#if it was just for myself i would just peel the outer leaves and call it a day

[danothan]

decided to watch tutorials for cleaning fresh produce after washing my brussel sprouts for an hour straight and thinking “wait… something’s not right about this.”

you’re telling me you can just let them soak in a bowl and come back to it later?? occam’s razor, you tricky son of a bitch.

[praphit]

Beavis and Butt-Head: A proud Fifth Choice

Your eyes do not deceive you. The movie joint I'm rockin, today,  is "Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe". You might say "They have a movie?" "Why?" "Why would you even watch that mess?" "And why would you review it?" "Are you feeling ok?" "Have you lost your mojo?" "Are you on a bender?" - All valid questions.

I asked myself those questions for a bit. At some point, I'm going to either lose my way (however you'd like to interpret that) or lose my passion to ramble about movies. Perhaps this lapse in judgment is the beginning of the end.

I can't be too hard on myself though; B&B weren't my first choice (sorry, boys). I recently discovered that we have Paramount + (The Arby’s of streaming services). In clicking on it, I then discovered that those mischievous, dumbass boys from the the 90' and 2000's are back (for this new movie, AND the series is back). 

I then said to myself "Nope". I never really got them, so... "meh".

I then saw the trailer for "Incantation" (first choice)

YES! Watch this trailer! Do it!

Look how scared she is... she's seen some shit! I'd like to witness the same said shit.

Well, then I watched a lil bit of the actual movie, and within minutes... "meh". It's about... 

... wait, it doesn't matter what it's about, it sucks!

You can tell if a movie is gonna suck within the first few minutes. It's kinda like conversations. Now, that I've gotten older (and care way less about certain social things) I just walk away from conversations that have the smell of suck. You know you can do that?? Just say "This convo sucks." and leave :) Some call that rude, but I call it time management.

I then saw the title (only) for "Lou" (second choice). I'll spend some time watching a movie about some dude (or lady) with the cool name of "Lou" The crazy thing is that they had me at the title and lost me with the trailer.

They also look scared, but they look like they're scared of a better movie coming along.

"Barbarian" (third choice) is out there, 

but I was too lazy to go see it. 

And "Dahmer"(fourth choice). 

I thought it might be a two or three parter, but it's like 10 epi's. Even if I wanted to, one can't simply sit down and watch a whole day's worth of blood and cannibalism. That can't be healthy.

So, here we are (fifth choice). 

Lemme give the young people a chance.

I normally question young people's tastes in music 

 Their choices for Tv

(this TikTok was simply someone peeling an egg... that’s it:)

 their convo

Wait, that’s Adam Levine talking. He’s my around my age, I think. But, the kids are def talking like that.

 And their general decision making 

, but why not.

Beavis and Butt-Head set out to do the universe, and it all started with Butt-Head kicking Beavis in the balls. Many, many, many times did he do this. They were at a science fair, and it was thought that a marathon of crotch-kicking to see how long it would take for Beavis to pass out... was their experiment - the trials of human endurance.  Nope. They were just doing it to do it.

Beavis's balls lead them into outer space where they found themselves trying to get into the pants of this woman right here. Serena. Up until now, I thought I had made a mistake with this movie, but it was at this point I started to get it.

Beavis and Butt-Head are always trying to "score" Life IS about points isn't it??!: Games as kids. tests as we get older, points with the parents, points with your boss, points when you fly, points when you buy, trying to appear better than someone else as to take points away from them, etc etc... and of course the type of points they're into.

The pursuit of scoring led them into the future (2022) where they continue to look for Serena, simply to score with her. (poor boys, they aren't aware yet of the METOO movement).

She doesn't know that they're trying to score with her - she thinks they're there to ruin her career/life. Meanwhile the government believes these boys to be some sort of threat like aliens or terrorists or something.

It took some time, but I finally saw the light!

These boys have taught me a lot in this movie. I get it now! They're like idiot geniuses. And there's a lot of idiocy: they learn of the iphone and fall in love with Siri, they travel the country covered in feces and nacho cheese, they are told about their white privilege by a room full of feminists (after the boys invite them all to a "slut party") and so use their new found "power" to commit crimes, and we see a reappearance of The Great Cornholio 

(real G's know).

But, then it's their simplicity that has enchanted me today.  Points and Nachos. Nothing else matters. Everything either is “cool” or it “sucks”. Very simple. Add in some fresh animation, there dedication to slap stick (genius comedy duo btw:), and their witty word play - 

"Woodson. You've got wood, son. Boiiiiiinnng" 

Fantastic!

All this and more has gained them not only a high grade from me, but it has awakened a call to simplicity for myself, and  new hope in our.... well, I was going to say "our youth", but let's not go too far... um... a new hope to learn and laugh at the idiocy of others. Thank you, B&B. I've never been more sure about my movie judgment and mojo.

I've thought long and hard about this - I only wish they went a lil more over the top. Grade: B+ 

Fine cinema.

huh huh I said "long and hard" huh huh  Yes, fine cinema indeed.

[bluejaysandblackbats]

Ango (Dwelling in Peace)

Fandom: DC Comics, Arrowfam

Summary: A young Connor Hawke spends the summer with Oliver Queen after an accident at the monastery.

Chapters: 2/?

Characters: Connor Hawke, Sandra Moonday Hawke, Oliver Queen, Dinah Lance, Roy Harper

Relationships: Oliver Queen/Dinah Lance

Additional Tags: Father-Son Relationship, POV Oliver Queen, Child Conor Hawke, No Capes AU

Chapter Two: Chōsoku (rapid progress)

Once Connor got settled in, I started prepping for dinner. I thought he’d make himself scarce or shut himself away in his room, but he joined me in the kitchen. Connor washed his hands in the sink and asked me if I needed help. “I won’t put meat in the chili this go-round,” I paused, “Put on some gloves. Do you know how to cut onions?” Connor shook his head.

I grinned and sat him at the counter with a cutting board while I wet a paper towel. I grabbed my cutting board and two knives and sat beside him. “I wet this paper towel so you won’t start crying when we cut the onions,” I explained, “There’s a couple ways to cut onion, but this way’s the easiest. Hold it steady and cut down—.” I stopped and readjusted his fingers. “Curve your fingers, and don’t hold your pointer finger on the blade. You’ll cut yourself.” Connor nodded. “Cut down the center. I poke the onion with the tip of the knife and slide—. Good.” He peeled off the outer part, and I showed him how to dice.

“How many onions do we need?” Connor asked.

“Well, we usually only cut one onion… But it won’t hurt to make a bigger pot this once. Slide those onions into the bowl while I get the other stuff from the fridge,” I replied. Connor obeyed. “You’re doing great by the way.” I broke off cloves of garlic and smashed and diced them together. Connor snuck a piece of bell pepper while I chopped them, so I made us a small bowl.

“I’m sorry—.”

“I do it, too,” I chuckled. The kitchen was my turf, which helped. It loosened me up enough to be myself.

“Thanks for letting me help,” Connor replied. I reached for another piece of bell pepper when Connor did. We instinctively pulled our hands away from the bowl, reaching back simultaneously, and he laughed.

“We’ve gotta stop meeting like this,” I joked as my phone vibrated on the counter. “Sorry. Let me get this.”

“Okay,” Connor replied.

I stepped out of the kitchen to answer. “Hello?” I whispered.

“How is he?” Sandra asked.

“He’s fine. We’re making dinner,” I replied, “Does he have any allergies I should know about?”

“No allergies. How’s Connor doing? Is he eating?” Sandra questioned.

I glanced at Connor, and he waved at me. I waved back. “Not sure yet… He slept the whole way here, but he seems okay now. “Do you wanna talk to him?”

“I don’t want to shake him up… I want him to get used to you first,” Sandra replied, “Give him a kiss for me, Ollie.”

“Alright,” I answered.

She hung up, leaving me alone with Connor again. “Hey, kiddo? Are you okay with being home alone for a few hours?” I asked. “Next Friday. Not tonight.”

“Well, I—. Um—. Sure,” Connor stammered. I sat next to him at the counter and kissed his temple.

“Your mom asked me to give you that,” I explained. He smiled.

“Mom called?” Connor questioned. I nodded.

I wondered if he missed her. I wondered if he resented Sandra and me for leaving him alone. And part of me hoped Connor would shift most of that blame to me. I cleared my throat, trying to push back the guilt I felt. “Connor, how’re you handling the accident? I mean—. You never told me what happened,” I whispered. Connor frowned.

“There was a rockslide during our walk… A lot of people—. Some of my friends died. There was nothing we could do,” Connor answered. He swallowed hard.

I could tell by the weak tone of his voice that Connor wanted to cry. “Connor, I don’t mean to upset you… I only—. I wanna know where your head is at,” I explained.

“Not everything happens for a reason. Nature is not rational. Just make peace with whatever happens,” Connor quoted, “I have to keep repeating it to myself because it’d be too much to bear.”

I couldn’t speak. “Thank you for asking,” Connor replied. I nodded. The silence that followed was softer. Easier to digest... Unlike my chili, which nearly killed Connor. It took three spoonfuls of peanut butter and half a cup of soy milk to cool him down. I would’ve thought it was funny, but it was more sad to me than anything. I let him eat ice cream for dinner to make up for it until it made him feel better.

*

When nighttime rolled around, we got ready for bed, and I sat in my room reading a book when I got a knock on the door. “Dad?” Connor whispered.

I opened my bedroom door, and he held his mattress under his arm. “Okay… Come in,” I whispered, “Go straight to bed, though.” I set his mattress down, and he helped me make the bed. He looked at me with those sweet hazel eyes of his. “Don’t say you’re sorry… I don’t mind the company.”

“Dad? I had fun with you today,” Connor smiled. I knew he wanted to hug me, so I pulled him in, careful not to put pressure on the bandage on his forehead. I kissed his temple and turned the light down a notch. It wasn’t emotional. It was automatic. I think he felt it because he frowned, clutching the bottom of his pajama shirt. “Is this summer only a one-time thing?”

I wasn’t about to lie to him. I owed him the truth about that, at least. “I don’t know, Connor… We’ll see, okay? You might realize you don’t like me,” I answered.

“What if I do like you and you don’t like me back?” Connor questioned.

“I doubt that’ll happen, Connor… If you like it here, you can visit me whenever your mom says it’s okay,” I answered. Connor smiled and pulled the blanket over his head. Even after I finished reading and turned out the lights, I lay awake, watching him breathe. He was so quiet. So still.

“Connor?” I whispered. He didn’t answer. I climbed out of bed and kneeled beside him. Pulling the blankets off to see his little face. He shivered. I covered him up again while I looked for a hat from my drawer. I pulled it over his head, and he grabbed my shirt. The noise I let out frightened him awake, and I fell backward.

“Dad?” Connor whispered. I shook my head.

“Keep your head warm. It’s cold down there,” I whispered as I pulled his blankets up. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay… What’s the matter?” Connor asked.

“Yeah, go to bed. I’m fine,” I whispered. I lay in bed facing him and waited until he fell asleep again. I slept easy once he settled in. Soon, my eyes grew heavy, and I fell asleep too.

[calehenituseappreciation]

Ive seen a lot of Dream (and usually Techno and Phil too) as gods au (i have one too dw) but all of you are sleeping on the funniest option.

Tommy is the god.

Tommy.

hes the only one in that galaxy (other than drista ofc)

Just imagine how fucking funny it is like 

it would be so fucking hilarious

and tommy just doesnt tell them

so techno is just there making all these blood god jokes and jokingly telling tommy to serve him and tommys just laughing

imagine a god in the form of a chaotic 16 year old racoon gremlin just walts into your land commits arson and gets banned, only to come back with another person who he helps start a nation for drugs?

imagine how fucking funny it is

just

imagine tubbo banning a literal god from his lands and he just doesnt come back? he just plays by the rules? then goes and like sits in the corner all sad because some humans/dreamons told him to leave

ranboo, just joining the server: hi-  a chaotic gremlin god: wanna commit arson with me?  ranboo, just trying to vibe and maybe not disturb this god: sure 

Phil and Ranboo recongnize Tommy as a god on sight.

Everyone else just refuses to believe it. hes Tommy. Tommyinnit. hes just weird lol

And Drista being a fucking chaotic blood god? 

drista is open about her godhood and does not hesitate to spawn blocks

Drista finds Dream and decides she likes this small human, and dream just has to deal with it lmao.

drista and tommy are both born at the same time.

Tommy is a god of music, chaos, war and theivery (the last one bc he is a BITCH)

Drista is the blood god, chaos, deception, and theatre

okay but imagine the sbi interactions... like ig in this au tommy joins at like 12/13 years of age (in their minds) so he doesnt really grow much 

and like tommy, a literal god, just claiming phil as his father???

phil, in his house making eggs, assuming one of his sons woke up and came to the kitchen, not looking: hey son  tommy, from their couch, already deciding hes phils son now: whats up dad? phil: looks up at tommy who are you tommy: idk dad, who am i  phil: *stares at tommy for a second* eh i made extra eggs you can stay 

ASJIDGASUIOG IMAGINE TOMMY TELLING THEM HES A GOD BUT THEY THINK HES JOKING AND IGNORE HIM

everyone on the server: tommy is the youngest! tommy, as old as the universe: no im not!!!! im not a child!!!! he doesnt pout because pouting is for children and hes not a child but hes pouting tubbo: lol im older than you by a month tommy dont try to hide it tommy: im not a child!!!! techno: laughs

tommy doesn't try to hide that hes a god just its tommy

thats all the evedince anyone needs to think tommy isnt a god or powerful its like mcc hes good but only when he doesnt throw for content

quackity: sees drista written in bedrock lmao drista visited? tommy: yeah! i wrote that for her!  quackity: snorts yeahhhh sureee tommy

imagine like how fucking funny it is jsut like 

a fucking chaotic god breaks into your house androbs you makes a room under your house and decides to live in your floorboards

imagine dream like trying to manipulate tommy, and tommy a fucking anchient diety immeditly recongnizes what hes doing

but decides to play along for the angst and giggles and then actually gets mad when no one fucking cares for his theatrics

tommy, storming off to technos base to rob and build under: >:///// cant believe none of them acknoledged my  deppression 

i love that tommy stills robs everyone, he doesnt need to he can spawn in anything he wants

he just does it for the sport of robbery

JAKOGFSDOH

THE HOLY LAND

dream: im god actually tommy: thats so fucking funny lets make a cult about that :)  dream: see! look! im god! and jesus!  tommy: wheezing

imagine tommy getting stressed and letting go of his mortal form

Tommy, his human form peeling away, showing his actual form a bit: WH̸͘A͠T̷ ̶̢T͞H͢E ̡͘F̴̵͘Ù̧C͜K҉ ̶T͘͜͞E͟CHǸ͏Ǫ  Techno: HAH?

tommy just saw tubbo and got emotionally attached

Tommy, a literal god: hello Tubbo: oh hi do you like my pet bee? Tommy: you’re mine now Tubbo: im okay with this

tommy, a bored god: gives techno shapeshifting powers  techno, not even caring: changes into more human to pig-ishg forms as he wishes this is my life now ig 

phil lets tommy do fuck all in exile bc he knows hes a god hes fine

phil: IDC IF YOURE A GOD! YOU WILL DO THE DISHES NOW YOUNG MAN! tommy: grumbles but does them

phil is the only one who can control tommy

god... tommy... with star freckles... on his human form... (as well as his god one)

tommy: f̷͛͠a̵̋t̵̒̑h̸̚e̶̓͝r̸͊ ̸̐̒i̴ ̸̅̿d̷̉͆o̵͂͋ ̵̛̆ñ̸̾ő̶́t̸̎́ w̶͆͘i̴͠s̵̓̈́h̸͗́ ̵̯͗f̶͋́ő̴͑r̷̐̌ ̶͝é̵̽g̸͊͂g̵̒s̷͂̃  phil: idc, eat your goddamn eggs tommy: pouts

tommy, despite being able to get supplies himself by fucking spawning them in: hey tubbo? we need supplies 

In this au ig like if a god claims you you get a mark on your skin showing that. Drista’s would be like a green crown, Tommys would be a red and white disk (white as the outer ring and red as the center) (its different enough that if you don’t realise tommy is a god you wouldnt realise whos it is) (schlatt is the only one who never had one which shoulda been a sign dude :/)

Dream has two from the beginning, everyone else has only one, well until they meet drista. (sbi have had one since they met tommy, though they dont remember the first time they met tommy)

wait what if tommy like found them all as children one by one and later kinda pulled some strings to get them all in one kingdom. (he still joined sbi through forcing phil to adopt him) 

OKAY BUT IMAGINE IF TOMMY MET TECHNO WHEN TECHNO WAS YOUNG ENOUGH TO NOT REMEMBER

tommy would hang out with baby techno and tell him stories

once he told him the story of a man named thesus

another time he told him the story of a blood god

like for example tommys first time meeting techno would be like

(for context techno lived in a shitty village and was an orphan and it was kinda a dog eat dog place, he learned how to be strong because of it)(he was young enough that he doesn’t remember this well, just like learning about the blood god and someone giving him gold)

baby techno: sighs tommy, appearing out of nowhere: oh heyyy whyre you sad? techno: jumps turning around with a knife up ready for a fight who are you tommy: im tommy! :) techno: what do you want from me! you dont scare me! tommy: whats your name! techno: i have a knife! i'll use it! tommy: of course, thats a given, but its rude not to tell people your name techno, confused: t-technoblade? tommy: smiles thats a nice name techno: so. tommy: hm? techno: why're you here tommy: i don't have a reason. im just a traveller! techno: then why hole to this terrible village! theres nothing nice here! everyone is terrible and so are you! tommy: hmmmm i dont agree techno: what are you? a child? i thought adults were supposed to know that everyone is mean tommy: mmhmm looks at the bruise on technos face where'd you get that? techno: fight. i won. i'll win against you too! so don't try anything. tommy: of course. i would never win in a fight against a blood god techno, putting down his knife a bit, stars in his eyes: blood god? tommy: grins blood. god. i think she'd like you. techno, muttering: maybe i can give the blood god some of your blood tommy: laughs yeah, she'd defenitly find you intresting tommy: here tosses techno a golden crown at techno, he spawned it in in the moment techno: whats this? tommy: a crown, thought it suit you screams in the distance tommy: huh. i need to go. have fun lil piglin. ruffles technos hair before running off towards the screaming unbeknownst to the pig the blood god was actually the one waiting for the god he met. techno: stares at the crown 

Techno found a pouch of gold in his ‘house’ later that day. he didnt know who left it but it helped him get food for that night. (he kept the crown)

okay but imagine tommy not taking the war seriously at all, and only seeing it as a squabble between mortals, Like toddlers fighting

dream: SURENDER BY TOMMOROW OR WE'LL DECLARE WAR! wilbur: FUCK YOU WE'LL NEVER SURENDER AND JOIN YOUR SMP! Tommy: how cute

tommy doesnt realise that theyre serious until wilbur dies

tommy would usually go apeshit against anyone who dares messes with his humans, but what is he supposed to do when his humans are fighting Eachother?

