a fan in the first place,” you said, texting yourself from his number before taking out your own phone and responding to the message with a thumbs up.

“Correct, which is why you get my number,” he said.

“I feel so honored,” you said dryly. “Actually, you know what? I would feel honored, if it weren’t for the fact that you’re only giving it to me because you want to wake me up at an unholy hour and make me run with you before paying for your breakfast.”

“Would you rather pay for this meal?” he said, showing you the receipt he had been emailed. Your eyes widened, and then you shook your head rapidly.

“Nope! See you tomorrow!”

The next morning, you tiptoed around the hotel room as you got ready, trying your best not to wake your mother up. She, and the rest of your family, had been up late last night, going out for dinner and dessert well past your bedtime. Far too embarrassed to tell them the realreason you were going to sleep early, you had said you were sick and went to bed as soon as the sun set.

Angrily gnawing on a granola bar from your mother’s emergency stash, you stomped down the spiraling hotel staircase, your eyes still bleary as you texted your family group chat that you were going out for a morning walk but would be back for breakfast.

Sae Itoshi was waiting for you in the lobby, doing some weird stretching routine that involved pressing his foot against the wall and leaning over it. You watched him, bemused, wondering which muscles he was trying to stretch before giving up and deciding it was probably one of those pro moves that you were too uninterested and unathletic for.

“Oh, you’re here,” he said. “Good morning.”

“Good morning,” you said, giving him another one of the granola bars you had taken from your mother’s backpack. “Sorry, it’s sort of smushed. It’s been in a backpack for the last few days.”

He pinched the wrapper between his forefinger and thumb, looking at the granola bar with a disgusted expression. You didn’t think it was thategregious, but according to Sae, it must have been all but an offense against humanity, as he tossed it into the trash can within seconds of having it within his grasp.

“I already ate my snack,” he said.

“Why did you throw that away? I could’ve eaten it!” you said.

“That thing had probably melted and reformed at least twice. It was most definitely radioactive. I did you a favor, so you should say thank you,” he said.

“Thank you, Mr. Itoshi, for protecting me from the horrors of a slightly misshapen granola bar. I’m sure that, by throwing away that still edible brick of deliciousness, you have done me a great service. Possibly, you have even saved my life. I am eternally grateful,” you said.

He snorted. “You’re terrible at groveling. No wonder you have to do all of this ridiculous stuff to apologize to me instead of just saying sorry and moving on like a normal person.”

“Look, it’s a product of my upbringing,” you said. He finished stretching and headed out of the door; you followed after him with a smile at the hotel concierge, who seemed surprised to watch you go — whether it was the hour or your company, you weren’t sure. “Whenever my parents did something to upset me, they never apologized. They just came to my room with a bowl of fruit they had cut for me.”

“At least you got fruit,” he said. “My parents just told me to go practice soccer until I had cooled off.”

“Wow, really? That’s hardcore,” you said. Sae began to jog, and you did the same, though it was closer to a run for you than anything. “Did you just kick around the ball until you were less mad?”

“Pretty much,” he said.

“How horrible,” you said.

“Eh, it’s fine. It was a good way to get my anger out, and it had the added benefit of making me better at the sport, so it was pretty constructive overall,” he said.

“I still can’t imagine it,” you said, shaking your head. “What’s it like, being a professional athlete? Your entire life revolves around a game. What about when you can’t play anymore? When you’re too old, or if you get injured?”

His upper lip curled. “Do you want that to happen or something? Why are you speaking it into existence?”

“Not the injury part, but everyone grows old. You can’t stop that,” you said.

“I’ll play for as long as I can, and then I’ll coach for longer,” he said. “After that, I’ll retire and make sure my kids follow in my footsteps. Athletes make a lot of money, so I luckily won’t ever have to worry much about my finances.”

“What if your kids don’t want to play soccer?” you said. He actually sneered this time, the expression at home on his cold face.

“What else would they do with themselves? If they don’t want to play soccer, or if they have no talent at it, then they’re definitely not my children in the first place,” he said.

“Hm, maybe cooking? What if they want to be a chef?” you said.

“Then I’d wonder how your kids snuck into my house,” he said. You gasped, though it was as much for breath as it was out of offense.

“Stop it! You just happened to catch me at a hungry time!” you said.

“Sure,” he said.

“Just entertain the hypothetical that you really did somehow father children that were into cooking instead of soccer. How would you react?” you said.

“I would put them up for adoption,” he said.

“Seriously?” you said.

“No, obviously not,” he said. “What kind of person do you think I am? Why did you actually find that to be within the realm of possibility?”

“I think you’re some kind of soccer fiend. Who knows how dedicated you are to the cause?” you said.

“Not that dedicated,” he said. “I’d be disappointed if my kids can’t play soccer, and our relationship would probably be a bit distant, as I don’t know much about anything else, but I wouldn’t disown them.”

“You don’t know much about anything besides soccer? That’s a little sad,” you said.

“Kind of,” he said.

“Do you wish you knew about other things?” you said.

“Everyone has something they specialize in. It’s not uncommon for someone to know a lot about one thing and only a little about others,” he said. “My ‘thing’ is soccer. If it wasn’t that, then it’d be something else, so if I was in the business of wishing, I’d always be unsatisfied.”

You were already panting for breath when Sae picked up the pace, though he had not so much as broken a sweat yet. He glanced at you out of the corner of his eye, taking in your obvious struggles, and then he made the decision to not slow down at all.

“I get it,” you said. “You’ll face no judgment from me.”

“Like I would care if you did judge me,” he said. “You’re already dying, and we haven’t even started running yet.”

“This isn’t running?” you said. “What the hell? How much faster can you even go?”

“If you think that this is anywhere near the pace of an average soccer match, then I don’t even know where to begin with you,” he said.

“You look slower on TV!”

“What, so you think I’m slow, too?”

You and Sae returned to the hotel in markedly different conditions. He wasn’t even warm, still appearing to be perfectly put together and entirely perspiration-free, smelling faintly like body soap and cologne. On the other hand, you were still trying to regain your wits about you, leaning on his shoulder so that you did not fall over from exhaustion.

“This is embarrassing for you,” he informed you as you walked towards the breakfast area.

“You’re a professional athlete and I’m a normal girl! It would be embarrassing for you if I could keep up!” you argued weakly.

“That would be true, if I wasn’t going easy on you,” he said, pulling out a chair for you and helping you into it, brushing his arm off when he was sure you were seated. “I’m going to go to the bathroom. Be right back.”

“Have fun,” you said, resting your head in your hands, already knowing what you wanted to get. “We can walk through the buffet together. I’ll take the time to recover.”

“You do that,” he said.

While he was gone, you opened your phone, catching up on all of the texts in the family group chat that you hadn’t been able to read while you were attempting to run with Sae.

me: going for a morning walk but i’ll be back for breakfast

me: just wanted to let you all know so you weren’t worried!

uglier sibling: yeah nobody was worried LMFAO

mom: Hope you’re feeling better, honey!

dad: Make sure you’re back before 10. That’s when the complimentary breakfast ends, and we’re not paying for overpriced toast with jam.

uglier sibling: i still can’t believe u went for a morning walk

uglier sibling: like

uglier sibling: since when do u voluntarily wake up in the mornings at all let alone leave ur bed LET ALONE TAKE A WALK

uglier sibling: bitches will meet sae itoshi one time and suddenly they’re fitness influencers or wtvr

uglier sibling: btw i’m still mad that u didn’t get his autograph or a photo with him or anything

uglier sibling: i bet u made it up

uglier sibling: LIAR. FRAUD. HACK.

mom: Honey, leave your sister alone. Why would she make something like that up?

dad: Your mother is right. Y/N doesn’t even know who Sae Itoshi is.

So it was a typical conversation, then. You hadn’t missed much; just your brother being salty and your parents showing some care for your well-being, as well as your father worrying for his wallet like he was prone to do. You didn’t even bother responding, just liking your father’s two messages and then putting your phone away.

“Y/N, you’re back already? What good timing!” your father called out to you from the entrance to the hotel restaurant. The world slowed as you turned to see the rest of your family walking into the restaurant, dressed in their typical touristy outfits. Your mother waved at you, and your brother faked gagging.

“Wow, you look like shit,” he said. “The fuck kinda morning walk were you on?”

“Gross, it’s you,” you said. “Go away! I’m busy.”

“You don’t even have any food with you,” he pointed out. “Can I sit with you? The parents are way too chipper in the mornings.”

“No!” you said.

“But there’s an empty seat at your table. Are you saving it for someone?” he said.

“Yes,” you said, wishing that for once they would’ve all slept in instead of getting here at the exact time that you and Sae had.

“No, you’re not,” he said.

“Come on, you two, let’s sit together and have a family breakfast!” your father said, motioning you and your brother over from where he and your mother had settled at a four-person table. Your brother gave you a pleading look.

“I’ll owe you forever,” he said. “I’ll grind on all of your video games for you the entire plane ride home!”

“I’m not lying, dude, I actually am sitting with someone. Now fuck off and leave me alone!” you hissed.

“Who?” he said, crossing his arms. “Your imaginary friend? Or your imaginary boyfriend!”

“Excuse me? Sorry, I was sitting there. Do you mind—?”

The most comical expression you had ever seen flashed over your brother’s face just then. It was horror mixed with incredulity mixed with extreme confusion. He turned slowly, his jaw dropping as he made eye contact with Sae Itoshi, whose dry countenance and perfect posture were as off-putting as ever.

“What?” your brother said. “What is going on?”

Sae sat opposite you. “This hotel has the most confusing first floor layout I’ve ever encountered. It took me ages just to find the bathroom.”

“There’s signs. Can you not read?” you said. He stared at you dully.

“I can read. I just happened not to look up at them,” he said.

“If I didn’t want to pay for even more food, I’d make another short joke, but I shall refrain,” you said.

“That was cutting it close,” he said.

“Y/N. My beautiful, amazing, wonderful older sister,” your brother said.

“Yes?” you said, preparing yourself for the incoming explosion. “Also, that’s not what you were calling me in the group chat earlier, was it?”

“Is that Sae Itoshi?” he said.

“Liar, fraud, hack, was that what it was?” you said. “Run along, loser. Maybe if you were nicer to me, I’d let you sit with us.”

Your brother opened his mouth to argue, but then, like he had remembered he was standing in front of his idol, he hung his head and trudged off, scuffing his toes against the floor as he did and giving you a betrayed look over his shoulder.

“That’s your little brother?” Sae said.

“Yup,” you said. “Your self-proclaimed biggest fan.”

“And you made him go sit with your parents instead of talking to me? You’re super mean, big sister,” Sae said.

“He wouldn’t shut up if I let him stay here, and considering the goal of this is for you to eat and then leave me alone for the rest of my vacation, that would not be conducive,” you said.

“I see,” he said. “I didn’t realize that was the goal.”

“Isn’t it yours, as well? I’m sure you’d like to enjoy yourself on your time off from soccer,” you said.

“Who says I’m not enjoying myself?” he said. You furrowed your brow at him.

“You’ve had the same expression on your face every time we’ve spoken,” you pointed out, lowering your eyelids and pursing your lips in an imitation of his resting mien. “Like this. It’s totally amphibious.”

“Amphibious?” he repeated. “What does that even mean?”

“You don’t know what amphibious means? Man, when you said you only focused on soccer, I didn’t think it was this bad!” you said.

“I know what amphibious means! I just don’t see how the word applies,” he said.

“Oh, right. Well, you kind of look like the frog emoji,” you said. “Sorry, I could’ve been clearer. That’s my bad.”

“Were you dropped on the head as a baby? I’m asking this from a place of concern, not anger,” Sae said. “It’s because you say so many nonsensical things. After all, I look nothing like the frog emoji.”

“Sure, and people tell me I look like a famous actress,” you said.

“Really?” he said.

“No, I thought we were both saying things that aren’t true,” you said.

“I think you look like a famous actress,” he said. “There. Now we’re both saying things that are true.”

“Well done, Mr. Itoshi! That was clever,” you said, knowing when to concede.

“Thank you,” he said. “Let’s go get our food now. If you die of starvation on my watch, it’ll be a major scandal for Re Al.”

“Your manager must love you,” you said. “So conscientious of your public image.”

“Nope, he’s usually pretty pissed at me,” he said as the two of you got in the buffet line.

“What for?” you said.

“Contrary to what you think, I’m pretty unconcerned with my public image. I’m a soccer player, not some kind of philanthropist or actor or whatever,” he said. “What does it matter if I offend people? My value is in playing well, not being friendly or kind.”

“No one ever accused you of being either of those two,” you said, spreading butter and jam over your toast. “You’re not that bad, though.”

“You’re not that bad, either,” he said. “At least, you’re better company than my manager.”

“I’ll take it as a compliment,” you said. He scoffed.

“You have low standards,” he said.

“Yours are lower,” you said.

“Very mature response.”

“Thanks!”

Sae was a pretty agreeable breakfast partner. He wasn’t as impossibly cheerful as your parents, who generally drove you crazy with their talkativeness so early in the day, but he also wasn’t as silent and closed off as your brother, who was prone to snapping at others until he had finished at least half of his meal. As with lunch yesterday, it was almost an enjoyable experience, right up until you remembered whose card he was eating on.

“Where are you going?” he said when your plates had been cleared and you had pushed yourself to your feet. He followed after you as you made your way to the hostess’s station, ignoring the whispers that echoed behind the two of you.

“To pay for you to be here, duh,” you said, fishing around in your purse for your wallet. “I know you’re famous and all, but that doesn’t mean you get to eat for free. In fact, that was kind of the point of the meal.”

“I already paid for myself, so you can go and sit back down with your family if you’d like,” he said.

“What? When?” you said.

“I wouldn’t spend that long in a bathroom,” he said. “Not a public one.”

“You little—! Now what?” you said.

“Now you have to see me tomorrow,” he said. “Bye. I’ll pick you up for dinner, so make sure to wear something nice, and bring your credit card. It’s your treat.”

He walked off with a jaunty wave, leaving you standing there, confounded by the development. He had paid for himself again? What was the point of making you take him places if he was just going to cough up the cash himself anyways?

“Psst. Y/N,” your brother said. You weren’t sure when or where he had appeared, but it remained that he was suddenly tapping you on the shoulder and whispering in your ear. “Does Sae Itoshi have a crush on you? If so, please ask if he can get tickets for dad and I to attend his next game.”

“What?” you said, a shockwave running through your entire body at the mere thought of Sae having a crush on you. It was so juvenile and cliched as to be out of Sae’s character entirely. “No! I just owe him.”

“For what?” your brother said.

“I ran into him, called him ugly, and said that he was short,” you said. “Indirectly, of course, but it still happened. I was supposed to buy him lunch yesterday as an apology, but then he ended up paying for us both, and then today, I went on a run with him, and I was going to pay for him to have breakfast here, but guess what?”

“He paid for himself?” your brother said.

“He paid for — yeah, how did you know?” you said.

“There weren’t that many ways the story could’ve gone. Also, I overheard you guys talking,” he said.

“Creep,” you said.

“Weirdo,” he said.

“Freak,” you said.

“Stupid,” he said. “I bet he has a crush on you.”

“Why would he? We have zero common interests, and I’ve mostly only insulted him in our very short time knowing one another,” you said.

“Maybe he’s into that. Some guys are. My one friend is — actually, I’m not exposing him like that,” he said.

“Thank you, because I really didn’t want to know,” you said.

“Anyways, where I was going with that is some guys like girls who humble them a bit. Especially someone like Sae Itoshi; he’s probably so used to people falling all over themselves to get his attention that it’s nice for him to hang out with someone who’s too oblivious to care about that kind of stuff,” he said.

“People like you?” you said. “I told him you were his biggest fan, just so you know.”

“Why would you do that?” your brother said, his eyes bugging out and his mouth forming a pained grimace. “He probably thinks I’m a nerd now!”

“You do it to yourself, buddy,” you said. “Let’s go. It looks like the parents want us to go sit with them. Think you can handle it?”

“After learning that my hero has a crush on my sister and, furthermore, probably thinks of me as some kind of dweeb, I can handle anything,” he said.

The entire day, you pondered your brother’s words. Did Sae have a crush on you? Running through his actions and every conversation you both had ever had led you to think that he did not. It didn’t seem like he liked you very much in even a platonic sense, so how could anyone begin to think he liked you romantically? It was just tolerance for the sake of his pride, that was all.

And you definitely didn’t like him. He was emotionless and conceited and teased you far too often. What did it matter that he was somewhat attractive? He had a terrible personality, and you bet that if more of his fans knew what he was like, he wouldn’t have any to begin with.

No wonder Sae’s manager hated him. He was probably a jerk to his poor employees, too.

“We’re thinking of going here for dinner tonight,” your father said the next day. “Look, their reviews are pretty high, and their prices aren’t crazy. What does everyone think?”

“I’m fine with anything,” your mother said.

“Same here,” your brother said.

“Y/N?” your father said. You were about to respond when your own phone buzzed. You knew exactly who it was texting you, and you sighed as you opened it.

sae itoshi (dumb haircut): I will be there in one hour.

sae itoshi (dumb haircut): You better not have forgotten about our plans for tonight.

sae itoshi (dumb haircut): I made a reservation, so I’ll really be mad if you stand me up.

sae itoshi (dumb haircut): Especially because you’re paying.

me: I WILL BE THERE OMFG STOP TEXTING ME

sae itoshi (dumb haircut): Okay.

“I can’t,” you said.

“Why not? Are you on some new diet or something? They should have vegetarian options, so that won’t be a problem,” your father said. “We can look at their menu beforehand if you prefer, and if you really don’t like anything, then we can find somewhere else.”

