#i'm glad we were able to reach an understanding

[hardlylaced]

can you believe it guys? the one piece, just a week away. the one piece is in a week. woohoo.

[mrsbuckybarnes1917]

3: COMPANY

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Bucky wants his best friends to get to know his girlfriend but a little voice makes him worry that there may be more going on between you and Steve.

Word count: 2.5k

Warning: miscommunications and Bucky Barnes being a colossal idiot (theme of this whole story)

Steve and Bucky walked down the corridor towards the large living room with the massive television screen. Their arms laden with drinks and snacks for themselves, you and Priya. Bucky wanted his best friends to get to know his girlfriend better and you'd begrudgingly agreed to a movie night, comforted by the knowledge that Steve would be present as a buffer for awkward questions.

Steve was smiling softly, happy to be able to relax with the people he cared most about without being interrupted to save the world. His self imposed responsibilities weighed heavily on his mind. Distractions where he could be Steve and not Captain America were hard to find. One of the things he loved about you and Bucky was that you both were his voice of reason, between the two of you, you would argue different sides of a point, until he was happy with the decision he had made. This was why seeing the two of you as a team made him so happy.

You had made yourself comfortable on yours and Bucky's favorite couch. It was just big enough for you and the beefy super soldier and in your mind, you imagined yourself and Bucky being comfortable under a throw blanket while you watched the movie. Your day dream was shattered as Priya dropped into the seat beside you.

"Oh gosh, this is so comfortable! Such a cuddle couch." She elbowed your side gently. "Hey, you think Bucky and I could sit here for the movie?"

It took every inch of your self control to stop a scowl from marring your features. "Sorry to be all Sheldon about this, but this is kinda my spot."

"Oh, yeah, I get it." She didn't, looking at you like she was indulging one of her young patients who was throwing a tantrum. “Do you mind if I sit until Jamie and Steve get back?”

"Sure." You tried to keep the sarcasm to a minimum. You had to play nice, for Bucky's sake.

"Hey Cricket, can I ask you something?" Priya’s voice was slightly hesitant.

"Course. What is it?" You replied. But you had a strong feeling you weren’t going to like what she was going to ask you and steeled yourself for it.

"Do you and Jamie have any history of being more than… just friends?"

"No." You suppressed a sigh. You had expected an annoying comment, as opposed to something that would break your heart all over again. "No, just friends. Why’d you ask?" You felt suspicious of her line of questioning.

"Oh, I was just curious. I know you're not his type and all, so I wasn't very worried about it, but I figured there's always a possibility." She shrugged.

"Bucky and I have never been anything more than friends." You confirmed through gritted teeth, and it was killing you.

"Okay," Priya smiled happily. "That makes me feel better. I really like him, and I just wanted to make sure there weren't any lingering feelings between you two."

"I'm happy for you," you lied through a smile.

"Thanks, Cricket. I appreciate that. And I'm glad we had this conversation, it's always good to clear the air."

"Absolutely."

"Thanks for being so understanding. You're a great friend, I’m glad that James and I have you."

Steve and Bucky as they paused momentarily, not wanting to interrupt your conversation, but at the same time, curious about what you were saying. They both felt a little awkward for eavesdropping but they didn’t feel comfortable making their presence known. Steve glanced over at Bucky, wondering what his reaction would be, but Bucky’s face was bathed in darkness and impossible to read.

When Priya said she was glad to have you as a friend, Steve nudged him gently. "Come on," he jerked his head, urging Bucky to follow. He walked into the lounge and deposited the snacks on the table in front of you and Priya.

"Thanks, Steve!" you reached forwards to grab a bowl of popcorn, but Bucky was blocking you. You swatted his legs playfully. "Buck! What’re you doing?"

"Cricket, can you move over a bit so I can sit with Priya?" Bucky looked at you with wide eyes and pouty lips. How could you say no?

Reluctantly, you got off the couch, Bucky giving you a questioning frown as you did so. You shuffled over and settled in next to Steve, feeling a stab of disappointment that Bucky had chosen to sit with Priya instead of you.

"Did you ladies pick a movie?" Steve asked.

You shook your head, but Priya volunteered a suggestion in a heartbeat. "You've Got Mail!"

Steve pulled up the film from Tony’s endless supply of media and hit play. As the movie started, you tried to focus on the screen, but your eyes kept gazing over to Priya and Bucky and how his arm was draped cozily over her shoulder. Your mind kept wandering back to the conversation you just had with Priya. You couldn’t help but wish that there had been more between you and your best friend. What made her think that you weren’t his type? You bristled at the thought. Bucky had never expressed his preferences to a woman’s appearance. Had he mentioned something to her?

Steve noticed your distraction and leaned over to whisper in your ear. "Are you okay?"

You nodded, trying to push aside your feelings of jealousy and insecurity. "I’m fine," you whispered back. "Just a little tired."

Steve gave you a knowing look, but didn’t press the issue. Instead he wrapped an arm around your shoulders, offering you comfort and support. As the movie played on, you found yourself leaning into Steve’s side, feeling safe and protected in his presence. You couldn’t help but wonder what could have been if things had been different between you and Bucky.

As you and Steve turned back to the movie, Priya leaned towards Bucky and whispered to him conspiratorially. "I think Cricket and Steve make such a cute couple, don't you think? They looked so cozy on their Coney Island date!"

Bucky looked down at her with surprise. It wasn’t as though he hadn’t feared that you and Steve might be more than friends, but it shocked him that other people considered it. As long as he was the only one to think it, he could have lived in denial, but having someone else voice it with such confidence made his skin crawl.

"Um, I don't know. They seem to get along well as friends."

"Oh come on, Jamie. I can see the way they look at each other. We should totally set them up! I mean look how he has his arm around her!" 

Bucky hummed with hesitation. "I don't think that's a good idea, Priya."

"Why not? They would be perfect together!"

"I just...I don't think it's the right time for them to start dating." Bucky answered, not avoiding eye contact, his eyes glued to Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.

Priya was starting to sense that something was off. "Jamie, is there something you're not telling me?"

"Look, Steve doesn’t really talk to people about this, but he had a girl, back in the 40s, Peggy. He isn’t over her. It wouldn’t be fair to either of them to enter a relationship when Steve still has feelings for Peggy." Bucky winced internally, hating himself for using Steve’s past to cover for himself.

"Wow, I had no idea," Priya said softly, her eyes widening in surprise. "That must be really tough for him."

Bucky nodded, feeling a pang of guilt for using Steve’s past as an excuse. "Yeah, it’s been hard for him. He’s never really gotten over her."

Priya looked thoughtful for a moment before turning back to Bucky. "Well, I’m glad you told me. I wouldn’t want to cause any unnecessary drama. They're lucky to have you looking out for them."

Bucky gave her a terse smile, grateful that she understood. "No problem. I just want what’s best for both of them."

As the movie came to an end, you and Steve exchanged a look, both of you feeling a sense of contentment and comfort in each other’s presence. Despite the awkwardness and tension that had filled the room earlier, you were grateful for the friendship and support that you had in each other. Unfortunately for the two of you, your closeness did nothing to assuage the envy that burned deep inside Bucky.

As everyone got up to leave, Priya turned to you and Steve with a smile. "Thanks for the movie night, guys. I had a great time."

You and Steve both nodded, returning her smile. "Anytime," you said, feeling a sense of relief that the night had gone smoothly.

As you and Steve walked out of the living room together, you couldn’t help but feel a sense of gratitude for having him by your side. Maybe things weren’t meant to be with Bucky, but you knew that you had a true friend in Steve, someone who would always be there for you no matter what.

On the other hand, Bucky went to bed that night with Priya’s words burned on the back of his brain. Why did she think that there might have been something between him and you? She had worsened his fears about you and Steve. Would his oldest friend really betray his trust that way? Surely you would have mentioned that to him, wouldn’t you? The tiny voice in his head that sounded just like you, asked him why he would assume such a thing, since he had hidden his relationship for so long. 

*

Your voice of conscience in his mind did nothing to mitigate his turbulent thoughts. In fact they swirled around his brain until he found himself confronting you about them. This was becoming too common an occurrence. He blurted out the words while he found you training in the gym.

"You went to Coney Island with Steve." He tried to sound nonchalant as he spotted you with your weights.

You grunted your response, trying to stand up with the heavy weight balanced across your shoulders. Eyes screwed shut with the effort of pushing your knees apart to push yourself upright. You panted slightly, trying to recover your composure, but Bucky wasn’t ready to give up on his point.

"Why didn’t you tell me you were going?"

"Oh, I’m sorry," you attempted a shrug before going back into a squat. "It was Steve’s idea and honestly, I didn’t think it was a big deal since you were busy with Priya."

"It is a big deal! We promised we'd go together."

Your face dropped slightly as you stood up, remembering the promise you’d made almost a year ago. Things had been so chaotic and you’d forgotten about it. You put the barbell back on the rack before replying. "I know, and I was really looking forward to it." There was a sadness in your tone that you couldn’t hide. "But when you started dating Priya, I thought things had changed. I didn’t think you’d care."

"That doesn’t mean we can’t still hang out. You’re my best friend, too." Bucky leaned against the rack, as you busied yourself with unloading the bar.

"I know, and I’m sorry." You hid your face as you answered. "I just felt left out when you didn’t tell me about Priya."

"I’m sorry, I know I should’ve told you. But seeing you at Coney Island with Steve really hurt."

"Wait," you spun around with surprise. "You saw me at Coney Island?"

"Yeah…" Bucky’s anger abated slightly as he realized what he was saying to you.

You huffed. "You were there?"

Bucky had the decency to look ashamed.

"And you’re getting on my case? I mean Steve took me there as a surprise to cheer me up after I got sick. I didn’t decide to go there without you. And it’s not like Steve knew about our promise. What were you doing there, Bucky?"

Bucky sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I was there with Priya. We were on a date."

You felt a pang of jealousy and hurt, but you pushed it down but the aggression in your tone was unmistakable. "I see. Well, I’m sorry if I upset you by being there with Steve. But I'd like to point out that you didn't seem to have any issues going with Priya."

Bucky looked at you, his expression softening. "I’m sorry, Cricket. I should’ve told you about Priya - about Coney Island, about dating her. I didn’t want to hurt you. I just…"

You nodded, feeling a mix of emotions swirling inside you. "It’s okay, Bucky. Just…next time, can you please just be honest with me?"

"Yeah," Bucky nodded. "and hey, you'd tell me if you were, right? As in dating… someone."

"Yeah, I'll keep you apprised." You rolled your eyes and shook your head with a small laugh.

"Even if it was Steve?"

“Why do you keep asking me that? Are you trying to set me up with Steve? Because I don't have those kinds of feelings for him.”

“You don’t? Because Priya said-”

"Bucky, why don't you ask me about me instead of your girlfriend?" The irritation you'd felt about his indignation earlier rose inside you again, enough that you decided to walk away from it.

He caught up to you outside the gym, heart pounding in his chest. "Hey, Cricket," he called out, his voice filled with sincerity. "I’m sorry for how I acted back there. I was wrong, and I shouldn’t have let my jealousy get the best of me. Can we talk?"

You turned to face him, your expression guarded but curious. "What do you want to talk about, Bucky?"

Bucky took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. "I want to apologize for not being upfront with you. I value our friendship, and I don’t want to lose that because of my own insecurities. I’m sorry for hurting you… and I want to make things right."

You studied him for a moment, your eyes searching his handsome face for sincerity. The way he looked back at you softened your resolve and after a moment, you nodded. “I appreciate your apology, Bucky. Let’s move past this and focus on our friendship.”

Bucky nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders as he heard your words. "Of course. And hey, maybe we can still go to Coney Island together sometime. Just the two of us."

You smiled back, feeling a sense of relief wash over you. "I’d like that."

