#i imagine he prefers people who help him feel at ease like people he could rely on to protect him and keep an eye out

[waywardsalt]

linebeck is probably so god damn paranoid all of the time

[millenialfanfictionaddiction]

Being Team Japan’s Manager:

The Team Crushes on Their Manager

Team Japan x GN! reader

Warnings: fluff, swearing

AN: this was due approx. 570 of you ago but nevertheless, here we go 🎉

Where do I even start?

Probably from the beginning because that’s when it ALL started

It was your first day as Team Japan’s new manager

No other job prospects huh Yn?

You were filled with hope and a renewed sense of purpose 🤩

You’d always loved Volleyball whether you played it, watched it or read a very specific manga surrounding it 👀

It was safe to say you were a fan!

The job seemed relatively straightforward

You’d come to work, take care of a bunch of world class athletes, clock out and repeat

Easy right?

Sure….

You walked into the building on your first day and it started almost immediately

There is no easing into this job YN 😌

“Well hello there gorgeous,” a very untoned blonde who seriously needed his roots retouched whistled

“Umm hi! I was wondering if you could-” you started to say before being unfortunately interrupted 🙄

“You want my autograph don’t ya sweetheart?” The blonde smirked, conveniently pulling out a sharpie that seemed to manifest from thin air

“Oh no, I’m looking for-” you try to say again before again being interrupted

“ATSUMU!” A voice shouted as you saw a rather angry looking man with black spiky hair marching up to you and the blonde, “what did I tell you about harassing guests?”

“I wasn’t harassing ‘em!” The blonde, known as Atsumu shouted back

Meanwhile you are just standing there like 🧍

“If you weren’t harassing them, then why do they look like they wanna run for their lives?” Another tall man with curly black hair replied, approaching from behind you

“SHUT YER TRAP SAKUSA!” Atsumu yelled again as the spiky haired man spoke

“If you both don’t get your asses back into that gym right now!”

Atsumu rolled his eyes before responding, “yes Iwaizumi” and turning to leave

But not before shooting a very unsolicited wink in your direction 🙄

“Stop making people feel so uncomfortable,” Sakusa berated as he and Atsumu argued back to the gym

“I’m so sorry about that. You must be Yn?” Iwaizumi asked turning to you as you smiled back widely

“That’s me!” You giggled as Iwaizumi’s eyes widened and his face turned pink at your sheer adorableness

Iwaizumi is just happy that you seem excited

He’s tired Yn, help him please

Iwaizumi begins showing you around the gym while various, rather large men walk past you

You excitedly ask questions, smiling and laughing

The guys are all like 👀👀👀👀👀

They’d heard about a new prospective manager starting but dang, you were way cuter than they imagined

After the tour you made your way to the gym with Iwaizumi to finally meet the team

As you stood there, adorable and bubbly, they all just stared at you like a bunch of creeps 😅

You remember in Season 2 when Yachi joined Karasuno and Suga had to tell Noya and Tanaka to stop staring…

Yeah that’s exactly what’s happening right now 😂

Iwaizumi is giving everyone his death glare because there is absolutely no way he’s letting anyone ruin this for him!

Iwa rn 👉🏻 🔥 👄🔥

Of course you notice them all looking at you but you simply think it’s because you are new

Delusion is always the solution Yn

“And finally, this is Yn, our new manager. I expect nothing but respect and kindness from you guys!” Coach yells as you smile and wave a greeting

“I’m so excited to work with you all!” You say, smiling bright as your eyes sparkle with excitement

This was the first of many incidents that sealed your fate

Now some of the team members fell hard for you immediately

*cough* ATSUMU, BOKUTO, HINATA *cough*

While others took a while to warm up to you

They all thought you were cute and sweet sure but it was your actions that spoke the loudest

For example…

“Hey Sakusa, I heard you are particular about laundry and hygiene, if you could please tell me the products you prefer so I can accommodate you? Oh and I’d you’d like, I can wear a mask around you to make you more comfortable!” You excitedly spoke, standing 6 feet apart from Sakusa so as to not be right in his space

Sakusa rn 👉🏻👁️👄👁️

“Umm sure I can text you a list and you don’t have to wear a mask if you aren’t comfortable,” he responds, honestly shocked because who are you

You wave your hands and smile, “oh no it’s really ok! I’m very accommodating!”

It was safe to say you’d captured our precious Sakusa’s attention

But it doesn’t stop there

“Hey Suna, I noticed you left your arm guards in on the bench yesterday! I washed them for you last night oh and I recorded a video of Atsumu flubbing a serve and accidently hitting Kageyama. I can send it to you if you’d like?” You laughed as Suna just stared in awe

Who the heck were you and why were you so amazing!

Not only that but you provided help to Aran and Ushijima when it came to taking diligent notes about the teams progress

Made sure Kageyama had plenty to eat and got enough sleep

You measured down to the very millimeter for jump heights, making sure Hoshiumi knew exactly where he stood against the other players

You stayed late to help Komori and Yaku with their receiving practice

You came early to unlock the gym for Atsumu, Bokuto and Hinata because lord knows they can’t be out of the gym for more than 8 hours 🙄

You even made sure the guys all followed Iwaizumi’s strict training regime to ensure they all stayed healthy and in the best shape!

It was easy to see why they all had fallen for you!

Competent, pretty, kind, amazing and funny? A perfect combination!

It had been about 6 months and you’d more than proven your worth as a manager

You’d even spent time outside of practice with all of them both individually as well as in groups

Surprisingly they’d all managed to keep their little crushes on you to a minimum

They respected you and didn’t want to mess up anything

When I say “they” I actually mean “most of them”…

Because, ya know, some people just can’t stop themselves 👀

It was safe to say they all knew each other had a crush on their precious manager

But for the sake of teamwork, most of them kept it to themselves

However, there is some people who can only hold it in so long

“I’m thinking about asking YN out this weekend,” Atsumu boldly and nonchalantly says

And just like that, the entire locker room halts

“Excuse me?” Yaku says, staring at Atsumu like he’s about to commit a felony

“What? YN is such a cutie and so awesome! Is it really a surprise that I’d ask them out?” Atsumu replies

All eyes narrow on the setter as he looks back confused

“And what makes you think YN even likes you?” Suna jokes as the rest of the team nods

“Awe come on! It’s pretty safe to say Yn has a crush on me, look at all the stuff they do for me,” Atsumu continues

“So? YN does that for all of us. Plus, maybe another one of us wants to ask them out?” Sakusa adds as Atsumu narrows his eyes

“Ok then, who wants to ask YN out?”

Literally all hands shoot up as the guys look around at each other, eyes wide as the realization sinks in

Soon the shock wears off and they narrow their eyes at each other like a duel in the Ok corral is about to go down 😑

“Well there’s no way all of us asking out YN would be a good idea. We’d probably scare them away!” Komori mentioned

“Nah, if Atsumu hasn’t scared them yet, pretty sure we’re safe,” Aran remarked as Atsumu looked at his friend, offended by his remarks

“What if we draw lots?” Hyakuzawa questioned

“That’s not really far to YN tho, what if they have a particular interest in a member?” Yaku answered

“First one to ask Yn out then?” Hakuba remarked

“Oh yeah, just a bunch of grown ass men running up to YN screaming ‘YN GO OUT WITH ME!’ That sounds like nightmare fuel!” Hoshiumi replied

“Ok so then we let Yn decide,” Iwa added, coming through the doors having just listened to the conversation, “we do our best to win YN’s affections and we let them decide.”

The team all nodded in agreement, ready for the challenge of winning their precious YN’s heart

The next morning, the gym felt different

You could tell immediately the moment you stepped in

“Good morning YN, I bought you coffee!” Iwaizumi smiled, handing you a cup of your favorite pick me up

“Thanks Hajime! I really needed this!”

“Hey Yn, I thought maybe you’d wanna have lunch with me today? My treat,” Yaku interrupted

“That would be awesome Mori!”

“Here Yn, I know how much you love these flowers so I got up early to go to the market to get some,” Sakusa flushed, pushing the flowers in your direction

“Wow thanks Kiyoomi! They are beautiful!”

Were these boys being weird? Sure

Were you gonna fight it? Absolutely not

Now these shenanigans continued for a few weeks and at first they were innocent

But then bringing you coffee, flowers or the occasional chocolate morphed into full blown outings

“Hey YN, I’m going to the art museum this weekend? You wanna come?” Komori asked as your eyes lit up

You loved art!!

“Hey YN, I’m gonna grab sushi tonight after practice, you wanna come?” Gao would ask as your mouth salivated

You loved sushi!

“Hey YN, I’m planning on going to the dog park with Hirugami tonight, you wanna come?” Hoshiumi would ask

Dogs? Say less!

“Hey YN, there’s a new cat cafe that just opened up, you wanna go with me?” Suna would declare

Cats? ABSOLUTELY

It took you a while to catch on that there was something strange going on with these guys

While the putting seemed innocent, their motives definitely were not

After a while, you’d finally gotten sick of it all and just asked

It was after practice, the gym was quiet

And there you were

“What is up with you guys taking me on all these dates for?”

… there to ruin it

Their amount of wide-eyed staring and red faces gave them away quicker than a smoking volcano

You sighed, knowing you had to tell them the truth

“Listen guys, I like you all but only as friends and coworkers ok?”

They all collectively sighed, having all been rejected at the same time

You felt bad but at the same time, they needed to know your feelings for them were platonic

“Hey we can still go out and have fun but it’ll only be as friends ok? Plus I have a boyfriend already.”

Their eyes all shot up at you, wondering who exactly it would be

“Wait you had a boyfriend this whole time?” Atsumu questioned

Yep :D

“Like before you even started working with us?” Yaku asked

Yep : D

“Ok then how come we’ve never met him before?” Sakusa demanded as you smiled

“Oh you have, he talks about you guys all the time!” You respond as everyone but Iwaizumi looks confused

“YN you’re not dating him, please YN anyone but him!” Iwa shouts, running up to you and shaking you as your grin devilishly

It seems to finally hit the others as their eyes go from shocked to horrified in a matter of seconds.

Before they can even process his name, they hear a “yoohoo Yn-Chan” radiate throughout the gym

Surprise an Oikawa ending 😅 if you didn’t see it coming, do you even know who I am? I will always work that man into everything possible!

[hughiecampbelle]

The Boys Preference: Supe Hating Their Powers

Requested: Hii! I loved what you wrote for my last request, so I figured I'd drop another one✨ May I request a the boys preference where it's basically (bear with me, I'm gonna try to explain) reader is a supe, but refuses to use their powers bc of whatever reason (feeling dangerous, not liking the ability, keeping it secret etc) But it's their reaction to when their S/O uses their abilities to protect them, bc no matter how terribly they hate being a supe, they'd embrace it to keep them safe - @ghostlyaccurate

Requested: hii! how are you doing? may i request a The Boys preference where reader is a supe, but their powers are very self-destructive (like, using it too much could be dangerous to reader themself), and basically their reaction to reader using their abilities to save them, despite it nearly killing themself? also, so sorry if this is too dark! you can totally change it to just being tiring if your more comfortable writing that <3 - @yinorathedragontamer

A/N: I combined these two requests, I hope you don't mind!! I love both of these ideas and I thought they'd work well together :) I imagine it like Cate with her eyes/seizures when she pushes too much/too many people. I made all the powers different cuse I thought it would be more interesting! Thank you for requesting!!! Feedback is always appreciated 💜💜💜

Butcher never wanted you to use your powers if you didn't want to. But when he needed saving, you didn't give it a second thought. Your powers feel like burning alive. The fire, the flames, they're powerful, but it's excruciating. You save him I the end, but you spend days after feeling like you've been burned at the stake. There are no actual physical burns, but your body still feels that way. It never gets easier, either. He's grateful you saved him, but he knows how painful your powers can be. He tries to help as much as possible, but there's really nothing you can do but wait it out. It was one of the first things he ever knew about you: you're a Supe with side effects. He didn't realize how bad it would be until you were locking yourself away, trying to ease the burning sensation around your whole body.

Hughie knew what happened when you healed other people. You'd told him in graphic detail the last time you'd used your abilities. He told you you'd never have to use them, ever. But he was hurt. He was losing consciousness. You were the only one who could help him. You were the only one who could save him. So, you did. And in return your skin unzipped, blood pouring out of you. You couldn't breathe. You couldn't make a sound. You would have to die before you could go back to normal. Hughie hated watching this. He begged for help, but there was no one around. It was horrible. He'd wake up from nightmares where you'd die and die again. You told him it wouldn't happen again, that you were sorry he'd have to see that. He knew he should have been grateful, that you saved him, but it was awful. You knew how awful it was and that's why you never used it.

Annie refused to let you use your powers. She told you outright she had it handled, but when the time came for her to fight, you knew it was a losing battle. You could leave your body and take over others. You jumped from body to body, taking each person out, but by the time you find you way back to your body you're exhausted, your eyes bloodshot, your mind cloudy. Like Cate, you're susceptible to seizures when you push yourself too much, when you spread yourself too thin. The more people you take over, the worse it gets. Annie feels awful that you had to save her, when you had to risk your health and safety. It was amazing to see. As soon as you took over their bodies she could tell it was you. But the side effects were awful. She couldn't stop worrying about you, worrying about what would happen.

