#i would think her getting into a new relationship maybe threw all that potential work out the window

[kitsunefyuu]

If afo and inko were in love, what would their relationship be like?

Well with all this new backstory information I have quite a few ideas on how their relationship work. Warning, while I definitely write them as loving and stuff doesn't mean there aren't some red flags.

How their relationship would be like in love:

All for One is a petty person who desperate for love and validation using any means to get it while also willing to spoil his 'gift' if likes them. Inko is a loving and strong willed person who do anything for their loved ones.

Basically they work well. As All for One is startled that Inko is just actually nice and seems to just like him. It ain't at all like the insane worship of his followers and he LATCHES onto that. So he kind of orchestrates opportunities for them to keep meeting. But tries to act subtle despite trying to throw gifts at her.

Inko of course thinks it's kind of hilarious and sweet that he's trying so hard. So basically she agrees to date him and let me tell you AFO has NO IDEA how dating works. He just kind of there eating dinner with no idea what to do- Cue Inko just deciding to talk and slowly getting him to talk about stuff and talk about herself.

All for One is intrigued since he doesn't really get many chances to just 'talk' about stuff that isn't a transaction. He knows people but he isn't usually part of said people. And he ends up talking about his brother and how threw himself into his work still wishing him back.

Basically first date goes great and Inko learns a lot. Though AFO avoids the whole 'murdered' said brother accidentally or that he was being evil or is still evil.

Basic dating between them is AFO basically spoiling the ever loving crap out of Inko with material things. While Inko gets him talking about his emotional needs and desires as well as helping him learn more about her. AFO learns he likes learning about people when it not about what they can get but just because wants to talk.

AFO has very much murdered or wanted to murder potential threats to Inko in the background as well as anyone that dared to try and 'steal' her. Look man he's still AFO and if there anything you know, he ain't keen on sharing. Though he makes sure they aren't so close to Inko she worry or something, he ain't that stupid. He doesn't need her running away so if they are too close, he must endure... Inko pretty good at getting him to not worry over it tho.

AFO actually considered retiring super villainy when they become engaged. As unlike with followers and people that owe him she not afraid of him. Also she seems to just genuinely like his company despite him being 'off' as many say. Who would have thought having a healthy normal relationship and being in love can be so enjoyable? If only he read more romance novels/manga.

BTW he did start reading those in his attempt to woo so you get sudden random romantic gestures from him. He even learned to cook as learned girls like that and he wants to impress her. Inko gushes at having a husband that does so much for her. He feels like a god damn great provider so like a peacock showing off his tail feathers.

People swear it seems like he got more handsome while dating Inko. AFO didn't even realize it but he made himself look more handsome purposefully. Obtaining better grooming habits, maybe some quirks and also he just smiles more genuinely with her. He still ruthless as hell as a villain but now he working even harder to impress her not just look good for his cult.

One time AFO nearly revealed he had more then one quirk because of a rat. He screamed when saw one and was about to legit about to air canon it- He got lucky because Inko just captures it in a bucket. Assuming he was scared and now about to just bring the whole place down. AFO learned he needs to be more careful.

I got even more but we be here forever so ask for more if wish to hear more of me ranting about Inko X AFO~!

[duhragonball]

Do you have any further opinions on Gendo and Shinji having some potentially not healthy views on women?

I'll see what I can come up with.

Gendo uses multiple women throughout the story, but I'm not sure that indicates an unhealthy attitude toward women in particular. He exploits men, including his own son, just as readily.

I find his affairs with the Akagis hard to explain, because he seemed so laser-focused on his objectives, and so averse to forming any close relationships with anyone. Even if his relationships with the Akagis were purely physical for him, it still seems like the sort of thing he wouldn't indulge in... unless he thought it would bring him closer to what he actually wants.

I guess my personal theory is that he didn't seduce the Akagis, but they threw themselves at him, and he played along because he needed their talents too badly to risk pushing them away. Naoko was practically rooting for Yui to die in that accident, so it seems likely that she fell in love with Gendo while they worked together and made her move after Yui was out of the picture. Gendo might have rejected her, but he needed the Magi supercomputer that she was building.

Only after the Magi were completed did he turn against her, calling her a "useless old hag". I think he was counting on Rei to hear him saying it, and used her to provoke Naoko into doing something drastic. Although, considering how important Rei was to his plans, it seems odd that he'd put Rei in such a risky position.

In any event, Ritsuko watched the tail end of Naoko's relationship with Gendo and immediately decided she wanted next. This seems really foolish, considering Naoko's fate, but I get the impression that Gendo is this charismatic enigma, the sort who attracts people to his cause, in spite of his cold and repulsive personality. Maybe Ritsuko thought she could fix him, or she just found him fascinating and wanted a closer look. And so Gendo found himself in the same position all over again, playing along with a new lover to ensure her cooperation with his plans.

That doesn't make him blameless, of course. He saw these women offering themselves to him, and he used their infatuation to his advantage. I guess what I'm saying is that he didn't get entangled in those relationships because he was lonely or horny, or desperate to feel powerful. He just played along with them for as long as they were useful, and then discarded them when they ceased to be useful.

I'd say that probably explains his apparent closeness to Rei as well. They only get along well because he needs her for his plans, and she's willing to go along with literally anything he wants her to do.

But, again, I don't know that this has anything to do with their gender. If Rei were a boy, I don't think it would change much for him. If the Akagis were men, he'd probably still use their attraction to him to his advantage.

Regarding Shinji... man, I don't know.

Yesterday I watched a couple of old Folding Ideas videos about End of Evangelion. Dan Olson was talking about how the movie served as Hideaki Anno's "revenge" against obsessive fans who hated the original ending in Episodes 25 and 26. I think the "revenge" theory of EoE is still open to debate, but I still need to do more research into that. Anyway, Olson was pretty confident about it, since it explains how different Shinji is portrayed in each ending.

In EoTV, Anno used Shinji as a medium to explore his own psychological problems, and the ending is more positive. But in EoE, Anno uses Shinji to represent the emotionally stunted otaku he was so mad at. So in the movie, Shinji never "does anything" or "learns anything". He wallows in self-pity, demands Asuka's sympathy, and strangles her when he doesn't get it. He's a petulant child throughout the whole film, and the misogyny is on full display.

Olson explains that Shinji is useful for this sort of thing because he started out as the standard anime protagonist: a blank slate that the audience could project their own identities upon. By the end of the TV series, Anno could easily turn Shinji into his alter ego, and use him to express his own anxieties and fears. And when the otaku rejected this, it was like they wanted Shinji back the way he was so he could be their avatar instead, Anno granted their wish, making EoE-Shinji a representation of all of their worst qualities.

And that's an interesting interpretation, but what frustrates me is that it basically leaves no room for Shinji to be a character in his own right. He's just a vessel for whatever Hideaki Anno wants him to represent. If Anno is feeling introspective, he'll make Shinji in his own image. If he's mad at the otaku, he'll turn Shinji into a straw man.

And that makes it hard for me to really talk about Shinji's attitude towards women. Early in NGE, he basically behaved himself and seemed to prefer keeping his distance from girls, if only to avoid any awkwardness. Misato and Asuka kind of brought him out of his shell a bit, and then in EoTV he seems to rely on them to help him figure out his damage. In EoE he seems desperate for a woman-- any woman-- to make him feel happy, forever. If he can't have that, he'll either go limp or throw a fit.

I don't know what the throughline is with Shinji. If I understand commentators like Dan Olson correctly, there is no throughline with Shinji. He's just a placeholder for one psyche or another. Still, I suppose he's defined by the loss of his mother, and there's always this lingering temptation for him to think he can just retreat from his problems and take refuge in a woman's embrace. Early on, he's reluctant to accept Misato's hospitality and compassion, maybe because he can't believe it's genuine. Later, he starts to appreciate her more, and then he begins to take the women in his life for granted a bit. In EoTV, he pulls back from that mentality, but in EoE he sinks deeper into that false hope that a woman can make him safe and whole.

Am I making any sense here? I'm not sure.

[angiedarling]

— &&  if you’re hearing NORTHERN ATTITUDE by NOAH KAHAN playing, you have to know ANGIE MONROE (she/her; cis female) is near by! the 41 year old CHEF has been in denver for, like, 15 YEARS. they’re known to be quite BOSSY, but being KIND HEARTED seems to balance that out. or maybe it’s the fact that they resemble RACHEL WEISZ. personally, i’d love to know more about them seeing as how they’ve got those FRESH BLUEBERRY PANCAKES, LILY OF THE VALLEY, MOLLY WEASLEY, THE SOUND OF SOMEONE WHISTLING AT HOME, DINER AFTER CLOSE vibes. and maybe i’ll get my chance if i hang out around the RINO long enough!

check out her stats and info below !!

stats

full name: angela monroe  nickname(s): angie (sometimes ang or ella, but angie is the main and favoured one) age: forty one date of birth: the thirteenth of february zodiac sign: aquarius place of birth: corpus christi, texas gender: female sexual orientation: bisexual religion: agnostic by choice, jewish by mother’s family occupation: chef/baker/owner of the Night and Dine

language(s) spoken: english, basic spanish accent: slight to moderate southern accent pet(s): two great pyrenees financial status: lower middle class  tattoos: sunflower on her right hip, a trio of birds of her shoulder positive traits: empathetic, fun, thoughtful, and well-spoken  negative traits: tardy, well-meaningly bossy and a bit of a gossip goals/desires: to do good and help her loved ones, to be happy, to fall in love  fears: acrophobia, monophobia family: youngest child, comes from a big family and had always wanted that for herself as well hobbies:  baking, cooking, painting, dancing quirks: nail biting, whistling,  likes: music, denim, vines, baked goods, dogs dislikes: lime green, quiet, tangled hair, liars myers-briggs:  mediator (INFP-T)  temperament: phlegmatic 

bio

tw: mentions of infertility, mentions of infidelity

angie was a happy kid with a mostly happy childhood, growing up with her mother (father rarely, if ever around), her siblings and a little black cat. her mother was her everything, never letting baby angie and her siblings feel like they were missing anything growing up. she was a curious kid, getting to camp, fishing, exploring and learning about the world.

after graduating highschool, angie (19) was going through a bit of a tumultuous relationship. she didn’t go to college, instead idolizing a stay-at-home mother position, willing to forgive nearly anything from her partner, if it would allow her to have children and give them her everything like her own mother had done. unfortunately (or fortunately, depending who you ask), they were unable to conceive. around that time, her partner had decided to be unfaithful and actually fathered a child with his affair partner. this hurt angie to her core, almost more than the cheating itself.

the baby’s name was kiara, and as much as the precursor to her existence was shocking, angie actually became very close with her partner’s child and it’s mother. after about 3 years, angie decided she couldn’t stay with an unforgiving, untrustworthy man and left, keeping in contact with lea (the unknowing other women) and kiara who had also separated themselves from angie’s ex.

she moved to denver when she was twenty seven, feeling like corpis christi had given her all it could. her family had dispersed over the years and with her ending her 10+ year relationship, she needed a fresh start.

angie had been scared to meet new people and try new things but following her mother’s philosophies, she’s trying her best to live her life to the fullest. when she arrived in denver, the old owner of the night and dine was retiring and looking to sell and she took the chance and bought it. finally embracing one of her life long passions, she threw herself in some minor renovations and some huge menu rehauls. 

now, she’s living peacefully with her dogs, working in and running the diner, sometimes thinking of her potential other life, one where she went to school, had a child, was close with her family. her dreams as a child were just so different, it’s hard not to think about it.

headcannons/fun facts about angie! 

the only person who ever called her angela was her mom so she just doesn’t really use it anymore.

her favourite baked good is a lemon coffee cake and her favourite meal is homecooked soup and corn bread.

she took spanish in high school and fell in love with the language.

she throws herself into her baking and cooking, feeling like she can express her feelings through food.

angie sometimes listens to texan weather channels because the accents comfort her.

she loves nicknames! nicknames for others and for herself, hit her up with any nickname and any sort of pet name and be prepared for her to dote on you with a sweet pet name of her own.

she loves like old art and old photographs.

WANTED CONNECTIONS

we can potentially add a second to any of these if we really feel one of these connections!!

friendship  ✨ 

first friend in denver

best friends

friends from childhood (she grew up in texas though but she did travel a bit?)

bad influence

sibling friendship (like an older/younger sibling relationship)

staff (at the diner)/friends who look out for each other -  ZANE

coworker/staff (at the diner)

friendzoned

breakfast club (total opposites but wind up bonding anyways)

so's sibling (she dated their sibling and even tho the relationship ended, they kept in touch)

mentee / protective kinship (someone who she tries to always look out for, she feels a little 'motherly' over them)

current romance ✨ 

flirtationship

mutual crushes (angie kinda has commitment issues so it could be interesting to see the conflict with these new feelings)

mouse and cat (they just keep chasing each other but nothing really happens)

breakfast club (total opposites)

past romance ✨ 

ex that was a rebound for her when she arrived in Denver (hard feelings, unresolved feelings?)

exes that ended on bad terms (maybe something bad happened to make it end and there is bad vibes/animosity)

exes that ended on good terms 

exes with lingering feelings 

casual relationships ✨ 

next-door neighbours

diner regulars

family ✨ 

older brothers x 2/3 (she grew up in texas but she's the youngest child so they could have grown up elsewhere)

close cousins

ex-husband (bad relationship with manipulation, gaslighting and cheating)

[purrpickle]

OH MY GOD please please please continue, I suddenly need the royal au more than breathing

((Can't do links because tumblr will eat this if I do, but you can search Royalty AU!Mon on my blog to find the 'verse and fic these are in reference to.))

Hah hah, thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed it; I had a pretty good time writing it, myself, even if I was going, "No... Don't add a third fic 'verse to your plate... No... Don't do this, Sarah! You already have other stories you haven't started working on yet so you wouldn't do this!"

Alas, alack, I created a new fic 'verse I ideally would want to continue in some way anyway.

As it stands now, I still have a plan of either finishing the third part of my WT:TOWLSKS(WP)aCE series or my Moneung/Monsam fic before my birthday as a triumphant birthday present to myself, and I have ten days to do that. Not saying the muses won't wrench me around as they are wont to do and have me furiously type out more of Royalty AU!Mon first or during, but I am hoping to focus on my other stories more. I know I've been waiting to get them finished!

But seriously, thank you! I really appreciate the message!

(And please don't stop breathing!)

Yes, Mon definitely could have said that and gotten the exact same response! However, she had seen enough dramas and romcoms to know not to, instead having decided to try to speak from the heart as she wanted Sam to know how much she loved her and... Misjudged a bit. Just a bit. A teeny bit.

Okay, a lot of bit because saying, "I have to tell you something, but please... Please know it does not change how much I love you more than anything else in the world," to someone like Sam who already has a tendency of assuming the worst (mind you, all after Sam had found Mon crying to herself at Sir Phoom's estate followed by a silent ride home with Mon breaking down as soon as she gets inside their house before disappearing into their bedroom for a long time to speak to her parents without talking to her first...) really just threw up all the red flags Sam could ever conceivably think of, all of them aimed at her and Mon's relationship and her partner's potential worst case scenario actions.

Oof. Oh Mon. Maybe she should have waited to gather her thoughts better before throwing herself into her explanation, but (aside from being exhausted as well) she couldn't stand seeing Sam so worried and concerned for any longer that she felt like she needed to do it then. Guilt is insipid. And when that guilt mixes with her guilt of hiding her royal status, it really becomes a heavy crown to wear. Ba-dum-tss.

Anyway, ramble ramble, but thank you! I appreciate this message as well. The Royalty AU!Mon 'verse seems to have connected with people, and it's really nice to see. As I said above (and obviously show here that I'm still in its feels), I would like to continue and further explore this 'verse that's being created; I just don't know when that will be.

[jumblejen]

We Were Always Going to End Up Together - Ch 13

Suptober 22, Day 13: Morning After

On AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/42237885/chapters/111307849

(Or read from the beginning: https://archiveofourown.org/works/42237885/chapters/106051008)

Dean wished that the club floor would swallow him up right about now. Actually, scratch that, the floor of this club was filthy and just think of all the things that had spilled on the seat of the booth. Dean took a deep breath. This wasn’t helping him at all. Cas was now alternating looking at Benny the Vampire Queen with a death glare and staring at Dean with a mixture of confusion and concern, Meg staring at them all avidly.

Dean needed to get a grip.

“Heya Vampire Queen,” he managed to eke out, throwing as much flirty confidence on top of the words as he could. Cas’ grip grew tighter on his thigh.