Bucky fell in step beside you, as you walked away from the gym, the tension between you slowly dissipating. He knew he had a lot of work to do to rebuild the trust between you, but he was willing to put in the effort. He was grateful for your forgiveness and determined to show you that he was a true friend, even if he couldn't have anything more.

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[simphornies]

Can I please request Vox x Female Angel Reader (PS: Vox doesn't know what was happening to him ever since he met Reader just like in quote he ask himself "Why is my heart racing whenever I'm with her? Why am I short circuiting? And etc)

A/N: Wondrous idea! This one's been brewing for a bit though it is shorter than my other ones. There are two requests for this so for the other person that requested it, worry not! It is on the way!

Word count: 2k (2,041)

Fallen for you [Vox x Angel!F!Reader]

You made the choice to sneak into hell during the extermination. Amongst the chaos you carefully ran around rubble to rubble. Your angelic powers allowed you to heal angels, mortals and sinners alike to which you used to salvage those who could be salvaged.

You kept yourself hidden from the exorcists so they could't drag you back up to heaven on their way back from the massacre. But you didn't could't keep yourself hidden from the VoxTek cameras that roamed and covered the area.

You ran into the nearest building that had three V's plastered on the top, making sure your wings were tucked away. You look around, everyone in the building seemed to be in a trance, their eyes filled with spirals. It creeped you out a bit. You kept your head down as you roamed.

"Well, who do we have here?" A voice came from behind you, the suddenness causing you to jump. You freeze in your tracks, it certainly wasn't an exorcist's voice so you slowly turn around. Your head stayed lowered, "Pardon the intrusion, I'll leave now." You respond.

You tried to walk around the tall figure in front of you but he quickly blocked your way, neon blue shoes stepping closer. You look up slowly, a little scared. You were met with a grinning demon, with a television for a head? You couldn't help but cock your head in confusion.

He chuckles in response, "You must be new here." His hand reached out to you, you shook it, "Vox! Nice to meet you, stranger. And who might you be?"

"It's Y/N." You awkwardly, and nervously, smile at him, "It's a pleasure to meet you but I'll be taking my leave now! Hah..." You pull your hand away but he grabs it back, not allowing you to take a step.

"You're definitely not from around here, sweets." His eye spirals at you. You feel yourself fall into a bit of a trance, "Let's continue our conversation in my office." You weren't able to stop him from dragging you to his office.

When you came to, you found yourself sat on a chair. In front of you is Vox, watching you intently. "I haven't caused anything out of the ordinary. I'd hate to waste your time, this is not necessary-" You try to explain.

A screen comes down next to him before he speaks. "You're not from here." He speaks in a low, distorted voice. The screen shows clips of you flying down amongst the exorcists, wings in plain view, followed by you sneaking around. "You're an angel and you're in my building." His voice sounded threatening. "What business do you have here and why are you helping hell."

"I..." You sigh, "Look. I snuck out of heaven. I don't want to be there anymore and with the exorcists leaving, they most likely have noticed I left for hell. I'm bound to be a fallen any day now and I honestly could care any less. Look, I'll...I'll work for you!" You pleaded, "Please just don't let anybody else know."

.

It's been a while since you struck a non-binding deal with Vox. You two got close after a couple months of him being on guard around you. Well, he's still on guard around you no matter how much you've tried to get his walls down. He kept his end of the stick, reasons unknown to you and told nobody about your secret. You chose to share it with the other Vees though and they were more than glad to have such power on their side.

Vox watched as you conversed with the two, his mind racing as quick as his heart. He didn't understand why in the fuck, his words, he couldn't compose himself properly around you. Your smile alone could make hims heart pound out of his chest. For a while he was convinced it was some angelic power but it was quickly debunked by you. You always smiled and your smile warmed his cold heart, constantly making him short circuit.

He was so lost in thought that he didn't realize you were in front of him, repeating his name over and over. He genuinely thought it was all in his head since his mind was constantly filled with the thought of you. You repeated his name over and over until he snapped out of it.

"Vox? Vooooox?" You repeated until he finally set his gaze on you, "Vox, are you okay? What's going on? You were kinda wonky there for a second. There's sparks coming out of you."

"Y/N! I'm fine. Appreciate the concern," He lied, "I'm just...thinking." He turned away from you so you couldn't see his screen glitching. He pretended like he was just looking out the window.

"Anyways," You looked out the window, admiring whatever he's looking at, the sharks you assume. "Vel and Val said we're going out tonight. And they told me to tell you to dress up, or something."

"Thank you. I'll get ready soon."

"Hey." You place a hand on his shoulder. He finally looks at you, staring into your eyes that hypnotized him better than he could hypnotize anybody. "If you need anything, I'll help you. You know that, right?" Your words received a small smile from him.

"Thank you, angel." Angel became a nickname of sorts from him to you. You smile sweetly at him and head out to get ready.

.

Vox was an absolute mess. He was the last to get ready for once and not Valentino. He wanted to look his best and though this usually wasn't a problem for him, it was now. For some reason he couldn't understand he needed to look his best around you.

Velvette bursts into his room while he's frantically trying to pick a bowtie. "What the fuck is taking so long with you? I expect this shit from Valentino but not from you."

He groans, "I can't pick a damn outfit!" He glitched.

"Why in the dead fuck do you care?" She scoffed, putting his outfit together for him with a swipe of her hand.

"I..." He took a deep breath, "I don't know. I feel like Y/N has some weird angelic power on me. I just can't stop thinking about her ever since I met her. She always short-circuits me, making my fans go on overdrive and-"

"Woah woah woah. Slow the fuck down." Velvette laughed, "You are such a fucking dumbass! You're so stupid." She was now on the floor, cackling at him.

"What?!"

"You like her. You're so dense. Oh my fuck." She gets up, wiping tears off her eyes, "I'm so gonna tell her."

"NO." He yelled, voice distorted and eye spiraling. "I'll do it. Later."

"Bet you won't, pussy."

.

You arrived a little bit after the Vees. You had something, or rather someone, to take care of. Ever since you were officially fallen from heaven, you've gotten quite accustomed to death and the whole "fighting for your life" thing.

Vox was impatiently awaiting your arrival, constantly fidgeting in his seat which earned him a kick or two from both Valentino and Velvette. Velvette caught Valentino up on Vox's situation and he wasn't hearing the end of it for the whole car ride.

He heard heels clicking and he turned a bit too quickly at your arrival. "Y/N! You've fi-finally arrived!" He glitched a bit again at the sight of you. He was never a fan of angels and frankly never understood the whole rave about their beauty but the moment he saw you his mind changed completely.

There you stood in front of him in a blouse and a skirt that hugged your curves right. Eyes were a staple detail in all of your outfits and it showed. You had rings on, few of which had red eyes. Your necklace, a gift from Vox, was his signature spiral eye. It doubled as an alarm for you in case you were in danger, not like you needed it considering you still had angelic powers, much stronger than any overlord but less than Lucifer and his daughter.

He had his arms out for a hug for you, a rare gesture from him. You gave him a tight hug and you swear you felt his circuits warm up again. He was smiling brightly at you, honored to have you in his presence and his life.

"Sorry. Had to deal with a couple sinners. You know someone tried fucking one of Val's employees on the street? For free?" Val almost flipped the table, "It's okay! It's okay. He's locked up in your room."

Val chuckles evilly, "Thank you."

Vox pulls your chair out for you before sitting himself down. The four of you talk business and you took notice of how much Vox kept staring at you. You got a little flustered, constantly fiddling with your hair.

You and Vox kept notice of each other but both of you remained unaware of the looks you received from Valentino and Velvette. They just needed some popcorn and they'd be set. Velvette made up an excuse to walk out to give you both space, dragging Valentino behind her. She placed a hand on Vox's shoulder and whispered, "$500 if you don't do this shit, tonight." She plastered a smile before leaving, "Kisses, darlings! So sorry we couldn't stay."

It was now just the two of you. Vox's heart was pounding loudly and his face was slowly getting brighter. You were pitching him an idea for the next release in VoxTek but you stopped when you saw his screen quite literally not there anymore.

"Vox? You've been glitching a lot lately and I'm getting worried..." You scoot your chair closer to him, "Do you need any parts? I can put them in for you or reboot your system." You put you hand on the side of his screen which jolted him back.

"No! I'm fine. I just," He clears his throat, still glitching out with sparks flying everywhere. "I have a lot on my mind."

"You can talk to me, I'm here to listen." You hold his hand for comfort but this just further heated him up. You feel him clutch your hands for once.

He takes a deep breath in before looking at you, "I have a confession to make. To you." You looked at him worried that he's having business problems, or something. "I like you." Vox felt like a weight has been lifted off of him but now he was filled with an overwhelming sense of fear that you'd reject him.

"Oh, Vox..." You spoke softly, holding his hand closer to you, "I like you too. Is that why you've been glitching lately?" You had an empathetic look on your face.

"You do?" He was in shock. His demeanor was new to you, he was vulnerable.

"Vox. You took me in and kept my secret with basically nothing in return and I am eternally grateful." You smile sweetly at him, "Vox. You didn't need to keep such a thing from me for so long to the point where you glitch and short-circuit. I was so worried."

He let out a sigh of relief, "Oh thank fuck." He felt as if he hadn't been breathing this whole time. He gave you a kiss on the back of your hand, "I will give you everything you ever ask for. I will protect you no matter what. You're such a...a breath of fresh air. I thought you had some angelic power hold on me."

You laugh at his statement, "Angelic power hold, Vox? Really?" You were giggling uncontrollably at this point.

"Shut up!" He said in embarrassment, "Anyways! Y/N, will you be with me for the rest of eternity?"

You gave him a kiss on his screen, "Gladly, Vox."

While you two were cuddling it up in the restaurant while talking about business endeavors, Vox got a text on his phone from Velvette. She had sent him $500 with a text saying 'Treat her right or I'm putting her in my show.' after it.

[lovinpelova]

try it out | j. fleming

summary; if jessie likes your hobbies, you should like hers.

🎵 jackie and wilson - hozier

since you were a little kid you've loved lego, it's just common for children to adore it and want as much as possible until they reach a certain age and decide to throw it out instead of letting it grow dusty on their shelves. you were the opposite to other kids, keeping up with the so-called obsession and spending a fair amount of money on it, hating the idea of making new things yourself and opting to stay with the sets lego would release often. your favourite type of lego set to build was the cars, they were just so cute and didn't take up too much of your day, giving you something to focus on and use to calm down in your free time.

jessie loved your adoration of lego. she found it adorable how you'd get excited when you saw a new set you wanted and bought it almost immediately after a moment of contemplation about the price, the canadian knowing you'd always end up getting it anyways. she'd bought you a new lego set for christmas, a massive white porsche 911 that clearly wouldn't have been cheap due to the size, you complained about the inevitable price but she waved you off with the claim of your smile being worth much more when you saw it and thanked her.

now you were finally getting around to building it and would need help no matter how much you hated to admit it. the bigger sets always got the best of you and you'd either do it wrong or be unable to find a piece you needed, so jessie decided to help out. it was going well so far, sitting comfortably on the living room floor as she'd help you put pieces in place and hand you the odd one you were struggling to find, other than that she would sit and watch in awe as you concentrated more than she'd ever seen- even in training you'd never been this focused.

"since i'm helping you with your hobby, would you wanna try one of mine when we've finished this?"

you looked up momentarily to figure out what she meant before going back to pushing the lego pieces together, finally understanding jessie's question.

"as long as it's not hockey or photography, you know how i am with those two."

"don't worry babe, it's neither of them. i was thinking maybe you'd wanna try painting for the first time?"

jessie handed you a lego piece you were struggling to find for the next step, yourself smiling in thanks and leaning over to kiss her cheek softly as you took it out of her hand.

"yeah, why not? i am pretty bad at painting though, just to warn you."

"you're only bad at painting if you're not fully focused. you'll have me to help out too!"

after another couple hours of piecing together your new lego set you'd finally finished it, looking down in pride alongside jessie as you high-fived to celebrate finally being able to get rid of the hip cramp from how you were sat.