M.M. never realized what your powers would entail. You could read other people's minds. That didn't seem so bad. You rarely ever used it, though. He never pushed you to explain or use it, but when the team needed you, when your abilities were the only answer, you did what you could. Days later you were still hearing people. You tried to drown it out with TV and music, but they were in your head. It felt like the while city was talking through your brain. Screaming and crtuing and laughter and fears and worries and everything. Every feeling and thought a person could he capable of, that's what you were experiencing. It was horrible. You were never sure how long it lasted. It felt like an eternity. You cried to him, trying to keep it together, but all you could hear was his apologies. He felt awful for asking you to do this.

Frenchie never would have asked you to save him, save the day, but you had no choice. He was in danger. You would have done anything to protect him. Your sonic scream is rarely ever shown off. You're not totally embarrassed by it, but it has some pretty awful side effects. Plus you didn't love being a Supe. You felt lied to by your family. When you do scream, heads splatter. Frenchie was shocked you were capable of that. Afterwards your throat burns, you lose your voice. You can't talk for days, maybe even weeks, and though you try not to, you can't help but try to talk, argue, bicker with The Boys. Your voice sounds so painful, gravely, and he encourages you to put it on rest. It's your throat that hurts, like it's on fire. You rarely ever used your abilities because it was a one and done deal. You were powerful, you could kill, but it came with it's own consequences.

Kimiko only knew the general ideas about your Supe abilities. Your blood was poison. You had to he careful about getting hurt or rooms full of people, a whole hospital floor, would he dead. Kimiko had been seriously hurt and though you knew she would come back fine, your anger and hurt got the better of you. You slice yourself open, spewing blood everywhere, all over the bad guys. Before then you urged The Boys to get out of there, not wanting to hurt your teammates. Everyone around you drops dead. You stitch yourself up alone, making sure there's not a drop of blood left outside of your body. Kimiko is horrified at your work and the fact that you hurt yourself so badly for her when she ended up being fine. It hurt and made you feel like a freak, but you did it for her. Besides, your stitches were getting a little better.

[galaxychaos78]

inspired solely by the lovely @strawberrystepmom's post. got into a mushy mood and couldn't stand to keep it all in the tags. this is all fluff and alcohol mention of feelings and its just straight tooth rotting fluff.

Shikamaru was never one to drink.

His preferred vice was smoking; taking in a nicotine stick every morning, afternoon, and a few minutes before bed. He liked the ease it brought; feeling the smoke travel through his lungs, hearing the subtle click of the lighter and smelling the wisps of smoke coming from the end of the cigarette. But sometimes he indulged in an occasional drink. Only on special occasions, he told himself.

This certain occasion? Boys night.

Shikamaru chuckled as he took a sip of his alcohol, a lazy smirk on his face as he watched Naruto and Shino play Super Smash Bros, Naruto's fingers button mashing while Shino plays Pikimin with a surprising amount of skill. Shikamaru's body feels warm, like he's sitting under a tree taking a nap in the middle of summer. Choji, who's munching on popcorn, slides the bowl Shikamaru's way. Shikamaru is about to grab a handful when his phone buzzes in his pocket. He takes it out with one hand and the smirk on his face breaks out in a lovestruck, dopey eyed grin.

(Y/N): Enjoying boys night pookie?💕

Usually Shikamaru hated that word, always scrunching his face up in disgust and practically begging you to never say it again. But this time, the nickname makes him chuckle. He can imagine how you'd say it too; all exaggeratedly sweet while dragging it out just long enough to make him groan. But, as much as the word makes him want to pull his hair out, he loves watching your face when you say it. Your eyes do that crinkle thing around the edges and the laugh you make always seems to make him hate the word a bit less (not that he'd tell you that out loud. Lord knows you'd take advantage.) It's the smile that gets him though; your lips pull back and expose the white of your teeth in a way you think is unflattering, but a way Shikamaru adores.

Shikamaru: U know i h8 that wrd.

(Y/N): And I hate that you can't be bothered to text in actual complete sentences😝

(Y/N): Still love you though.😘

That makes Shikamaru laugh, and Choji can't help but glance at Shikamaru's phone before chuckling himself. "Y'know the whole reason of boys night is to hang out with the boys. Not texting your girlfriend." Choji says teasingly as he elbows Shikamaru.

"Yeah! No girlfriend stuff on boy's night!" Naruto shouts as he grabs a slice of pizza and bites into it.

"Says the man who's gone to the bathroom like 5 times in the last half hour to text Sasuke." Shino says as he takes a sip of his drink, causing Naruto to freeze mid bite. Choji and Shikamaru chuckle as Naruto yells, "Hey you don't know what I was doing in there or who I was texting!"

"Hey Shikamaru, I never asked. What does a bubbly chick like (Y/N) see in a sulky and moody guy like you?" Naruto asked as he turned towards the black haired man.

"I've also wondered that." Shino murmured as he bit into a potato chip. Shikamaru could've argued or stayed silent as he usually would, but the alcohol made his brain fuzzy and he spoke before his brain could catch up.

"I dunno man. (Y/N) is just..god I don't know what I did to deserve her." He spoke with such adoration, such overwhelming love that it stuns Naruto and Shino. There's a pause in the room and Shikamaru, realizing he was a bit vulnerable with people that weren't just Choji, had a blush creep onto his face. "I mean it's whatever man." He added quickly, trying to shrug it off.

"Woah you really like her. Like...reallyy like her." Naruto states in amazement.

"He does," Choji hums in agreement, biting into a slice of pizza himself. "You should ask him why he loves her so much." Shikamaru shoots Choji a glare and his best friend grins.

"So...why do you love (Y/N) so much? What do you see in her?" Shino asks, crossing his legs over one another. Shikamaru chuckles at that and leans his head back against Choji's couch, breathing out a sigh through his nose.

"I see everything I want to be. I see an actual light in the darkness. She's flawed, but beautiful. She's so uplifting and doesn't like people seeing her upset, so she's always smiling, even if I know she's hurting. She's competitive as hell and hates losing. She's empathetic and somehow always knows exactly what to say to cheer me up. I don't know how she knows but she does."

"She's caring and sweet and kind, but she's not afraid to stand up for what she believes in. She's loud and extroverted, and she's always making friends or conversations with people she doesn't even know. She's the woman I never would've found myself falling for, but now she's the woman I could barely live without."

There's a sniffle and Shikamaru turns his head to find Naruto and Choji with tears in their eyes. "Dude that was so sweet." Choji murmurs through his sniffles as he wiped his eyes.

"Who knew you'd be such a romantic?" Naruto whined as he wiped at his face. Shikamaru chuckled and rolled his eyes. He grabbed his phone and sent a quick text to (Y/N).

Shikamaru: Love you princess. Be home soon alright?💕💖

[mushyposts]

WOW PPL SEEM TO LIKE THE ART STUDENT AU. HAVE SOME KATAANG! I like to imagine Aang is SUPER multi-disciplinary!! He's a complete prodigy, he's always been incredibly engaged, excited and ready to learn! He spread his degree out a lot longer due to travelling, he applied for and got a lot of grants to be able to study all over the world! He focuses on the tangible, the grounding and the idea of grief/trauma being something you can hold, nurture. Where possible he's done his theory classes in psychology, philosophy and lit/classics study!! He's INCREDIBLY smart, and insightful! So i want to emphasise that in this AU. He's done a lot of works where the intent is for the viewer to walk through, to see things that seem completely unconnected, small sculptured pieces you can hold, interact with, look at, experience, and then reading the wall text is enough to make you WEEP!! A room full of ceramic versions of every single toy he's able to remember having, paired with a wall text talking about his childhood, full of turmoil, abandonment, systems that are targeted towards ease of the adults, not protecting the children. He asks in his wall texts for the viewer to read his story, to remember his story, and to take a bit of the burden of carrying it from him. Ease the weight. Just.... Aangs art exploring grief and trauma in such a beautiful way, a way that implores you to observe it for all it taught you and all it took from you, and not give it fuel, not allow the anger to fester, to hold it gently, out of the hands of the people who caused it just as you yourself deserved to be handled when it occurred, and to show it mercy. Katara's paintings explore you to feel. To be grounded, they are swirling pathways of looong strips of canvas/paper, all made into wavy pathways that invite you to follow. Theyre confusing, folding in on themselves, ending suddenly and restarting in other spaces. The vague notions of faces, figures, medical images appearing over and over in ways that suggest grief but dont reinforce it. Katara is INCREDIBLY layered, the tear between wanting to provide, protect and heal those around them but the anger at feeling forced into the role. She WANTS to help people, she WANTS to take care of people and be that supportive beam for those she loves but the anger at the world for telling her thats all shes capable of. How dare they tell her she cant do anything else? And then that fighting against the feeling of "If i do it, all im doing is confirming to them that thats all im capable of doing." Her paintings are journeys, they evoke anger and frustration and grief and she very rarely pairs it with detailed wall texts, unlike Aang who has a million and one words to explain how he feels, Katara prefers to explain the context, the medium, why it was chosen, and then let the work speak for itself. This isnt to say she doesnt HAVE the words, she could talk for hours about every single details, why theres a red dot there and a blue there! the curtains are MORE than "just blue" with her and she will talk about it for hours if she wants! But, just like she feels as though her story has been controlled by the world, shes been told what to do, how to feel, she doesnt want to control viewers experience with her works. She has a title, which is just a few words to distinguish it from the rest of her works and doesnt really give away anything to do with the name, and then a wall text with minor details. She wants people to experience it how they need too. Anyway I love kataang. Theyre so lovely. Yes they do exhibitions together. Yes they reference eachothers works in their assignments. Yes theyre cute.

[eff4freddie]

2 Sweet 4 Me | Epilogue

Dieter Bravo x AFAB Reader Words: 800 Warnings: None

Part One | Part Two | Part Three

A/N: Ok I couldn't leave these two where they were at the end of part three. I did say it was a love story. And I do think Dieter's come to a better place as a result of it. That's a happy ending, right?

Dieter shivered. He didn’t like LA, always found the place so phony, too constructed, but fuck if he didn’t prefer the weather. He pulled his jacket tight over his shoulders, holding it closed at the neck as he moved through the hotel lobby. He could see Rudy waiting, holding the front passenger door open for him, could see the paparazzi and the autograph hunters lining up for a piece of him. Dieter sighed. He’d taken that job you’d recommended, that little indie project with an up-and-coming director, and he’d accidentally resurrected his career with it. Prep was underway for awards season. He was exhausted by it already.

As he got into the car he waved to the fans out on the street, laughed when they screamed at him. As Rudy pulled away from the curb he settled in, letting the seat warmers ease his joints a little.

‘One day, Rudy, I’m gonna be the one driving,’ he said, and Ruby grinned at him.

‘Oh, don’t pretend you don’t love being a little passenger princess,’ Rudy playfully griped at him, and Dieter rolled his eyes.

‘I dunno man, it just feels a bit like I want to take the wheel in a few different ways,’ Dieter said, liking the metaphor. Rudy was quiet, watching the road.

He was heading to a screening, then a short Q&A afterwards, in a little theatre off Broadway that had maybe 150 seats. It was one of those intimate settings, SAG or whatever. Maybe Julliard. He couldn’t remember, they’d blurred together. This one was going to be industry people though, 150 of his peers and colleagues, some of them with voting rights. He was mostly going as part of the ensemble. He liked those, as it turned out. Less pressure on him.

He thought about you. Even though it had been months since you’d last been together, since he’d texted, sent you a handful of rambling voice notes, he still scanned every crowd for your face. Couldn’t help it, didn’t want to stop doing it, even though it hurt him he still preferred it to not hoping. He’d never been an optimist. Except when it came to you.

There had been one time a few weeks back, at the Arclight of all places, that he’d seen you. You had your hair up, and your date-night boots on, and he’d felt his stomach drop a little at the thought of it. Maybe it wasn’t you, it was just someone as beautiful as you, maybe he was pining so hard he’d started hallucinating you. He could see you were waiting for someone, but Dieter couldn’t stand around long enough to see who.

For a second, he’d imagined it was him. That you’d heard he was going to a matinee of Rashomon, that maybe you’d come out to catch the glimpse of him he was now enjoying of you. Or maybe you were waiting for him because he’d called you, and you’d answered this time, and because you’d agreed to meet him, to dip your toe back in. Maybe you were dressed up in your date boots because you knew that he would know what it meant, that this wasn’t a friend thing, that this was something else entirely. Maybe you were waiting for him to wrap you up in his arms, bundle you into the back of an uber and take you home, finally, home.  

Now, in the car with Rudy, he contemplated his own selfishness. Sober sober - not just LA sober - for the first time in a long time he remembered with better clarity the way he had hurt you, lied to you, tried to hide the ugly, dark sides of himself from you even when all you’d wanted was to stand alongside him in them. His sixth therapist had a couple of ideas why that might have been the case. He wanted to talk to you about them, get your thoughts, and knew that, too, was just selfishness.