wilbur: fucking goes insane and dies  tommy: hey- hey can you guys let me talk to wil for a sec? everyone else leaves tommy, unsually somber: sorry i didnt help you i forgot how easily breakable mortals are tommy: this time you wont die, and i'll make it so that you dont break again, okay? tommy: brings wilburs soul out of its body and enters his mindscape ghostbur: wakes up what- where am i? tommy: hi there ghostbur: who are you tommy: i go by a lot of names all, one, you, the world, the universe, god, but you can just call me tommy ghostbur: oh okay. who am i? tommy: you're name was wilbur soot. you were the son of philza minecraft and brother to Technoblade, Tubbo and myself. ghostbur: was? tommy: well you see, you died. ghostbur: oh... well what am i then? tommy: a ghost! well actually its your choice. would you like to continue your existance or fade away with your body? ghostbur: i dont want to fade away! tommy: smiles thats what i thought you'd say stretches his hand to wilbur ghostbur: grabs tommy hand tommy: lets go home

ghostbur doesnt remember that though

he only remembers the good

tommy wont let him remember the bad, what if he breaks again? mortals are so fragile

phil realises what tommy did as soon as he sees ghostbur 

drista, painting tommys nails (there both in god form btw) (after wilburs death btw): tommy shouldn't you of all gods realise how fragile they are?  tommy: i know just... forgot  drista: sighs and nods i get what you mean, especially with the ones we found... they act a lot like gods sometimes i forgot they arent  tommy: ikr? wait- drista here gets drista's hair out of her face you were gonna get it on my nails, anyways, don't judge me. we all know if dream died you would turn him into a ghost too drista: smirks not if you do it first, we all know you would tommy: you say that as if you wouldn't fight me to do it first  drista: .... tommy: ... drista: both of us when he dies? tommy: nods tommy: anyways my turn to do your nails 

or like tommy with ghostbur like

ghostbur: i don't like this :( tommy, a worried brother and god: whats wrong? ghostbur: everyone is mad at me and i d-dont know why- why are they mad at me tommy: theyre mad at something alivebur did ghostbur: b-but im not alivebur sniffs it hurts. i dont like it. tommy: spawns in some blue here ghostbur: whats that? tommy: its some blue! it'll help you not hurt anymore! ghostbur: how does it work? tommy: see how its blue? ghostbur: nods tommy: well its blue because it sucks up all the bad feelings! it'll help ghostbur: !!!!! ghostbur: presses the blue into his chest ghostbur: !!!!its working!!!! :D tommy: smiles good

wilbur fucking died and tommy went from annoying little brother to caring older brother

tommy just wants to help his brother :) though he doesnt realise that not letting ghostbur remember bad memories isnt good

*at logsted shire btw* ghostbur: who are you? tommy, chuckling: did you forget me already ghostbur? ghostbur: i didnt forget you! i think! you're tommy! i just... you're different tommy, looks over at ghostbur: different how? ghostbur: you're not normal are you? tommy: grins whaaaaat? you think im weirdddd? how heartbreaking... my own brother thinks im weird, this is terrible ghostbur: giggles tommy: but really, don't worry about it bur. ghostbur: you sure? tommy: yeah, dont worry about me ghostbur: smiles okay! do you want some blue anyways? tommy: giggles sure! ghostbur: grins

ghostbur isnt worried about tommy

he knows hes strong

phil having to tell tommy that he cant just not let wilbur remember the bad memories

and tommys like "what if he breaks again!" and phil hugs him and tells him to at least ask ghostbur if he wants to remember and tommys like ‘fine’

tommy: hey bur? ghostbur: yeah? tommy: do you like you're memories? ghostbur: i mean, yeah its hard not to when you only remember the good tommy, quietly: would you want to remember the bad? ghostbur: w-what brought this question on tommy: answer the question ghostbur: no- alivebur was badi shouldn't want to- tommy: but what do you want bur? wilbur, silent for a moment: yeah- yeah i do. not that i like the bad memories! they hurt... but i wish i could remember tommy: ... ghostbur: hey tommy? tommy: yeah? ghostbur, with tears in his eyes: do you think they'd be less mad at me if i could remember, maybe then i could repair my relationships, what the hell am i supposed to do when i dont even remember hurting them? tommy: what if they dont? what if you break again? ghostbur, saltily: we'll maybe i'll be able at least be able to say i know why everyone hates me tommy: i know how to get all of your memories back ghostbur, looks towards tommy in shock: you do??? tommy: nods ghostbur, voice wavering: for how long tommy: since the beginning ghostbur: and you didnt tell me tommy: i did what i thought was best. i just didnt want you to hurt anymore. ghostbur, angrily: WELL THAT CLEARLY WORKED DIDNT IT? tommy: sorry wilbur, sometimes i forget how to handle humans ghostbur: what- tommy: sighs and taps ghostbur on the forehead and ghostbur does the ghost equivilent of passing out tommy: wont hide any memories this time

ghostbur doesnt wake up, instead wilbur wakes up weither thats good or bad we'll see

wilbur, waking up with all his memories: HOLY SHIT TOMMY WASN'T KIDDING phil, who was reading beside the bed tommy placed wilbur into, which was in technos house. yes he broke into technos house with a passed out wilbur. move on.: hm? wilbur: holy shit phil: huh? yeah. wilbur: wait you knew? phil: yeah i recongnized him as soon as i saw him about 5 years ago now? wilbur: excuse me while i freak out because my little brother is an actual god

it really hits wilbur that tommy is a god later

wilbur: hey tommy? tommy: yeah? wilbur: how fucking old are you? tommy: snorts of course thats the first thing you ask wilbur: well? tommy: i dont really know the exact years since years are kind of a human thing that were invented recently wilbur: they were invented thousands of years ago- tommy: but it was around the beginning of this galaxy wilbur, softly: what the fuck

tommy telling wilbur stories about different heros and villains and different humans he met during his life.

Adsjbffsg what if Tommy made himself blonde and blue eyed and white bc thats hyow the first human he met looked like asjfhsd

and just didnt change that, despite meeting new humans, its just his defult settings.

he would totally do this tho im crying.

drista just based her human form off dream because she is his sister now. he must deal with this. trying disowning me when i look like you BITCH.

thats my take anyways later might continue this

[dogwatch05]

Humans and Peeling Skin

EOCs are over and I promise I still exist! I still have some time left in school, but I should have some more time to write now. I have so many ideas bouncing around in my head that I’ll probably have to queue them up. I’ll be making a separate post (so I don’t make this author’s note too long) with updates and questions that I would love feedback on even if you aren’t a follower. This one will be a bit of a longer one to try and make up for the weeks that I haven't posted.

So over a recent weekend, I got pretty sunburned and I started to peel. I got curious and looked up if other animals peeled when they burned, and from what I could gather humans are the only animal that peels when it burns. So based off of this fact, what if aliens only associate peeling with a reptile or spider molting?

Xiv't walked into a galactic sanctioned bar and sat down at a table. After the waiter terminal had processed his order, a young C'altus made his way over to the table. Watching him, Xiv't determined that he couldn't be more that 18 years of age, though it was hard to tell with the C'altus.

The young man walked over and slid into the table with Xiv't. "I saw your ship insignia. I've been assigned to your crew after this docking point has been completed." The C'altus seemed to get nervous for a moment. "Umm, I've heard that there are humans aboard the ship. Do you have any...tips for dealing with them? Oh, pardon me, my name is Ensign Doralus, newly commissioned and not too confident if you don't mind me saying, Sir." Doralus' ears flattened in embarrassment and his tail began to swish ever so slightly.

Xiv't sighed. He thought it would be something like this. "Well Ensign, I am Lieutenant Commander Xiv't of the G.S.S Star Dancer. The Humans are fine once you get to know them. Would it ease your nerves to hear a story about them?" Doralus perked up at the last question. "Yes Sir, I would appreciate that."

Grinning mischievously, Xiv't glanced out at the bar floor and saw the waiter droid coming over with his drink. "I know just the story. Sit back and relax son. You know of the Human home planet, yes? Terra? Alright then, lets begin."

"Myself and the rest of the crew that was on leave slowly made our way back to the ship. No one really wants to go back to the ship after an extended shore leave, but once we got back to the ship that feeling would evaporate. We had docked at the intergalactic extension of the ISS in the Sol system and so had been given leave to visit Terra. The humans on board had struck out on their own to spend a week at a condo on the beach. Now, I knew that human skin was both delicate and strong at the same time, but I never would have been prepared for what I saw when the humans came on board. The men didn't have their shirts on and were walking "bow legged". Meanwhile the women were delicately holding their torso coverings just above their shoulders."

Doralus cocked his head slightly, an action he had picked up from one of his instructors who had been indirectly instructed by a human," Them walking strange was surprising?" Xiv't shook his head and held up a finger for silence. Doralus looked suitably chastened after that.

"This wasn't the surprising part. Oh no, that would have been too easy. No, what was surprising was the glaringly red skin on all of them. These burns were some of the worst I had seen in decades, and I worked with open flames all day! I immediately called for some medics to bring some burn relief medication, but the humans simply asked for pain killers and a plant called Aloe Vera .

You thought that the burned skin was the most surprising thing didn't you? No, again, that would have been too easy. About a week and a half of the humans using copious amounts of aloe and pain killers, they finally stopped having to hold their outer garments off their skin. Then their skin started falling off! Yes, you heard me right. Their. Skin. Fell. Off. I was shocked as well. As you well know, the shedding of skin is reserved to reptiles and a few insects and spiders. Humans are mammals and so should not "peel". "

Doralus looked horrified. "Humans can shed their skin?! How? They are not meant to loose skin like that!" Xiv't held up his hand in a calming gesture, "Shush, listen."

"Once the humans had successfully calmed the crew, they explained that upon burning their skin, the skin died and was shed in this manner. It took a while for our scientists to accept this fact, but everyone else just shrugged and thought "Oh well, just another weird Human thing."

Then came the habits associated with this peeling. This was enough to make my stomach turn over and do a back handspring. About three days after the peeling was revealed, I walked into the men's bathroom to find two humans. One had his back revealed to the other and the other human had a sheet of dead skin in his hand that was slowly being removed. "Why the hell are you removing his skin!?" I shrieked this after I had sufficiently emptied my stomach. The answer was actually satisfactory. "The skin itches if it is left on too long. It also feels good to have the dead skin taken off." What made my stomach become a trained gymnast was when the human then went on to explain some of the disturbing things humans did with this skin. For both my sanity and yours, (I actually cannot write these down. They are disgusting. Let your mind wander and people probably do that with it.) I will not be recounting these activities."

Doralus seemed to shrink into his seat just imagining the horrors of humans.

"Now, the skin peeling truly was the most surprising thing about the whole incident; however, after the burn had gone away and the skin was mostly peeled off, the skin had turned a darker shade than it originally was. On a space ship, humans maintain an almost papery white skin tone or what ever skin tone they maintain without exposure to the sun. We knew this would happen as we had been informed of the existence of melanin, but it was amazing to see. It was almost as if the humans had undergone a molting."

Seeing this story had not had the intended effect, Xiv't continued in a different way.

"Yes, Humans are strange. They have odd biology that does not fit within the norms of nature. But their physical aspects are nothing compared to their mental prowess and their bonding skills. Bond with a human and you are bonded for life. I recommend you listen to General Kodi's speech from last century. Consider it your first assignment for this deployment."

Xiv't slotted his credits into the payment kiosk at the end of the table then tossed a few at the Ensign. "Get yourself a drink. Non alcoholic mind you. I won't have you showing up to your first shift drunk to oblivion. Oh, and Ensign, do yourself a favor and don't come onto the ship prejudiced against humans. You may find that you like them quite a bit."

[darkisrising]

Five Times, by DarkIsRising,pt5

Previous parts here on ao3

Five Times Din and Luke Met (and one time they never parted)

5.

Somehow it’s Boba Fett of all beings that gets Luke in touch with Grogu’s dad again.

Fett doesn’t want to help him, of course. Not after all the bad blood that’s been spilled between them, especially with the sarlacc pit thing from a few years back, and there’s a lot of the holocomm where the blue flicker of Fett’s image is silent with his arms crossed while Luke has to practically crawl on his belly to get him to take the call, let alone listen to Luke, let alone relent enough to give Luke a name.

Just a name.

“Come on, Fett, that’s all I’m asking for.”

“Wow, Skywalker. You really fucked up this time, didn’t you?”

And Luke has to agree that yes, he did indeed fuck up though in his defense he was riding high on the Force at the time, but that’s not something that’s likely to sway Fett one way of the other so he goes the meek route, saying quietly: “I really did. Will you help me?”

Fett’s helmet tilts to the side, like maybe he’s finally considering it, and Luke is a deft enough swordsman these days to press an advantage when he sees one.

“Not even for my sake. For his son’s.”

Fett’s sigh is loud enough to be picked up on his voice modulator on Tatooine, travel through the shared holocomm connection—in one end of the outer rim and out the other—to finally make itself heard in the communications room on Yavin IV’s moon.

“Din Djarin,” comes the terse reply before the connection is abruptly cut off from Fett’s end.

Which isn’t much to go on, considering all he knows is his name and that he’s a Mandalorian, but it is a start.

As it turns out, it’s more than enough because not only is Din Djarin a Mandalorian, he’s the Mandalorian.

“I didn’t realize you came from royalty,” Luke says to Grogu not a little bit stunned as they wait for someone to find the Mand'alor and patch their comm through.

After that it’s a lot of back and forth to strategize a time when he’s able to fly over between all the things he’s gotta do as a king trying to reunify his home sector.

The ship that finally settles down in front of the temple is more of a junker than Luke would expect from a king. The paint is peeling, some of the stabilizer flaps are slow to retract, and there’s a groan when the ramp extends that makes the spacerhead in Luke itch to grab some oil and go to town on those hinges.

Instead Luke stays where he is and when he spots the shine of pure, silver beskar coming down the ramp he falls into a bow which he’s only mastered thanks to extensive holocomming with Leia as she berated him over his pisspoor form while he yelled back that he grew up a farmer for druk’s sake when was he supposed to learn this sithspit king-greeting nonsense?

“You don’t have to do that,” comes a soft voice and Luke looks up in time to see that Grogu has raced ahead with his arms raised to be picked up. In a clean motion that speaks of a body honed for movement he sweeps down and takes Grogu in his arms. “Hey, kid. You have no idea how much I’ve missed you.”

Luke intends to make himself scarce for this reunion which has been a long time coming, but is stopped when the Mand’alor starts asking Luke questions about Grogu’s training, about how he spends his days, what he’s been eating, how he’s been sleeping, if he’s been behaving…

“He’s been a joy to have here, Lord Djarin,” Luke says and it earns him a long, silent look.

“I think you can call me Din, all things considered,” he says before setting Grogu down so that he can dig into his belt’s pouch. “Anyway, I brought presents.”

Grogu’s face turns incandescent when he sees the silver ball that Din plucks from his hip. The sound he makes is nothing short of pure elation and Luke has to laugh alongside the gentle chuckle that comes through Din’s helmet.

“Ah, yes. The famous silver ball,” Luke grins. “I hear Grogu thinking about it all the time, I’m happy he’s finally reunited with it.”

Grogu insists on dragging Din around to show his father his favorite places around the Temple’s grounds, and his enthusiasm is catching. Luke trails along, offering commentary that this is the boulder Grogu had managed to lift through the Force two weeks ago, there was the meadow where he’d been able to deflect his first training droid bolt with Luke’s lightsaber, here is the lake where they’ve been watching the tadpoles gradually grow legs. Settling on a log to watch as Grogu chases a pair frogs along the lake’s muddy shoreline, Luke can feel the weight of Din’s thoughts even if he can’t see their exact shape.

“And you don’t worry about that?” Din asks, voice so withdrawn it could almost be mistaken for shy. “All these attachments he’s got going on? The ball and, well, me? You don’t think it’ll get in the way of his training?”

Luke can only shrug.

“I guess it could, but seeing as I talk to my sister and my brother-in-law nearly every other day it would be awfully hypocritical of me to stop Grogu from forming attachments, himself.”

Din is silent at that, considering, as Luke continues on: “I’ve read some of what the Jedi used to believe, and honestly I have no idea if they had the right idea or not. Their way led to the fall of one of their own who in turn brought down the entire Order. Would things have been different if he’d been allowed to love more freely?” He breaks off to watch Grogu, now bored with the frogs, float the silver ball through the air in a lazy curling pattern.

The last afternoon sun catches at the smooth surface and turns the ball gold along the edges.

“I’d like to think it would. So I’m not planning on holding myself away from that sort of love on the off chance that it might actually be the thing that maintains balance in the Force, and I could hardly hold my student to a different standard. That wouldn’t be fair.”

“I see,” Din says and the simple words lay between them in a complicated tangle. “Well, if that's the way of it, then, here: I brought you something, too,” he says at last and reaches back to his belt.

Years of politeness pressed into him by Aunt Beru at the moisture farm have Luke saying “You didn't have to do that” before Din has so much as taken his hand out of his belt’s pouch, which is just as well since the moment he gets a look at what’s in Din’s hand his heart stutters to a halt in his chest so that it can jump into his throat.

“No,” Luke says, eyes wide, while a cold, dawning understanding creeps across his skin and he can only stare at the bounty puck that glints silver in Din’s gloved palm.

“Oh, no,” Luke whispers sickly “What—”

No, no, no. Oh, sweet Force no.

His voice, Luke realizes. He should have known him from his voice. Even if the beskar is different, his voice is still very much the same.

“I can bring you in warm...” Din is saying and Luke can’t hear the rest because he’s blushing so hard now that the blood is landing in his ears, making a high-pitched, tinny whine that drowns out the words he knows by heart because he’s spent the better part of the last few years thinking about them with his hand on his cock.

“You really didn't recognize me?” Din asks when Luke’s hands come up to cover his face, for all the good it does to hide him from the Mandalorian.

The Mandalorian.

Mando.

Din.

Luke laughs helplessly. Horrified. “I wasn't myself on the cruiser,” he whispers at last.

“Yeah no kidding. I didn't realize who you were until you'd left.” Din has clearly had longer to sit with this revelation because he sounds amused, fond even, while Luke is still reeling. “I don’t think I've ever seen you that serious, not even when you were in carbonite.”

“I wasn’t myself,” is all Luke can say again. Din takes pity on him and lets Luke breathe through the worst of it without saying a word, his helmet turned toward Grogu while Luke sorts through the shattered mess this has broken him into.

“You've changed,” Luke says when he starts to feel whole enough to think in such things as words and sentences.

“I’m still tired,” Din says with a huffing laugh.

“Maybe.” Luke feels braver now. He raises his face to look at Din and in the beskar reflection of Din’s helmet Luke can see his cheeks are now only slightly pink. “But not nearly so lonely.”

“Ah. Yeah.” Din concedes with a nod. “I was different, back then. Grogu changed me, I think”

“Yeah,” Luke nods along with him. “Yeah, I think he did.”

Sensing that they are watching him, Grogu toddles back to Din and lifts his arms to be picked up. This time when he gets close enough, Grogu’s hands come to the sides of Din’s helmet. It isn’t a demand, more of a wide-eyed question, and Din doesn’t need the Force to sense what is being asked of him.

Luke hadn’t known, before, that Grogu had never seen Din’s face until that moment on Gideon’s cruiser. He hadn’t known how much that act of quite literally laying himself bare for Grogu had cost Din. Luke knows it now, from all the times he’s seen the flashes of Din go by in Grogu’s memories and he realizes it now, with a rekindling of his blush, from the memory that Din hadn’t removed his helmet in that hour they two had spent in a water-stained room on Tatooine.

“Let me leave the two of you alone,” Luke offers, clambering to his feet, gaze averted.

“It’s okay,” Din says. “You've seen it already.”

“Oh. I mean,” he stammers, staring at the green foliage, the insects that are curling through the dappled oranges of sunset, the ripples of water that skim the surface of the lake... really at anything but Din. “Yeah, I have, but--”

“Unless you'd rather I keep it on.” Din’s voice is different now. Softer, for having taken his helmet off, and the sound of it does something to Luke. It makes him shiver, this transformation from hard-shelled warrior to someone far more human. “Some people have a thing for it and I know how much you liked it on before.”

His eyes are nearly black in the fading day’s light when Luke snaps his face around to meet them. They harbor a glint that Luke stares at suspiciously. “You're teasing me aren't you?”