“I already have plans,” you said, your lower lip jutting out childishly. “Not that I want to! But I made a promise.”

“You already have plans? What’s that supposed to mean?” your mother said.

“I’m having dinner with someone,” you said.

“Ooh, how exciting! With who?” she said.

“I bet I can guess!” your brother sang.

“Enough out of you!” you said, kicking him in the back of the leg. He doubled over, though that did not stop him from smirking at you.

“Y/N and Sae, sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!” he said.

“You’re going out with Sae Itoshi?” your father said. “You should’ve just said so! That’s perfectly alright, honey. Actually, he’s the one man I’m not upset about you dating!”

“We are not dating!” you said. “It’s a more transactional relationship than that. No feelings involved. It’s just me apologizing to him.”

“Are you close enough to him to get an autograph for your brother and I?” your dad said.

“Um.” You thought about it. Would Sae give you an autograph for them? You weren’t sure. There was a chance he would, but there was also a high chance he would not. “I dunno. I can ask.”

“You’ll ask for dad, but not for me? Wow, I see how it is,” your brother said.

“Yeah, because you’re annoying!” you said. “Ugh. I have to get ready now. He’ll be here to get me in an hour. Have fun at dinner, all of you. Keep me in your thoughts and prayers.”

“You have fun as well,” your mother said. “Make sure not to bring any money with you. Gentlemen should always pay on the first date.”

“I’ll be sure to tell him that,” you said, giving up on explaining things to your family for the sake of your sanity.

Sae was aggressively punctual. Exactly an hour after he had texted you, a shiny black car was pulling up in the valet lane, and a tall, bald man in a suit was opening the door for you. You climbed in awkwardly, finding Sae to be sitting on the other side, gazing out of the window pensively.

“Hello,” you said, smoothing your dress and buckling your seatbelt. “You have a driver?”

“Of course I do,” he said. “I usually walk places when I’m on vacation, but this restaurant is kind of far, so I thought it’d be more prudent to have the driver take us.”

“I see,” you said. “Thank you, driver, sir.”

The driver hummed in acknowledgement but did not say anything else. You supposed he probably wasn’t used to talking with his passengers; you doubted Sae ever spoke to him much.

“It’s been so hot out recently,” Sae said stiffly.

“That’s what happens during the summer, yes,” you said.

“That’s true,” he said.

“You’re right, though,” you said. “It has been hot.”

“Super hot,” he said.

“Yes,” you said. “Super hot.”

That must’ve been why there was a slight redness to his cheeks. There was definitely no other reason. And there wasn’t any other reason for why you felt uncomfortably warm, shifting in your seat to dissipate the feeling in your stomach. It was the temperature. That was all.

Given the trend, you really should have anticipated it when Sae paid for your dinner while you were freshening up in the bathroom, but you really had not seen it coming in the slightest. He scrunched up his face when you argued, simply telling you that he would see you tomorrow before dropping you back off at your hotel, the receipt in your hand, his flourishing signature scrawled across the back.

“For your brother,” he had said, handing it to you before you could even ask him for his autograph. “You said he was a fan, right? I’ll get him a better one later, but for now, this should do.”

You spent every day of the rest of that vacation with Sae Itoshi. Some days, you would accompany him on a morning walk — he had softened to slowing his pace, so that he was only barely jogging instead of the full on run that he had forced you into that first time — and on others, the two of you would have some meal or another together. The common theme was that, if there was money involved, he would take care of it. Without question, without hesitation, he always slapped your hand back and pulled out his own credit card, telling you that now you both had to meet again, and the next time you really would be the one paying, or else he’d never be able to forgive you for your terrible behavior.

Your parents and brother complained about it at first, as your new friendship with Sae — could it be considered a friendship, or was it something else? — meant you did not see them much on what was supposed to be a family vacation.

You brought it up with Sae, and he responded with something about how it wouldn’t have been a problem at all if you weren’t such a freeloader and actually paid for him, like you were supposed to. This resulted in a lighthearted squabble between you both, which in turn made you forget your family’s whining, and as well you should have. You could take a million more vacations with them, but you’d likely never get a chance to hang out with Sae Itoshi again, so why wouldn’t you take advantage of it when you could?

Sae didn’t forget, though. He sent you back from dinner the next evening with a soccer ball he had won in one of his games, his signature and a note of gratitude scribbled on it in black marker.

Thank you for letting me borrow your daughter and sister from you while you’re on your trip. I really appreciate it, even if she doesn’t know anything about soccer. — Sae Itoshi

They stopped complaining after that. The ball became your brother’s most prized possession, and every day, your father would tell you how happy he was that you had made such a considerate friend.

“And you know, if you ever want to date him,” he’d say, elbowing you in the side with an obnoxious wink. “We wouldn’t be opposed!”

Your mother was in the same boat. “He really cares about you, I think. Enough that he gave your family something so precious just because he thought we didn’t like him. You could do a lot worse than that.”

“Plus, he’s rich and famous!” your brother would chime in without fail. “Double win!”

“You guys are all nuts,” you’d tell them, shaking your head to disguise how pleased the thought of dating Sae made you.

It could never happen. Like your brother was so happy to remind you, he was rich and famous, an athlete that was adored worldwide and played for the best soccer club in history. He could have any girl he wanted, so why would he ever choose you? You and he were from two different planes of existence. Maybe you could pretend for a little bit that you weren’t, but the date for your eventual departure from Spain was drawing closer and closer, and that day meant the certain end of the fever dream that was your closeness with Sae.

You had been prepared from the start for it to finish in this way. You would go home and tell all of your friends about your trip, how you had spent almost every day with the famous soccer player Sae Itoshi, how he had given you his phone number and made you go on runs with him, how together, you and him had eaten lunch and dinner and breakfast and several meals that you were convinced he had just made up to have an excuse to buy food for the two of you — brunch, linner, midnight snacks and third desserts.

There were other things that you wouldn’t tell them, too, things that Sae had not necessarily said to you in confidence but which you sensed were held close to his heart and which you would therefore hold close to yours. His little brother was named Rin, and they had the same eyes, though Rin’s were quicker to water and perpetually had hair falling into them. He still watched the same shows he used to when he was very small, because they reminded him of his parents’ home. He thought that a person’s athletic potential could be determined by the shape of their butt, but he tended to avoid looking as a form of respect for others.

“That’s a pretty cool skill, Sae! What do you think my athletic potential is?” you had asked when he had revealed that last fact.

“If it’s possible for a person to have negative potential, then that’s about what yours is. If it’s not, then you’re definitely at a zero,” he had responded.

“You didn’t even look,” you had said, shoving a French fry into his mouth as punishment. He hated French fries for how unhealthy they were, and you had half-expected him to lecture you about fats and oils and salts, but instead, he had dutifully chewed and swallowed without any theatrics.

“Don’t need to, and don’t plan to,” he had said, and that was that. “I’ve already seen you run, and that told me all I needed to know about your athletic skills. Or, in this case, your lack thereof.”

If you took his words at face value, then you would’ve thought he truly hated you. He never missed a chance to make fun of you, and you were the same way — certainly, anyone who overheard your conversations would’ve been convinced that you and he were bitter enemies. But that was because they didn’t see the way he always positioned himself on the sidewalk so that he was between you and the oncoming traffic. They didn’t see the way he’d pull out your chair and only pretend to frown when you’d thank him for it. They didn’t see the way his ears would turn pink if you dared to smile in his direction or, heaven forbid, agreed with what he was saying instead of arguing, as was your go-to.

No, you were pretty confident that Sae Itoshi did not hate you. It was just that soccer was his thing and all other areas were beyond him, areas which included such fields as emotional awareness and sensitivity.

Maybe you might tell the friends you were particularly close to about that. Sae Itoshi treated me pretty well, you’d say, with grand, sweeping hand motions to emphasize the point. As well as he knew how to, which was well enough for me. If I ever get a boyfriend, they’ll have a lot to live up to. Seems kind of unfair to whatever poor schmuck gets stuck with the task, don’t you think? Considering the two of us never even dated…

“I'm going home tomorrow morning,” you said. The sun was setting, and the two of you were walking along the same stretch of beach that you had first met at. “I finished packing all of my things before dinner. It’s surreal, almost. I feel like an entirely different person now, compared to when I came here.”

“Is that so?” he said, the corners of his lips twitching slightly. “I wonder why.”

“Did you just smile?” you said. Immediately, he scowled.

“No way,” he said. “I’d never smile because of something you said.”

“Uh-huh, uh-huh, you definitely smiled. I made you smile! I made you smile! I made you smile!” you said, poking him in the cheek repeatedly. Sae’s expressions were so subtle that it was easy to overlook them before they had vanished, but there was no overlooking what you had just seen. He had definitely smiled at you, or at least he had been about to.

“Stop poking me,” he grumbled.

“No,” you said, poking him again. “Only if you smile again.”

“Hell no,” he said. You poked his cheek again. “Y/N. Stop it.”

“Will you miss me?” you said.

“Not if you don’t quit that!” he said, grabbing your wrist when you prepared to poke him again. Heat rose to your cheeks at the way his thumb rested against your pulse, and when he realized he was holding your hand so familiarly, his own cheeks flushed. “No. I won’t.”

“I’ll miss you,” you said, digging your feet into the sand, turning out to the sea because you couldn’t stand to look at him when you were being so vulnerable. “I’ll tell everyone I know about you, of course, but it won’t be the same. Something funny will happen, and I’ll think to myself, oh, Sae would’ve snorted at that — but not laughed, because you don’t laugh. Or I’ll order shitty French fries, and it’ll remind me of how much you’d scold me for eating them. You’d say something like, those are basically heart attacks in a box, and then you’d pour a bottle of salted kombucha down my throat to cleanse my system.”

Somewhere in the distance, a seagull squawked, reminding you of the fateful encounter from so long ago. You wished you could go back and get to know Sae all over again. You wished you could ask him the same questions and not know the answers, so that you were surprised when he told them to you. You wished you could argue with him for a little bit longer. You wished that, one more time, you could imply he was short and ugly and slow and a thousand other rude adjectives, even if he was really none of those things, none of them at all.

“I’m going to ask you one last question, okay?” you said. “Please think over your answer carefully. It’s important.”

“Okay,” he said, uncharacteristically gently. “I’ll really consider it well.”

“What’s your favorite animal?” you said.

“Seagulls,” he said immediately, directly contradicting his solemn oath. You laughed at this, burying your face in your hands to hide the hitch in your throat.

“You traitor,” you said. “You know all about the feud between seagulls and I, and yet you’re still claiming they’re your favorites?”

“They always have been,” he said. “I like migratory birds, how they don’t stay in one place but are always moving around. It must be such a blissful life.”

“But it’s probably pretty lonely, too,” you said. “They don’t have anywhere to call home.”

“I like lonely things,” he said. “That’s why the end of the summer is my favorite season.”

“Hm,” you said. “Then, if I tell you that I’ll be lonely once I leave here, will you like me, too?”

He looked at you, but you stared resolutely ahead, your gaze trained on the horizon, the way his had been on the day you had run into him. It was such a kiddish question, and internally, you were beating yourself up for asking it, but deep down, you wanted to know, so you did not move to retract it.

“Well, I like seagulls for a different reason now,” he said.

So that was your answer, then. The waves crashed against the shore, and a balmy wind blew through your hair and clothes, carrying the light scent of Sae’s cologne to your nose, the same one he had worn for as long as you could remember.

“I understand,” you said.

“These days, it’s a specific seagull I’m fond of, actually,” he said.

“Huh? Like a breed or something?” you said.

“No, just one bird in particular,” he said. “It did me a really huge favor recently.”

“What are you talking about? You always say that you suspect I was dropped on the head as a baby, but between the two of us, I think the one that was dropped was you,” you said, the fraying ends of your rejected feelings driving you to irascibility.

“A while ago, I was standing on the beach, feeling pretty annoyed with the world — as usual,” he said. “I had had to run from the paparazzi in order to go on this vacation without being bothered, you know, and I honestly was starting to question if I’d ever be seen as a normal person. I get that the only thing I’m good at is soccer, but it’s pretty tiring to be thought of as a guy who kicks balls around and nothing more.”

Unbidden, you inhaled sharply, because the story was starting to sound familiar. Spinning on your heel, you were met with the sight of Sae smiling shyly, peering down at you through his unfairly long eyelashes.

“That seagull must’ve known how I was feeling. There’s no other explanation for it all. It must’ve known how I was feeling, and somehow, it managed to find the one person in the entire world that saw me as something other than that. Do you know what it did next? It stole that person’s sandwich, and it led her right to me,” he said.

“Are you talking about me?” you said.

“How many people do you think have called me a short, ugly, D-list celebrity instead of asking for my autograph upon meeting me?” he said.

“Probably not very many,” you said. He chuckled.

“Probably not any,” he said. You rested your forehead against his shoulder.

“Probably not,” you said. He stroked your hair, though his motions were like a marionette’s — he was not very used to this type of relationship, after all. But he was trying his best, and you found that to be far more endearing than any suave gestures might’ve been.

“I know you have to go soon, so I was planning on not saying anything,” he said. “What would be the point? I figured this was just a summer fling for you. But then you had to go and be all sentimental, and I had to say something.”

“I’m glad you did,” you said. “It would’ve been worse if I had returned home without knowing at all. Where do we go from here, though?”

“Where do we go from here? Let me think. Well, I’ll ask you to be my girlfriend,” he said. “And you’ll say yes, because who would ever reject me? Then we’ll talk on the phone every day, and you can send me photos of things you find funny, and I’ll have a sixth sense for when you’re eating French fries and I’ll send you strongly worded texts in reprimand. You’ll fly over to watch my matches whenever possible, and when I’m on my next break, I’ll come visit you and meet your family and friends properly.”

“Getting a little presumptuous, aren’t we? What if I say no?” you said.

“Will you?” he said.

“Not sure. How about you ask and find out?” you said.

“If you’re going to say no, then I don’t want to,” he said. You stuck your tongue out at him.

“I can’t be with a man who’s afraid of rejection. It was nice knowing you, Sae,” you said. “See you around. Hope you lose the Champions League.”

“Wait! I’m not afraid of rejection,” he said. “Y/N, will you be my girlfriend? Officially, I mean.”

“Yes, of course,” you said. “But you’re going to have to buy my plane tickets if you want me to watch you. Even with frequent flier miles, I doubt I can afford coming to see you that often.”

“Consider it done,” he said. You grinned at him.

“You know, if you’re my boyfriend, then you’re going to have to keep paying for our dates, as well. My mother said that’s the gentlemanly thing for you to do,” you said.

“Right, I was expecting that,” he said. “Don’t you think there’s a reason why I haven’t let you buy anything yet?”

“Then how am I ever supposed to apologize to you for the circumstances of our first meeting? I mean, I was pretty harsh,” you said.

“That’s true,” he said. “Let me think.”

“Mhm,” you said. “I know that that’s out of your comfort zone, so I’ll give you a minute.”

“I have an idea,” he said, though it was accompanied by a slight glare at your jab.

“What is it?” you said.

“Close your eyes,” he said. You obliged, squeezing them shut, though not without widening your feet into the defensive stance he had demonstrated to you on the day he had attempted to teach you basic soccer skills.

“What are you going to do, tackle me or something? I’m using the position you taught me, but please be gentle, you’re way more muscular than—!”

You were cut off by him pressing his lips to yours. It was a soft kiss, gentle and light, like feathers in the air or water against the sand, and he pulled away before you could really react or reciprocate. He had left you wanting, and you knew he knew that, because there was a smugness to his voice when he spoke next.

“Apology accepted,” he said as you blinked at him in shock, your mind still lagging well behind your body. “Now we’re even.”

“Hold on,” you said. “I’m suddenly feeling very repentant and remorseful. Are you quite sure you forgive me with just that?”

He laughed. It was such a lovely sound, his laugh, and you would’ve told him so if you weren’t afraid that he’d stop when you pointed it out.

“Maybe not,” he said. “You might have to apologize a bit more.”

“That sounds doable,” you said. “Yeah, I might be able to work that in. It’ll be agonizing, but a wise man once told me that that’s just the nature of apologizing, so it’s the least I can do, right?”

“Oh, shut up,” he said, holding your face in his hands and leaning in. You did the same, your eyes closing all on their own as you sought out the connection he had deprived you of earlier.

As the sun set over the horizon and the seagulls settled in for the night, he kissed you again.

#sae x reader #sae x you #sae x y/n #itoshi sae #bllk x reader #bllk #blue lock #reader insert #modern au #m1ckeyb3rry milestone #m1ckeyb3rry writes

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nalyra-dreaming · 5 months

Text

I've seen the episode!!!

(Some comments and) SPOILERS!!!!

Louis saying it was a betrayal and that he wants to be punished for it just when he finds happiness again via a hallucination of Lestat is so... ugh. Louis, honey, god. Also him imagining Lestat biting him - as a punishment, but he also wants it so badly, baring his neck, not trying to fight it, offering himself up there, he just wants the connection so badly. 😭 And god, Louis having Lestat call him out on his own denial. Damn. And Louis knowing he invited this Lestat as a distraction.

Also... that was definitely foreshadowing to how Louis will think the trial went.

And of course it would be a bat. Of course.™

Claudia driving them onwards, not giving one shit is just... incredible. Delainey is Claudia.