Rudy pulled up to the theatre, just as it started to snow. He knew it was better this way for you. That this way you had a fighting chance at a future, at a family. But still, Dieter wondered if you would emerge in the backrow, pop up in New York somehow, drop in from some other industry event into this one. Just to see him, just to let him know you were there. Dieter knew it was impossible, and also, didn’t care. He wondered in that moment if you regretted things, felt a stab in his chest at the idea that you might. He wondered if you ever pined for him, reached out across a cold bed and felt for him. He wondered if you ever scanned the crowds looking for him, if he wanted you to, if he wanted that for you.

He wondered if he would ever be the kind of man he wanted to be, the one that finally put you first, your happiness, what you needed. If that would be enough to hold him. Wondered if wanting you, missing you, loving you still, if that was all it would be for him, if that would be enough. He schooled his features, prepared to swing the door open and step out. Decided, in the absence of any information to the contrary, that it would.  

Taglist: @harriedandharassed

@readingiskeepingmegoing

@missladym1981

@misstokyo7love

@ghostofzion

@dieterbravobrainrotclub

@the-feckless-wonder

@swankyorange

[m-ayo-o]

Hiii, this is my first time making a request lol. So my sign is Leo and my pronouns are she/her, they/them. Uh I am abnormally tall (184 cm) for girls my age which is kinda dumb to be insecure about but I've been looking for a fanfic with gojo and tall reader fluff or smut and also because he's a Sagittarius and our zodiac match :D the scenario is that once they find out and look through their zodiacs, gojo gets disgustingly flirty lmao. But previously, reader was very insecure abt smtg (preferably the tall height but your wish) and gojo flirting with them kinda makes the reader feel better. And while they're reading about their zodiac signs (I've read that Leo and Sagittarius have a really steamy dynamic), it somehow leads to some bedroom action :D

i t s ⋆ w r i t t e n ⋆ i n ⋆ t h e ⋆ s t a r s ⋆

zodiac event

♌︎ TALL GIRL LEO reader x SAGITTARIUS SATORU GOJO ♐︎

genre: cute / suggestive <3 wc: 1.7k note: abnormally *beautifully tall. love this rq!! apart from this one, no physical traits :p stsg ship mention, kinda college au :) 18+

*knock knock knock knock knock*

The incessant and rapid knocking at your door indicates that there could be only one person standing outside.

*knock knock knock* *ding, ding, ding*

Your phone chimes along with the barrage.

"Jesus-! I'm coming!!"

You yell through the door.

"I just had a shower, can you wait a second!!"

"I don't care~~ open up!"

He sings back and you end up caving, stepping towards the source of the noise with your hair dripping wet in nothing but a tiny towel.

You pull the handle and open the door, being greeted by him. A wolf whistle sounds from his lips and he steps into your apartment.

He does this sometimes.

Just shows up. Unannounced. Uninvited.

But who lets him in every time?

You can't help it. You can't deny he's addicting to be around.

"Party tonight at Suguru's. You're coming."

He tells you, striding through your home and making himself comfortable, slouching on your sofa and kicking his feet up on the coffee table.

"Are you going to get dressed?"

He asks, taking off his black glasses and raising an eyebrow in your direction.

You huff and roll your eyes in return.

"I mean, I don't mind~" he adds with a wink. You stick a finger up his direction and turn back to your room to get ready.

You close the door, feeling a little anxious all of a sudden. Sure, you like parties. But you've been feeling kind of insecure lately, and you're not sure if all the crowds of people will really help. You can just imagine all of those wide eyes looking up at you and asking the most stupid questions... how tall are you, and is it difficult to date at your height, being some of your least favourites.

Then it comes to picking your outfit.

It took you ages to find this perfect dress... for your body. The cutest dresses just never fit. They're awkward on the legs, barely covering you or leaving your panties on show, the torso, the shoulders, the waist. Just nothing is in the right place. It gets infuriating. Saddening. The amount of times you've looked in the mirror in a goddamn fitting room and welled up with tears is starting to stack up.

But you feel more comfortable today. At ease, even.

You look in the mirror in this pretty, perfectly fitting dress and you smile. It looks so fucking cute. You look cute.

And you have to admit... he helps.

He helps you to no end. And you don't even thank him for it? He makes you feel comfortable in your own body.

When you enter a room with him you can feel totally confident. All the attention is on him. His legs are longer, he's bigger... he stands out more. And he thrives on it. There's such an aura of power and confidence about him that makes you feel so relaxed. He can handle anything.

He works his magic, his charm, making you feel totally... beautiful. He comforts you without even trying, his arm linked with yours, dragging you around. But you can keep up, since your legs are nearly as long and your laughter is nearly as loud. Which is all you ever do with him; laugh, smile, banter, often crossing the glassy boundary into flirting.

You step out of your bedroom to find Satoru waiting impatiently on your sofa, fiddling with his black shades.

When his eyes catch your frame he almost drops them and you swear you hear a little gasp escape his mouth.

You ask him what he thinks and when you only receive a gaping mouth in reply you giggle and step back into your room.

"I'll just be a minute, going to do my makeup," you explain, but he rises from the sofa and follows like he's tethered to you.

He steps in and starts rifling through your things; picking up trinkets and teddies, telling you which colour lipstick looks best on you and finding the bookshelf in the corner of your room.

It's tall and fully stacked, but he has no problem reaching the top shelf and picking out a sparkly book that caught his eye.

"THE MYSTERIES OF ZODIAC: EXPLAINED"

"Hm," he hasn't really thought about any of this before, but flicking through the pages sure makes him curious.

"Your birthday's _____ right? Which makes you..."

"A Leo." You finish for him, while applying your mascara.

"Huh, ok, makes sense." He gives your page a once over then looks for his own.

"December... 7th..."

He skims the pages, finding the centaur with his bow and arrow.

"Haha, nice, he's nearly as ripped as me!"

Sagittarius. Of course.

He reads through the personality section, which only points out the obvious, then flops on your bed and turns the page.

"Oh."

You finish up with your makeup and perch next to him, looking down at where the book is spread open.

"Romantically, Sagittarius are best paired with another fire sign," he gives you a cheeky smile before continuing, "such as Aries or... Leo."

He pauses for a moment, finding the love chart under the text.

"Oh- oh my god!"

He almost shouts with excitement and drags you down on the bed to take a closer look.

"Why did you never tell me this!!??"

"Tell you- what? Satoru! It's not like I've read this thing cover to cover!"

You didn't even know his sign.

"Look..."

You see his expression turn from curious to excited in seconds. His eyes open wide and his smile grows till you can see his pointy canines gleaming.

"Satoru, they're just our star signs!" You moan, not wanting him to put too much stock in this.

"Surely you must believe some of this stuff, though, right? You're the one with the book."

He gives you a glance before he points at the row of your sign.

You admit it's kind of shocking.

He reads further into it, and you're getting a little invested now, hearing how your signs are apparantly so perfectly paired in friendship and romance.

"It's a fact. We're meant to be together!"

He proclaims and goes to shut the book, as if the case is closed and no further investigation is required.

"Um," but you stop him, slipping your fingers between the pages and pointing to the compatibility chart, "what about this sign; aquarius."

"Ugh- a water sign! How lame!"

"Aquarius is an air sign, dummy! You have a near perfect match with them, and I happen to know a certain someone whose birthday is..." you flick to the aquarius sign, "February 3rd!"

"Yes, I know that's when his birthday is. But ours is perfect."

You know it's true. Him and Suguru didn't work out.

"And here.. look," he flicks back to his page, finding the romance section under the leo and sagittarius pairing title. His long finger skims over a few sentences that make your cheeks heat up.

"The best thing about their sex life is probably the passion and intensity that they share. Heat radiates from both of them which results in a steamy sexual experience. While one ignites the fire, the other fiercely fans it to expand the fire making their sexual experiences a dance in the realm of fiery pleasure. Leo and Sagittarius sexual compatibility can be considered as one of the best out there."

When you finish reading you suddenly realise how close you are to your Sagittarius man. He sits up next to you, invading your personal space completely with a curious smile on his face.

"Maybe we should test it out?"

"Satoru!" You chide, as if the suggestion is totally ridiculous. But you know it's not. You like how he makes you feel. Everything just slots into place with him and it feels so natural.

"We should at least kiss... just to, you know, see if this star sign stuff is actually true or not."

"Like an experiment?" You cock an eyebrow, not shying away from his intense closeness.

"Uh huh," he nods and nudges his nose against yours.

You focus on his lips, pink and plump, resting in that perfect smile, with his crystal irises uncovered, his hair tousled, looking beautiful as ever. How could you refuse?

"Yeah, we should try it," you agree and his snowy lashes bat with excitement as he leans into you.

"Mm-" he presses his warm, soft lips to yours and you feel him smiling, with the book slipping from his fingers and landing somewhere on your carpeted floor.

The way he kisses is hot and... tender, giving you undeniable butterflies when he sucks on your lip.

"S- Satoru, my lipstick-"

"I don't care," he husks and wraps a hand around the back of your neck, getting as close to you as physically possible before claiming your lips again.

"Satoru -" you don't want him to stop but you need to breathe.

"It felt amazing, didn't it? Let me have one more."

He insists and kisses you till your lipstick is smeared all over his mouth. You giggle and wipe his face clean with your thumb.

"Come here," but he keeps going, pulling you into him and opening your mouth with his tongue, until your soft giggles turn into little moans.

"That sounds good, fuck, you sound so good-"

You silence him with another hot kiss.

"Don't stop then," you tell him, making him bite his lip and push you down on the bed.

He gets between your legs and presses your hands above your head, lacing his longer fingers between yours. He holds you there, kissing you deep, getting you hot in all the right places. You start moving your hips and his hands move down your body, dipping under the hem of your dress to feel your legs.

Your hands find his hair and you pull him closer, and just as the book said, it's getting intense. His fingers are starting to tease at your panties, tugging them down, until a noise makes you both jump-

"Ah-!"

"Fuck-" you were so wrapped up in each other that you didn't realise the time.

"It's Suguru." You sigh and look at your phone.

You daren't answer. You know you're in for a telling off now.

Your white haired Sagittarius steals a few more fiery kisses and lifts you off the bed. He watches you reapply your lipstick that he's going to kiss off again later, and takes you to Suguru's with his hand in yours.

"You think the book was right then?" He asks with a cheeky smile as you head inside.

You don't answer, but you're sure you'll tell him later when you get him to yourself again.

satoru | m.list | zodiac event

paraphrased quotes from Astrotalk !

[once-upon-an-imagine]

Works in Progress

Okay, this is literally every single work in progress that I currently have on my drafts!

I am the worst at summaries so I put the literal request underneath each one of them 😊 If it's not here, I didn't get the requests, loves so, let me know 😁

I know it's a lot and I really hope to get all of them up soon, it's gonna take me a while, but they are coming! if you'd like to request a preview of one, go ahead 😊 polls might come back in the future since they seem to be working somehow! I'll also be updating my Masterlists

I would like to thank you all again so much for yyour requests, love and patience!

Steve Harrington

Drabble (Untitled) [Mixing 2 requests]

1. wishingtobeforeveryoung1019 - Hey can I get a Steve and reader imagine where she works with Steve and they both like each other but they don’t realize it. They both think each other are way out of each other’s league. Can be Scoops Ahoy or Family Video, whichever you prefer. Fluffy please 2. Anonymous - Could you write a dialogue for Steve Harrington where the reader works at Scoops Ahoy and Steve and Dustin are in the back talking and Steve tells Dustin how much he likes the reader. Steve says "I really love y/n." and the reader opens the little window and says something like "you know I heard that whole conversation, right?" Steve and Dustin are both really shocked and Dustin runs out the back door, and Steve gets really flustered. And it ends with something really fluffy and cute, and they kiss. You totally don't have to write this, it was just an idea I had.

Ongoing Series - How Will I Know

You have walked the halls of Hawkins High unseen. If it wasn’t because Eddie Munson and his Hellfire Club had found you, you probably wouldn’t even have any friends. You knew someone like your all-time crush Steve ‘The Hair’ Harrington wouldn’t notice you in a million years. Until you get paired up for a project and he finally learns your name.  

Eddie Munson

One-Shot - Alone Together [Mixing 2 requests]

1. mycobrakai1972 - Hello love, me again 😁 but instead of Charlie I have a Eddie request (even through they closed, so if you have to much just keep it for later or if you don’t want to, just ignore my request). So I thought about the reader is to shy to play with the Hellfire Club but she really wants too. And Eddie is thinking about a campaign that he can play only with her like a D&D date night and that has a romantic twist in it? Love your writhing, and look forward to everything that is coming soon. 💗💗💗 2. lunamadhatter99 - Oohhh let me go with Eddie and a shy one😍 Reader is a shy, quiet one, she's always seen (IF she is seen) at the library and there is where our boy notices her, reading basically a book a day. He's a little shy himself, at first, more because he's worried his reputation would scare her, but one day he tries sitting at the same table and... oh boy, when she smiles at him, he's done. He would start slowly: small talk, little glances in the hallway too, making jokes every now and then. To make her feel comfortable, first thing, always. He would start to flirt, careful not to cross any line, but he made her feel so at ease that she. Flirts. Back! But that only means that he need to try try harder to see that sweet blush he loves so much😏

Ongoing Series - There Are Worse Things I Could Do

[Harrington!Reader] Your senior year was supposed to be the best one in your life. But when Jason broke up with you and turned the entire school against you by spreading rumors about you, you can count with your hand the people that talk to you. Dustin, Mike, Lucas, Max, Nancy, and Robin. But there might be a new one you can add to the list. One you never thought possible. Eddie Munson.