Somewhere among the rugged stubble on his cheeks and the dark lines of his mustache a smile quirks at the corner of Din’s mouth. “Yeah. I am.”

Luke’s heart beats triple time as he stares at Din’s mouth before letting his gaze skim along the vulnerable curves of Din’s face. Luke’s fingers yearn to stretch the space between them until he can trace the kindness of Din’s expression. He wants so badly to run his fingertips through the fall of Din’s hair where it sticks to the sweaty skin of his forehead.

“Because if you would want to do—you know—that again.” Luke is very aware that there is a child present that is taking in what they are saying with big, green ears and huge, shining eyes. “With or without the helmet. If you’d like to do that again. I would be...you know, I'd like that.”

“Yeah,” Din smiles, and this time it is a true smile, one that stretches across his face, casting a glow that Luke can’t help but reflect back with a hopeful, happy, probably somewhat idiotic grin of his own. “I'd like that too.”

[astronautikals]

empires fall

Request: where spencer has a hard case so the reader reminds him the world can still be kind?? 🥰 (@spenceneedsahug)

A/N: Alrighty takin’ the dive for CM fanfic haha--hope I’ve fulfilled at least some of what you’re looking for! requests are open

Category: Hurt/Comfort; Emotional Angst; Fluff

CW: implied depression, emotional distance, work-related traumas

Word Count: 1.75K

________

I wake up just as the secondhand ticks past 4:36.

Someone’s moving around in the living room, letting their keys clatter together and dropping down what I know is a heavy, well-worn satchel.

I relinquish some of my grip on the comforter and roll back to my side of the bed, settling in only moments before the bedroom door is pushed open. He’s trying to be quiet for my sake, so I close my eyes and pretend he actually is. I’ll let him have his peace for tonight—from the way he lifelessly pulls off his clothes, I can tell he doesn’t really want to talk. Not yet, at least.

The creak of the bathroom door cuts past the white noise of the quavering fan overhead, and moments later, when the shower turns on, I start to drift off again.

And then I’m awake once more, startled by the sound of something—someone—gasping. When it happens a second time, I don’t miss it.

I swing my feet out of bed, nearly stumbling on the covers as I try and get to the bathroom door. My heart’s jumped into my throat and I can hardly see through my panic. But just as I make a move to burst inside and save this boy from some unknown enemy, I hear him choke on a sputtering of sobs.

I knock gently instead.

“Spencer?” I call, softly pushing the door open. The steam that rushes out is uncomfortably warm for this cool July night, so when I step inside, I pull off my sweatpants.

“Spencer?” I say again. On the other side of the curtain, I hear him struggle to even out his breathing.

“I’m fine, Y/N,” he replies, just loud enough to be heard over the water. “Go back to bed. I’ll just be a minute.”

 His voice is steady and practiced. But I know him—and I know that he’s spent too much time with professional profilers, learning exactly how to lie.

I peel back the plastic drape quietly.

His back is red from the heat and marked by old scars cutting back and forth, but he doesn’t move out from under the shower head.

“I’ll be okay,” Spencer croaks, his head still turned down. “Go back to bed. It’ll be okay.”

“Let me just be here with you,” I try. I don’t want to force him into anything—of course not—but leaving him alone to argue with his own mind is more dangerous than any potential outburst he might have at me. So when he doesn’t respond, I quickly tug off my shirt and step over the lip of the tub.

He doesn’t turn to me. The water steams off in waves just as it splashes onto his shoulders, and I ease my hand into the stream so he can sense my approach.

Still, when the pads of my fingers meet his upper arm, he shatters—choking on air, dipping his body over, and falling into my chest as a strangled sob breaks through. His lungs are tripping over themselves, struggling to grab oxygen for the rest of his body as he gasps and cries into my collarbone. I stumble under the unexpected weight and the wild swing of emotion, but I never let him go.

“Spence, breathe,” I plead, wrapping him in my arms. My hand runs up the nape of his neck and into his hair, scratching the backside of his scalp. The bridge of Spencer’s nose presses into my throat.

It’s a parental kind of position—the sort you get when you curl up to your mother after an endless nightmare and beg for comfort. I don’t know exactly what he’s looking for in this moment, honestly, but I’ll be anyone he needs.

Regardless, as his breathing evens out and warms the skin pulled over my collarbone, Spencer untangles himself slightly in search of a stretch. Without meeting my eyes, he brings me into his chest before easing us towards the floor of the tub. My undergarments are soaked through entirely at this point, but I haven’t thought about it since I stepped into the water.

The water is still warm as it hits us down here on the ground.

Spencer rests his back against the wall, wrapping his arms around me from behind and scooting me over to sit on his upper thighs. I lean backwards slowly, laying myself along his torso and my head just below his shoulder.

He doesn’t say anything for a long while. I don’t press him to, either. His breathing isn’t nearly as erratic as it had been, but I know there are still tears slipping silently out of his eyes.

I turn slightly onto my side, reaching for his right arm and pulling it to my chest. For a while, it doesn’t even feel like he recognizes I’m there anymore. I steal a glance at his face, but Spencer’s not looking at me—his eyes train lifelessly on the tile around the faucet and his muscles grow limp. When I trace my finger along the inside of his forearm, he doesn’t even tense up the way he often does when I inadvertently inch too close to the scars tucked in the crook of his elbow.

Eventually, Spencer’s torso shifts as he turns to stare off into the shower curtain instead. He inhales deeply—a mark of some stability.

“I’m not—I’m not as good at compartmentalizing anymore,” he soon confesses, curling his shoulders in. “I just—just—I can’t leave it in the field anymore and I—”

“Hey,” I interject softly, rubbing my thumb against the inside of his wrist, “maybe that’s not such a bad thing. Maybe you needed a reminder that you’re not just some machine for the Bureau to run into the ground. It’s okay if you need time off—it just means you’re still human, that your empathy is still strong.”

“No,” he disagrees grimly, “it means I’ve got a clock on me.”

I hesitate for a moment, pushing my hair off my neck. His heart thrums softly now against his ribcage—a mark of either acceptance or defeat. My hands grip the sides of the porcelain tub, pushing myself into a position where I can move his own hair out of his face.

“This doesn’t make you useless,” I finally say. “Not at all.”

“I don’t know where I go from here, Y/N.”

He meets my eyes for the first time since he’s come home. There are years and years of exhaustion caked behind those irises and under those bags, but I know that this isn’t the kind of tiredness you can sleep off—this is existential.

My stomach sinks as his lips twinge downwards.

What do they call it—the bystander effect? Yeah, that feels appropriate.

“I’ll never make you talk about anything you can’t bear to relive,” I begin, catching Spencer’s chin as he averts his gaze, “but whatever you’ve seen in the last few days is an anomaly in a world largely made up of good and loving individuals.

“You see the worst of us. I know you know it’s hard to forget the things that hurt the most, but there is so, so much good in even our little corner of the world. I watched a man stop traffic today for a raccoon. A girl in the grocery store ran through the aisles singing about beavers as her grandmother picked out cake mixes. The sun came up this morning during my run, and the whole park stopped to watch.”

A tear slips from his eyes, but I catch it before it can fall off his jaw.

“You’ve got me, Spencer. You’ve always got me. And I love you more than I ever thought I could love anything. I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve to have you in my life, but I’ll never win a better lottery.

“Your teammates would take a bullet for you without a second thought—you know that, right?” I ask rhetorically, encouraged when the corner of his lips twitch upwards. “You’ve saved the lives of more people than you could ever account for, Dr. Statistics, and I know from personal experience that the world is far better just because you’re in it.

“You don’t have to work for the Bureau anymore if you don’t want to—at some point, I know it’ll be too much, and I will never think any less of you if you ever decide to step away. Just, whatever you want to do—I know that your mom is so, so proud of you. And you don’t need my validation, but I am extremely proud of you, too. All the time.”

His tears come a little more freely now, slipping down his cheeks easily and leaving salt and red-rimmed eyelids in their wake. Spencer’s nostrils flare slightly as he swallows down the lump in his throat, and though I keep one hand under his jaw and rubbing the skin just before his ear, I don’t force him to look at me.

“You deserve the world, Spencer. And I will spend the rest of my life getting you to believe that, too.”

He doesn’t respond verbally, but I know he’s heard me from the way his brow slowly furrows in harsh acceptance. After a few heavy breaths, Spencer seems to tune back in, and when he tilts back towards my own gaze, the creases in his forehead soften. I watch as his lips quiver into the most delicate of smiles.

His hands drift from their place on my outer thighs and instead gently cup the back of my head, his thumbs on my tragi. It’s a long, closed-mouth kiss he gives me—the kind where I have the time and awareness to scratch over his scruff and remember just how rigged my life’s lottery must’ve been for me to be here.

After the blink of an eye and an eon pass simultaneously, Spencer pushes my head past his own and wraps his arms around me tightly until we’re one body. It’s kind of sticky for a moment, but I don’t dwell on it long. I’m never far from comfort with him around, and really, I’m never that far from him at all.

“I wish I had a thousand words for love, but all that comes to mind is the way you move against me while you sleep & there are no words for that.” — Brian Andreas

[bubblyani]

Delicious as You

(Lucifer Morningstar x Reader)

A Lucifer Morningstar One Shot

Genre: Smut

Word Count: 2,304

Summary: Unexpectedly stopping by one night during your cooking adventures in the kitchen, Lucifer was determined to have you all to himself. But to his surprise, you were equally determined to get your cooking done. Who will win?

Author’s Note: Sorry for being absent without any Lucifer content. Had this idea while I was cooking one day. Stayed in my head for a while until I finally decided to vent my frustration through words. Enjoy Thirsty Luci-fans!

He watched her, like a hawk. But instead of having a predatory intention, he was full of fascination. He drank in the curves of her face, the warm cheeks that lifted as she smiled to herself, the wrinkles that formed in the corners of her eyes, giving her lips some competition with a touch of sunshine. He drank it all while she worked her magic in the kitchen. She was certainly lost in her own little world.

For she had not even noticed his presence for the last 5 minutes. Bored already, he decided to change that.

“Boo…”

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

“Boo!”

Looking up, a squeak came out of you as you clutched your chest, dropping the steel bowl on the counter top with loud clang. You realized it was Lucifer Morningstar standing before you, his hands resting inside his pockets while he watched you work in the kitchen island.

“Lucifer!” You cried out, “H-How did you get in here?” You babbled. “Well…I seem to recall you giving me a spare key to your humble abode…” he said nonchalantly, holding up the small key for display. Sighing with relief, you chuckled. Of course you did, you remember promising him one when he repeatedly demanded whilst claiming his rights.  

“Oh yeah…I forgot that” You said, pushing the steel bowl to the back, “Well…how can I help you today?” Your tone was a mocking equivalent to a sales assistant at a clothing store. Lucifer scoffed in kind.

“I prefer to call this a visit from a concerned lover, rather than a favor” he replied with much sass. You stifled a smile. Indeed, you were more than happy to have your super handsome, wonderfully talented and secretly benevolent boyfriend around more than anything. Truthfully, sometimes you would even wonder what made him fall for you in the first place.

“In the mood for a culinary adventure tonight?” Lucifer inquired, walking over to your side. You nodded.

“You bet, slow cooking night, baby!” You said joyfully, whilst peeling off the papery layers of some onions and cloves of garlic. Cooking was always exhilarating. But slow cooking with a touch of exotic flavors brought it to another level. No wonder you were in high spirits. No wonder a smile was on your face when the pieces of meat were seasoned with sea salt and ground black pepper, before Lucifer frightened the living daylights out of you.

“As much as I commend your love of the culinary arts…” Lucifer stressed, before wrapping his arms around your waist from behind, “…the dance floors at Lux misses you immensely…And so does my warm bed…” he purred. As much as it brought warmth to your heart, you laughed it out to sound unaffected:

“Ha! Now that’s a panty dropper of a line” you joked, taking the knife in hand to chop the onions. You felt Lucifer scoff as his breath fell on your neck.

“Oh! Humor was clearly not the intended emotion I was trying rouse from you…” he said, flashing a naughty smile. Though you were busy crushing the garlic, your heart felt heavy for the man. Due to your recent busy schedule, you were deprived of the opportunity to visit and witness the flourishing business of his nightclub, LUX. You missed it as well, for every night there was a night to remember. And seeing the proud smile on Lucifer’s face every time you would wake up in his bed was something to hold on to.

“Awww…” You pouted, looking his way, “…just be a little patient, babe…” you said, turning back to chopping, “I’ll be right…” you paused to yawn , “…with you”. Whilst yawning, your body involuntarily stretched, pushing your buttocks back, only to accidentally have them brush against his clothed manhood. “Oh…my” You heard Lucifer mutter with fascination. Not caring much for it, you completely missed the naughty smile that returned to his face. A few seconds later, you suddenly felt the tightly wrapped apron loosen.

“Lucifer…?” You began questioningly,“What are you doing?” When you caught him in the act.

“Oh, you know. Just being patient…” He said innocently, his hands firmly gripping on your waist, “…might as well keep myself occupied…” he purred. Suspicious, you raised your eyebrows. “Clearly…” you said, “But w-oh!” Your suspicions were on point when you realized his right hand quickly dug inside your elastic shorts. Stomach retracting in response, it was the moment you knew where this was heading, what his intentions were, “Oh…you’re cheeky…”

“Not as cheeky as you are…” Lucifer teased smugly, slapping your buttocks in an instant. You chuckled loudly. Except those chuckles only lasted a few seconds when you gasped , queuing his beautiful fingers to graze over your panties. The few weeks of sexual depravity was handed to the world on a silver platter with your hushed breaths and twitching.

“Your resolute attitude is much appreciated, Mr. Morningstar…” your voice shook, as you reached for the mortar and pestle, “…but I have a dish to prepare…Oh my!…” unable to finish the sentence, you cried out. He defied you when his skilled fingers dipped inside your cotton panties, obtaining close contact with the bare skin between your thighs.

This, this was a battle of the wills. Being the stubborn man he was, Lucifer Morningstar would stop at nothing to get what he desired: You.

But you were not going to give up so easily. No matter he would try to make you cave in, you will thrive with your culinary mission tonight.

“In the mood for some spices, Lucifer?” Your inquiry was brimming with teases, taking a few steps to grab the steel spice container. Like a conjoined twin, he followed you wherever you moved towards. “Why not?” He breathed against your ear, “Nothing’s better than getting this tongue fired up…”

Adding spices in the correct measurements to a mortar would typically be considered an easy task. But nothing was of the typical nature at this moment. Not when your lover was occupied in distracting you using the nastiest method possible. Your body began to jerk when you felt three of his fingers familiarize themselves with the fleshy outer lips around your slit. His index finger and ring finger marked their territories there, while his middle finger gingerly stroked the sensitive tip that began to swell the longer he stroked it in tiny flicks. Having gained access to the part which induced the most pleasure, Lucifer held the liberty to do whatever he pleased with it. His finger stroked it in circles, he stroked it in straight lines, in triangles, and even in shapes that only existed in his subconscious. Regardless, every second he played with you, a small fire was lit up within, only to have that fire burst into gigantic flames. When he daringly inserted that finger into your thoroughly wet opening. All while his ears indulged in your cries of pleasure.


Taking the pestle, you began to grind up the onions, garlic with the spices in a fashion that was much more intense than it was previously done. And Lucifer noticed instantly. He felt victorious.

“My my…aren’t you the hard worker?” He commented in a seductive tone. Bitting your lower lip due to the fact his finger was literally inside of you, chuckling was the only option. “Of course, how else am I to let my frustrations out?” You said, looking over to him. “Well…” he said, licking his lips, “…you can always turn back to me-” “Not until this is done” you insisted, not willing to give up. Not ever. “Your call, darling” Lucifer said, as his finger quickly began to move in and out of you. Groaning, you finally stopped grinding the spices. “Ah fuck!” You cried out, “…fuck fuck fuck…” you repeated through gritted teeth,  “Lucifer, that’s not helping” you added with desperation. “Who said I intended to help?” He said darkly, his stubble grazing over your shoulder. He was not jesting for sure. When your hand reached out to grab the salted meat in the steel bowl, Lucifer’s left hand surprised you, by reaching up to cup your left breast over the t-shirt. But you would be fibbing if you did not admit your increased arousal at that point. Feeling the softness that resting on his palm, Lucifer was more than pleased.

“Oh!” He said amusingly, “Braless at home, are we?” He smiled mischievously,  “Lucifer, you lucky devil…” he said to himself. You rolled your eyes with a grin. “And again with the Devil persona…Ah!” Once again, you were forced to bite your lower lip when his fingers moved steadily in rhythm. Closing your eyes, you wished to savor this. Savor his loving to your leisure. But you had meat to marinade. Looking at the spice paste and the meat, you inhaled with determination. “Okay…” you began, smearing the spices over the pieces of meat, “This shouldn’t be too hard…Oh fuck!” Throwing your head back, you felt Lucifer tease you even more. For whilst you smeared and massaged the raw meat with the aromatic paste, his eager right hand massaged your breast, even having the audacity to pull the nipple through the shirt, making it thoroughly erect. “Ah! Shan’t leave the other feeling jealous…” Lucifer said, which made your eyebrows furrow. “What? Oh Lucifer….” You moaned, when you realized how his hand moved to your other breast to do the same. With two erect buds at the mercy of his touch, you felt the heat increase within you like a sauna.

“Oh boy…” you exhaled frustratingly, trying so hard not to scream in arousal with this torture. This sweet, delicious torture to be specific. Turning the stove on, you poured the oil on to the Dutch Oven. But it was certainly a challenge when your lovers hands were all over you. Lucifer’s mischievous chuckle tickled your ears.

“Come on, Y/N…” Lucifer whispered, “You know you want this bad…”. He thought he had you, dead to rights.

When the ginger and garlic paste infused with the cinnamon sticks in the hot oil, the aroma was invigorating. Throwing your head back over his shoulder, you tried to distinguish the pleasures you were gifted with. The aroma of your cooking, and the eager passionate touch of the man you longed to defile everywhere with.

“Not…until…it’s done…” you said with difficulty. As much as you said this to him, this was also for yourself. Only a little while longer till you had to hold out on this frustration. Truthfully, you could just stop all this, spin around and pounce at him wildly. But the task you started with genuine interest would end up burnt, ignored and wasted. When you added the seasoned meat into the pan, you heard the pan sizzle loudly whilst indulging on the rich aroma that traveled all the way through your nostrils.

“Well, I do like a challenge” Lucifer cried out, proceeding to make everything more diffusely by kissing your neck. His lips on your neck, his hands on your bosom and between your thighs, he literally was lighting you in flames. The delicious aroma and the whiff of his cologne mixed together drove you wild with arousal. You could imagine it, his body on top of your own, licking his own lips before he proceeded to your lick your bare frame, eating off the food you just cooked. No matter what he did, he was insanely skilled at it. He was simply inhuman. Though you washed your hands frantically, though your cleansed your hands of the spices, your mind becoming filthier by the second. Holding the tap tightly, you felt a jerk inside. That was it.

“Lucifer!” You moaned, “I’m close…so close…” you breathed, motivating his fingers to increase speed. Moving your hands towards the marble counter, a loud cry exited your lips as you finally, found your release.

This release was certainly different from all the others you have shared with him.

“Whoa!” You panted, as his fingers retracted, “What-How did you even do that?” You said, looking at him over the shoulder. He smiled. “Darling…”  Lucifer began with pride,  “It’s me…” he said, making your jaw drop as he brought his finger to his lips, sucking your juices in front of your very eyes. You shook your head. “Show off..” You panted with a smile. He chuckled, looking at the pan,  “I bet that won’t be as delicious as you are, my darling” “Normally, I’d be insulted if anyone disses my cooking…” you said, as you stirred the meat, “…but in this case I really don’t know what to say…” you added dreamily. “A Thank you would be suffice…” “How about this…as a thank you?” You said, making his eyes widened with disbelief when you finally closed the the lid of the dutch oven, and turning the stove heat low. Your job was complete. And now it was all up to time to solve this culinary equation.