“Well, we will just have to catch up after the show. Come see me, handsome.”

“S-s-s-ure. Sure,” Dean stammered.

The Vampire Queen continued making her rounds and then launched back into a sultry song about Dean couldn’t say what.

“Who was that Dean?” asked Cas.

“Yeah Dean. Who was that?” Meg’s eyes positively sparkled with mischief.

“Meg,” said Cas with a growl.

“Alright, alright.” Meg scooted farther over in the bench with a sour frown. It was enough to give them the semblance of privacy.

“He’s a friend of mine. And an ex.”

Cas raised an eyebrow.

“I had no idea he was back in town. And really no idea that he did this.”

“He’s cute, I suppose.”

“He’s an ex, Cas.”

“Why did you freak out then?”

“It’s complicated.”

“Oh?”

“Okay, it’s not that complicated. Look, can we talk about this anywhere else?”

“Do you want to leave? Or were you planning on seeing him after the show?”

“Whichever you want. I’d love to see Benny and give him shit for not letting me know he was moving back. But only if you come with me.”

Cas mulled that thought around. “We can see her after.” “Okay,” said Dean in a small voice. He tried to concentrate on the rest of Benny’s performance, and the next queen, and the next, but his mind was in too much of a whirl. What were the chances that Benny would move back and be performing at a drag show of all things and that Dean would attend? It seemed like a huge cosmic joke intended to squash Dean into a paste.

It only took a couple of performances for Dean to relax into enjoying himself, though it was not without the shadow of how to introduce Cas and Benny after. What was the big deal, anyway? Cas might still be possessively touching Dean (and had been since the Vampire Queen noticed Dean), but Dean didn’t mind that in the slightest. In fact, it felt kinda good to be the focus of that sort of claim-staking. It’s not like Dean still had romantic feelings for Benny. It had taken awhile to get over him, but half of that was how alone he’d felt after Benny left town in the wake of Sam’s histrionics about their relationship. Things were different now, in so many ways.

Something inside Dean’s chest started to uncoil and he leaned into Cas’ side, enjoying the closeness. Cas smiled down at Dean in response and threw his arm around Dean as they scooted closer to each other.

It was late by the time the show finished up and the audience started making their way out. Meg had seemed reluctant to leave Dean and Cas, clearly aware that the potential for more drama was growing. But eventually she did leave and Cas and Dean made their way backstage.

“I wasn’t sure you’d come see me,” drawled Benny as he pulled Dean into an engulfing hug.

Dean clapped Benny heartily on the back. “Maybe I was just a little surprised.”

“Fair enough, brother.”

“Lemme introduce you to Cas.”

Cas’ face was neutral as he held out his hand to Benny.

Instead of shaking it, Benny grabbed Cas’s fingers and turned his hand over, bending and placing a light kiss on the back of it. “Enchanté,” said Benny before straightening up and letting go.

Dean rolled his eyes. “Cut the crap Benny.”

“Just getting to know your new beau, cher.”

Cas and Benny stared at each other, a mixture of evaluation and possessiveness coming from both of them.

Dean tried not to sigh out loud. “It’s good to see you, man, but when did you get back to town?”

“’Bout a month ago. Was planning on telling you, just hadn’t gotten there yet.”

“Your performance was very enjoyable,” said Cas diplomatically.

“Thank you. It’s been a real hoot, the performin’. You never know who’ll be in the audience.”

“Did I just miss the fact that you were a drag queen when we were together…”

“No. It was something I started doing after I left. Speaking of. How are you Dean?”

Dean smiled broadly, “Really good Benny.” He reached out and took Cas’ hand.

“And how’s that brother of yours?”

“The same.”

“He met blue-eyes here yet?”

“Not yet,” said Dean quietly.

“Well, I wish you luck then, brother.”

Dean grimaced. “It’s different now.”

“Is it?”

“It will be.”

“Dean’s always been a bit of an optimist about certain aspects of his life,” said Benny to Cas.

“I trust Dean,” Cas returned sharply.

“And you should. He’s very trustworthy. But he always thinks his baby brother is going to be a better man than he actually is.”

“Hey!”

“And if you want to stick things out with him, well, best get on little Sammy’s good side.”

“That’s not fair Benny.”

“Not much is.”

The three of them exchanged looks awkwardly. Dean hated the way his chest felt too tight. It’s not like he didn’t think Benny had a point, but it was his brother. What was he supposed to do? Besides, it wouldn’t be like that with Cas. It wouldn’t be.

Cas squeezed Dean’s hand until he met his eyes. “I’m sure whatever happens, Dean and I will be just fine.”

Dean relaxed at that, a goofy smile spreading across his face.

“Well, I’m glad you’re taking care of Dean. He could use someone to watch his back.”

“I like watching his front too,” said Cas, completely deadpan.

Benny erupted in a huge belly laugh. “Amen to that brother.”

A short while later Dean and Cas were on their way to the farmhouse, sitting in a reflective, but companionable silence. It had felt good seeing Benny again, even with the lingering sharpness of clearly not-quite-healed wounds they both were sporting. Sitting here with Cas’ hand on his thigh as he drove, Dean didn’t want to be anywhere else or with anyone else. He was still troubled at the thought of Sam being just as disapproving of Cas as he was of Benny, but everything felt different this time around. Dean couldn’t imagine walking away from Cas, not for any reason, not even for his brother

The farmhouse looked like Dean had expected. Two stories, in need of a paint job like most the places out this way. Big porch that had seen better days. If Dean didn’t know better, he’d say it was abandoned. Cas wore a little frown as they sat in the parked car.

“Everything okay Cas?”

“It looks worse with you here.”

“What does? The house? No one’s place looks great in November.”

 “It’s not better inside.”

“Do you want to go to my place instead?”

“No.” Cas looked at Dean. “I’m just realizing that I should have made some effort. And I haven’t.”

“I’m not here for the house, Cas.”  

They got out of the car and Cas led them through a side door that led into a standard kitchen. Cas took Dean briefly through the downstairs: dining room operating as an office, living room with saggy couch and a reading light, a half bath. Then upstairs with a couple of bedrooms vaguely gestured too, the door to the bathroom identified.

And then they were in Cas’ bedroom and Dean’s duffel was thrown on the floor and Cas kissed Dean deeply, hands roving all over Dean.

“Mmmm. Not that I’m complaining…” started Dean.

“You’re mine.”

“Yeah, Cas. That’s true,” Dean said with a breathy laugh.

A deeper kiss was Cas’ only response.

“I thought you wanted to talk about, you know, things.”

“We can talk about it tomorrow.”

“You want our morning after talk to be about another guy?”

“I would prefer it to talking about him now,” growled Cas with a nip at Dean’s lips.

“Seriously, man, he’s still my friend, but…”

With a wordless roar, Cas knocked Dean onto the bed, kissing him senseless until Dean gave up on the conversation entirely and threw himself into more amorous activities. Possessive Cas had some advantages.

[tobe-sogolden]

Okay so I know you’re very wary of speculating in any kind of way and I 100% get that, I agree, but I never see anyone discussing what I’m about to tell you and it’s kind of very important and backs up 100% Olivia’s version of events for everything.

Back in December 2020, Jason and Olivia were seen embracing outside of a clinic called “Be Hive Of Healing” in Agoura Hills. She has her best friend with her and one of his close friends was there as well. There’s video of it as well and they chat for a long time and embrace a few times. Here are some pics.

I know it’s none of my business but it always made me curious. Was someone sick? Why were two friends with them? What had Olivia so emotional? I googled Be Hive Of Healing and found that it’s a “wellness center”… I’m not very LA, I don’t know what that means, but the second link that pops up when you google it is by Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop (the first one is just a landing page).

The description explains that the founder of the place is a doctor called Dr. Gavin Sadeghi, who’s an osteopath and homeopath. I’m still stumped. I googled the doctor and the results were all about cleansing diets, and I’m sorry but there’s no way they were both emotional and took friends over to a colon cleaning appointment, so at this point I’m getting frustrated.

I know it’s none of my business and I should just drop it but at the same time I feel like I stumbled upon something that clearly has meaning for them as a couple, and since we’re bombarded with information about how she supposedly was soooooo terrible to him, I kinda want to get to the bottom of it, without crossing any actual boundaries of course. I google this doctor and Gwyneth Paltrow, because she’s a celeb and Olivia knows her… I think? So it has to be there somewhere?

I find this article (second result after the Goop one I already looked at), then this paragraph:

Sadeghi worked with Paltrow on the Stand Up 2 Cancer telethon and became a mentor. The Clarity Cleanse was published by her Goop Press, and she wrote the foreword. If his name sounds familiar, it’s because he and his wife Sherry Sami explained to Goop readers the concept of “conscious uncoupling,” which was how Paltrow described her divorce from Chris Martin.

Conscious uncoupling… first of all, that sounds familiar, and I never paid attention to Gwyneth Paltrow before, so where have I heard it? Oh well.

I read on it, it’s basically therapy for ending a relationship. It sounds a lot more loopy than it is. It’s trying to work out the issues with an ex as you separate in order to not leave toxic ties behind. It’s very advised to couples who will have to coparent. The process is long (all therapy is) and at the end of it, you’re encouraged to bring someone you trust who knows enough about your relationship and your issues to the closing session — ohhh the friends!

I would have to link so many sources to actually give you the information that I read on, cause I refuse to buy any books (the only actual book I could find wasn’t even written by the couple that owns the healing center anyway). But they did give several interviews and explained the process in a few other websites so I was able to piece together that… if they were having one of their last sessions in December 2020, there was just no way that they’d started the process in November. Therapy doesn’t work that way!

So, yeah it is speculation but… besties… what else would they be doing with two friends outside of that wellness center? I simply don’t think they were aligning their chakras or whatever else it is they do there. And of course I don’t have exact proof of when the breakup started but according to everything I read this process takes months. I’m talking 6+ months. So no, they didn’t break up in November!

In fact, this perfectly aligns with the breakup happening at the beginning of the year! And it explains why they were seen together the couple of times they did during the summer — they were supposed to be separating SO amicably that they were doing weekly therapy sessions! Of course there’s also the fact that they were coparenting and probably didn’t physically separate (as in split houses) because of the pandemic for a while.

This part leans more into speculation territory, but I can see a scenario where they decide not to announce the breakup until the entire “conscious uncoupling” process was over. But Olivia and Harry start dating, so she decides that she doesn’t want to risk being thought a cheater — because she’s not — and they announce it. Early 2020… because it’s when it happened. This also all fits so well with Satellite.

I often saw those pics used as proof against their breakup… turns out they were most likely proof for it.

I’ll part ways with this… I actually found out why the term “conscious uncoupling” was so familiar. The man himself!

Oh lord this was a rollercoaster 😅 almost didn't post it bc yes I don't love speculation but you spent so much time on it so...do with this what you will everyone 😆😆

[fireflykaizoku]

Heya! I know you’ve done 3 soulmate fics now, but with the sort of angsty feel with Mimi-ya’s request I was wondering if a Katakuri x reader, in regards to the age difference he had given up hope that it was even possible for him to have happiness outside of his family, would make for a good read and also possibly dangerous for reader to come face to face with Big Mom and all those siblings! Thank you x

Hii! i'm sorry i took long to finish it, but i kept watching OP and reading more about Katakuri, since it's my first time writing for him. Since i'm still on episode 850, i was afraid it'd be a bit ooc. If it is, i'm so sorry! my writing for Katakuri will improve as i finish the arc. I hope you like it anyway, it was fun to write it ❤

Your family was rich and well-known around the Grand Line. Being the only daughter, they were trying to find a husband for you, a political marriage that could be good for both families, especially yours. They had a list of potential husbands, but you didn’t bother checking it since you were too focused on your birthday party. It was a small party, just with close friends and family, but you wanted everything to be perfect.

And it was. You had so much fun around people you loved, it was hard to fall asleep after that; you were genuinely happy.

Before opening your eyes, you could already feel the sweet smell, something like candy, donuts or cake. Thinking it was maybe a belated birthday breakfast, you opened your eyes and was ready to jump out of the bed when you realized the bedroom was completely different from yours. And as soon as you looked down, you realized that body definitely wasn’t yours. The toned chest, tattoos and the scarf around your neck weren’t yours.

You could only feel happiness and relief, you were glad you already switched bodies with your soulmate. Who knew it’d be that fast? But you wanted to see more of him, so you got up and started looking for a mirror in his room. The reflection surprised you at first, not being the kind of soulmate you expected to have. He had tattoos, crimson hair, and apparently was very tall. In fact, he was huge. When you put the scarf down a little, you noticed he had scars, and you assumed that’s why he covered his mouth. He also had fangs, which you thought were extremely charming. He wasn’t ugly, in fact, he was far from that. He was very handsome. Intimidating, of course. But very handsome.

Looking around, you found a vest, and on the back, you noticed “Charlotte” written on it.

— Charlotte? — you whispered to yourself, thinking you’ve seen that name somewhere until you finally realized after a couple of minutes.

— He’s one of Big Mom’s son!

You remember when your parents were trying to find a husband for you, his name came up a couple of times. It was probably Charlotte Katakuri. You’ve never seen any pictures of him, but you knew he was a very strong and powerful man.

After a couple of minutes just looking at his figure in the mirror, admiring his traits, a knock on the door brought you back to reality.

— Katakuri-sama, it’s almost time for Big Mom’s tea party. — someone said, outside the room before leaving right away.

You heard about the famous Tea Parties, but you didn’t even know how to behave. You knew there would be so many people, powerful people, and some probably well known as well, so you couldn’t take the risk of things going wrong.

You couldn’t describe the relief you felt when you noticed a den den mushi in the corner of the room. Perfect! You’d call him, explain everything and hopefully he’d be there just in time for the party.

It took a couple of minutes, but finally someone answered. You got quiet for a moment, not knowing what to say.

— Charlotte Katakuri? — you asked, a bit nervous.

— It’s me. I assume you’re (L/N) (F/N)? — you hummed in response. — I see you’re my soulmate and we switched bodies.

— Yes, and you have a Tea Party to attend today. Do you think we can switch back before then?

— Unfortunately, no. Your island is quite far from the Whole Cake Island. Can you go instead? You’ll just have to sit without saying anything. It won’t last too long, and when it’s over you go straight to your room.

— But what if… I need to fight? I don’t know how to… — he interrupted you.

— Don’t worry, it shouldn’t have an attack. But if anything happens, look for Brûlée and explain everything. I’ll be there before the sunrise, and we’ll be able to switch back, hopefully.

He seemed so calm even in a situation like this. But following his advice, you went to the party. It was fun and there was delicious food everywhere, but you couldn’t disrespect your soulmate and remove the scarf off. Maybe when you switch back you can ask Katakuri to let you eat a few.

You started sweating whenever Big Mom or any of his kids got near you, trying to talk. So to avoid raising any suspicions, you just nodded the whole time. And whenever you heard a fuss, your soul felt like it’d leave your body, worried it’d be a confront. If you had to fight today, acting like Katakuri, you wouldn’t know what to do.

You were hungry, but too shy to ask for anything. As if someone heard your thoughts, a few small men knocked on your door, bringing donuts. Not just two or three, but many donuts. They bowed and left quickly.

After eating half of it, you fell asleep. You were very anxious since you’d meet your soulmate in a few hours, but your eyelids got heavier and you couldn’t fight the sleep anymore. You woke up a few hours later with someone gently tapping your arm. When you opened your eyes, you realized Katakuri had arrived.

You were still sleepy, and sat on the bed, rubbing your eyes until you actually felt awake. The height difference was quite a lot, and it was funny. You had to sit on the floor so the two of you would be face to face.

— Hello, Katakuri. — you felt incredibly shy now.

— Good morning. — he tried to hide the fact he was embarrassed, and was hoping you couldn’t hear how fast his heart was beating.

— This… Is it the time when we kiss?— you suggested, looking away. Would he think you were being too straightforward?

— Yes… We should… Kiss.

You pulled the scarf down slowly with your now cold hands. You closed your eyes, feeling very nervous. You kissed a few times before, but it still felt like something new. Especially now that it wasn’t just a random person, it was your soulmate.

Noticing you were waiting for him to make a move, he moved closer, sealing your lips together. Just a peck at first, until you gave him permission to deepen the kiss. Both of you were shy, and the kiss was a bit clumsy. Maybe he haven’t had many kisses too.

You didn’t have to open your eyes to realize you two had switched back, his big and strong hands holding your face was a sign that it worked. You rested your head on his hand, looking at him with eyes full of admiration and a soft smile on your lips.