Argyle

One-Shot - A Kind of Magic (might become a drabble)

Anonymous - Heyo! I’m the anon who requested the learning disability imagine! Talking specifics, I’ve got major dyscalculia & a bit of dyslexia. Social anxiety also didn’t help being called on in class, but yea 😅 thanks for asking!! 🥹🥹🥹

Dialogue (Untitled)

Anonymous - So I saw your post about shy!reader x anyone and I was wondering if you could do shy!reader x argyle where he introduces you to his friends in Hawkins (the older teens) and reader doesn't have like the best experience meeting new people so their scared and wants to like not see them because they have social anxiety and like he cuddles then I'm the end ( I always need Argyle cuddles)

One-Shot - Cielito Lindo

Not requested - [Byers!Reader] Argyle is staying with your family when his parents are out of town. You know he’s been feeling down because he has to celebrate his birthday without them. So, you try to do something to cheer him up. (Sequel to Build Me Up, Buttercup)

Ongoing Series - (500 Miles)

[Hopper!Reader] After moving to California with your sister and your new family, you think maybe you’ll finally get some peace. But, of course, you are now driving across the country in your boyfriend’s pizza van, on your way back to Hawkins.

Billy Hargrove

One-Shot - Highway To Hell [Munson!Reader] 

itslaqueefababy - Hey Idk if you’re taking request but since you have writers block, Maybe a Munson!reader x Billy Hargrove? Eddie and Billy hate each other and there’s a lot of drama and tension whenever they get around each other. It’s gets really annoying and out of control that reader eventually gets fed up and upset that they don’t care how she feels. She gives them the cold shoulder and silent treatment then eventually comes up with the idea to runaway on purpose for them to get along by searching for her and all? Something funny and angsty?

One-Shot - A Little Death [Mixing 2 requests] [This might be Hartington!Reader]

1. Anonymous - Where the reader breaks up with Billy because he has been toxic and Billy goes and tries to find love in other women. But he gets frustrated because they don't touch him (physically and mentally) the way the reader always did. He gets angry trying to teach them but none come close to the actual thing until he gets so frustrated that he crawls back to her and tries everything to fix it. 2. Anonymous - “I feel like I’m falling apart.” with Billy Hargrove?

One-Shot - RIP, Love [Munson!Reader]

Anonymous - Where the reader is known to break hearts. Not because its fun for her but she does it to protect herself and the person. She is convinced that whoever gets close to her heart either ends up hurting her or she ends up hurting them so she always ends it by leaving them - ultimately hurting them before they can hurt her. When Billy starts getting interested in her and she suddenly leaves just when he thought things were going good, he doesn't back down to find out why and once he does he makes it his mission to show her that he is there to stay and protect, despite being known for leaving and destroying. 2. Anonymous - since you are taking requests, could i request a Billy fic with the following prompts from the prompt list you talked about in your latest post ? "Wake up. You have to wake up. Please. For me." "Just, please don't leave me." "I don't want you to die for me. I want you to live for me." + "As you begin to fall asleep, you feel a gentle kiss pressed to your temple and a blanket draped over you."

Steddie (Steve Harrington & Eddie Munson)

One-Shot - Running Up That Hill (I keep renaming it 😂)

Anonymous - I know you have many request and this one can definitely wait, but maybe Steddie x cursed!reader?? I need some angst and idk if this would help :/ but I understand if you don’t want to! Maybe one where reader bones end up snapping in the attic? It’s like Instead of max being cursed it’s the reader :)

Drabble - Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now

plk-18 asked - OK first of all i love your work!!! So I don’t know if your requests are still open and I’m really sorry if you already did something like that and I just forgot. But I would love a steddie one-shot, maybe they are not together yet but there is some sexual tension and we have a ‘only-one-bed’ situation👀🤍🤍

One-Shot - A Sunday Kind Of Love

Not requested - For six months, you had been fine with having a secret relationship with Steve Harrington and Eddie Munson. But that changes when a very special day for you approaches and you want them both by your side and for that to happen, a few rules might get broken.

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Sirius Black

One-Shot - Out of The Woods [Lupin!Reader] (the request focuses more on Remus and the reader so I put it under Remus for now)

Anonymous - ahh your requests are open!! I love that!! but anyway, I could make a request where Remus has a younger sister who is a year or two below him and she discovers the way the Marauders found to help him deal with his problems during the full moons and decides what she wants to do the same for her brother but Remus doesn't allow it and they just fight about it until one night she decides to follow them anyway but ends up getting hurt because she's not an animagus like the rest of the boys? If you can make her be in an established relationship with Sirius I would appreciate it and sorry if I said something wrong this is not my first language

Drabble (Untitled)

oursilversoul - Heyy❤️ could yo write a Sirius black x slytherin reader where they somehow end up dancing together in the Yule ball with an enemies to lovers undertone? Thank you I love you soo much :)

Ongoing Series - Just Give Me A Reason

[Snape!Reader] Coming back for another year in Hogwarts meant you and your brother were away from your worst tormentor. But when your school tormentor finds out about it, things are about to change and you are not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. (Warning: mentions of abuse)

Remus Lupin

Dialogue (Untitled)

Anonymous - Hiii i don’t know if u are writing now but i’d love to read your take on remus being unconscious for a prolonged amount of time after transformation and fem!reader taking care of him and talking to him. fast forward to him waking up and confessing he heard everything she said while he was sleeping. i just love the way you write and it would be fun to read it!!

Drabble (Untitled for now)

2. Anonymous - HI! Could you do the prompt “We’ve been by each other’s sides for years, you think I’m gonna leave now?” With Remus Lupin where they're still in school and someone really close to the reader (like someone in their immediate family) died and the reader is miserable and asks Remus not to leave her too? Btw your work is amazing!

Ongoing Series - Too Good At Goodbyes

Twelve years ago, Lily and James Potter were brutally murdered. Twelve years ago, Sirius Black was sent to Azkaban for a crime he did not commit. Twelve years ago Remus Lupin left you to take care of a one-year-old Harry on your own. Twelve years ago Severus Snape was the only person who was there for you. And now, Remus is back to teach at Hogwarts with you, as Harry courses his third year, and Sirius Black escaped Azkaban.

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Charlie Weasley

She Is Love (One-Shot) [Mixing 2 requests]

1. Anonymous - something about a shy reader, who's friends with the twins. Charlie and the reader have a crush on each other and he loves to see her blush and get all nervous, so it's like his mission to make her blush a lot, she kinda likes it though. But when someone else does try to tease the reader, not in a comfortable way, unfortunately, Charlie comes to the rescue and later on confesses his feelings. 2. Anonymous - I am begging for Charlie kissing shy!reader for the first time please

One-Shot - I'm Yours [Mixing 2 requests]

1. Anonymous - One where he gets jealous because of how close you’ve always been to Fred and George, even though Charlie really has nothing to worry about. 2. Anonymous - I have a dialogue request for Charlie Weasley and “Pay attention to me” where maybe the reader is friends with the twins and she’s having a ‘situation’ with charlie that no one knows about?

Drabble (Untitled)

Anonymous - Hi friend! Can I interest you in a dialog prompt for Charlie Weasley and “I’m sorry but I love you and I’m not going anywhere?”

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Evan Buckley

Drabble or One-Shot (Untitled)

Anonymous - Could I request a Buck x plussize reader? One where someone says something mean about the reader and buck defends her and comforts her after? Idk I just feel like I need some buck fluff in my life 😂

Drabble or One-Shot - Late Night Talking

Anonymous - Can you write a Buck x reader fic where they both work at the 118 and are really good friends. They both have a crush on each other. One night reader comes to visit him at his apartment because she doesn't want to go home(she still lives with her parents and they have a argument or something) Buck is happy to see her but also knows that something is wrong. They spend some time together and maybe there is a love confession at the end.

Eddie Diaz

Drabble or One-Shot - Cramps

Anonymous - One being eddie and the reader are going about they're day. Reader feels unwell but thinks nothing of it until they get back from a call/at the end of one and reader has appendicitis so they rush her to the hospital? Eddie is there when she wakes up and looks after her.

Drabble or One-Shot - Proposal

Anonymous - eddie is planning to propose to reader and he's all fluffy and cute about it?? Maybe gets Chris involved and the team are congratulating them? All fluffy and cute again.

[corancoranthemagicalman]

I think a neat premise for a fic would be if someone (Bilbo) fell in the treasure hall while trying to go see Thorin. He gets quite hurt from ending up partially buried and Thorin rushes over when he hears Bilbo scream. That breaks the gold sickness. He still at first refuses to negotiate with Bard too worried about Bilbo to leave his side until he hears that Thranduil is there too and manages to barter for a healer to enter along with promises for future discussions. The battle still happens but Thorin is much more careful because he needs to get back to injured Bilbo.

Alternate options I also like are Fili or Kili being the one who gets hurt in the treasure room and the other gets to harass the injured one about not being injured in the battle but by falling into gold, how undwarf like.

Who would you prefer to be the one to get hurt to break the goldsickness? Honestly I can see it being any of the company because in my opinion they became a close family during the journey.

*Asks are sent for fun, no pressure to answer.

Oh, this is a very interesting premise! Especially because it would play into this theme of like, love of family above gold. When the choice is obviously there, torn between searching the Treasury for the Arkenstone, or tearing everything apart to save one (or a few!) of the Company?

I wonder if you could spin it too so that, like, it was almost like a cave-in? I'm thinking that the Dwarrow aren't too unfamiliar with that, aren't they? And this landslide of gold has sort of trapped Bilbo, Fíli, and Bofur in one of the siderooms. You'd have Family feels on the inside (the Dwarrow teaching Bilbo the best way to survive while stuck in a cave-in + Bilbo talking about how Hobbits carved holes into the earth to live in, and the parallel of those two cultures in how and why they dig), and then on the outside you could have that drama, too.

I'd imagine in that scenario, part of what helps make mends is that, Thorin would have to call upon Men and Elves just to help excavate, and that would probably be in part the "take what you can carry for your people," which like, would help ease tensions between him and Bard, certainly, even if there wasn't total trust and forgiveness.

You could have more family drama, too, of a still recovering from sickness Kíli trying to step up into his brother's shoes as he's helping Thorin, and he and Thorin having some emotions too on their side of the landslide.

But I agree that the entire Company is family (part of why I curse that Tolkien INVENTED the found family AND the separation of found family at the end of the journey. [/teasing]), so I think any of the Company suffering serious injury could have been an interesting way to pull Thorin from that generational curse—the one thing that Thorin wouldn't be able to help BUT do and defy the goldsickness.

[beehiveofblorbos]

hm. I kinda wish Isen had a different ability

I mean, he’s not a super well developed character (or if he is im just dumb and haven’t been able to parse it LOL) but here’s the idea: what if he and Orrin’s abilities were swapped? same levels for both, so Orrin is still mega powerful level wise (he must be, to command Rein, a possible high tier, with such ease) and Isen as a 4.4-> 4.8.

but I think I’d like it more this way? At least for Isen, him having Dominion (or perhaps Command, at a lower level) would be an interesting contrast to his lack of desire to claim authority. Even swapping his ability with Farrah’s Hypnosis would do, I think, but I do prefer a Dominion variant and I’ll explain why.

His role as the main six’s intelligence and public relations guy is surprisingly relatively brushed under the rug. I mean, without Isen, Remi John and Blyke could not have spread Untitled/Unordinary nearly as efficiently, and Isen is also the one who has consistently looked at the bigger picture of achieving Remi and Blyke’s goals of societal change and managing public opinion. Overall, intelligence gathering and info management is a really important part of UnO, but for some reason Isen is the least powerful least developed and least respected member of the main six.

so giving him a powerful ability like Dominion would make sense, to reinforce the connection between the press/info flow and the capability to control others’ actions. It’d make sense that he refuses to train his ability extensively, because again he doesn’t want to exert authority, which plays into his overall character of a coward and someone who’s very risk averse. (whereas in canon it makes less sense? since his ability is so in sync with his stalker habits, you’d think he’d refine it to get better at stalking).

but his ability still has specific applications that help him manage info flow, since he can project his consciousness into others and see through their eyes. he can also somewhat control what they remember about him doing so. and here’s another reason I want him to have this ability: it means he can actually pull Blyke and remi back from doing stuff. As I imagine it, his ability is less effective but still somewhat so on people higher levelled than him.

It’d make the trio’s friendship feel less bad than it currently does bc at the moment Isen is literally just here trying to keep his two best friends alive and also half trying to convince them out of the main plot. I really believe a huge issue with his character is it feels like he has very little agency, and giving him a control-type ability like Dominion or Hypnosis would allow him to have that extra agency and control over the direction of the vigilante/royal trio. Which he very desperately needs to feel justified as a main character who’s also invested in the main story

Plus, Hunter is a great ability to give to an antagonistic character, since the main six is literally in a constant state of being hunted down. For Orrin in particular, he kinda would’ve been more impressive without such a dominant ability; just the sheer charisma and his people skills.

[gamergirlbonestaskforce141riot]

What do you think TF141 zodiacs are? Plus whoever else you want (could be other OCs!)