“Finally…” turning you towards him, Lucifer pulled to kiss you roughly on the lips. It felt like you were being gifted for doing a wonderful job. His kisses were that rewarding. You blushed when you tasted yourself in him, especially as his tongue jumped in to show you.

“Now that I have your complete attention…” your lover began, letting you go, “I’m afraid you won’t escape me for a few hours” he said. You giggled.

“F-few?” You inquired, seeing him put away his phone “Oh wow” you chuckled, full of squeals when he grabbed you by the waist once again.

“Darling…” he purred, brushing his nose against yours, “…Tonight I’m all yours…”

When he kissed you fully once more, you were certainly very glad you decided on slow cooking tonight.

——————————————————

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[ffakc]

Puppy Love - a Jeffrey Dean Morgan fanfiction

@negans-attagirl @iluvneganandjamie @happysgal

It was a partly cloudy, brisk spring day. It was just warm enough to go without a jacket here in upstate New York. Jeff and I had planned the perfect day date on his property. We have been together about seven months now and life couldn’t be more perfect. I had just finished up packing our Mediterranean inspired spread. I snapped a quick photo and sent it to my Jeffrey.

“Italian subs, Greek pasta salad, roasted red pepper hummus with pita bread, baklava, and tiramisu. Anything else? I’ll see you soon!”

“Stomach’s growling already. I’ll be out back, just let yourself in. Xxx.”

I shoved some toiletries and comfortable clothes in my overnight bag. I snapped the picnic basket shut and headed to my car. Any time I thought about my Jeffrey, my whole body buzzed with excitement. I felt like pinching myself, Jeff was my dream come true. He was everything I ever wanted and needed.

I pulled up to Jeff’s farmhouse. His front door was unlocked like he said it would be. Honey’s “woo-woo-woo!” adorable howl-bark echoed through the house.

“Hi, Honey! Where’s Daddy?” I ask her and ruffle her scraggly ears, her teddy bear like eyes closing in bliss. She scampered to the back door and I follow her to the massive pastures. Jeff was tossing hay over the fence to the donkeys.

“Paxton, buddy! Leave some for the rest of them! Good lord, you pig!” Jeff laughs and turns to me. “Hey, baby!” I set the picnic basket down and fling my arms around his neck with a kiss.

“I’ve missed you,” I rest my forehead against his.

“I’ve missed you more, doll. I’ve also missed your cooking, sweet girl,” Jeff smiles. He looked so damn good in his farming clothes, redefining the phrase “ruggedly handsome” with his cuffed flannel and salt and pepper scruff. His top buttons were undone, exposing his masculine chest hair and the few necklaces he wore daily. Bandit came bounding over and jumped between us.

“Hey, boy!” I laugh.

“Someone doesn’t like me getting all the attention!” Jeff exclaims. “I can’t get a hug from my girlfriend? Rude!” he teases the fluffy monster. “Do you see that huge tree over yonder?”

“It’s beautiful,” I reply, clutching the basket so the dogs don’t get a snack.

“That’s the spot,” Jeff takes me by the hand and we make our way across the property. The alpacas stared at us intensely.

“Are they going to spit on me?” I joke.

“I told them to stay on their best behavior because we had a guest coming!” Jeff gestured to the checkered blanket he had laid out and ice bucket with a bottle of sparkling wine and two glasses. He opens up the basket and cracks open the hummus, dipping his finger in and licking it.

“At least grab some bread, you animal,” I playfully punch his shoulder, ripping off a piece of pita and dunking it in the rust orange colored deliciousness.

“Sorry, Mom,” Jeff jokes. “Wow! Is that homemade?” I nod. “Delicious, absolutely delicious. Ooh, I like the little bite to it!” I take the sandwiches out of the wax paper. “Ah, ah, ah! Go on! Get!” Jeff scolds and shoos the dogs away. “You’d think I never feed them or something!”

“I don’t mean to brag, but I made the pesto mayo on these sandwiches too,” I say, sipping my wine. I take a bite of the chilled, tangy pasta salad.

Jeff sinks his teeth into the sub. “Baby, that’s so fucking good,” he rolls his eyes back in pleasure with a mouthful of food. I kiss his cheek sweetly. “God, you sure know how to treat your Daddy right. I don’t deserve you, you know that? You’re too damn good for me, sweetheart.”

“Oh hush,” I kiss my boyfriend. He closes his eyes and deepens the kiss, running his fingers through my hair. Jeff’s eyes shoot open at the sound of Bandit barking loudly.

“Hey guys!” Jeff calls out to the puppies. “Those aren’t dogs, they’ll kick the shit out of you!” they weave in and out of the alpacas’ legs. We eat our meal and laugh as they pant wildly and chase each other all over. I pack everything neatly back into the picnic basket. Dark clouds begin forming in the distance.

“I admire their energy!” I remark, rubbing Jeff’s knee and finishing off my drink.

“I know, right? My ‘get up and go’ got up and went years ago! I swear, the moment I hit forty, my body sounds like Rice Krispies when I get out of bed,” Jeff chuckles and kisses my forehead.

“What are you, eighty?” I tease.

“Hey, you’ll get there someday, youngin! You agreed to date an old fogey! Shit, I feel a few raindrops, maybe we should head inside. But first,” Jeff rises to his feet and suddenly pulls out a pocket knife.

“What are you doing?” I stare at him, puzzled.

“You’ll see,” Jeff says. He carves into the tree. “Ah, there we go.” There was a heart with our initials in it. Three magic words escaped his lips, “I love you.”

“Jeffrey,” I sigh as thunder rolls above my head. That was the first time either of us had said that and it felt so... right. I stand up and wrap my arms around Jeff’s neck, his cowboy boots making him tower over me. He places his cowboy hat on my head with a grin. “I love you too.” The rain suddenly began pouring down.

“I’ve always wanted to do this. Kiss me in the rain, pretty girl,” Jeff pulls me against him as our clothes get soaked. My heart flutters in my chest. I never wanted to let him go. He picks me up and I wrap my legs around his waist. Jeffrey made my life feel like a cheesy romantic movie and I loved every single minute of it. A crack of thunder scares the dogs away and Jeff sets me down.

“I think that’s our cue to go inside,” I chuckle. Jeff grabs the picnic basket and extends his hand.

“Run!” he shouts as if we were in an action movie and laughs. He takes me by the hand and we trample through the mud to the farmhouse. The dogs shake and run around the living room. I hang Jeff’s hat on a hook by the door and he drops the picnic basket on the counter. He takes me into his arms and kisses me deeply.

“I love you, I love you. God damn it, I fucking love you,” Jeff whispers against my lips. I run my fingers through his sopping wet hair. “I used to think ‘love at first sight’ was a myth before I met you. If I don’t get to put a ring on that finger of yours, I don’t even want to get married, baby girl.”

“I can’t wait for that day. I love you too,” I sigh longingly, looking into Jeff hazel eyes. I press my lips to his and push him against the kitchen counter, a groan escaping his lips as I rub myself against the crotch of his pants.

“Mmm, going to make me make a mess in these jeans like a teenager,” he chuckles, “God, I want you so bad,” he begins removing his belt.

“Take me, Jeff,” I whimper. Jeff pulls my skinny jeans down aggressively and bends me over the counter. Thunder rolls outside as the cold granite against my stomach gives me chills.

“Look at these lacy black panties,” Jeff growls, “Someone knew Daddy would be fucking her good.” His words instantly make me even more aroused. Jeff’s slender fingers slide over my outer lips, slowly brushing over my clit, “So wet and I’ve hardly touched you. That’s my good girl.” I whine as Jeff slides in with a gasp. He grabs my hair with one hand as his thrusts start gentle and rhythmic. “Oh god, baby doll. You feel so good.”

“Right there, Daddy,” I moan. My older man knows just the right spots to hit.

“That’s it, baby. Take all of me,” Jeff groans as he goes deeper. He pulls my hair and rasps in my ear, “Whose pussy is this?”

“Yours,” I can barely speak, my legs are shaking.

“I can’t fuckin’ hear you, sugar,” he nibbles my neck as sexy smacking sounds fill my ears. “Whose pussy is this?” Jeff moans a little louder.

“Yours, Jeff!” I exclaim. “My body belongs to you, Jeffrey! Oh god, fuck me!” I gasp.

“I love when you beg for me,” Jeff remarks. “I’m so close already, sweetheart. I love you so much.”

“I love you,” I reply. He flips me over as the lights flicker with a loud crash of thunder.

“Look at me,” Jeff cups my cheek and kisses me. “Oh Princess, you’re beautiful,” he gasps. “I’m going to- oh sweet Jesus, baby doll!” a deep growl resonates in his chest as he finishes deep inside me. I whimper as my nether regions throb, leaking with Jeffrey’s hot, sticky juices. “You’re mine,” he smirks.

“And you’re mine,” I pant, scratching his gray beard as he rests his forehead against mine. I scan over Jeff’s gorgeous face, everything about this man was absolutely beautiful. He peels me off the counter and his lips crash into mine.

“Forever and always, my gal,” Jeff sighs lovingly.

[screamingatanemptyroom]

Please Fix the Story pt 3 - Zombie Apocalypse

The story continues. At least one more part in the zombie world before moving on to the next one. 

Part 1 / Part 2 Linked here. (If I get to 5 pts or so I’ll make a master post)

Enjoy!

_____________________________

“Why’d they let YOU in?”

An angry shout stopped us in our tracks as we reached the center of the camp.

I paused, smiling. Ah, the nostalgic smell of unnecessary internal strife. NOW it feels like a proper post apocalyptic story.  I raised a hand in greeting. “Hey there, kind and pleasant person, I’m Blaire!”

“Don’t pretend like we’re friends! You shouldn’t be here!”  The angry young man stepped closer, allowing me to get a better look at his face. His copper colored hair framed sharp, angular features, his brown eyes practically burning with rage as he tried his best to stare a hole through me. 

He seems familiar. 

Searching my character’s memories, I was finally able to place him.  Jason, the hero’s best friend, who had gone to high school with my character. Before I could celebrate placing his identity, however,  I felt a surge of deep terror flood through me. My heart beat wildly in my chest, a cold sweat breaking out on my forehead. I frowned, pushing back the feeling that weren’t my own, but those from my character.

It’s rare for emotions from the character to be this strong, even in the last world I was able to easily put away any feelings of the character I’ve taken over. Why is she so scared? I don’t see anything in her memories that would warrant her being frightened of Jason. And why is he so antagonistic towards me?

As I stood there, trying to comb through what information my character knew about him, he had continued to rant. “Eric, what were you thinking accepting people like her?!”

Eric sent Hannah away with a smile, before turning towards his friend with a tired expression. “They have extra supplies and skills, both of which we’re in desperate need of.”

“We don’t need HER!”

As they argued, Liam walked up to me, pulling an apple from his bag. “Want a snack?”

“Sure, these idiots might take a while, I’d hate to get hypoglycemic while they argue.” Before I could say anything further, he pulled out a knife and silently started cutting the peel off.

“What are you doing?”

“Peeling the apple for you.”

“Why?”

“…” He paused, looking honestly confused. “I’m not sure, but I feel like this would make you happy.”

I couldn’t help but shake my head in amazement. “I love apples, but I can’t stand the peel. How did you know?”

“Really?” He grinned, continuing to peel. “My support husband instincts must be kicking in.”

“You’re very… optimistic.”

“Thanks!”

I sighed. “Don’t get attached, Liam. It won’t end well.” I thought of the heart wrenching pain I had felt when pressing “No”  in the last world. That was just after 4 weeks. If I have to stay here years…

“It’s okay. I already count myself fortunate being your lackey.” His smile was bright, but his attention to the apple never wavered. “As long as you live well. I think I could die happy.”

I shuddered. The habit was just too strong. A character casually mentioning dying in a story…such a red flag. “Try not to die. Happy or otherwise.”

“Yes ma’am.” He saluted, his silly expression making me feel less tense. 

“Blaire! I’m talking to you!” Jason had finished arguing with Eric while Liam and I chatted and was obviously still furious.

I felt the same edge of fear from the character at the sight of him again, and pushed it back down with irritation.

“That must be so exhausting to be so angry all the time.”  I muttered quietly as I watched him approach.

Liam nodded. “No kidding. I think I’ll need a nap just from watching him perform.”

Jason stopped just a few feet away, sneering. “I don’t know what lies you sold Eric earlier, but don’t’ forget, I know the real you! You’re a rich brat without any skills! You’re deadweight to any group, just a worthless bit….ARGH!” He flew backwards as a mostly-peeled apple struck him in the mouth, splitting his lip.

“Oops. Sorry did that hit you?” Liam watched him coldly, not sounding sorry at all. “My hands get slippery when I hear pure stupid.”

“Is that why people around you tend to get hit with flying projectiles often?

“It’s a curse…” He paused, then looked mortified. “THAT WAS MY LAST APPLE!”

“It’s okay.”

“WHY DIDN’T I USE A STONE?” He groaned into his hands. “That idiot wasn’t worth losing your snack! Now you’re going to go hungry!”

“I’m fine…” I tried to comfort him, but he had already pulled out a walkie-talkie and was growling instructions in some sort of code.

Jason, on the other hand, was now pointing in shock at Liam. “You! You’re William the destroyer!”

“…” I glanced over at the man who was still panicking over his lack of snack options to offer me.

“What’s the leader of the Blood Wolves doing here?” Jason was now looking nervous, clambering to his feet and keeping a good distance from us both

Liam ignored him, continuing to talk on his walkie talkie. Shaking my head, I stepped in between him. “He’s with me. Do you really want to argue now about whether or not we should be here?”

“But… but…”

“Jason!” Eric had returned, a grim look on his face. “I told you to leave them alone. We’ll go out hunting for supplies tomorrow, they can prove their worth then.”

Jason’s expression showed his clear unwillingness, but he slowly nodded. “Sure.” Glancing towards me, he sneered. “Then I guess tomorrow we’ll see just how useless you are.”

“Did I step on your dog or something? Seriously, try to reign in the hostility there, buddy.”  With that, I turned and walked towards the empty tent Eric had pointed out earlier. 

Despite my casual tone and outer appearance, my hands were clenched at my sides, the fingernails digging into my palms to keep my hands from shaking. My back was soaked with sweat, an uncontrollable reaction from the character I had become.

What is going on? It had been a long timesince I had been unable to fully control my character’s emotions like this. I swallowed uncomfortably. The sensation  was unpleasant, a sense of incongruity between body and soul that I couldn’t quite overcome. It reminded me too much of the first mission I had undergone, the worst time of my life that I could still remember.

Waking up without memories, with no idea of who I was or why I was there, thrust into a romantic drama where my mission was to fulfill the role of a foolish, calculating villainous side character. Overwhelmed by intense love for the male lead and mind-numbing hatred for his heroine, I lost myself in despair. Later, I would learn to maintain my sense of identity. Even if I didn’t know who I was, I at least knew who I wasn’t.

And I wasn’t this character. A spoiled, angry young woman who thought the world revolved around her.

So why can’t I remember clearly? Not just Jason, even the events surrounding my character’s kidnapping and death were vague.

Something’s wrong with this world.

Sitting down with a sigh, I pulled out my phone.

“Let’s see how helpful this new ‘character description’ function is.” I typed in Jason’s name. After a moment to process, the phone’s screen filled with text.

Jason, the hero’s best friend and this world’s hopeless secondary male lead. In the story, he is shown to be in love with Hannah, but hides his feelings for fear of hurting his friends. He often supports her from behind, helping the hero rescue her during her frequent misadventures and kidnappings. Despite his devoted acts, Hannah remains blissfully unaware of his feelings, and treats him as a friend.

Nothing to explain why my character is scared of him. I grinned maliciously as I re-read the part about his unrequited love. “No wonder he’s so high strung. If he were nicer I might even feel sorry for him.”

Unable to control my curiosity, I typed in a second name.

“William.”

Character unknown.

“Hmm. Let’s try ‘Liam.’”

Character unknown.

“Blood Wolves.”

The most notorious and highly skilled gang in this story’s world, they often sell their services as mercenaries, and are considered a major power in the post-apocalyptic society.

I stared at the screen, even more confused. Such an important group, but the leader isn’t mentioned? Who is Liam?

But no matter how much I searched, there were no answers.

_____________________________

Shortly later, Liam called me out.  The smell of freshly cooked food hastened my steps, and I sat at a table across from Hannah, ignoring her wide-eyed look of fear at my approach.

“The others are checking the perimeter. Here, I made you dinner!” Liam placed a bowl in front of both of us with a proud grin. It was filled with a stew, with vegetables and chicken. Hannah stared at the food suspiciously, although I didn’t see anything wrong with the food. Carefully, I lifted a spoonful up to my mouth, my eyes widening with shock.

“It’s delicious!”  I took another few bites before pausing. “Where did you get the ingredients?”

Liam sat down next to me, peeling an apple with an affectionate grin. “My friends happened to have gathered some extra supplies and brought them over.”

“… You sent the Blood Wolves on a snack run?”

“What were they supposed to do? Let you go hungry?” He raised an eyebrow.  “They wouldn’t dream of it.”

“I don’t know how you manage to sound so supportive and yet so… ominous at the same time.”

“It’s one of my many talents, I’m so glad you noticed!”

Hannah watched our exchange back and forth, before looking down at the food once more. She seemed very hungry, but she still hadn’t made any moves towards eating.

“You should try it, it tastes really good!” As I coaxed the girl sitting across from me, I saw Liam beaming with pride.

“…” She stared silently at us both for a long few moments before nodding and taking a bite, her hands shaking and almost spilling the stew from her spoon. As she swallowed the food however, her eyes filled with tears.

Why do all the heroine’s I meet cry so easily? Maybe the problem is with me? Do I just not cry enough?

“It tastes so good!” She ate quickly, blinking to keep back the tears that were threatening to spill over.

Oh… so… happy tears? That’s refreshing. I patted her on the shoulder gently. “Not had a lot of hot meals lately, huh?”

Hannah nodded at my sympathetic words. “Yeah, Eric and James are too busy with security and supply runs. And I…” Her words trailed off.

Why hello there, mission opportunity!I rejoiced inwardly but kept a gentle look on my face.  “You what?”

“I’m weak… I can’t fight. I can’t even cook.” She looked up at me her eyes still wet with unshed tears. “I wish I could be scary like you…”

… Scary?

Liam laughed at my dumbfounded expression, quickly silencing himself as I turned to glare at him. Looking back over at Hannah, I tried to smile comfortingly, the expression stiffening as a look of terror flashed across her face.

“You want to be a well-rounded useful person? I can help you.” Not like I have a choice.

“Really?” Hannah clasped her hands together in front of her. She still looked frightened, but excitement was clearly pushing back her fear. “I really want to be helpful!”

“Really. Just come watch me tomorrow during the outing. I’ll show you what I can do. From there, we’ll come up with a plan.”

She now was smiling brightly, giving off the impression of a small, adorable animal that should be protected. “I promise I’ll work hard, Boss!”

She trusts me so quickly… no wonder she kept getting kidnapped. 

“Wait... Did you just call me Boss…?”

“One day, I pray I can be just as terrifying as you!” Hannah cheered excitedly. 

“…”

I feel like her motivation has gone in a weird direction.