"okay, you go find a place for that whilst i get the stuff for painting yeah?"

"okay baby."

you smiled in response before setting off upstairs and finding your lego shelf, having to move a few things about before you could fit the massive model. looking at it in pride one last time, you set off downstairs to find jessie laying out paints and brushes alongside two canvases next to each other, the canadian opting to sit across from you rather than next to you so you wouldn't get paint on each other.

"oh this is gonna be fun!"

you stated excitedly as jessie grinned at your enthusiasm for her hobby, glad you share an aptitude in exploring each others interests. you sat down across from jessie and picked up a pencil like she did, noticing the small smile she wore once she realised you were copying her in fear of doing anything wrong.

"what are we painting then?"

your question sent jessie deep into thought for a moment as she looked around the room for ideas.

"oh! i've got it. how about we paint what we think the other would be if we were animals but don't tell each other? you know, like a guessing game."

"that's such a cute idea! i'm not sure how i'm gonna draw my animal though."

"just google a picture, you'll be fine baby."

you grabbed your phone and googled 'moose' to remember what they even look like, realising you'd gotten yourself into trouble choosing this animal but it was too late now. you stood your canvas up on the small easel jessie had brought over for you just like she did with her own, making sure she couldn't see when you drew the first couple lines and it immediately went wrong. deciding to commit and feeling it might get better as you draw more, you continued the outline of your moose and it gradually got better, it wasn't the best but it was certainly a lot easier to make out than when you first started a couple minutes ago.

once you'd finished with your outline you grew weary of the painting part, knowing you'd have to get it over and done with otherwise you'd be drawing instead. you grabbed the colours you needed and set them out on a small palette, getting to work on painting the moose and being surprised by how easy it was, deciding to even paint in the background as one that looks like the boreal forest in canada whenever it snowed. jessie was finishing up her painting by now and seemed very proud of it just the same as you, adding a couple finishing touches and putting down her paintbrush a couple minutes before yourself.

"you ready?"

she asked as you stood up in front of your canvases, nodding your head in response. eager to show your work and getting a nod from jessie once she saw your excitement, you turned around your easel and watched her jaw drop in amazement.

"oh my god, baby that's the most beautiful painting i've ever seen. and you think i'm a moose! god i love you so much, you're so good at this!"

"it's mediocre, jess- and of course i think you're a moose! they're all you ever talk about. i need to see what animal i am though, the suspense is killing me."

jessie snapped out of her amazement and grinned down at her painting for a moment before spinning the easel around, showing you a stunning painting of an elephant in the african outback, a beautiful sunset along the background.

"before you take it wrong, i chose an elephant because you're so gentle and caring. you know how nice they can be."

jessie shyly explained as you grinned in appreciation, admiring the painting for a couple more moments before stepping forwards and pulling her into a soft kiss.

"it's almost as beautiful as you jess."

"alright playboy, stop trying to flatter me just so you can get my art for free."

"oh i had to pay hm?"

you teased, jessie nodding her head in response as you smiled at each other and turned towards your paintings.

"of course, artwork like that doesn't come for free. i reckon around three hundred quid."

"i'm selling mine for that amount too, maybe we can swap and call it even?"

"good idea, i want your signature too though."

you quickly grabbed a pencil and signed your painting in a blank area, jessie doing the same with hers as you swapped paintings and shook each others hands.

"pleasure doing business with you."

"but of course."

the brunette laughed with you and leaned forward for a soft kiss, both of you pulling away not long after to clear up all the paints and brushes before looking around the house for a perfect spot. you eventually found one right above your shared bed, the moose being hung up above jessie's side and elephant hung up above yours, like a little inside joke.

[dragon-kazansky]

When the raven calls

Morpheus x Female Reader

You, his raven, die protecting Jessamy while rescuing the Dream Lord. When Morpheus returns to his realm, he mourns your loss, only to find a stranger waiting for him in his throne room. The stranger claims to be you, now in human form. He doesn't understand, but his raven will always watch over him.

{Masterlist}

{Previous Chapter} - {Next Chapter}

Notes: Use of Y/N. Sorry.

Chapter Two - Broken wing

☆☆☆

The moment the seal was broken and Morpheus was able to escape, he took that chance. His time in that glass cage was over.

It had been decades since your death. He had never recovered from witnessing it.

You had been his loyal raven since the very beginning. Way back when he first created the Dreaming, he made you. The Sandman always had a raven. Jessamy came along eventually, but you had been his original raven companion.

Watching you die broke a part of him. You had taken a part of him with you forever. Morpheus knew he would never ever get over this loss.

He wakes up to the sound of a familiar voice calling out to him. Lucienne appears above him and reaches for his hand. He takes it and smiles. It had been too long.

"Lucienne." He whispers her name.

"You're home, my lord."

"I am."

Lucienne helps him to his feet. Morpheus looks around. They are just outside his kingdom. He sets his eyes on the gates and heads that way. Lucienne follows him.

As relived as she was fo see him, Lucienne had a lot she needed to talk to him about. "Forgive me, sir, but the realm, the palace, they are not as you left them."

The gate opens, and Morpheus is greeted by the sight of his fallen kingdom. Nothing is as he remembered it. The Dreaming was falling apart. His palace had deteriorated greatly, and there was not a soul in sight.

"What happened here?" He asks. "Who did this?"

"My lord, you are the Dreaming. The Dreaming is you." With you gone as long as you were, the realm began to decay and crumble." Lucienne explains.

"And the residents? The palace staff?"

"I'm afraid most have gone."

"Gone?" His voice is soft when he asks that.

"Some went looking for you," Lucienne says.

"And the others?"

"They thought, perhaps, you had grown weary of your duties, and..."

"What? Abandoned them? Had they such little faith in me? Had my own subjects not known me?" He looked wounded.

Lucienne could already see his heart had been hurt deeply already, and she knew why. Jessamy had explained everything to her when she returned all those years ago. When she had returned alone.

Except, something had happened. Something neither of them could explain. Now Lucienne needed to tell Lord Morpheus about it. She wasn't quite sure how he would take it.

Before she could even utter a word, Morpheus was already heading toward what remained of his palace. She caught up to him quietly.

"There is one other thing, my lord."

"What is it? What other news could you possibly have for me?" He sounded lost.

"Something happened. Something I can not explain." Lucienne wasn't even sure how she was going to tell him.

"What is it?"

"I... I'm not sure how to tell you, so I'll show you." She goes on ahead, leading the way. Morpheus watches her carefully and follows her path.

They reach the doors to the throne room. Morpheus freezes when he sees Jessamy perched nearby. She looks at him and them bows her head.

"My lord."

"Jessamy..."

He looks relieved to see her, but it also pains him. She sees the way his eyes glaze over. He is remembering that day. Jessamy can't help feeling like she's a painful reminder of what happened last time she saw him, but she hopes things will go well today.

He is home, and he will see that not all is as dire as it seems.

"I am glad to see you," he says.

"As am I, my lord." Jessamy looks at him proudly.

Lucienne places her hand on the grand door to the throne room. "Before we go inside, I want you to know that this is no trick. She came to us shortly after Jessamy returned."

"What are you talking about? Who came to you?" He asks.

Lucienne glanced at Jessamy, who nodded at her. The librarian opens the door. It creaks as it opens wider. Jessamy flies inside while Lucienne leads Dream into the room.

The throne room matches the rest of the palace. There is no longer a ceiling. The arches are broken in places. A lot of the walls have crumbled. It no longer looks as regal and beautiful as it once did.

As Lucienne takes him further into the room, his eyes are drawn to a strange woman he has never seen before. She sits on the steps of his throne, looking at him. As he gets closer, she stands. He would say she looked rather nervous.

"My lord."

"Who is this?" He asks Lucienne.

"Sir, it is important you know that I do not know how this has happened, but this is your raven. Y/N."

Morpheus turns his head to the woman slowly. His expression is intense. He stares at her in silence for several long seconds.

"No."

"Sir?" Lucienne looks at him confused.

"My raven died years ago. She was murdered by that horrible family."

"My lord, we are telling the truth. This woman is your raven. Shortly after Jessamy returned here, this woman appeared, unconscious, outside of the gates. I asked her who she was and where she had come from after she woke. She told me everything she remembered up until the moment she died." Lucienne tries to explain.

"That's not possible."

You look at him sadly. "It's me, sir. I really am here. I... I woke up, and I was no longer a raven. I was so confused and scared. I was worried about you. I remember dying..."

Morpheus looks like he is overwhelmed. His eyes glisten with unshed tears. You can tell just by looking at him that he's not taking all of this so well.

"It can't be..."

"It is. Its me. I'm here. I'm home." You plead with him.

Jessamy lands on your shoulder. "My lord, I promise to you as your loyal raven, this is her. She's human."

Morpheus looks at you for a good few seconds. "Prove it."

"You are Dream of the Endless. The Sandman. You created me back at the start of everything to be your loyal companion. I have gone everywhere with you.

"You met a man called Hob Gadling in 1389. I went with you, but had to stay outside because I was a mere bird. Death granted him immortality.

"I would spend a lot of my free time within Fiddler's Green, enjoying the breeze under my wings as I soured through the meadows. You always knew to find me there."

Morpheus states at you.

"It's me, sir. I don't know why I have returned to you like this, but it's me."

"It is you," he whispers. Only you would know things like that.

"I... I'm sorry I failed you."

"No. You did not fail me. You saved Jessamy, and that was very brave of you. Neither of you have ever failed me."

You and Jessamy look relieved at his words.

"So, you are human?" He asks.

"Well, I have a human form. I... I can transform onto a raven still, but I haven't learnt how to control it yet."

"Transform? You have the power to be a raven again?" He sounds curious.

"Yes, but like I said. I'm still learning."

"I see."

The room goes quiet. You understand that this is probably a lot to take in for him. He's only just returned, his kingdom has fallen, his people are mostly gone, and you're not dead. It's been a long day.

Morpheus turns and looks around his throne room. His mind is full of thoughts about everything.

"I kept a journal for a while," Lucienne says, hoping to distract him a little. "A chronicle of everything that happened in your absence. But slowly, the words began to fade. Sometime after you left, all the books in the library became bound volumes of blank paper. The next day, the whole library was gone."

Morpheus looks at her quietly.

"I never found it again."

"And yet you remained while others fled, the royal librarian of an abandoned kingdom."

"I never felt abandoned," she tells him. "I knew you would return."

"She looked after us," Jessamy says. "We stuck together."

Morpheus glances at you before turning away. He was still trying to comprehend you being alive. He looks down at his feet where a sharp of purple glass sits. He kneels down and picks it up. It's a piece of his beautiful stained glass windows. He holds it on his hand as he slowly raises his arms, trying to summon the power to rebuild his home.

He's too weak to do that.

The debris falls to the ground again, and Morpheus falls with them. He can't rebuild his home like this.

You want to reach out and comfort him, but you feel like that's a bad idea right now. You're not sure he's all that accepting of you being back just yet.

"You need rest, my Lord." Lucienne says. "And food and perhaps a bit more rest, and then you'll be back at full strength."

Morpheus slowly gets up from the floor, his breathing heavy and uneven. "No. Not without my tools."

"Your tools?"

"My sand, my helm, my ruby."

"What happened to them?" You ask.

"They were taken from me. By my captors. And then taken from them. I know not where. Nor what I am without them."

You feel your heart break. They really did strip him of everything he had. Even you.

He takes a seat on the stairs of his throne. You put some distance between you both. Once upon a time, you would be right there beside him, trying to comfort him, but now it feels wrong to do so. You feel like a stranger with him now. He won't look at you anymore.

"There is only one sure way for me to find my tools. I must summon the Three-In-One."

"Surely it hasn't come to that." Lucienne says.

"The Fates see past, present, and future, and they know all."