I was also right that she honed her senses and available gifts, more than Louis has his (which fits)

Daniel calling their plight the hunt for Moby Dick

Claudia is also... beautifully hopeful, and thereby almost desperately (intentionally) naive. She just wants to connect, so badly. To find more of their kind. And closes her eyes to what she sees. *deep sigh*

That "Adam and Even and God" comment was hilarious. Oh man, I cannot wait to see what the show will make of / with QotD and Memnoch etc.

Not only is Louis aware of forgotten memories now, he actively pursues them, and he has apparently read the missing pages before. And knows he has forgotten.

Claudia's diaries are unreliable, too (as predicted). Also, Louis correcting his own tale there, lol. Also: Armand‘s look and suggestion there.

Daniel and his little speech as to how he works… you go Daniel. “Here’s almost all the story“ lol

“Human affairs“

The revenants.... "the blood is bad here" *shivers* - I BET that's already setting up the "turning fails" arc with Amel, right there

God that old vampire connecting with Claudia, and then throwing herself into the fire in despair. God.

Morgan's arc was nicely condensed, the scene fittingly horrific

I live for Claudia speaking all the languages, but I noticed some of the subtitles were wrong

Whoever doubted DM happening... well. Sorry, but I AM seeing it. The looks, the smirks, the bitching.

Also "real Rashid" (lmao) - who, btw, does not wear a mask! What if the encounter with Eudoxia Marius had went differently and this is Rashid?

... someone wanting to buy a tryptich they haven't even put up for sale... *coughs* Marius? *coughs* (I mean, who else would know they have it? Or the Talamasca, maybe)

God that Dubai bedroom screams cage. And Armand controlling even the lights with his little iPad. Someone edit a blender into a screenshot of that scene.

The look Lestat gives Claudia at that last part of Louis' little speech. Devastating.

Also: the "I do I do I do I do I do"... Louis. Sweetie. I mean, I get it, but still.

Armand's comment that the boy from San Francisco is still in Daniel. Now if that is not foreshadowing.

A propos foreshadowing: Louis saying he will not choose the fire while Claudia walks the earth. *help*

"We cannot be the only good ones". Yeah... about that. -.-

Louis being so relieved that what Claudia wrote was not the truth

The. Score.

Louis pacifying Armand there with the little touches at the end. LOL (the whole setup makes me wonder if ARMAND has also forgotten some things btw). Also that little thank you kiss

The Groan. Once more seemingly when Armand is displeased, so it could be a metaphysical manifestation after all, especially since Louis seems to comment on it. (It could also be a red herring, we'll see.)

Daniel‘s “we‘ll get to you“ to Armand (lol)

Louis‘ guilty look to Lestat when he tries to pep talk Claudia 😭

EDIT: there were two very short flahback scenes with a comment to memory, which is setting up the big one later, no doubt about it, ugh

I legit teared up so often.

I have missed them all so much.

It's all I wanted, and more. Cannot wait to scream about it with everyone.

Also, last but not least: can I just say how glad I am our writers are playwrights.

#iwtv spoilers #iwtv s2 #iwtv #amc iwtv #interview with the vampire #interview with the vampire s2 #amc interview with the vampire #interview with the vampire amc #iwtv amc #iwtv season 2 #iwtv s2 spoilers #lestat de lioncourt #louis de pointe du lac #the devil's minion #armand #daniel molloy #devil's minion #iwtv claudia #claudia de lioncourt

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peachymilkandcream · 5 months

Note

Can I ask for a yandere Small Might x quirkless fem darling headcanons?

Yan Small Might x Quirkless!Reader Headcanons

(A/N: abso-friggen-lutley! We need more All Might requests tbh, so here’s how I think it’ll go down. Hope you enjoy and thank you for the request!)

WARNINGS: noncon, dubcon, manipulation, domestic abuse, yandere themes, forced marriage, forced pregnancy, stockholm syndrome, graphic depictions of violence, mind breaking, misogyny, power imbalance, age difference, cheating, forced orgasm, suicide, etc.

================================================

Since a quirkless hero doesn't exist in this society All Might would have to meet you another way. We'll say that for the sake of Small Might it would be after his retirement. He met you during the fight in Kamino, since you were one of the victims of the attack her had saved.

Your admiration for him saving your life was obviously out of this world. This man might look different from the famed hero everyone knew but to you, he was still the same kindhearted man who had risked everything to keep the people save. Naturally you were in awe of him.

After his recovery you would do everything to express your gratitude, sending fan mail, writing emails, begging his agents to allow you to thank him in person. But all to no avail. He was simply too important for a nobody like you.

Driven by guilt and thankfulness you don't give up. Had he not saved you maybe he could've dodged a blast from All for One, giving him extra strength and not forcing him into retirement. You had to pay him back.

Your actual encounter happens just passing on the street. You tried so hard to get his attention imagine your surprise when you see his skeletal figure just walking along minding his own business. Of course you run up to him and thank him over and over for saving you, promising ways to make it up to him. Used to this, All Might takes you up on the offer.

What was at first offering your body up to this hero as thanks became a regular occurrence. It seemed now that All Might's muscle form was a thing of the past women stopped fawning over him like they once did, he'd take a willing woman when he could.

His obsession starts the more wholeheartedly devoted you become. He was getting old, and less attractive, he needed to find someone long term who could be his personal cock sleeve. Soon he begs you to stay longer and longer after you two are through, getting visibly upset should you decline.

He ends up hiring someone to kidnap you and bring you to him. But with his strength gone the only way to keep you in check is to make you pity him and remember all that he's done for you.

Soon you feel so bad for All Might and his plight and your role in it you willingly stay with him, keeping him satisfied and company as he relives his hero days. You're tired of hearing the same stories, but should you voice a complaint your knees end up sore with riding him as punishment.

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ahoycaptainautumn · 1 year

Text

Fated Mates Part 6

Synopsis: you, a vengeful vampire slayer, cross paths with the devious and handsome Astarion. Instead of a stake through the heart, Astarion finds something he thought impossible for vampire spawn. A mate.

In your travels towards a hopeful cure at the Selunite Temple you come across a small village of travelers. With a psychic nearly giving away Astarion's biggest secret you find company elsewhere. Astarion does not approve, to say the least.

Astarion whips the openings of his tent open as he trudges inside. This was not good. Not good at all. He could nearly laugh at himself for believing for one moment he had any power over this bond. That there was even a possibility of controlling you through it. It felt as if it controlled him more than anything else. He stomps over to his chest and digs through to find the mating book he had found in the last town's library. He flips forward to the section on vampiric mates. He obsessively reads over and over again. There has to be a way to break this incessant bond. To end this crushing weight of it inside his chest. He couldn’t take it. The vulnerability to love and be loved. No one could love a monster like him. Nor should they be forced to.

You on the other hand are oblivious to Astarions plight. You spend the rest of your time checking in on all your teammates and packing up camp. It would be a few days before getting to the temple. According to the map you “borrowed” from a drunken traveler, there was a town in between where you needed to go. You met with each companion to let them know your plan and direction you were going. The only one not outside was Astarion. You grumble your discontent and make way to his tent. Astarions pointed ears perk up at the all too familiar sound of your boots hitting the ground. He panics, not wanting you to even get a hint with the very obvious book he was reading. Whipping his head back and forth he notices the raunchy romance novel he had snagged from someone at the tavern. He quickly replaces that book's sleeve on top of the cover of the mating book. Thankfully he does so just in time for you to appear at his tent's opening. You push back the flaps and peer inside. He gives you a cheeky smile and waves.

“Just catching up on some reading, are we?” You ask. Your eyes finally fall onto the cover of the book. A shirtless man embracing a frail woman with his tongue knee deep in her mouth. You make a gag noise as you shrivel your nose in disgust.

“Oh you know, I have to study even on the road.” Astarion jokes. You stick your tongue out at him.

“Vile.” You fake gag. He quips an eyebrow up at you.

“You didn’t seem to think so.” His words come out as sweet as honey. It’s too easy to play with you, to tease you. Your whole body turns red and you swear you might just jump out of your skin in embarrassment. You shake your head as if to rid the words from the air.

“I- well- we are leaving in two minutes blood sucker!” You divert your gaze away from him and practically run over yourself away from him. You mutter something along the way about hating him. He can’t help but chuckle at your embarrassed state. He throws his head into his hands and groans. Yes this really, really, wasn’t good at all.

Besides stopping for one meal and a few bathroom breaks you are still about a days way from the next town. You had been following the path forward as you noticed more and more travelers coming and going. As you all get closer towards town you come upon what seems to be a small village. Hundreds of tents propped up in a large and lush valley. The smells of a market wafts towards your company. Cheer and merriment with the dancing sounds of music can be heard above all else. It is nearly nightfall and you don’t see the harm in checking it out. Though you get more than a few grumbles from Lae’zel and Astarion. You ignore them and lead the way into the heart of the tents. Calling it a small village was just about exactly what it was. Hordes of people all coming and going from tents and impromptu shops. There’s an alley just of multicolored canopies holding food stands. Meat hangs from sturdy clothing lines and fruits overflowing in barrels. The intoxicating smell of roasting pig flows from a large fire nearby. Other sites have signs enticing people to buy jewels or tarot readings. Your stomach grumbles and with a look you can tell everyone is thinking the same.

“We will spend the night here and round back up in the morning and set off first thing.” you tell the others. Everyone nods wildly, already eyeing different stands to venture off to. Some go in pairs while others wander off on their lonesome. You were just about to do the same before Astarion came to your side. You give him an exasperated face. He only gives a brazen smile in return.

“And what do you think you’re doing?” you ask, folding your arms in front of you. You lean on one leg and raise an eyebrow. You were hoping to find a nice hot meal and quiet. The latter not happening with Astarion around.

“Oh come on, you could use the company. Besides, it’s not like I’m going to be eating anything here. Unless you’d rather me find some delectable company.'' His toothy grin only emphasizes what he would like to be doing with those canines. A weird pang hits you and you shake your head.

“I do not need another angry mob, especially because one of my companions ate somebody.” you sigh. His eyes perk up at your words.

“Companions are we?” he stoops at the waist to look you in the eyes with his grin still locked in place. You bristle, tripping over your words.

“Companions only in travel , I absolutely assure you.” you bite back. He only laughs at your scowl and equally sour words.

“And here I thought we were mortal enemies. Seems I’ve made progress already.” He laughs. You point a finger into his chest and seethe your next words from between your teeth.

“Dream on blood sucker. Now let’s get going, I want some food.” You retract your hand and walk forward without a glance to see if Astarion is following. He quickly adjusts and follows behind you. He tells himself he doesn’t want to be in your company. If the universe hadn’t given him a chance mate he would of been spending this time either drinking or fucking, or better, both. But there was a gnawing feeling at the thought of you not being near him. Without you in his line of vision how was he to know you were okay? That you hadn’t gotten yourself into some mess? Or worse, courting with some random person in one of these tents. He can’t help the way that thought makes his anger flare. His teeth grind on each other and his hands ball into fists. Stupid mate instincts. Just as he has that thought a drunken patron from one of the bar tents nearly stumbles into you. You are too transfixed looking between meal stalls to notice. Astarion’s hand snakes around your hips and pulls your hip to his. You stumble into his side just as the man falls over on himself next to you. Your eyes follow the man now scrambling on the ground to Astarion’s death glare he gives him. His nails dig into your hip as he squeezes you in close. Your hand comes up to his chest to balance yourself. Astarion’s glare nearly stabs daggers into the man's eyes. The man gets one look at Astarion’s flaming rage evident in his face and body language and he clambers up. He just barely gets an apology out before Astarions voice overpowers his.

“Watch where you are going imbecile.” Astarions voice is glacier cool and it has the man running as if for his life. You swat at Astarion which breaks the spell of anger that was only climbing inside of him. He looks to you and finds you giggling.

“Astarion! It really was not that big of a deal! I can handle some drunken fool.”

“Well someone has to protect our leader.” Astarion jokes.

“I fended you off quite well in our original meeting now didn’t I?” you shake yourself out of Astarions rock solid hold and tug his hand forward. “Come, I’m practically starving.” Astarion shakes as if ridding himself of a clinging sensation of emotion. He hadn’t even thought before grabbing onto you. Of the drunk getting his filth all over you. Something about it riled him up more than he would've ever thought. The bond inside him tugged for attention, begging for Astarion to heed its gift. He swallowed that feeling down and weaved through the stalls alongside you. You finally stop inside a stall and grab a plate of food and ale from a vendor. There’s a large picnic area filled with tables and chairs off to the side with a band just beginning to tune up for a performance. You find a small empty table and sit down to enjoy your food. Astarion sits across from you and props his head on his hand in boredom. He people watches a bit before you cut into his thinking.

“Do you ever miss it?” you ask in between mouthfuls. His head snaps back to you and gives you a quizzical look. You make a gesture down to your nearly finished food.

“Oh, uh no. Well, it’s not like I can even remember it truthfully.” he responds.

“What do you mean, how long has it been since you were, you know, not what you are.” you ask. He nearly laughs at the hoops you jump through to avoid the word vampire.

“Darling it's been nearly two centuries since I’ve been turned.” he replies. Ale nearly flies from your mouth in surprise. You gulp down what you can and cough before you wipe your mouth.

“You’re over two hundred years old?” you asked incredulously.

“I know, I look barely a day over 30.” he smiles, swiping nonexistent lint from his shoulders, all bravado.

“More like I can’t believe I kissed such a geriatric man.” you tease. Astarion flares at your words.

“G- Geriatric! Geriatric! I assure you I don’t fuck like a-” your laugh cuts him off.

“You’re so easy to get riled up!” you belly laugh before you finish your ale. He mumbles some insult or another as he pouts. You stand from your seat and cock your head at Astarion. “Are you going to continue to follow me or are you going to sit and pout about being old?” you ask. He pushes off the table and stands to follow you. You get lost back into the crowd and look through the different merchants. As you eye through weaponry and treasures you walk past a tall tabaxi woman. She stands in front of her tent with a sign labeled “Psychic Readings - 10 pence”. She's dressed in embellished azure robes with several silver necklaces looped around her neck. She waves at the both of you.

“My my, the oracle has much to say about your future.” she entices. Your eyebrow perks up but Astarion only tries to steer you away with a very obvious annoyed face.

“Tricksters, the lot of them.” he explains.

“Tricky is what you have swimming around in that brain of yours.” she responds nonchalantly as she turns into her tent. You give Astarion a stunned look and make to follow her.

“There’s no way a trickster knows that! Come on, let’s just see.” you pull Astarion along with you. Though he doesn’t know how she could know about the tadpoles he still holds the thought of her being nothing but a con man. Not that he doesn’t appreciate the hustle, just that it won’t work on someone who once conned just as much. Astarion plops into a plush chair next to you. The tabaxi woman sits on the other side of the table with a cloudy orb sitting between you all. The tent is filled with a large prayer stand to a goddess neither of you are familiar with. Idols and offerings line the counters and tables around the circle of candles set up in the goddesses name. Golden candelabras line any other open space with oriental rugs covering the inside completely. The psychic places her hand upon the orb and swirls her palms around it till murky clouds appear from within.

“Now, both of you place your palms upon the crystal ball. The oracle will grace me with a vision.” she explains. You immediately clip in.

“Can she tell us about the tadpoles?” you ask feverishly. The tabaxi woman only shakes her head.

“I do not control the subject of the vision, I am only a voice for the beyond.” she explains. Astarion throws up his hands in irritation with a scowl on his lips.

“Then what good is this? A waste of time!” he frowns. He crosses his arms in front of him, ready to leave. You pat his thigh to make him look at you and try to give a reassuring smile.

“It’s worth a shot, right? Besides, what else can it tell us besides you being older than 200?” you joke. His irritation from the woman gets redirected at you.

“I should've never told you that! Fine, we can do the weird mystical orb then.” He looks away from you and throws his hand onto the ball impatiently. You place your hand partially on top of his and look to the psychic for a sign. The slits of her eyes get replaced with bright white, taking over her entire eyes. Her paws face upwards on the table and you notice the scripture tattooed onto them begins to hum in equally bright light. The candelabras flames shake as a wind rushes into the tent and wraps around you all. You can feel in your bones the power sweeping over the tabaxi before she even speaks.

“What is ancient can not be broken. What is meant, will be. Love is slow but it is strong. What begins as hate will blossom to the heart. One for another. A solution and a curse.” her voice is otherworldly, coming from somewhere far and primitive. A cold shiver wracks your body and your voice shakes.

“What- what does that mean?” you can barely get out. Her white orbs look over to you.

“Feelings can be denied but I see you, and he will too.” she responds before the wind dies from inside the tent. The candles go back to their full strength and her eyes return to the green cat-like that they were previous. Your whole body stills as your mind goes over and over what she says. Maybe, sure you thought Astarion was physically attractive. That much is obvious to anyone with a brain. And maybe you enjoyed the banter you two had. And yeah maybe you felt a terror grip you seeing his injuries the other day. And maybe, just maybe, there was a small part of you that felt ravished by his touch. By the electricity and pure passion that welled deep in your body at his bite. And how you wanted it again. You look over to Astarion to check his reaction and immediately wish you hadn’t. His face is of revulsion. His nose is scrunched with his eyebrows furrowed. He looks over at you and you can barely breathe. He looks nothing short of nauseated. You slam your hands down as you break from your seat. The ornate chair goes flying behind you at your actions. Your face is hot with shame and you can feel wet tears welling up in your eyes. You throw the 10 pence down on the table and make haste in getting far far away from the psychic and Astarion. You can’t believe that for even a second he would have another reaction. You felt stupid, and a little heart broken if not also confused at your foreign feelings.