As I struggled on how to answer her, Liam nodded solemnly. “It’s good to have goals, but you shouldn’t aim too high.” He handed me the freshly peeled apple, and continued. “No one’s as terrifying as your Boss. But with hard work and effort, one day, you can reach ‘lackey status’ like me!”

“Really?”

“Yeah!” The two high-fived as I watched on silently, feeling tired.

“… I’m going to bed.”

_____________________________

The next morning, we all headed out, running into a group of zombies, almost immediately.  We halted a good distance away to discuss a plan.

“Will it be okay?” Hannah’s face looked extremely nervous as she looked at the zombies in the distance.

“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you!” Jason smiled at Hannah, his eyes full of tender emotion.  “I promise, as long as I have breath in my body, no zombie will get near you.”

I still felt a small thread of fear running through me as I looked at him, but fortunately, it was much easier to control now. I rolled my eyes at his words. Didn’t the character summary say hehides his feelings? How is this subtle at all?

Eric stared at his friend silently for a moment, and then patted Hannah’s head with a sigh. “Make sure to stay away from the fight.” Loading up a handgun, he glanced over at me. “Are you coming?”

“Ha, bet you’re gonna run and hide, huh?” Jason glared at me, his face looking extremely punchable, forcing me to hold back.  

I sighed, admiring my self –restraint. “I’ll take the ten on the right.”

“There’s only fifteen!”

“Yeah, so we’ll split it by skill.” I turned back and grinned. “Ten for me, four for Eric and one for you.”

Pulling out my sword, I headed over, ignoring his stuttered complaints.

GRRRR.

The closest of the zombies was reaching out towards my head, several fingers missing from its hands, its half rotten jaw open, ready to bite.

I lopped it head off, knocking the body away from me.

IT SMELLS SO BAD!!! I had only been able to wash in cold water from a basin. I still desperately missed hot showers.

“Go Boss!”

“Yeah! Kill the zombies! You’re the best!”

Shouts from behind me caught my attention. After killing several more zombies I glanced over, giving out a loud sigh at the sight.

Liam and Hannah cheered off to the side, jumping up and down with excitement.

“Zombies don’t stand a chance against her!”

“Yeah! They’re toast!”

… I’m just going to ignore them for now.

In the corner of my eye I saw Jason struggling to defeat his first zombie, waving a metal bat but missing several passes. He backed up, putting some distance between him and his foe, and turned to stare longingly at Hannah for a few moments, before looking over to glare at me as he realized who she was cheering for. I smiled and winked, watching with interest as his face turned even redder with rage.

Feeling an undeniable urge to taunt, I called out to him as I continued to decapitate zombies.

“Don’t lose focus, little Jason! Or do you need me to help you with your one zombie too?”

“SHUT UP!”

“Try not to bully him, please.” Eric called out as he calmly dodged attacks, occasional shots ringing out. Each was a perfect headshot, as expected of the hero of an action novel. “Jason is sensitive to criticism.”

I nodded, kicking a zombie head into the air and batting it away with my sword, watching it sail away with interest. “Sorry, I’ll try harder to support his emotional well being.”

“Thanks!”

Having finished off our respective zombies, Eric and I high fived before heading back towards the rest of the group.

“Guys… I’m still fighting here!” Jason’s helpless cries caused me to pause.

I glanced at Eric “Will he be okay?”

“Yeah, he’s just milking it so Hannah will pay more attention to him.”

“And you’re okay with that?”

Eric shrugged. “Not really, but he doesn’t step over the line and extra hands are necessary, so I just ignore it.”

Is this a… reasonable male lead? Could it be possible?

“Okay, then.” I raised a hand, not turning around. “Good luck Jason, we believe in you!”

Eric grinned and called out behind him. “See you back in camp, buddy!”

“Boss!” Hannah ran up with a grin. “That was amazing!”

Liam stepped closer, handing me a thermos with hot tea. “I told you she was awesome! She saved my life, you know.”

I ignored him, turning my attention to Hannah. Time to make some progress on this mission. “Did what you see today inspire you?”

“Yeah!”

“Do you want to be helpful?”

“Yeah!”

Getting excited, I pumped a fist into the air. “You want to be strong and fight along side me?!”

“…” Hannah stared at me in shock. “What? No. Fight zombies? It’s scary… and kind of gross.”

I looked at her silently. “I… thought you were inspired?”

“Yeah! But not like that.” She nodded firmly. “I realized I was too eager when I wanted to be as terrifying as you…”

“HEY!”

“So I’ve decided.” She grinned. “I’m going to be a professional lackey, just like Liam!”

“…”

“…”

Eric and I sighed in unison.

Liam smiled, patting Hannah on the shoulder. “Now don’t look down on us weak and vulnerable support spouses!”

“You’re not even weak…and we’re not married...”

“We may depend on our stronger counterparts to protect our lives, but we can keep everything running smoothly so you don’t have to worry about anything else.” He looked at me expectantly. “How is your tea?”

Giving up on arguing, I sipped it, and paused, shocked. “It’s… amazing. How did you even make hot tea out here?”

“It’s a trade secret.” Hannah and Liam gave each other a thumbs up, as Hannah handed Liam a thermos, which he drank from silently.

We headed back to camp.

“I feel like we’re forgetting something.” I muttered as I sipped my tea.

“GUYS? WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!! I’m STILL FIGHTING!” Jason’s angry shriek pierced the air, but no one turned around.

“I know what it is!” Liam grinned, cleaning one of my hands with a warm towel before handing me a freshly peeled apple. “Here, snack!”

“HANNAH? ERIC? ANYONE?”

I nodded, taking a bite. “That must have been it.”

_____________________________

A few days passed.

I tried again to convince Hannah to train to fight, thinking that combat skills would be the fastest way to  change her status as kidnappable dead weight.  After much convincing, she agreed to start training with me.

Unfortunately, the results were not what I had hoped for.

“OWW!” Hannah laid on the ground, staring up at me sadly. “I’m dying.”

“All I did was have you hold my sword. We haven’t even started fighting yet.”

“It hurts.”

“How did you even hurt yourself?” I stared at the small cut on her leg in consternation. “You only had the sword for fifteen seconds?”

Needless to say, the sword was confiscated. Strengthening exercises were meant with similar outcomes.

“How’s it going?” Liam brought me a bowl of hot soup, as I stared in disbelief at the figure attempting to do a pushup in front of me.

I pulled out my phone, glancing at the mission screen. The first completion bar for Hannah’s mission had been stuck at 10% since we started. “Not good. This is still her first push up.”

“Well, everyone takes a different amount of time…”

“We’ve been out here four hours.”

“Oh… how’s the soup?”

I sighed, taking time to try it. “It’s amazing. I’m still convinced you might be magic to be able to cook like this in the apocalypse.”

“This is just the beginning of my skills!”

I drank the soup quietly, staring at Liam while thinking.

“What is it?” He grinned. “You think I’m handsome and finally want to upgrade me from lackey to support spouse?”

“Who are you?”

My question was whispered, but he still heard it, a look of helplessness spreading across his face. This wasn’t the first time I had asked him this.

“I’ve told you everything, Blaire. I swear I’m not hiding anything from you.”

“You’ve told me everything you’ve remembered.” I corrected him quietly, turning away. Focusing my attention back on Hannah, I couldn’t help but feel discouraged. “This isn’t going to work.”

“You said you’re trying to make her a well-rounded, useful person, right?” Liam finally spoke up, his expression thoughtful. “You might be pushing her in the wrong direction. There are many different ways to help out, fighting is just one of them.”

“Yeah… but that’s what I’m good at.” I rubbed my head. “If I have to teach her other skills, I might not be able to.”

I had memories from multiple story worlds, but most of them required me to act as a brain dead villain, not staying long. Only a few provided practical skills such as the assassin guild story.  A sense of frustration filled me.  

“I can teach her cooking, supply management, and basic book-keeping.”  Liam watched me, seemingly worried. “And you can teach her your special skill.”

“Oh? What’s that?”

“Negotiation.” He grinned. “It’s amazing to watch you reduce that idiot Jason to an apoplectic fit every time you argue.”

I thought it over, a small return smile forming on my face. “I guess I have developed some good interpersonal skills. I once helped my brother overcome an obsession with behavior modification training.”

“You have a brother?” He asked, his eyes widening.

“In a different life.” I felt a pang of loneliness for the time I had spent in the previous world. I wondered if Adam was doing well. Looking back at Liam, I reached over and patted him on the head.

“I’m glad you’re here.” That I got to see you again. Even if you look different. Even if you don’t remember me.

Liam froze with shock at my touch for a few moments, before his face lit up with delight. “I’m glad I’m here too!”

I looked back down at Hannah, who still hadn’t completed her first push up. “Let’s go with your plan.”

Scratching the plan to make the heroine a one woman army, it was time to make her into an overpowered support character.

[dearestdaffodils]

Season 1, Episode 8: THE RUNWAY

Warnings: mentions of guns. Murder. Swearing. Near death experience

“How’s it feeling?” Pope asks Kie, slowly lowering her in the bucket contraption attached to the tree. 

“Feels good,” Kie calls, sitting on the edge of the bucket.

“Bringing you down.” Pope hums, slowly letting the rope out.

“John B pullin’ a Houdini.” JJ sighs, swishing his feet back and forth in the hot tub. 

“Yeah, where is he?” Pope frowns. “I got my scholarship interview tomorrow. We gotta get this done.”

“Speak of the devil…” I mutter, gesturing to John B as he walks across the lawn. 

“Dude, I set up the entire winch to pull up the gold and everything,” JJ says proudly. 

“No, he didn’t.” Pope frowns at JJ. “I did that.” 

John B ignores us, storming inside. 

“What’s going on?” I frown, my eyes widening as John B pulls JJ’s gun from its hiding spot. “John B, what do you need the gun for?” 

He huffs, marching to the van. 

“What, are you JJ now?” I frown, watching in confusion as John B drives off. 

🏄 🌊 🚌 🏄 🌊 🚌 🏄 🌊 🚌 🏄 🌊 🚌  🏄 🌊 🚌 🏄 🌊 🚌 🏄 🌊 🚌 🏄 🌊 🚌 🏄 🌊 🚌

“What now?” JJ hisses. “We just go up to the front door and ask, ‘Hey, have you seen John B?’” 

“Look, he lives at Tannyhill now.” I shrug. “It's plausible.” 

“We can play dumb,” Pope suggests.

“Look, I’ve never seen John B like that.” Kie whispers, her voice wavering. “We should honestly be going to the cops.” 

“Yeah, and say what, Kie?” JJ frowns. 

“We’re worried about our friend because he’s on a rampage because Ward Cameron killed Big John?” Kie bites her lip. 

“Like they’re gonna believe that,” I mutter. 

“I see Ward!” JJ points. 

“Obviously Mr. Cameron is fine, and even if John B was here, he isn’t now, okay?” Pope huffs. “Plus, I have the biggest, most important moment of my life in six hours.” 

“Yeah, well, our friend is in trouble.” JJ whispers. 

“I’m in trouble!” Pope whisper-shouts. “Guys, I haven’t been home in three days. My dad’s probably put all my shit on the street by now.” 

“So you’re just gonna bail?” I frown. 

“What about John B?” Kie asks.

“Why is it always about John B?” Pope snaps. 

“This is about friendship!” I hiss. “This is about Pogues for life.” 

🏄 🌊 🚌 🏄 🌊 🚌 🏄 🌊 🚌 🏄 🌊 🚌  🏄 🌊 🚌 🏄 🌊 🚌 🏄 🌊 🚌 🏄 🌊 🚌 🏄 🌊 🚌

“You sure he got everything?” I frown, looking at John B in disbelief. 

“Every bar.” John B huffs. “Ward got the whole enchilada.” 

“Guys!” I look up, seeing Pope sprinting towards us. “Guys! Oh, god. I ran all the way here!” 

“Pope?” I frown in confusion. “I thought you had your interview?” 

Pope slows to a stop, giving us a “don’t ask” look. “Ward. Airstrip. Gold.” He pants, resting his hands on his knees.

“What?” JJ pulls a water bottle out of his bag, passing it to Pope. 

Pope downs the water bottle, crinkling it in his hand. “Before my interview… my dad said he was going down to the private airstrip to cut palms for Cameron’s big plane. Because it was too heavy, it needed a longer landing strip to take off. So, I’m there sitting in my interview, thinking to myself, ‘Hm. Why would Cameron need a longer airstrip to take off? What could be so heavy to weigh it down?’ Gold!” 

“Right,” I say slowly, glancing at Kie and JJ. 

“Guys, this is our chance, but it leaves tonight, and we have to go.” Pope tugs off his tie, throwing it to the ground. 

🏄 🌊 🚌 🏄 🌊 🚌 🏄 🌊 🚌 🏄 🌊 🚌  🏄 🌊 🚌 🏄 🌊 🚌 🏄 🌊 🚌 🏄 🌊 🚌 🏄 🌊 🚌

“Hold on!” John B shouts, slamming his foot on the gas pedal. 

I shriek in surprise, clinging to Kie. 

“What’s the plan, dude?” JJ grips the dashboard. “Don’t be a hero!” 

I’m not exactly sure what it's like to have your life flash before your eyes, but I’m pretty sure mine did at that moment. I can see my mom leaving me with Big John, meeting JJ and Pope, meeting Kie, my first kiss with JJ, everything up until now. 

I squeeze my eyes shut, preparing for the impact of plane on van. 

“It's okay! It's okay!” I hear John B’s voice from far away, peeling my eyes open to see him helping Sarah out of the plane. 

“Get off the runway!” Ward roars. 

JJ slowly slides open the side door of the van as Kie, Pope, and I climb out. Sirens squeal in the distance, getting closer and closer. “Guys, I can’t get arrested.” JJ whispers. “I’m on probation.”

“We’re no good if we’re all in jail.” I hiss, tugging them into the palms lining the airstrip. 

“Put your hands on your head.” Sheriff Peterkin’s voice rings across the space, her gun pointed at Ward. 

“Susan, I told you he lost his goddamn mind.” Ward laughs. “I’d do what she said.” He looks at John B.

“She’s talkin’ to you, Ward.” John B murmurs. 

“You’re under arrest for the murder of “Big John” Routledge.” Peterkin says, moving closer. 

The sound of a gunshot ricochets through the air, Sarah’s scream following it. 

“No!” I shout, lunging forward as JJ grabs my waist and pulls me back. 

We watch on in shock and horror as Peterkin’s body falls to the ground, revealing Rafe, a smoking gun in his hands.

permanent:

@deathbythousandcuts @hazzy @sunnymfskies @marauderskeeper​ 

outer banks:

@kwbaby24​

[fallen420]

Rebel Spy - Chapter 10: Domestic Bliss

These were originally three separate chapters but I combed them. This is just a filler until season 2 and shit hits the fan.

Since then Din and I have gotten a bigger cot so we can share and now the kid sleeps in my cot. While leaving him almost does cause me unnecessary anxiety Din assures me that the kid will be fine.

The room is pitch black right now so I can't see Din's face. His arm is wrapped around my waist and his head lays on my shoulder as I lay on my back. I'm about to fall back asleep when I hear the kid start to whine.

It's about the time Din and I usually get up but I wanted to lay in his arms and let him sleep for a little longer since he barely gets any sleep in the first place.

Trying to get my way through this room so I can feed my kid is going to be a struggle. I slowly peel off Din's arm and I untangle our legs while moving carefully trying not to wake him. After I get out of bed successfully I carefully move my way through the small room and just when I think I'm there I run into the wall causing a loud thud that echos throughout the room.

Din starts to stir in his sleep and I grab my throbbing head, "What are you doing riduur?" I now know that riduur means partner and sometimes can mean wife/husband. I can hear the sleepiness in his voice. It is rough and huskier than usual.

"Kid was crying I was gonna check on him."

"By running into the wall?" Even half asleep he makes his deadpan jokes.

"The room is pitch black."

"Then turn on the light."

"But you're not wearing your helmet."

"Cyar'ika, I trust you."

I reach around finding the light switch and the room illuminates with the artificial light. Apart of me wants to turn around and see the face of the man I love but instead, I open the door and feed my kid breakfast.

-

I feed the kid the rations at the table and Din comes out of the room wearing his helmet with a simple shirt and sweats. Ever since that day, he doesn't wear his armor all the time anymore, only when he has too. He's more comfortable around me which never fails to put a smile on my face.

I am also more comfortable as I opt to wear his clothes around the ship. Currently, I wear one of his long sleeve shirts and one of his boxer briefs as shorts. I have turned the necklace the armor gave me into a bracelet that I now never take off.

We've been staying low lately only stopping at outer rim planets trying to not draw any attention to ourselves. There are people out there who still want us even with Moff Gideon gone.

The kid coos at the sight of his father and Din rubs his ears before sitting at the table and starts cleaning his blasters which I swear he does every day.

"You clean your blasters more than you shower," I say as I feed the kid another one of his dried frogs.

"Not true."

"Are you sure about that? I mean I'm the one who sleeps next to you and can I just say, you smell," I say in a playful tone.

"How do you know that's not you?"

"Funny. So anyway, I was thinking the next planet we stop at maybe we could go to a cantina have a nice meal."

"No."

"Come on Din I'm starting to forget was real food taste like."

"Aurora every time we go to a cantina something goes wrong."

"Well, maybe this time it won't."

He sighs, "We'll see."

-

Din agrees that we can finally leave this ship and the kid and I can eat something besides dry rations. I'll make sure to get something to go for Din so he can eat in peace.

I look at my self in the fresher mirrors one more time before we leave. The more planets Din and I go to the more clothes I seem to buy. Today I opted for a simple yellow dress that goes above my knee. It's long enough to cover my holster that holds my blaster.

I walk out of the fresher to see Din standing there waiting for me now in full beskar.

"You look nice." I know he's trying to give me a compliment but this man almost never has emotion in his voice.

"You're not so bad yourself." I walk over my cot where the kid is sitting and I can feel Din's eyes burning on me with my every move. I pick up the kid and hold him in my arms. I turn back around to Din, "Ready?"

"Uh yeah." He touches the buttons on his vambrace which lowers the ramp to the ship.

We walk through the warmer planet side by side. Instead of walking ahead of me like he used to do due to his long legs he slows down more and walks next to me. Of course, I know he rather be using his jet pack right now but I rather have my two feet stay on the ground. He's been trying to convince to as he says "go on a ride with him" but I refuse.

We enter the city there's not a lot of people but the few that are here stare at Din. We enter the cantina and sit down at a booth in the back corner. I sit the kid on my lap because I know he will just climb on top of there anyway. The waiter comes over and I order myself a plate of meat with some vegetables on the side, a plate to go, and the usually bone broth for the kid.

I look back at Din when the waiter leaves and the visor and burning into my skin, "Whatcha staring at?"

"You because you're mesh'la." More Mando' a.

"Mando I don't know what the means." Mando feels foreign on my tongue but in public, I can't use his name per his request.

"It means beautiful."

I can feel my heart flutter. Its been months and he still makes me nervous. Makes me feel like a teenager experiencing love for the first time.

I rest my hand on my chin leaning forward and I whisper, "I love you."

Before he can respond the waiter brings us our food. I had the kid his little bowl then I take a bite of my food letting out a happy hum as the food with actual flavor fills my tastebuds.

"Happy?" Din asks.

"Very." I used to feel bad eating in front of him but again he assures me that it's fine. The kid starts the babble, "He's happy too."

"Good." I can almost hear the smile in his voice.

The kid and I eat some more and then Din start to shift uncomfortably, "What's wrong?" I ask taking another bite.

"I gotta go to the bathroom," he whispers like its not a normal thing.

"What do you mean to tell me Mandalorians use the bathroom?"

"Aurora."

"What I honestly didn't know," I smile and I can almost feel the scowl I'm sure he has under there, "Stars just go to the bathroom."

