#if the guy cant concede to that then i cant trust him to be understanding of my other Issues. so it's better like this.

[orcelito]

So I found out upon checking my email this morning that the therapy appointment isn't in the health building like I thought, but rather in the basement of a boy's only dorm further north

Which brings up two problems: that's even further away than I'd accounted for, and I find it SUPREMELY uncomfortable to go to a boy's only dorm for therapy, even if the office is in one of the general areas.

I'd already been conceding on the matter of agreeing to talk to a man, since I'm generally uncomfortable with talking to men I don't know, but it was the soonest appointment I could get... so I agreed to it, but finding out it's in the boy's only dorm is just Too Much. Not only would it make it even harder to get there, but my skin just kinda crawls thinking about baring my fuckin heart in a place so thoroughly meant for guys. Like it's a place I don't belong, which REALLY does not help give the comfort kinda required of such an appointment.

I called the office asking if the appointment could be set up on zoom (bc it mentioned it in the email), but the therapist was staunch on it being in-person, so I rescheduled with a different person for the 13th. Bc if this dude isn't gonna be understanding with my discomfort with the location, like fuckin hell I'm gonna let myself be emotionally vulnerable with him. Bet he was thinking I was being too picky like "Oh it's a stupid Girl who can't handle being around Men" like sorry I have a healthy fear of guys I don't know 😋😋😋😋😋 if U have a problem with it then change society so talking to unknown men doesn't feel like walking in a minefield. Thanks.

[speech-less]

honorary agent

Reid x Reader

warnings: brief mentions of violence 

genre: fluff, angst 

w/c: 1,114

(here you are Reid’s girlfriend and match the unsub’s type perfectly so the team sends you in as a decoy)

“Y/N? It’s Garcia. You’re on speaker with the team.”

“Um, hey you guys,” you said, very confused as to what they could all want to talk to you about. While you had been around the team plenty of times since you started dating Spencer a year ago, it was very odd for them to all call you personally in the middle of a case.

“Y/N? It’s Aaron. I want you to come down to the office and join us. If you’re comfortable with it, I think you would be the perfect decoy to catch our unsub. We would just have you walking down an empty street and wait for him to jump out at you. It wouldn’t be too danger-“

Aaron was immediately cut off by Spencer. “It wouldn’t be too dangerous?” His voice was strained, as if they had been arguing about this for a while. “It’s way too dangerous. She has no training and no experience. And she would have to go in there alone. I’m not letting this happen.”

“Y/N, I know it sounds scary, but we would have you completely covered. This would help save so many other girls,” Aaron said to you, seemingly ignoring Spencer’s complaints.

“Emily or JJ can do it,” Spencer retorted. You hated hearing him so distressed.

“You know they cant do it, Reid. They don’t fit the profile. Y/N is just his type,” Aaron responded, getting louder as he turned his attention back to you. “It would just take a few minutes, Y/N. We would get you in there with a mic and a vest and pull you out as soon as possible.”

You were nervous, but, you had been dating Spencer for a year now, and, with that came the team. If Aaron thought it would be safe for you to do, then you were willing to do it. You trusted that they knew what they were doing and that they would absolutely have your back.

“I’ll do it,” you confirmed, immediately met with a sigh from Spencer. You’d always been too stubborn for your own good.

“Very good,” Aaron chimed in. You heard the team immediately springing into action. “We’ll pick you up in 20.”

-----

Your doorbell rang. You quickly moved to the door, opening it to see Spencer, Derek, and Aaron.

Spencer did not look happy, but there was no time for him to speak before Aaron started with the plan.

“Y/N, put this vest on under your clothes and then we will be ready to go,” Hotch instructed, handing you the vest.

Before you could turn to go to change, Spencer was behind you, hand on your back, pushing you into the hall bathroom.

Spencer closed the door, starting, “Are you sure you want to do this? You don’t have to. There are other agents and there are other ways to get this guy.” You had never seen him so frazzled.

“Listen,” you said, pulling your shirt over your head, “if I fit the profile perfectly, and if Aaron I can do it safely, I’ll do it.��

You saw a wave come over Spencer; he knew you weren’t going to back down.

You put your arms over your head, saying, “Please help me put the vest on?”

Without saying a word, he grabbed the vest and pulled it over your head, and went one step further to put your shirt back on, tucking it into your jeans so it wasn’t extremely obvious what you were wearing underneath.

You tried to take a step toward the door. You were blocked by Spencer, who cupped your face in his hands.

In a low, serious voice, he said, “Now, listen to me. Be safe out there. Be very vigilant. And don’t second guess what we tell you to do. Do you understand?”

You had never seen him like this. Eyes wide, you nodded in consent.

He got a little softer, leaning in and resting his forehead on yours. “I love you. And you’re coming home with me tonight.”

With that, Derek yelled from the front door that you needed to leave immediately.

-----

You had been prepped the whole way there, earpiece and all. The team would be in your ear the entire time and would pull you out the second they saw the unsub.

Spencer was riding in a different car, but he couldn’t even say a word to you over the earpieces.

They dropped you off two blocks from where they planned the unsub to find you.

You started to walk to the location, hearing everyone buzzing in your ear as they got into place.

Still a block away, you heard rustling behind you. Feeling a little paranoid, you turned to see what was happening.

All you saw was a shadowy figure.

With that, everything went black.

-----

“Y/N? Y/N?”

Your eyes slowly creeped open to see Spencer and Emily hovering over you.

“Oh, thank God,” Spencer gushed, visibly taking a huge breath.

“Wh- what happened?” You croaked, sitting up and instantly reaching out for Spencer.

He took off his jacket, wrapping you in it and gently bringing you closer to him so that you were leaning on him.

He supported your head in his hand, cradling you against his side. “The unsub was onto us and struck a block too early. He knocked you out. Luckily Morgan got there just in time,” Spencer explained. You looked over at Derek, who gave you a soft nod in exchange for your weak smile.

“So that’s why my head kills,” you said, a soft chuckle escaping your lips. “I’m glad you guys got him, though. Mission accomplished.” You knew it was a corny line, but it drew a laugh from Spencer and Emily.

“Great work, Y/N. You’re an honorary agent now,” Emily winked, getting up to leave you with Spencer.

“Spence, I’m really sorry,” you conceded, eyes fluttering in his direction. “I probably shouldn’t have done that.”

“No, no,” he retorted, nodding his head, “I was way too hard on you. You did great, and you saved who knows how many girls. You should be proud.” He leaned down and placed a kiss on your forehead.

“That being said,” he continued, his hand slowly rubbing your back, “you are absolutely never doing that ever again.”

You laughed, nodding your head very slightly. You agreed that it was probably best that this work was left to the professionals.

“Now, let’s get you checked out by a medic,” Spencer instructed, helping to pull you up off the ground, “and then I’ll be taking my girl home. And you’re staying at my apartment for at least two nights. At least.”

How could you argue with that?

taglist /// @ciniluv​

[thr-333]

Mismatch- Part 21

Bio Dad Bruce Wayne Month

Patrolling with Gotham’s vigilantes is somehow the least chaotic part of their day, emphasises on Least!

First< Previous > Next

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

“So you want to explain how you let the Joker go?” Sparrow asks Red Hood, as they pour over plans.

“It happens,” Red Hood shrugs, but she is willing to bet he has a similar expression to Songbird right about now.

“Right, i just want to know how ,” She pushes more, getting Songbird to blush more

“Hey!" Songbird interrupts, getting the attention of the rest of the Bats with them, "I’m good at tracking people,”

“Thats nice,” Nightwing says, gearing up to search for the Joker with Red Hood.