On the other hand Astarion had heard the woman's words and felt as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped onto him. Here he was trying to get information on the tadpoles and the bloody woman had just given away his biggest secret to the exact person he didn’t want to hear it. Astarion has to hold back a snarl at the woman. His anger and disgust with the woman coming to him fast. He holds a breath he knows he doesn’t need and finally faces your stare. You look like a fawn caught by a wolf. Your whole body shivers and your eyes are blown wide. You bite your lip and look as if you are about to leap from your seat if he were to make a move. He had never seen you so.. Scared. He is about to say something, about how ridiculous this all was and how this woman must be a lunatic before you leap up and out of the tent. Astarion barely has time to turn his head before you're out the door and rounding a corner. He doesn’t bother wasting the time to lash out at the woman and tries to follow after you. But he immediately loses you. His heart clamps down around itself and a shot of fear races up his spine. Where in the hells were you? Where was his mate?

Sloshing amber liquid dribbles down your chin as you finish another round of ambrosia. You had run as fast as your feet could carry you until you were sure Astarion would not be able to follow you. You needed to be anywhere else. Your mind needed to be anywhere else. You found a liquor stall and helped yourself to a spot. The orc bartender drying a glass came to you and asked what he could do for you.

“What do you have for someone needing to forget someone?” you ask solemnly. The orc had only given a slight chuckle before reaching deep into a locked chest behind the counter. He brings a glass and the large bottle to you.

“Ambrosia. ‘Pose to be blessed with a crave beyond the bottle. You’ll have someone else to forget with that.” he offers to you with a wink. You had greedily poured yourself a glass and now found yourself nearly finishing the bottle. Your vision blurs and doubles. The liquor warms your being and turns your brain to mush. Your limbs feel loose and free and all you can do is smile and laugh at nothing. You’ve never felt so good. So free. Like you could dance the night away. Just as you finish off the bottle and pay the kind orc you hear the strumming of a band. Your ears perk up at the sound and you follow it. You want nothing more than to dance. To forget that stupid handsome vampire and dance with someone half as pretty and forget. As if your thoughts bring truth the picnic area had now been turned into a dance floor. Carpets and furs are thrown haphazardly on the ground creating a space for dancing. The speed of the music is hot and fast. People of all kinds dance and grind against each other as magical lights in varied colors twinkle on strings above you. It creates a vision of neon lights strobing over the swaying bodies. You rush to meet them and enter into this haven. You make your way onto the floor and lose any inhibition you still had left. Your hips twirl as you run your hands over your body and hair. Gods you’ve never felt so so very good. You sway and dance in time to the music. A man's body comes pressed to the back of yours. Your hands fly up and back to grab onto his neck and shoulder. You turn your face to look over at him. A dark haired elf smiles down at you with twinkling green eyes. Handsome, not as much as Astarion, but he would do. You give a seductive smile and grind against him. His hands fly down to grip your hips as he moves with you. Your head finds a home into the nape of his neck as you give a bold kiss to his collarbone. He gives you a smile in return and nestles his head next to yours. Just as your lips were about to seal over one anothers a clawed hand rips him away from you. You’re still too drunk on ambrosia to catch the action and you nearly fall over from the loss of balance. Astarion grabs your wrists and catches you to right yourself. He stands between you and the elf.

“What the hells? What do you think you’re doing?” the man shouts at Astarion. Normally Astarion feels ice cold but the caged inferno of rage inside of him makes his skin nearly hot. Astarion bares his teeth and nearly rips the man apart. Astarion feels as if he could tear through the center of the earth over and over again. He would take on a thousand men before allowing one to touch you so eagerly.

“Taking what is mine.” Astarion growls before he turns and hoists you up and over his shoulder. You yelp in surprise and weakly attempt to punch on Astarion’s back to make him put you down. Astarion pays it no mind and trudges away from the dance floor and towards where his tent is on the outskirts of the gathering lies in waiting.

“The hells do you think you are doing? I was quite enjoying my company!” you argue, your words slurring. Astarion lets out a deep snarl at your words.

“Not anymore.” he curtly replies.

“What is it to you? It’s not like you enjoy my company so I had to make my own!” you counter with a huff. Astarion nearly stops but continues on.

“What in the world gave you that impression?” he asks.

“I saw how you looked at me in the psychic’s tent! You look at me with disgust!” you huff. You hadn’t noticed you had made it back to Astarion’s tent before he drops you on his abundant pillows. Your back hits your plush surroundings as your limbs try to cooperate to sit you up even a bit. Astarion drops to his knees in front of you with each leg on the sides of yours. His hands hold him in place on either side of your head as you find yourself lost in his crimson eyes.

“And how am I looking at you now?” he whispers. His words cause a stir in your abdomen and your body whines to touch his. His pupils are blown wide as his tongue wipes over his sharp teeth.

“Hungry.” you barely reply, clenching your aching thighs together.

“Starved.”

part five here

part seven here

comment below and ill reply when the next one is up :)

#smut #reader insert #astarion #astarion x mc #astarion x reader #astarion x tav #astarion x you #bd3 #mates #balders gate 3 #baldurs gate 3 #baldurs gate astarion #baldurs gate iii #slow burn #enemies to lovers

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biwitchenergyz · 3 months

Text

A House of Blood and Fire

Chapter One: The Heirs of the Dragon

<-Teaser Next Chapter->

In the future, many years from now, when you await the gods of old Valyria or even the Stranger (hopefully on your deathbed), you may look back on the choices you have made and wonder where you went wrong. Perhaps your death will be less peaceful, perhaps it will be bloody, but you hope that whatever gods watched over you were not the merciless ones Queen Alicent Hightower often wept too.

The world is silent, your room is quiet, and you know the sun will shine soon. Not that the sun has ever done anything good for you. Most people fear the dark but forget all the snakes who love to bask in the sun's light. You often find yourself surrounded by those very snakes, but now, sitting alone in your chambers on Dragonstone, you wonder if the sun purposefully evades the gloomy island. Your lady's smooth voice accompanies the squeak of your door opening.

"Darling girl, I hoped we could talk before our departure." Princess Rhaenyra hardly asked for company; she was surrounded by people at all times, whether that be her children, her lovers, or her court. When she wanted to speak with someone, it was an honor that few could refuse. She moves to sit beside you. Her nightgown is sheer and delicate, with its lacey decorations pooling at her feet as she lifts them onto your bed.

"I was worried that this trip may take a toll on you," Rhaenyra whispers when she is finally sitting at your side, "If you want to stay back, I am sure my father would understand." The silence speaks for itself when Rhaenyra finally hears the irony of her words.

When has Viserys ever been understanding of you? Though the two of you were cousins, his age made him dismissive and ignorant of your plight as a young woman, while his gender gave him a sense of superiority that oozed from his every word. Rhaenyra was lucky to be his eldest daughter because she alone was immune to his cruelty.

"Viserys has been asking me to return, and now he demands it. Even you cannot protect me from that." The older woman's eyes soften at your cynical words. Your arrival at court was, unfortunately, amidst a troubling time for House Targaryen. The Princess and the Queen were constantly at odds, and it seemed that their children were following in their footsteps. With the court jester banished and the king's mood souring, you made for a perfect scapegoat. Had your mother, Saera, been living, she would never have allowed your humiliation. But she was gone, and her reputation fell like an anchor on your head.

"For the past four years, I have found any excuse to keep us on Dragonstone. First, it was my pregnancies, then Daemon’s injury, and Luke’s sickness. I am sorry that my father was not kind to you. However, he has grown ill, and his mind has been sullied with milk of the poppy. All my father wants is to see his family again. We have missed four of his birthdays, and I fear there may not be another. We will leave at dawn." Rhaenyra left no room for argument, so you let the discussion drop. Your mind returns to the reason you must sail for the Red Keep.

"The boat ride will take longer than Dragonback. I may miss dinner entirely." You warn Rhaenyra as she prepares to leave your bed chamber. She turns then, the realms delight, with the brightest smile you had ever seen as she laughed, "There is more than enough room for you on Syrax." Then she left as the sun seeped in through your windows.

• • • • • • •

In the end, you refuse to ride on Dragonback. You have declined it during all the years you have lived in Westeros. The boat ride is hardly uncomfortable, but as you watch Syrax's daisy-colored form fly over you, you wonder about the freedom you miss. Occasionally, the Velaryon boys will fly their dragons down closer toward the water, and your boat shakes at the power of their dragons' flapping wings. Even young dragons have that power. During the journey, Rhaenyra and her family split from you as they head towards King's Landing, and for a while, you are left with only yourself and the Princesses' other ladies as company. "Sit down, Princess. Join us in crafting our favors. You will become seasick if you stand so much." Elinda Massey lectures as you stand staring out the window of the old ship.

Elinda, with her dark hair and darker eyes, never fails to worry. She awoke in the morning with worries, and every night; she went to sleep worrying about how much Rhaenyra and her children ate at dinner and whether or not they would be starving. Her worries for the royal family also extend to you; even the old king's exiled granddaughter was worth her many troubles. Despite being your age and both of you being the youngest of Rhaenyra’s ladies, Elinda had a pious nature that led to her acting as a mother for the other girls, yourself included.

"Lady Massey, I can assure you I will be fine standing. The ship should dock soon anyway." Elinda frowned at your response, but she knew better than to argue with you when your mind was made.

You hurry to the deck of the ship, hoping to see King's Landing in all its glory, when your eye is caught by the enormous shadow that hovers above your boat. A dragon, as dark as an emerald and as giant as the Dragonpit, flies above you with a slow flap of its wings. Vhagar, you think you knew that dragon by heart and the old beast had not changed in the years since you left. Her rider may not be on her back, but you feel like he is for a second, his eyes piercing you from a place hidden from your view. Myranda Strong, with her twin Alyssa, approaches you from behind.

"Lady Massey is talking to the captain. The princess will send us a carriage, but we will still need someone to bring our luggage." Myranda tells you as her eyes also lift to watch Vhagar. Alyssa ignores the dragon, focused on the men preparing to moor the ship.

True to her word, Rhaenyra has sent a carriage for the four of you. It is grander than most carriages but still simple enough in its design to reflect your status as ladies-in-waiting. Inside the carriage, you bump into Alyssa at every dip in the road, but she merely smiles. "The men of the Red Keep will be a great exchange for those in DragonStone. New faces are just the change I need." She laughs with you as you agree to her lust-filled words. "It is the eldest prince that I am most excited to see. The rumors say that were he not a prince; he would certainly be the lover of a Lysinian mistress, or worse, a madame." You go silent at her words, but Elinda quiets the other girl.

"I can assure you we will not be anywhere near the drunkard prince." Her words are brusque, and they silence Alyssa for the rest of the ride. The silence is deafening until the other strong girl finds her voice. "Where is Saagael, my princess?" Myranda asks you even though her dark eyes are locked on her sister. You cannot stop your smile at the mention of your beloved pet. "He will be brought with our luggage. I had to cage him for the journey so the Hand would not know his presence. Saagael is not supposed to be here." You whisper the words with delight as you discuss how you have snuck your cat into King's Landing. Your company finds humor in this, but the rest of the ride is silent until the carriage doors open, and Rhaenyra takes your hand to help you step safely onto the dirt.

"My Princess! You did not need to come get us." Lady Massey exclaims in delight as Rhaenyra helps her down as well. "I thought that at least the four of you should receive a warm welcome. It seems that courtesy is not felt amongst the court." Rhaenyra sneers before she links your arms and leads you through the halls of the red keep. In the light of the setting sun, the halls look more burgundy than the bright red they are known for. Rhaenyra is silent as you both walk arm-in-arm through the bustling castle.

Servants, nobles, and knights alike stop to stare at the Heir and the formerly exiled princess. It has been many years since the Realm's Delight has been home. They watch her with curious glances, trying to dissect this new woman who walks amongst them. Has the Realm's delight turned cruel, or does she remain the sweet girl beloved by all? You can see the hesitance in their eyes as they bow to her passing figure. Rhaenyra, for the most part, ignores all the attention as she begins to tell you what has transpired today.

"A meager servant was sent to greet us. Our first homecoming in five years and we are treated like mere ambassadors. However, I believe that even ambassadors are treated better. I expected to see my father upon my return, but the king is not currently receiving company. Otto Hightower has practically barred the doors to my father's chambers. " The princess can't help but ramble. It is something she often does in your company for whatever reason. You think it is because, despite her estrangement from her siblings, she craves a relationship of equals rather than one of husband and wife or mother and child. She has always been alone in ways her sons and husband never have. The thought tugs at your heartstrings, and your grip on her arm tightens. "I am sure he will be at the tourney. It is in his name, is it not?" You try to ease her stress, but when it is time for you to go to your chambers, Rhaenyra keeps her hold on you.

"Will you stay with me? Your support would make this whole thing feel easier." Silence fills the halls outside of your chamber. Her Majesty, Queen Alicent, chose the room assigned to you. It is within a forgotten tower just behind the Royal sept, the only chamber completely secluded. Unlike the towers that occupy the hand and the royal guard, which all contain more than one room, your tower has only one other room relatively distant from your chambers. The royal library is at the end of the hall and one must pass your rooms to get there. Thus, for the most part, your halls are silent. Rhaenyra uses this silence to talk freely, so you do the same.

"My Princess, the children of Her Majesty will also be in attendance. I hardly think I will be any help when I am already so anxious to see them. I haven't been here since Helaena disappeared." You pick at the skin around your nails, a habit inherited from your mother, Saera. Rhaenyra watches you look away from her gaze while shuffling uncomfortably back and forth. Aegon and Aemond Targaryen were your friends once, more Aegon than Aemond. But the night Helaena vanished, many incidents occurred that forced you to flee for DragonStone. Not only had Alicent suspected you of helping Helaena escape, but so did her two oldest sons, and when you left, never to return until now, they grew to resent you. That's what you thought, although you never had any clear evidence besides the heated conversation that night four years ago.

"Darling, I want you there, but I will not beg," Rhaenyra stated plainly. Her royal demeanor inspired you to lift your eyes. Her violet eyes gleamed with a reserved strength that she took no measures to conceal. "I will go." You decided.

• • • • • • •

The tourney was to begin in less than an hour, but first, you wanted to make sure your pet was settling into your chambers. Saagael paced back and forth, his body more extensive than a house cat, as dark as a moonless night sky, and his paws hit the floor like an elephant on the march. “I didn’t want to leave you alone.” You try to reason with the cat, but he will hear nothing of it. He turns to leap onto your chair, making it seem like a doll’s chair with his big body taking over the furniture. His paws knead into the soft fabric, but he does not rip it. You knew the risk of returning him to the red keep would be significant, but you reasoned that he would be safer with you than left alone on Dragonstone. At least here, you could watch him and protect him. The thought of losing your beloved companion was one of the many fears that kept you up at night. Saagael was all you had left of home and your parents; without him, you would be truly lost. Even in moments like this, when his attitude was at its height, you took comfort in his presence.

“Fine. I will bring you a whole salmon from the kitchen! All you have to do is stay here and be good.” You pleaded with the grumpy cat. Saagael’s ears perked up at the mention of his favorite treat. Finally, he left his chair to curl up at your feet. You scratched his neck, making him purr contentedly. With a few more pets, you got up to leave him. As you opened your door, you jumped back in shock at the sight of Alicent Hightower standing outside. Her delicate hand was raised as if she was going to knock upon your door. The both of you seemed startled by the presence of the other, but neither of you spoke for a moment.

Alicent breaks the silence, “You have grown quite a lot in these years.” Her voice is gentle but still royal, showing her hesitance to appear as anything but regal in front of you. “Please do come in, your majesty!” You stumble over yourself to bow appropriately in the older woman's presence. Alicent walks in, taking in the room to find it, the same as when she first had it decorated for you.

Saagael is perched on the bed with no interest in moving, but Alicent strokes his fur, and he suddenly sits up and is very interested in the queen. “Is there a purpose to your visit, my queen?” Slowly, your feet move to the Queen's side while watching her admire your beloved Saagael. “My father hates this cat.” The queen muses instead of answering your question. The room falls to silence again until Alicent finally speaks. “I have been begging Viserys to bring you back home, and finally, you are here. I came to apologize to you, dear girl. When my daughter…left…I placed my blame onto you when you have been nothing but loyal to me and my children since you arrived at the Red Keep. I hope you can forgive me.” She turns to you, and you see the young woman you grew up with, who took you in along with Rhaenyra when you needed guidance.

Her big brown eyes glisten with unshed tears, but over time, you realize that Alicent's eyes are always sad. With a boldness you didn't realize you had, you step forward to grasp the Queen’s hands. “All is forgiven, Your Majesty.” Alicent smiles as she rubs her hand over your own, pausing at the rough skin around your fingernails. It is inflamed from being picked at, and Alicent notices it instantly. Gently, she touches your skin before looking back into your eyes.

“My sons, they have missed you greatly. I know they will be glad to see you. Please forgive them of their standoffish nature.” You nod at her words, knowing you have missed her sons just as much as Helaena. A bell chimes from the royal sept, and its echo fills your quiet room. Alicent responds instantly, dropping your hands and heading to the door before turning and saying, “The king wants his entire family at dinner after the tourney. I hope that you come.” She leaves the room with urgency, and for a fleeting moment, you feel like a twelve-year-old again, spending the winter in the Red Keep playing with Helaena and Aegon while a silent Aemond watches on in Amusement as Alicent gently scolds you and Aegon for roughhousing.