He slowly gets up and awkwardly walks to the bathroom. I try to suppress my laugh.

I hear the doors to the cantina open and I pay no mind as I continue to eat my meal.

"Whats a beautiful girl like you doing here alone?" Stars if I had a credit every time I heard that line. I look up to see a less than average looking Twi'lek.

"I'm not alone," I simply state not even looking up from the food in front of me. When Din comes out of the bathroom this guy is dead.

I would take care of it myself but I would much rather see Din do it.

"I wouldn't count the baby as a good company."

"She's with me." There he is.

I'm already placing the credits on the table and I put a little extra knowing what Din is about to do.

"Well, you weren't here so-" before the Twi'lek can finish his sentence Din is picking him up and throwing him across the cantina.

He lands with a hard thud on the floor. He stumbles standing up and runs out of there as fast as possible.

"Okay, now that was hot."

"Ready to go?" He asks.

"Yep." I grab his to-go food and the baby and we walk out of there.

-

It's pitch black on the ship again and I lay on Din's bare chest. These moments are my favorite with him. The skin to skin contact we were both starved of for years. I listen to the steady sound of his heartbeat as he traces circles on my arm.

"I'll never get tired of seeing you throw people across the room."

"I enjoy doing it. Especially when they're talking to my Riduur."

"Hey, how do you say I love you in Mando'a?"

"Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum," the foreign language flows off his tongue perfectly.

"Okay yeah, I can't pronounce that."

He chuckles, "I love you, mesh'la."

-

Three weeks.

He's been on a hunt for three weeks. He knew this hunt was going to take him a few more days than usual so I made him promise he would check in with me in the comlink every day.

He hasn't checked in for three days.

Stars am I stressed. I know Din can take care of himself but what if he's in trouble and I'm just sitting here. I normally come along with him but he made me stay so the kid wouldn't be alone.

If he is in trouble I wouldn't even know where to start looking. But he's fine okay he's fine there's no need to panic Aurora.

I've been sleeping in my old cot with the kid because the bigger come has been lonely. I've been wearing his shirts only the past three weeks just so I can remember the smell of him.

I've cleaned the entire ship from head to toe there is no dust anywhere in sight. I even cleaned blasters he hasn't used in months even though he says I do it wrong. I don't do it wrong he's just so particular about them.

I pour the rations into the bowl of water and I watch as it turns into something I can eat. Sometimes I dream about real food. Don't get me wrong I love it here. I love Din and the kid but stars do I miss real food.

I take a bite of the tasteless food. He told me to not call him on the comlink because he said something about it being dangerous but he hasn't said anything for three days. I don't wanna disrespect his wishes but I'm so worried. I knew what I was getting into when I started a relationship with a Mandalorian I knew that moments like this would happen.

It makes me think back to the war. When my friends would go off on missions and never came back or when I would go off on missions and come back less like myself every time. Being with Din I've been more like myself. The girl I was on Alderaan before she saw things she could never unsee or lost things she could never come back.

I look at the kid who's just sitting on my cot playing with the metal ball Din gave him. He misses Din too I can tell he hasn't been as giggly lately. He's been staying up later too like he's waiting for his dad to come and tell him goodnight before he can finally close those big eyes and rest. I can't blame him I haven't been sleeping well either. I got so used to being wrapped in Din's arms I forgot how to sleep without it.

-

Ah yes laying in bed and staring at the ceiling my favorite activity. I kid is snuggled next to me as I try to stop thinking about where Din is or what he's doing because if I do I'll panic and I don't need that right now.

Just as I'm about to fall asleep the ramp opens and Din is the only one who can do that. I jump up careful of the kid and I turn on the light to see Din dragging who I assume is the bounty onto the ship. He is covered in dirt. Like I can't see the beskar covered but stars it is good to see him and know that he's alive. I watch as he throws the body into the carbonite block before turning to me, "Cyar'ika."

"Are you okay are you hurt?" I ask rushing to his side.

"I'm fine," He says.

I let go of the breathe I didn't know I was holding, "I was worried you didn't say anything for three days."

He takes off his glove then he holds the side of my side, "I know I'm sorry. I- I would hug you right now but I haven't showered since I left."

"Three weeks you've been gone three weeks."

"I know," his tone is softer but he also sounds exhausted.

"Shower then get some rest you need it."

He nods before heading to the fresher.

-

Not long after I feel him climb into our cot. It's pitch black like usually so I can't see his face but that doesn't mean I can't touch it.

I turn around to face him. I place my hand on the side of his cheek. I can feel the scruff on his face that he probably hasn't shaved since he left and he didn't want to do it tonight considering how tired he must be, "I missed you."

"I missed you too, Riduur." He kisses my nose before placing a soft kiss on my lips. He pulls me closer so I can lay my head on his chest and listen to his steady heartbeat. "I think I'm getting old."

"You think?" I say obviously joking. When Din and I first started this he was a little insecure about our age gap. Which isn't even a lot only ten years. "You're not old."

"I feel old."

"Maybe you just need to get into better shape." I trace patterns along his covered chest with the tip of my finger.

He lightly chuckles, "Maybe. I mean it took me three weeks to catch this guy."

"At least you caught him."

"Barley."

"Yeah but you still got him at the end that's all the matters."

"Yeah, I guess." He pulls me closer and for the first time in three weeks, we get some sleep.

-

I walk through the city alone. I made Din stay back he just went on a hunt for three weeks he needs rest but we also need food so here I am. After getting rations for us and getting med supplies I pass by a clothing store. I don't really need more clothes but I few more dresses couldn't hurt. Plus I know how much Din loves seeing me in them.

As I'm looking through the clothes two guys walk-in. I don't think much of it until of course, they both come up on either side of me. my hand starts to hover above my blaster that sits in his holster.

"Where's your Mandalorian? You two break up already?"

"What its too you?" My hand slowly slips into my pocket and I turn on the comlink.

"I think you know what we want," the other one says

"Actually I don't." Before they can respond I grab my blaster shooting the one to the left of me. Before I can shoot the other guy he takes out his blaster and shoots me in the thigh. I feel the blood drip down my bare thigh.

I kick him with my other leg causing him to stumble back. I ignore the throbbing feeling in my thigh having been shot in worse places before. He tries shooting me again but he misses and I take the opportunity to shoot him in the stomach.

With them both dead I take the comlink out of my pocket. With everything going on I didn't hear Din talking through it, "Aurora where are you?!"

"Clothing store," I answer out of breath, "Got. Hit." I sit on the floor the pain becoming too much. I grab a shirt from the rack and I wrap it around the wound is some attempt to stop the bleeding. I place credits on the floor for the shirt and the two dead bodies.

Dins comes bursting through the doors. He kneels down next to me, "Shit. Come on let's get you out of here." He scoops me up and rushes out of there.

I don't remember much of Din caring me back to the crest. I had almost forgotten how much it hurt to get shot. Next thing I know Din is laying me down in the kid's cot and running up to the cockpit to get us the hell off this planet.

He comes back down the ladder and grabs the medkit. He kneels down in front of me and takes off the shirt I improvised as a bandage and starts to clean the wound I wine at the sudden contact.

"Sorry cyar'ika," He cleans it some more, "What did those guys want with you the imps are dead," he says it more to himself but I still answer.

"You were out there for three weeks. Probably saw you. Wanted the baby. Or You. Wanted the fame or the credits that come with our names."

He doesn't say anything back he just sighs and finishes cleaning the wound, "I'm going to have to give you an e-bacta shot."

I hate bacta shots. Bacta shots make you feel all weird and out of it after and it sucks. We only have them for situations like this"No. Can't- can't you just use-use a bacta patch."

"Too big of a wound."

"I hate bacta shot."

"I know cyar'ika."

"Screw you," He takes the shot out of the medkit. I close my eyes never even really liking needles in the first place. I feel the pitch on my thigh making me gasp.

"There you see wasn't that bad." I can already feel the pain leaving my thigh as Din places a bandage on top to cover the wound while it heals.

"It was horrible."

"Come on you big baby lets get you changed and into bed."

-

"I think you are very handsome," I say to Din my words slurring as the bacta shot starts to take even more effect.

I sit on the edge of our cot as Din takes off my shoes.

"You haven't seen my face."

"Okay yeah, but I can tell."

"How?" he places my shoes next to his pairs and he turns around to grab me something to sleep in which are just his clothes.

"Your voice for starters." He slides off the now blood-covered shorts off of me and slides on the briefs I sleep in.

"Really?"

"Mhm. Deep. Husky. Very attractive."

"What else?" he's loving this. "Lift your arms." I do and he takes off the also blood-covered shirt and he places of his tunics over my head.

"The way you walk. The way you fight. How your hair curls at the end. How you have that one dimple when you smile. How you have those little wrinkles by your eyes. Your scruffy beard," he turns off the light, "Hey where did the lights go?" I hear him chuckle before I hear the hiss and the metal clanking off his helmet being taken off.

I hear him lean in front of me again he kisses me on the forehead, "Go to sleep cyar'ika."

"Lay with me can't sleep without you."

"Of course."

-

Din hands me the bowl of the purple Jorgan fruit, "Why thank you," I say.

Din hasn't let me leave the bed even though my wound is basically healed. The kid lays beside me not wanting to leave my side. Din sits at the end of the cot he placed a gloved hand on my ankle and rubs circles. "How's you're head?"

The bacta shot has a lot of after-effects. The main one being headaches. When you take it you feel this high but coming down sucks.

"Still hurts." I feel the throbbing in my head. I take another bite of the fruit humming at the taste.

"Good?" Din asks with humor in his voice.

"Stars yes. My sister and I used to eat boxes of these in like two days." I smile thinking about how much we used to eat the fruit.

"Never had it."

Now, this shocks me, "You've never had jorgan fruit?!"

He chuckles shaking his head, "Nope."

"Turn off the light take off the helmet you're trying this." He laughs again without moving. "Din I'm serious." He sighs before getting up and turning off the light. My eyes adjust to the sudden darkness while the kid laughs beside me.

I feel the cot dip as he sits down and the sound of the hiss that signals his helmet has been removed. I scoot closer to him with the bowl still in my lap. I place my hand on the side of his face feeling the roughness of his scruff. I take a second to rub my thumb on the curve of this nose, "I love your nose." I place a soft kiss on the tip of his nose before kissing his lips.

I can actually feel his face heat up knowing I made him blush. "The fruit Riddur," he reminds me.

"Right sorry I get distracted easily."

I feel him smile before saying, "I know."

"Shut up," I say with a laugh. I reach down into the bowl of fruit and grab a piece, "Ready?" I can feel his head nod. I bring the fruit up to his lips. He takes a bite of the fruit humming at the taste, "Good?"

He swallows the fruit, "I see why you like it so much."  Before I can answer he takes advantage of his helmet being gone and kisses me.

-

"No."

"Why not?"

"I'm not fighting you Aurora."

"It wouldn't be fighting it would be training." He just sighs at me. We stopped at a small backwater planet to lay low before we drop off the bounties at Navarro.

The planet is nice the weather is perfect and trees surround us keeping the razor crest hidden. The kid splashes around in a tiny puddle with a frog I'm sure he's planning to eat later today. He splashed water at Din's boots, Din looks at the kid and the kid just giggles and babbles to him.

He turns back to me, "The beskar would hurt you."

"Then take it off." He just sighs at me again, "What are you scared I'm gonna kick your ass?" I say playfully.

He scoffs. He has the audacity to scoff at me, "You're not gonna beat me."

"Bet you I can. You said before I could," I remind him of that night on canto bright.

"I was trying to flirt with you."

"That was your way of flirting?" That was how this tin can decided to flirt with me?

"It worked didn't it?"

"Oh, whatever I could still kick your ass, target practice." I know the nickname isn't his favorite my use of his obviously irritates him.

"You're not gonna drop this are you?"

"Do I ever?"

He titles his head thinking about it. He sighs again. Then he begins to take off his armor. "I'm not gonna go easy on you," he says taking off his knee pads.

"Neither will I."

His armor now lays in the grass, "Ready cyar'ika?" he practically taunts me.

"Ready when you are."

Both of us get into a fighting stance. I know he's not going to make the first move but I also know the second I do he'll block it.

I go to swing my fist at his chest while his attention turns to my hand I knee him in the gut. He stumbles back and I know he's fuming at the fact that I tricked him.

"Oh so that's how we're playing." Yeah he's mad. He goes to punch me but I'm able to dodge it.

Every single punch or kick gets blocked. We're both out of breathe and tired but our stubbornness won't let this end until one of his is victorious.

He seems to be more exhausted then I am. He catches another one of my punches instead of pulling my hand back I take the chance of him being distracted to swipe his legs making him fall to the ground pulling me down with him.

Both of us fall to the ground with a thud. I land on top of him. He groans in pain due to hitting the group and me landing on him. I pin his wrist down and I smile in victory, "Looks like I can kick your ass." He flips us over easily. Now he's on top and my wrist are pinned.

"Only cause I let you." I try to fight out of his grip but he only tightness it.

"You're only saying that cause you lost so bad." Just as he was going to say something which I'm sure was some dry joke we hear the kid cry.

He lets go of my wrist standing up holding his hand out to help me up. I take it, standing up, and walking over to where my kid is.

I find him face down in the dirt probably feel over from chasing a frog. I pick him up and I take the end of my shirt rubbing off the dirt from his face. "Did the frog out run you?" He just looks at me with his big eyes more tears threatening to spill, "C'mon lets get you food that won't run away huh?" He babbles at this and I take him instead with Din trailing behind.

-

I put the kid down for the night meaning Din and I get some piece of quiet.

I walk into mine and Dins little room. I see him laying on the bed in shorts and his helmet.

"You should dress like this more often." I turn off the light and I carefully climb into bed beside him. He takes of his helmet and pulls me into his chest

"I'm sure you would love that."

"I would very much like it."

"I can't believe you kicked my ass today."

"Of course I did."

"It was kinda hot." I roll my eyes, smiling at his compliment.

"I love you Din." I close my eyes slowly drifting off to sleep.

Before I'm fully asleep I hear, "I love you too Riduur."

[brandstifter-sys]

Molting

Word Count: 2479           (Ao3)

Rating: T+

Characters: Virgil, Remus, all other sides as of PoF mentioned

Pairing: Dukexiety (platonic but could be not platonic if you want)

Warnings: Body Horror, Spider!Virgil, knife, sex mention, grossness, Gore, swearing, physical strain, exhaustion

Virgil is a spider boy, and spiders need to molt. It’s not a pretty sight and it’s an ordeal Virgil hates. Lucky him, he has a best friend who is willing and able to help, even if it drives him nuts.

-----

"Hey Princey, where's Virge?—Whoa are you okay, you look like you need to sit down, kiddo!"

"Patton, Virgil won't be joining us for a few days, surely his eating habits and sudden baldness have been a sign of the time of year for him." Logan commented from his seat on the couch. Roman was curled up and shaking, pallid and horrified.

"You mean?" Patton squeaked and shuddered. 

"Yes. I will be joining Janus and Remus during the clean up. I suggest you try to avoid his room for the next few days. Molting is a delicate process." 

-------

Virgil felt like jello, trapped in a hard shell. He was on his back spread and nude, unable to move without the sickening feeling that came with it. His chelicerae and extra limbs were out and just as rigid, making his position more awkward. He couldn’t breathe and he desperately tried to force his gelatinous form to shift and expand where his head was. He was dizzy, just trying to crack the eggshell-thin casing like a chick about to hatch, only without anything solid to chip at the barrier.

Pop!

The casing around his head split in half, with a sickening crack, leaving him gasping for air. Oh that sweet, sweet oxygen was tainted by the taste of his own skin-flavored goo falling into his open mouth. His eyes were sealed shut, but not out of fear for what he would see, since they didn't do a great job at blocking the light. No they were closed until he was sure none of his shell got in his eyes, trapped in the gelatinous muck that would cause his eyelids to tear if he dared open them.

"I thought I might have to cut you out of there if you took much longer," someone, Janus he assumed based on the tone, hummed softly nearby, "Time to cut off the area around your shoulders. Do try and wiggle out of it once it's done. And yes, you have to get yourself out." 

Virgil tried to calm his breathing, waiting for one of the worst parts. He was too fragile and squishy to be nicked by a blade, let alone a full cut. But he trusted Janus more than the others, except maybe Remus, especially with his mouth wide open.

Virgil could feel the vibrations through the floor. The steady gait and heavier footfalls were different from what he expected, but he could chalk it up to Janus being tired, he and Remus did carry him here and set up when his outer layer went rigid and his bones melted into this disgusting jelly.

He heard the blade gliding over his shell just above his shoulders with such a slight amount of pressure. It was far too smooth to be Janus's work, and Remus wasn't there, so it had to be Janus, but something about the stiff meticulous nature was throwing him off. 

"Now you have to go up towards the ears on both sides and then to the crown. Once that's done you can carefully lift those pieces away." Janus said to the person cutting his head free. Virgil's heart pounded in his ears, at least his soft organs were still intact, as intact as the situation allowed. He struggled to keep his breathing even, unsure where the blade was. 

"Would it be more efficient to cut along the fault?" That was Logan. That was okay, he was not easily disturbed. His suggestion, however, was not okay.

"Do you want to risk slitting his throat?" Janus asked with an edge to his voice, "He is vulnerable and having that scalpel near his throat will make his anxiety worse."

"I understand. In that case—" Logan trailed off and continued his task. Janus hissed under his breath, in a way that only Virgil would understand, but he didn’t, which was concerning. For the smart side, Logan had his stupid moments and this Janus was regretting bringing him in so soon.

"And to be clear, I am not supposed to peel the exoskeleton." 

"Correct. And once you remove the upper half, will you have a suitable specimen?" this Janus responded curtly. He was done sharing this vulnerable moment with the nerd. 

"Yes," Logan said as the tips of his fingers brush Virgil's new skin, making him wince, "Remus has already called 'dib'—is that the correct phrase?" 

"Yes." 

"He has already called dib on the lower half."

Virgil winced as cool air hit his tender form. He could feel the slime stretching and pulling away from him with a soft, sickening snap, with the tendrils falling back into the near liquid of his body. Logan was quick to set that piece aside and remove the other with as much dexterity and grace as before. 

"Shall I tell Remus his presence is requested at this time?" Logan asked as he gathered his samples.

"No. I suggest you sink out to your room before he bursts in like the unhinged maniac he becomes when told to sit still and wait." this Janus droned. Logan nodded and sank out. And not a moment too soon. But it felt like the other presence changed rapidly.

"Virgil, I’m the only one here with you. I'm going to clear your nose before I wipe your eyes," Remus hummed, after dropping his disguise, and knelt down beside him on the old sheet he was laying on. The bulb syringe entering his nostril was a strange sensation when his nose was basically formless, as was the goo exiting his nose, but it was a relief. 

"Stay focused on breathing, Virgil, 3/4 time—that's it. One more time." 

The second his nose was cleared, Virgil closed his mouth. Remus giggled and conjured a clean rag. 

"Whatsamatter, Soft-skull? Don't like the taste of your own mucus? It's like a giant loogie!" Remus cackled and carefully wiped down his face. 

"I thought you said you weren't gonna pull that stunt," Virgil wheezed. 

"Nerd wanted samples more than I want my dick sucked. I had to pretend to be Jan to keep things calm in here—you think the nerd would listen to me? Besides, Janus isn't good at anything but the first cuts. He thinks it's nasty!" Remus laughed, "It is but that's not the real issue—it's the mess that you leave behind that's the problem!"

Virgil rolled his eyes and focused on wiggling out of his shell instead of the duke's rant. It was the same one every season. Whether it was Janus's scales or the molting, Remus would bitch about the mess.