“What I mean is I should come with you while Sparrow goes in the opposite direction,” Songbird turns to glare at her, “Far away,”

“Why would you want that,” Sparrow leans into his space, getting her face pushed away, “I’m just asking a professional question,”

“I have known you for little over a week nothing you do is professional,” Robin tsks, still sour about getting put on Patrol with her instead of going after the Joker.

“Well that’s simply not true,” Sparrows's voice comes out mumbled as marion smooshes her face.

“Right so you will follow the lead Nightwing has,” Batman pushes Songbird towards Red Hood, the greatest detective not notices the growing blush, “You three are patrolling together,”

“What could go wrong,” Red Robin sighs, resigning to patrol with both her and Robin.

“Try not to fall through any windows,” Sparrow calls, as they move to swing in opposite directions,

“Ha ha...I make no promises,” He mutters, heard through super hearing, before shouting, "See you later Captain!

Marinette leaves with Robin and Red Robin. The two bicker until oracle alerts them of three people attacking a girl in an alley a block over. In a matter of seconds of their arrival the three were disarmed and unconscious. Marinette goes to comfort the victim Alya?!

“Al- are you alright?” Sparrow reaches out to help her up.

“Yes, I’m fine thanks,” Alya dusts herself off, finally looking up, “Um, who are you?”

“Sparrow, working in Gotham temporarily,” She says professionally, hoping beyond hope that Alya does not recognise her.

“Right,” She surprisingly misses the chance for an interview, “Listen I need to talk to Batman, is he here?”

“Sorry miss he’s in another part of Gotham what seems to be your issue?” Red Robin answers for her.

“I need to talk to him about something really important,”

“Sorry, but if you’re looking for an interview Batman is very busy,” Sparrow brushes her off, of course she would be salivating to interview Batman.

“What? no-I’m,”

“We have to go, the police will be here soon,” Robin cuts her off, leaving with a Tt.

“Wait!”

“How annoying,” Robin spits, as they leave Alya behind in the alley.

“How did you know she wanted an interview?” Red Robin asks instead.

“Just know the type,”

“HEY!” Alya calls, chasing after them in the street below, “Just wait a minute!”

“Do you think we should stop?” Sparrow asks, feeling guilt claw at her.

“No,” Robin speeds up.

“Please! I really need to talk with you!” Alya begs, “It’s about Paris!”

“Paris?” Robin exchanges a knowing glance with Red Robin.

“We should stop,” Red Robin decides, they come to a halt.

They wait on the edge of the building, so Alya can see their shadows at the top. Alya starts sprinting up the fire escape.

“Tha-Thank you,” She pants, leaning over.

“What's this about Paris?” Robin demands, somehow glaring down at her despite being significantly shorter.

“The Akuma attacks!” Alya explodes, as if it's the most obvious thing, probably is, “Have you heard of Ladybug and Chat Noir? Hawk Moth?!”

“The situation in Paris has recently come to our attention,” Red Robin answers cordially.

“Well it’s been like this since I was thirteen!” Taking them both aback slightly, “And it's only getting worse every day,”

“The heroes of Paris have proved to be capable,” How did Red Robin even know about them?

“That's not what I mean, it’s the emotional toll,” Alya is still out of breath, Sparrow stands off to the side, joining in would only risk her identities, “Do you know what it’s like to be afraid to feel negative emotions? To have to constantly be happy otherwise you could kill your whole family!”

“I’m sure your heroes can handle it,” Robin concedes, bitterness hanging from the tone.

“They can but they shouldn't have to!”

Alya takes her aback with another out burst, stepping towards the Bats.

“I was… I used to be called in by them from time to time, and let me tell you,” Alya pauses, she was probably still mad about getting benched, loving her position as Rena Rouge, “It’s terrifying,”

Now that... that is a surprise.

“Not even the hero part… most the time,” Alya rubs her arm, “But you can’t get Akumatized again otherwise Hawk Moth will know, he can target your friends and family,”

At least she finally understood the need to keep secret identities.

“Ladybug hasent called me in in years,” Alya admits, actually looking shameful, "I don’t know how I messed up,”

Thats the problem

“But I know that I’m glad Ladybug never gave me the miraculous again,”

Wait... WHAT!

“It was so stressful having all of paris, sometimes the world, depending on you,” Alya looks on the verge of tears, “At first I though it was fun because I had Ladybug who seemed so strong and unstoppable, someone I could look up to, for always being there, always put together, she didn't seem to have a weakness,”

That- That could not be further from the truth

“Not that I don’t still respect her, it’s just different now,” Alya backtracks, “I saw it, sometimes, the uncertainty there, it made me think she’s just like me, scared, but she doesn't have anyone stronger to protect her, she’s all alone,"

I have Chat Noir!

“I look up to her so much more now, it’s not a fun job and I know she’s afraid she cant protect everyone, so Hawkmoth needs to be defeated,”

Alya looks every inch the confident reporter Marinette had first met. The one before Lila came and sapped all her strength and independence.

“Ladybug deserves to live in peace,” Alya decides, almost glaring down the other two, “Will you please help her?”

“We already have plans of going to Paris soon to assist,” Red Robin informs.

“You do?!”

“Thank you,” Alya burst into tears, while Marinette is still reeling from the new information, “Thank you so much,”

“How about we escort you back to your hotel?”

They carry Alya to the hotel, swinging through the night. They see her in and set up a watch across the building. They report into Batman, granting permission to stake out for a while. They watch as Alya is talking with the group, including Lila in her room. Marinette could feel the irritation radiating off the other two at Lila’s nonsense.

“Is this necessary?” Robin glares down at the window they are watching through, “She didn’t have any valuable insight,”

“She was a hero in Paris,” Red Robin sighs, evidently glaring just as much, “That's something,”

“And she clearly got the boot for being incompetent,”

“You don’t know that,” Alya had actually been a great fox, but when Marinette could no longer trust her as a civilian, she knew Alya could never wield another miraculous, “Which is why we are watching, follow every possible lead, especially when they’re scarce,”

“Hey listen,” Red Robin nods towards the speaker, connected to the bug he planted on her.

“Marinette really needs to think things through,” Lila whines, all three go to turn it down at the same time, “It’s like she wants the class to get in trouble,”

“But Marinette protected us from Scarecrow,” Rose squeaks out.

“And Marion!” Nino adds, as if they didn't just commit treason in Lila land.

“Of course, it’s just they know all this trouble is following them around and they’re still-” Lila pauses long enough for everyone to be on the edge of their seats, “No never mind,”

“What is it Lila,”

“Well…” Lila plays like she isn't going to tell them everything that never happened, “I was talking to Marinette in the elevator and I told her I felt really unsafe and scared that another villain was going to attack,”

“Mari-Marinette started yelling at me about how I was trying to ruin her trip!” Lila's lip quivers, so painfully obvious she can see it from here, “She said if I felt unsafe I should just stay behind or go back to Paris!”

“Do you feel that unsafe Lila?” Mylene asks, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“Wha-”

“Yeah if you’re that scared you should tell your parents,” Kim encourages, enthusiastic, but concerned, “I’m sure you’ll feel better back home with Ladybug,”

“You guys don’t understand,” Lila almost shouts, losing grip on her perfect persona, “Marinette wasn't worried about me; she just wanted me out of the way! Because- well I don’t know why! I think she can just be really cruel sometimes,”

“That little disgusting worm!” Robin makes a grab for his katana.