"Yes, but they speak in riddles. They never tell you what you want to know, only things you should never know," Lucienne explains. "Perhaps just this once you could ask one of your siblings for help. Destiny would certainly know where your tools are, or Desire..."

"My siblings have their own realms to attend to, I have mine. We do not interfere in each other's affairs." Dream states.

"You may not, but they've certainly been known to." Lucienne replies. "Perhaps just this once you could tell them what happened to you."

"I am quite sure tjeu know what happened to me. And not one of them came to my aid."

You drip your gaze to the ground. It hurts to think how abandoned he must have felt. He was trapped for so long.

"The only ones who came to help were my ravens, and even then, one of them was hurt doing so."

You lift your gaze to find Morpheus looking at you. You're unable to read the look on his face, but you know it sets your heart alight. You wondered what was going through his head in that moment.

"The Fates aren't cheap, you know." Lucienne reminds him. "They cost a bloody fortune."

"And at present, I cannot muster enough power to summon them, let alone lay that cost. Unless... Is there anything of mine that remains in the Dreaming? Something I created?"

"You created all of this," Lucienne says.

"No, something that remains intact." He clarifies. "That may retain some fragment of my power within it."

"You created me." You say, stepping forward.

He glances at you. "No."

"Something I can absorb."

You go to tell him you would happily sacrifice yourself for him to regain some power again, but the look he was giving you told you he would refuse.

"There is one thing," Lucienne says.

☆☆☆

Morpheus had left to go visit Cain and Abel. You stayed behind at the palace with Jessamy. He hadn't said a word to you as he was leaving.

"Are you okay?" Jessamy asks, looking up at you through her shiny eyes.

"He didn't seem too pleased to see me."

"Don't take it to heart. A lot has happened all at once. He believed you were dead. It would be quite a shock to see someone you thought had died standing before you, especially since you look human now."

"I know... I just... I just hoped he would be happy to know I'm okay." You look down at thr rubble by your feet.

"I'm sure he is happy. He just doesn't know how to express it."

You don't know what else to say to her. Jessamy senses your sadness and nudges her head against your leg.

"Please don't feel sad. All will come right, I promise."

You really want to believe her.

Lucienne returns to the throne room, and you spot a raven at her feet. She comes over and you stand.

"Lord Morpheus has gone to see the Fates. He shall return shortly. A new companion has joined us in the meantime. This is Matthew."

You look at the raven. Had you been replaced already?

"Lord Morpheus has yet to meet Matthew. Will you show him the ropes in the meantime?" Lucienne asks.

"Yes..."

She picks up on the fact that your response wasn't very enthusiastic. She sighs softly and places a hand on your shoulder.

"Do not feel sad. He will come around."

You nod and watch her go. Your eyes fall to Matthew. Jessamy lands on the ground in front of him and checks him out. "All right, Matthew. Welcome to Raven Class 101."

You chuckle softly.

At least you still had some friends in the Dreaming.

☆☆☆

@missdreamofendless - @kpopgirlbtssvt - @sitkafay - @snowsatsu - @ladyofketterdam - @thoughtsfromlayla -

[dreamauri]

♪ — 𝗟𝗜𝗙𝗘 𝗕𝗨𝗢𝗬 lando norris x fem! lifegaurd! reader (fluff) “. . . you have to watch a drivers mess around, get hurt, then let him make it up to you.”

( my master list | more of lando norris ) ( requests | taglist )

They rented out the hotel's pool, and like idiots on fifty cups of coffee were swimming around trying to hit each other with pool noodles and swimming boards. You could only walk around the pool bored out of your mind watching the boys, it was already so late into the night and you were tired.

You've recognized them long ago, being the athletes your brothers watch race cars every other weekend. What they were doing in Canada? You didn't know. Why were they messing around in your pool? You did not know. You couldn't care less. You just watched and made sure they didn't drown each other.

"Oh shit. Ok ok, stop." One was quick to surrender, his pool noodle being stolen. "My legs cramping!" He complained trying to tread and keep his head above water. Here we go, you sighed throwing your rescue tube in his direction which he quickly grabbed on.

Once you slipped in, you swam calmly towards him. "Don't grab me." You warned moving behind him and putting your hands under his armpits carrying him back. The other boys laughed as they watched, whistling and cheering for him. Lando could only blush with an extremely nervous smile.

He was whispering to the other drivers about how cute you were before and now that he was this close to you he felt his brain short circuit. Once you reached the edge, you held him there hopping out before pulling him out.

Holly hell you were strong. Carlos and Charles swam near him wiggling their eyebrows suggesting-ly at him. The British boy could only flip them off, prompting a loud laugh coming from Max in the background. Pulling the boy away from the edge of the pool you sat beside him with one leg behind his back.

"It's just the cramp?" You asked. Boy was swooning in his head over your voice. You were attractive and beautiful- "You okay?" You broke him out of his thoughts frowning. "Y—yeah I—i just—" He stutterd over his words making your frown deepen. "Did you hit your head?"

"No!" He cleared his throat. "Sorry. No, I'm fine. It's just the leg cramp, yes." You nodded hesitantly, turning your head back to the pool to watch the other boys. Charles and Carlos were quick to pretend you weren't watching with Max and Daniel chasing each other.

"You'll be able to compete on Sunday with that, yeah?" You asked not looking at him. "Sorry?" "You are the race car drivers, no? My brothers watch your races." You explained. "Y—yeah I'll be fine." "Why are you stuttering so much? Are you cold?" You sighed looking at the time.

"Yes." he lied through his teeth. He couldn't take his eyes of you, not for a second as you got up and got him a towel, wrapping it around him before sitting back down with your leg supporting his back. "Thank you for not letting me drown. I owe you one" He broke the silence after a few moments making you shrug. "It's my job."

"I still owe you one. I insist." He tried again making you turn to look at him quietly. "If you insist."

★ ☆ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"You like it?" Lando asked as walked under an umbrella with you through the pitlane showing you the track. "It's pretty." You nodded rubbing your hands in your kangaroo pockets to try and stimulate some warmth.

"So what are you doing today?" You asked not really sure how the sport works. "It's qualifying today, we set our fastest times one laps. The faster you are, the higher up on the grid you start tomorrow, the actual race." You hummed in understandment nodding. "Makes sense yeah."

Lando was glad you hadn't noticed his lingering eyes on you, 'cause he practically hasn't looked away since you stepped under his umbrella with him. The only thing that bothered him was the colours you were wearing.

"Why don't we go back to the motor home and I'll get you McLaren merch." "Sure." And sure enough, you wore the orange themed shirt with the number four on your back. "You look way better in orange." He swooned smiling brightly.

"You hungry?" Once again, you were in the cafeteria eating a fruit salad you managed to get your hands on. "Oh, look at that." Pausing with your eating you looked out the window to find out what the boy was gesturing to only to find nothing. Felling a hand take yours, you looked back to see Lando lifting your hand up quickly to his mouth eating the strawberry off your fork with a smile.

"Hey!" You pulled back your fork once you realized what just happened. The boy only giggled at you in victory. In an act of revence you took a blueberry from his bowl eating it with a 'hmph'.

"Where's the umbrella?" You asked once you were ready to return to the garage for quali. "There is no umbrella!" Lando shoute taking your hand and dragging you through the heavy rain. You quickly ran, trying to match his pace with your already soaked shoes and now wet clothes as well.

"You're crazy." You nudged his chest once you finally arrived in the safety of the garage. 'crazy in love with you.' he though to himself smiling brightly. He's never smiled so much in a day, his team knew so. Mans was crushing hard.

"Here." He offered you his spare shirt which he had worn under his race suit. You gently took the spare looking in his eyes, a soft smile covering your face once you touched the soft fabric. "Thank you lando." "I'll see you at Parc Ferme yeah?" "Yeah." You nodded smiling.

★ ☆ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"Pretty cool, right?" Lando walked along side you, sneaking out of the track through some sort of back door to his car. "What's your address, I'll drop you off home." "Eh, don't worry about that, I cant take the bus from the hotel." "In this weather? No way." He looked at you, not giving you a choice. You only sighed as you typed the destination in the GPS.

That was only the start of a very fun car ride, pumped with music and screaming lyrics. You didn't want to get out when you finally arrived, but lando placed the paddock pass in your hand kissing your cheek. "I'll pick you up tomorrow."

"Really? And What do I get in return? Supporting you through your race weekend." "A kiss?" "Tell you what, you get podium tomorrow and I'll give you a kiss."

landonorris

liked by pieregasly carlossainz55 and 10M others landonorris winner winner chicken dinner

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[hisui-dreamer]

CONGRATS ON 1K RINNAAAA :((( YOU WERE ONE OF MY FIRST MOOTS EVER AND ITS MAKES ME SO HAPPY AND PROUD THAT YOU HIT THIS MILESTONE!! THANK YOU FOR BEING ONE OF THE MOST WARM AND WELCOMING PEOPLE IVE MET IN THIS FANDOM <33 YOURE SUCH A GIFT ITS INSANE!!!!!

IM SURE THIS DOESNT SURPRISE YOU BUT!!! for the 1k event i was thinking soulmate au with azul (HEHE) except its the doodle one? LIKE WHERE YOU DOODLE ON YOUR BODY AND YOUR SOULMATES GETS THE SAME MARKINGS YK

and i have a habit of doodling sea creatures like octopi and morays on my arms and hands so i think it'd be cute for him to like, take his gloves off one day and just see a little eel on the back of his hand :((( squishy guy <3333

headcanons or a drabble is totally fine, whichever one is easier for you!!!! thank you for easing me into this fandom :(( i will never be able to thank you enough for making my anxious ass WAY less nervous <3 and no pressure if this doesnt inspire you ofc hehe you're never obligated to write anything !!! :D

the doodles that drew us together

Pairing: Azul Ashengrotto x gn!reader

Synopsis: Azul thought all his life he didn't have a soulmate...

Tags: soulmates au (doodling), reader is yuu, fluff, comfort, reader likes sea creatures, bot proofread

Word count: 591

Notes: aubbie thank you so much!!! I'm so glad we became moots, you're one of my closest friends and everything I see something azul related I think of you haha! I hope you'll enjoy this azul soulmate au ♪⁠ヽ⁠(⁠･⁠ˇ⁠∀⁠ˇ⁠･⁠ゞ⁠)

Masterlist

Azul had been fascinated by the idea of soulmates as a young mer

it was something that gave him hope, that despite all the other mean mers who would make fun of him, there was someone out there who would understand him and love him

and so he kept drawing on his arm, doodles of shells and other fish that caught his eye

but there wasn't any response.

maybe his doodles were too ugly and his soulmate didn't like them?

and so he learned to draw better, drawing again and again, hoping he would get a response

but still not a single mark would appear on him

it had been a tough blow to him, but he eventually accepted that he didn't have a soulmate

if he was going to be alone for all his life, then he had to take care of himself (because nobody would)

he became super greedy and selfish, always prioritising himself and his materialistic needs

although he also had a friendship with the tweels, he really only befriended them because they could help him out (but he did get attached to them over time)

and so, he opened the mostro lounge and became the sly businessman that we all know

on the first day of his second year, as he was going over documents after closing the lounge, he felt a slight tingle in his hand

Azul's eyebrow rose in response to an unexpected sensation. A peculiar warmth, like a gentle caress, emanated from the back of his gloved hand. Intrigued, he swiftly removed his gloves, revealing smooth, pale skin. A gasp of astonishment escaped his lips as his eyes fell upon a minuscule masterpiece, a tiny, adorable octopus delicately inked in pen.

"Is this...real?" Azul murmured, his voice tinged with disbelief. A surge of hope surged through his entire being, dispelling the weight that had burdened him for far too long.

With a trembling hand, he grasped his own pen and cautiously began to sketch his own octopus upon his wrist, with one tentacle reaching out, holding hands with your octopus.

And he can't stop he smile that graces his lips when a little heart appears between the two octopi.