Jace and Luke are the ones who come to escort you to the King’s birthday tourney. You link arms with Jacaerys while Luke fiddles with the ring on his finger. It is a matching one Rhaenyra gave him for his tenth name day, valyrian steel with a single onyx crystal in the middle of the circlet. You all walk in silence, having nothing to say to each other. When you reach the doors that lead into the courtyard, you stop to turn to Luke, who is beginning to look faint. “Luke, you look as though you have seen a ghost. What troubles you?” You rest your hand over his own to stop his fidgeting. Luke smiles at you even though his eyebrows furrow in thought. Jace keeps his hand on your arm but uses his other hand to pat Luke’s back. Then Luke looks up at you with a strange determination on his face. “Are you on our side?” You drop his hands in shock. With a quick glance around, you see that nobody is in the halls besides two guards who stand watch at the doors to the courtyard. You gather the skirts of your dress and bend slightly to come face to face with Luke.

“Little Luke Velaryon, what are you talking about?” The words come out as a whisper, unnoticed by the guards, but Jace and Luke hear them loud and clear, and they do not back down. “Our uncles call us bastards. The whispers of the court say that it is Aegon who should be our grandsire’s heir. Do you stand with us or with them?”

Luke is bolder than Jace. He always has been. Unlike Jacaerys, who strives to be the perfect dignified gentle-lord, Luke is proud like the Velaryons and does not hold his tongue.

“I am my mother's daughter; Saera Targaryen would see no value in such disagreements. I do not wish to fuel a fire that is already roaring. The politics of Westeros are still strange to me, but my position here is not. I have no right to say what should happen to the iron throne, but I assure you that I love you and your mother very much. That is all I can say.” Luke nods, his youthful face looking mature for the first time. He seems as if he will argue, but he holds his tongue because of a lack of response. Jace takes your arm in his again, and as you wait for Rhaenyra and Daemon to join the three of you, Jace talks to you in whispers.

“Even you must feel the division of the court.” He shows no signs of discontent, but Lucereys is still mulling over your response. “Trust that I feel the division like a knife in my back.” Your stare rises to meet his eyes. For a moment, he is silent, but his eyes are loud enough. The conversation ends there as Rhaenyra and Daemon approach to lead the family to their carriages. You watch the doors open but stop before crossing them; Jace pulls you through.

• • • • • • •

#aemond x reader #aegon targaryen x reader #aemond x you #aegon x reader #house of the dragon #aegon ii targaryen #helaena x reader #helaena targaryen #rhaneyra targaryen #rhaenicent #f/f/m/m #aemond one eye #aegon the second #saera targaryen

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gece-misin-nesin · 14 days

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I hope it’s ok if I rant a little about MHA because your post about Endeavor walking free reminded me of how detrimental some of the messages MHA can be. (I’ll try not to write much, feel free to delete this tho!)

It is so frustrating how the story doesn’t linger enough on the weight killing people that have yet to commit a crime, people that are a threat to the status quo, holds.

Sometimes I legit feel insane because people will be saying things like, “He could be a threat, so of course they should kill him.” And then talk about Deku and class 1A “changing the world for the better,” when the series doesn’t care to unpack its systematic issues past individual issues + the series essentially maintained the system that failed so many—resorting to reforms and expanding programs doesn’t actually solve the problem imo.

And it’s so hard nowadays to even try to have a conversation that entails criticism of the story, when so many fans fall for the condescending righteousness the story feeds as a response just because it came from heroes. Even though the story itself presents reasons why we shouldn’t blindly trust heroes (Endeavor literally right there) 🤦

Like, the story presents characters being oppressed and the ultimate response to their plight is constantly, “Just be a better victim.” The whole situation with Touya and Endeavor + what Deku says to Touya, is absolutely insane to me.

It made me sick to see people saying, “This is what Touya always wanted.” This is what people are taking away from the story, when many people who grew up being abused and didn’t fit the “perfect victim” criteria will tell you how fucked up that ending was.

Anyway, sorry for ranting. It’s so hard to find people who understands criticism in the MHA fandom 😭 The story has a lot of good points and potential, Hori just couldn’t handle it properly.

I am ALWAYS happy to listen to bnha rants!! I devour the bnha critical tag like a wild beast lmaoo

As for your thoughts, 100% agree. I feel like a big part of the problem is that the story spends so much time setting up systematic issues and then just..drops them? Acts like they don't exist? And instead it redirects all blame and reason to indovidual problems, like Endeavor for example. Touya became a villain because of Endeavor..but the conditions under which he became a villain could have been massively prevented if the ranking system didn't exist and if so much value hadn't been placed on it. Or if the wealth and privilege that being a hero had brought to Endeavor hadn't let people turn a blind eye to his bullshit. Because are you really telling NO ONE had even an inclination that something was wrong in that household? Really?

This also applies to Tomura. In the beginning The Walk where he spent some amount of time on the streets without anyone helping him seemed very important to his backstory. He didn't become a villain just because his father was a pos, he becane a villain because the state of heroism led to a society that glorified heroes to such an extent that people didn't help a bloody kid on the street because a 'hero would'. But instead most of his memories Deku interferes w are about the Shimura household instead of the very important bystander syndrome. And THEN to top it all off, we learn the stupid 'AFO orchestrated Tomura's whole life' thing. I cannot find the right words to express just how much I loathe that.

Anyway, Touya and Tenko are just two examples. Overall, the story chooses to resolve individual problems (and how well even those are resolved is certainly debatable) and frame them as the leading causes of villainy when its mostly systemic issues that cause it and then act like there were no systemic issues in the first place. I mean, literally no one has a problem with the HPSC casually having private assassins to commit extrajudicial murder, so. Guess Nagant should have just been "optimistic" and waited for someone to, idk, topple the literal government.

#tysm for the ask!!!#bnha critical #mha critical #anti endeavor #ask #anon #anon ask #todoroki touya #dabi #shigaraki tomura

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coeluvr · 21 days

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How I see it, to get a idea of why Vincent's route, we just got to look at his close friend and counterpart Helios as a comparison.

With Helios, we have someone who was born/raised with a kindness similar to his mother and who, fortunately, was not influenced much by Luceris to see MC in a cruel light. He's felt awkward around them because, frankly, the whole situation around MC is awkward, especially because it heavily involves his father. But there was never anything fueled by hatred and while he has been conflicted because he loves his dad, it hasn't stopped him from seeing how unfair and messed up everything has been for MC, even if he may not have a indepth understanding of them. While it in no way makes the romance with him burn fast, it makes sense that Helios isn't as weighed down as Vincent both because of his general personality and his past interactions, while awkward, never went into cruel territory.

Then there's the man of the chapter hour, Vincent. From the moment he met them, he started off as a cruel bully to MC when they were already at the lowest and that behavior went on for a good number of years from the looks of it; right off the bat, the origins of Vincent's connection to MC can be described as hostile and unpleasant. Ikram having a hand in shaping that negative view of MC (a lot of negative things can be spoken about with Luceris, but he at the least didn't try to shape Helios' personal opinions on MC), his original admiration and yearning for his mother's approval, and his own close bond and protectiveness of Helios only further fueled his hatred of MC. He's certainly less hostile now, but he's still got years worth of keeping MC at arms length and, unlike Helios, has no motives at the moment to want to understand MC and their plight better. That's not something that will change overnight and will need active work from both ends to overcome the rough start to make a more positive connection to each other.

This was basically my long winded way of saying Vincent being a second most slowburn bond, romantic or platonic, makes sense considering that his history with MC was really bad. Also makes it very foreboding that despite Hunter's general friendliness towards MC, something of their own past makes them the most slowburn romantic bond MC can pursue. What dark secrets behind that smile...

I always really like to read what you have to say because you really do get me! 🙏

People always expect for Helios to be THE slowburn of the century, and in a way it is because it's so juicy and slow in its own way, but Helios is much more open and has practically no walls around himself. He's very approachable and it's almost easy for the heart to fall for him despite the history that surrounds them.

Vincent is the complete opposite, his walls are super high and he's very guarded and he makes that very clear. With MC, he's not approachable nor friendly nor does he even want to change that about himself because he doesn't want anything to do with MC.

It will take time to change that, it's slow as hell because they have to reach a point where they're at least friendly and then we can finally go to romance.

Aside from that, I find it hard to imagine that MC who suffered from Vincent's words in the past would be falling head over heels for him so soon when it's canon they don't particularly like him at this point because of the past. He will have to change his behavior around MC for there to be anything at all, so enjoy the process. 🫡

Hunter is a whole other matter but I do hope people enjoy all the routes hehe. 🫶

#coe answers #coaaf if: vincent #coaaf if: helios #coaaf if: hunter #earthboundstray

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torchwood-99 · 8 months

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The difference between a dry nurse and a healer

It's interesting how at a glance these two roles appear similar, and how Eowyn fiercely rejects the first yet embraces the latter, and what's more is vindicated in the narrative for rejecting the first, yet is celebrated for accepting the latter. So to understand Eowyn's arc, it's important to look at the differences between a dry nurse and a healer.

Eowyn states herself she is not a dry nurse. Gandalf points out to Eomer that part of Eowyn's depression comes from her having been forced into the role of dry nurse. And in his own commentary, Tolkien says that Eowyn isn't a dry nurse by nature. So that's the character, the in-narrative voice of reason, and the writer himself all saying that Eowyn is very much not a dry nurse.

Now, what is a dry nurse, and how does that differ from healer? A dry nurse nurses. Seeing as that was Eowyn's role with her uncle, we can presume that to be a dry nurse was to be like a carer, someone who takes care of a person and tends to them on a day to day basis. Eowyn's role wasn't to cure her uncle, but to make him comfortable and support him as best as she can.

This was a role that was foisted on Eowyn unwillingly, for she was a woman, and there's a prevalent idea that women are just "inherent carers", that is comes more easily to them and that this is is there natural role. That emotional burden, that denial of other choices, isn't seen as an injustice to Eowyn until Gandalf spells it out to Eomer at the end, because as a woman that's just what she's suited for. She shouldn't have wanted something else, and if she did, it meant she was either lacking in something, selfish or defective.

This all came at the expense of her own personhood, and so she ended up feeling like the "staff" Theoden leant on. She was his living crutch, and this dehumanisation played a massive part in her depression, which was made worse by Grima's influence.

For all that LOTR is a fantastical setting, Eowyn's plight was very grounded and applicable to modern day. As her uncle's carer, her life revolved around his needs and wellbeing, she was stuck in the home because she couldn't leave him alone, and her own hopes, her own dreams, ambitions and desires were put aside as of lesser consequence. And because she's a woman, and therefore naturally inclined and suited for all this, she should have felt alright with this, and any resentment on her part is a sign that there was something wrong with her.

She was isolated and stagnant and she felt she couldn't even speak of her resentment because it was her duty to tend to her uncle, (Gandalf tells Eomer that Eowyn didn't share much of her feelings because of the duty she felt to him), and all of this left her vulnerable to Grima's emotional abuse. This situation can so easily be transplanted into modern day.

Being a carer is a really difficult job, tending to both the physical and emotional needs of another person. It's emotionally draining and challenging and it's all the harder when it's a family member, as that doesn't allow you some of the distance and space that professional carers have, as well as a life outside work which allows you to enjoy other pursuits and interests.

It's a hard enough job for professional carers who genuinely feel a calling for it, who choose that role and find satisfaction in it and have a chance to decompress and lead lives of their own away from their work, but Eowyn never felt such a calling, and caring for Theoden wasn't her job but her life. Her life had been dedicated to tending to the needs of a single other person. And all the while she cared for him, she knew she couldn't heal him or prevent the awful things happening to her country. She wasn't a person, but a tool, and in her mind, a tool of limited ability.

No wonder she yearned to go and die gloriously. Her life was no life, and yet with a glorious death she could reclaim something for herself, exist in the songs as her own being with her own deeds. She could live on after her death as she has never lived in life.

In life, she could only watch as her brother and cousin and peers got to leave Edoras, where she was caged and hopeless, and go out and do stuff, with the ties of comradeship to support them. Already, without Grima's influence, it would have been easy for Eowyn to hate herself for her seeming uselessness, to resent the world and her society for shutting her into that role, and to hate herself for hating her role, for it meant she was a failure as a woman and a niece.

Compare that to the role of the healer. A healer, by its very definition, heals things. It fixes things. A healer can't always succeed, but that is the healer's goal. To heal.

Now, we don't know specifically what Eowyn meant by being a healer, whether she literally meant she wanted to train in the healing arts, to learn how to set bones, clean wounds, perform surgery or cure sickness, or if she meant she wanted to live a lifestyle given over to healing the world around her (her new home Ithilien needs clearing of orcs, is a military outpost, and and lies near Minas Morgul, so there is much to be healed there, with a sword too, yay!) or if she meant both.

A healer is active. A healer needs to leave the domestic sphere to go to where there is trouble and put it to rights, whereas a live in dry nurse stays in the home and tends to a patient in their domestic setting (which is partially why it's seen as a more feminine role).

Eowyn, fearless, longing for deeds and open fields, needs to get out, needs some risk, needs to be bold and needs to be able to do work which has some sort of final goal or success to fight towards. Being a dry nurse is being a lover, pouring out empathy and compassion and care, and being a healer is being a fighter, someone who faces challenges and overcomes them, and that is who Eowyn is by nature. Someone wants things and fights for them.

As a healer, Eowyn would have a variety of tasks; whether that be literal patients or general problems in the world, that need fixing, which gives her more change and also a break, for she won't have just one life she has to constantly attend to.

The active, combative nature that made her long to be a soldier is what makes her suited to be a healer (both literal and figurative), someone who is confronted with challenge after challenge and has to tackle them. Who must come up with a battle plan and then take up her tools and get to work, sticking at it until victory is won.

But whereas a soldier's business is bringing death, a healer's business is bringing life (even if that may mean clearing away dangers and sicknesses in order for that life to flourish. If Eowyn does mean healing figuratively, her work may often cross over into the work of the soldier, but the intent behind it will be different.) Becoming a healer reconciles Eowyn's desire to go to battle with the need for her to embrace life and peace.

She cannot stay at home "in the cage" because what needs healing is beyond her doorstep. And as a healer, when she has done her part healing others, healing the outside world, she can go home, which is now a sanctuary and not a cage, and then she gets to do something else.

As a healer, she will have deeds to accomplish and an existence beyond the walls of her home. And her home, being a place she now gets to leave, a place of comfort and leisure, is a home at last. It's a place she can escape to, not a place to escape from.

As Eowyn and Faramir play around with gender roles a fair bit, it's not surprising that Faramir, a man and a soldier and a bloody good one, is naturally more inclined to being a carer or "dry nurse" than Eowyn is, and in many ways he would have done much better as Theoden's carer than Eowyn did. (Not that Eowyn was bad as a carer, like Faramir she felt it was her duty and she put in the work, but Faramir would have personally coped with it better.)

If anything, it might have been a role that would have brought Faramir satisfaction, if not one completely devoid of heartache and difficulties, because even for those suited for it, being a carer requires a lot and is inevitably draining.

But Faramir is deeply compassionate, compassions and caring does come naturally to him, and he values it highly, so he would have taken pride in knowing he was easing another's suffering, He would have seen the successes and progress and been able to celebrate them. And crucially, his love of lore and studying would have been an escape and often a consolation for him, and given him something of his own to work on, so his own personhood wouldn't have revolved around who he was caring for. His work as a carer could have coexisted with his work as a scholar, and thus he would have been making use of both his natural empathy and intellectual curiosity.

Faramir is also very emotionally intelligent. He is very quick to understand others feelings, even before they do, and can give them very apt emotional support. See how he is with Eowyn, how understanding he is of her love for Aragorn (no resentment or jealousy, he gets it), and her despair and her inner conflicts, and is able to communicate with her really well due to that insight. Between the two, it is Faramir doing the bulk of the emotional support, which must come as a blessed relief for Eowyn after all that time as Theoden's living crutch.

This is also why they work so well as a pairing. They have both experienced what it's like to be a carer and a fighter, to carry the burden of warfare and nursing, and together they're a partnership capable of caring and fighting, dry nursing and healing. They can both do both, but where is inclined one way, the other is inclined another way, and thus they balance each other out.

#Lotr #Lord of the Rings #Eowyn #Faramir #Farawyn #meta

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marwhoa · 1 year

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request: @t3rnished ; like I don't know if you know this, there's this spinoff called attack on Titan Junior High, it's based off the actual anime jsjsjs and there's these two characters one who always says " After this why don't we just get married? " like after every inconvenience -- so I was wondering how the rise turtles would react over a doting reader who always says that?? Likw they're also super protective!! There are some clips on youtube!!

🝮 “ wedding bells ”

platonic!rise boys x y/n

author’s note: phew, it’s been a while, did y’all miss me? yes? no? okay, well, here i am with a request someone made a whiiiiile ago but it was in my convos so i forgot about it til now 😭 i’m so sorry bb, i hope you like it 😔 i didn’t watch the show but i hope this comes off close? yes? no? okay, bye bye, luv you !!!

word count: 2.2k

How fitting is it that your first meeting with the brothers could have been described as a knight in shining armor? At any other point it would have been them as the saviors, but when you’re caught off guard, you tend to be left in a pinch.

Which is where four particular brothers found themselves when a duo of jellyfish mutants crashed what should have been a regular, totally normal picnic. They should’ve been in their A-Game, a battle that was supposed to be a walk in the park, until a barrage of electric tentacles whipped them all straight on their ass.

“ C’mon, we save the world and this is the thanks we get! ”

Groaned the brother in blue, rocking on the ground as he held the stinging of his abdomen tightly.

“ Do you believe in white flags? ”

Whimpered the brother in orange as he waved a little white flag with eyes shut tight in pain.

The fishy duo scoffed, going on about some mess about mutants league that was hellbent on blaming these four for their plights as “ humans whose lives were ruined ”, before pulling back what would have been a mean hit seizing their victory!