“Yeah so I hacked the security footage and they have never been in a room alone together,” Red Robin reports, scrolling through a video feed, “Let alone an elevator,”

“Let’s just go,” Sparrow grabs them both by the arms, “I think we’ve exhausted our information,”

She practically drags them off the roof, a few blocks away. Robin’s pacing looking for something to stab. At this rate it’s probably going to be Red Robin, who’s been tapping away at his screen the whole time. Sparrow finds her saving grace, spotting a park down below.

“Let’s go,”

She drags them despite their protests down to the playground. Robin is grumbling the whole time, so she sits him down on the swing, and pushes him. Red Robin starts laughing and may or may not be filming.

“I am perfectly capable of pushing myself!”

“Really have you ever been on a swing before?” She leans over, getting in his face.

“Tt, of course not,” He looks away, “So childish,”

“Well that just means a child can do something you cannot,”

It's really Red Robins laughter that truly breaks him.

“... do not push me,”

“Alright, how about I show you?” She hops on the swing next to him, “Like this,”

Robin copies her form as Red Robin keeps filming, shouting out scores in the negative numbers.

“So help me I will stab you if you don't!-” Robin tips off balance and falls off the swing backwards, “ RED ,”

“That was very good for a first time,” Marinette helps him stand back up, “Keep it up and you might be able to go toe to toe with the three year olds one day,”

They spend the rest of patrol getting chased around the park by Robin, both hurling out insults and condescending reassurance.

Marion had not run into any buildings yet thank you very much. He had ran into a cell phone tower.

“Are you alright?” Red hood lands in front of him.

Marion glares at him upside down, hanging off the bars, as if this wasn't all his fault,

“Fine,” And because he can’t possibly be anymore embarrassed, “Just like you,”

“Of course I’m fine,” He crosses his arms, Marion definitely doesn't give him the once over, “I didn’t just run into a cell tower,”

He’s an idiot!..... He’s perfect

It does not help that Nightwing bursts out laughing.

“Little wing… no,” Nightwing gasps through his laughter.

“What are you-” Red Hood stiffens up, “oh,”

Mayday! Mayday! Abort! Abort! BACK TO PARIS!!! Wheres the Rabbit Miraculous!!!

“Oh,” Red Hood leans in, inches away, “Hell yeah I am,”

Sorry to inform you Marion has now died, Red Hood is indeed a murderer

Unfortunately before Marion has another opportunity to embarrass himself  Oracle calls in and they both swing off. Leaving Marion to catch up. They eventually stop for a break without crashing into another building… it was a light graze ok?!

“I swear you and Sparrow are my new favourites,” Nightwing scarfs down another macaron.

“Careful golden boy,” Red Hood warns, stealing a macaron from Nightwing, “You’ll get a lecture form the Bat,”

“Batman can fuck off,” Marion shoves one in his mouth, “He probably lives off protein shakes and brooding,”

“Oh my-,” Red Hood cracks up, “I don’t think I've ever heard you swear,”

“What can I say,” Marion leans back, looking over Red Hood, “You bring out the best in me,”

“I think I’d rather bring out the worst in you,”

… No Marion is not blushing, he is not stuttering, he has everything under control thank you very much.

“Are- are you actually going to eat that?” Marion chokes out, Red Hood still holding his stolen macaron.

That turns out to be the worst possible thing he could have said, because Red hood actually takes off his helmet. There is a domino mask underneath but this is the first time Marion is seeing his face.

“Songbird are you ok?” Nightwing asks.

“I will never be ok again,” Marion falls back across the roof, “Ok is a state before perfection and I can never feel anything but joy after seeing that,”

“Ummm,” Nightwing looks awkwardly between the two.

“You’re pretty,” Marion turns, curling around to look at Red Hood.

“Not handsome?” And fuck he’s smiling, fuck.

“No,” Marion says harshly,“Gorgeous,”

Red Hood looks completely shocked. And god he can actually see his face! And expressions! This is wonderful!

“Yes… well,” Nightwing clears his throat, “We should probably move on,”

“Jealous?” Red Hood teases.

“No, let’s just go,” Nightwing stands, Marion sighs and sits back up.

“It’s alright Golden boy,” Red Hood punches him in the shoulder as he stands, “Plenty of people still think you’re pretty,”

Marion has to stop himself from ripping the helmet out of Red Hood’s hands when he goes to put it back on.

“That’s not what this is about Hood,”

“Sure it’s not,” Red Hood winks at Songbird just before he puts the helmet back on, as if that didn’t cause him cardiac arrest.

They continue along their search equal parts flirting with each other and teasing Nightwing.

“Oi! Shelly!”

Marion looks behind him, mid-swing to spot a familiar taxi driver,”

“Norris!” Marion spins around, landing in front of the man.

“You’re patrolling with them?” Norris nods towards the other two hiding in the shadows, “Where’s your sister?”

“Yeah! Decided on a codename, it’s Songbird actually,”

“Nah,” Norris leans against the hood of his car, “Shelly suits you better,”

“Hell yeah it does!”

Bruce waits for the others to finish up patrol in the Batcave. He has to talk to them about the twins at some point, the sooner the better, before they go back to Paris. It’s just so hard. Would they even accept someone new into the family?

“Father!” Damian shouts the moment he enters the cave, “I demand you adopt Sparrow immediately,”

“What, why?”

“She is a good warrior,” From Damian that is very high praise .

“And helps you skip patrol,” Tim adds, going directly for his after patrol coffee.

“You were complicit in that Drake!”

“You skipped patrol,” Bruce sighs, partly disappointed, partly curious Damian was usually excited for patrol.

“Not really we were watching that student from Paris we told you about,” Tim states, Bruce nods along, “They were talking to another student in the class who is-”

“A filthy liar,” Damian spits, “I have meet them once and know Marinette is far more honourable than that,”

“Lila?” Bruce guesses, thinking back to the fair, on the other hand at least Damian doesn't seem to hate them.

“How did you know?” Tim asks, taking the reports from the desk as he downs the coffee.

“I was with them the other day-”

“Father if you are planning to adopt them I insists you adopt Sparrow first,”

“We’re adopting Sparrow?!” Dick calls, as he walks in with Jason, “Cause we should also adopt Songbird,”

“Are you so offended you would go this far to thwart me?” Jason recites theatrically, “You should really learn to control that jealousy,”

“What happened?” Bruce grows suspicious watching Dick glare.

“Songbird flirted with me,” Jason grins, perhaps a little too widely, “And ignored Dick,”

“I’m not jealous, just worried,”

“Thanks,” Jason looks away bitterly, tone getting harsher.

“That's not what I meant Jason,” Dick cringes, having ruined his good mood.

“What did you mean then?” Jason bites out, making Dick recoil.

“Enough, I’m not adopting them!” Bruce shouts, making everyone pause.

“... That’s probably the first time you ever said that,”

"Alfred!" Jason jumps, Bruce tenses at him reflexively reaching for his gun, "Where the fuck did you come from!?"

"I think you will end up adopting them one way or another Master Bruce,"

"What do you mean," Bruce asks as Alfred takes Tim's coffee.

"Well I think it's time everyone retires for the night,"

"ALFRED! what do you mean!"

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

Taglist:

@technicallyburninggarden @fusser90  @misslenamooney @superbwhispersconnoisseur @biodad-bruce-month @nalu-ismyjam @the-one-woman-army @rosesandsailboats @blackmagicforever @zeneralla @ivymala07 @tired-butterfly @tired-butterfly @Ranger-gothamite @A-star-with-a-human-name @enchanted-nerd

[hysterialevi]

When the Devil Cries pt. 35

Fanfic summary: (NO SPOILERS IN THIS STORY) After arriving in Saint Denis, Arthur ends up falling in love with a seemingly innocent pianist, only to find himself in a battle with one of the most notorious outlaws to ever emerge from America. Now, between working for Dutch and robbing money for the gang, Arthur has to also protect the man he loves as the two of them try to find their freedom.