What a hectic day it had been! For a magicless student to arrive in NRC and for him to finally connect with his soulmate!

...?

Oh. Azul had to speak to said magicless student as soon as possible.

when the two of you start being a couple, Azul does everything and anything for you

when you're in exams and your nervously doodling sea creatures, he'll draw some flowers nearby to help calm you down

no he doesn't help you cheat by writing you the answers, he's already given you the perfect study materials, you shoud put in some effort too

he gets jealous if you draw other sea creatures too much though, especially moray eels

he lets you work at the lounge with a very high pay, making sure you're not working too hard, and always offers to tutor you if you're struggling

his soulmate had to go to a different world just to find him, you'll be sure he helps to settle in and hopefully never leave again

Insert clingy octopus wrapping his tentacles all around you because he can't bare to let you go

when you have dates and appointments, he'll help remind you by writing on his arm

this man has waited for you his entire life, he's ready to lay the world down at your feet if you ask him to

Masterlist

if you liked this post, don't forget to reblog!

[moon-fics]

Who Is She?-Simon "Ghost" Riley

A/n: This is definitely a slay! REPOST! This is my work I'm reposting it! I hope ya'll enjoy it!

Summary: You're new to the team but there's something about you Ghost can't quite understand.

Warning: Swears, mention of injury/blood

When Ghost first saw you, he was caught off guard by your appearance. You had a mask that covered the bottom half of your face, an emotionless glaze over your eyes. He almost attacked you with how tense you looked while under his glare, assuming you were an enemy spy snooping around. You got lucky that Price appeared right behind you with a warning look pointed at him. When you noticed Price your body relaxed enough to put Ghost at ease. 

“Simon this is-” Your eyes widen as he begins to introduce you. Before Price can continue, you butt in.

“Trick.” You finish Price’s sentence with a low tone. Price is unfazed by your interruption but waits in case you have more to say. After a few seconds, he guesses you don’t want to talk anymore and pats your back. 

“She’ll be joinin’ you on the Taskforce’s mission. She’s got inside information that we can use and she’s a bloody good shot.” Ghost is barely listening to Price as he observes you. Your eyes are locked with his and he can’t tell what you’re thinking. Usually, he’s able to read someone quickly, but he can barely stand looking at you directly. There’s something about you that makes him uncomfortable and he can’t figure out what.

“I hope you two can work well together since she’ll be next to you the whole time.” Price has a tone that tells Ghost not to argue.

“Him?” You point at Ghost with curious eyes. Price raises an eyebrow in amusement and nods. Ghost is sure he’s missed an important conversation to make Price chuckle at your confusion.

---

You took Price’s words literally because even before the mission you stand near Ghost. Not close enough to bother him or get in his way, but enough to be noticed by the other teammates. Soap has tried to make conversation with you but whenever it gets too personal you put up a strong wall. 

“You should have seen us on our last mission! We barely made it out alive, I’m just glad Ghost didn’ crash the car we used to get away!” Soap explains with a large grin. You nod along, listening to his every word. Ghost is sitting next to you busy making sure Soap doesn’t fabricate any details to make himself seem cooler. “You ever been on missions?”

“I have and they’ve all been successful.” You say nonchalantly as if that isn’t something to be proud of. Ghost can’t help but want to hear about them, but he knows you won’t tell. However, Soap does not and he presses deeper.

“Any impressive injuries? I’m sure ya have a few intense scars!” Just as Soap finishes his sentence there’s a shift in you. From a willingly social attitude to an empty person, your smile falls. The wall builds itself back up and just like that Ghost loses you.

Not a single member has been able to get a single detail of who you are, but Ghost has seen a few things. 

For example, you always smell like roses, except one day when you smelled like vanilla, you seemed upset you had a different shampoo. He also notices you like watching him polish his guns, even if that means sitting in silence awkwardly. 

Even though you hide the bottom of your mouth he can still tell when you’re smiling or frowning because you’ll allow your eyes to give it away. Those are the only times he can actually get a read on you, any other and you’re like a brick wall. It’s not because you show too many emotions or hide your eyes, you just have nothing within them. Nothing he can understand at least. 

You sit next to Ghost as he sharpens his knives carefully. Your eyes never leave his hands and it makes him feel nervous. He doesn’t understand why his hands are sweating and why your eyes are so pretty in this light. 

He reaches for another knife to sharpen and your eyes lock onto it. There’s the smallest amount of interest showing and he can’t help but enjoy how comfortable you’ve become with him. It’s only been a couple weeks but you’ve been showing more emotions around him, only him. He sharpens the knife and puts the cover over the blade. He sighs heavily before handing you it. You give him a smile that not even the mask can hide and gladly take it. 

Ghost doesn’t converse with you often, instead, he has small moments like this. He honestly prefers silent company over eggshell conversations and he can tell you do too.

A week before the mission you seem to sit closer to him and try to be closer physically. He can’t tell why, but he assumes it’s your nerves. You seem protective over him, keeping an eye out whenever you’re around him. He can’t say he doesn’t enjoy having someone to be alert with.

---

Ghost sits next to you on a rooftop, sniper rifles resting on the edge. It’s dark out now, the stars lighting the sky beautifully. Both of you are sitting against the roof edge waiting for the signal to aim. He hasn’t said a word and neither have you.

After a few minutes, Soap comes on the line telling them the targets are in sight. Ghost was assigned one man while you got the other but knowledge was limited on what to expect. Ghost already has his rifle aimed at his target, but something doesn’t feel right.

“I used to know him.” Your voice is low while staring through the scope of your rifle. It takes Ghost a second to realize you’re talking to him and not yourself. His eyes land on your figure, your hands trembling over the trigger, hesitating. For the first time since he’s met you, he can tell exactly what you’re feeling and he wishes he didn’t. When you pull away from the scope your eyes reflect such an empty void. “It’s a trap!” You yell right as gunfire rings out. Bullets barely miss Ghost’s body and you quickly knock him down. The border around the roof is the only thing keeping the two of you from getting shot. 

Ghost watches as you crawl to the roof ladder, the only way off the building. He’s quick to follow, hoping they aren’t too exposed. He’s about to ask how they’ll get onto the ladder without getting killed when you quickly lift him up to his feet. He’s amazed at your strength, almost bamboozled by it. You shove him over the edge and he almost misses the ladder’s steps, gripping them to stop from falling to his death.

“Are you fuckin’ crazy?!” He yells. He’s safe on the ladder, whoever is shooting at them can’t get a view of him here. You on the other hand are extremely exposed and you know this. You have mere seconds to join him on the ladder and yet you don’t. Instead, you disappear from his view, retreating back to the rifles. He screams your name but gets no response. He hears you fire your gun and the sound of screaming from below. You hit your target but compromised yourself in the process. He begins climbing up the ladder to make sure you aren’t dead when your covered face reappears. He sighs in relief, climbing back down to give you room. You make it over the border of the roof and climb down as fast as you can, but it’s not enough. A bullet grazes your shoulder and one hand lets go of the ladder. Blood is soaking through your sleeve and your grunt in pain. 

“Fucking climb, dumbass!” You scream at him and he follows your orders even though he’s in charge. You struggle to reach the ground successfully and Ghost has to grab your waist to make sure you even touch it. He’s still surprised by your tone earlier. Not once have you ever raised your voice like that and it kind of amuses him. Once the mission is over he’s going to get more information on you one way or another.

----

You’re leaving the Taskforce soon, you said so yourself yesterday. He was minding his own business, walking back to his room when he ran into you. You didn’t smell like roses, you didn’t smell like anything actually. You seemed distant towards him, unable to make eye contact. Your mask was sloppily put on, revealing a bit of your nose. The way you spoke was cold and it stung him. It felt like all the progress he made with you had been crushed by your wall.

That’s when he decided to confront Price, to get answers on who you are and how you knew the enemy enough to know the mission was a trap.

“Who the bloody hell is Trick? Why did you bring her in for this mission?” He demands. Price is sitting behind his desk, files piled in front of him. He’s not new to Ghost’s frustration and he understands where it’s coming from. You seem to know way more than you let on about the people the force is targeting. Price also understands that it’s not his place to talk about what you’ve gone through.

“Either she tells you or it remains unknown.” Ghost knows better than to argue further, but he can’t watch you leave without all the answers he needs. It’ll eat him up inside with all the questions swarming his head.

So, he heads to your room, his feet stomping the concrete floor. Once he reaches your room he knocks loud enough to wake someone up. He waits a few seconds before banging again. This time he can hear movement from the other side.

You open the door with your mask perfectly on. You have the same infuriatingly empty look on your face and he can’t stand it anymore. He can’t handle all the new emotions inside him, especially how scared he was when he watched the bullet scrape your arm. How fragile you looked as you helped you onto the helicopter back to base. You weren't masking yourself anymore and he could see the fear in your eyes the entire ride back to base.

“Who the fuck are you?” He’s harsh with his words and you don’t even move. He’s never been angry towards you, sure you’ve seen him yell at someone, mainly Soap, but never you. 

“I didn’t think you’d actually ask.” Your words reboot his brain. He was expecting push back or a refusal of information, instead, you step away from the door and wait for him to enter your room. It’s going to be a long night.

-

“I knew the target because I used to date him.” You explain, sitting on your bed. You’ve answered all of Ghost’s questions, every single one he can think of. You were open to him for the first time and you didn’t hide your emotions, you let them out. It’s a sight only he’ll get to see and he’s happy about it. “It was before I knew what he was doing, I swear. I had already been trained for combat before I met him so it was easy to escape. I had already begun taking out his connections when Price invited me to the team.” 

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Is all he can ask, it’s his last question. He knows you’re probably exhausted from hearing him ask so many things.

“I was ashamed that I dated a man as bad as him. I know it wasn’t my fault, I didn’t know about what he was hiding, but still.” You hum. 

There’s a long silence, Ghost digests the information you’ve given him and he begins to understand you more. Price most likely handed you to him because he knew you’d be comfortable around someone who doesn’t talk as much as the rest of the team. You wouldn’t be questioned by him and you wouldn’t feel as inclined to hide. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he can see your hands coming up to your face. You remove your mask revealing a scar along your lip. It’s not deep but it’s noticeable. That’s the final indicator that you trust him, that maybe these feelings he’s been having aren’t solely his.

“So, what now?” You question, your voice soft. A single word pops into his head the second you spoke, and it grows bigger the longer he remains quiet. It’s practically screaming itself in his head.

“Stay.” Your eyes are wide when looking at them and he loves what he sees inside them. There’s a spark of hope, something he’s never seen from you. It makes him challenge himself to see if he can cause that same look every day. 

“Maybe I will.”

[bluginkgo]

Another Nuzi rant. Don't mind me

Spoilers, duh

Since I've already done a quick character study/nuzi rant from N's side. Here's one from Uzi's side!

This is probably gonna be just me repeating things people have already said... again. But I love Uzi. (Just like every other character in Murder Drones, honestly.) But Liam did a wonderful job of making an angsty, emo girl, borderline maniac that we know as Uzi. Her character, to me at least, never became the annoying overdramatized and overused stereotype that follows her style. She has real reasons for being the way she is.

A loner, whose dad loves nothing but doors. School is not different, as her classmates pretty much forget about her existence on a day to day basis. No one to talk to, no one to connect with, gives her the angsty side that I absolutely adore. Because underneath all of that toughness is just a lonely little drone who was left by herself since early age. But guess who comes in and busts down those walls (literally and figuratively)?

Our good boi N! Despite their rough start, N never really gave Uzi a reason not to trust him. Their chance encounter, and a broken sensor, allowed them to have the talk that might have never happened. Their beginning might have been a lucky accident, but for the rest of the season, we can see how both sides had to work to make well... Nuzi work!

For Uzi, asking for help is like asking for a death sentence probably. After being on her own for so long, she doesn't expect anyone to help. With that information in mind, the first time she let's that wall crumble was episode 2, Heartbeat.