— Aren’t you… Scared or disgusted? — he asked, feeling insecure now that his face was exposed to you.

— Why would I be? — you genuinely asked, smiling softly.

— Because… Of my mouth. I’m not how you probably wanted your soulmate to look like, and I don’t want you to think you have to put up with me because we’re soulmates. Now that we switched back, you can go if you want to. — his voice didn’t seem angry, as if he was demanding you to leave. It sounded sad, as if he had been through a lot.

You heart ached just to think that someone had the courage to hurt your soulmate.

Little did you know that many people treated him differently, not wanting to be around him or making fun of him because of his appearance; little did you know that while most of his siblings found their soulmates already, and he spent most of his life thinking he didn’t deserve his other half. Little did you know that he gave up on finding someone and started to deal with the fact that only his family would be able to love him.

But now, after meeting you, he threw his rational self out of the window. He felt like he could love someone; marry someone for a reason other than just a political marriage. But would you want him just like he wants you?

— We switched back, right? — you caressed his face softly. He wasn’t expecting it, no one has ever been this gentle with him before. — That means we’re in love.

— I don’t want you to be with someone like me, you’d only be in danger. — he turned his face not to see you. — You wouldn’t be able to deal with my siblings. It won’t be like playing house, and it won’t be like the marriage you might be expecting.

You got quiet, taking a deep breath. He wouldn’t push you away easily. Katakuri noticed your silence, and was expecting you to leave the room, agreeing that life with him wouldn’t be the perfect calm life you probably wanted. Instead, before he could even use his haki to have a glimpse of the future, you turned his face and pecked his lips.

— I won’t give up so easily. — you crossed your arms. — You’re my soulmate and I won’t leave you just because you think I can’t deal with a dangerous lifestyle. I want you, and if you want me too… We can make this work.

Looking at your face that was looking at him with love in your eyes, how could he say “no”? Maybe Big Mom would be willing to accept this relationship and give her blessing, and his siblings would be happy for him. He could even pretend it was all because of your family and their power at first.

His stomach started growling before he could say anything.

— I’m sorry, I only ate a few donuts while I was in your body. — you felt a little embarrassed about what you were about to ask. — But I wanted to eat some of the sweets yesterday. Do you think… — he didn’t let you finish the question.

— You can have the sweets, I’ll ask to get them delivered for breakfast. — he covered his face with the scarf again. — For now, you should sleep. We’ll have a long day meeting my family tomorrow.

[tanyawritesstories]

Love Comes With A Hat | Kung Lao x Reader

So this fic was actually based off of a dream I had a few months ago. It's based off the movie characters looks because that's the way I saw it in my brain. It's the first fic I've written for a Mortal Kombat character so I hope y'all like it and that it's accurate.

Word count: 3.9k

Warnings: technically there's smut but it's brief, pregnancy, drinking, angst, feelings, pregnant reader, Bo Rai Cho is a warning all his own

•••

You stared at the test in your hand, not experiencing the emotions you expected. You were shocked more than anything, it had only been one random night. It was an accident. An accident you remembered quite vividly. It had started as just a few innocent drinks with Kung Lao, Liu Kang, and their master Bo Rai Cho. But if you learned anything about Bo Rai Cho that night, it was that he liked to drink and he liked to buy drinks for everyone. That's how you and Kung Lao both ended up more drunk than you wanted to be, and if you had learned anything about Kung Lao that night it was that he was a flirty drunk. A very flirty drunk. You were too tipsy to care about your respectful relationship with the Shaolin monk and just happy that your friend was showing you some romantic attention. You shamelessly flirted back and for some reason Liu Kang, who you later learned wasn't actually drunk and just kept lying about the supposed vodka soda he was drinking, let you and his best friend continue to get more and more handsy with one another.

At the end of the night, Liu had dropped off you and Kung Lao at their temporary earthrealm lodge and gone to take Bo Rai Cho home since he was blackout drunk. At least you and Kung Lao could still stand. The second the door was closed and locked, he was on you. His hat was thrown to the side as his lips moulded perfectly with yours. You could taste all the alcohol he'd consumed and it only intoxicated you more. After spending half the time at the bar with his hand up your skirt, Kung Lao wanted the real thing. He had picked you up and set you on the table, laying you down and stripping everything off your bottom half. He eagerly explored the treasure between your legs with his fingers. Even when drunk, Kung Lao was precise with his movements. He brought you to the edge with just his fingers before licking your juices off of them and taking off just enough clothing to free his member and plunge it deep within you.

Everything was a blur after that. He was thick and scraped every euphoric nerve in your body with his movements. Your muscles burned and twitched with every groan and growl he let out, his mouth right next to your ear. It wasn't long before that delicious pressure built back up within you and snapped with a few well aimed thrusts. You remember the warm feeling spread through you as Kung Lao released inside, both of you too drunk to worry about protection beforehand. You laid in an uncomfortable position on the table until Kung Lao pulled out of you and stumbled to the bathroom. You were able to get up and clean yourself off a little, put your skirt back on, and collapse on the sofa. Which is exactly where Liu Kang found you when he got back. He let you sleep and took you back to your apartment in the morning after giving you some herbal pain remedies.

You didn't feel any different the next day, or the next week. You threw up a few times the day after, which you were sure was because of the amount of alcohol you consumed. A whole month and a half passed before your nosey roommate, Mia, brought up the idea that you might be pregnant. She had been keeping track of every strange thing you had done for the past month. From getting up to go to the bathroom in the night more than usual, to the random mood swings, to falling asleep at your desk, and eating pickles with hot fudge the other day. Not to mention, your period was three weeks late and you hadn't even noticed. Mia wanted answers, for you as well as herself, and had already bought you a pregnancy test which she promptly thrust at you.

Now, staring at the little stick that read 'pregnant' in plain English, it was all starting to hit you. You didn't go to see Kung Lao and Liu Kang very often. Once, maybe twice, a month if you weren't busy, to put it simply: you didn't know what to do. You heard knocking on the bathroom door before you heard Mia's voice. "You ok in there, hun?" You blinked back tears of confusion and answered her. "Yeah, I'm ok." You stuck the test in your pocket and exited the bathroom to find Mia standing right outside the door. "So, what's the verdict?" You didn't say anything and just handed her the stick. "I knew it, so who's the daddy?" You cocked an eyebrow at her blunt question but decided to answer. "One of my best friends," you said quietly. Her eyes widened as she handed the test back to you. "That's gonna be tough, how are you gonna do it?" You frowned. "Do what?" She shrugged, the nonchalant look on her face starting to annoy you. "Tell him, ya'know, that he knocked you up." You looked at the test in your hand, feeling the strong urge to just snap it in half. "I don't know."

~~~~

You waited two more months, deciding not to tell Kung Lao. He and Liu were your best friends, you didn't want anything to ruin that. You couldn't stay away from them forever, they were already wondering why you hadn't come over the last couple times they invited you. You sent them your work over the computer instead of in person, all the information you had been gathering about potential new champions. Just a few days ago Liu had called just to check in on you, thinking you might be sick or injured. You assured him you weren't but you knew you didn't convince him, he could spot a lie from a mile away.

You had started going to the doctor, getting the proper care and tests done to make sure you and the baby were healthy. You even had ultrasound pictures of your little one, that seemed to cement something in your mind. You needed to tell Kung Lao. Sooner rather than later, before you started showing, there was no hiding it then.

You called Liu Kang before you left and asked him if you could come stay at their place for a night or two. That concerned him a little bit but ultimately he was glad that you would be coming to see him and Kung Lao again. You packed for a couple days and drove for a few hours into the woods where the boy's temporary earthrealm residence was. It was secluded back in the woods along a river popular with fishermen in the morning hours. It blended in and allowed the boys to hide in plain sight, mixed in with the few other fishing cabins along the river. No outworld ruffian would look there.

You arrived at the cabin later than you wanted to, having stopped three times to use the restroom along the way. You had tried not to pack your bags that heavy but you needed clothes and you needed all your computer equipment for work. You grabbed the lightest bag you had and went inside, hoping one of the boys would be able to help you with the rest. The door was unlocked, as they had been expecting you, and you walked right in. You entered the living room and found that master Bo Rai Cho was also visiting. He was sat plopped in front of his new favorite thing ever since you introduced him to it, the television. You set your bag on the floor and he took notice of you. "Y/N!" He got out of his chair, fast for a man his size, and strode over, pulling you into a tight hug. "It's good to see you again." You winced in his tight hug until he let go and you smiled at him. "It's good to see you too, Master Cho." He returned the smile and clapped you on the shoulder before walking to an open window. "Liu Kang, your friend has arrived!" He shouted.

It was only a few seconds until Liu Kang came bounding into the room from outside. You smiled at him and he walked over to pull you into a hug, he almost seemed relieved to see you. "It is good to see you again," he said, pulling away. You half smiled and nodded. "It's good to see you too, Liu. Um, you mind helping me unload my stuff?" He agreed without a second thought and walked out to your car with you. You stopped by your trunk and swallowed hard, your muscles tense and nervous. How were you going to tell Kung Lao? "Is Kung Lao here? Usually I'd see him," you commented. Liu grabbed a few of the heavier bags, lifting them with ease. "No, he is out running errands. He should be back in an hour." You sighed and hung your head, not knowing what to think of that. "Is something wrong?" You took a deep breath and looked over at the concerned young man. "Liu, I need to talk to you."

You both unloaded your car before walking down by the river, through the small flower garden they'd planted. You both took a seat on top of the retaining wall, separating the river from the land. "Now, what do you wish to speak to me about?" Liu sat with his legs criss-crossed, perfectly relaxed. You tried sitting the same way but ultimately just dangled your legs over the wall. "Um, I know I haven't visited in a while, and there's a reason for that.." you stared at the water, avoiding eye contact. Though you could see Liu out of the corner of your eye, looking at you with a worried expression. "That night I crashed on your couch...did Kung Lao ever tell you what happened?" You hesitantly looked over at Liu and his eyes fell to the dirt. "Yes, he told me the day after." You looked back at the ground and sighed, Liu reached over and placed his hand on your knee. "There is no need to be ashamed, you were inebriated. Your judgement was clouded, both of yours." You closed your eyes trying to will yourself not to cry. "There's more to it.." you figured you just had to say it and blinked away tears, looking over at Liu who had his head tilted in curiosity. "Liu, I'm pregnant."

His mouth slowly dropped open as his mind processed the information. His gaze dropped to the ground and his reaction just made you feel worse. "I know, I'm sorry," you said. He looked back up at you. "It is not your fault," he squeezed your knee reassuringly, "this is Kung Lao's business now, you need to tell him." You sniffled and a tear managed to escape down your cheek. "I know, when he gets back will you tell him I need to talk to him? Maybe, give him and I some privacy so we can talk it out?" Liu nodded and gave you a small smile, "of course." You could tell Liu was still trying to comprehend what you told him as you both walked back to the house and he helped you settle in. He tried to strike up normal conversation but it was awkward, you felt like an outsider. After a while you offered to clean the place to try and distract yourself and neither of the men objected.

Kung Lao was gone for longer than expected but eventually he came back, Liu took him aside while you unpacked the groceries. You saw them standing in the corner talking though you couldn’t hear their words. You stared for a second and could read Liu’s lips. ‘Talk to her’ he was saying. You tried to calm yourself down and at the same time psyche yourself up for what you had to eventually tell Kung Lao.

You had just finished putting everything away when Kung Lao approached you. “Liu Kang said you needed to speak to me, privately,” he said. His tone was curious this time, not as serious as he usually was. “Yeah, can we..” you trailed off as you motioned outside. He nodded and waved for you to go first. You walked back out to the same spot you and Liu had sat earlier, on the retaining wall by the river. Kung Lao took off his hat and set it next to him, he knew it was easier for you to talk to him without it ever since you said it was distracting and you were staring at it instead of him. He smirked at the memory and looked back at you, waiting for you to speak.

“What did Liu tell you I needed to talk to you about?” You asked, wondering how to start the conversation. “He just said you needed to talk and that it was important,” he answered bluntly. You nodded and fiddled with the ultrasound pictures in your hoodie pocket. You had worn it to hide the tiny bump that had started to form over the last couple days. “Um, about that night a few months ago-” “I’m sorry,” he interrupted, “I know I should not have gone that far. We were both not ourselves that night.” You smirked. “No, I’m not complaining, but there’s more to it..” you sighed. “I’m not sure how to tell you this but..” you could see him becoming worried. You took one of the photos out of your pocket and handed it to him. He looked confused but took the blurry image, trying to figure out what it was. “You got me pregnant.”

His eyes widened and he looked over at you. “I’m sorry,” you said with a sad look on your face. You weren’t sure what compelled you to say it but you felt like you had just ruined someone’s life. You watched him as he stared at the picture, nothing was clearly visible but it must have seemed convincing enough to him. You slipped the pregnancy test out of your pocket and showed it to him too. You heard him sigh and just kept silent, not wanting to interrupt his thoughts. “How far along are you?” he finally asked, his voice scarily cold. “A little over three months,” you answered. You bit your lip before asking a question you needed an answer to. “What are we going to do?” He handed you the test and picture back. “I don’t know.” He said. You were hurt, he had nothing else to say? Your moment was interrupted by Bo Rai Cho calling out that dinner was ready.

Kung Lao helped you up and you walked inside together, he was silent the entire time. You made eye contact with Liu for a split second as you took a seat at the table and his shoulders fell, your expression gave away your emotions. Bo Rai Cho set down the meal, a kind of special fish concoction he had come up with that you normally loved. This time though, it made your stomach turn. The second the aroma hit your nose, nausea hit you badly and you could practically feel the vomit rising in your throat. “I’m sorry, excuse me,” you said quickly before getting up and dashing to the bathroom. You had just enough time to brush your hair out of the way before you emptied your stomach into the toilet.

“What might be wrong with her?” Bo Rai Cho asked. “I didn’t mess it up again, did I?” Liu looked at Kung Lao, his expression urging the other monk to go check on you since this was his doing. But Kung Lao stayed put and just stared back at Liu Kang, his expression unwavering. You could still be heard throwing up in the bathroom down the hall. Liu finally got up and went to check on you. He grabbed a cup of water and a wet cloth to clean off your face. “Lao?” You asked out loud between dry heaving breaths. “No, it’s me,” Liu answered. He kneeled down next to you and rubbed your back until your body finally stopped it’s rejection. “Why didn’t he come?” you asked, sounding defeated. “He does not know how to, right now. He will learn soon," Liu tried to assure you. "He doesn't want any part of this, I know he doesn't," you admitted as you slumped into the corner. Liu handed you the glass of water and watched as you downed it all, thinking. "He will come around, I will talk to him."

You spent the rest of the night in the spare bedroom, hiding and crying. The realization that if Kung Lao didn't help, you'd basically be left alone to raise a child and that idea terrified you. You hoped Liu could talk some sense into him. You loved Kung Lao, only you didn't know how to tell him. The thought of him completely rejecting you because of this was heartbreaking, you wished there was a better solution or any solution at all. Bo Rai Cho felt bad that his cooking had made you sick and made up for it by making you some calming tea and getting you anything you wanted. But the thing you wanted most was Kung Lao back.

You barely slept that night and asked Liu if he could bring your breakfast to your room. You could smell how good it was from your room but you didn't want to get up, you just wanted to hide. Someone knocked on the door and you called out for them to come in. You expected it to be Liu Kang with your breakfast, but Kung Lao had brought it instead. You immediately looked away from him, all the shame and embarrassment coming back. "May I sit?" He asked. You shyly nodded and allowed him to sit on the edge of the bed and hand you your food. "I thought Liu was bringing me breakfast." You wondered out loud. "I wanted to," he said, "I need to apologize for yesterday. I reacted badly." You shrugged. "You reacted normally to shocking news," you replied, slowly starting to eat your food. Kung Lao looked at the floor as he thought about what to say. "I thought about it all last night and...I want to be a part of it. I'm not going to let you do this alone."

Your eyes locked with his and you could see the sincerity in them. You couldn't believe it, your eyes welled up with happy tears. "You're serious? You want to help me?" You questioned. A small smirk came to his face and he took one of your hands in his. "Yes. This is something that will affect us for the rest of our lives. I want to be a part of my child's life." You set your food aside and threw your arms around Kung Lao, hugging him. He was caught off guard but hugged you back. "We can do this," he whispered in your ear. "When is your next doctor appointment, I want to be there." You pulled away just enough to see his face. "Not for another month, are you sure?" He nodded. "I think it's about time I showed up to one," he said with a smirk.