Pairing: Arthur Morgan/Male OC

Author’s note: Sorry about the longer wait for this one guys! I had a hard time putting my thoughts into words on this one for some reason, but I’m finally happy with the end result. There’s only going to be one more chapter after this one, and I’m extremely excited to share the final parts of this story with you. Enjoy!

Previous chapter

This story is also on AO3

From Eddie’s POV

A FEW YEARS AGO

BISHOP RESIDENCE, LONDON

“Nathaniel!” I exclaimed, trying to calm the man down as he paced around. “What are you doing? We need to go! Your father’s men will be here soon!”

“I know!” He replied in a frantic tone, trying to barricade the door. “Which is why you need to get the hell out of here!”

I pulled back at the reply, shaking my head in confusion. “What? But w-what about you?”

Nathaniel took out his gun and staunchly faced the doorway, loading a series of bullets into the chamber as Atticus’ men approached the house.

“I’ll hold the gang back. Try to make ‘em see reason. It really ain’t worth it, all this death. You and your family...none of you deserve to die. This whole thing’s a goddamn massacre. My father’s just gone mad. I can only pray that I’ll be able to change his mind.”

I paused for a moment, instantly thinking about the worst outcome.

“...And if you cant?

Nathaniel fell silent at that and gazed sorrowfully at me, letting out a morose sigh as his head hung low.

There was a certain temperament to him at the moment that really I didn’t like, and the longer he stayed in place, refusing to leave -- the more I got a terrible feeling that I knew exactly what he was thinking.

I just hoped I wasn’t right.

“...Listen, Theo,” Nathaniel said softly, freezing mid-action. “I...I need you to make it outta this alive, you hear me? I need you to survive.”

“And I will,” I insisted, “but not if we stay here! We need to move! Come on!”

“We’re surrounded, Theo.” Nathaniel replied hopelessly. “If we run off together, they’ll gun us down before we can even escape the city. The only way you’re gonna get out of this is if I cause a distraction and force them to come up here. In the meantime, you’ll be haulin’ ass to safety and hopping on the first ship to America. You understand?”

I still rejected the idea.

“Nathaniel, you’re out of your mind if you think I’m leaving you here. There’s no way--”

“--I can’t come with you, Theo!” He fired back, causing me to go quiet. He immediately picked up on my surprise and switched to a gentler tone, lowering his voice.

“Trust me, if there was another option, I’d take it, but...this is where we’re at. This is all we can do. I’m...I’m sorry, Theodore. I truly am. But I can’t go with you.”

I bit my bottom lip and held back the tears that were welling up in my eyes, only to have them spill out freely once everything started to sink in. It was just one of those things I couldn’t control, and despite the reality of our situation, I absolutely refused to believe that this was the last time I’d ever see Nathaniel.

I mean, I had already lost both of my parents, and God only knew what was happening to Alice. I couldn’t lose Nathaniel too. I just couldn’t. He was the only person I had left. What...what the hell was I going to do without him? I had never been to America before, and I didn’t even know if I’d be able to make it there on my own.

All of this was just...too much at once, and it felt like the weight of the world itself was crushing my shoulders.

Striding over to me, Nathaniel affectionately wiped away some of the tears on my face and lightly gripped my chin so that I was looking at him, causing the both of us to nearly break down right then and there as we silently said goodbye to each other.

There was a look of finality in his eyes -- the kind that said he knew he was going to die -- and with every shaky breath that he took, I could almost see the life draining from his expression.

“Listen to me, Theo,” Nathaniel reassured. “You’re gonna be okay. Just...go to America. Change your name. Start a new life. Don’t tell anyone who you are, and you’ll be safe. You ain’t gonna be alone.”

I turned away from him out of distress and held onto his hand, desperately trying to think of any excuse that would permit me to stay.

“...It’s not that easy, Nathaniel.”

He caressed my cheek, offering whatever encouragement he could.

“I know, but if anyone can do this -- it’s you. You’re much stronger than you believe, Theo. Someday, you’ll see that. But for now, just do whatever it takes to survive...and don’t look back. No matter what happens. You hear me?”

I offered only silence in return, causing the other man to grip me by the shoulders and look me in the eye.

“Do you hear me?” He repeated, his tone growing more desperate.

I took a deep breath and nodded in response, albeit reluctantly.

Nathaniel suddenly planted a brief but deep kiss on my lips and brought me into a tight embrace, clearly reluctant to let go so soon.