"... and I know what you're thinking—what everyone thinks! 'Why are you so bent out of shape? You like grossness and garbage and mess!'" Remus rambled, "There's a difference between a messy aesthetic and a mess! Organized chaos, Harlot's Web, I know exactly where everything is and where it's supposed to be even if it looks like shit! It's mine to manipulate! Your body cast is not in the design plan!" 

"Talk cryptids, dammit!" Virgil hissed as he tried to squeeze his way out of his exoskeleton, weakly curling his toes, or attempting to, "I hate this shit too!" 

"Cryptids and cursed objects?" Remus cooed. 

"Fine!" Virgil grunted, feeling the goo on his skin shifting and stretching with the slightest movement, peeling him away from his old skin slowly. He was going to take hours to get out.

"Okay so I know you don't usually watch the videos of Dybbuk box openings and you should, gets the blood pumping, but you know those are fake, right? They're all a sham!" Remus started ranting. His rage was actually quite helpful as a motivator to move. 

"...and don't get me started on the bullshit wax! It's so hard to clean! You know I have a design aesthetic and wax is not a part of it! Especially when there's no restless spook involved! It's a lot of crap with no real payout! If I wanted to have a creepy old box covered in wax I could make one myself!" 

“Fill it with spider exoskeleton,” Virgil huffed and wheezed at the exertion, “It’ll make a good snack!”

“Just like you!” Remus giggled, “But seriously, those things don’t hold any angry ghosties, and they seem problematic in other ways too, which usually isn’t a problem for me, but no spooks? That’s crossing a line! I could create better cursed objects!” Remus paused as a wicked grin split his face. Oh no.

“Get me out of here and you can see something really cursed!” Virgil spat, venom shooting from his mouth, literally, and landing on the sheet under him. He broke into a fit of coughing, his form sloshing and molding in the shape of his exoskeleton. 

"Easy there, Swamp Thing!" Remus jeered, "If no one helps Bolt, Nimby, Cirrus, Cyoomy, Hansel, or Gretel when they molt, you don't get much more help either." 

"Swamp Thing? More like the Blob!" Virgil retorted bitterly. Remus clapped his hands and grinned.

"You are so right!" he cheered, "That's a better nickname when you're like this! Like an alien creeping out of a meteor all gelatinous and prone to leaving slime trails! Emo Jello! How you still have lungs is a mystery to me! You don't even have a digestive tract!" 

"Great reminder, jackass!" 

"It is! All your fluids and organs are blended up—except for your heart, blood, brain, and lungs!"

Virgil tried to ignore the glee in his voice and focused on moving. He didn't feel like telling him that his blood was traveling through his body through osmosis, always finding a way back to the heart and lungs, he would see it eventually. The rubbery slick kept him stuck to his exoskeleton, bending and stretching, but always pulling him back. 

"You look like a jaundiced Hellboy cosplayer in a deflated Paleman blow-up suit who's gonna eat a crap ton when he gets back to normal! And then there's the whole hair growth thing! Like throwing straw on a potato sack filled with rotten meat! Do you even have eyelashes now?"

"You. Tell. Me." Virgil grunted and grit his teeth, which were far too soft to actually bite anything or grind. Remus squatted next to him and leaned in close. 

"They're coming in!" Remus grinned and stood up. Virgil groaned and flexed his chelicerae. Some movement was better than none. He was trapped, like swimming in tar, and he had to fight to escape his full-body restraint. 

"Do you want some music? I can do a striptease!" Remus asked and wiggled his eyebrows. 

"Does this get you hot and bothered, sicko?" Virgil scoffed and tried to focus on curling his fingers with what energy and strength he had. Remus pouted and wiggled his mustache in thought. 

"No, not really. But just standing here is boring! Besides, it's just incentive for you to burst out of your shell!" 

"Not. Interested." 

"You and I both know you would do anything to stop me from getting naked for no reason!" Remus teased. He was right of course, but it was still irksome.

"Shut up," Virgil hissed, still not getting anywhere, "Put on some music and keep your fucking pants on!" 

"Fine!" Remus groaned and rolled his eyes. He snapped his fingers, filling the room with some sick emo jams. At least they made Virgil more at ease! 

Two Days Later…

"Remus, c'mon!" Virgil panted as he fruitlessly clawed at the soft carpet trying to remove himself from his exoskeleton, smearing goo all over. He was weak and exhausted from the endless strain. His body was still akin to a gummy bear with a dark cherry filling, but at least his bangs were back. 

"Nope! I already cut out your—" 

"Please! I'm not even stuck!" Virgil cried, "Pull me out of here!" He was so close to bursting into tears. Two days straight of wiggling just to get back to normal took its toll on him. Two days straight of moving two inches forward and one inch back with no food or water left him weak. There was no time for sleep and no time to rest. Remus didn't sleep the entire time either and it showed. 

"I could tear you in half, and then your guts'll spill all over the floor and there'd be a huge stain and you'd be pissed off while you bleed out!" he said with a bright grin that bordered on maniacal.

"It's just my legs! Please!" he begged, "I don't have the strength!" He was actually crying at that point. Remus ceded and carefully looped his arms under Virgil's. The goo stuck to his shirt as he carefully pulled the emo from his old skin and scooped him up into his arms. 

"Easy there, Raggedy Anx, you're free to crawl on the ceiling and scare those losers like some fleshy horror movie creature bent on devouring them, starting with the eyes," Remus said and stood up. He could have easily snapped Virgil's spine over his knee, watched him writhe in agony and scream until he couldn't manage it anymore. He could watch his fluids pool under his translucent skin and ooze out of the puncture wound from the snapped vertebrae. 

He did the smart thing and placed the fragile blob of emo on the bed and stepped back. Molting meant growing and that meant he needed space as everything took shape again. Remus could already see what changes happened under that shell as Virge gasped, forcing air in to help his expansion. 

"Stress workouts?" Remus asked and stretched his arms above his head. 

"Mostly." 

"You fixed your—" 

"Yeah and that was your fault!" 

"No no no, I didn't mess up the piercing—you let it get infected and tried to rip it off!" 

"I'll rip yours off if you don't shut up!"

"I can regrow it, without going all rigor mortis alien!" Remus laughed, "But I can't make it any bigger, so you have me beat!" 

"Go to bed," Virgil huffed, "You're losing it." He kept up his hyperventilating style of breathing and closed his eyes. Just a few more hours of this and he could finally get some rest. 

"But you're not sleeping!" Remus argued, "And I vowed to watch over you while you're weak and nasty!" 

"You sound like Roman," Virgil scoffed. 

"You take that back!" 

"'I vowed' c'mon that's a Princey line!" Virgil huffed, “You need to get out of this room. Come after you get some rest and food. You did your part.” Remus pouted and snapped his fingers. The exoskeleton and sheet on the floor vanished. That was the last thing he had to do before Janus could take over. 

“Fine, but I’ll be back and there’s nothing you can do to stop me!” Remus laughed and sank out. Virgil rolled his eyes, like he could ever stop Remus from doing anything! This time he didn’t want to.

Reblogs > Likes

[maybxnks]

panicked - kiaraxreader

summary: y/n and kie hash out feelings that they should’ve years ago.

pairing: kiaraxreader

warnings: underage drinking, smoking, cussing, some angst and fluff sorta, mentions of sex

a/n: hello. this is the first time i’ve ever written anything on here so please go easy on me. also it’s 4am so if there’s mistakes i apologize. i’ll probably rewrite this at some point but anyways enjoy!! 

give kie a girlfriend!!!!!!!!!!!!!

____________________________________________________

You weren’t sure how you spotted her through the crowded area of Kooks, Pogues and tourists that littered the beach, but you did. And you wanted to fucking cry. You haven’t seen her since she ran out of your life almost two years ago. 

She looked good, hell she always looked good. She was always effortlessly beautiful and you still weren’t sure how she even gave you the time of day. The orange hues from the fire she was sitting at was making her face glow, just like it used to when the morning sun cast over her when she was sleeping in your bed. And her untamed, curly, dark hair was softly blowing from the wind that the waves caused. 

She was sitting with a group of five, two of them being the infamous Sarah Cameron and John Booker Routledge. The two lovers went missing at sea a year ago and just recently returned to The Outer Banks. To say the whole island was in shock would be an understatement. No one had heard a word from them the entire time they were gone and they just showed up like nothing had happened, like everyone didn’t think they were dead.

“Y/N! Are you ok?” Your best friend asked.

“Hmm? Yeah. Sorry just lost in my own thoughts.” You responded peeling your eyes away from the girl you once used to love. 

She studied you for a moment not really believing you. She had been watching you stare at the girl for a while but decided it was best not to bring it up. “Come on, let’s go dance.” she said grabbing your hand that wasn’t holding the plastic red cup full of cheap beer. 

Letting her pull you away from your spot near the keg you stole one more longing glance.

You weren’t sure how long you two had been dancing but you knew you needed another beer seeing as how your cup was now empty. 

“I’ll be back, need a refill.” You said holding up the cup shaking it slightly. 

The girl just waved you off since she had now gained the attention of a random tourist. 

Laughing you turned and started to tread back to the keg. The table now occupied by John B, Sarah, Kie and a blonde and dark skinned boy you didn’t know the names of. You were hoping not to have to run into her the rest of the night but God seemed to hate you.

Sighing you walked up and had put on your best smile, praying no one noticed how uncomfortable you were. 

“Hi Y/N! Need a refill?” John B. asked.

“Yes please.” You smiled at him sending a small wave to Sarah who gladly returned it. 

“So the Bahamas huh?” You joked, trying to start up a conversation with the modern day Romeo and Juliet. Minus the dying part obviously. 

Unknowing to you Kiara had tensed as soon as she heard your name. The girl had noticed you earlier when the group had arrived. You were smiling and laughing with a girl she didn’t know and her heart ached. She wanted to go over and talk to you but she knew you didn’t want to see her. Not that she blamed you, she had left without any explanation and refused to answer your many texts and calls.

Pope and JJ had noticed the girls mood change. JJ had put a hand on her arm gaining her attention. “Yo Kie you okay?” He asked. 

“Mhmm.” The girl hummed trying to hide her face in her beer bottle. JJ and Pope though didn’t believe that. “You sure? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” JJ joked trying to ease her now weird mood.

“Yep.” Kie replied, trying to listen in on the conversation happening right behind her in hopes of hearing your laugh.

“Whatever you say.” JJ said turning to the other three that were deep in conversation. 

Kie took another huge gulp from her beer, trying to gain the confidence to turn around and actually face you.

When her beer was gone she had finally turned around to see you and JJ introducing yourselves. JJ not so discreetly hitting on you, instantly putting her in a sour mood. Rolling her eyes with a huff Kiara walked over and threw her arm around the blonde boys shoulders.

“JJ, stop hitting on every girl you see. The girl clearly ins’t interested.” She said finally looking at you in the eyes for the first times in years.

Raising your brows with an amused look on your face. “Who said that?” You questioned turning from the blondes face to hers.

You were pissed, but you were trying not to show it. How dare she walk over here and act like nothing happened between you two, like she didn’t even know your name. 

Fine, she wanted to play that game then you could too. 

Rolling her eyes again she threw her arm off JJ and crossed them over her chest. “I did.” 

Keeping eye contact with her you raised the cup to your mouth to mask the slight smirk on your face. 

“Still got that dolphin tattoo?” You asked innocently. The group of friends all raised their eyebrows, confused on how you knew about her secret tattoo.

“Oh, fuck you.” She spat, bawling her hands into fists letting them fall to her sides.

“Hmm, I’ll take that as a yes.” You hummed. “Anyways nice talking to you guys but I gotta go save my friend from getting an STD from some frat boy.” You said turning away from them and treading down the beach with a smile on your face, happy at the fact that you had gotten her as angry as you were.

Once you were out of their sight, the four turned to Kiara. 

“Ok what the fuck was that?” JJ asked.

They had never seen their friend that upset and angry. 

“Nothing, I was trying to help her out by saving her from you but she clearly wasn’t grateful.” She said trying to calm herself down.

“Nope not buying it. Tell us what happened.” Sarah said. If there was one thing Kie knew about Sarah it was that she was never going to stop bugging her until she finally snapped.

“Fine. Fine.” She said running her hands through her curls in frustration. “You guys remember when I had my kook year?” 

The group nodded. 

“Well when Sarah had that party and didn’t invite me I took a walk on the beach trying to distract myself. I met Y/N on the beach, she was smoking and asked if I wanted to hit it so I did, obviously. Next thing I know, I’d smoked two joints with her and ended up telling her all about my problems. She listened and just let me vent to her. By the end of my story she pulled out her phone and called the police telling them about the party.” Kiara explained looking at Sarah with an apologetic look. 

“From then on we hung out everyday. We went surfing, shopping, went to the movies. I practically lived with her for months. Hell she even gave me my tattoo.” Kiara said throwing her arms up.

“One night we were watching a movie and next thing I know she kissed me.” She smiled at the memory. “It was new and exciting.” She trailed off sadly looking down at her feet.

“But I got scared. I just remember waking up and looking at her sleeping, she just looked so beautiful and.. and I knew she deserved better than me. Someone who wasn’t scared of loving her and could do so without disappointing their parents. So I left, I snuck out of her bed and never went back.” She said. “That was almost two years ago.” She finished. 

Sarah walked around the table and hugged her. Kie hadn’t realized she had tears threatening to spill from her eyes. 

“I think you should go talk to her.” She said rubbing her hands up and down her back to comfort her. 

“Yeah I should.” She agreed, pulling out of the hug to wipe her face.

“Wait, you got it on with a hot girl and didn’t even tell us? Selfish.” JJ said with a look of hurt.

Kiara laughed, happy that JJ’s dumbass comment easily lifted the mood without even trying.

“Go talk to her.” Pope said with a small push in the direction the other girl went.

“Seriously? Are we not gonna talk about this? I want details!” JJ yelled after the girl, throwing his hands up in dismay.

He was quickly shut up by John B smacking the back of his head.

“Hey you wanna leave? It’s almost 1am and I’m honestly not in the mood to party anymore.” You said pulling your friend from the conversation she was having with the dark haired male she was dancing with earlier.

“I think I’m gonna stay for a bit.” She smiled while looking at the boy she was definitely going to be sneaking through her window later. 

“Are you okay?” She asked once she noticed your sad expression and your arms wrapped around you trying to make yourself smaller. 

“Yeah I’m good. Just tired.” You reassured. “I’ll let you get back to it.” You said with a smile pointing at the boy.

“You sure?” 

“Yeah, have fun. Wear protection!” You shouted with a playful smile making your way up the beach to head home. 

Making your way past the crowd you were stopped by a hand on your arm. 

“Y/N! Wait!”

Closing your eyes you let out a huff of annoyance.

“What?” You asked turning around to face the person stopping you from crashing in your bed.

“Can we talk please?” Kiara asked slowly moving her hand off your arm.

“Sure!” You said with fake enthusiasm. “You wanna start with you leaving me naked in bed after I finally had the courage to make a move? Or do you wanna talk about you being jealous and rude when I was simply talking to your friends? What about you pretending like you didn’t know who I was or what you did to me?” You shouted. 

No one seemed to notice though as the music around the beach was loud, drowning you out.

Kie winced looking down at her feet. “I’m sorry.” She whispered.

“Sorry? You’re sorry?” You asked in disbelief. “Are you fucking kidding me?” you laughed bitterly.

“Look, can you just let me explain.”

“No! I don’t want to hear it anymore. I wanted a reason years ago not now!”

Kiara still wouldn’t look you in the eyes. Finding her pale yellow vans more interesting at the moment. Huffing you turned on your heels determined to leave before you got even more pissed.

“I was scared because I was falling in love with you.” Kiara spoke softly. 

You froze.

“Everything with you felt so good and I panicked. I panicked because I’ve never felt like that about someone. I panicked because I was scared of what my parents would think once they found out. They already hated me for going back to the pogues and I didn’t want to be anymore of a disappointment to them” She was now in front of you, looking between your eyes for any sort of emotion. Tears were starting to cloud both of your eyes. “Which is stupid because when I told them I liked girls too they didn’t even bat an eye. They just said they would always love me and it didn’t matter who I wanted to be with.” she trailed off.

“Leaving you that day was the worst decision I’ve ever made. I thought I didn’t deserve you, I still don’t. You’re this perfect person, inside and out and I didn’t want to ruin you.” She smiled sadly. “And I just wish you didn’t hate me anymore.” 

You laughed grabbing her face with both hands and wiping her tears away. “No matter what you do, I could never hate you.” You smiled. “Even if I wanted to.” 

“Really?” she looked at you and your bright smile. 

“Really. Wanna know why?” 

Before she could answer you crashed your lips together. She didn’t even hesitate to kiss back, grabbing your neck with one hand and snaking her other one around your waist to keep you close. Everything around you faded away. You couldn’t hear the loud music playing, the waves, not even her friends cheering you two on in the distance. Nothing in that moment mattered, except her. 

Sighing you pulled away with a smile on your face.

Kiara slowly opened her eyes, dazed from feeling your lips on hers again. 

“Wanna stay the night?” You asked, biting your lip to try and contain the huge smile that was trying to escape.

“Do you even need to ask?”

Giving her one more quick kiss, you intertwined your hands and pulled her in the direction of your house. 

“Hope you know you aren’t getting any sleep tonight. We’ve got a lot of making up to do.” 

[fan-fantasies]

The Only One

Request: Can you do a Negan imagine where the reader is a worker at the sanctuary and Negan falls for her and tries to get her to agree to being a wife. But she rejects him because she doesn't like the idea of having many wives and then Negan leaves the other wives for her. (and preferably the reader is actually close to Negan's age) thank you!

A/N: Thanks so much for the request! I didn’t really emphasize the age part just to leave the reader in a more general description to relate to more people. I hope that’s okay! -H

Pairing: Negan x Reader

Warnings: Swearing and sexual comments 

Masterlist  

*6 months ago*

“Shit!” You cursed to yourself after you tripped over a branch, falling flat on your face. You weren’t the most graceful person and in an apocalypse it was definitely a downfall. How you had survived this long is beyond you. You quickly got up and tried to run again when you heard a voice closing in on you. 

“Stop runnin’, sweetheart. This isn’t gonna go the way you want it to if you don’t,” the deep voice called to you. You looked back and saw that his group had you surrounded. There was no point in trying to run anymore. You laid down your machete and put your hands up. A red-headed man with a scar across his face grabbed your weapon and pointed his gun at your face. 

“Now, now, Simon, let the lady breathe,” the man with a barbwire bat chuckled. “Now why don’t you tell us your name, honey?”

“(Y/N).” 

“You out here all by your lonesome, (Y/N)?” He asked. You nodded and he seemed to pause to think. 

“What do you say, boss? Think she has value?” A mustached man questioned. The man with the bat that you guessed was in charge smirked. 

“I’m sure we can find a place for her. You don’t give us any trouble and I think you and I will be fast friends.” He sent you a wink and butterflies erupted in your stomach but you brushed it off as nerves. 

“What if I don’t want to go with you?” You asked. 

“You don’t really have a choice,” Simon told you. 

“If you come with us, you’ll be safe. If you try to run, you’ll be dead. Easy math,” mustache man added. 

“Look, honey. My name is Negan and I run the Sanctuary. We work and we have power. We’re the safest option out here. Just come and see what we’re about,” Negan sighed. He offered you a hand to help you out of the ditch you had stumbled into. You took it and he pulled you close to him. He smelled like sweat and whiskey which made your head swim. 

Could going with them really be that bad? If you stayed out here by yourself much longer you’d probably die one way or another but they seemed like they had their shit together. You took a deep breath and nodded for Negan to lead the way. You ended up in the back of a truck where one of the other men explained the point system and everything that the Sanctuary stood for. And that’s how you ended up working in the kitchen, safe behind the walls that Negan built. 