~~~~

You met Kung Lao in the hospital lobby and checked in with him, finally glad to have him with you. It was a lot less embarrassing and anxiety inducing, despite the fact that most people were staring at his hat. He stayed by your side with one hand on the middle of your back protectively all the way up to the correct floor, where you had to check in again.

"I'm here for an ultrasound appointment," you said to the receptionist. "Alright," she said, glancing questionably at Kung Lao. You smirked to yourself, he was intimidating. Nobody would dare fuck with you while Kung Lao was at your side. "And who have you brought with you today?" The woman asked, looking again at Kung Lao. You opened your mouth to speak but he beat you to it. "I'm her boyfriend, and the father," he answered. The woman nodded and went back to her computer. You turned your head to look at him, a huge smile coming to your face. Not wanting to give anything away, Kung Lao just looked at you and winked.

The receptionist got you checked in and you both sat down to wait for your name to be called. You leaned close to him and whispered. "Boyfriend, huh?" He smirked. "It was the only way I could think to tell you," he said, his tone of voice giving away his teasing. You giggled and rested your head on his shoulder, happy when he put his arm around you in return. Your name was called and you both walked back to an exam room. Kung Lao took off his hat and leaned it against the wall, the room was small and he didn't want to accidentally cut anyone.

The nurse took your vitals and asked you a few questions before leaving you and Kung Lao to wait for the doctor. "Can I see it?" You turned to look at him. "See what?" He uncrossed his arms. "The baby." "You will be able to see it on the ultrasound-" he shook his head, interrupting your sentence. "No, your stomach," he clarified. You understood now and laid back on the table, pulling your shirt up to expose your stomach. Now on month five, your bump was getting increasingly hard to hide.

"Can I touch?" He asked. You nodded with a smile, his curiosity and interest was adorable. Kung Lao placed his hand on your stomach and after a moment he began to rub it around. A sudden discomfort peaked in your stomach area and you looked at Kung Lao, who was as surprised as you. "Was that.." you put your hand on your stomach right next to his and after a couple seconds the discomforting, tiny jolt happened again. "It's kicking!" You beamed, “this is the first time I’ve ever felt it.” Kung Lao took your free hand in his, the look on his face seemed genuinely happy this time. “That was the most amazing thing I’ve ever felt,” he said. “Besides the night we made this happen, that is.” You let out an actual laugh, there was the Kung Lao you knew.

The doctor came in and set you all up for the ultrasound. Kung Lao waited impatiently by your side. “The gender should be visible if the baby cooperates, would you like to know?” The doctor asked. You exchanged looks with Kung Lao and came to a conclusion. “Yes, we would like to know,” Kung Lao answered. The doctor nodded and Kung Lao held your hand as the doctor moved the device around your gel covered stomach. The doctor let you both see the screen as they looked around, pointing out things and details that made no sense to you. As long as the baby was healthy that was all that mattered to you.

The doctor finally removed the device and handed you tissue to wipe off your skin. “Looks like he’s all good in there, just stick to what you’re doing and take it easy,” the doctor said. You smiled, “he?” You looked at Kung Lao who looked back at you with a smile. “We’re having a baby boy..” Kung Lao didn’t think, he just pulled you into a tight hug. He’d never been happier in his life. He was going to be a father to a little boy, one he could teach everything he knew, one he could get his own little hat. Everything would be perfect. He kissed your cheek. “I can’t wait to tell Liu Kang.”

[narutakijune]

About ATLA Relationship Arcs

So, this is me, finally trying to write some meta after lurking in my little tumblr corner for months! Hi!

Although I’ve tried to tag properly, if you are a Kat*anger and just want to enjoy your favourite couple in peace, this might not be the post for you. I am not trying to bash characters but I do have a lot of critical stuff to say about the writing.

Anyway, you have been warned and here is my story about my personal first Atla experience: I watched the show this year for the first time, and after the end of Book 1 I decided to look up spoilers, because after what happened to Yue, I wanted to make sure that Zuko and Iroh would be ok. So I knew what was going to happen: Kat*ang endgame and absolutely no Zutara at all. Still, by the end of Book 3, I was convinced that I had read wrong - that there would be an epilogue with a different ending or at least that Aang would only get together with Katara post-show- in that Korra series or something - because anything else wouldn’t make sense- right?

….

After I got over my shock and surprise, I went online and found out about that decade-long aggressive passionate ship war and how even the showrunners got involved.

And then I really worried that I might have missed a few points. Apparently ”Aang and Katara were the DNA of the show”, according to the creators themselves, and “Zutara could never have happened”.

Another popular anti-ZK argument I found was: Why do you always go on about Katara and Zuko? Just look at Zuko and Aang! They are the hero/ anti-hero and each other’s foils, their relationship is much more meaningful!”

So I tried to find out what it was that I apparently couldn’t see.

(Another disclaimer: I love analysing stories (like many Zutarians apparently) and this will get long and rambly. If you get bored to tears when people start talking about “narrative structure” you will probably not like this.)

Talking about narrative structure, I do believe that, in order to let your story, your characters and their relationships really shine, a good basic structure is important. There should be a recognizable development and individual parts of the story that build upon each other and lead to consequences and change, until there is a completed arc - because it is all about the journey that takes you to a satisfying ending, right? So that’s what I tried to do, with my personal Kat*ang vs. Zutara take, I tried to look at the structure and development of their relationship arcs.

The argument that threw me off track for a while is that compared to Aang and Zuko, Zuko and Katara’s relationship is not supposed to be that relevant for the plot. After all, Zuko is the foil, the anti-hero, the deuteragonist to Aang, who is the hero protagonist.

This is all true of course. But then why is it that in every finale, Zuko’s main opponent (and later ally) is not Aang but Katara? Why is it that their sun/moon, red/blue, fire/water dichotomy is so obviously highlighted?

I think one reason why Zuko and Katara are paired off so frequently in the story - as opposite elements, as opponents and as allies - is that they BOTH are Aang’s deuteragonists. While Zuko also acts as antagonist and Aang’s foil/mirror, Katara takes over the more traditional deuteragonist role of confidant / best friend/ narrator.

Protagonist Aang is what connects them, although they are on opposite sides: Both need Aang because he represents their hope to save their world. Very simply put, Katara protects him, so he can make the world a safer place again, and Zuko wants to capture him, so he can go home and be safe again. That rivalry between them is already established in the first episode, even before they meet each other: Katara, who hopes that the Avatar will return (as she tells everyone in the intro), and Zuko, who seems to be obsessed with finding him for more sinister reasons.

And just to make sure, I am not talking here about the characters’ feelings and emotions! This is just about the abstract roles they have been assigned within the narrative.

When regarding Zutara’s special connection to Aang and their rivalry with each other, it makes absolute sense to stress their “same but different”ness as well, visually and metaphorically: Red and blue, fire and water, sun and moon, arguably Painted Lady/Blue Spirit, and, when you put into account their story arc, also Oma and Shu.

With this basis, which puts them together and sets them apart simultaneously, their relationship already becomes very dynamic and interesting, even before you consider any romantic potential.

And here’s another thing, Zuko and Katara also have their own story arc within the main plot. Although they don’t have many scenes together before Zuko joins the Gaang, when they do meet there is always a new shift in their relationship and in quite a few cases their interactions are important for the main plot as well. If you just look at their “end fights” at each book’s finale, there is an obvious and consequential build-up, like any decent story arc should have:

Book 1 starts with Zuko as the powered-up enemy and Katara as the weak newbie waterbender. Both are battling over Aang. At the end of Book 1, they are finally established as equally powerful fighters but still fundamentally different (You rise with the moon, I rise with the sun!)

In CoD at the end of Book 2 happens the next step: they realize that they are not different at all! But Aang still doesn’t represent the same for them and they end up on opposing sides of the war again.

In the Book 3 finale, when Zuko has completed his own (anti-) hero's journey and Aang represents the same “hope” for both of them, they do not only join forces: Their “same but different”- traits make them such a uniquely suited match that they are even able to save each other’s lives during their fight with Azula (who in turn happens to be Katara and Zuko’s antagonist/mirror/foil).

And in addition to their own story arc they even get an individual recurring theme, which also appears in every book whenever their relationship status changes: The lost mothers, especially Katara’s mother.

In Book 1, Katara’s necklace (the symbol of Kiya) plays not only a major part in two of Zuko’s capture attempts, it is the reason for their very first one-one one encounter in the story.

Their first friendly connection in COD in Book 2 happens because they start talking about their mothers. And in Book 3, their final reconciliation (sealed with a very cathartic hug) happens after their life-changing trip which is, of course, all about Katara’s mother.

Again, I am not even trying to analyse their characters and motivations within the story - there are many metas that have already done that much better, more detailed and with screenshots. This is just dry structure and tropes and themes. But I think people recognize and connect with a well-structured arc, even subconsciously, which is one of the reasons that makes Zutara such a compelling couple. They complete and contrast each other, their relationship dynamic constantly changes, builds up, falls apart, reconnects. Such a setup is the perfect playground for a lot of creative takes on what-ifs and alternative scenarios and of course, shipping them romantically is extremely tempting - think of all the possibilities! It’s no wonder that the Zutara fandom is still so active decades after the end of the show. And it’s also no wonder that the Zutarians are known for “over-analysing everything”. You can only over-analyse if there is anything that gives you enough food to analyse to begin with. Which brings me to

KAT*ANG

I just go right to the top and take the quote from Br*yke themselves:

Kata*ng was in the DNA of the thing from the start…. [Zutara] was just dark and intriguing.

If you read this quote and then start watching the show, I would (grudgingly) agree that:

Aang and Katara understand and complement each other really well. Aang gives her the chance to have fun and go on adventures and in turn, Katara is his fiercest supporter from the very beginning, something that he really needs after he lost all his people AND has to find out that the world thinks the war is sort of his fault. In turn, the journey to the North Pole is as important to Katara as it is to Aang, because it is her dream to learn waterbending properly. That’s what she literally says when Sokka & Co try to banish Aang: (Sokka: Where do you think you’re going? Katara: To find a waterbender. Aang is taking me to the North Pole.) In that way, they are friends who give and take equally and are equally taken care of. They even have the last Airbender/ last Southern Waterbender status that connects them. The few times they have a fight, Aang does something in the end to redeem himself (perform some heroic feat) and Katara sees that she is right to believe in him.

Aang has this very sweet crush on her and it will be very sweet and wholesome when Katara will return his feelings at the end of their adventure after he has hit puberty. On the other side, there is also some heavy shipbaiting with Zuko: I save you from the pirates. The betrothal necklace. June and her excellent shipping taste. But in the end they are enemies, they barely know each other and, come on, it would be too dark and intriguing! There is no real threat against friends to lovers Kat*ang, the soft heart of the story. It’s very straightforward and there are a lot of simple “the hero saves the day” scenes for Aang but that’s fine! It’s not really my kind of ship but that’s not the point, it works for the story they want to tell.

End of Book 1.

In my - probably harsh- opinion, everything you really need to know about the Kat*ang relationship has been told by this point. If you want to be really mean, already by Book 1, episode 3.

That explains maybe why many (not all! but many) pro-KA arguments sound as if their shippers have not watched Book 2 and 3 at all. The Book 1 synopsis also perfectly sums up Bry*ke’s quote above. But then Book 2 and 3 are still there and I don’t know what happened but it seems as if they somehow decided that the Kat*ang story does not need any new and lasting input. Maybe because they were afraid that too much new development and change would stray too far away from their original Kat*ang vision. But there are still 2 more books and more adventures and Kat*ang somehow has to be kept apart until the finale.

So the tension in their potential romance is based largely on the question whether or not Katara will return Aang’s feelings. In general I don’t have a problem with that will-she-won’t she-technique. It works well in books where the love interest is not a POV or in shows/ movies where the love interest is not one of the main characters. But Katara is not only the female lead but also arguably the narrative voice of the whole story! As a result, this kind of writing makes Katara look as if she doesn’t have any agency in their relationship, which is not surprisingly a very popular anti-KA criticism.

Additionally, since her dream - learning waterbending - has been fulfilled by the end of Book 1, the relationship work becomes a bit one-sided. Of course Aang is the hero and his journey is the heart of the story. But in order to highlight their special connection it would have helped to give Katara another personal agenda, which Aang could have supported in some way. She is still the last Southern Waterbender and he the Last Airbender but this is not really explored in the Kat*ang relationship. And her other personal agenda, her mother, is already reserved for the Zutara arc.

Instead, in Book 2 and 3 the Kat*ang story is somehow all over the place. Of course there is new conflict and a few romantic scenes as well. But obstacles are either introduced too late or just dropped when not needed anymore, conflict is not resolved and their flirty, romantic moments never lead anywhere- and if they do, they lead to more conflict that is not resolved (yes, I am looking at you, EIP Kiss!).

Take for example Katara’s very sudden argument that they cannot be together now because there is a war going on. We hear her saying that for the first time in the very last episode (EIP) before the 4-part finale. That is too late to have any impact! That she has these kinds of thoughts was never even alluded to before. Not once.

Or the pattern Aang runs away/ is flaky - Katara is upset - Aang comes back and does his hero thing - Katara is relieved. In regards to their relationship arc, nothing changes here between Book 1 and the finale, only the stakes for Aang’s heroic performances get higher.

Or Katara being the one who is able to calm Aang down when he cannot control the Avatar state (which, in my personal opinion, is neither romantic nor healthy). This is also connected to the problem with the seventh Chakra, that Aang needs to let go of his attachment for her. I will be angry forever with how they wasted this for a possible relationship development! That Aang has to decide to either do his duty or save his forever girl (because let’s be fair, he did try to let go and only ran when he had the vision of Katara in danger) - that’s a fantastic setup!

But no, it doesn’t have any real consequences for Kat*ang at all. Instead there were only half-baked attempts – Aang does lie about his failed practice with Guru Pathik but the ultimate reason why his chakra is blocked is Azula, not his decision to run. Aang does try to let go of Katara for a little bit but then Azula shoots him. Nothing in Book 3 shows any change in his feelings that could have been a result of his instant let-it-go. If anything, he gets weirdly obsessive - which could have been used as a side effect of his blocked chakra but – again, no, nothing happens.

I suspect the whole thing was just introduced to create temporary drama for poor Aang, but it is never explained why Katara holds him back, what aspect of the attachment is blocking him or what would happen if he did let her go. Maybe they tried to make a statement about how love is more important than Avatar rules – which would have been fine but it’s also never properly explored. Instead, as soon as that plot point becomes inconvenient it’s simply dropped like a random rock™.

Compare all that to the Zutara arc, where both characters’ feelings about each other are always very much in the open, and where every interaction causes lasting effects in their relationship. Yes, it is unfair to compare that to Kat*ang, because up to the end of Book 3, Zuko and Katara almost never meet, while Aang and Katara spend almost every episode together – of course they cannot do meaningful things all the time. But on the other side, with Kat*ang, there would have been a great chance to show a subtle, gradual build-up instead.

It also doesn’t help that the Zutara arc seems hellbent on sabotaging every romantic moment Aang is allowed to enjoy:

There is Kat*angs first maybe-kiss in the dark before the background of the Oma and Shu legend. But it does not lead anywhere. Instead, Zuko and Katara almost reenact the legend itself in the Book 2 finale as two real enemies to almost-friends, including a glowy rocks-backdrop and the right costume colours, just so nobody misses the message.

In Footloose The Headband, Aang and Katara have a really sweet dance together, and everybody can see how they almost intuitively know each other's moves. This could be a great hint on how well they will fight together in the finale. But is it plot-relevant? No, because the final tag team is Katara and Zuko! While Aang gets paired off with random rock™.

Then there is Aang’s riding off to battle- kiss in DotBS, which Katara is not even allowed to enjoy, because keeping her feelings vague is apparently more important than character development at this point. It is the only romantic moment that gets mentioned again, but in a way that sinks the former cute and wholesome ship into the deep ocean, and the reason is - Aang is jealous of Zuko!

If all of this was only done for the sake of shipbaiting, then it really went out of control at some point.

In the end, the showrunners still had their reasons to choose Kat*ang, maybe because that corresponded more to their own vision, and there are still enough people out there who agree with them. Which is absolutely fine! In the end, what matters most is how you personally connect to the characters and nobody needs to defend their personal taste. But the typical anti-ZK claim, that all the Zutarians with their crazy analysis and rambling meta essays are reaching and delusional and that they desperately try to construct something that isn’t there, is not only a very lazy argument but simply not true.