“Goodbye, Theo,” he whispered mournfully. “And thank you for everything. ...I’ll never forget you. Promise you won’t forget me.”

~~~~~~~~~~

PRESENT DAY

EASTERN NEW HANOVER

...Nathaniel Rose.

I couldn’t stop repeating his name in my head.

As Arthur and I scaled this enormous rock formation where Atticus awaited our arrival at the top, I felt like I was finally confronting the past that had haunted me for so long.

Years of grief, fear, and hatred all overwhelmed me at once, and despite having spent the majority of my life writing stories, I couldn’t think of a single word that was sufficient enough to describe my emotions at the moment.

There were just so many memories, so many questions, so many regrets -- that it was impossible to express them all.

From the time I spent falling in love with Nathaniel, to Atticus’ betrayal, to the murder of my family, and now, to the end of it all...I didn’t know what to think.

Was this truly the only way it could’ve ended? Was there ever a possibility of my family living in peace? Had I always been destined to live this kind of life from the start?

...Were Arthur and I even meant to cross paths in the first place?

Well, whatever the case was, I couldn’t deny that I was somewhat remorseful of how I had grown.

Not too many years ago, I would’ve never even considered the option of shooting someone to death -- and yet, here I was, after all this time, ready to kill the man who had single-handedly destroyed my life in the name of greed.

I had to admit, it was rather frightening to see the sort of man I had become. I never anticipated that I would go out of my way to end another human being’s life like this, but it was something I felt like I had to do. Not just for my family, or for Nathaniel...but also for Arthur.

I loved that man more than anything. He may not have thought much of himself, but he was a hero in my eyes.

Arthur found me whilst I was at one of the lowest points in my life, and not only did he help me survive, he also gave me the courage to become the man I was today.

He showed me the beauties of this world and turned everything I feared into something I could conquer. He always faced his problems head-first, no matter how frightening they could’ve been, even if it meant confronting the man in the mirror.

There wasn’t a single thing I felt like I couldn’t achieve with Arthur at my side, and now that the two of us were finally preparing to take Atticus down for good, part of me wondered if this could truly be the end.

I only hoped I’d survive long enough to find out.

Bringing myself back to the task at hand, I pulled the trigger on my gun and fired it once more, putting down the last of the Pinkerton agents blocking our path.

The silence following the gunshot seemed to fill the air more than the sounds of any battlefield could, and as I watched the smoke slowly dance away from the barrel of my pistol, I could sense Atticus’ gaze following me from afar.

He was keeping an eye on us. I could feel it. I just had to find him first.

“...Look at all these bodies,” I remarked, examining the Pinkertons that we didn’t kill. “They’re still incredibly fresh.”

Arthur glanced at the surrounding area, reloading his weapons. “That can only mean one thing. Atticus is still here. And he’s waitin’ for us.”

I bit my lip in nervousness, trying to find any clues that could’ve led us to Rose. “Well, let’s just hope we can find him before he finds us. Atticus may be outnumbered, but make no mistake -- he’s not at a disadvantage. If anything, he has the element of surprise on his side. We need to be extra careful.”

Falling silent at that suggestion, Arthur thought to himself for a moment and simply stayed in place whilst I wandered off ahead, only to abruptly stop in my tracks once I realized he wasn’t following me.

I peered over my shoulder, curious to see if he was okay.

“Arthur?” I called out. “Is...something wrong?”

The other man furrowed his brow in concern and gave me a firm stare, squinting slightly in the sun radiating behind me.

His eyes were fixated in a manner that told me he was evidently preoccupied with something else, and judging by his current demeanor, I could tell he wasn’t entirely on board with the plan.

Just what was going on?

“...Are you sure you wanna do this?” He asked plainly, keeping his voice steady. An uncertain sigh escaped me.

“I know it’s...probably foolish,” I conceded, admittedly tempted to turn back, “but even if it gets me killed, this is something I have to do. I can’t keep running away from Atticus like this. Look at all the people who have been hurt because of what we’ve done. Nathaniel, Hosea, Lenny...even you. This war between us has to come to an end sooner or later. Otherwise, it’ll never stop following us.”

Following my words with a heavy heart, Arthur let out an uneasy breath and brought his gaze to my gun, reminiscing about the first few days of our relationship.

It was pretty clear that he never expected that I would someday use his gift to take down my worst enemy, and on top of all that, it was probably safe to assume that he blamed himself for indirectly pushing me onto this path.

I knew how much Arthur beat himself up, after all. He may have never expressed it aloud, but it was rather obvious that he felt guilty for bringing me into such a chaotic lifestyle.

What he didn’t realize, however, was that he actually taught me how to find peace within myself.

As much as I wanted to put a bullet through Atticus’ brain and avenge my family, I still hadn’t forgotten Arthur’s words to me back at the Bastille.

He experienced the same kind of grief I did after his own family was murdered. He shared the same anger. There was no question that Arthur knew what he was talking about when it came to vengeance, and regardless of how crippling my rage could’ve been at times, I didn’t want to lose myself either.

I didn’t want to become a killer.

I didn’t want to become Atticus.

But even then, I doubted I’d ever fully forgive myself if I didn’t at least try to settle things. There was just far too much history between me and Atticus for us to simply part ways, and I refused to pretend as if I could just move on...but that was where Arthur and I disagreed.

Or, at least, I thought it was.

“Okay,” Arthur said at last. “I understand.”

“...Really?” I asked, tilting my head up in surprise.

Arthur nodded, casually resting his hands on his hips. “Yeah. I still don’t think this is the best idea, but all I know is I’d want the same kinda closure with Dutch. That man betrayed me same as Atticus betrayed you, and I ain’t so righteous that I’d pretend I wouldn’t try to get some answers if given the chance. But...just try not to lose your head, alright? I don’t plan on goin’ to England alone.”

I gave him a reassuring glance. “And you won’t. Thank you for understanding, Arthur.”

The outlaw grinned, lightening the mood slightly. “Hey, if we won’t understand each other, who will?” He patted me on the shoulder. “Now, c’mon. We got ourselves a score to settle.”

Climbing further up this magnificent rock formation, Arthur and I kept our eyes peeled as we scanned the surrounding area for any signs of Atticus’ presence, ready to shoot at a moment’s notice.

Ideally, I was hoping I’d at least be able to pull some answers out of the outlaw before anyone got shot, but if there was one thing I knew about Atticus, it was that he had lost any traits of forbearance ever since losing Nathaniel. Most-likely, he wouldn’t even bother to hear me out.

...It was sad, really, to think about how far our friendship had fallen. When I first met Atticus, he became somewhat of a paternal figure in my eyes. He never once fell short of the legends that spoke about him, and with every threat that presented itself to him or his son, Atticus only proved himself to be the man that the Wild West truly feared.

Who knew? Perhaps this fight would be over within a minute. Or perhaps, it would drag on for another couple of years. Or maybe, the Pinkertons would surprise us all, and none of us would walk out of here alive.

Really, there was no way to predict how the future was going to play out. But, God willing, perhaps this would finally be the day where Atticus and I put this battle to rest. Far too much blood had already been shed over these past few years because of our feud, and if my time with Dutch’s gang taught me one thing, it was that wounds should never be left to fester.

I didn’t know who was going to die today, but it had to be one of us.

Breaking the silence with an intrusive bang, a single bullet suddenly implanted itself into the ground beneath my feet as a flock of birds spread into the sky, causing me to come to a halt.

I didn’t see anyone in the area who could’ve pulled the trigger just yet, but as the gunshot started to echo throughout the mass emptiness surrounding us, a gentle series of footsteps crept towards me from the side, leading my attention to a rather big boulder up ahead.

It was only a short few meters away and cast a rather tall shadow in its wake, but what came sauntering out from behind it only seemed to blot out the sun even more.

Atticus Rose.

“...My, my,” the solemn man flatly remarked, holding his revolver in my direction. “I suppose the rumors are true, then. The Theodore I know would’ve fled at the first sign of danger. That’s usually his typical response. And yet, here you are -- purposely seeking me out after years of avoiding me like the plague. One could say you’ve grown, Mister Bishop. Perhaps...one could even prove it.”

I clenched my jaw in an effort to remain unwavering, not even daring to take my eyes off Atticus lest he shoot me in the back.

“...You know why I’m here, Atticus.” I replied, barely able to speak above a whisper with how hard my heart was pounding.

The older man’s stare didn’t even shift. “Yes. I do. But before we get to that, I must ask...” his eyes flicked around in curiosity, “where is Rodrick? Hm? What has happened to my friend?”

Arthur jumped in, not even bothering to sugarcoat the truth. “That maniac is dead. I killed him.”

Contrary to what I expected, Atticus didn’t seem shocked by the news. Only disappointed.