*Present Day*

“He’s staring at you again,” Marsha whispered. You looked over your shoulder and saw Negan’s eyes locked on you. You shook your head and turned back to peeling the potatoes. “Has he asked again?” 

“Of course he has. And he got the same answer as the last two times he asked. I would love to be a wife, not one of the wives.” Negan had been pestering you since you joined his group to become one of his wives. You could live a life of luxury, not having to work or worry about points and if you’d get to eat. But you couldn’t bring yourself to live like that even if it sounded easy. 

You had always dreamed of getting married someday and having a family but then the world went to shit. You had seen people come together in this mess and live as happily as they could. Negan wasn’t one of these people though. He didn’t love his wives. No, he wanted them for sex and nothing more. Despite him being one of the most attractive men you’d laid eyes on, end of the world and before, you’d never put yourself in that position. You wanted someone to love you, not just fuck you. 

“(Y/N), he’s coming over here,” she whispered. You didn’t bother to turn around because you knew if he wanted your attention he’d get it. 

“Boss, can we get you anything?” Marsha asked as soon as he reached the two of you. You rolled your eyes at her. Everyone here fell at his feet and it almost made you sick. You could see through him while no one else could. 

“You can get me a date with your sexy little friend here.” You could practically here the smirk in his tone. You shook your head and handed the peeler to Marsha. 

“I can handle this one,” you sighed. 

“You sure about that, sugar?” He chuckled. 

“While I can’t get you a date, I can get you some pudding. We have some leftover from last night,” you offered. 

“How about we go for a walk,” he said. He nodded toward the door and stared at you. You could tell that he wasn’t asking so you set your apron on the counter and told Marsha you’d be right back to help with dessert. 

Negan took you to the outer fence and walked by the gardens. The sun was setting and everything was quiet for once. You couldn’t help but smile at the peace you felt. 

“You really should give me a chance,” Negan said. You turned toward him and laughed. 

“We’ve discussed this, Negan. I refuse to be part of your little harem. I respect myself too much for that and anyone that asks me to be in that doesn’t respect me at all.” 

“I respect you. That’s why I want you. I want you to be able to live a life of luxury,” he replied. 

“No, you want me to live a life where you get to fuck me whenever you want.” You rolled your eyes at him. 

“Hey,” he grabbed your wrist and made you stop, “that’s not it at all. For starters, I would never make you have sex with me if you didn’t want to. Second, I think you’re a badass chick for respecting yourself. You’re gorgeous and funny and honestly I love your company. You don’t see me taking any of my wives on sunset walks do you?”

“I appreciate that, Negan. I really do. But still, I refuse to be with a man that has other women at his beck and call. That’s just not who I am or what I want,” you explained. 

“I’ll win you over yet, woman,” he smiled. 

“I don’t think so, but I don’t mind you trying,” you admitted. He took your hand in his and the both of you walked the perimeter before you returned to the kitchen. 

After that, you didn’t see Negan for a week. You heard that he had gone out on a few runs but it was strange that he hadn’t stopped in to say hi or bring you a special treat from a run. You hated to admit it but you were starting to miss him. 

On the 8th day of being without Negan, Marsha came into the back of the kitchen with a weird look on her face. 

“What’s up?” You asked. 

“You have to see this,” she said. You didn’t have time to ask her what she meant before she ran out. You set down the mixing bowl you were working with and followed after her. You found her staring out into the dining hall and you followed her gaze. You saw Negan’s wives in normal clothes as opposed to their uniform black dresses. They all looked rather pissed and as if they had been working all day. As a matter of fact, you noticed Sherry with gardening gloves sticking out of her pocket and one of the others had bleach stains on her pants as if she was in the laundry room. 

“What the hell is going on?” You asked. 

“Right? They look like they’re actually working for a living now,” Marsha laughed. 

“Have you seen Negan?” You questioned. 

‘Turn around and you’ll see him yourself,” a deep voice laughed from behind you, the same voice that had saved you months ago. You turned to see Negan with a big smile plastered on his face. “Let’s take a walk.” 

He didn’t wait for your response, just turning and walking out the door. You were frozen in confusion so Marsha gave you a gentle push toward the door. 

“I don’t think he’s gonna wait forever,” she said. She sent you a wink as you went to follow him. You found him waiting outside by the door admiring the clear sky. 

“Beautiful day out,” he said.

“Sure is,” you mumbled, still confused by everything. You hadn’t seen him in a week and now his wives are no longer privileged. 

“Good day for a wedding.” 

“A what?” You asked. He finally stopped gazing at the sky and turned to you. 

“I want you to be my wife. Not one of the wives, just my wife,” he said. 

“But-” 

“It’s you, just you. And it always will be. That’s why I told the other women to beat it. They have to work for a living like everyone else now. I don’t need all those women to fuck, I need a woman that makes me smile, that I enjoy spending time with outside of the bedroom. Although I think you’ll find our time in the bedroom more than satisfactory,” he chuckled. “I want you, (Y/N). Just you.” 

You weren’t sure what to say. This was all so much to process and you were trying to take everything in. You were quiet for too long because Negan spoke up. 

“Don’t leave a man hanging, sweetheart,” he laughed nervously. 

“You really mean it, Negan?” You asked. 

“Cross my heart. There will never be anyone else but you,” he said. You considered it for a moment more. You let out a deep sigh and saw his face dropped. You couldn’t help the smile that lit up your face and he let out a relieved sigh. 

“I’d love to be your wife, Negan. Your only wife.” 

“My one and only, baby. I promise.” He pressed his lips to yours in a sweet kiss, pulling away only to pull you into a bone crushing hug. “You don’t know how long I’ve been wanting to do that.” 

“I think I have an idea,” you chuckled. He returned your smile and kissed you again. Maybe being a wife wouldn’t be so bad after all, especially since you were the only one.

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

Masterlist: 

Permanent for all: @lokilvrr @m-a-t-91 @blueeyedbesson

[the-wlw-cafe]

[E]nnui - a 2BA2 fanfic

Warnings: Self-harm, self-destructive behaviour, heavily implied suicidal ideation - there’s comfort in there too I swear!

Read it on ao3 here!

Another piece of her skin had come loose near her hips. It had to have happened a while ago, judging by the dust and dirt clinging to the adhesive on its underside. She hadn’t noticed it back then, being occupied with fighting for her life, the misery, the toil and pain and the war . But now, after the end of it all? Nothing would take her mind off it. She’d catch herself absent-mindedly tugging at the loose piece every now and then, or rather, Pod would catch her and admonish her in his usual robotic manner.

Alert: Continuing to irritate the area will cause further damage to unit A2. Proposal: Stop.

And he was right, of course, but that just made her want to throw a brick at him all the more.

(She also hadn’t noticed when she’d switched to referring to Pod as he instead of it, but he didn’t call attention to the change and she’d rather die than admit she th ought of him as anything but an annoyance.)

Well, Pod wasn’t here now. Being assigned to two units, he usually split his time between monitoring 2B and herself, or sometimes the pods just headed out by themselves to do God knows what. Maybe there was a part of A2 that wondered what they were up to, a part of her that might have been curious enough to ask about it lifetimes ago, but now? The task of having to ask and listen to a reply seemed insurmountable.

Shit, she really needed to trash something. Before, whenever such thoughts threatened to overtake her, she’d simply pick a fight with the first machine she saw, rinse and repeat until she was too exhausted to continue on or move or even think. But of course even that was taken from her as the machines were gone now. Not physically gone, of course, they were still dotted throughout the landscape, but they were empty. Just vacant shells, unmoving, staring off into space.

“They’re among the stars now”, 9S had said, as if that would explain anything. A2 hadn’t had the energy to ask for clarification. They kept their distance from each other anyway, since being in the other android’s presence dredged up emotions and red hot flashes of pain pain pain she no longer had a release for.

The sound of tools scraping and metal being torn and bent drifted to her from way down below. She came up here often now, to the window where she’d first awoken again. It was a long way down, and not for the first time she wondered whether the pods had placed her there intentionally. A second chance, and an easy way to refuse the gift. Again and again she found herself drawn to this spot, looking down until the instincts she was programmed with to keep her body safe flooded her system with dizziness that forced her to back away from the window. She used to feel so far away from everything here, but apparently, the real world had forced itself even into this space. The resistance had begun scrapping the empty machines down for parts, and even though she’d tried to help them initially just to have something to do, once she was actually faced with one of the shells, still faintly whirring with the machinery still ticking away in the rusty chassis but at the same time nothing going on inside, she felt like vomiting. An echo of the time she’d shared a mind with 2B, she supposed, she’d looked into the machine’s unseeing eyes and seen Pascal, seen the children, and she just couldn’t…

With an abrupt sting of pain she realized she’d been doing it again, finding that loose piece of skin and mindlessly tugging, only this time, Pod wasn’t here to tell her off. She gritted her teeth against the sting and began pulling, watching with an almost morbid fascination as the skin peeled to reveal more of the black exoskeleton underneath –

“Stop that.”

The sudden interruption startled A2 enough to actually obey, letting go of the abused patch of skin as if it had burned her. She turned towards the newcomer, one hand instinctively reaching for the hilt of her sword she no longer had a use for. She relaxed incrementally when she found that it was 2B who’d snuck up on her, her hand uselessly coming to rest at her side. She wasn’t at ease, she figured she hadn’t been at ease since the day she was fabricated, but something about the combat model seemed to calm her – a sentiment she would have laughed at weeks ago, given the many times 2B had been sent to execute her only for A2 to destroy her again and again, each time coming closer and closer to defeat as 2B profited from combat experience while her own body degraded. But there was no way of sharing a mind, memories and decades of pain with another person without retaining some familiarity after the fact.

It was difficult to see the unfiltered version of 2B she’d experienced through her memories in the carefully schooled expression of the android in front of her. The version A2 had experienced loved fiercely, cared deeply, and was hurt beyond measure, but the 2B she saw now let almost none of that show. Calm, collected. The very model of a YoRHa executioner. A2 didn’t have to ask why 2B still saw the need to guard her expression so thoroughly. After all, it was the same reason why A2 cleaned and sharpened her weapons every day with more care than she’d ever afforded her own body, or why 9S had taken to painstakingly record ing all of his memory, each minute detail of e very day he experienced with pen and paper and was keeping this treasury of memories hidden under his pillow.

“You need maintenance”, 2B stated, taking tentative steps closer and, when A2 didn’t object, sat down beside her. She didn’t look at her, instead fixating on some point in the distance, beyond the grey husks of concrete buildings leaning heavily against each other, as if they might collapse at any moment. Her voice betrayed no emotion, but the faint golden glow of the lunar tear tucked neatly above her ear said otherwise, said it’d suit your stylish looks, said thank you for the flowers, said desert roses are beautiful, aren’t they. The grief A2 felt upon these echoes flashing through her mind might as well have been her own. They’d both lost so, so many people, and yet they were still here, alive even after having literally died. It was almost funny. Almost.

“Nah, I’ll be fine”, A2 said, “I’ve survived this long even with machines looking to destroy me at every turn, I won’t fall apart now.”

2B made a non-committal sound, and a long stretch of silence followed. A2 had to stifle an irrational urge to laugh, because for two people who literally had their minds melded at some point, they sure were bad at communicating. But the silence continued, gaping, deafening, and a strange anxiety rose in A2, a compulsion to fill it with something, anything, even though she knew that no words could ever do justice to the things she longed to express, the things that bubbled and churned inside her like a vile acid she needed to expel.

“I miss it.”

A2 was almost surprised that she had spoken. She might have been inclined to believe it was a hallucination caused by one of the many glitches she’d contracted over decades of neglect of maintenance, if 2B hadn’t turned to look at her, head slightly inclined to the side, encouraging her to go on.

Well, shit. The rat was out of the bag now, or whatever the humans used to say, so there was no point in backing down. A2 leaned against the wall with a heavy sigh, craning her neck to stare at the webbing of cracks along the ceiling, because making herself vulnerable was hard enough without looking into 2B’s face and seeing whatever pity or disdain she might be too slow to hide.

“I mean, the fighting. Always being on the move. Never having a moment of quiet, never having a moment alone with your own thoughts. I was so busy surviving that I didn’t have the time to ask myself why I was surviving in the first place. I think it was spite, mainly”, she added with a mirthless chuckle that sounded hollow in the empty room. “But now, with YoRHa gone and the war over, there’s nobody left to spite, and that leaves me with…”

She didn’t voice the nothing that was on the tip of her tongue, but it hung over them like a heavy, suffocating blanket nonetheless. Truly, how selfish was she, to prefer the never-ending suffering of the war over this peace, this chance for Anemone and her people to build something new, something substantial. She didn’t dare to open her eyes and face whatever 2B must be thinking of her, and this was new too: She cared now, cared what others thought of her, because now she ha d people with opinions to care about.

And yet, the silence continued, the tension reaching a fever pitch until A2 could be ar it no longer. She braced herself and turned to face the combat model once more, no matter what she –

Oh.

2B’s gaze was trained on the horizon once more, but she’d placed a gloved hand over A2’s own, her thumb rubbing comforting circles over the exposed exoskeleton.

A2’s core temperature spiked with embarrassment as she cleared her throat. “Yeah, I…I can’t actually feel that, sorry”, she huffed. “I don’t know how it is with you newer models, but my more delicate sensors were located directly under my outer skin and I lost that ages ago. So, yeah, it’s gonna take nothing short of shoving my hand between two moving gears to actually generate some feedback.”

“Oh. I’m…sorry”, 2B murmured, removing her hand to clench it in her lap in a demure gesture that was so unlike her it made A2 feel even worse. She’d never felt self-conscious about the state of her body before. She’d been frustrated, sure, when she found her capabilities steadily decreasing the more time she spent on the run, but she’d never felt so outright ashamed that she could hear her black box whirring in her ears, but now that her deficiencies had been brought into such stark contrast against 2B, perfect, pristine 2B -

“A2.”

2B’s firm voice pulled the attacker model out of her spiralling thoughts. 2B’s eyes were focused on the spot on her hip where she’d been subconsciously scratching at the loose patch of skin again. A2 clenched her blackened fingers into a fist, fighting against the overpowering compulsion to just rip it.

“You need maintenance”, 2B repeated, with more insistence than the first time.

“Are you still on about that?” A2 groaned, running a hand through her hair.

“You’re literally coming apart at the seams!” 2B hissed, and there was fervour there, a real concern.

“Don’t I know it”, A2 said, throwing her head back and barking out a laugh that was devoid of any happiness. She just wanted this conversation to be over, she wanted 2B to stop wasting her concern on her, she just…wanted everything to stop.

Another pause, and then…a sensation, a touch, ever so lightly, ever so softly, a pair of lips against her cheek. The contact lasted a second at the most, before 2B pulled back an inch, her face still so close that A2 could feel her breath ghosting over her skin as she spoke her next words.

“Can you feel this?”

A2 didn’t answer, but she didn’t have to, not when the staccato beat of her pulse and the stuttering of her breath spoke volumes. 2B slid closer to her now, sitting directly next to her so close close close that their thighs were touching and A2 could feel it and shit, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d been touched with care, like she mattered, like she deserved any of it. Pressure was building in her throat and she clenched her fist tighter until she could hear the joints of her fingers cracking. And still, she leaned into the contact, closed her eyes and held onto that moment while it lasted.

“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing”, 2B said quietly. A2 couldn’t guess how much time had passed, how long they’d simply been leaning against each other.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about”, A2 lied without any conviction. She had no doubt 2B would be looking right through her.

“Refusing maintenance. Coming up here every day.”

A2 opened her eyes as an errant breeze blew in through the window. She squinted against it. It was a long way down.

“Anemone is worried about you. I – we all are.”

“Well, you’re wasting your time”, A2 bit out, her voice tight against that god-damn lump in her throat. Too much, it was all too much. She had to go, go…somewhere, anywhere. Away. Away from people who looked at her, saw right through her, right down to the very core of her as if she was made of glass. She made a motion to get up, but 2B grabbed her wrist and tugged her down harshly.

“A2, you deserve to be cared for.” 2B’s voice was still so quiet, but as unyielding as the concrete beneath them. “You deserve this”, she said, one hand coming to rest against A2’s cheek. The touch was nothing but gentle, and yet it felt scalding. She batted it away.

“You of all people should know how it feels. We’ve killed, more times than we could count, more times than can ever be forgiven, it’s the only thing we were made for and the only thing we’re actually good at, and you’re telling me I deserve anything?”

2B shrunk back as if she’d struck her, and immediately a cold wave of guilt washed over A2 and settled deep and heavy in her core. She knew 2B, she could still feel the disgust and self-hatred emanating off of her whenever A2 had addressed her as 2E, they’d shared the pain of killing her closest friend over and over and over again. A2 reached out, to touch 2B, to hold her perhaps, but she thought better of it. She wasn’t made for gentleness. Everything she touched fell apart.

“I’m sorry”, she mumbled, her words falling pathetically short.

“Appreciated”, 2B said through gritted teeth, her fingers clenched into the hem of her dress so tightly her knuckles were turning white. She was close enough to touch, and yet they were miles apart. A2 had broken them miles apart. She had broken them apart, and she had no idea how to fix this divide. She wasn’t made for fixing.

“Shit, 2B, that was a fucked up thing to say to you, I’m-”

2B silenced her laughable attempts with a single, stiff wave or her hand.

“You’re right.”

A2 immediately opened her mouth to protest, to silence whatever nonsense she’d put in the combat model’s head, but then she met her eyes, cold steel blue more fiery than ever, and any words she might have said wither ed on her tongue. She was fixed to the spot, unmoving.

“And if we really are one and the same, A2, then you’ll understand why I can’t bear another death.”

It was too much, it was far too intimate. A2’s first instinct was to deflect, this was her they were talking about, she’d hardly be missed by anyone, having outlived almost all who might at some point have cared about her. And 2B, especially 2B, whom she’d killed dozens of times…

Unbidden, the ugliest memories reared their head, flashes of deep, oozing slashes in 2B’s body as her teammates stumble over themselves in retreat, flashes of loosing herself in B-Mode when she couldn’t keep up with her opponent anymore, only coming to again when her form was beaten, bloodied and almost unrecognizable. The same nausea she’d felt when asked to dismantle the machine husks rose in her again, that feeling of wrong wrong wrong and she couldn’t stomach it, not even the thought of it…

This time, she caught herself. Her hand halfway to her hip, she froze, biting her lip to distract from the urge to just tear at pieces of herself. 2B noticed, of course she noticed, placing a hand over the damaged area. It was tender, and though every fibre of her being cried out that she didn’t deserve it she didn’t deserve it she didn’t deserve it she swallowed them down. Laid her hand atop 2B’s. Threaded their fingers together.

She watched 2B fail to hide a soft gasp, and it made something within her lurch in delight. She gave 2B’s hand a gentle squeeze, wishing now more than ever to be able to feel the warmth of her hand radiating through the smooth satin glove.

It was a stupid reason. It was as good as any other.

She allowed herself to rest in this moment for a few seconds longer, then she slowly rose to her feet, groaning under the aching of her stiff joints. How long had she been up here?

“Come on, let’s head back before Anemone sends out a search party”, she said, pulling 2B upright, and when she was standing, A2 was struck to the core when she saw her smile. It was a subtle, understated thing, barely even visible, but shit, if she could make 2B smile like that one more time she knew she’d be worth something more than the scrap metal she was made of.

She took one last look out of the window over her shoulder. She could barely stomach it – it was such a long, long way down.

Feeling 2B’s hand in hers.

Making her smile.

They were better reasons than spite, she decided.