And I’d claim that in spite of the canon choice, Zutara is technically the better written relationship. By far.

[flowerwrites06]

deathly dry spell — jjk

Plot: When Taehyung is away for months on a trip in the peak of winter, alternative methods of keeping a succubus pleased comes into play. 

Pairing(s): Jungkook x Succubus!OC (Name: Belle) ft. Boyfriend Taehyung 

Rating: G | PG | M | R 18+

Type: Drabble | Oneshot | Two Parter | Series

Word Count: 2k+

Genre: Succubus AU | Roommate AU | PWP

Tags & Warnings: explicit smut, spanking, squirting, unsafe sex, coarse language, succubus being angry horny 

Authors Note: idk what’s happening with my writing streak lately but I’m kind of just going with the flow and hoping you all like it lmao let me know what you think!

Another frustrating morning. Belle had taken pills to suppress some of the aching in between her legs but they were only aggravating the hunger. Even her ivory horns began to ache from the increasing frustration and her breasts felt tender than ever before. Winter was always the worst time for her to be away from him. The grey sky framed by the apartment windows and cool atmosphere stinging her flesh made her desperate for warmth. No. Heat. She wanted burning heat everywhere.

“I’m going to be gone a couple of months, sweetheart,” Taehyungs’ voice crackled through the speaker.

“Months?” Belles’ dark brows furrowed looking through the computer screen as her boyfriend delivered the disturbing news. His curls were messy and a loose shirt draped over his body, making her heat up between her legs even more. In turn, increasing her frustration towards him for being so far apart.

If it were a normal relationship with two humans then they would probably just be very saddened. Unfortunately leaving your succubus girlfriend for a couple of months isn’t exactly safe. Especially if you’re desperate to want her faithful. She let out a deep sigh, staring out again at the heavily clouded sky. It was probably going to snow a lot this winter. She clamped her thighs together, cuddled into a crème blanket. “Tae—I can’t.” She buried her lips into the fluffy material. “Maybe I could come visit you.”

“You know why you can’t visit me here.” Taehyung didn’t sound too happy about the ordeal either but Belle had too much on her mind to feel bad for him. “These idiots don’t like magical creatures and you’ll be in danger.”

“But I can’t—”

“I had a suggestion.”

Belle blinked curiously. “What?”

Taehyung bit down his bottom lip, unsure of the thoughts rushing through his mind. “If you start feeling pain or sick at all—Jungkook could—”

“No.”

“You know it can’t be negotiated.”

“No!” she winced.

Taehyung sighed. “Baby…I can’t have you in pain.”

“Well that’s just you have to live with for leaving me.” She sniffled, scrunching her nose as the cold stung her. “Does Jungkook even know about your decision?”

“I kind of mentioned it to him.” Taehyung scratched the back of his head.

Belle’s eyes burned into him. She understood that there was no other choice if she wanted to survive the winter. But to take part in this pact felt so wrong. “So you just discussed it like it was some kind of business transaction.” Her feelings were indifferent. Some part of her still wanted to pretend that she was against it. Succubi were always known to become disloyal to their partners. If she took part in this thing, she’d be one of them.

“You—” Sadness spread across Taehyungs’ face; eyes glossed and features twisted in pain. “—you’ll die. Please…I want to come back home to you alive and well.”

Belles’ expression softened, tightening the blanket around her as she averted her gaze. “I’ll think about it.”

“Thank you.”

-

It kept getting colder and her body kept getting painful. Belle didn’t remember the last moment she sat still. Not having to squirm somehow to be comfortable. Spending nights rubbing against pillows to get some kind of tension but only sleeping with tears filling her eyes. This morning wasn’t helping her mood either when Jungkook made food for the both of them to eat.

Belle hadn’t talked to him ever since the call with Taehyung. Except that didn’t mean Jungkook stopped making an effort to keep some kind of interaction going. Forcing a dinner on them was one of his genius attempts.

Roasted potatoes, chicken curry, spinach paste and a blueberry pie. Hearty enough meals for Belle to sustain herself when she couldn’t be filled in other ways. The scent suffused the cool air, making it homely and comforting. In her stubbornness though, Belle leaned back on the chair as Jungkook tried to start a conversation.

“You’re just not going to talk to me.” Jungkook shook his head.

Belle folded her arms over her chest refusing to eat a morsel of food. It smelled delicious to a point where it could even make her mouth water.

“Look I know you’re hungry.” He gestured to the meal. “If you’re not going to do it the way you have to at least eat the way humans do.”

Belle glared at him. “Don’t act like this is an inconvenience to you. I didn’t ask for your goddamn help!” She never snapped at Jungkook. Or anyone for that matter. Then again, she hadn’t gone this long from getting her sustenance.

“It’s not an inconvenience. I don’t want to see a friend hurt like this.”

“But you’re willing to treat me like a bet in a club.”

Jungkooks’ expression hardened. “Sex means life and death to you, does it or does it not?”

Belle pressed her lips together. “Yes,” she muttered.

“Then why the hell would we not take it seriously?” He stabbed the fork into the chicken. “I can’t force you to get what you need. But I’m sure as hell not letting you leave until you eat something.”

She wanted to stay relentless and keep her arms folded. Except the meal might help sleep at night better at the very best. With a defeated sigh, she relaxed herself and began to eat.

-

“Stop squirming,” Jungkook said.

Belle scoffed, slouching on the couch after a good hour of trying to get into a comfortable position. Even the winter chills were turning into mere summer breezes from the way her body kept heating up. It was strange to have light snow falling outside and her body was adorned with a nightie. “I can’t get comfortable, alright? If you don’t like it, just go to your room.”

“This is my apartment too.”

“And you have a TV in your room.”

“But I want to be here.”

“Then stop complaining.” Belle shifted when the pooling between her legs was getting heavier.

Jungkook scoffed, raking his fingers through his hair roughly. “You know, I didn’t realize you had the potential to be such a bitch.”

“Well, we’re learning a lot of things, aren’t we?” Belle smiled bitterly. “Like how you have absolutely no patience whatsoever.”

“Sorry I’m not Taehyung keeping check on you like you’re a toddler.”

Thick scents of amber suffused the air and taunted Jungkooks’ nostrils. He tried not to scrunch his nose too much but it was strange not smelling the usual jasmine scent from her body.

“Just cause I don’t function like you humans doesn’t mean you get to demean my needs.” Belles’ voice had gotten deeper, eyes burning in anger and frustration. “Especially you. Acting like the nice best friend to Taehyung for months on end but the moment you have time alone with me, you act like I don’t exist. You’re no different than those people Taehyung works with—”

Jungkook grabbed the back of her neck and pressed a kiss on her lips. The desperately loyal part of Belle screamed to pull away. But whenever she tried, the warmth of another’s lips and the grip on her neck only caused her to whimper. He pulled away then. Chests rising and falling in the new brewing heat.

Belle hated her body for trying to grab onto him again. She tried to muster a frown. “Did you just do that to shut me up?”

“I can’t watch you ruin yourself.” Jungkook tightened his grip into her hair. “So please, for the love of god, fuck me.”

Like a trigger pulled on a gun, Belle pounced on the male, lips crashing against each other as her hands moved down to pull her panties off. She threw the flimsy material on the floor without a care before moving to straddle the male on the couch.

Jungkook pushed down his sweatpants and boxers, bare skin meeting the soft surface of the couch.

Belle raised herself until she felt his tip position at her sloppy entrance. She slid down slowly, the almost nonexistent sleeve of her nightie slipping down her shoulders. Without waiting a second longer, Belle moved up and down his cock, snug walls hugging him perfectly. There was no more time to wait. She didn’t want to wait.

He pushed up her dress, kneading her ass and forcing her hips to grind against his own. “F-Fuck…”

Belle threw her head back, hands placed on the back of the couch. Her breasts bounced along with her movements, nipples peeking out a little.

Jungkook growled lightly wrapping his strong arms fully around her waist before pounding up in to her pussy. He moved at a dizzying pace, balls slapping against her ass like a round of applause.

The sounds drowned Belle’s choked screams infused in an overwhelming pleasure as his lower belly roughly rubbed against her clit. “O-god.” She whimpered, gripping at the couch pillow until she scratched one of them.

Slowing his thrusts down, he moved deep inside her, feeling his cock drowning in her arousal. Jungkook kept his hold and turned them around so she was on the couch instead.

She immediately spread her legs apart watching him lean in and drink in her leaking core. Her hand moved to his hair.

Tongue lapped at her clit as he snuck a finger prodding at her slit. Jungkook slid inside with so much ease that a moan emitted in his throat. Then he slid another. Her heat burned against his flesh. Curling his digits upward, he rubbed against the spot inside her. His thumb brushing against her clit, he drilled his fingers into her pussy.

Belle let out a small sob in between her moans. Nails digging into her thigh as she watched her pussy spluttering out her arousal onto his hands moving at lightning speed. The pleasure coiled in her lower belly; tightening beyond control.

Knuckles deep inside her, he felt it getting hotter and more sloppy causing his member to spurt more arousal onto the floor. “That’s right, baby…” He whispered, dipping down and wrapping his lips around her clit, suckling like his favourite treat as his fingers continued to pound into her.

Belle’s body shook like insanity embodied, the heat gathering in her lower belly almost unbearable as she felt a heaviness ready to burst. “I’m gonna cum, Kook—” She cried out, thrashing against the messed up pillows.

The coil then sprung out in a light gush of clear liquid, squirting out of her as Jungkook kept moving his fingers in and out while suckling on her throbbing clit. He felt wetness dripping down his hand, soaking into the couch but it only made him hungrier for more as he growled against her puffy, sensitive pussy.

Belle winced from a slight ache as he continued to go beyond her sensitive point. “Ah-Kook-“ She pushed him away gently causing him to chuckle a little.

“We’re not done yet, baby.” Jungkook smirked, picking her up again, off the couch and turning her around. He bent her over so her breasts pressed against the wet stain. “Look at the mess you made.”

Belle replied in a whimper, swaying her ass his way until she felt his leaking tip brush against her. The stamped down pleasure reignited quicker than her own body could handle it. She wanted more. A sharp pain swung on her ass cheek causing her to let out a throaty chuckle as she swayed again. Much to her pleasure, Jungkook landed another swing on her ass cheek much harsher than the first. “Do it again.”

Jungkook obliged, slapping it once again. His tip rubbed in between her blushing cheeks to gain some friction when he landed another smack. Pressing his sweat layered chest to her back, he jabbed his glistening fingers through her lips. He hungrily watched Belle suckle on her arousal. Jungkook took a cheeky moment to push it down her throat until she gagged. He pulled his fingers out and grabbed onto her neck. “You want more?”

“Yes,” Belle whispered, desperately swaying her hips to gain his fill again.

“Yeah?” Jungkook pushed his length in, moaning at how much her walls still closed in on him, pushing him further over the edge. Veined fists pressed against the couch, slamming his hips against hers.

Belle rested her cheek against the soaked fabric. The smell of her own arousal made her mad with ecstasy, light groans emitted in her throat, her lower belly tightening again. The couch shifted and creaked at every thrust as her legs lost all ability to move properly.

Jungkook growled as the heaviness in his lower belly became hard to control, screaming to release. “I’m coming…” He breathed out.

“Come inside me.” Belle reached behind her to grab the back of his neck. “Please, come inside me,” she cried out.

Forehead pressing against the top of her head, Jungkook gave into frantic thrusts. Pleasure burst out of him in a thickened wave. Fingers dug into the cushion as a shaky moan passed his lips.

Belle grinned in complete bliss as her orgasm pounded through her, knees trembling and her body convulsing until she swore she saw stars. So many days of keeping herself contained. The proper pleasure of Jungkook filling her up brought her to tears, dripping onto the already ruined couch cushions. She giggled through her light sobs.

“Hey—” Jungkook brushed her hair away from her sweat-layered temple. “You okay?”

“More than okay.” Belle grinned, sniffling. “Thank you.”

Jungkook chuckled. “First time I’ve heard that after sex.”

The rest of winter moved a lot smoother and warmer for Belle and Jungkook.

[endlich-allein]

Interview with Till about his life: he fought with his father, killed his beloved dog, swam on a wild river and worked on suffering. How Till Lindemann's mind works

"I will finish you off" and why you fought for the German army.

Werner Lindemann wanders around the room, interrupting the silence with strange questions, writing something down. His motive is to get to know his son and make him a friend. But it's complicated. Generational conflict.

"My island of tranquility is shaken every day. The day before yesterday, a guy pulled on my socks because his were torn. Yesterday he didn't put out a single lamp in the house. Now, with voluptuous delight, he spits cherry pits into the cat's fur. Is this grown boy really an adult?"

The apprenticeship in Rostock, where you have to do window production after graduation, is the limit of boredom. Till Lindemann moved to his father in the countryside so that he could forget about the hustle and bustle of the city and not fall under the article for anti-social attitudes. He thought of a new life, in which there was no pointless work, and arranged an attic in his father's house.

In the mornings over coffee, he scolded life that everything went according to schedule. And listened very loudly to music - electronics and metal. My father didn't understand and grumbled: “I matured late. Naturally, I wanted to listen to the music I liked, but I could not get my hands on these records. For example, my father did not understand when I bought the Alice Cooper record for a month's salary.

Werner Lindemann was a children's writer who went through the war.

At the height of his career he disappeared for weeks on literary tours - his fame spread to teachers and librarians across the country. His father pecked at Lindemann for refusing to work and promised to turn him in:

"My willful child. What doesn't fit his standards is rejected as nonsense or crap." So he took a job as a carpenter, where he made shovel cuttings and cart wheels. The head foreman constantly drank vodka during the day, didn't want to be annoyed with questions and addressed the long-haired Lindemann with the nickname: "Mozart!" This suited him.

Werner Lindemann talked about war, hard existence and limitations. For example, about a grenade splinter that remained in his body. Lindemann did not believe in all these stories - but categorically did not accept service, war and murder:

“After that I objected: “I would hide, I would not go to war. Why did you even let yourself be dragged into this? You could have hidden."

And he said: “It didn't work out. They searched for it and it took away."

Then I said: “I would rather go under arrest. Never in my life, I would go to the front line to shoot people. It's against my nature. It would be better if I went to jail."

Much of the time father and son were simply silent, even while watching television.

"He regularly made me feel guilty, to say the least, he placed himself on a pedestal towards me: I shouldn't complain. At your age, I ran barefoot through the stubble, and in my stomach - a potato in a uniform."

The only acceptance is Mike Oldfield's music: "One day my father came to grumble again. At that moment I was listening to Mike Oldfield, and he sat down and said: "That sounds interesting."

For me it was like a quantum leap: my father sits in my room, listens to my music and thinks it was good. Probably because of melancholy. He was sitting in a rocking chair that I made myself - at the time I was working as a carpenter on a farm. I, too, always sat in an armchair, immersed myself in music and smoked hand-rolled cigarettes."

The conflict was intensified by a fight. Lindemann bought a Trabant car, installed speakers in it and tested the sound - loud as usual. “Then my father came and I had to turn off this fucking music. It was kind of loud for him. He was then fiddling around his cases of flowers, and then suddenly the situation escalated. I think he slapped me while I was still in the car.

He leaned toward me and hit me with the back of his hand. I made some bullshit remarks like, "Leave me alone," something like that. That was a provocation to him, and he said: "If you do that again, I'll hit you for real." And I said, "Then you'll get it back. Because you're crazy. Don't you dare to hit me anymore."

And then he hit me with his palm again. He wasn't controlling himself.

He was exalting himself. Instantly he introduced himself as a boxer - he had boxed in the Hitler Youth - and I just... I thought I didn't hit him, I just pushed him away. And then he stood in front of me again, "Come on, I'll finish you, you haven't got a chance!" Somehow. After that, he went up to the attic and threw all my stuff out the window.

It happened over the weekend, my sister was there, a lot of screaming, serious drama. Then I packed my things, put them in the car, went to a friend's house and never went into his house again. At first I lived with this friend, and a week later I bought myself a house in the village."

His father's book is about his son, which the son will only open up after the death of the father.

Lindemann is a late child. He was born when his father was 36. The gap in their relationship was felt in everyday life and perception of the world. Werner Lindemann woke up early in the morning, worked with the circular saw under the windows and did not understand when his son slept until noon after a working week.

Lindemann's parents then lived separately, but kept in touch. Mom worked as a journalist and discussed her texts with his father. "She still lived in Rostock and always came to see him only on weekends. Mostly on Sundays she came back quite early, because she couldn't stand the stress of being with him, either."