Emphasis on “ would ”, because just as the exhausted four accepted defeat, a knight appeared on the scene with a battle cry and a swinging bag!

“ AAAAAH!! ”

You yelled in panic, swatting the tendrils away with a wimpy squeak each time contact singed your bag. Your shaking legs and chattering teeth were ignored as the battle came to a standstill, both sides simply gawking as a metaphorical tumbleweed passed by. You sucked in an inhale, gritting your teeth and tightening your grip as you glared down the duo.

“ UH—UM! WELL… Stop! ”

You jabbed your finger in their direction then shooing them away.

“ Oh? ”

One of the villainous brothers cooed, taking a step forward as he recovered from the surprise.

“ You’re meddling in matters you don’t quite get, so do us all a favor and SCRAM! ”

Electricity jolted menacingly as he thrusted a tentacle towards you. You prepared to swing that mighty bag of yours once more before a flash of red apparated before you, blocking the attack altogether. The boys behind you all jumped to their feet, shrugging off their fatigue and assuming positions with a newfound strength.

The largest one, clad in red, turned to flash you a toothy grin and a thanks, but all you could do was stare wide-eyed. There was one sentence hanging on your tongue, slipping out without even a chance of censorship.

“ Marry me. ”

He turned to fight back the villainous jellies, only to trip and faceplants instantly, turning to you with a bewildered, flustered look?!

“ Say what now!? ”

Obviously, as every other encounter ends, the brothers reigned supreme over the mutant jellyfish brothers, but you became a constant in their everyday lives. By the grace of the gods or by misfortune, you would somehow always end up appearing where a villain was. Be it out of breath, as though you seeked danger out, or by surprise as you stepped out of whatever little shop you turned up at, there was something the brothers could always count on, and it was you.

Or well, your little quips.

See, they were almost as bad as Leo’s, if not for the charming execution and your charismatic nature. No matter how bad the scenes got, once everyone pulled through, they could all count on you breaking the silence with a snarky, completely out of breath,

“ That was—hah, haaaah— one, phew, that was a doozy! Why don’t we just get married and out this all behind us? ”

Followed by a little thumbs up as you laid flat on the aftermath debris. Collective groans escaped the team, followed by Leo shouting, “ Donnie! Did you get that one? ” You couldn’t help but laugh, exhaustedly hoisting your aching body up to see the purple projection tallying up just how many times you’d ended a fight with a similar comment.

“ That makes the 57th time you’ve said this, Y/N. Do I hear the wedding bells already? ”

Leo grinned, cross-legged with his head planted against his hand.

“ Oh hush. ”

But, it didn’t end there. No, your behavior peeked its head even in the smallest inconveniences or the most normal of interactions. Each brother had been exposed to your proposals, and they all had different reactions to them.

For Mikey, it’s a given that the first incident was food related. A weary you had stumbled down into the lair, wilting at the kitchen table as you basked in what might have been a perfect reenactment of that scene in Ratatouille. With your head in your arms, laid against the table, you hummed to the menagerie of cardamom and chili powder, of parsley and an aromatic blend of diced onions, carrots, and greens.

It wasn’t long before the brother noticed your company and chuckled, stirring his craft as its smell wafted you into a waltz, dipping you through the heartwarming tastes.

“ Don’t worry, I’ll make you a bowl that’ll get you right on your feet, Y/N. ”

While you had simply groaned in response, your pep had returned just as you got a bite of whatever masterpiece this artist crafted. As it melted on your tongue, enlivening your whole being, you stared starry-eyed at the brother and purred your usual quip.

“ Oh Mikey, why don’t we just get married so I can experience this for the rest of my life! ”

Albeit flustered, Mikey simply shook his head and laughed.

“ That’s probably the best compliment my cookings ever had! Maybe I’ll just hire you as my taste tester? ”

“ Please!! ”

After a while, Mikey would eventually let you lend a hand in the kitchen, too. Soon, your homecooked meals were sought after by friends and family, all taken aback by how you managed to create amazing dishes so suddenly???

Now, for Raph, he hadn’t gotten used to these quips, and sometimes you weren’t actually kidding! I mean, how could you not? He was like those folks in fairytales, always there to protect you, to lend a listening hear and a helping hand! He might’ve been the first to hear your little proposals and affection, but boy he was the farthest from being normal about it. Especially with how starry-eyed you would gaze at him while saying it!

“ Y/N! ”

You perked at your name being called, turning to see yourself as the unlucky target of some sort of machinery’s attack. As it unhinged its metallic jaws, lunging at you to chomp, its body was shattered under the force of a fist, glittering red with invigorating magic.

“ Are you okay? ”

He asked, peering down at your frame with such an air of heroism that you melted into a smile.

“ I love how heroic you are. ”

For a moment, he completely forgot of the other little mousers closing in with clanging jaws. Everything flooded back just as quickly as it left, with his gaze snapping back to the threat as he guarded you.

“ Y/N, ya really gotta stop flustering me like that! Raph doesn’t, doesn’t—he doesn’t know how to, ah—. ”

He shakes his head, stumbling over his words before lunging to strike. You were amazed by his strength, if not for the sudden realization of their multiplying once being struck.

“Ah, Wait, hey—hey, Raph? Raph?! RAPH!! I think they’ve been—they’re, THEY’RE MULTIPLYING LIKE THE SILVERFISH, RAPH STOP HITTING THEM! ”

You squealed, trying to get his attention as you batted a mouser away with your trusty bag! He was heroic, strong, but sometimes a ditz. Not like that made you love him any less!

Now, for Leo it always seemed like he was with it. Sometimes you couldn’t even tell if he was joking! He was quick to pick up your habits.

The first time it happened, you were the one to be dumbfounded. None of the other brothers would allow it, but he let you go on patrols with him. Perhaps he just needed an ear to talk off, or maybe it was because you were a magnet for danger? Whatever the reason, he let you tag along, and you were overjoyed.

Atop a roof’s edge you sat, swinging your legs while gazing across the cityscape with an eye almost as watchful as his.

“ Aahh, the nighttime is so serene, once you tune out the bustling noise. ”

You laid back, eyes closed as you inhaled the lunar air. The rustling beside you indicated he followed suit, laying back. Peeking at him with one eye, you purred a snide remark.

“ Say, shouldn’t you be focusing instead of relaxing? ”

“ Me? Focus? Not when you’re chilling so comfortably beside me. ”

You both have a breathy little chuckle, gazing at the stars and basking in the tranquility of the night. It wasn’t as though every night brought with it threat. In fact, most patrols were spent this same way—relaxing somewhere in each other’s time, wasting away the hours until it was “ throw in the towel ” time. As the city sounds drowned into the background, you gave an exhale and opened your mouth to speak.

“Aaahh, how delightful it would be to stay like this forever. ”

“ Yeah, maybe we should just marry the night together? ”

You could hear the grin in his voice, reaching over to shove him playfully.

“ Pft, copycat! Marrying is my thing. ”

“ Oh really? Then maybe you should marry me, I’m obviously the most wed-able brother. ”

“ Is that a word? ”

You gave a scrutinizing gaze, tinged with a goofy grin as he shrugged and declared “ it is now ! ”

Now, he had even thrown them at you a few times in combat, like say for instance, when he caught you in his arms after a hefty opponent had unceremoniously swatted you away from the battlefield. Even you were caught off guard in the moment, clinging to the turtle’s chest while trying to catch your breath.

“ You know what they call this hold? ”

He adjusted his grip on you, emphasizing the position of you draped in his arms, but you were much too out of it to catch yourself from the spider’s web trap he laid for you.

“ Wh-what? ”

The smirk on his face reeled you in, but not before you could interrupt him with a “ hey, wait! “

“ Bridal style. Ah, are those wedding bells I hear? Hurry, my bride, rush to the ceremony! ”

He laughed, placing you down and shoving you towards an exit, implicitly saying, “ it’s too dangerous, get out of here. “

For the last brother, Donnie, it always seemed like he was going to ban you altogether. The heavy sigh that crawled out of him each time you made a quip was enough to momentarily question whether or not you were getting too ahead of yourself. Were you playing too much? Should you rein it in a little? If it weren’t for the split-second smirks, you would have long since dropped your displays of affection with him.

And, after a while, he started to play along with your charades as Leo did—albeit only in the comfort of their own home.

Initially he held his tongue and ignored your comments, and you had trouble reading him. Was he genuinely annoyed? The brothers would tell you otherwise, say that he thought it was funny in his own way, they’d tell you not to worry, but how could you ignore it when he would roll his eyes? Growl? Seem completely annoyed by your antics?

It wasn’t until he experienced your chivalrous protector nature that he started responding differently to your affection. In the fight against Shredder, they knew they were all on their own against this threat. No one in their right mind would stand up for any of them, not to this demon!

So, when his battleshell was demolished by one swipe of the demon, he prepared himself for the final blow, comically waving a white flag, before a shadow was casted over him and a signature bag was swung like a torch at a monster.

“ GET AWAY, B-BACK UP, LEAVE HIM ALONE!! ”

Your signature scream had brought him back to his senses as he watched your trembling frame try pathetically to swat away the threat. Aside from April, you may have been the only human who would try foolishly to protect any of the brothers from an enemy infinitely stronger than you, and he couldn’t help but respect that.

So, he had taken it upon himself to put a bit more energy into humoring you.

Dramatically leaning into Donnie, hand across your forehead and your other hand reached for the heavens, you mewled playfully.

“ Oh, dearest Donnie, even if the gods were to be against you, I would be your knight! ”

With a giggle, you let him grab your hand, spinning and dipping you.

“ And pray tell, beloved Y/N, how dost thou intend to protect one who hast more power than thou? ”

His brothers groaned from the couch, more than accustomed to the strange dynamic cultivated between you both.

“ Tell, I will, with all my strength I’ll fend off the threats with my trusty sword! ”

You held up your bag with a determined expression. Laughter filled the room before you both joined the couch for movie night.

Well, Donnie sat normally.

You gave a battle cry and leapt onto them. It was an understatement to say you fit comfortably into this family’s puzzle like a long-lost piece.

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autistichalsin · 9 months

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One of the most beautiful and understated parts of Halsin's arc is meaning.

In addition to showing kindness- like I mentioned in an earlier post- Halsin's love of nature symbolizes how he finds meaning in small things. It's why he loves honey; it's his little indulgence. It's why he loves ducks, whittling, and whittling ducks; because ducks are migratory birds, but they remind him of finding home.

In nature, Halsin sees life lessons. He sees meaning. He sees strength and protection and love in bears, he sees journeys and homecomings i ducks, he sees joy and simplicity in dogs. He sees strength and resilience and even beauty in trees, beginnings in roots, and wonder in the sky. It all has a meaning to him.

Even less happy things he acknowledges; he sees death as just as important as life, chaos as a necessary counter to order to keep balance (befitting his Druidic beliefs). He sees those who hate small talk as just as worthy of consideration as those who share his own love of rambling, and he sees monogamy as having just as much of a place in the world as polyamory even if the former will never be for him. Everything has a place, and he sees that.

He sees meaning in both the big and small things. He knows there is an underlying message behind so many actions and thoughts and beliefs, and those are important to him. He sees meaning in everything in the natural world, viewing it as a bounty from his deity.

And that actually reflects in his repeated choices to show kindness. It's his way of seeing the meaning of a child's laugh or a refugee's plight and knowing how to respond. It's part of why he's so flexible, because all of the different perspectives and attitudes matter to him.

I find it very telling that in the cut scenes where the characters would have been taunted in the Morphic Pool by hallucinations sent by the brain to dig in to their insecurities, Halsin's was saying that everything was meaningless. That the world should be allowed to burn while Halsin should give up. The taunt would have shown Halsin's struggles at that point in his life- his fight against cynicism (having given up cynicism around the age of 200), his frustrations with the ways cruelty is allowed to flourish (like his heartbreaking comments if Orin kills Yenna in the camp or his comments on the plight of the orphans in the city), his worries that perhaps his efforts are Archdruid were meaningless because he had few successes to show for his efforts. That image would have shown just who Halsin is- someone who wants so desperately, for better and worse, for everything to mean something.

And in overcoming it, Halsin would have shown one of his most beautiful traits- the ability to enact change in subtle ways, not obvious ones. Not in being a war hero or a folk legend, but in making his own meaning, for himself, and often for others too. When he sees children suffering, he makes a community where he can care for them. When he sees a Shadow Curse blight the land for 100 years while no one cares enough to fight it, he holds hope until he can break it himself. When others mock him for being a bear-man who loves honey, he indulges just as much, reasoning that as long as others are affected, he has a right to enjoy himself. When others sigh that he's talking about nature, again, and maybe he should talk about art instead, he turns it back to nature and saying that a tree is one of the most splendorous things in the world. When Halsin is, in his bad ending, left in the Shadow-Cursed Lands to try and break the curse on his own, he finds hope in his brief memories of traveling with the party, using those to sustain himself.

He makes his own meaning of the world. He refuses to believe that it's all without a purpose, even when he's miserable at the Grove or when he has no idea what his purpose is anymore once he breaks the Shadow Curse. He knows there's an answer- and if he can't find it readily, he will make it himself, and that's exactly why he ends up making a commune for those in need in the end, where he is adored by children and presumably adults alike.

Everything and everyone is important to him. He's a sentimental being at heart in a world that wants more than anything to toughen him up and stamp that out of him, and he refuses., and his devotion to kindness and meaningfulness are why he ends up so happy in his ending.

#halsin #halsin silverbough #bg3 #baldur's gate 3

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feliciasharpclaws · 1 year

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✯ 𝑶𝑵𝑬𝑺𝑯𝑶𝑻

call it what you want | a. leclerc

arthur leclerc x fem! american actress! oc!

faceclaim: lola tung

a/n: hi :) english is not my first language, it's actually spanish, so there are most likely spelling errors. also, this was completly rewritten, i had already posted another 2 parts of basically the same story but i never wrote the part 3. so i rewrite it and i really hope you like it.

warnings: spelling mistakes, intentional lowercase

a while ago, adeline summers was the darling of the silver screen, adored and admired by fans all across the globe. however, her blissful stardom crashed down like a castle of cards when she ended things with her popular boyfriend, who was also an actor. she was soon the subject of crude internet drama and hated by all faces of social media. driven to despair by the constant hate and backlash, she decided to take a break from the spotlight. she slipped away unnoticed one night, leaving behind the world of glam and paparazzi, to find peace and solace in the unseen corners of the world. adeline found herself in monaco, a warm haven tucked away from the hustle-bustle. she spent her days strolling along the coastline, reading books, avoiding any forms of media, and getting lost in the magnificence of the endless azure. she was healing, slowly perhaps, but surely.

one afternoon, while she was quietly sitting on a park bench, a guy approached her. dressed in casual attire, there was a serenity about him that immediately caught adeline's attention. the guy, who introduced himself as arthur, was also escaping the prying eyes of society. arthur was a formula 2 driver, whose love-life had become a free-for-all, as his relationship with his current ex-girlfriend had ended on bad terms. burnt out by the media's relentless scrutiny and rumor-mongering, he found solace in solitude, just like adeline. it was refreshing for both of them to find someone who understood their plight.

after a few friendly encounters in monaco, arthur suggested that they take a spontaneous trip to lake como in italy. hesitant at first, adeline finally agreed, seeing it as an opportunity to further escape the social storm back home. as they spent time on the serene shores of lake como, away from the world's view, mutual comfort turned into attraction and eventually into a deep affection. they found solace in each other's arms, their simultaneous heartbreaks healing in sync. days that started with watching sunrises over the lake and ended with the sharing of deepest secrets under the moonlight were etched in their hearts.

together, they indulged in italy, taking boat rides, picnicking amidst the lush grapevines, and sipping wine as the sun kissed the horizon. it seemed both were meant to meet, meant to heal, meant to fall in love, at a time when they despised the world the most but needed companionship the most. months passed, and the internet could only speculate about adeline's whereabouts. little did they know she was no longer the same woman. she was in love, completely head over heels, in love with a guy who knew her for who she was, not the superstar she was painted to be.

adeline and arthur decided to try the public life once again, but this time united. with a bizarre twist of fate, the same public, who once hated them, welcomed them back warmly. the internet which had once been a cause of their isolation, now flooded with wishes and love, celebrating the very bond they despised before. after all, adeline had found love in the most unexpected place, with the most unexpected guy, but at the perfect time. it was her disappearance that led her to find true love and acceptance. it wasn't an easy ride, but it was worth it. the american actress, who was once hated, made a spectacular comeback, not alone, but with the love of her life by her side.

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codenamesazanka · 5 months

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I would have been perfectly fine with Spinner (or the League) kneeling in front of Deku, literally begging him to save Shigaraki. In fact, I was kinda hoping for it. That Spinner, out of his strong feelings for Shigaraki, would turn to their enemies for help. Because, in the end, more than the horizon, more than destruction or villainy, Spinner was remembering his friend, and he wanted Shigaraki back, he pleaded with Kurogiri to save Shigaraki and the others. So Spinner would go to the Heroes, he would go to Deku.

Because that should've been the point, right? That the League regains faith in Heroes and society. That the League feels a definite change happening enough they would feel comfortable going to the Heroes for help. That Spinner would regain hope in Heroes enough to entrust Shigaraki's well-being to them.

Way I imagined it, Deku would be vocal and upfront about his desire to save Shigaraki. That he will stop Shigaraki without killing or gravely injuring him, and he will both save Shigaraki from AFO and save Shigaraki's heart. He advocates for treating Villains as human, is unashamed and steadfast in doing so, and this is noticed by the Villains, who sees Deku as different. As a ray of hope, as the promise of change.