“Is that so?” He questioned, afterwards sighing out of dolor. “...I knew it would happen someday, but I suppose you can never truly brace yourself for someone’s death, can you?”

Atticus took a few careful steps towards us, his boots softly scraping on the rock.

“So, you’ve dealt with Mister Kingsley -- as well as the rest of my gang -- and now you’ve come to put out the last fire. Is that it? ...One final fight to be marked in the pages of history? The extravagant end of a journey that will be preserved through storytelling? A glorious conclusion for the benevolent heroes?”

Rose scoffed.

“Well, I for one, have been eagerly waiting for this day to arrive -- I cannot deny that. But I hope you understand, Mister Bishop, that none of this truly means anything.”

I gave him a puzzled look. “What are you talking about?”

Atticus gestured to the world around us. “We’re nothing but a group of outcasts, Theodore. Whether you kill me, or I kill you, none of this will matter. In the end, civilization will only express relief at our demise, and they will happily forget that we ever existed. They’ll say, ‘Good. Let the savages kill each other.”

He let out a deep breath, staring at the ground. “...This is why revenge is pointless. This is why our little war will be no more than a raindrop in the storm to come. Because we mean nothing.”

I furrowed my brow out of frustration. “Then why bother chasing me like this? Why rip the country to shreds in an attempt to track me down? Why kill those who simply wish to protect me if we are ‘nothing?”

Atticus’ expression softened in a forlorn manner, and I could’ve sworn I saw a glimmer of the man he once was buried deep within his eyes.

“...Because I have nothing else to live for.” He answered truthfully. “It may be a mission doomed to end in futility, but this is the only thing I can do, now that Nathaniel’s dead. Just as killing me is the only thing you can do. ...Isn’t that right, Mister Bishop?”

Trying not to lose my resolve, I forced myself to keep my eyes on Atticus and clenched my hand into a fist, admittedly terrified of what was to come.

I wanted to shoot the man. I wanted to shoot him more than anything in the world. But...despite my natural impulses, something just...held me back.

What was wrong with me? Was I afraid of killing a man? I had done it before. What made it so hard to pull the trigger this time?

I supposed it was because I had witnessed Atticus’ past for myself. Sure, I had done my fair share of killing -- unfortunately -- but it was far easier to end a person’s life when you didn’t know their life.

With other enemies, the only thing I knew about them was that they were trying to hurt me. I had no other knowledge or interest concerning their previous experiences, and there had never been a reason for me to find out.

With Atticus, on the other hand...I watched him grow, just as he watched me. He guided me through the world alongside my father ever since I was just a young man, and treated me as if I was a second son.

We bonded over the years. We learned to trust each other. We became a family.

But...ever since Nathaniel’s death, everything just fell apart. Any redeeming qualities that Atticus once had were quickly replaced by a desire for vengeance, and the more he suffered due to his own sins, the more he desperately searched for something else to blame.

And, with time, the blame eventually fell on me.

But now, I realized. Simply pointing fingers at each other was no longer enough to help anything. Regardless of who was truly at fault, or who could’ve prevented this from happening, things had to be settled one way or another.

Atticus would have to kill me, or I’d have to kill him.

This was my reality, and it was time for me to wake up.

“...You murdered my family,” I recalled mournfully, thinking back to those horrible times. “You drove me away from my own home, and you took away the person I loved the most.”

Rose said nothing in response, so I continued.

“You ruined my life, Atticus. But I won’t let you take it.”

Using this opportunity to attack, I moved before Atticus could even have a chance to blink and aimed straight for his head, risking everything in a Hail-Mary attempt to finally finish him off.

As I brandished my revolver, time itself seemed to slow down. There were no second guesses or thoughts of hesitation holding me back, and for the first time in forever, I felt free of myself.

I had no fears, or worries, or doubts...I just did what I had to do, and the world seemed to hold its breath until I accomplished it.

I was finally where I had fought so long to be, and I would be damned if I didn’t take this opportunity.

Slamming the hammer on my gun down, I unleashed an array of bullets into Atticus’ torso as the man’s body jolted violently from the impact, causing him to collapse to his knees.

By now, there were clouds of blood evaporating into the air behind him, and with every second he spent staring at me in shock, the more I could see hints of Nathaniel’s presence lingering in his gaze.

It was the same look Nathaniel had when he knew his death had finally come knocking. It was a horrible sort of realization that carried a genuine sense of dread with it, but to be honest...I didn’t even know if that was an accurate description for it.

I had never been that close to death, after all. Yes, I had experienced a few close calls in my past, but I couldn’t even begin to comprehend how terminating its embrace truly felt. How...powerless it must’ve rendered someone. Especially someone like Atticus.

I mean, this was the same man who changed my entire world. This was the same man who grew up with the outlaws that murdered his parents, and eventually turned their gang into his own. He became a walking legend by the time he was my age, and later sacrificed all that glory in order to raise a family once he grew older.

He lived a life twice as adventurous as those who surpassed his own generation by decades, and yet...here he was. Mere moments away from meeting his maker, all because one person managed to slip through his fingers. All because he made one mistake.

...That was when it dawned on me.

Despite being the center of many legends, Atticus was no legend himself. He wasn’t the devil that civilization made him out to be, nor the invincible gunslinger his men saw him as.

In the end, he was only human. Nothing more than a father mourning the loss of his son, and a reflection of what I could’ve been if Arthur hadn’t been there to guide me.

He was the embodiment of everything I didn’t want to be, and so -- with a single bullet left in the chamber, I steadily approached the dying man as he knelt on the ground and held my gun up to his head, bidding him an incredibly delayed farewell before pulling the trigger one last time.

And just like that...Atticus was gone.

He fell backwards, plunging off the edge of this rock formation and disappearing into the vast nothingness below, vanishing as if he never existed.

Meanwhile, I stood there in disbelief, unable to comprehend what just happened.

Was...was that it?

Was that really the “glorious” moment I had spent all these years fighting tooth and nail for?

Was that all the end had in store for me?

I mean...I just took another person’s life, for God’s sake. I just killed the man who was responsible for all the suffering I’d endured, and yet...everything felt so mundane. So...empty.

The world didn’t realign itself like I expected. Instead, there was a definitive silence looming over us, and with the time I had to reflect on Atticus’ crimes, I simply used it to look at my own.

Goddammit...Arthur was right, wasn’t he?

I couldn’t deny that I felt a new sense of relief now that Atticus was dead, but there was nothing fulfilling about this sort of vengeance. In the end, I only found absence where peace once stood, and rather than falling into a state of serenity, my mind tore itself apart with an eternal list of questions.

It may have been the end of my war with Atticus and his gang, but it was not the end of this journey.

Calmly walking up to me from behind, Arthur placed a comforting hand on my shoulder and gently turned me around, giving me a look that said he knew exactly what I was feeling.

There was a sorrowful glint of familiarity in his deep blue eyes, and without even saying a word, I could tell that he was somewhat disappointed in me for not taking his advice.

But in spite of all that, there was still a faint smile hiding underneath his well-meaning glower.

Arthur understood that even though I made a mistake, the fact of the matter was: Atticus Rose was dead. Rodrick Kingsley was dead. Their entire gang was dead. And as for Dutch, well...we hadn’t seen any sign of him for weeks.

All these men who had pursued us for so long were finally out of our lives, and we were free of them, at last.

For the first time in years...our future was in our own hands.

It may not have been the triumphant victory that I envisioned, but it was a moment worth celebrating nonetheless.

I cupped Arthur’s face with my hands and gazed longingly at him, smiling ecstatically once Atticus’ death sunk in.

“Arthur...” I whispered softly, caressing his cheek, “...we’re free.” A cheerful giggle escaped me. “...We’re finally free!”

Arthur returned the laugh and pulled me into a embrace, holding tightly onto me.

“I’ll be damned,” he said, clearly in disbelief. “We actually did it. We goddamned did it. We’re...we’re gonna free men. We made it.”

I lightly stroked my fingers down Arthur’s bearded jaw and tilted my head in admiration, unable to take my eyes off his adorably crooked smile.

“Thanks to you. I may have killed Atticus, but I never would’ve reached him without your help. I...I owe you so much, Arthur.”

The outlaw beamed at that and affectionately gripped my wrist, offering his own praise.

“Aw, you helped me with a lotta things too, Eddie. Just in ways you don’t know.”

I chuckled, taking a step back from Arthur. “Well, I suppose we can talk about it later. For now though...” I glanced at the southern horizon, “I think you and I have a ship to catch. Shall we be off?”

The other man picked up Atticus’ revolver from the ground and wiped it clean, smirking at me as we took our leave.

“We shall.”