In 1988, the book “Mike Oldfield im Schaukelstuhl Notizen eines Vaters" In this book, Lindemann Senior describes the relationship with his son (whom he calls Timm in the book), who settled with him at the age of 18. The book was written in the 80s and laid on the table until the German Democratic Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany were reunited.

Werner Lindemann wanted his son to take up writing too. But this only amused him, although as a child he wrote poetry. At the age of 13, little Till Lindemann and his father were returning home along the bumpy road to Mecklenburg. They talked about career self-determination:

"You should already have thoughts about what you want to become, boy." My answer: "I don't know yet, maybe a fisherman on the high seas."

But immediately, no matter what I said, objections arose: “But then you have to get a certificate of maturity. But then you will be away all the time. But then you won't be able to start a relationship."

There was always a “but”.

At some point it got on my nerves, as usual. And I said: "Worst case scenario, I'll just become a writer.

I still remember how alienated his face became. "And what do you think then, what do I do! It's a very hard job! In fact, it's not even a job, it's a passion. And it's a job that's supposed to be enjoyable."

I said, "I don't know anybody who works with pleasure."

"Yeah, that's the problem. You have to look for a job that gives you pleasure." Then I say again, "But some people never get to choose..." This gigantic discussion happened because I didn't take his profession seriously. At the same time, he was completely lost, funny!"

Lindemann thoughtfully read his father's book, in which he comprehends their relationship, after his death. Faked for hidden anger and indecision. For example, in a situation where their dog Kurt was bitten by a fox. The father was frightened because of rabies: “At the same time, we did not even know whether he was bitten by a fox or not. The father immediately called the huntsman. But I said: no one will enter this courtyard and shoot the dog. I'll do it myself if I really need it. At some point I really had to kill the dog."

Lindemann is not a monster. The animals he fiddled with are an important attribute of childhood. He had an aquarium and hamsters, brought mice and rats home, and was friends with dogs. “Like many children of new buildings, he felt the need for someone alive, in need of love,” said Werner Lindemann. Sometimes the appearance of an animal in the house was surprising:

“This guy will never say what he's up to. He appears on the doorstep at the same time as me. He gets out from his vehicle, throws his coat open and puts a young black shepherd in my hands. "Your Christmas present!"

Till's father is speechless. My son stands before me like the sun's little brother. Touchingly concerned, he directs me into the house, working out a plan for the animal husbandry, accommodation and diet of our new pet housemate.

With confusion, a question flies from my lips, "Wheredid you get the dog from?" "Timm" is gibbering, "Imagine, the mason in the barnyard wanted to hang him, simply wanted to strangle him with a rope, said he was a worthless eater..."

Werner Lindemann died of stomach cancer in 1993, when his son was 30. They didn't finally reconcile, but Till visited him in his last days and was there for him with his mother: "They couldn't be without each other, even though they lived apart. Unreal, but my mother never had another man afterwards. To this day she can't let go of him."

- Not going to the Olympics in Moscow and ending up in the German ghetto

Lindemann had the knowledge and the potential to be a swimmer. And a shyness that pounded harder three days before the competition than concerts in front of crowds of thousands. "I know how difficult it is to develop willpower and stamina and instill those attributes. In the GDR this was instilled in us by coaches and so-called functionaries."

Lindemann came to swimming at the age of eight and devoted his entire youth to the sport. He would get up for training at five in the morning and pass out in the evening. His grandmother watched him from the stands. At a competition in Leipzig she shouted at the coach, who told Lindemann off for a poor result. The grandmother took the coach by the ear and said: "How do you talk to my grandson?"

Sports tightened up his upbringing and developed self-discipline. “Drilling - probably the boy has already received this experience as a swimmer,” Lindemann's father wrote. - Once he had to take second place in a competition, but by no means first place. Of course, he got carried away, forgot about it, became the first, thanks to which he received a shouting for indiscipline. And whenever he lost in the future, his coach would torture him at practice for a long time and yelled at him: "Even if you win, you're not a winner yet!"

Lindemann swam the 1.5 km freestyle and could have gone to the 1980 Olympics in Moscow. Everything was ruined when he left the hotel without permission during a competition in Florence: "I didn't want to run, but just wanted to look at the city. Cars, bikes, girls. I was caught and kicked out of the team, but then I didn't give the required results either."

Lindemann competed at the European Junior Championships, but did not go any higher. After the story in Florence, his career in sport slipped away. Perhaps an abdominal injury influenced his departure. Lindemann is gone, but he doesn't yearn: "I was relatively young. There were no good [memories] left. I was glad it was over."

"The hardest part was getting back to normal. I fell into a real hole. My home was no longer a sports school, but a ghetto in Rostock. Now I stood out through drinking and fighting. I used to be surrounded only by beautiful ladies who were interested in swimming. Now I had fierce women standing in front of me asking, "How come you don't drink?" When I was shy about approaching a girl, it was interpreted as: "Are you gay?"

Lindemann now works with a coach and swims a few kilometers before his tours to get in shape: "When I exercise, I feel a certain lightness - not only physically, but also mentally. I just feel better. The main problem is staying in shape. That's where self-discipline comes into play. Teeth grinding is important."

- Three weeks in the wild and loneliness as a creative tool

Emotionally, concerts = sports:

"How do I go on tour? Hungry. And happy. It is good to compare concerts with sport. You don't want to do both at first. You don't want to go on stage. You don't want to go to the pool. You don't want to go to the boxing ring. It all happens with reluctance. It has to be accepted somehow, that's life: spring, summer, fall, winter.

When it's done, winter's gone, the blooming begins, greenery appears, it gets bright, and you start to get a taste for it. When it's over, you feel happy. Then the body produces a sea of chemistry, a lot of happiness hormones. I think the body rewards itself."

The stage, like sports, is an embarrassment, but a necessity. Lindemann wore dark glasses in order to collect fewer views from the audience. Therefore, a couple of steps before the water, he looked at the pool with a shiver. You need to cope with yourself in order to open up to new emotions.

Lindemann's gut requires solitude and moderate solitude. This is the point:

“Loneliness is always good for a creative push - you drink a glass of wine and you feel even shitier. Art is not complete without suffering; art exists to compensate for suffering."

With his friend Joey Kelly, Lindemann spent three weeks on the Yukon River. They paddled through the wilderness in a kayak for eight to 10 hours each and lived in a tent. Lindemann didn't take a tape recorder with him, so he transferred the lyrics wandering in his head on paper.

They were catching inspiration and atmosphere:

"There were times when we wouldn't say a word for hours, but then: look there, look there! It was breathtakingly beautiful. These relatively fast-changing panoramas and skies, layers of clouds, the colors.

Except for a few bears and wolves, it's hard to see anyone else out there, it's exhilarating. Along the way we saw two hunters setting traps. No one else.

I grew up in the countryside, and I have a very strong connection to nature. I love fishing, hunting. It's an archaic experience that I like to revisit over and over again. When I'm in the city for too long, I start to miss it."

To recreate situations in the Yukon, Lindemann and Kelly trained for nine months on the Rhine river in Germany because of its liveliness.

"We went down the Rhine to where the transport ships create huge bow waves. If we hadn't had a coach with us, we probably would have been sunk by the side wave impact already during our first attempt," Lindemann said.

Together with Kelly, he had four sessions with two coaches and swam from Cologne to Koblenz [more than 100 kilometers by car]. Lindemann trained separately each week on the lakes in Mecklenburg. It's both physically challenging and savage identical to being natural.

In 2015, Till started his solo project Lindemann. On the album Skills In Pills, the song Yukon was released, in which the lyrics appeared first, and then the music.

- "My lyrics come from pain rather than desire."

The country boy is big and not much of a talker. That's how the Rammstein members saw him at the start, when they were hanging out at home. "He looked cool, like a big peasant talking one sentence an hour," keyboard player Christian "Flake" Lorenz recalled. - He always had food and vodka. He'd just steal a couple of ducks somewhere and cook them on a tray. And then, frozen like in Sleeping Beauty, there were people lying in corners and on trunks in his house."

Lindemann loves and appreciates home gatherings. This came from my father, who always had guests. “In my opinion, this is the little bit that I inherited from him. Throwing parties and gathering people. Throwing parties and getting people together. He just enjoyed being a good host. The house was always full of guests from Leipzig, from Rostock, foreign guests, even from Kazakhstan.

It was always exciting for him. He stood at the stove, cooked, bought an abundance of wine, and there was always a fire in the garden. At some point he stopped drinking, then he left the party at 21:00 and the whole company continued to feast. And in the morning he got up at four, cleaned and tidied up."

Till Lindemann is about self-digging, overcoming and childish shyness, which is covered by a pumped-up figure of a swimmer. This is how Lindemann decrypts himself:

• “And I really am like a big child - ill-mannered, but harmless. People think that I am always strong, explosive. This is not true. I am sensitive and easily hurt, but in love I am romantic and passionate."

• “At the very beginning, you sit somewhere in a dark room, open a bottle of wine and figure out how to make the lyrics popular with the music. At first you only have a vague idea of ​​what it could be.

And when, three years after recording, mixing, and more mixing, developing the artwork, all this nonsense, then you stand on stage, and what you came up with then really works, when you manage to get 20 thousand people to raise their hands, then you experience incredible sensations."

• “Art is a kind of therapy.

When I feel that something is arising inside me, domineering and is most often dark, I need to give it a way out, otherwise it will simply crush me. So destruction and self-destruction are the two pillars on which my creativity is based.

But everyone chooses this for himself.

• “My lyrics arise from feelings and dreams, but still more from pain than by desire. I often have nightmares, and I wake up at night sweating, as I see terrible bloody scenes in my dreams. My lyrics are a kind of valve for the lava of feelings in my soul.

We are all struggling to hide behind good manners and outward decency, but in fact we are governed by instincts and feelings: hunger, thirst, horror, hatred, the desire for power and sex. Of course, there is also additional energy in us - this is love. Without it, all human feelings would fade away."

- "When you're constantly living someone else's life, it's very hard to get back into your own skin. I like that in principle, but sometimes you start to get confused - are you out of a role or not yet. You're already Till, or you're still a homicidal maniac."

- "I hate the noise. I hate the chatter. I expose myself to it, which is pure masochism. And then I have to protect myself from it. Noise makes you crazy. You die in it."

• “I think there is no God. And if he is and actually allows all the misfortunes on this earth, then he must punish me along with other sufferings. I will not pray to such a god."

This is how the members of Rammstein see Till - flexible and with a split personality:

Guitarist Paul Landers: "Till is so good that when you let him know that his lyrics should go in a different direction, the very next day he brings a new version of the song."

Guitarist Richard Kruspe: “He's a hell of an extreme man. He dives very deeply into situations where I cannot follow him. Everything he does is very extreme; I don't know anyone who does it. "

Drummer Christoph Schneider: "I would not want to be in Till's shoes: his soul is tormented by doubts and contradictions, he is equally a moralist and a monster."

June 1, 2021 - Translate by Lindemann Belgium

[midnightsconspiracy]

Blame

Blame - @midnightsconspiracy

Summary: Having a baby without telling their father was hard, what was harder was when that baby’s father was Hank Voight

Warnings: None

Word Count: 1900

Requested: Yes!!

‘Hank and the reader had a small fling 2 years ago Hank called it off but what happens when he finds out that the reader son isn’t just hers but his as well.’

A/N: It doesn't really follow the timeline of the requests 2 years, but it's along those lines anyway :):)

Masterlist

Yours and Hank's relationship had seemed perfect at first, well to you anyway. Nothing seemed as though it was out of the ordinary until the man had unexpectedly broken it off.

It had originally started when you had first met him on a case. Originally, you had attended a police scene after his unit had called for a paramedic crew, the sergeant in question having hit the offender a little too hard. Your partner was assigned to look at the perpetrator's wounds, him having come out of that scuffle worst for wear, you on the other hand were sent to look at Voight's beat-up hand. Admittedly, you were a little wary at first, having heard of his tough reputation through the firehouse. But he seemed to be kind to you anyways, and so you ignored those rumours, choosing to decide for yourself instead. And so your relationship grew from there, secretly spending most of your free nights at his place, learning to trust each other implicitly.

As time went on, the two of your learnt to love each other, both scarred from the outcome of previous relationships. Your days were filled with shy smiles from the texts you'd send to each other, and nights with the feeling of one another. Everything had seemed perfect at the time, blissfully unaware of what he was feeling. Yes, he did love you, but the insecurities and comments were eating away at him. Each day he would come into work or go out to his local gentlemen's club and receive judgments on your relationship, about how you were much younger or better looking than him. He took most of the comments to heart despite you telling him otherwise, but who was he going to believe, over 10 of his closest friends and colleagues or his girlfriend? Eventually, he chose his answer, breaking it off before you could object otherwise.

Distraught was the only word that you could use to describe yourself. You were absolutely heartbroken knowing someone you believed loved you threw it all away because of the opinions of others. Not only were you emotionally broken but also physically, feeling like absolute crap, constantly throwing your guts up and in an ever-changing mood. At first, you just blamed it on the stress you were facing, the breakup had been rough and you'd tried your best to change his mind. But it continued on day by day even after you'd accepted what had happened. Confiding in Sylvie about your problems, she seemed worried for you, urging you to go to the doctors for advice. Although you were apprehensive at first, you followed her instructions, seeking Natalie out to check you over.

You played with your hands nervously as you waited for her to come back with the results of the blood tests. At first, you just thought it was the flu, but after each symptom of yours she checked off her list, your mind knew where this was all going. And so as she confirmed what you were thinking, you froze, tears springing to your eyes not knowing what would happen to you or your baby.

That day you had made one of the most important decisions of your life, you would move back home to Virginia and raise the baby with only the help of your family. And so that's what you did, packing your things up into a moving van, putting your apartment for sale and driving to your new home. It was a little challenging at first to adjust to your new life, you missed your friends overwhelmingly having spent nearly every day of the last five years within the walls of that firehouse. But, you knew you had to move on though, probably never going back to Chicago to allow your child a better life. It had crossed your mind once or twice that maybe Hank would want to know about this, be a part of their life, but you just couldn't chance it. He had let you go over the opinions of others so what would stop him from doing similar with this child? You couldn't take that risk though, so as soon as any thought of him would appear, it would disappear soon after.

It was a struggle being a single parent, going through each trimester of your pregnancy alone. Sometimes you wished he would go through the milestones with you, the first sign of a baby bump, the first kick. And you had your family there with you too, but it was never the same as someone you loved. The worst was when you gave birth, all alone, with no one to hold your hand as you experienced the worst pain of your entire life. However, it had led to the best thing, your son, Jackson. Your life had changed overnight, now you not only lived for yourself but also your son.

As he grew up your happiness also increased, loving life just you and your child. Most of the time it was perfect laughing and playing but others you wanted Hank to be there, helping you out with the hard moments. Things with your family worsened as Jackson grew as well, things becoming rocky as they helped you less and less. And so just after you celebrated your sons third birthday, you decided maybe Chicago wasn't so bad. You could reunite with your friends, have some help with Jackson and potentially get your job back at the firehouse. So that's what you did, once again packing your stuff up and moving the both of you into a shared apartment with Sylvie, your rock in all of this.

Your life had suddenly gone back to normal overnight, picking up your career as a paramedic at 51 whilst you got a babysitter from Jackson. The only people that were aware of your presence were those at the firehouse, trying to keep your return in house so as not to raise any unwanted attention. But that had all changed as you and Brett were once again called to a police crime scene. And your prayers weren't answered as you rolled up to one led by intelligence.

As soon as you exited the ambulance you were faced with the entire team with two people needing assistance, the perpetrator and Hank. Sylvie gave you a knowing look as you grabbed the equipment, allowing you to take the bad guy. But as you walked towards the guy, Hank raised his voice, telling Sylvie he wouldn't be treated by her, wanting to talk to you instead. So you both complied, wandering over and grabbing Hank's head to assess his injuries, not wanting to even look him in the eye. You tried to wrap things up as quickly as you could, refusing to talk to him at all.

"You're back," he stated bluntly, needing to know your reasoning behind leaving in the first place. But you wouldn't give him the pleasure, fixing medical tape onto his wound, before packing up your stuff and hightailing it back into the ambulance. Although you were done with him, he definitely wasn't done with you, having heard some interesting rumours about your departure.