And meanwhile, Deku would realize that besides an Inner Innocent Crying Child, there was something more to Shigaraki as he is in the present. That Shigaraki was an unforgivable man who had done terrible things and wants to keep destroying things, but he did so for a reason and not because Evil Mwahaha. That there was a reason the League is so loyal to Shigaraki, that they loved him for his fairness and kindness, twisted as it may be. Deku didn't need to put all his faith in an inner child innocence, because the evidence was right there that Shigaraki has some good in him, even now. Spinner begging Deku to save Shigaraki, because Shigaraki was his friend, Shigaraki was one of the very few people to accept Spinner and not treat him like a lizard freak and not consider him impure and gave him a place to belong even tho he was a weak loser. Shigaraki wasn't a person in spite of the destruction and rage; he was a person because of the destruction and rage, because he wanted to help the Villains. Shigaraki saved the outcasts when no Hero did.

Deku would realize this not because Shigaraki declared it, but because he gleaned it from Shigaraki's actions and effect on the League, and it would fuel his desire to save. "I want to save that Crying Child—whose pain made him grow up to become a Villain that dreamed of being a hero for all the others in pain. I want to help him realize that goal. I want both of us to be Heroes."

But of course none of this happened. As of Midoriya Izuku: Rising, a chapter that should be Deku's heroic peak, no Villain is looking to Deku for the promise of change. No villain believes in Heroes in general. Dabi wondered why no one showed up sooner. Toga, as she prepared to die, wistfully thought that if someone had loved and accepted her, maybe things could've been different; she only believed in Ochako, and still wanted the world the League would create. (Deku in fact went and made Toga give up her final attempt for understanding when he told her "I understand admiration but you do it all wrong and weird.") Spinner believed that if Heroes win the day, nothing still change. The Heteromorphs didn't stop because they knew or were promised change would come - they stopped because of their own goodness, second guessing themselves and ready to give up their demands out of fear of hurting the people that ignored their plight. They were ready to go back to enduring hate crimes, if Shoji hadn't rewarded them for stopping... by saying they should keep enduring hate crimes until the perpetrators learn to feel shame.

And most of all, Shigaraki continued to desire being a Hero for the Villains, because he knows that's still necessary (pre-419 reveal, anyway). None of this is regaining trust in the world as a whole, in the Hero System.

None of the League, the main villains, the main targets of being saved, are looking to Heroes for hope. That's insane??? What was all this saving even for???

#answer: it's so they would feel a little more a peace when they get executed #nalslastworkingbraincell

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legacygirlingreen · 25 days

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Peace || Captain Rex x OFC

Pairing: Captain Rex X Original Female Character (Mae Killough); mentions @leenabb104104 's AU verse including Aiko x Echo, Tech x Leena, Wrecker x Chori

Word Count: 7k

Warnings: mentions of former injury, mentions of former clone death, brief mentions of order 66 (but only if you squint), mentions of unnamed character in labor, brief allusions to abusive childhood -- all that said its mostly VERY sweet/wholesome vibes in the midst of some introspection

AN: Hi friends! So some of you may know, but I've been doing some collaborating with my friend @leenabb104104 ! This is a short oneshot for her Pabu AU introducing Mae, the doctor on the island! It can be read independantly or separately! Overall it's just a sweet, wholesome meet cute for her and a particular captian whom we all know and love... If you wish to see Mae's intro on her account you can find it HERE and if you'd like to read about her being the MOH during her OFC Aiko and Echo's wedding that is HERE! Anyways, hope you like it. Don't be afraid to comment, and if you prefer the AO3 link that's here...

MASTERLIST

Rex always tried his best to never eavesdrop on Echo’s conversations with Aiko when possible. Despite introducing the pair, he respected their privacy. However, it was hard to not overhear portions of their conversation as they were both sharing the bridge of the small transport ship.

“We are headed back, shouldn’t be more than a few hours before Rex drops me off-” Echo reassured the woman when a loud swoosh and bang interrupted the background noise of the transmission. Rex turned his head, watching as the pale blue image of the woman’s head turned in the direction of the noise on her end.

“What’s wrong?” she asked kindly and with concern, as she immediately sensed the tension rolling off her roommate.

“Labor. Can’t leave. Medical supplies-” came the fragmented words over the transmission.

“She sounds flustered,” Echo pointed out with a chuckle, and for a rare moment, Rex leaned in to hear more of the plight concerning Aiko’s friend. Rex knew the Empath, seeing as he met her before Echo, but had yet to formally meet Mae - the resident Doctor on Pabu. In fact, he’d made it his mission to never linger on the island: always dropping Echo off quickly and returning to one of the facilities he’d help install for the clones they’d rescued.

Rex watched as Aiko opened her arms up and the outline of a woman collapsed into her lap without warning over the blurry imagery. “I need to head back, I just ran home to get some clothes to change into later,” she groaned, audio cutting out slightly from the position of her mouth pressed into Aiko’s neck.

“What if I knew someone off-world who could grab the supplies for you? Would that relieve some of the stress?” she asked the doctor nodded, sitting as she reached for the large clip at the back of her head holding back her hair.

Rex watched the blurry image of curls springing loose almost cartoonishly the second they were released. “Depends on how trustworthy this person may be,” she said septically, hands raking through the curls as she quickly wound it all back up and into a respectable bun. Despite having her back turned on the transmission, he was still amazed hair could be that long and take up that much space. Not that he’d really even thought about it until now. It was just, well, hair. From all his years in combat such a thing he determined to be a nuance for himself personally, opting to keep it short and more importantly, practical. However, that didn’t stop him from wondering what color the doctor’s might be in real life-

“Echo can. You can handle it, can’t you darlin?” she asked, turning her attention once more to the holopad as the woman whipped around abruptly.

Her features were slightly distorted by the transmission, so he couldn’t exactly make out the true shape of her nose or tell complexion beyond simply pale. Certain details were absent such as how long her eyelashes were or if she had freckles. But what he could see was that her eyes were large and wide and hidden behind comically sized frames. Lips pulled into a shocked expression, but still very plush and full. Fair with a sharpness to her features. Softness hidden beneath high cheekbones. Despite the poor image quality, it still wasn’t hard to determine she was stunning.

“Oh! Sorry! Didn’t mean to interrupt. I need to head back anyways! Like I said, patient in labor-” she responded, abruptly standing and moving slightly out of the recording device 's ability to see.

“Mae, slow down-”

“Yes?” She whipped around as Aiko once again pointed at the transmitter raising an eyebrow.

“Don’t you need to tell Echo-”

“The supplies. Right! I will have AZI send coordinates since he normally goes with me to get them. Thank you Echo! Tell your Captain I am so sorry for any inconvenience the additional pitstop may bring” she smiled and rushed off before either could get a word in.

Rex hardly imagined that she even got a real glance at the mirroring image of the transmitter. If she had, she'd have seen him barely in the corner of the image alongside Echo, and wouldn’t need to mention the apology directed at him. Hearing such a concern made him feel those light stirring sensations that began in the pit of his stomach and crawled their way up his sternum before settling along his neck. It made Rex wonder if she knew much about him in general. Obviously, she allowed Aiko into her home. She must be familiar with Echo’s frequency of departures to assist him and the other clones. That meant that she likely knew something. And yet,here he was without even the first clue of her beyond the fact that the empath lived with and befriended the woman.

Silence lingered as no one spoke at the doctor's hurried departure. Eventually Rex cleared his throat, as not speaking for the majority of the flight had caused it to grow coarse. Intending to ask Echo, however with the audio received on Aiko’s end as well as he asked, “Is she uh, always like that-”

The pair in unison spoke the confirmation that yes, the resident doctor was indeed comparably chaotic majority of the time. Only allowing a light nod before turning back to the distant transmitter, knowing that they would receive information about the drop soon, he once again remained silent. Rex didn’t listen to the end of their conversation, preferring to once again tune them out for privacy.

He wasn’t sure why seeing the frazzled woman with glasses so large they rivaled Tech’s goggles to be such a perplexing sight. Perhaps it was the fact that he’d mentally assumed a doctor who opened her home to Aiko to be… more mature? Older even. Not someone physically close to his own age that’s for sure. Could it be the apparent loneliness that he continually shoved down, but more recently found himself acknowledging with Echo’s transmission home, was revving its nasty head again?

He’d be remiss to deny that the longing hadn’t always been there. Maybe it was always there. Something that existed inside of Jango’s DNA so strongly that the longnecks couldn’t work it out. It was feasible it resulted from his injury on Saleucami, meeting Cut and Suu with their children. And Rex would continually tell himself that he didn’t need what the man had, or even the 99 boys had found on the island. Rex had his brothers and a mission and that was enough… right? Regardless, he couldn’t deny that it had been a long while since he’d actually had time to be with a woman.

As of recently the only women he saw were those already engaged in various relationships with his brothers, contacts to assist with assignments, friends like the Martell sisters or Senator Chuci. All of which were unobtainable or didn’t turn his head quite the same way-

“You sure it’s not a bother to make an additional pit stop?” Echo asked him, Rex turning to realize that Aiko had ended the transmission.

“No, not at all?” He posed it more like a question than a statement as Echo raised a brow. Only humming in response. Meanwhile, Echo glanced at the way his friend straightened his posture, adjusting his collar slightly before pinning his eyes at the hyperspace lane ahead of them, as if it suddenly became the most interesting sight in the galaxy.

“Remind me again, but are your plans while I am back on Pabu for a few days?” Echo asked.

“Wait to see if my contact gets more information on that prison in the outer rim. Catch up on manuals. Keep the others in line. The usual” he shrugged simply. Rex often felt that to spend time on Pabu was to impose on the relaxing life that Clone Force 99 had built for themselves. All the boys finding their own personal… distractions. With the kind of line of work he had, and the responsibilities he felt to his brothers trapped with the Empire, such distractions were a hazard. It’s why he continued to put a mental block around such relations.

“You know, you are always welcome to spend downtime on Pabu-”

“No, no, that’s your home-”

“You have to recharge sometime-”

“I can recharge back at our satellite facility-”

“By the time you get there and come back it’ll be a waste of fuel,”

“Still, I don’t want to impose-”

“Rex, we go way back,” Echo said with a sigh, the new hand attachment gripping his brows as he massaged his temples, struggling to find the words to say.

“Pabu is your home Echo. I don’t mind making an additional pit stop to help out someone who does a lot of good for the community where you boys hang up your armor, but that doesn’t mean I need to stick around to see it through,” Deep down Rex knew that lingering and getting cordial with a pretty doctor wasn’t a good idea. Besides, if she was nearly as busy as Echo often explained, he imagined she felt similarly. As stunning as she was, she likely had her pick of the clones residing there. What if she already had-

“Are you listening to me?” he heard Echo ask with a huff. Rex knew there was no sense in lying so he shook his head.

“One or two days will not kill you. Besides we both know that the likelihood that anyone gets us pressing information on that prison is slim to none. It’s a waste of fuel. Plus the others keep hounding me about how you are doing, so this will get them off my back. Especially Aiko. I think she’s worried about you,” Echo said with a playful smirk.

“Why on earth would she be worried about me?” He quirked a dark eyebrow, tension dissipating as the conversation turned more jovial instead of loaded.

“She’s concerned you are lonely and overworking yourself. And in case you forgot, I am actually incapable of lying to her,” Echo reminded the Captain.

“You just had to fall for an empath,” Rex shook his head. Fuel was also expensive and the leave on principle wasn’t exactly a valid or rational decision. Slowly feeling himself won over, as a few days to just sleep and remove himself from the worry would be good for his health. He continued to feel the fatigue every day when he rose and the second he slid back onto his bunk. Time was wearing him in ways he didn’t like to acknowledge. Starting in that crick in his back, and ending with the lingering tightness in his neck and shoulders.

“Hey now, need I remind you that you are the one who introduced said Empath to me?” Echo once again interrupted the train of thought as a slight beep indicated coordinates to his right. Looking down he saw it was already on the way, and wouldn’t put them very long out of the anticipated arrival.

“Fine, it’s my fault. I accept full responsibility. 2 days as punishment. That’s all you get.” He threw up his palms in mock surrender as Echo simply rolled his eyes. Sarcasm. That was one thing that he’d blame on the Jedi for teaching Rex. The thought twisting in his stomach for a moment when he realized that General Skywalker was likely gone like the others. It made him nauseous to think about. Echo brushed off the thought as quickly as it came over him.

“Some sun may do you good brother. Got the coordinates?” And with a nod of the head, before setting the navigation system, they were off to make a small pickup.

In his head Rex could justify the stop. After all, it was to help a woman who dedicated herself to helping others. And that was a sentiment he understood well.

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In a galaxy full of war, disease, famine, and just about every horrible atrocity imaginable, being a doctor meant dealing with many unpleasant sights. And sounds. Sometimes even smells.

So when the rare occurrence to bring life into the grand design made itself available, Mae felt it was a wonderful kind of labor. A small second of light and hope that reassured her in the decision to leave home and forge a way into the role in which she’d found herself.

Running away from home at such a young and fragile age, to escape the organized crime that they so well delighted in leading, for a more noble pursuit wasn’t easy. Finding a way to fund education in rising tensions across the galaxy meant taking a transport ship to the heart of the Republic, and joining the civilian based program which provided aid relief to systems. Gaining training through various deployments to deal with natural disasters, minor planetary scuffles and other smaller incidents lead to proper medical knowledge. But when the war broke out, and suddenly the deployments were accompanying clone troopers into combat, the job turned sour.

So many friends and colleagues forgoing their duty because they enlisted during a time of peace, not an intergalactic civil war. It left Mae one of the few willing to go into the dangerous situations to help the unfortunate souls who’s homeworlds were being attacked. It also provided a level of seniority, as she was one of the longest running members in the organization.

That seniority is how she ended up on Ryloth. One of the nastiest conflicts during the course of the war, and regretfully the reason the entire relief organization funded by the senate was disbanded. Civilians dying at an alarming rate in combat didn’t look good to politicians apparently. It also didn’t look good in the face of the Jedi who sent her off world after a surprise attack startled their camp. So after months of a deployment residing in Ryloth’s canyons amongst clones and rebels, Mae took the last shuttle off world before things took a particularly nasty turn in the form of a bullet wound in her chest.

Looking back she carried the guilt of being one of the last to see Master Di and his brave clone Commander alive. Learning of their unfortunate end, but extremely valiant stand against the droid army, was what accompanied the discharge notice she’d been served the second Mae had woken up after surgery aboard the Jedi Cruiser.

Having nowhere to go once she arrived, hardly recovered mind you, to the Republic Capital, she spent time floating about the galaxy until eventually life brought her to the peaceful island of Pabu. The sole doctor on the island and the kind of peaceful life she’d craved since she was a little girl growing up around violent criminals.

The war never made it out there. Not until the deserters of Clone Force 99 arrived, seeking solitude as she had. And even then, it wasn’t their fault the newly appointed Empire was after their familial unit. Once it was dealt with, through means she never truly had taken the time to question, things returned to normal.

A small revolving door of clones coming and going as they were rescued from captivity came through her clinic doors, as she helped recover their often aching bones and residual injuries from war, before sending them off to a new life. And yet, through it all, she never got the chance to meet the clone responsible for their rescue. Not the one organizing it at least.

Aiko had come to the island with Echo - after almost a year of the bad batch settling in with the residents. In fact, Mae had only spoken to him personally a few times, since he was hardly there and not in the stars with his former captain. But once the friendship between herself and the kind empath he called “love” grew, it was only a matter of time before she got to know him better by extension.

Shared tales of his journey during the war along brief explanations of how she had been in it temporarily before finding solitude in helping ones. All over drinks in the evening of course. And yet, still no Captain making an appearance. Not that it truly would matter. He was a busy man after all. And from what Echo recounted: one of the kindest and bravest he knew. Still, it would be nice to know the man responsible for continuously dumping new patients outside her door.

As Mae returned to her office, after finally delivering the child, who’s labor took on a long forty three hours of attention, she was ready to clean up and sleep. Yet, the gnawing feeling of having to ask for help crept in. In the midst of the panic she’d allowed Echo, and his Captain to become inconvenienced. And she would likely never be able to thank him beyond expressing it indirectly through Echo. Knowing of the work the two did, and its importance, it only made guilt grow.

Luckily the clinic was close to the shared home between herself and Aiko. And if she hadn’t been so extremely exhausted, Mae would’ve recognized the laughter before she even reached the door. Slipping inside and tossing her glasses along the table next to the door, the doctor removed her shoes quietly. Murmurs from the kitchen dying out for a second and the noise.

“Mae, when was the last time you slept hon?” came Aiko’s gasp and soft voice from the kitchen. Not glancing in that direction, her clammy fingers probed at her temple before removing the clip from her hair, enjoying the sensation of her hair flowing free once more. Being tightly wound for so long had caused a tension headache. Aiko hadn’t needed to ask who arrived, feeling the exhaustion rolling off her friend in waves.

“Fifty-four hours I believe. Unless you count a lothcat nap in my office between contractions, then twenty-one,” Mae said as she rounded the wall into the kitchen. Fingers shaking the bun loose as she realized that she had an audience.

“She is alive after all.. You can cancel the search party,” Crosshair smirked as he leaned against the counter and teasingly pushed her into the middle of their small circle before once again placing the toothpick into his mouth.

“Crosshair is only attempting humor, as there was no indicated search party, although I might recommend rest as staying awake for prolonged periods is unhealthy-” Tech began and she shook her head towards him.