"Uzi, shoot! Or give it to me!"

Granted, we all know that was not our N. But in that moment, when Uzi was in an enough distressed state, she sought help in N. We all know how that ended, though. Absolute Solver took advantage of that and almost killed her, before N once again sweeped in to save her. The one and only notorious Nuzi misunderstanding was, for better or for worse, cleared up pretty quickly. Seeing as glitchproduction only has so much money at their disposal, they can't really drag this ordeal out. Personally, I'm glad that it didn't. The long drama that is just a misunderstanding after misunderstanding gets quite tedious to follow.

So, moving forward in The Promening, Uzi once again seeks out N when she's in distress. When she sees and hears about what Doll and Lizzy were gonna do, she books it to the only person she knows can help her.

N! Now don't get me wrong. Uzi, by herself is plenty strong. She's shown off her fighting and capabilities, and would have probably been able to take V on. She's taken J down before, aaaand Uzi does technically also take V down in Cabin Fever. But she still went out of her way to go find N. So they could work together and get this mess sorted out.

And then there's this. God I love Cabin Fever, and surprisingly no, not for the Falling.... for you? scene. No, I loved the entire Uzi going on murder spree because she can! The music was such a banger too. But back to Uzi. She recognizes V and briefly snaps back to her usual self. Curious isn't it? N and Uzi both tried reaching out to V, but because V is so untrusting (and we all understand why from ep 5, Home). Here Uzi tried to ask V for help... in form of N.

I find it interesting how ever since Uzi met N and V, she's been getting better at asking for help. Sure, V shot her down because, once again, V was scared. Uzi was turning into the monster that only Cyn has been capable of creating. This soon leads to N yeeting Uzi into the f*cking stratosphere and the two have a chat.

I love how the animators included Uzi hiding behind her bat wings.

Her metaphorical walls were back up. And guess who broke them yet again.

The bestest boi N! And ever since this moment, N and Uzi are way more open.

Episode 5 was taking place in N's memories. But episode 6 is where their trust and care shines. Yeah, sure, there was the hand holding. And it was a big moment! But I enjoyed the little things more. Uzi checking in on N, nodding at his little comments and jokes.

Summary: I love Nuzi. Send help they're on my mind 24/7.

[dindjarindiaries]

How about

“Honey, have you been crying? What is it? What’s wrong?”

with everyone’s favorite Mandalorian, Din Djarin.

I dropped my phone before I could finish my message! I’m sorry it came across as short and rude. I just wanted to thank you for even considering my request and I appreciate all your work. Thank you so much again!❤️ (A/N: Not rude at all, dear - but thank you so much for adding such a sweet note!)

character: Din Djarin (The Mandalorian)

prompt: “Honey, have you been crying? What is it? What’s wrong?”

main masterlist • prompt masterlist

You peered through the visors that concealed the viewport once again, only to be met with the darkness of the Nevarro night. Another breath tightened your chest as the familiar needles pricked at your throat. You considered the emergency comm that you were kneading in your hand, but refused to use it.

There was no emergency, and thus no need to worry him. There was just an unprecedented loneliness.

Din and Grogu's most recent venture had run two days longer than expected, though Din had communicated that to you via holo. He had promised they would be back in two days' time, and that time had arrived. If another delay came their way, you didn't know what you would do, because you were certain you couldn't wait another minute.

The worst part was that you didn't understand why. For years, when your home was a ship and not a cabin, you were able to go even longer without seeing Din as he ventured on job after job. Now, long after the Crest's devastating fate and years spent close together...

It was just lonely.

You glanced over your shoulder at the empty cabin. Only a single light was on, casting much of the comforting space in an ominous shadow. It felt so empty without all three of you there, and it was getting unbearable. You had tried to keep yourself busy with errand-running and other tasks, but there were only so many mundane tasks you could do.

You exhaled and squeezed your eyes shut, holding the comm even tighter in your fist. It was time to come to terms with the reality that Din had faced another delay, and that you would have to sleep in an empty bed for one more night.

The prickling sensation around your throat didn't cease as you resigned yourself to your fate and prepared for bed. After all you had been through with Din, you refused to cry over something as pitiful as loneliness. Your emotions, however, didn't agree with your sentiment, and the prickling only got worse as you settled into bed.

Your cheek rested upon your pillow as you looked over at the empty half of the bed. The tightening of your throat only got worse until you had to obey its demands, causing you to squeeze your eyes shut once again as the tears fell. With the comm still nearby on your bedside table, you tried your best to sleep, and somewhere amidst your crying your body finally gave out.

It wasn't much longer until the sound of your bedroom door opening woke you up.

At first, you were alert, sitting up straightaway and nearly reaching for your blaster in the process. When you caught Din's silhouette, however, all that panic faded and was exchanged for the sweetest wave of relief.

"Din," your utterance of his name was breathless as you rose from the bed and approached him. He met you in the middle, leaving his travel pack on the floor in favor of returning your embrace. A gloved hand firmly held your back before it ran along your spine in a gesture so overwhelmingly comforting that it almost made you sob with relief into his shoulder.

"I'm sorry we were late." Din's voice was hushed, causing it to crackle through his modulator as he continued to hold on to you. He waited until you were ready to pull away.

"It's okay." You smiled as you braced your hands upon his beskar, studying every inch of his visor and taking it all in. "I'm just glad you're safe."

Din gave his helmet a fond tilt. "We were..." Din paused as he studied you in return, and his helmet straightened in severity. His chest stalled as he lifted a gloved hand to the side of your face. His thumb ran over your cheek in a slow, steady motion. "Cyar'ika, have you been crying?"

You blinked a few times at him in disbelief. Your lips parted as you sought a way to dodge his question, but if the evidence was there for him to see, then there would be no way of lying to him.

"What is it?" Din's free hand removed his helmet from his head in one swift motion before it rested on the other side of your face. His brown eyes were widened in concern as his gaze searched yours. "What's wrong?"

You exhaled, your throat tightening again—but that time, it was in embarrassment. "It was nothing serious, I promise."

Din circled his jaw as he gave you a once-over. "Anything that bothers you is serious to me." His brow wrinkled together more as his gaze found yours. "Please, let me help."

You held his wrists and offered a reassuring smile. "You already have." You gave his wrists a squeeze as he lifted an eyebrow at you. "By coming back."

Din's brow relaxed in understanding, but you still offered the confirmation he was seeking.

"I just missed you. That's all." Your voice was pitifully quiet.

Din immediately took you back into his arms. "Oh, cyar'ika, I'm so sorry. I had no idea." He rested his chin upon your head. "You can always comm me. You know that, right?"

You closed your eyes and shrugged. "I didn't want to worry you." You swallowed hard and added one more thing. "Or make you feel bad."

Din took a deep breath, and the movement took you with him. "I appreciate you thinking of me like that, but you don't have to. Especially when it comes at the sake of your own wellbeing."

You nodded and kept yourself nestled in his warmth. "Okay." You let out a sweet exhale. "But you're back now. That's all that matters."

"I am." Din kissed your head before he urged you away, gesturing with his head to the bed. "But rest also matters, too."

You huffed and shook your head at him. "Whatever you say."

Din kept you closer than usual as the two of you rested that night, bringing a relief that went beyond any words—and soothed the ache in a way only he was capable of doing.

main masterlist • prompt masterlist

[faithfulren]

healing hands

the reader, possessing a healing quirk, assists todoroki after a challenging battle.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

the aftermath of the battle left the training ground in shambles. debris littered the area, and scorch marks marred the once pristine surfaces. the students of class 1-A were scattered, some nursing minor injuries while others helped clean up. shoto todoroki sat on a piece of rubble, his breath coming in shallow gasps. He had pushed himself to his limits, and his body was paying the price.

"shoto, are you okay?" the reader called out, hurrying over to him. they had a healing quirk that could mend wounds and soothe pain, and their concern for their classmates always brought them to the forefront in situations like this.

todoroki looked up, his usual stoic expression softened by fatigue. "i'm fine. just overdid it a little."

the reader frowned, kneeling beside him. "you don’t look fine. let me help."

todoroki hesitated but nodded, knowing better than to refuse their aid. the reader placed their hands gently on his shoulders, closing their eyes and focusing their energy. a warm, soothing light emanated from their palms, enveloping todoroki in a comforting glow.

as the healing energy flowed through him, todoroki felt the tension and pain in his muscles begin to melt away. the cuts and bruises that covered his body started to fade, replaced by healthy skin. he closed his eyes, allowing himself to relax for the first time since the battle ended.

"thank you," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "your quirk is incredible."

y/n smiled, though they didn’t stop their healing. "i'm glad i can help. you always push yourself so hard, shoto. you need to take care of yourself too."

todoroki opened his eyes, meeting the reader's gaze. there was a depth of concern and kindness there that he rarely saw directed at him. "i know. It's just… sometimes I feel like I have to prove myself. to everyone. to my father."

y/n's expression softened further, their hands never ceasing their gentle, healing touch. "you don’t have to prove anything to anyone. you're already amazing, shoto.. and we all see that."

a small, almost shy smile tugged at todoroki’s lips. "you really think so?"

"i know so," the reader replied firmly. "you’re strong, talented, and you have a good heart. don’t let anyone, not even your father, make you doubt that."

the warmth of their words, coupled with the healing energy, made todoroki feel lighter, as if a burden he’d been carrying for years was starting to lift. he reached up, placing his hand over the reader's. "thank you. for everything."

the reader felt a pleasant warmth spread through their chest at his touch, their heart fluttering slightly. "anytime, shoto. i'm always here for you."

as the last of his injuries healed, the reader removed their hands, though they remained close, their eyes still locked with his. todoroki felt an unfamiliar but welcome sense of peace wash over him, and he realized how much he valued the reader’s presence in his life.

"you know," todoroki began, his voice softer than usual, "i've never really taken the time to thank you properly. for always being there, for using your quirk to help us all."

y/n shook their head, a gentle smile on their lips. "you don’t have to thank me. i’m just doing what I can to help my friends."

"but you do so much more than that," todoroki insisted. "you’ve helped me more than you realize. and not just with your quirk."

their eyes met, a silent understanding passing between them. in that moment, the chaos of the training ground seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of them in a world of their own.

"i'm glad," the reader said softly. "i care about you, shoto. i always want to be there for you."

todoroki felt his heart skip a beat at their words, his usual calm demeanor wavering. "i care about you too. more than i’ve been able to say."

y/n's eyes widened slightly, a blush creeping up their cheeks. "shoto…"

before they could say more, todoroki leaned in, closing the distance between them. his lips met theirs in a gentle, heartfelt kiss, conveying all the emotions he had kept locked away for so long.

when they finally pulled apart, both were breathless but smiling, a new understanding between them. the reader rested their forehead against his, their hearts beating in sync.

"thank you," todoroki whispered, his voice filled with sincerity.

the reader smiled, their hands still warm from the healing energy. "anytime, shoto.. anytime."

[viviennevermillion]

Sharing a tent with him ♡

author's notes: set during vargas camp. unfortunately i never found a full translation of the second one so if anything here contradicts canon, just roll with it. spontaneously writing this at 10pm after vowing i'm gonna go to bed early today so i can go to work earlier. oops. also picsart gold is making me go off with the headers so I'm making these for literally every character because i have no life. contains: malleus draconia x gn!fae!reader, cuddling warnings: none

Malleus, as always, is happy to go on a trip outside of Night Raven College; especially if he gets to share the experience with you and in this case Lilia as well. To be honest, you weren't exactly excited about spending your days in the woods near the creepy dwarf mine, engaging in sports and camping activities; but the presence of a certain fae prince made you look forward to it at least a little.