Finding out your new address, Hank made it his mission to see you, to explain what he was thinking. Knocking on the door of your apartment, he wished to see your face, having missed you the four years you had been gone. Just after you had moved your life to Virginia, Hank had a revelation, kicking himself for letting go of someone he loved so much. But instead of meeting your beautiful face, he found some random woman, being informed that you no longer lived there. He had been left distraught, leading to months of emotional instability, bottling it up, only to explode with anger and sadness after too long. But now as you opened the door, he smiled, glad that it was actually you this time.

"Why are you here?" You asked, wedging your body between the door and its frame, not wanting him to spot your child who was happily playing inside.

"I wanted to see you, I missed you," he confessed, wary at your suspicious behaviour.

"Missed me? You broke-"

"Mommy?" Being cut off from your angry rant, your eyes widened at the sound of your son, knowing you would have to reveal him to his father. Picking your toddler up, you tried to close the door, hoping to defuse the situation. Unlucky for you, Hank stopped the door from closing, pushing inside of your apartment.

"Mommy huh?" He questioned, confused at how you had a child.

"What's your name buddy?"

"Jackson," your son replied, blissfully unaware of who this man was and what havoc he was causing.

"And how old are you?" The cogs were turning in Hanks mind, could this child be his?

"I just turned three!" The exclamation from the child, confirmed it all, he was this boys father and you hadn't told him. Straightening up he looked you in the eyes, an angry look on his face.

"Hey, buddy why don't you play in your bedroom?" And with that, you brought your son back into his room, closing the door behind you.

"He's mine isn't he?" Hank questioned that eerily quiet voice piercing your ears. Yes, you hadn't told him, but it was to protect you and your son! Not trusting your voice you nodded your head, giving him the confirmation he needed.

"And you didn't think to tell me?" He roared, his anger overflowing, grabbing your arms to get you to look at him.

"It was to protect him, if you could easily get rid of me, what was stopping you from getting rid of him too?" You cried, knowing what you did was wrong.

"And you didn't think I could make that chose myself?" You could see the tears in the man's eyes, his voice crackling as he realised this was as much his fault as it was yours. You had made the choice but he was ultimately to blame. Bringing you into his arms, you both cried, equally regretting your decisions. Looking back up at him, your feeling flooded back, remembering how much you really loved this man. And so at that moment, you decided that Hank should be part of your boy's life, Jackson was as much his as he was yours.

So that evening was spent introducing the pair, watching as they got along like a house on fire. Hank's experience raising a child previously meant he knew how to please a child, allowing them to bond as father and son. Every time he looked at you, your original feelings intensified, understanding why you had originally thought that he would make a great father. In Hanks mind he was feeling overwhelming joy, the last few years had been so tough for him and this, this was all he could ever want. He had loved Justin with all his heart, but since he had died a black void had overtaken his heart. His grandson had briefly filled it, but that had been taken away again as they left as well. Finally, he had something that could fill this hole, a woman he loved infinitely and had made the biggest mistake of his life by letting her go. And a son, that he would hopefully watch grew up day by day, as a nice, happy family.

----------

Taglist: @mileika @redpoodlern @yosoynicolexo @chazubagi@scarletsoldierrr @cindydoll2 @anotherfan07 @one-sweet-gubler

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[cursedvibes]

003 kenjaku? or takako?

Thank you for the ask! Then I'm gonna take the chance to gush about Takako

How I feel about this character: Love her! Just, the whole concept of her character, her versatile technique, her backstory and the struggles she has to deal with even now.

All people I ship romantically with this character: I don't have a specific ship for her, though I do think that she would get along well with Yuki. They could dismantle jujutsu society together. I would also really like her to get with Angel but will wait with that until we see more of her and what her personality is like. But they're from the same era, both can fly, and their techniques can repell others...there's potential.

My favourite non-romantic relationship: Kenjaku? From what she said so far, she doesn't seem to think badly of them and she is the only reincarnated sorcerer we met, whom Kenjaku told something about what they plan to do after the game. Since Kenjaku is currently working on toppling the rich and powerful, I think they might have had a positive influence on her back when she was with the Fujiwara. So yeah, even if they are also using her, I could see them getting along.

My unpopular opinion: Not sure how unpopular this is, but she's the most interesting part of the Sendai colony. Besides her backstory and the info she could've given the main characters, I feel her feats in the fight get overshadowed a lot. She threw Ryuu's bolt right back at him and didn't even get a scratch until Yuuta whipped out full-Rika. She deserves more respect for that.

One thing I wish would happen/had happened in canon: I want to see her first life, mainly how she worked as an assassin for the Fujiwara, how she managed to carve out an identity for herself and her deal with Kenjaku. I'm sure we will see parts of that in the future, definitely if we get a Heian era flashback arc, so looking forward to that. Oh, and I hope Yuuta comes to his senses...for his sake.

Favourite friendship: No friends 🙃 But she can make new ones. I would like to see her team up with someone else. Maybe Miwa or some other strong sorcerer that was held back by Dhruv and Ryuu before.

My crossover ship: Visually, maybe Pakunoda from HxH? But I don't think Takako would like the Spider mindset.

[eggtoasties]

Pairing: Kita x Reader

Rating: G for extreme fluff

Word Count: 1k

Summary:  When Kita comes to practice with lipgloss on his mouth, chaos ensues.

Suna beat Kita to the locker room. It was twenty minutes before practice—odd considering his captain was always the first to arrive no matter how early he got there. Figuring Kita was held back for a few minutes by a teacher, probably to praise his work on a test or project where he’d internally wonder why his efforts elicited extra praise outside the form of his near perfect grades, Suna rolled his eyes and shrugged.

As the minutes ticked by, more of his teammates trickled into the locker room, each noting their captain’s absence. Texts and calls went unanswered as Atsumu frantically wondered if he got kidnapped on the way to the gym to which Osamu responded by calling his counterpart an idiot.

Momentarily distracted by a Miya brawl, Suna just barely missed Kita ambling into the locker room, seven minutes before practice. Inspecting him from head to toe while he aimed his camera at the twins, Suna’s eyes zeroed into the corner of Kita’s mouth.

Pink. Pink and sparkly.

For the first time in a long time—hell, maybe the first time ever. Suna found one potential avenue of flustering Kita. One unaccounted and surprising variable that hinted at a sliver of disorder in Kita’s life.

Processing this new information in seconds without shifting his facial expression, Suna whipped his phone towards Kita, making everyone pause.

Stepping towards his captain who was currently double knotting his court shoes, Suna zoomed in on Kita’s face.

“Why’re ya’ late?” Suna questioned, ignoring Aran’s sigh.

“Yeah! Though ya’ were kidnapped or somethin’,” chimed Atsumu, jumping to Suna’s side.

Slowly getting up from the floor where he was previously pinned down by his brother, Osamu brushed off his pants and said, “’S not like ya’. Yer always here ages early.”

Now fully dressed and ready for practice, Kita shrugged.

“Sorry. There was a slight change in schedule—didn’t think this deviation would throw ya’ all into a panic though,” he said, raising an eyebrow.

Eyes sharp with the opening, seeing it clearer than when he’s up against a three man block, Suna grinned.

“And who’s the lucky deviation, Kita-san?” Suna grilled, using two fingers to zoom into his captain’s face. “Didn’t know ya’ were into lipgloss—the color’s pretty, but I think ya’ missed your mouth.”

Kita froze for a millisecond before swiping a thumb across his mouth.

“Wrong side,” Suna snickered.

Inspecting the evidence on his thumb, Kita watched the iridescent sparkles wink at him under the locker room lights. Remnants of a temporary farewell and a preview of tomorrow. Around him, Atsumu was yelling, Osamu had his mouth open in quiet surprise, and the rest of the team stared unbelievingly at the pink streak he smeared across his face.

Calmly getting a tissue and wetting it with water, Kita stared directly into Suna’s camera, making him internally wince at the intensity.

“My girlfriend.”

At those two simple words, the rest of the team seemed to snap out of their stupor and joined Atsumu in his screaming. Aran jumped up and down, eyes mysteriously misty. Akagi shook Kita’s shoulders and screamed incomprehensibly, face red with the effort. Inarizaki’s Boys’ Volleyball Club had lost their minds.

Internally counting to three and drawing in a grounding breath, Kita closed his eyes for a beat and opened them. Staring intently at each of his team members, each froze and immediately composed himself while Suna sat on the changing bench, recording everything.

“Stop screamin’ you’ll get us in trouble,” Kita said evenly, looking specifically at Atsumu who blanched and threw him a shaky salute. “And is it so hard ta’ believe I’ve got a girlfriend?” Looking at the clock and frowning, he motioned for them to get going before quickly leaving the locker room.

If Suna wasn’t on the lookout for any slips of composure he would have missed Kita’s slight pout at his teammates’ surprise and the pink tinge of his ears as he walked out. Thankfully, Suna thought to himself, he’d be able to endlessly relive the memory on his phone—and so could the rest of the team.

.

He hadn’t meant to be so late. Kita liked schedules—thrived off of them. Having a daily routine gave him order and security. Small acts of daily diligence compounded to steadfast reliability and Kita thought he knew what the upper limits of his mind and body were capable of.

They were capable of landing a serve wherever he wanted on the court. Even if he didn’t have a particularly powerful serve, accuracy finds a way to slip through weak defenses. They were also capable of staying actively engaged and alert throughout games whether or not he was on the sidelines. But, for the first time, a lifetime of routine wasn’t able to prepare him.

He was wholly unprepared for the intense warmth in his chest when she took his hand in hers and rubbed a thumb across his skin. His mental and physical reliability failed him when his knees went weak when he saw her out of her school uniform when he picked her up on their first date and his mind went blank when she stood on her tiptoes and held his cheek as she pulled him into a kiss.

Although his relationship with her had progressed to the point where all those firsts were now integrated into part of his routine, he found that those everyday actions still had the ability to make his mouth dry and cause his heartbeat to quicken.

It was illogical really. At a random whiff of her shampoo, his arms would break out in goosebumps. When the long line of her neck would be exposed as she tied her hair back, his shoulders softened in adoration. No matter how much time they spent together, no matter how many times he catches the multitudes of unexceptional actions, he found himself entranced.

Maybe his Baasan was right and the Gods were always watching. Perhaps they drew her into his plans to see how he’d react to an unknown variable, to see if he’d falter every step of the way in unknown territory. Maybe a lifetime wouldn’t be enough for him to be able to anticipate the different obstacles the Gods could write into his destiny, but he figured he didn’t mind. He’s a quick learner and he’s found out he quite likes the taste of strawberry lip gloss.  

[poguesofthebau]

paranoia

summary: meeting dylan einstein, a genius forensic scientist from indianapolis, musters up some unknown insecurities about your relationship with reid. however, morgan-- and reid, once he figures it out-- isn’t willing to let you think that way. warnings: mentions of bombings (as pertaining to the case)

word count: 3k pairing: spencer reid x female!bau!reader

a/n: set in season 10, episode 14, this one was requested by @koc-help! as per usual, it took me forever to write, so i hope you can forgive me for that and enjoy what i came up with!! 

bombing cases were stressful. it always seemed harder for you; figuring out a motive, pushing down the overwhelming sympathy for the victims, convincing yourself that all of your team members were safe. because of your unshakable paranoia in the wake of those cases, you were already on edge by the time the team was boarding the jet to indianapolis. and, of course, spencer caught on to the way you were feeling almost immediately.

with the limited information the team had at that point, conversation about the case was reasonably brief. the file was reviewed and discussed, and hotch delegated a role for everyone to take when the jet landed. when the conversation came to a lull, you slid out of your seat, tossing the manilla folder onto the leather before moving to the back of the jet to make a cup of coffee. jj and derek’s voices were audible as they continued to spitball off of each other, masking the sound of spencer approaching where you stood. “hey,” he called to you as he neared. having been enveloped in the chatter your other friends were creating, you jumped at the sound of your boyfriend’s voice. when you looked up at him, his eyebrows were raised in concern at your reaction, immediately making you recoil into yourself. “you okay?”

“yeah,” you breathed, pulling the coffee pot out of its place to pour the liquid into your empty cup. “i’m fine.”

“that’s not very convincing, you know.” you turned to face him then, sighing and internally shaking the dread away. “what is it?”

“i’m not a huge fan of bombings,” you said sarcastically. spencer scoffed a laugh at that, reaching out to tuck a stray hair behind your ear as you continued with a bit more seriousness. “just a little worried. it’s nothing, spence.”

“i’m not used to seeing you worried in this way. are you sure you’re okay? i mean, do you want to talk about it?”

the soft-spoken concern in spencer’s tone along with the expression he was looking at you with warmed your heart. if there was one thing that could take your mind off of a murderous bomber, it was spencer. your eyes flickered over to the rest of the team, making sure no one was paying any attention to you and your boyfriend huddled up in the back of the jet, before you leaned up and pressed your mouth to spencer’s. the kiss was quick, but it was also just the reassurance that you both needed. “i promise, i’ll tell you if i need to talk. for now, i just want to get this son of a bitch and go back home.”

being present for the disarming of the second bomb only worsened your initial paranoia. the thought of an explosive device made you anxious enough; having to stand your ground and comfort an intended victim while a bomb was armed less than a foot from you was a whole new feeling. you trusted morgan to clip a wire without killing you, but the adrenaline in the heat of the moment was hard to shake. it had been a few hours since the scene had unfolded, but you still felt like your heart could possibly jump out of your chest at any moment the morning after the disarming. despite the underlying terror running through your veins, you were critically analyzing everything going on around you. your focus was completely dedicated to the case unfolding around you, because the sooner you cracked it, the sooner your thinly veiled fear would dissipate.

you were digging around in the bed of the pickup truck while einstein, the local forensic scientist, examined the bomb itself. out of your peripherals you saw reid and morgan approaching, but the bulk of your energy was going into analyzing the scene as best you could. your boyfriend’s eyes lingered on you for a few seconds as he neared, immediately gauging the nerves you were trying so hard to conceal. reid made a mental note to address that as soon as he could get you alone, but fought the urge to do so right then. spencer knew you well enough to know that, no matter how freaked out you currently were, your mind was concentrating on the scene before you, and anything else would simply be considered a distraction. he swallowed down the lump in his throat that formed at the thought of not being able to help you before tuning in to the comment einstein began to make. “he really went for a bigger boom this time.”

the short conversation that ensued between the two following that comment was something that shouldn’t have bothered you. you knew it meant nothing; reid wasn’t the only genius in the world who memorized excerpts from anarchy cookbooks or mathematical theories. just because some young, brilliant, beautiful girl knew the same book as spencer didn’t mean you had anything to worry about.

nonetheless, you became very worried about it.

you strolled around to the passenger side of the truck, sliding into the empty seat with a quizzical look on your face. “you know, it’s a wonder that he even realized he triggered the bomb.”

opening the driver’s side door as he spoke, reid slid into the truck next to you. “maybe he heard something when he stepped on the pedal.”

“and knew not to move? i mean, what’s this guy got, an ex-paramilitary background we don’t know about?”

the back and forth continued a few more times, and within a minute you and reid had developed the idea that allen archer, the bomb’s target, could potentially be your unsub. upon this conclusion, einstein spoke up again. “that’s what you guys do. you just talk a lot.” her voice was joking as the words left her lips, and a bright smile graced her face as she spoke. regardless of the playful tone you immediately identified, the words triggered something in you.

“well, there’s also a lot of kicking down doors involved,” morgan interjected from outside the passenger door, shaking you out of your internally-mortified state. you watched as einstein announced her departure then, mustering up a measly close-lipped smile in return to the courteous and friendly glance she offered you before leaving.

as she walked away, her words repeated in your mind. it was so simple for her to summarize; you just talk a lot. a woman so young and so intelligent had just condensed your entire career into a five-word sentence so simple that you couldn’t even disagree. was that truly all you were capable of? talking? bouncing ideas off of your coworkers’ ideas and hoping you’d end up catching the killer that way?

you spent the rest of the day arguing with yourself. in all honesty, your own inner monologue was starting to get on your nerves. despite your most sincere attempts to focus on the case in front of you, you couldn’t shake the feeling that  einstein was right. and maybe she was-- maybe your job was nothing compared to hers, and maybe she was a better match for spencer than you could ever dream of being.

this new uncertainty of your career and relationship definitely didn’t help to settle your previously established fear of being blown up at any given moment.

given the circumstances, it was only a matter of time until someone on your team noticed how uneasy you were steadily growing. they knew you. you were y/n-- sometimes stubborn, oftentimes overprotective, and always capable. sure, you had off days at work, just like everyone else. you weren’t always the one to solve the case, but you were always present and attentive, engaged in the investigation with your mind and body. however, right now, your mind was in two places at once. for that reason, you weren’t surprised in the slightest when morgan approached you at the station.

as you walked toward the conference room to find hotch, you were stopped by the familiar voice calling out. “hey, hold on little lady.”