“Thank you for the medical advice Tech. I plan to do just that. I did not know we were hosting tonight-” she said quietly at Aiko who simply looked up sheepishly.

“Something came up that I hadn’t anticipated, so the others decided to congregate here. But we will keep it down if you need to sleep-” Aiko realized the disruption to her very overworked housemate may not have been the best idea, only to silence that thought at the shaking of Mae’s head.

“It’s fine really. What’s a few more hours anyways,” Mae paused for a moment before turning towards Tech stopping his interruption before it started, “Unhealthy, I know. I know. But it’s okay I promise. I just can't promise I’ll be my lively self,” she yawned as she heard Crosshair mutter out something along the lines of “thank the maker,” only to be slapped playfully on the shoulder for being rude by Leena’s twin sister Kay. The pair broke out into a teasing spat as she walked towards Aiko and Echo.

Surveying the room, the majority of their group was there, with only Hunter and Omega missing. Perhaps it was a bit late for the girl. Wrecker and Chori had left Pabu to visit her family, leaving her pup muffin under the care of Leena, who proudly held onto the pet as she spoke with the others. Tech’s arm maintained distance from Muffin, as he so eloquently referred to the mischievous animal as “a missing finger waiting to happen”, while he kept a hold on his wife.

“Do I have time to clean up before this something that came up or-” Mae began, only to have the door slamming open, accompanying Hunter’s shout at Omega to slow down interrupted her questioning.

“Come on, you have to meet Mae too!” the girl’s voice yelled through the space as everyone turned to examine the blur of movement behind caused by Omega literally pulling the poor man through the living room. At the sound of her name, the doctor turned, only to be met with her cheek pressed against a firm chest. Plastoid armor covered in fact. Which, as one might imagine, doesn't feel great making semi-decent contact with one’s face following hours and hours of delivering a baby.

“Oops-” Omega said, attempting to back away from the altercation she inevitably caused by shoving the man into the doctor, as the girl had misjudged the distance between them.

“Oh wow-”

“Are you alrigh-”

Came the joined voices of both Mae and the former Captain. In the background, Omega receiving a reprimand from Hunter faded away as the two locked eyes. Hand pressed to her cheek from the dull throbbing underneath, she slowly lowered it as she craned her head to get a look at him.

Tall. Similar face to the others. And yet something so very different entirely. She was used to the standard eyes almost all the clones had, but his own seemed somehow brighter. Crows feet at the corner of his eyes slightly deeper. And obviously light blond hair instead of dark brown cut very short, reminiscing a halo as it deeply contrasted his tanned skin.

She’d blame it on the lack of sleep if anyone asked, but staring at the poor man hadn’t been the intent. Mae was very familiar with the glorious genetics of Jango Fett, and they were immaculate indeed, but she couldn’t quite put a finger on why he seemed so much more handsome than the others.

As for Rex, he was finally able to see the doctor in real life instead of just in a poor image quality of their ship's transmitter. Red. Her hair was bright red. Not in an unnatural shade like he so often saw on women planet side or occasionally on his brothers. But a natural, warm tint. She was extremely pale despite the pink shade of her cheeks. The missing details meshed so wonderfully from the poor image he had in his mind, now seeing her in the flesh. It also brought out the horrible realization that she was in fact, much prettier than he realized.

“That looks like it's going to leave a mark” Echo jokingly called out, the attention drawing from them as he stood with Aiko just to their side. At his acknowledgement Rex once again looked down and sure enough, right at the top of her cheekbone was already forming a small shinner.

“Kriff, I am so sorry,” he replied as his honey eyes moved back towards her own, noting the unreadable expression in her pale eyes.

“It’s definitely not the worst blow I’ve ever been dealt, no need to apologize, soldier-” she tried to laugh it off, as she looked to Aiko and Echo for an introduction. Assuming him to be another rescued soldier passing through, she was surprised as Echo put a hand on his shoulder and turned to her with an explanation.

“Mae, this is my old Captain from my 501 days. Rex, this is Mae-” As he introduced the pair, she suddenly felt as if she would dissolve on spot. Not only had she slammed her face into some man’s chest, but that man was Echo’s good friend. The one he worked with to rescue other clones. The one who’d saved his life from the Separatists. The same one she’d allowed to be inconvenienced on her behalf earlier in the day.

“Pleasure to finally meet you ma’am-” he stuck out a hand and she simply froze, staring at the outstretched digits covered by black gloves. The gentle nudge from Aiko forced her hand out as well, watching as it was dwarfed by his own in a firm handshake.

“You as well. Thank you again for making a pitstop on the way here. I hope it wasn’t too much of an inconvenience-” she began only to have him slip his hand from her own with a chuckle.

“Not at all. Happy to help,” he gave her a polite nod.

“We were going to go to the square for some drinks, if you are feeling up to it that is-” Aiko offered and Mae thought about it. As nice as it all sounded, finally washing up seemed more appealing.

“I might go clean up. I can’t imagine I look fantastic. And if I am still standing by some miracle I can meet you all there,” she offered, eyes glancing back at Rex to see his reaction. If she didn’t know any better he almost looked disappointed.

“I may actually do the same back on the ship-” Rex spoke only to have Echo shake his head.

“You can take ours. No need to make the track down the island for the fresher.” He pointed towards Aiko’s room, knowing that it had a separate shower stall. He hadn't been allowed time to use it as Hunter and Omega had drug him around the island to meet the others and catch up.

“Alright, I guess we both will join you in a bit then,” he looked between Aiko and Echo before turning back towards her. In the background slowly the group was wrangled, Omega calling a cheerful apology at the conclusion of Hunter’s disgruntled conversation. Soon the room filled out, leaving the very silent and uncertain pair. The sliding shut of the front door ignited them both to speak at the same time.

“Do you-”

“I am real-”

Both of them grew wide eyed, pausing immediately as if to query who would continue their sentence. Asserting herself more this time, Mae let out a humored puff of air before saying, “you first.”

Promptly the man shook his head, “No I insist,” gesturing with his hand as if he could pull the words from her mouth simply by shrugging.

“I was just asking if you needed anything. I was going to grab some towels from the linen closet, but I wasn’t sure if you needed something. We keep quite a bit of spare clothes here since any troopers Echo brings through come through my home,” Mae explained as she reached a slight protrusion on the wall, swinging it open and stepping back for him to look inside. Rex stared into its contents surprised as his eyes examined the supply closet. Nothing fancy, just some spare clothes, toiletries and other assorted items, but the knowledge that they were dedicated for his brothers as they made their way from the places he picked them up in, and onto their new lives, made him feel delighted to know that this sweet doctor was taking care of them along the way.

“Oh, that’s uh-” he began, cheeks warm as his eyes glanced at its contents, suddenly overwhelmed by it all.

“Take your time, I’ll go grab a towel,” she responded with a slight bow of the head and soft footfalls down the hall. Rex couldn’t help but watch the way she moved so easily throughout the space. I suppose there is an ease when it is one’s home, but that comfortability came in the form of swaying hips and light steps until she faded from view.

Shaking his head and simply grabbed a bar of soap and a change of clothes as he waited for her to come back. Rex figured leaving more for others was smart. Her prompt return was accompanied by a smile and passing off of a simple white towel, and an outstretched hand pointing him in the direction of Echo and Aiko’s shared room. He hadn’t meant to zone her out as she explained how to work the refresher, but something about her exhausted tone made him almost concerned.

“Holler if you need something hon-” Mae told him as she promptly shifted away and walked back to what he assumed was her own space. Trudging towards the room, he closed the door before shucking off the armor he’d had for many years now. Practiced hands undoing all the latches with ease as he set them on the floor before reaching over the back of his neck to grab the top of the black body glove.

Panicking, only for a moment as he tried to recall exactly how to turn on the water, he eventually figured it out. Not after allowing the cool air to caress his bare body until goosebumps appeared, he finally got it working and stepped under the warm stream. Rex couldn’t recall the last time he’d actually had hot water. Lukewarm at best was what he now considered a luxury, but this was heaven for the man. Soothing aching joints and tense shoulders. Running over the top of his head and down his back as he sighed.

And still, there was something almost selfish about indulging in it. So the relief turned into ‘how quickly can I wrap this up’ and before long he was drying off and getting dressed. That’s when another unusual sensation presented itself. He couldn’t remember the last time he wore civilian clothing. Especially any not intended at least for minor protection. To just slide a simple cotton shirt over his body was… odd.

Returning to the living space, clean and without the stiff armor donning his body, he found it empty. Water in the other room was still running as he heard the occasional hum carrying through the walls. Uncertain if he should wait to see if she’d join or if she was immediately going to collapse into the covers - not that he’d blame her since delivering a baby naturally always seemed like a lot of work. Rex carefully padded around the space taking in the various artifacts.

Some house plants, miscellaneous paintings that seemingly looked like they were done by an artist on the island, and collected items from travels. He could see elements of Echo’s minimal presence - such as his meager belongings from being an Arc Trooper, as well as memento’s from Aiko’s home world. Yet, worn white and maroon plastoid caught his attention.

Coming closer to the small shelf he was surprised to see a single shoulder pad, decorated maroon with markings he recognized. The 501 spent their time on Ryloth breaking the blockade after the initial forces had been killed, while other divisions were on the ground. Howser didn’t speak much about the legion who’d been there before, but Rex was aware of the fate met by the 303 and their Jedi leader.

Next to the shoulder armor lay a small photo frame and when he touched the on button he was surprised to see that it belonged to Mae, not Aiko or Echo. The small woman wormed between some of the troopers with a worn smile and the standard uniform of the Republic Aid Relief. Albeit, she looked dirty and half starved, but still incredibly beautiful.

Having been so long since he’d crossed paths with any of them, since the senate disbanded them early in the war, he’d nearly forgotten them. Last he remembered hearing was Wolffe’s complaints about having to take over their responsibilities after a natural disaster on a planet occupied by strange alien reptiles. If his mind served him, it was Ryloth’s failed first invasion that caused the Senate to dissolve the RAR contracts. And if the 303 was the original clone legion assigned to Ryloth that would mean…

“I like to think that it is important to remember those who have fallen. Even if the war is over,” came the quiet hum behind him. Immediately dropping the photo display tablet, Rex looked at her with guilt at being caught snooping.

“I shouldn’t have-” he began to apologize only to pause at the waive of her hand.

“If I wished for it to remain private I would have left it in my own quarters or stored away. I do not hold my past like a well guarded secret after all,” Mae explained as she bent down to retrieve the tablet and set it once again on the shelf, allowing it to showcase the image of her amongst the clones and Twi’lek rebels.

“You were in the RAR,” he said, phrasing it as a statement instead of a fact, eyes glancing back down at her features. Hair still damp from the shower, mark on her cheek turning a deeper shade of red as the bruising set in. She looked positively worn out from the difficult few days with lack of sleep, but still her eyes contained a light he wouldn’t expect from someone who was a civilian who’d braved one of the nastiest battles of the clone wars.

“I was,” she said simply, eyes finally tearing away from the memorial and looking at him. He too looked positively exhausted.

“I had no idea,” he said simply. In all honesty, there was no reason for him to have ideas of her past. They were not friends. They had simply met. Furthermore, their only connection stemmed from mutual acquaintances. He was not entitled to such information about pretty doctors who he didn’t know. And yet, the knowledge that she’d been there, the thick of it by choice, meant something. It showed an unexpected courage and strength he wouldn’t have imagined to reside in such a small and almost mousey woman.

“I would’ve stuck around too, but the second I got out of surgery they tossed discharge papers and said we were no longer needed,” she hummed out almost guilty.

“Surgery?” he asked, knowing full well that Ryloth at that point did not have sterile environments for such intense care.

“I got the last shuttle off world before the blockade went up. Surprise attack. Took a shot to the chest,” Mae explained, fingers delicately pulling down the simple shirt she wore to show the pale white scar right at the top of the valley between her breasts. The sudden flash of skin surprised him and he looked away, blush atop his tanned cheeks. Unable to stop the hand from reaching up to the back of his neck he looked away momentarily as she righted the material back down to cover herself.

“Want to know the worst part of it all?” she hummed out almost sadly as his golden eyes once again returned to her face with a raised brow. “They just shoved us all into that situation. And we made the best of it, but in the early days we weren’t given the choice. When enough people complained they enlisted during peace times and war was a different thing, they allowed whoever wanted out the choice. Only a few of us actually stuck around to see it through. Yet, when things got bad, they still tossed us all to the side and told us we weren’t needed anymore. I would’ve stayed. I wanted to stay. I-” she abruptly stopped ranting for a moment when she noticed he’d grown wide eyed at her outburst. “I am sorry, it was so long ago, being angry about it now doesn’t help,”

“No, I understand. More than most would actually,” he tried to reassure her, but in order to do so, he would need to unlock that part of his brain he kept under lock. The sadness of losing brothers. The guilt of being the one to carry on. The feeling he wasn’t doing enough.

“Survivors' guilt is a nasty plague. I’m a doctor. I am well aware how debilitating it can be. Almost every trooper who comes through my clinic door has it, and I feel like such a hypocrite telling them they need to manifest it into something productive. Not when I carry my own,” the woman said, turning away from him to simply sit on the sofa. The rising guilt and lack of sleep made her feel almost faint for a moment. Rex watched her sit down, hands shifting in her lap as she refused eye contact.

He felt responsible. Not necessarily for the root of her pain, but definitely for bringing it back up to the surface. Stepping towards her with cautious footsteps, he eventually lowered himself onto a knee in front of the sofa, pausing as he didn’t want to startle her or invade her space too much. He knew how to remove soldiers from shell shock. He’d done it countless times. He’d been there to help them try to put back together the pieces after battles. But that didn’t mean he knew how to handle a civilian. Especially when he also never let the walls down, and felt the need to keep them up, as she seemed to. So instead he took a different direction.

“Thank you,” he told her simply, laying a hand atop her own to give it a reassuring squeeze.

Having anticipated another one of those bland, “you did all you could” or “you aren’t alone” phrases she’d heard a thousand times, her eyes snapped to his own in shock.

“For what?” she asked him almost timidly.

“For actually putting up with all of us. I know I can’t speak for all of us on principle but to be cared for by someone who doesn’t have to be kind, who doesn’t have to be gentle, and who actually sees us as individuals, it means a lot. All I ever hoped for was to know that my brothers could get their freedom, and start to live the life they wanted. I didn’t realize how much Echo was allowing our burden to fall to you,” he explained to her.

“It’s not really a burden per say,” she explained and he gave her a reassuring chuckle.

“I know my brothers better than anyone. Trust me. It’s a task to keep them in line,” Rex smiled at the way she snickered.

“Then might I inquire…” she leaned in as if she was going to ask a deep kept secret. And surprisingly Rex allowed it, moving his head to the side so that she could whisper her response. “Does that mean the inherent stubbornness is genetically wired into you all, or is it taught?”

When Rex pulled back he saw the grin along her lips and the mischief in her wide eyes. Up close they looked more blue than the grayish hue they held at a distance. Still, the acknowledgement of eye color didn’t stop him from feeling warmth in his chest from her joke. Well that and the way she was looking at him.

Unable to stop the way he barked out a loud laugh at the jest while removing himself from the floor to take a seat on the furniture next to her. As much as he knew the others were anticipating him, he wasn’t exactly ready to leave. Especially since she appeared to be running out of energy. Leaning his head back to rest along the back of the sofa he sighed while closing his eyes for a moment.

Silence often unnerved him. It often predated enemy strikes as right before things got nasty, they usually went dead silent. So that association between calm drilled into his bones, it was odd he found the beat of comfortability lingering in the space to be surprising, however not unwelcome. It was nice to just take a moment to be, instead of focusing on what came next. Especially when he felt the shift along the back of the couch next to him.

Eyes opening at the shift, he looked over to see Mae had mirrored his movement, her head resting only a few inches from his own as her eyes remained closed. Soft breaths coming out past her lips every few seconds as the tension in her brow finally relaxed after the moment of understanding they had. It made the soldier realize that sometimes you didn’t have to vocalize to still feel connection. That on occasion you’d meet people who just simply recognize the unexplainable parts of yourself. And that was such a beautiful discovery for the man as he closed his eyes once more in the still, softness of Pabu.

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“I highly doubt Rex would slip away without saying goodbye, especially since he agreed to stay a few days, Love,” Aiko said as her and Echo walked back towards the house. It hadn’t been long before the others realized that Rex and Mae never joined them, prompting the pair to slip away to find the missing soldier and doctor.

“I’d like to agree but Rex can be… very driven by his sense of duty that it blinds him to pleasantries,” Echo mentioned as they stepped up on the front porch, opening the door to find the lights dimmed but not completely shut off like they’d left it. His eyes quickly saw the illuminated screen of Mae’s Ryloth memorial while Aiko gasp and pointed in the direction of the sofa. And when Echo followed his lover’s finger he almost couldn’t help the small chuckle that escaped his throat, doing his best to suppress it quietly.

Sitting side by side and in deep sleep came the picturesque scene of both Rex and Mae. His head leaning against the back of the couch, with legs stretched out in front of him. The soft snores escaped his nose as it became obvious that Echo and Aiko’s entry hadn’t woken him. All the while Mae had slumped over, her head resting along his shoulder as she too slept, seemingly unaware of both her position and the fact that they now had an audience.

“Well that's… unexpected,” he said quietly before gesturing to the door. Aiko followed him as she took one last look at their sleeping form and said nothing. Her smile speaking enough on its own. If the Empath knew one thing, it was that finding peace in the midst of all this chaos was a blessing.

To be continued...

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