- Sincerely, annoying anon

You are not annoying!!

I had to recruit the help of my dearest @eenochian because I know next to nothing about zodiacs (but it's very interesting) and I love her take

Short answer

gaz: september virgo w/ pisces rising

soap: april taurus w/ gemini rising

price: may gemini w/ virgo rising

ghost: capricorn (dec. or jan.) w/ libra rising

Gaz: september virgo w/ pisces rising

so Gaz is 100%, without a doubt, a fellow virgo to me. Virgo men are known for being problem solvers. Good guides, very down to earth, prefers clean and organized environments – both physical and mental. They get along with most people fairly well because they’re very mutable (meaning they can change or adapt as needed), but it’s hard to get past those inner walls, so most of those people are just surface level relationships, with a select few getting that deeper connection. Yet another hard worker and complete workaholic, very rational, calculative yet extremely adaptive, efficient, and very adventurous – basically the perfect problem-solver. Another thing virgo men prioritize is what’s right, and when someone wrongs them, they do not forget. They feel very deeply and have a sharp intuition that lets them see past another person’s deceit, which is yet another reason why they err towards keeping smaller circles and keeping closed off until they trust someone. Extremely helpful, kind, and considerate to those they care about. As for how this pertains to our lovely Gaz: In my opinion (feel free to disagree) he’s probably the most sensitive member of the 141. His intuition and rapid problem-solving skills are insanely advanced, and between his emotions surrounding the interrogation with The Butcher and his family in MW19, Graves and Shepherd’s betrayals, Farah’s story, and how he handles those complicated missions like Piccadilly Circus, Countdown, Recon by Fire, and Highrise… I mean, I could go on for too many messages about why this man screams virgo to me.

As for his rising sign… Libra was a very tempting option due to his strong sense of justice, but I went with pisces because a pisces ascendant usually indicates that a man is very sensitive, compassionate, intuitive, stubborn, adaptable, and on occasion a little too humble to the point of almost being shy. In my opinion, Gaz is a man who dreams so big that he frustrates himself with not being able to reach those unrealistic goals. A bit of the “save the world” mentality with him, y’know. Despite being incredibly talented and adaptable in almost all situations, he has his moments where that frustration over his idealistic goals not playing out leads to him feeling stuck and starting to doubt himself (cough his intro in MW19). He’s very persuasive and communicative, and very skilled in a group that he feels at ease in. He does things the way he wants to do them and struggles with following advice or orders (unless he respects the person and/or agrees with it) because he’s got such a strong intuition. Like I said, very compassionate, and also always eager to help wherever and whenever he can. Very humble and even mysterious at times because he’s on the quieter side, takes a long time to think before coming to any decision, but also has a very imaginative, creative, and social side when in a good environment for it.

Soap:april taurus w/ gemini rising

their #1 most defining trait is their fucking stubbornness. But, that’s not necessarily a bad thing – they’re stubborn bulls (hence the name lmao), but they’re also incredibly persistent and very steadfast! Once they’ve got their mind set on something, there is nothing on this planet that can stop them. Just think about Soap’s backstory and how he joined the SAS; he tried (and failed) for years to lie about his age to get in earlier and, once he did manage to get in, he immediately started setting records and relentlessly pushing to do more. Taurus men are also loyal to a fault. Very strong sense of duty, very reliable, and a hard worker who demands the best of himself and expects everyone around him to put in their best effort. He’s very down-to-earth and likes to plan things out, always trying to make the most rational (and just) decision in any given situation. If that isn’t Johnny “Fucking Military Prodigy” MacTavish, idk what is lol

a gemini ascendent would indicate that he’s very lively and charming, very active (both mentally and physically), extremely intelligent and quick-witted, a great conversationalist snd social expert, very animated, and overall just a very playful and fun personality. Of course, everything comes with its flaws – this would be yet another indicator that he’s somewhat impatient and even has a bit of a shorter attention span. Not because he’s stupid, the short attention span is a result of him simply moving too fast – again, both mentally and physically. He’s very inquisitive and curious about everything around him, so he ends up being super distractible because he’s wanting to look at everything all at once. Another sorta “negative” trait is also the fact that he can be manipulative. I don’t really see this with Soap, but my mom’s also a gemini rising and I don’t see it with her, either. I think it’s more or less what could happen if a gemini ascendent abuses that inherent charm and social skill that they have. Also worth noting that it’s a sign he’s a bit flirty. I don’t think anyone’s shocked by that one. Also known to be adventurous, which does contrast with his sun sign’s innate desire for stability and routine. You’d think that would lead to issues, but in reality, the focus and discipline that comes from his sun sign perfectly melds together with how scattered and flexible he can be, which leads to him being very adaptable (even if it causes stress)! His ascendent also helps alleviate some of that very serious side that comes from his sun sign.

Price: may gemini w/ virgo rising

Now, an important thing to remember about a gemini is that gemini represents a dual nature. It’s the twins of the zodiac. That being said, Price is going to sound a lot like Soap at first. Gemini men are talkative and not usually shy (this can change when you throw in some virgo), but a key point is that they’re very good communicators. They’re very charismatic and excel in any sort of social environment – he’s “the guy that knows a guy” because he’s a very curious person who wants to meet and experience everyone around him. Just think about how many allies Price has and how heavily he prioritizes forming bonds with the people he works with. Leading off of him wanting to experience the people around him – gemini men are notoriously victim to their whims. He will do what he wants to do, without regard for random bullshit like “rules” or “authority” or comments like “that’s a US general you just killed” and “Price you just set off a missile over Washington DC”

He is extremely adaptable (again, dual nature) and restless, and he will get bored with people who can’t keep up with his mind. Constantly tries to surround himself both with people who can teach him new things and people he can teach. Now, it sounds like I’m saying he’s selfish and all about “me, me, me!!” But, he’s really not. Again, dual nature. Gemini men can easily lift a mood because they’re such light and vibrant personalities, turn any bland or dull situation into something better with a joke or a witty comment. Depending on his mood (or the time of day lol), he can be the most charming man in the room or your worst nightmare. A very versatile personality, really.

So, a virgo ascendent can best be summarized in three words: Observant, disciplined, and nurturing. I don’t think anyone will be shocked by Price being called any of those things. Virgo ascendents would be considered pretty classic perfectionists (this is not universal) by a lot of people. And, the description isn’t wholly inaccurate. They’re very detail-oriented and critical, both of their own work and the work of others – the details are what make up the big picture, so every detail will be planned to a T. All t’s crossed and i’s dotted, y’know. He enjoys things being orderly, so he’ll do what he must to keep everything and everyone neatly filed and organized (that being said, I headcanon him as having a messy system of organization lmao). Continuing in the theme of details, he is extremely observant. Like, noticing your breathing pattern is different when you get anxious levels of observation. You think you can hide something from him? Think again. This is part of how he shows his care for people, because virgo is a sign of mutability and shyness – show, don’t tell. Emotional intelligence isn’t as hyped up as the immense levels of practical intelligence he has, but it’s very much present in his day-to-day life. Again, bouncing off the last topic, he’s nurturing. Virgo is the maiden, it’s very caring, gentle, maternal, and sensitive, even though anyone under it will deny these things (again, shyness). It might sound ironic to call Price maternal, but, by god, he is. His observational skills and attention to detail are what allow him to pick up on the subtlest change in anyone he cares about, and he cares about those select people greatly. He doesn’t let just anyone get close to him, his special circle is reserved for those few he can trust. As for the combined effects of these signs… very analytical and critical personality, mainly of himself, but others, too. He’s not a showboat, he’s modest and prefers to let his actions speak for himself. Also… somewhat of a control freak. Not because he’s weird and domineering, but who better to trust than himself? Knowing that he’s in control and he’s determining the circumstances helps him feel secure – it’s a reflex, a natural desire. Very good instincts and intuition. His problem is second-guessing and doubting himself when he just needs to trust his gut. Innate skill in problem-solving that Gaz shares. Now, here’s the kicker: despite being all about practical problem-solving, he uses that sense of humor and caretaking nature as an excuse to distance himself from his own problems. It will require someone else (like a partner or close confidant) to make him confront those, and actually feeling secure enough to open up is a whole other obstacle.

Ghost: capricorn (dec. or jan.) w/ libra rising

his sun sign being capricorn means that, in his thinking and personality, he is a very mature, hardworking individual, with a lot of passion for what he does and determination. strong, wise, very dour and serious, yet there exists a more humorous side that you really only see when he lightens up around people he trusts. he’s a workaholic, very much prioritizes the substance and quality of what he does, and he likes being in control, both personally and professionally. dislikes a lot of change happening, but he’s not as bad as some other signs.

also, specifically in love… very subtle. not big on crazy displays, very loyal, doesn’t enjoy messing around and playing a bunch of games. as for his ascendent/rising sign being libra: i based this purely on his humor and sense of justice. above all, libras of any breed heavily prioritize fairness, equality, order, and doing what’s “right.” they’re on the quieter side, but very vocal and active when it comes to peacemaking matters. for ghost specifically, i was thinking about how there’s that sense of humor, since libras are often considered very charming and have very curious minds, which leads to them wanting to explore and experience new things to gain more life experience

Nikolai:

Now THIS asshole... Gemini? Sure. Sagittarius? Sure. Taurus? Capricorn? Maybe even Leo? Sure, sure, sure… but, no. Gripping Nik like a stress ball This is a Scorpio. TEXTBOOK. Rising sign? Not any of the ones I said before, no, no, no… This bastard’s got an Aries ascendent.

Now, OCs... she is fantastic and I think she nailed them all

Riot’s canonically a virgo, and yeah that makes sense. Open up a zodiac textbook, look at “virgo,” and it’s a picture of her. As for her ascendent… feels like she’d have a classically feminine one. This may sound controversial, but she’s giving scorpio.

So, a Virgo sun and Scorpio ascendent is a… how would I describe it… an intense combination, really. Riot is a perfectionist and very detail-oriented person thanks to her sun sign. Whether it’s work, hobby, interpersonal relationships, etc. etc…. She likes order, she likes feeling in control, she’s practical and meticulous yet has a gentle and nurturing side, and she’s not one to boast. As typical with a Virgo, she’s humble and shy and lets her actions speak for herself. She is reliable, she is observant, she is diligent, and she is the person you can go to for just about anything.

As for the combination, think of her as a perfectionist with a twist. That Scorpio brings in a very intense and passionate nature that you don’t see with the muted Virgo, and she’s got this layer of mystery that makes it all the more rewarding to gain her trust. She’s not just a problem-solver, she is someone who will solve the problem and make sure it never happens again. Any potential issue? Taken care of. Any quirks that need to be worked out? Done. She’s a very reliable person who can be trusted with pretty much anything, even the repulsive tasks (cough the black ops shit cough). It sounds like she’s all seriousness, but she’s not, I swear. Her issue is just that she suppresses her emotions and makes every effort against expressing herself, which leads to anxiety and nerves and soooo much built-up tension. That being said – she does all of this whilst craving someone who understands her. Not just anyone, but someone who wants to understand and unravel those mysteries that her Virgo reticence and Scorpio secrecy demands she keeps locked up tight. When she’s actually feeling at ease and/or with people she likes and trusts, she’s all about making them happy. Creating a good environment, serving them to show her love and care, being that safe space for people to rely on – people feel comfortable around her because she’s got this magnetic personality (Scorpio trait) and this honest, gentle nature that makes her seem very approachable. Overall, she’s simultaneously a mystery and someone who yearns to share. Lots of trust issues, insecurities, and constantly has something rotating in the back of her mind and probably causing her quite a bit of stress. What she needs is to be understood and reassured that her loyalty and sensitivity won’t hurt her. Also, Scorpio ascendent explains why she and Nikolai get along

For Mini ( @sofasoap )… come on, that girl is a taurus in any universe. She’d have gemini rising if she’s Soap’s twin, which does apply pretty damn well to her, but in my (eenochian's) universe where she’s not a twin, I’m getting sagittarius rising from her (it takes one to know one).

As for Petra ( @eenochian ), she’s a cancer. Her rising sign… I never really thought about it before today, but I think she and Price are twinning on the virgo rising. Definitely an earth sign, at least. I just give her too many of my own traits lmao. Now, Zhar… she is my Everest.

I want to say an earth sign for Zhar ( @nrdmssgs ). Virgo, taurus, or capricorn. She’s a practical woman, pretty introverted and reserved in my opinion, but no… no, it’s the demons trying to convince me that she’s an earth sign. an aquarius if I’ve ever seen one. As for her rising sign… Cancer. Petra loves her and trusts her for a reason.

[spice-and-fire]

TIMING: Recent LOCATION: The Wormhole PARTIES: @eatdearth x @spice-and-fire SUMMARY: Devi & Jasper meet at the Wormhole for drinks. CONTENT: None

“You know almonds, right?” Devi asked, as if those weren’t a common thing here or most places with a candy store or chocolate shop or even an airport shop. “I used to go crazy for them as a kid…” She shook her head, grinning, before taking a sip of her beer. “But my dad was the worst at shelling them. He'd just hack 'em to pieces with his knife, leaving a bunch of inedible mush behind. In the end, he'd salvage what he could by scraping pieces of the flesh off the shell, then mixing it with some milk and calling it porridge.”