That feeling only multiplied when Vargas announced the students would be sharing tents in groups of 2-3 people and Kalim and Cater excitedly asked Lilia to have a Pop Music Club sleepover. "I'm sorry you two, but I think I'll have to decline. I'm sure Malleus-" "I'll share a tent with Malleus", you blurted out and the dragon fairy raised an eyebrow at you but immediately shot you an amused grin. "You seem quite eager", Malleus put his hands on his hips and smiled at you, "very well. I'll allow it. Just be sure you won't be frightened halfway through." You could tell he was joking and Lilia chuckled at Malleus's obvious excitement about the matter.

Malleus absolutely adored the fact that you wanted to be close to him and spend time with him; that you even felt comfortable enough to fall asleep around him. He sucked up every piece of evidence for that like a sponge, already craving the next instance of you expressing how much you valued him as a companion.

You let out a long sigh after Malleus broke the tent pole for the third time by hitting it too hard with the hammer. "Here let me be so courteous as to help you", you teased and put the pole into the ground, firmly hitting it with the hammer a few times until you felt that it was firmly stuck in the ground. "So, what do we do now?", Malleus seemed at a loss, trying to inspect the instructions on the information sheet Vargas had given you, "why do they explain these things in pictures? Why not put words too? I have no idea what this means." You could see him pouting and took the sheet from him with a laugh. "Be glad you'll never have to put furniture together yourself because that's just like this but worse", you sighed and inspected the pieces for the tent, "okay so....uh....I think this big thingy goes onto the pole and then we....uh-" You tried building the tent and helplessly watched the pole tip over and your "tent" sink to the ground. "You know, on second thought, maybe we should just sit down and wait until Vargas does it himself", you gestured awkwardly and sat down on a tree trunk.

"Oh but we are supposed to do it ourselves. After all we won't be able to understand the feelings of humans once they experience the joys of camping after all the hard work it takes to prepare it", Malleus smiled. "You're too eager for your own good", you took a deep breath. "You were the one who wanted to share a tent with me so badly", he grinned and it was clear he was relishing in the fact that you hadn't hesitated even a second to suggest pairing up with him for this trip. "You're making me sound desperate", you shook your head in disappointment and Malleus chuckled, reaching out his hand to you.

"I'm sure this is going to turn out to be quite pleasant if we commit to it. Once we're finished with our work we can be proud of the result. It might not be perfect but it'll be ours and we can share it for the next few days like a temporary home for just the two of us-" His words made your heart flutter and you took his hand and got up. "How could I say no when you put it like that?", you sighed and continued trying to build the tent.

You enjoyed a nice evening with Malleus and the other students; grilling marshmallows over the campfire and listening to the others talking about experiences they had with camping so far. There were fireflies surrounding you, nothing too unusual for being around Malleus, and the atmosphere was a peaceful one that made both of you feel happy and content.

The two of you were the last ones at the campfire, watching the embers as well as the stars above. You rested your head on Malleus's shoulder as a shooting star passed the night sky. Malleus leaned his head against yours and closed his eyes, a peaceful smile on his face as well. Malleus put out the fire and the two of you went to bed, turned to each other in your sleeping bags.

You watched curiously as Malleus pulled out something from his backpack. It was an enchanted lamp, shaped like a rose. Small, soft lights were dancing across the petals, bouncing off the ceiling of the tent. "These are quite popular in Briar Valley. I thought you might like it, so I brought it along", he smiled and put it somewhere where both of you could look at it. The conversation about the lamp evolved into a quiet talk about Briar Valley; Malleus telling you all sorts of stories about his homeland and mentioning a variety of places he was going to show you if you wanted to visit. He spoke with fondness until both of your words had turned to mere whispers.

If you don't pull the good old "I'm so cold" trick to try and be closer to him, he definitely will.

Malleus was amused at how almost dramatic you were about it. "It's so icy in this tent... I'm going to freeze to death....whatever shall I do?", you sighed with a sorrowful expression on your face and Malleus looked at you seriously. "I could make a fire to warm-" "GOD NO", you gestured wildly as you felt Malleus's fire magic manifesting within the tent. He put the flame out just as fast as it had appeared. He seemed to ponder the predicament further, then smirking at you. "Of course...you could always come closer if you dare", he teased, "I won't mind." "You don't have to tell me that", you smirked back.

That was how you ended up snuggled against Malleus in his sleeping bag, your own sleeping bag long discarded to the side. You had your head rested on his chest and your arms wrapped tightly around him. "This is a strange feeling....but not unpleasant. I like it", Malleus mused and absentmindedly started drawing circles on your shoulders, "although something tells me you had intended for this all along." He smiled as you confirmed his suspicion, a little flustered from the fact that he had seen through you. "There's no need to shy away from me", he clarified, "you need only ask. I don't mind being close to you." He breathed out and closed his eyes, leaning his cheek against your forehead.

The two of you remained silent for a while, until you weren't even sure if he was still awake. "Malleus?", you whispered; a quiet "hmm?" signaling that he wasn't asleep. You hesitated for a moment, your fingertips running up and down his arm. "I just wanted to say...", you took a deep breath, "I've really grown to treasure your presence in my life... You've become very important to me and being around you....well....makes me happy. I'm glad to have met you. I hope you know that." You could hear Malleus's heart beating faster against your ear and you felt him trying to pull you even closer.

"That means quite a lot to me", he whispered back, his lips grazing your forehead as he spoke, making you wish he'd just press a kiss to your skin already, "I feel the same about you. Thank you for being part of my life." You squeezed him gently in your embrace, making him smile.

You remained silent for a few moments, thinking about what you should say next. "You know.... I've spent all my life going from place to place; meeting all kinds of people and experiencing the brief but meaningful moments that life among humans had to offer, but I never really stuck around anywhere. There was nothing that I felt could capture my interest forever; just a century even. The people I met were just as fleeting as my time spent with them. I never had any reason to settle down", you whispered and took his hand into yours, running your thumb across his soft skin, "but now that I've met Lilia, Silver, Sebek and especially you, for the first time I'm certain I want to stay. Do you think there might be place for me in Briar Valley?"

Malleus was awestruck, his eyes widening with every word you spoke. Surprise made him incapable of even replying for a minute. His heart fluttered and there was a feeling of warmth and love in his chest that he didn't even know he craved this much but that henever wanted to miss out on again. You really wanted to stay...with him...as if it was the most self-evident thing possible.

Malleus's expression turned into a soft smile eventually and he squeezed your hand back. "I'm sure that could be arranged", he whispered with an adoration in his voice that was hard not to pick up on, "got anything in mind already?" You closed your eyes, focusing on his chest rising and falling and the soft sound of his breathing. You knew what you wanted. But you didn't dare say it yet. "We'll see." Malleus nodded. Perhaps you could be a guard. Or an attendant. Or an advisor. Or perhaps...the idea he undoubtedly liked the most: You could stand at his side, watching over the country alongside him; forever united in the love you felt for one another.

"Yes. We'll see", he confirmed and wrapped his arms tighter around you; the dreams you two shared remaining unspoken for now. But Malleus knew just as well as you did where he wanted to take the bond you had. Just say the word and I'm yours, he thought, falling asleep with you in his arms and a peaceful smile on his face.

[classicalchan]

deal with it 🤍

pairing: bangchan x reader ;

tags: best friends to lovers, confessions, fluff, cuddling, kisses, comfort, some angst

a/n: please do not plagiarize my work and respect artists and their hard work!

text:

on some days, it feels hard to just exist. everyone and everything seems designed to hurt you but you persevere. you still pack up your things, leave work, and take the traffic-clogged route back home.

you still unlock your door and expect to walk into a cold house, with nothing but emptiness screaming back at you. you still return back to your unbearably lonely life.

but to your surprise, a pleasant smell from the kitchen wafts through the hallway instead. the house is warmly lit, not too bright, just how you like it, and before long, a familiar voice that rips through the glass in your heart floods your consciousness.

"y/n? is that you?" Chan calls and moments later, appears with an apron tied to his front.

you stare at your best friend, looking a little silly in an apron that's a size too small for him, curls a mess, his smile a million moons bright. you sigh. how could you not fall in love?

"when did you get here?" you ask, setting your things down and taking your shoes off.

"about half an hour ago," he says. "the boys had me leave a little early and i didn't know where else to go."

it was in moments like this that you mentally patted yourself on the back for giving Chan the spare key to your residence. you mirrored his smile, trying your best not to look too tired but he caught onto it as always. there's no hiding from him.

"you look like you haven't slept in weeks," he remarks. "is everything okay?"

you don't have it in you to smile anymore. he walks over, arms sliding around your waist and pulling you into a gentle hug. his fingers go into your hair and scratch your scalp as you sigh into his shoulder.

"it's a lot of things," you manage to speak. "but I'm glad you're here."

"i'm glad i'm here too. it breaks my heart to see you like this," he whispers close to your ear, and you shiver.

the two of you finish up dinner and sit on the couch next to each other, a show no one is watching running in the background. your chest feels immensely lighter, but you're still not nearly through with your feelings. you feel your throat closing up every few minutes, and you speak up before you could cry again.

"can we cuddle?" you ask. "i don't feel too good."

without a word, he shifts closer to you, pulling you into his arms and you melt. here was a guy who had always been there, no questions asked, no conditions put. and you loved him. you realized that every single second of the day. and even more so when he was around.

you feel his mouth pressing a kiss to your temple, rubbing warmth into your shoulder and you snuggle closer.

"tell me something nice," you mumble into his chest, his heart beating steadily under your cheek.

"hmmm," he thinks. "i like it when we're close like this. like, me being able to hold you and you just give up all your cares and relax."

you smile, turning your head up to look at him. his hair fell into his eyes and you reached a hand up to brush them away, fingers lingering by the side of his face. too pretty. he was too pretty.

"what else do you like?" you ask.

you saw his cheeks get flushed, scarlet spilling over his pale skin. his eyes searched yours, dark irises boring into your own before he let out a soft whisper.

"you."

"are you-"

"yeah. i'm serious." he spoke. "and you don't have to say anything, like i understand if you don't feel the same way but-"

you put a hand around him and pull him down from the back of his neck, your lips pressing into his. you had never imagined you'd live to see this moment, but here it was. here chan was- his lips softer than cotton, skin so warm beneath your fingers, his cologne flooding your senses.

he kissed you back and the world spun in lazy circles for you. you drew him closer and didn't let go until the two of you were panting for breath. he giggled, and you followed, the sounds of your combined laughter filling up the room.

"wow," he spoke. "i'd never expected you to feel the same."

"but i do. deal with it."

hi! if you liked what you read, feel free to check out my masterlist and request any prompts if you'd like through the askbox!

[chaotic-archaeologist]

long time follower, first time asker... i really need some wisdom or encouragement right now. i'm in my 30s and have been working on a bachelor's degree for years, in fits and starts, with a lot of setbacks. (finally landed on history with religious studies minor, but i used to study anthropology as well.) the thing is, i recently watched a guest lecture by a wonderful religious scholar (dr. francesca stavrakopoulou) and she was so... inspiring? erudite? smart? she was incredible to listen to, she seemed so in touch with her field and was able to draw amazing connections and answer questions with references to multiple religions and languages off the top of her head, was able to recommend peers of hers by name for other specialities, it was really inspiring.

but as awesome as she was, after the lecture was finished i was a little devastated because i feel like i will never be able to achieve that level of ease and expertise no matter how much i study. i feel like a fraud, i feel like my adhd is holding me back and turning my brain into swiss cheese. it's already taking me so much longer to get a bachelor's than it should and i'm painfully aware you have to have a PhD to really work as a historian; i feel like i'm so far behind that i'll never catch up and that as i get older i'll just get worse at learning... is this imposter syndrome? am i just struggling with a plateau and need to push harder to reach the next level? am i just not cut out for academia? have other academics also struggled with this? what do i do? :( i love this field more than anything, i have wanted to study people and history since i was in high school. i don't even know what i would do with my life if not this, but i just don't know if i'm completely out of my league and living in a fantasy land or if having a career as a historian is really still possible...