“what’s up, morgan?”

morgan shook his head at that, a knowing look crossing his features as he began to speak. “nuh-uh. what up with you, y/l/n?” you threw him a falsely quizzical look, trying (and failing) to get him off your back by playing dumb. sadly for you, morgan was too good of a profiler and friend to fall for it. “don’t play with me, girl. i know cases like this always get to you a little, but i also know how badass you are. normally you would’ve bounced back from our brush with death by now, so what’s the problem?”

you squinted at him as your face morphed into dismay. of course you couldn’t fool morgan. your mind flickered to penelope, suddenly relating to one of her more commonly made complaints: damn profilers. “my first problem is that you might know me a little too well.” derek scoffed at that, waiting for you to continue. “my second problem? well, my second problem might be that i’m not smart enough, or maybe that spencer is too good for me, or maybe that our job is too easy, or maybe--”

“woah, woah, woah. slow your roll, little missy. ‘spencer is too good for me?’ where’s that coming from?” you blinked slowly in response, not quite willing to give up any more information than you already had. “fine-- i’ll figure it out myself. let’s see: you’ve been acting weird since we got this case, but that’s not what this is about. i’ve seen you on bombing cases before, and this ain’t that. so... oh, i know. is this about a forensic scientist, maybe? maybe one who has the same name as a very smart, very famous--”

“okay, morgan. i get it. you’re a great profiler, and you know my thoughts better than i do. that doesn’t really change the way i’m feeling right now.” your tone was a little sharp, but the look in your eyes was a mixture of sadness and contempt. “and, in case you needed me to put it simply, i’m feeling like shit.”

a look of pity overtook morgan for a moment. he knew what you were going through. sure, he wasn’t dating a genius with an iq of 187, but he knew how it felt to doubt yourself, and especially how it felt to feel belittled for your work. “y/n,” he said, placing his hands on your shoulders and crouching a little to get on eye-level with you. “don’t do that to yourself, kid. don’t forget how hard what we do is, and how important it is. you save lives every day. no matter how you do it, or how much brainpower it takes, there are people all around this world who are alive because of your work. whether they admit it or not, everyone has respect for that. especially our resident pretty boy.”

“i know, morgan,” you sighed. his hands slid from your shoulders as you finally gave in, looking him straight in the eye as you spoke. “sometimes it just feels like he deserves better.”

“just because it feels that way doesn’t mean it’s true. and i can promise you, reid has never felt that way. not about you.” after giving a comforting pat on the arm to go along with his final words, morgan was walking away.

damn profilers, you thought again. why are we always right?

before you got the chance to speak with reid, the team was off again. instead of splitting up this time, you were simply spreading out; hotch and rossi were scouring the crowd of civilians and news crews at the staged ceremony for allen archer, and the rest of you were divided into two suvs with morgan and kate in one and you, jj, and spencer in the other. your talk with morgan had lifted your spirits a bit, but there was still a tightness in the air as you sat beside your seemingly clueless boyfriend.

unbeknownst to you, spencer wasn’t all that clueless. not only had he caught on to your behavior long before anyone else on the team, but he’d also spotted you and morgan’s secretive moment from across the police station. (and, yes, morgan may have whispered “check on your girl” to spencer when you weren’t paying attention. he just wanted to help.) so, while you thought he was in the dark about your current insecurities, reid was very much aware of what was going on in your head. as much as he hated it, though, he was hesitant to acknowledge it with jj in the backseat and the rest of the team on comms. so, like the considerate boyfriend he was, he waited.

it wasn’t until you got back to the police station that spencer got the chance to catch you alone. everyone else was busy preparing to leave for the jet, the bustle of having solved yet another case causing an uplifting distraction for the team. while your friends were distracted, spencer grabbed you by the hand and pulled you into a nearby empty conference room. the surprise on your face was evident when he looked at you, and he couldn’t help but smile. you laughed nervously at his expression, not completely sure what he had taken you aside for. “hi, spence. you okay?”

“i was actually going to ask you the same thing,” he admitted. “except, i already asked you that once during this case, and you weren’t very willing to share, so i was going to approach it in a more insistent way.” although you were amused by this mysterious behavior of his, you were still confused about what exactly spencer was implying that he knew. “did you really think i wouldn’t notice that you were upset?”

“no,” you said unconvincingly.

“y/n, why won’t you just talk to me?” the desperation in his voice almost shattered your heart. the whole time that you’d been in your own head, spencer had been in his. all because you were scared to talk to the one person you trusted more than anyone in the world.

“i’m sorry,” you breathed, taking a step toward him. spencer’s right hand slid around your waist once you got close enough, and your forehead dropped onto his chest as you sighed. when you looked back up to him, spencer was already anticipating eye contact. “i’m sorry i didn’t say anything. i just didn’t want to worry you, or to make you feel like you’d done anything wrong, because it’s not your fault, i just-- i don’t ever want to feel like i’m holding you back.”

“holding me back from what? you could never hold me back.”

“i could, though! you’re this amazingly brilliant genius, and there are so many people out there who are so much smarter than me, and i--”

“is that what this is about? you think you’re not smart?” you felt his hand tense from its place on your lower back, his disbelief clear in his voice.

“no, no-- i mean, i know i’m smart enough. but sometimes when we have cases like this we meet some really, really smart people, and i can’t help but wonder if you would be better off with someone on your intellectual level. someone like einstein.”

“y/n,” spencer seemed stunned at this revelation, and you realized then that morgan had been right. the idea of you not being enough had never crossed spencer’s mind. “you are the person that i’m better off with. you. i don’t-- i’ve never even thought of anyone else as a possibility since i met you. there isn’t anyone else. i mean, before i knew you, i wasn’t even sure that i believed in love at all. the only reason that i know it’s real now is because of you. i can’t think of any statistics of mathematical theories or scientific discoveries to explain or defend it, but i have always known that there isn’t anything for me aside from you. i mean that. no matter how smart anyone else is, or how cool anyone else is, or how compatible anyone else’s intellect is with mine. i love you, y/n.”

and, just like that, your fears were gone. your inner monologue went silent, and the serenity that spencer’s words brought you washed over your entire body. spencer’s arm tightened around your waist, pulling you closer into him. his free hand moved to the side of your face, brushing back your hair as he waited for you to reply. the anticipation on his face sent another rush of absolute love through you, and you quickly closed the gap between you. as your mouth met his, your hands found their way to the sides of his neck, slowly wrapping around until they were laced together behind his head. for what could’ve been an hour, you stood there, melting into spencer as his words of reassurance replaced the chants of uncertainty that had filled your head hours prior. you were forced to pull back from him eventually, but even then your hands remained around his neck and the distance between your faces was minimal as you reopened your eyes. “i love you.”

a knock on the door suddenly interrupted the moment, causing you to release each other as a third party entered the room: morgan. “hey, lovebirds,” he grinned. “nice to see that you’re back to normal. it’s time to head home.” you smiled knowingly at the man, lacing your fingers through reid’s as you followed morgan out of the room. grabbing your belongings on the way out, the three of you headed toward your designated suv, where jj was waiting patiently in the driver’s seat. “so, you finally confessed, huh?”

“of course i did,” you laughed. “no secrets in this relationship.”

“yeah, and i would’ve figured it out eventually anyway.” at spencer’s interjection, it was morgan’s turn to laugh.

“oh, yeah, 187?”

“he is a genius, you know,” you added smugly.

“well, apparently so am i, because i figured it out before he did. oh, and by the way, pretty girl, i told you.” and with that, morgan was jogging off (in a fit of giggles) to the suv, hopping in the passenger seat before you had a chance to jokingly scold him.

damn profilers.

[sestra-inestro]

Pleaseeee can I request a Part2 of ‘you know and I know better’. Where Wanda says it’s okay for her and R to break up and then Nat finds R and R is devastated still because of Nat and they argue before R breaks down and tried to hard all hard but Natasha sees how badly hurt she is. This broke my heart please mend it

Heartbreak Hotel

A/N: So sorry this was so late dear reader. I think this was submitted right after I took a break. But here it is, it’s a little different than what you wanted. I also don’t ever react to cheating like this but I’m feeling mushy because I’m watching New Amsterdam. Thank you for this request.

Warning: mentions of suicidal thoughts or potential self harm/suicide, cheating, otherwise just possible typos: unedited.

Masterlist

Another relationship left hanging. You just couldn’t catch a break.

Wanda sat on the other side of the bed, facing away from you as she listened to your sniffling.

She just told you that she was still in love with Vision, despite them not being a thing for a while.

In a way, you knew they would always be meant for each other. Maybe you just wanted to be selfish for a little while, just to be happy for yourself, even if it was with another Avenger.

“I’m sorry, June.” Wanda said softly. “I just can’t help my feelings.”

You wiped your nose and nodded your head.

“At least you told me, I’m grateful for that.” You said back in a husky voice. You didn’t think your heart could handle another beating like the one Nat gave you. You told her that it was okay, and with hesitation pain in her chest, Wanda left.

She left you there on the bed to break down by yourself like you wanted.

You grip your hair and fall back onto the bed to let your pain overcome you so you can move on.

-

Wanda moves back into the compound once she is done with everything at your house. Her and Vision can finally be together and they don’t try to hide it from everyone else. Nat stares at them in the kitchen as they attempt to prime Visions cooking skills again, making an absolute mess. Nat frowns to herself, Wanda was acting the same way she is with Vision now with you only a few months ago when she saw you two on her jog. She deliberately avoided that track so you wouldn’t see her and so she wouldn’t have the see the very confident pda that she was witnessing right now.

Tony waltzes into the kitchen with a whistle and spring in his step and stops at the displace of disgusting cuteness that she was staring at.

“Um, what? When did this happen?” Tony asks, I interrupting them.

“Oh, well it kinda just did.” Wanda says, brushing a strand of hair out of her face.

“Weren’t you with June?” Tony asks bluntly.

“Yeah, but it just didn’t work out. Me and Vision still had feelings.” Wanda says and Tony frowns at Vision, clearly wondering how Vision has feelings.

“So you broke up with June for Vision?” Nat says, not even bothering to hide the judgement in her voice.

Wanda glares at her. “At least I broke I with her first.”

The tension becomes very noticeably thick, Tony and Vision stand and stare at them both after Wandas dig at Nat.

Nat stands up, the chair behind her sliding against the floor loudly and she leaves. Everyone watches her go and wait until she’s left before moving again.

Tony turns to Wanda. “Y’ouch.” He says while cringing.

“What? You don’t think she deserved that?” Wanda asks him.

“I didn’t say she didn’t.” Tony nudges her with his elbow before standing to think about what it was he came in for. He shrugs before leaving the kitchen.

“I don’t think you were out of line. A bit blunt, though, but not out of line.” Vision pinches her chin and smiles at her. She smiles back and thinks about you. Of course she felt bad about hurting you again, but at least she broke up with you right.

Tony comes back into the kitchen, suddenly remembering his mission from before, breaking her out of her trace and forgetting about you again.

-

You had had your time to be in pain, but after a few days, you think it was finally time to pick yourself back up. Starting small, you gathered yourself up for the day and headed out to grab some lunch. You were actually going to sit outside and eat it by yourself, getting air. You went to your favourite food place and went to sit at the pond where the ducks always are. You haven’t been here in a while so you took this chance to enjoy it. The ducks swam up near you and you threw in some peas that you had brought from home.

As they ate, you ate. And when you finished, you just sat there.

At the end of the track, Nat was jogging and keeping an eye out for you. She knew that whenever you were happy or sad, you came here. You used to talk about the ducks and how they slowly became to trust you but she never actually came with you. She only jogged passed. But this time she was keeping an eye out. If only she had looked just to the left a little. If only she actually ran on the path she would have ran right in front of you. But she missed you. Just by a few steps.

Nat wasn’t about to let that let her down. Instead of running back to the compound, she ran straight to the address she has fished out of the system from when Wanda moved back in. The apartment block stood tall and dull, the perfect hiding spot for an Avenger, Nat guessed. She ran to the floor that your room was on and stood in front of the door. She took a deep breathe, remembering the last time you two actually spoke and cringed. She hung her head, remembering you coming into the room and seeing what her and Bucky had just done. She hadn’t given you the time of day in the last few weeks leading up to your breakup, why on earth should you give it to her now, especially if she never apologised.

But Nat swallowed her pride, there was no room for her to be embarrassed anymore and she needed to let you know that there was nothing wrong with you. You were not the reason the last relationships didn’t work and she was going to show you that.

She took another deep breathe and raised her fist, knocking hard on the wooden door.

Nat waiting for a second, listening for any sound of movement on the other side, hoping to hear your footsteps. But she heard nothing. She frowned and knocked again. You couldn’t have moved out already, it had only been a few days.

“June?” She called out, cringing at her voice saying your name again. “It’s Nat.”

Still nothing.

Nat stepped back to observe the door as a whole and looked up and down the hallway. It was quiet like no one else lives here. Thoughts begin to run through Nat’s head and she starts to worry, she should know better but she can’t help but think of the possibilities that could’ve happened. You could just be out. But it also only takes one push to get someone over the edge. She remembers seeing a fire escape of the side of the building and she needed to get in to see if you were okay.

In ten minutes she was on your apartment through the fire escape window. Moving quickly she checked both the bedroom and the bathroom. The apartment was empty and in a way, Nat was relieved.

She sighs and puts her hands on her hips, observing the your living space. She is totally invading your privacy right now but she couldn’t help but smile a little when the apron in the kitchen caught her eye. I loved to cook and she thought that the apron would be the perfect gift for you, because of its ‘sweet but salty’ saying on the front. She had given it to you late because she was too busy being an Avenger. Her pity thoughts come to an abrupt end when the sound of keys jingling in the keyhole and a lock turning came from the front door. Nat stood paralysed as you walked through the door.

You sighed walking through your door and drop the half empty bag of frozen peas. “Damn it. You grumble and bend down to pick it up. You see a shadow move on the floor and quickly lift your gaze. You freeze, seeing Nat trying to get out of the fire escape quietly.

“What the fuck, Natasha?” You yell and Nat jumps.

She turns her head to look at you sheepishly. “Hi.”

“What the hell are you doing in my apartment?”

“I just wanted to see if you were okay. I heard about you and Wanda-“

“I’m peachy.” You cut her off. “Now you can leave.”

Nat sighed and went to walk passed you to the front door but you took your key out and slammed it shut. “Nope. The way you came in.” You pointed to the window and crossed your arms.

“Are you serious?” Nat huffed at your attitude.

“Deadly.” You stared her down.

Nat sighed at your glare. “I just wanna talk.”

“I have nothing to say to you.” You voice was hard.

“Then please just listen?” Nat asked.

You gave a little huff but stayed quiet.

“I know that what I did was wrong. I was horrible at the end of our relationship. And I wish I could go back and change how I handled it and how I treated you.” Nat said. You advert your eyes down to the floor, you didn’t have it in you to fight and you wanted to be better. But you also know that your relationship with Wanda was somewhat of a distraction from your breakup with Nat.

“I just need you to know that you are not the problem. What happened with me and with Wanda was not your fault. And I am so sorry. I would treat you right if I had the chance again. You’re an amazing person.” Nat said before touching your arm and giving it a slight squeeze.

You squeezed your eyes tight in response as she walked passed you and went out the front door.

You didn’t know what to do. You thought of what you would’ve said to Nat a millions times if you ever saw her again, but you couldn’t say any of it. You frowned to yourself as you went over her words. You didn’t think twice as you reached for your phone.

-

Nat kicked herself for breaking into your apartment. She should have just trusted that you take care of yourself, not allowing a woman to bring you down that hard. She didn’t jog back to the compound but she sped walked, passing by the people quick feeling like she needed to give you more space.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket by her hip and she rolled her eyes, thinking it’s Steve with mission info. She pulls it out of her pocket and sees the message is from you. She stops her steps and reads the message.

June - Was that you asking for another chance?

Nat didn’t know how to take your words.

Natasha - No, but I wouldn’t oppose to it. I also don’t want to overstep.

She waited to see if you would answer her back, wanting to give you the decision.

June - Do you want to come tell me how good of a person I am some more?

Nat smirked to herself a little before turning around and heading back to your apartment.