It had been a long day. For most people, that would already be enough to get them a bottle of beer or two, but for someone in Worm Row? Someone like Devi who lives in the most dangerous neighborhood in town? It was just any other day, and a cold glass of beer was an excuse to feel a sort of relief from the day-to-day routine of surviving. “...I do miss the taste of that porridge sometimes...and I miss that old nut-cracker, too.”

It started out with a kiss, how did it end up like this? At least that’s how it went in Jasper’s head, complete with an imagined perfect rendition with his voice, which, of course, would not exist in reality. He was not a singer, especially not someone who could belt out a harmonious Mr. Brightside by The Killers with relative ease. Even the shower wouldn’t indulge his fantasy. It actually started with an attempt at a ‘deez nuts’ joke, the professor having been bombarded with hundreds of thousands of the sort just this week alone that his brain tried to lessen the trauma by pulling the same crap on a stranger. Unfortunately for him, the stranger seemed to have already drank too many beers to actually care.

Jasper heaved a sigh, nodding his head, pretending he was getting what she was talking about. In reality, he was barely listening. Something about almonds and milk. Great. She’s one of those people who aggressively prefers nut milk over cow milk. Jasper didn’t think they were especially harmful, or annoying, but because she was being harmful to him, mostly annoying, she couldn’t help but lump them all in together. And try to change the subject. “Speaking of cracking nuts, you from here? I’ve only been here a couple of times. Pretty far from where I live. Hoping none of my students would find me here.”

Devi simply nodded, taking another sip of her beer, more like a chug, as she never took her eyes off of Jasper. She was surprised, more impressed, that the random guy she was talking to was actually a professor of sorts, maybe even a kindergarten teacher. Don’t get her wrong: Professors are impressive, what with their degrees and everything, but kindergarten teachers? Those guys deal with tiny kids, annoying kids, kids that have yet to know shame and guilt. Those guys are way more impressive than anyone else. “Students? You teach?”

“Say, does your place need security?” Devi squinted as she leaned forward toward him, closer than he probably liked, her beer-scented breath warm to his face. “Because if you guys need security, or extra security, I’m really good at working security,” she leaned back, shrugging, a playful smirk on her face. Devi was proud of that part of her, being efficient and competent in the field of security. She’d done much worse in the past, beating people to a pulp, setting things including said people on fire, displaying gruesome violence all for a lot of money, so still being able to be on top of things and people without needing to resort to her past barbaric tendencies… Well, that was pretty impressive, if she thought so herself. “Like, really good.”

“I do,” Jasper beamed with pride. If there was one thing in his life he was most proud of, aside from his luxurious mane, it was his calling, his craft, his field. “I teach geology at the university. I’m a geologist, a professor, and an all-round rockstar.” With a shake of his head, he winked at the woman before realizing that pun might need some explaining. “Get it? Rockstar? Because I work with rocks?” Probably didn’t actually need some explaining. Might have made it a whole lot worse now. Puns have never been the most accepted form of humor, and explaining them? Well, that might be offensive to some people.

“Security?” Jasper instinctively raised an eyebrow. He looked the woman over, from head to toe, and subconsciously licked his lips. She was fine. More than fine. Like girlfriend material. Maybe even wife material. Definitely someone he’d take care of, love until the day he died. Or at least the idealized version he had of her. Jasper didn’t know her that much, not yet at least, to make this kind of assumption. He could blame the alcohol or the loneliness but he definitely needs some more maturing in that regard. “You work security?” He blurted out, in disbelief that someone who looked like her worked a field so risky and dangerous as security.

“Huh,” Devi squinted at Jasper, as if confused by his revelation. At first, she thought he didn’t look like a geology professor. But then again, what would a geology professor even look like? Devi, who barely had a formal education, wouldn’t know. Professors to her have always been silver-haired old men or bespectacled ladies with prim and proper clothing. Jasper seemed young and less disillusioned by the world around him, though she could be wrong. His ‘rock’ pun confirmed that. “...I see. You actually like rock, the music genre, or is that just for the wordplay?”

When his eyes wandered all over her, Devi felt the heat, becoming a little more defensive than usual. It was like he was judging her from the way she looked. Growing up in a different country from where she had been born, and being who, or more precisely, what she is, that whole thing was not her jam. So it made her a little more annoyed and a little less…nice. “Yeah, I do,” she blurted out almost instinctively, as aggressively as she could. “Got a problem with that, Professor?”

Eyebrow raised, an agitated Devi didn’t stop with that. She leaned forward, now wearing a scowl, doing the same thing to him as he had to her: Judging him after her eyes went over his entire body. “What are you even doing here? This is Worm Row, not your cushy university, with your rich students and expensive beers. You here for something illegal? Something scandalous, huh?” Was he a pervert? It was all starting to make sense to her now. A professor down there for a simple bottle of beer? Nah, he was more likely some sort of deviant, out to buy some folks’ time and company so he could do his weird, maybe even dark, desires with them. Disgusting. “You a piece of shit, Jimmy?”

“I mean, sure,” Jasper shrugged, clearly a filthy casual when it came to music genres. The man listens to The Coffeehouse playlist on Spotify without even remembering the individual titles on there. He was not the best guy to ask for recommendations on songs. He could barely remember the tunes he’s heard for days, both intentionally and unintentionally. “I like rock. I listen to it whenever I can. The Beatles, am I right?” Were the Beatles rock? He had a feeling the woman would tell him either way.

“Oh, no problem,” Jasper feigned a cough, feeling the weight of the night, the company, and the drinks just then. Was his shoulder aching? He could have sworn it wasn’t just a few seconds ago. Why would it even start to hurt? “No problem at all,” he repeated without looking at her, his full attention on the bad feeling on his shoulder. “I just meant, well, you look too pretty to be working security,” he fucked up, obliviously. “Like, you should be a model or something else.”

“Illegal?” Jasper perked up, eyes wide in horror when she started assuming the worst of him. In her defense, she had some great points. Why would a self-respecting professor go all the way down in Worm Row for a drink? In his defense? He was not a self-respecting professor, if not only a professor. “Oh, no! No, no, no! Nothing of the sort,” he gulped, straightened himself on his seat, as if that would help his argument. “I’m just… I don’t really want to run into students or other professors or everyone I know, you know? Also, it’s Jasper, not Jimmy… Did you give me your name?”

Devi wasn’t in the mood to argue. The alcohol coursing through her veins fought off any internal urge to pick a fight with Jasper’s statements. He was right about one thing, though: The Beatles were rock. And a bunch of other things. Hard to box legends with careers, especially music, that withstand time. With a wide grin on her face, she leaned back before unintentionally pounding his shoulder, closer to his back, with a wider hand. “You’re all right, Blackbird,” she chuckled. You’re all right.”

It helped that apparently his earlier comments were meant to be a compliment. Devi didn’t initially take them as such, but to be fair, Devi wasn’t taking things as they are at that point in time. If she was, she wouldn’t be drinking her problems away with a random stranger. A model, though? She felt that was a bit much. She’s been called pretty before, mostly by men with needs, but a model? That felt to her like an unnecessary stretch. “Maybe I am? I’m woman enough to be able to juggle more than one job, right?”

“Jasper,” Devi mouthed his name again. It wasn’t that odd of a name, though it was definitely less common than Jimmy. At least to her it was. She shrugged before she answered his question, “Nope.” Guy was relatable. At least he’d be if she was herself a few years ago. Running into faces she was familiar with in that state? That would’ve been impossible back then. She would’ve made sure of it. But that was all in the past. She’s lost so many loved ones, running into them again would be a welcomed respite from all the regrets, the bad memories, the living nightmares that has since haunted her sober days. 

“It’s Devi,” she let out a yawn, stretching her limbs to either side in protest at the sleepiness. “You know, I get you, Jasper. Sometimes, we just gotta be somewhere else, somewhere new, somewhere no one we know will find us.” It was exactly why she had even moved to town. Somewhere else. Somewhere new. Somewhere no one left she knew would find her. And her sins.

“Blackbird?” Jasper was confused. Where did that come from? Was it because of his skin tone? The geology professor wasn’t quite sure how to feel about that. On one hand, he should be offended, right? On the other? She’s kinda cute, so maybe that’s a win for him? Fortunately for him, his stupidity didn’t need to go any further than that. Instead, the sound of his name on her lips pulled him off those thoughts and elsewhere, somewhere much better. “You’re definitely a woman…”

It was Jasper’s turn to mouth her name, only he didn’t speak it out loud. In his head, he did, and that was more than enough for him. It wasn’t like he’d forget her name. He doubted he would forget it and her any time soon. Eyes following her body’s movements, the spellcaster found her words hitting close to home. Too close. Was she the same? A kindred spirit? Or were those words more apt for the friend he had lost down the mines. “Yeah, well,” Jasper heaved a sigh, his mood turning gloomy, as he switched his full attention back to the counter, resting his whole weight on his forearm against the tabletop. “If someone can find us where we think they won’t, maybe that’ll help us find someone else we haven’t been able to find…” Or something like that.

“Yeah?” Devi frowned. Didn’t he say he was a fan of the Beatles? His question confused her in turn, but instead of just prodding him with any accusations, she began singing the familiar line of the should-have-been familiar song to him. “Blackbird singing in the dead of night…” she began, leaning back on her seat, her back against the counter, arms over the tabletop, her head bowing up and down with the imaginary tune only she could hear. “Take these broken wings and learn to fly!” 

“All your life!” A table near them started to sing along, surprising Devi but in a way that only motivated her to continue singing with them, a huge grin on her face. “You were only waiting for this moment to arise…” When the brief sing-along ended, everyone who had participated chuckled and raised their bottles for a cozy cheer. She then heaved a sigh of contentment, and took a swig from her bottle. “Damn right, I am. More woman than any man can handle.” Another chuckle. Before the professor switched gears and started acting all sad. 

Devi could relate: With all her past mistakes, regrets even, disappearing in a small town her old…acquaintances wouldn’t even think of visiting was the best idea she’s ever had. She doubted anyone could find her there. And would rather not sadness find the both of them where and when they were right then and there. “Or… Maybe they’ve already found us, eh? And they’re the someone we didn’t know we needed to find!”

There was never a moment in Jasper’s life where he felt the utmost relief, though if there had been, he couldn’t remember. More importantly, he was impressed. It dawned on him that the woman he was drinking with may be somewhat of a local celebrity. Definitely not just a random face on the street. He’d seen people try to start a sing-along at a bar before, and most of the time, it took great effort. Unless it was a sports thing, strangers barely sang with each other unprompted. Here, the woman didn’t even ask for anyone else to support her singing. They just did. Granted she was pretty, so there’s that… “Oh, yeah!” Jasper nodded, grinning, before taking a swig from his drink. “I remember that song. Classic.”

Was she hitting on him? That was the thought that immediately ran down Jasper’s tiny brain with her final sentiments. After that talk about a woman no man can handle, the geology professor was thinking that maybe she was offering herself up to him as a challenge? Was that sexist? Some backwards misogynistic thought? In a way, in a specific context, maybe. At the moment? He just wasn’t sure. He was too intoxicated to delve deeper into such notions. At least that’s the excuse he wanted to go with. Dangerous territory right there, and he was a rock guy, not a sociopolitical/humanities big brain person. “Maybe,” he grinned again, loosening up in his seat. “Maybe I can be that man who can handle all that woman? Worth a try.”

“Yeah?” Devi grinned, an eyebrow raised as she looked him over from head to toe. He didn’t look bad. Entirely way better than the last guy who tried to hit on her. Now that guy? That guy was a complete fool. Tried to grab her when she said no, so Devi grabbed him back and knocked him out cold. The rest of the bar laughed at his unconscious ass and cheered her on. Now that guy was banned for life from the Wormhole. Poor guy. Now he wouldn’t be able to show them he could change. Also he got hauled into the station, so she guessed, if he wasn’t from Worm Row, that would suck. Or not, depending on whether he had friends in high places. Unfair but that’s just the world for most people. “Think so?”

“Mmm, you’re not bad…” Devi teased before finishing the entirety of what remained in her bottle, leaving it empty if not for air. She heaved a sigh of relief, grinned and then nodded at the bartender, before turning to the professor again. “You’re not married, are you? In a relationship with someone else? Because I don’t do people who’re already with other people. Unless there’s consent, like one of those open relationship things, but even then, I’m not really one for sharing.” The last thing she wanted was to break up a home or someone else’s heart. The last person who tried lying to her about all that found their bones broken. “If not, do you want to pay for all these, so we can get out of here, Blackbird?”

“OH, I’m definitely not married,” Jasper let out a chuckle, much louder and larger than he ever expected to. When he realized that, he meekly apologized with an awkward grin. He wasn’t even sure what he was apologizing for, but it felt like he should, so he did. “No relationships either. I was in one, with a coworker, but that did not end well.” He made sure to leave out the part where said coworker is still a coworker and still randomly shows up at his place whenever she feels like it. That was a weird situation, and he felt he didn’t need to add more weird in whatever this entire thing was. “So, nope, just me right now,” he shrugged. “...and my dog.”