You know what, I'm really glad you asked this question.

I had a very similar experience recently, where I went to an academic talk that was so well done it left me thinking well shit, I'll never be able to do something like that. But you know what? I really do think that's the imposter syndrome talking.

I'm a fan of the four stages of learning. Unconscious incompetence, conscious incompetence, conscious competence, and unconscious competence.

You and I, as upper level students, are maybe somewhere on the cusp of conscious incompetence and conscious competence, which is not an especially comfortable place to be. We're aware of how much we don't know, and when we do things, we have to try really hard to be good at them.

The talks we both watched were given by people at the level of unconscious competence. And you know how they got to that level? By doing a PhD and spending a really long time immersed in the literature. They started their learning journeys earlier, and so they know more than we do right now. Which is normal!!! At this point in our careers, we are not expected to be able to do work like this, and there's a reason for that—we're not ready yet. But with time, we will get there.

(Psst, you know what the biggest prerequisite for giving a talk like that is? It's passion and a genuine interest in your field. You can't learn that, or force it if it's not there. And it sounds like you've got it covered.)

So now I'd like to address your fears of being too old. I totally understand—ageism is real, and it's especially hard in college settings where everyone around you tends to be 1) much younger, and 2) on the high school -> college track. Not being on that track is not a moral failing. The higher education system in the United States is very hostile to anyone who doesn't perfectly fit into the university's machinery. That is a problem with academia, not with you.

I know plenty of nontraditional students who have gotten their degrees at varying ages. When they give you your diploma, it won't have your age on it or how long it took you to get your degree. What matters is that you've earned it, not when. Better now than never. Don't give up.

I would like you to try to do on thing for me: look back through your life and make a list of all the moments where you had an "aha" moment. When you realized this was something you wanted to do for the rest of your life. When you did something and felt good about it. And I do really mean write! it! down! Keep this list (and add to it) so you can look back at it. I pay attention to stuff like this when I write in my journal so I can remind myself during low moments.

Congratulations, it sounds like you're passionate about something enough to pursue it doggedly, even when things are difficult! That's something special that not everyone gets to have. I think you owe it to yourself to do your very best to pursue your dream.

-Reid

[yakultstan]

What advice would you give someone who is writing poetry

Hey! I definitely have a lot to still learn myself as I'm quite new to my attempt at poetry (so I’d love to hear everyone else’s opinion/writing process in the comments) but since you're asking here's my take (sorry in advance if you just wanted a one-line answer..I’m not so good with that)..

In my opinion, poetry is all about provoking emotion..making you feel something..therefore “good” poetry is subjective due to the way individuals experience life and emotions differently.. In most cases (especially writing for fun/self-expression), it’s not something that needs to be technically correct (imo) like an academic essay, rather it just needs to make you feel something, so here are my tips/step-by-step process at this current time

Write for yourself AKA make sure that you like(love even) what you have written.. don’t write with other people’s interpretation/perception in mind (as “good” is subjective and you’ll never be able to settle on anything). You’ll feel much more motivated to write if you are encapsulating your own experience as accurately as you can (it feels productive to turn your pain into something more tangible).. Write the thing that you wish someone else had written that makes you think “damn.. that is so me” if you’re able to do that I’d call it a success. (My fav pieces still make me feel something each time I read them and make me feel glad I wrote them, as noone else had). I say this because we are all human at the end of the day if you’re feeling it, there’s likely going to be another human out there who is grateful that you have so accurately been able to translate a generally indescribable feeling into words.  

To be able to do the above (make yourself & others “feel”) I’d start by reaching as far down into your emotions as possible.. Everyone knows about surface-level happiness, sadness etc. but what is it more specifically that you are thinking and feeling.. or what is something that you think you might feel or do if you were to become totally unhinged.. Imo poetry isn't the place to downplay your emotions or soften your language - say the things noone wants to say, the things that are “wrong” to say, don’t hold back, allow yourself to be violent, angry, sad, toxic, or pessimistic in your writing, even if you’re an optimistic/cheerful/kindhearted person irl (people are often SHOOK regarding the strikingly different persona I portray in real life vs my writing..we are all multifaceted creatures at the end of the day).

Now you might be wondering how to put the above into actual poetry..a lot of people will just “find the words” because they are talented like that, but for the rest of us.. Controversial (whilst beneficial)I don’t think an advanced vocabulary is necessary to write impactful poetry (my vocab is shit & has barely developed since I was 10 years old cause I stupidly stopped reading books until only a couple years ago).. So instead what I personally do is I write out in as much detail but in simple language, how I am feeling/what I want to portray..like you’re trying to express something in your diary or a text message you’ll never send…  At first, this is going to look like a 10yro has written it and that’s so fine because you want a clear understanding of what you’re trying to portray in your piece.. now all your related thoughts are out, attempt to rewrite it in a way that is slightly more comprehensible (usually I’ll write it in notes app so I can still have the original versions to refer back to to make sure I am encapsulating what I originally wanted) and basically rewrite a couple times until it appears more refined

Then, your original wording might be perfect as is (I would say always go with your gut feeling) but the thesaurus and dictionary are your best friend!(bless google) If a certain word kind of “ruins the vibe” of the piece and it no longer feels “poetic” just google synonyms for that word, you can even search “synonym poetic” for further options. Don’t just use any synonym though.. If you’re undecided between a couple words I would highly recommend googling the specific definition of each word and compare, because usually definitions will have a very nuanced difference and that nuance can make all the difference in being able to accurately portray your point. 

Have fun with the spacing, the lines the layout, the use of grammar (idk the terminology).. utilise these things to transform everyday sentences into an art form! Don’t get caught up in the right or wrong!

 Now reread, you want that poetic rhythm of some kind, a state of flow.. Read in your head, then read out loud then read with your own experience in mind, then detach your mind from your own experience and read from an external point of view if you wish! Reading out loud will help you see if it’s readable (duh) and the wording problems, whether that be needing to change word or remove a word or add a word will likely fix themselves! I personally would focus more on emotional impact than aesthetic but ideally a bit of both is great!

This seems like an in-depth process but all this usually occurs within about 5-10 minutes per poem cause I don’t have the attention span to spend any longer on it (maybe oneday I’ll actually refine my work properly lol but for now it’s just my form of therapy). You’ve got this! <3

Other random things I’ve learned

-Keep a log of specific words, phrases, sentences, ideas etc. even if not at all refined in your notes app on phone as you randomly think of them so you can potentially come back to it later! (If you don’t you’ll likely forget and never think of it again lol)

-Sometimes the most simple thought/concept to us (based on the fact it has circled in our brains for a lifetime so we are bored of it) can be super impactful & significant to others, so just write it anyway

-Go with your gut feeling if you’re tossing up any of your ideas, words, expressions

-Remember that quote “art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable ” - you’re never doing toooo much

-personally ive had to drop the academic ego and learn to be more than okay with being shit..you’ve gotta just do it and accept most the things you’ll write could be shit but it’ll mean there is opportunity that you write something decent amongst it all.

-DO NOT compare yourself to other people writing poetry cause it can be so disheartening!!!! we are our own worst critics.. just remember we are uniquely ourselves, no one else can write the way we write.

-PRACTICE!!!! But basically just do that by writing as much as you can. I know it’s always said but seriously I started writing daily 4 months ago and whilst I wasn’t actively trying to improve there is a massive difference noticed by myself and others between the quality of what I wrote 4 months ago and now.. It’ll just start to click! I write every day but some days I don’t have it in me to write a poem so I’ll just write a thought or feeling or diary entry for that day to keep the routine plus you can possibly come back to it for poetry inspo. 

-fake it til you make it !!!! poetry is expression !!! anything can be poetry if you want it to be :)

-I also read not long ago that writing isn’t something where you peak in your twenties (thank god for me) but rather a lot of writers become successful a lot later in life! So this gives me a lot of hope that things can only improve! Considering I was able to improve in 4 months, imagine 4 years or even 1!!(exciting! I hope I get much better!)

-If you want to know how to be more creative, more metaphorical or a lot more visual with your poetry.. Don’t ask me.. In fact I need tips myself!! I’m going to guess it has something to do with my shitty vocabulary.. I hope that I can challenge myself to improve with this overtime as well, but for now I find it cathartic to just work with my literal thoughts and emotions. Similarly, if you want to know how write about uniquely positive experiences hmu in the future when I’m more healed but maybe not yet lol.

CONGRATS if anyone actually read through all this… you deserve an award! (let me know if anyone actually did and if it was at all helpful) I hope you can find even just a component of this somewhat helpful??!! maybe it was all obvious who knows haha but also please remember I’m not very experienced in writing poetry myself, this is just my attempt at keeping myself sane :) All my love x 

Edit: as someone else mentioned.. another great tip is to READ lots of poetry written by others, this will help immensely :)

[maarrgarr]

The Unknown Heir.

part thirteen.

masterlist of the Unknown Heir.

Gojo Satoru x fem! reader.

Synopsis: The reader returns after being gone for two years and leaving her boyfriend, Satoru, without giving him a reason. But now she doesn't come back alone.

Warning: English is not my first language, possible grammatical and spelling mistakes, some plot changes.

"Where the hell were you?" he asked you. You motioned for him to speak quieter; if Ryusei woke up, it would be a problem. "We went for a walk. What's up?" you asked, confused. Satoru sighed. "Go away and leave him," he said, referring to Ryu. You looked at him quizzically, but decided to heed him. It made you nervous that Ryu and he were so close, and at any moment your son might wake up.

It didn't take you long to get to the room, it wasn't very far from the place where you found Gojo, which made you think that maybe he was coming from there. When you entered, you closed the door behind you. You put the things on a table, opened the sheets, laid Ryusei down carefully, so he wouldn't wake up, and covered him up.

As you left the room, you came face to face with Satoru again. His expression told you that he was not at all happy. For a moment, you feared that he had discovered that Ryusei was his. "How could you even think of letting them go alone?" he asked. His face was almost five centimeters from yours, and you realized that his eyes were killing you. You frowned, not understanding what he was talking about. "What are you talking about?" you asked. "How the hell could you think of letting Tetsuo and Rumi go off by themselves knowing it was a special grade curse!". Your eyes and mouth widen. "No, no, I was told it was fourth grade," you tell him. "Well, it wasn't, Y/n! You shouldn't have let them go alone; they're freshmen! And as long as I'm not here, they're your responsibility." Your eyes filled with tears without you being able to help it. "Are they...?" you asked fearfully. "No, but they are badly hurt, and all because of you". His words were bitter and struck you deep in the heart. "I tell you, Gojo, they told me it was fourth grade! If I had known it was a special grade, obviously, I wouldn't have let them go!" you defended yourself, though inside you felt guilty.

For a moment there was silence between the two of you, until he broke it with a bitter laugh. "Why don't you go away again, don't you realize that we are better off without you? Go away, Y/n, you don't seem to have done badly anyway, in these few years you've already had a child. It doesn't surprise me anyway, you were always very quick for some things." As soon as he finished speaking, your hand slapped his cheek. "You know nothing, Gojo, absolutely nothing. I've put up with enough nonsense from you just because you're upset that I dumped you. Yes, Satoru, I left you, I left and I had a child. Get over it," you told him. You could see through the glasses that those words hurt him, but everything he'd said before had hurt you too, and you'd put up with enough. "I'm over it now! Don't think you're so important, Y/n. I haven't cared what you do with your life for years."

His words reached deep into your heart, almost breaking it. But, at the same time, he made you open your eyes. His words destroyed the little hope that your heart had: you two no longer had anything, he no longer felt anything for you.

"Glad to know we have something in common, Gojo. I didn't think about you either in these years, I was more busy with other things" your pride spoke for you. And with your eyes fighting not to shed tears, you turned away from him and you started heading towards the infirmary.

Satoru stood there, taking in what had just happened. Trying to swallow what you told him and regretting the lies he told.

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