~~~~~~~~~~

From Arthur’s POV

A FEW MINUTES LATER

Gallopin’ freely through New Hanover’s open meadows, Eddie and I savored the natural beauty surrounding us as we steadily made our way to Saint Denis, eager to say goodbye to this hurricane of a country.

At the moment, Eddie’s head was calmly restin’ on my shoulder and his arms were tied loosely around my waist, allowing the poor pianist to finally find some solace in the midst of this mayhem.

I was still attached to the spontaneous nature of America in a number of different ways -- that was true -- but after witnessing the whole showdown between Eddie and Atticus...I couldn’t help but wonder if, perhaps, it was time to leave all this chaos behind.

I mean, I'd be lyin’ if I said I weren’t gonna miss the excitement of livin’ as a gunslinger, but all the violence and death that came along with it -- that weren’t the kinda lifestyle I wanted for Eddie.

He was a good man. He deserved a good future. One that didn’t involve crime, or bounty-hunting, or livin’ in the ass-end of the wilderness. It was my job, as his friend and as his partner, to get serious about settling down and start caring about other people.

Maybe we’d live somewhere in the countryside. Work away from the pandemonium of the cities. Earn our money like honest folk. I didn’t know how the hell England worked, but I was ready to learn if it meant livin’ a free life with Eddie.

He was all that mattered to me now, and Lord knew I had wavin’ this gun around for far too long.

I may have started out my life as a criminal, but it was time for me to move on from Dutch’s society, and pursue a normal career.

I doubted I’d ever truly be a civilized man at heart -- I couldn’t deny that -- but I was always gonna be a free one. And if findin’ my freedom meant giving up my ties to the Wild West, then so be it.

Right now, his was our only path to a stable, secure future...and I’d be damned if we turned back.

[didsomeonesayventus]

ESSAY TIME I love a ship please come hang out w/ me on this dinghy or like. dont because fates is awful and I can’t blame u for dodging that bullet but i just wanna scream because i love them and they’re the fixation rn so 321 GO

i cant blame anyone for not really seeing this because their support is. Ok. Its alright. Not amazing, it’s serviceable, better options are out there in fates I'll concede. Corrin has like. At least 3 other love interests who feel more canon LMAO but this isn’t about them

It's more from elsewhere in their characterization that really made me adore them and, as I mentioned in tags, a lot of this comes from how I write them which. Is largely filed under rp stuff right now but more ramble time on how i write them i guess dont forget to mark your free bingo space for throwing out large swaths of fates canon and writing.  Also we're scooting their canon support gently to the side because it’s ok it’s not the most offensive writing this nightmare scrap heap of canon has to offer but a massive missed opportunity.

PART 1- One (1) Corn, With a Side of Emotional Neglect

*makes vague gesture at Disney's Rapunzel* Corrin would have been so much better recieved if the devs just took some notes from you instead of writing such a flat character i swear.

Corrin in particular with how I write her is getting a pretty massive rework in the emotionally stable department because honestly I don’t believe she would be. like. She's not dumb, but she is naive, important distinction, and it ends up coloring her views a lot and I have a ramble on that over here on the inverse graph that is Corrin’s confidence but to dissect where her attitudes came from:

Her family was limited to visits, and she has been directly/implicitly blamed for this for roughly a decade and a half, at least a decade, by not being an insane king's definition of strong enough to be with them. Bad memory makes her frail, swordsmanship isn’t up to par, doesn’t seem to offer much else in terms of skills unlike Xander, a Certified Badass(tm), Magic-oriented Leo and Elise, and Magically gifted but just plain ruthless Camilla. She’s held at arm’s length from her family, and while her siblings may have always loved her and expressed that love as often as they could, they’re not always there or a good yardstick to measure her progress with, and she had to always watch them go and likely wonder when they would come back, or if they even would.

As for our beloved butler and maids, being surrounded by servants was probably her most constant and consistent source of contact, and she does love them, but it can be very easy to wonder if they love her because they do or because it's their job to.

Corrin's faith in everyone around her and unwavering trust is there because any sort of doubt is basically redirected to. her. Because she is the dumbass who's still figuring the world out. She's hyper aware she's still learning and making naive decisions and she overcompensates that with "well what do I know" and not feeling really all that worthy to be Special Protagonist. She doubts herself before almost everything else.

Brief mention of Dragon arc because fates was dumb and neglected an entire arc for dragon feelings beyond chapter 5 and foreshadowing for Dad(tm) but I also write in an arc of the Dragon Is A Metaphor For Loving Yourself Faults And Trauma And All Love Yourself And You Can Control Yourself Dammit.

*Corrin hurt herself in her confusion!*

The way I write Corrin is not nearly as put together and confident as Canon™️ Corrin is, at least for a good chunk of the plot. She fakes it till she makes it because she is a leader and being mopey will not get things done but she’s also very self critical and mopey on the inside and quite paranoid that people don’t actually like being around her and just. ball of stress and anxious hidden under Many a uwu that she doesn’t want to talk about because why should she complain her childhood wasn’t That Bad and if she’s mopey how can she set a good example and people don’t like debbie downers and look its fine its fine lmao

PART 2- Mr. Perfect

As for Mr. Subaki he puts a lot of time and effort into looking perfect. I emphasize that because he may very well have natural talent, but honestly it feels like a large amount of his perfection is just. Stressing himself out by planning for and rehearsing everything possible! God this anxious idiot I love him!!! He's sociable and agreeable, but I think with basically everyone it’s. Skin deep. He’s charismatic Enough, and he digs a bit into the other’s history and personality if he’s interested, but he never really lets the other reciprocate like a magician never revealing his fraudulent secrets.

Biggest problem with that is he can't open up and vent because that is to admit a flaw and no no cant have that we cannot have that so he's just. Not sure who to turn to and has trouble being emotionally honest- even to himself. He just! Doesnt let himself have fun or relax; all perfect all the time baby. There’s basically no one who he could consider a close and trusted friend who can love him flaws and all. The closest would be Sakura and Hana and welp. gotta keep things professional and it’s not like Hana really expresses a sense of understanding and patience when they’re fiercely competitive with each other.

There’s probably a lot of muttering to his pegasus while he’s cleaning her hooves or braiding her mane, or staying up late thinking about how narrowly disaster was and wasn’t avoided that day but he. Also doesn’t really vent and also feels that imposter syndrome of “I’m honestly awful how did I even make it here.”

and it stinks because I think at his core he is a very sweet and caring guy and a massive dork, but he just plops himself on the edge of a pedestal and gives himself no room to be himself or anything less than perfect and is likely on the cusp of impending burnout.

you dumb anxious idiot i have S-Ranked you every fucking time I open this godforsaken game I didn’t even fucking plan for this

PART 3- (Patrick Warburton impression) “Oh yeah, it’s all coming together.”

So our characters and stage are set. We got FE Fates (I’ll default to Rev), we got my views when writing these two, so what next? What is the general plot I imagine since we’ve gently scooted aside the canon support chain?

The dumbasses-to-be think they’re out of each other’s league.

For Subaki, it is plot-irrelevant background character falling in love with the protagonist, which yields the exact sort of pining you’d imagine: man you are super cool and hit all my standards but I’d be dreaming if you felt the same about me. She’s sweet, she takes charge, she can fight for herself well enough, has he mentioned she’s sweet? He can actually relax a bit around her which is really odd but I guess that’s what happens when your personal skill is literally called “Supportive”. Oh yeah and also his Lady’s older sister which oof. Sakura? In law???? Hinoka in law???? Takumi in law?????????? ryoma in law oh gods.

For Corrin, it’s Mr. Prince Charming right there and he’s very nice and Sakura is saying so many nice things about him but wow she’s. a princess from a country that has consistently terrorized his and on top of that might a well have been raised under a rock!!! And she picks up details and nuances in people remarkably well, but she overthinks them. She can pick up that Subaki- while very polite and friendly -isn’t being entirely forthcoming about what he’s thinking or feeling, but she can’t pin down exactly what it is, and makes the educated guess that he's just being nice because she’s Sakura’s sister or something.

And they’re friendly. They help each other out a bit. There’s tension, sure, but no one really comments on it (except for everyone making bets in the bg). They don’t really yield on their internal messes because Corrin knows she’s a leader and can’t really do that and distracts herself with believing in everyone around her, Subaki just flat out would rather do literally anything besides admit he’s messed up anywhere or open up. So feeling are put on a low simmer for awhile.