Jasper lamented his mistake of adding that last line but decided it might have just added to his charm. Chicks digged dogs, right? Even though his was a total b-word. He was mid-sip when Devi insinuated what he thought she insinuated and almost spat out all the liquid. Without saying anything else, he scrambled for his wallet while at the same time calling for the bartender’s attention, rushing to pay for their drinks, for everything else, so they could go wherever she wanted them to go. Hopefully where he thought she wanted him. “Blackbird’s ready to fly!”

[onelastfic]

Mei & Loki Kids Interactions

Fenrir, the formidable giant wolf of Norse legend, prowled through Avalon's enchanted forests. Unsurprisingly, he ran into another frequent visitor of the forest, the young Avalon princess and her companion. Though his feelings for the latter were less than stellar.

"Raindrop, darling, do remind your oversized canine friend to keep his distance. I have no desire to engage in a game of chase today." Mei called out, her tone dripping with irritation as she eyed Fenrir with a mixture of distrust and disdain.

Rain chuckled, shaking her head. "Fenrir's just curious about people coming into his part of the forest, Mei Mei. He won't hurt you."

“Uh-huh…” Mei crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing. "Curiosity killed the cat, Raindrop. And in this case, I'd rather not be the cat."

Sensing Mei's unease, Fenrir gave a low growl, his eyes fixed on her. Mei responded with a haughty glare, the tension between them palpable.

"Also, Fenrir, could you please stop leaving your shedded fur all over the place? It's like walking in a wolf's den rather than a forest and all this fur is so... last millennium. Smells that old too." Mei complained, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

Fenrir merely huffed and trotted away, leaving Mei to grumble about canine nuisances under her breath. Rain watched the exchange with a bemused smile.

"You know, Mei, he's not that bad once you get to know him," Rain said, trying to ease the tension.

Mei scoffed, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "I'd rather not. I prefer my company less... furry and more refined."

Rain laughed, shaking her head. "Suit yourself. But if you ever need a giant wolf to scare off your enemies, you know where to find him. Though it helps if you bring him some meat first."

Mei rolled her eyes. "I'll keep that in mind. But for now, I'll stick to scaring off my enemies with my own skills. Thank you very much."

——

Mei said, eyeing Hel with a critical gaze. "You know, darling, a little makeup could work wonders for you. I could give you a makeover that would make you the envy of the underworld. "

Hel merely raised an eyebrow. "I'll pass. I prefer my aesthetic just as it is, thank you."

Undeterred, Mei persisted, her enthusiasm undimmed. "Come on, Hel. A touch of color here, a bit of contouring there, the perfect shade of lipstick paired with the right accessories—think of the possibilities! I could transform your look from half-dead chic to a drop dead gorgeous underworld queen."

Hel chuckled dryly. "I appreciate the offer, little one, but I'm quite comfortable with my look. Besides, I have other matters to attend to than makeup experiments."

“Your loss, darling, but a little touch-up wouldn't hurt. Imagine the statement you could make with the right ensemble.” Mei shrugged. "If you ever change your mind, you know where to find me."

Hel nodded politely, already accustomed to Rain’s friend’s flair for the dramatic and relentless pursuit of aesthetic perfection.

——

On a sunny day at Avalon's beach, Rain Butterfly lounged atop Jormungandr's giant snake head, soaking in the warmth of the sun. Mei lounged on a lavish beach chair, soaking in the sun's golden rays while idly flipping through a fashion magazine.

Dawn's urgent voice shattered the peace as he arrived, calling out to Rain, "Rain, we need to talk! You can't keep hanging out with this cold-blooded monster. It brings nothing but misery wherever it goes and is incapable of any kind of human emotions or empathy."

Rain, leaping to Jormungandr's defense, protested, "No, Dawn! Jormungandr is nice. He's just misunderstood."

"Who said I was talking about Jormungandr? I'm referring to Mei." Dawn clarified, pointing to the girl in the pink floral one piece.

Mei, unamused by Dawn's attempt at humor, scoffed. "Oh, wow, Dawn. Did you use all two of your brain cells to come up with that lame joke? And FYI, constantly comparing me to a snake is just gonna make it more justified when I strangle you."

——

Rain beamed with excitement as she watched over little baby Phebe, who sat in her lap with an unamused blank expression. Rain looked at her best friend, eager for Mei to join in the baby fun.

“Mei Mei, come on! Just give Phebe a cuddle.” Rain said.

“No.” Mei stated firmly, arms crossed and expression deadpan.

“But she's so cute! Just one little hold?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Look at her little toes! Don’t you just want to tickle these piggies?”

“Not in the slightest.”

“C’mon, don’t tell me you don’t just want to pinch her chubby cheeks or hold these wittle arms?! Tài kě'àile!”

“Non. Nay. Nein. Jué bù. I do not and I will not.” Mei remarked, unmoved by Rain's enthusiasm. “I've told you before, Raindrop. I don't do babies. Not holding her, not cuddling her, not playing with her, definitely not helping change her nasty diapers, nothing. I'll leave all the baby duties to you. I'm sure you'll make an excellent sitter.”

Dusk, with a teasing grin, chimed in, "What’s wrong, Mei? You scared that holding Phebe might awaken some dormant maternal instincts that you tried to squash long ago?"

Dawn laughed loudly. "Hah! This is Mei, you’re talking about, bro. She doesn't have a maternal bone in her body. Pretty sure she was born without that stuff."

"Pretty sure you were born without a brain, you blonde buffoon. Not all girls swoon over babies. Some of us have better things to do than have babies on the brain." Mei retorted.

“Not a big fan of kids, eh?” DJ asked, smirking that someone else seemed to share his mindset.

“Am I a fan of loud, sticky, drooling, snotty nosed little gremlins that drain ambition and wreck women’s bodies?” Mei grumbled, face scrunching up in disgust at the thought of ever having kids before glancing at Phebe. The baby stared at her intently, expression cool as ice but gaze seemed irritated, which didn’t help decrease Mei’s mistrust. “Besides, this kid seems really, really off. She rarely cries and stares at us like she knows what we’re saying. Like are we sure she isn’t some reincarnated god or something that came back as a baby?”

“If she is, probably not going to do you any favors saying stuff like that.” Dawn remarked. Not believing anything Mei was insinuating but he’d never pass up the opportunity to mess with her. “Might want to sleep with one eye open, from now on, Mei. Ain’t that right, Phebe?”

Phebe glanced at Mei, eyes narrowing. “Goo…”

—————

Loki kids belong to @thepaladincosplays

Rain and DJ belong to @laylaylamode

Dusk and Dawn belong to @kururu418

[leggerefiore]

Now we need to hear about the adventures of adopted Arven!

Not really stories of adopted Arven but more Arven basically getting adopted.

cw: spoilers for scarviol, not really reader centric

-----

When Inka had returned home from the academy for the holidays, you had expected her to bring a friend over with her. What you had not expected was for him to be so tall and clearly uncomfortable with the situation. For a moment, you worried that your niece had forced it on him, but she was quick to explain that Arven had a tough upbringing. You nodded. The boy had explained that he wanted to visit Unova to experience the different kinds of food native to the region. You chuckled a bit.

He and Ingo would probably get along great. Your husband had, after all, taken up cooking soon after you started dating and then proceeded to overload it with the introduction of Erin. As you chatted with both of them about their school year and newly developed interests, Erin's Skitty, Taffy, made her grand appearance to harass the new person with demands for pets and attention. The little, pink feline basically hopped up to him and sniffed his hand. Suddenly, her fur puffed up, and she rushed back, hissing. Arven was mortified by her reaction.

“He has a dog,” Inka explained. Ah. That made sense.

~

“… As you might know, one of the most popular dishes of Unova is our Castelia-styled pizza,” Ingo began to tell the long-haired boy, “It's impossible to recreate unless you have the right equipment.” He had missed the introduction of Arven as he had been at work covering for Emmet. His younger brother had needed, in his own words, to take the day off and spend time with his darling little girl who had been overseas. Ingo was not going to deny his brother time with his daughter, just as Emmet would not do the same for him and Erin. Still, however, it made trying to get to know this teen a bit difficult.

“How did your parents handle you wanting to visit Unova with just a friend?” Ingo decided to ask, “I know I would be extremely worried for Erin, but he's still a small child…” Arven tensed up at his words. The older twin immediately knew he had hit a sensitive topic with the dirty-blond. “I apologise, I should have taken into account that I am unfamiliar with your parenting situation,” Ingo set out to correct his behaviour, “I do hope being here helps you feel more at ease. If you need someone to talk with, I am always available.”

“… You work a lot, right?” Arven asked him with averted eyes. Ingo nodded. His job was a time-consuming one, but something that had to be done. “Do you leave Erin alone to fend for himself?” he continued. The Subway Boss froze up.

“N-never!” he shouted out, eyes wide, “My son is one of my most beloved people. I would never leave him alone for such long periods of time.” Arven seemed still discontented by his words and gazed out the window at the city. Ingo's stomach felt like it was being engulfed by a black hole. Had Arven's parents done that to him? Ingo could not even imagine. Even when his father had taken up long hours working in his youth, his mother had been there in his absence. If you had to leave for a few hours, Ingo would immediately work to find a way to be there for Erin.

He may only have a few weeks to make an impression on Arven, but Ingo swore to himself that he would.

~

“What's a 'Paldea'?” Erin asked his cousin's weird, tall friend. Arven cut his eyes to the boy. Then softened when he saw how genuine his face was. “Dad said you're from Paldea and Uncle said that's where Inka has been. Is Paldea a building?” Arven held back laughter at the kid's genuine confusion. He had heard Unovans were quite a bit more isolated than the rest of the world, but this certainly proved it.

“Paldea is a region, like Unova,” he told Erin, “I am Paldean, you are Unovan.” Erin nodded. The silver-haired boy's eyes moved to stare at Mabosstiff, who laid pitifully on the ground at his feet. The canine would have preferred his side on the couch, but Arven did not want to cause any discord in the home.

“Is your doggie Paldean?” Erin asked, clearly entranced with this new knowledge, “Does Paldea have a language? Is it like how Unovan's speak Galarian, but we're not Galarian?” Arven seriously debated responding to all his questions in Paldean to tease him, but resisted. He could tell it would go right over the boy's head and lead to more confusion.

“Mabosstiff is a Paldean pokemon, Paldeans speak Paldean, and Galar is where your language comes from,” he explained. The kid appeared enlightened.

“You are smarter than my dad!” he cheered. Arven's heart felt both warm and hurt by his words. Knowing your dad seemed like such a blessing to him. Erin's face suddenly turned dead serious. “C-can I pet your doggie?” he inquired nervously, eyes once again on Mabosstiff. He chuckled. Nodding, he set to work on teaching Erin how to properly introduce himself to the dog. The boy held out his hand eagerly, while Mabosstiff gave a few curious sniffs before a polite lick. Erin then reached a tentative hand to pet his head. Mabosstiff met the boy half-way and raised his head for him.

His tail wagged eagerly, and Arven could tell Mabosstiff liked him enough. “Heehee, he's like a Stoutland,” Erin giggled as he bravely moved to scratch behind his ears. Arven smiled at them.

Unaware was he that Ingo had watched the whole scene.

~

Arven sat on the couch, feeling a bit lonely. Inka had apologised for leaving him alone for the day, but her twin sister had been insistent that they go out and do something together. Emma was polite and kind, but clearly had dearly missed her sister in their time apart. He had often heard twins get terrible lonely when separated, so he supposed it was best to just let them have their time together. Unovan shows failed to entertain him, and it was too late into the night back in Paldea to message anyone there. (Maybe outside of Penny, but he was not wanting an Eeveelution spam right now.)

“Are you alright?” a voice called out and made him nearly jump out of his skin. Ingo had entered the living room without him noticing. He had clearly just got off from work, judging by his attire. “I do apologise from frightening you, but you were wearing such a sad expression.” The older man sat down on the opposite side of the couch. Arven felt a bit amazed. He supposed he had got used to never having a parent come home by the evening that he had stopped expecting it to happen.

“Ah, just feeling a bit lonely,” he decided to be honest, “Time zone differences leave everyone back home asleep right now.” Ingo nodded.

“Ah, yes, I do recall Emmet crying that it was too late to call Inka around this time when she was in Paldea,” he replied, “Well, would you like to help me prepare dinner?” Dinner? Like, actual cooking? Arven was stunned.

“Didn't you just get off from work? Aren't you tired?” Arven unconsciously felt the words slip out. Ingo cocked a brow up at him.

“I'll admit I am a bit tired, yes,” Ingo spoke clearly, “But my spouse is out helping my friend with her gym leader related issues and Erin is likely getting hungry again. His after-school snack was just a few pecha berries. He needs proper nutrients, as do you and me.”

“You're dedicated…” he sighed, “I'll help you. Could you teach me a something local?” Ingo nodded and stood up. Arven followed the man into the kitchen, where he saw Erin sitting at the table. Taffy was curled up in his lap, purring.

“¡Hola!” he suddenly said, and Arven tilted his head, “¿Cómo ah-stás?” That brought a laugh out of him. Oh, he tried his best.

“G-good attempt, little buddy,” he walked over and pat his head, “Where'd you pick that up?”

“My friend at school said she was Paldean! I asked her to teach me some to show you!” Erin smiled sweetly. Ingo stood there and softly observed the exchange. He might have come across as rude and distant at first, but had come to be obvious that he simply was uncomfortable being in a new place.

“He's been babbling on and on about Paldea since you told him,” Ingo opened the refrigerator to pull out ingredients, “He's been dying to impress you since you first arrived.” Arven felt his face fluster when he heard Erin's whiny 'daaaad' leave him. Impress him? Why? “Erin, are you wanting to help cook or just watch? I'm teaching Arven today, so I suggest just sitting this one out, alright?” The boy nodded and went back to doting on his cat. “Are you ready, Arven?” He nodded.

The teen soon found himself learning hot to make hamburgers quite aggressively. It was also then, he learnt that Unovans truly did enjoy grease. Whether or not this was truly full of nutrients evaded him, but it smells and look certainly appealed to his brain. They even made fries as a side, which led to more concerns about health. By the time the cooking was all finished, he found Emmet had joined Erin at the table.

Dinner was had with laughter and playful conversation. Alongside a train-related discussion, that Arven could not even begin to understand but was stunned even Erin could keep up with. He had recalled Inka's slight disappointment at Paldea's lack of a rail system. It all suddenly made sense now. By the end of the night, he felt himself flustered again when Ingo patted his back and complimented his technique. The loud 'bravo' really got to him.

~

Arven felt strange as he stood beside the man on a shopping trip. Ingo had gone out of his way to make him feel welcome and comforted. At first, he had been intimidated by his stiff expression and seemingly cold attitude, but that was quickly proven to be wrong by just how much the Subway Boss acted and spoke. Rather, it was Emmet that made him feel a bit threatened. (That had only been because he assumed that Arven was trying to date Inka when he was most certainly not. Upon having this explained, the younger twin lightened up, finally.)

“Is it hard being there for Erin?” Arven asked as he watched the people move over the railing. Nimbasa was endlessly busy with people seeking recreation from whatever ailed them in their day-today. Arven felt envious of them and Erin. The boy had two attentive parents who always tried their best for him. Even with a busy work-schedule, Ingo slowed down to be there for him. Much unlike his mother. And now she was… He bit his lip.

“Extremely,” Ingo answered, “I have no idea if I'm being a good father to him, and I worry about his development since he's so shy and awkward. I was like him, but I had Emmet to help me. He doesn't have anyone like that.”

“… I think you're a wonderful father, Ingo,” the teen told him while thinking back on all the interactions he had saw with Erin, “I wish I had a dad like you growing up. It would have been better… I don't even know who mine is.”

“… That's awful…” the older man mumbled out. Arven hated the pity, but he could tell it was something that deeply bothered Ingo. Someone who prided themself on being a caring parent would never like to hear about a bad one. “You're a wonderful person, Arven,” Ingo turned to him with gentle eyes, “Even with your hardships, you kept a kind heart. I think anyone could be proud of you and who you grew up to be. Please feel free to speak with me about any of your worries. I've got enough paternal affection to go around, according to my Depot Agents.” The soft pat on his back wasn't enough to settle the feelings that Ingo's words had stirred up in Arven's heart.

He hugged the silver-haired man tightly and thanked him for his kindness. The hug back was something that sent his mind to years back in the past, with his mother's smell of coffee stinging his nose when she had come home late from a research project. She apologised then for being so busy and offered to make him dinner. The AI's words about her always loving him haunted his mind. “… You're too kind, Ingo,” Arven managed to get out without hiccuping, “Erin really is lucky.”

~

Inka sighed as she sat beside Arven on the plane. He was staring at the photo her family and him had taken on Christmas. The way Ingo wrapped an arm around him made her curious, but she supposed that was between those two.

“Inka,” Arven spoke suddenly, “How is Ingo so fatherly while Emmet is so…” He did not know how to put it kindly. Ingo was polite in seeing them both off, giving a kind smile and hug. Meanwhile, Emmet clung to Inka for dear life, sobbing his eyes out about losing his little girl. He was a bit concerned, but Inka managed to shrug him off and board the plane.

“Papa is fatherly… in his own “Emmet” variety is how my other parent puts it,” she replied and recalled how clingy he was growing up. Arven nodded.

“He still thinks you're trying to date me,” she continued.

“Please correct him.”

“I did. He won't listen.”

[br4inr0tx]

Hello! May I get an Attack on Titan matchup pleaseee? IF the requests are open, If not please ignore this.

So my name is Bita. I'm a biromantic heterosexual (so my preference would be a male but I don't mind being matched with a female) 160cm height, long black wavy/curly hair, honey-brown eyes. Pisces, my MBTI is XSFP, I'm an ambivert. Friendly, mature, wise, understanding yet little-ish and bubbly, optimistic, when (rarely)angry or jealous I tend to sulk instead of confronting the person. Conflict makes me uncomfortable even if it's between others. I have anxiety, makes it hard for me to leave the house alone. Gotta admit I'm spoiled and irresponsible x0 too used to being taken care of and I like it that way. Can't handle harsh behavior and rude ppl >:( can't handle horror either ×_× but I'm brave when it comes to breaking norms and stupid rules, I stand up for myself and others against closeminded/judgmental people, can't stand them.

I'm polite and considerate, a total gentlewoman 😌 can be very flirty too. I'm also artsy in nature. I have out of body experiences frequently and I'm kinda researching and studying that subject and my observations 👉👈 I'm passionate about that.

I sleep with plushies. I love making new friends, love rain and thunderstorms, amusement parks, swinging, going on picnics, watching the stars, and the colors pink and beige ^-^

My love languages are, first, Words of Affirmation, then Quality Time and Physical touch in a tie.

Thank you~ ♡♡♡♡♡

ofc!

Warnings: minor depictions of anxiety (from someone who has anxiety).

your Attack on Titan matchup is…Armin Arlert !!

• It’s been years sense I watched or really touched aot truthfully, but hopefully I still do this justice.

• I think you and Armin would get along great. You both have a great head on your shoulders, and anchor each other down when need be.

• He’s 1-2 inches taller then you I think, but not to worry, he doesn’t mention it at all, ever. If you do, he just likes to say that you’re perfect the way you are.

• He used to have slightly longer hair in his younger days, and I can imagine he took decent care of it. He’d absolutely love to braid your hair if you’d let him.

• He’s glad you mature and focused. It’s something one can value. Not only that, but the fact that you keep such a positive attitude is something he adores. Especially considering the world the two of you live in.

• Armin can get a little jealous, but it’s mostly in the form of him getting flustered seeing you with other guys. Just show him that extra bit of affection when you can. Reminding him that your his and he’s your will really help ease his jealousy.

• He’s not a huge fan of conflict, even if he does work for the survey corps. Though I think it’s more of uanessacry conflict that messes with his anxiety.

• That being said, he has anxiety too. I feel like the both of you could help each other, but if anything you guys might be hypocritical when calming the other down. Still, it’s very sweet.

• He loves to spoil you with little treats whenever he can, and generally does nice and gentlemanly things without you asking, like doing house chores.

• Though if you do something for him, he’ll go all heart eyes. Deep down he thinks he doesn’t deserve you but you best know he appreciates you like treasure at it’s very last.

• Armin has been somewhat of a bookworm all his life, and will definitely help with your research as best as he can, even if you aren’t around.

• He can be your plushy. He’s really warm due to being a little sensitive at most times. He give great hugs too, especially to people he cares about both mind and soul.

• He’d like to go on a picnic with you whenever possible. Though unfortunately living in Paradis Island isn’t so kind, and these little picnic dates and EXTREMELY rare. :(

• Same comes with watching the stars. He likes to point out constellations and what they mean- so if you wanted a quiet night under the stars you might not get that lmao.

• He spends as much time as he can with you, and cherishes doing small simple things like holding your hand, calling you sweet names, and kissing your forehead as a greeting.

• Unfortunately some of his time is occupied by his strenuous job, but he makes time specially for you. You mean everything to him, like the same level as Mikasa and Eren if not a little higher. He adores you.

[casspurrjoybell-27]

Our Hearts Collide - Chapter 30 - Part 1

*Warning - Adult Content*

Vince

I met up with Simon outside after chatting with Xavier for a little longer.

We discussed some details he planned out for the pack relations with the southern packs before realizing he needed to pick up Jonah and Lilah from Grant and Dwaine's place.

"How is Aspen?" I asked him as he looped his arm around mine.

"Taking it fairly well," he said.

"Though, I imagine it's still a bit of a shock. We discussed the pros and cons of meeting with him and what that'll mean for him and Cedar."

That wasn't surprising, given Aspen's nature.

He was always thinking ahead, thinking of the possible threats and impacts something would have over his and other people's lives.

However, I was sure that Simon was the one who led the potential benefits of meeting with Arthur.

"I'm guessing he's going to sit on the idea of meeting with him for at least a week?"

"Actually, he's leaning toward the idea of meeting with him," Simon said.

"Preferably sooner than later."

"Sooner?"

Simon nodded.

"He'd rather rip off the Band-aid, as he said. If he lets the idea sit too long, he'll convince himself out of it. Once he decides to block him out completely, Aspen would be less inclined to try and reach out to Arthur again."

"I can give him a call in the morning."

"Perfect."

Simon patted my upper arm.

"It'd probably be best here, though. You know how Aspen is with packs in general. He'll feel slightly more comfortable if it's held here than an entirely new and unfamiliar territory."

"That's fair," I agreed.

"We could be there to help fill in the gaps or moderate if need be."

"I'm sure Arthur will be fine butt I worry about Aspen," Simon admitted.

"Though he likes to think he'll be level-headed, he's quick to judge and probably harbors some residual anger about the whole situation."

"Aspen means well, though," I said.

"I'm sure he'll be more willing to listen with you there, even having Sarah there might calm him down."

Simon nodded.

"Definitely. Are you hungry? It's been quite a day and I didn't want to raid Aspen's kitchen while I was there."

"We could eat out," I suggested.

"Give Loreta a break for once."

He laughed before interlocking our fingers together.

"Cindy's?"

"Sure."

"How was Xavier doing? Still stressed as always?"

Simon glanced over his shoulder as we headed to the parking lot.

"The kids are giving him a run for his money," I told him.

"But his work with the other packs is really coming together, that's for sure."

Simon smiled.

"Those peace treaties he mentioned are going to help a lot of people."

I couldn't agree more.

Not only would it encourage and ease tensions between packs over mated couples but rogues would have a better chance at receiving aid or rehabilitation.

Just thinking about how much these changes could have helped someone like Simon made me regret not ever pushing for the peace treaties.

I regret letting the council put down those ideas in the first place.

I didn't realize I had stopped walking until Simon squeezed my hand, urging me forward.

Even on the car ride to Cindy's, his hand never left mine.

********

Cindy's Diner wasn't busy when we arrived, just the occasional truck drivers or young couple inside.

The door was still the same as ever and as we checked in with the hostess, I spotted Cindy in the back carrying a tray of food out to one of the tables.

The hostess sat us down in a quiet corner near the wall covered with memorabilia and polaroid photos.

As Simon opened the menu up, I leaned to whisper to him...

"Wouldn't this be considered our first date?"

"First?" he asked.

"I wouldn't say this is the first, would you?"

I shrugged.

"An official one, then."

"I suppose you're right."

He leaned in to whisper.

"To think we completely skipped the first date and went straight to fu.." he stopped himself as one of the servers walked passed but sent me a playful smirk that made me blush just as bad as what he was about to say.

As the waiter walked out of earshot, he pressed his shoulder against mine.

"What, it's true."

"If I had known this would be our first official date, I would've gone somewhere fancier."

I looked at the memorabilia on the wall and the old diner chairs.

"Not that Cindy's isn't first-date quality but we could've gone somewhere more special."

He hummed.

"Anywhere is special with you, as cliche as that sounds."

"I love your cliches," I said, pushing his shoulder with mine.

He gave me a droll look.

"Oh, is that so? Like what?"

There wasn't an easy way to say that everything he did make me love every second of our time together more and more... made me love him more.

It wasn't just the cliches, if you could call it that or the little gestures he'd do that drive me insane in a good way.

It was just him.

"The good morning kisses are nice," I found myself stuttering, seeing that he was still expecting an answer.

"The hand-holding or making sure I actually sit down and eat proper meals... though, I suppose they aren't entirely cliches, are they?"

He laughed.

"Anything else?"

I was pinching my bottom lip between my teeth, that four-letter word he loved to toss around nestled on the tip of my tongue.

It would've been so easy to say it then, to say exactly what he said to me every day and night.

It would've been all too easy to tell him I felt the same way with as much conviction as he did.

To say to him that I loved him even before he came back to the pack, that each day made me fall in love more and more, could have been all too easy at that moment but not at Cindy's, I told myself, not over a casual dinner where anyone could have walked by and interrupted the moment.

It should be perfect, it had to be.

"Just everything," was my breathy response.

"Everything."

Even with the smirk, I could see the blush working its way on his face.

"Flatter me, why don't you?"

I scrunched my nose.

"You do it all the time, only fair I do the same every now and then."

He hummed before leaning in, pressing a chaste kiss against my cheek.

I turned to return the favor but Cindy approached our table with a gentle smile.

A patch of flour clung to her apron as she bent over the table to set the utensils down.

"I'd hate to interrupt you two lovelies but I'll take your orders."