Of course they fall in love, and it almost gets messed up because when Subaki requests to talk with her in private to confess, she immediately assumes he’s going to tell her that he’s not interested. Her simmer roars into a boil because she’s been under Protagonist Stress ON TOP OF having a crush she’s confident won’t be reciprocated, so she snaps quite a bit because that has all been shoved in a bottle and she just wants to get the mess over with if he’s just going to tell her very nicely that her company is lovely but hes not interested it hurts a lot to think that but its fine you don’t have to settle.

But the thing is being emotionally vulnerable like that, pointing out she’s scared too of always not being enough and living up to expectations, to finally get that off her chest, spurs him into it, too. Because she gets it. She honest to god gets it even if she bought into the lie he’s perfect she understands. Oh, yeah, she also reciprocates feelings that’s really excellent too. Like Subaki probably makes a lot of fuss about a bunch of ultimately meaningless details and having “standards” and yadda yadda gods help whatever poor soul asks him to pull out the list of traits of his ideal partner, but I think at the end of the day if he’s looking for love most of all, like a lot of people he just wants someone who he can just. be himself around. Who likes it when he’s being himself!

And they both learn that yeah maybe they’re more flawed than they’ve been lead to believe, but it starts to not matter at all because they still try really hard and everyone makes mistakes. They’re both here to say it’s ok your best is enough, YOU are enough. They both think they’re amazing regardless of their mistakes and love to see each other smiling and succeeding and just make. a nice little bubble of comfort. They’re stubborn and supportive, they learn how to poke and prod the bad moods away be it making a nice cup of matcha and talking it out or laughing at a tiny, meaningless mistake and repeating it to keep that feeling of dread away. Also they both spoil their partners regardless of who they end up with you can’t @ me on that they both do it which means guess what mega spoil time. And long hair on both just means they can braid each other’s hair no problem... waaaaaa.... Also early rise Subaki and late rise Corrin so there’s always a sleepy fight in the morning because UGH this is early you keep saying i’ll get used to it but im not i need a kiss first if you want me to be up this early. Subaki is better at logic and planning than Corrin, and Corrin keeps things optimistic and has a good gut for when to take an improvised risk. They’re always swapping places on who’s holding the other back from a fight that isn’t worth it because some asshole insulted the other, they mediate each other and will fight anyone who even harms a hair on the other’s head. They give and they give back and they work together perfectly.

And when it comes to the kids that bubble expands and they make sure they all have the tools to just take a deep breath and remember it’s okay Mama and Papa love you so much and you’re going to be amazing no matter what you do. Corrin’s got the best stories to tell and Subaki tucks the blankets in just right. They’re good parents with a lot of patience and plenty of mental health wisdom which is good because, as my mom would say, “bad brain chemistry is my bad”.

Like UGH I love them. I love them a lot. A good chunk of this is me making canon better thank me fates devs

Part 4- Katie All of This is Out of Your Noggin What About Canon

(DBZ abridged vc) WHAT ABOUT CANON but ok here have some canon quotes

“The two spent the rest of their lives together. Corrin ruling as the wise Queen of Valla. Subaki adapted quickly to royal leadership and became a great source of support for his wife. “ - Revelation route ending

“I feel like the pressure's off when I'm with you. I don't have to be perfect.” “You'll never be lonely as long as I'm around. Just call me and I'll come running.” - Friendship bonding quotes but also consider waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

“This might sound corny, but I think you're my soulmate.” - What he says when he is married to you and yes that is corny and its perfect

hot spring is dumb fanservice BUT if you can get the good RNG to get them both in there   “A shared bath warms not just my bones, but my heart as well.” “I-I suppose so...I just wonder if it's right to be so happy...” (emphasis mine) IT ABSOLUTELY IS BE HAPPY AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

also one of his quotes when u stop by your quarters is  "Ah, welcome home, dear. Kick off those shoes and relax. You're with me now!" and you absolute himbo your wife doesn’t fucking wear shoes!!!!!!!!!

Part 5- I’m done I’ve yelled into the void good night enjoy a ship please be excited for the fic I have on the backburner that I will get out there one of these days but I want it to be perfect so RIP me I guess

[beepbeepliv]

I know you said It ships but could you write something henclair, with its all my fault. pretty please 💕

I love to fuck with my favourite characters and Dustin is a fave so I apologise babe

Dustin gets spiked. Sorry for the shitty ending... i remembered it was supposed to be a drabble TW: super vague mentionsof intent to rape

“I won’t go, if you don’t want me to,” Dustin said, for thefifth time, glancing back at where he knew Lucas was stood, just staring. Heshook out of his daze and shrugged.

“No, go! You should go! I’m just… not sure about him.” Hesaid, still confused within himself at why he didn’t want Dustin going out. They’dbeen together for 4 years, he knew the younger boy would not be leaving him forthis guy, but he still felt off about the whole thing.

“Dude, his father is a director. He said he saw potential in me. I can’t pass that up!” Dustincontinued, putting down his comb and getting up from the dresser to approachwhere Lucas was still stood, crossed armed.

“I know, babe, I know.” He replied, pulling Dustin closeonce he was within reach, so they were both pressed against the wall, “I know...I can’t help if I worry about you,”

“I’ll be fine! I’ll text you the whole way. If he triesanything. I’ll bite him, and Dart will sense my pain and come running,” Almoston cue Dart started howling from his cage, Lucas smiled over at him fondly andDustin heart swelled at the amount of love Lucas had for Dart.

(He had squealed the first time he met him. “Oh my God. Hethinks he’s a wolf! Dustin, I love him,”)

Dustin still saw a bit of worry in Lucas’ expression.

“Fake dating someone isn’t the worst thing I’ve ever done,”Dustin murmured, then he growled, trying to lighten the mood, and it workedbecause Lucas’ concerned expression morphed into disgust. He pushed Dustin onthe shoulder and turned to walk away when he was caught by the waist and pulledback. Lucas struggled, trying not to concede too quickly.

“Boys who growl don’t deserve boyfriends,” He yelledobnoxiously

“No! baby, don’t leave me I’m sorry.” Lucas finally laughed,spinning around in his boyfriend arms, he placed his hands on Dustin’sshoulders.

“How sorry?” he asked cheekily.

“ooh, let me show you,” Dustin replied, wiggling hiseyebrows, Lucas rolled his eyes but kissed him anyway.

 He obviously didn’t go to the door when Dylan came around topick Dustin up, they could have played it like he was a roommate but Lucasdidn’t need any reason to feel jealous and do something stupid like kiss Dustinto assert his masculinity. He was fine just watching from the upstairs window.

He did get a text soon after he left

8.33 – Dustin: I toldyou, you were hotter. Nothing to worry about *lennyface*

Lucas couldn’t help his laughter.

“Fucking loser,” he murmured heading to the bedroom, he andDustin had set up a pretty decent fort before he had to leave, and Lucas wasn’tjust going to let it go to waste. He had only seen Black Panther once… thisweek. It was time to watch it again.

He let Dart out and the small husky immediately jumped athim,

“Okay boy, c’mon let’s go watch some black excellence,” heyipped as if he understood and followed him back to the bedroom, settling inbeside him and licking at his face. He laughed and snuggled up close as hepressed play.

Turns out he didn’t have time to feel bad or have anyworried thoughts about Dustin and Dylan because he was getting constant textupdates. At least every 15 minutes.

9.07 – Dustin: You may have to watch your back babe. Dylan’s got anextensive Pokémon collection.

9.07 – Lucas: DnD is better. It’s okay, I’ll date Will

9.10 – Dustin: Don’t you dArE

Lucas giggled and turned to show the messages to dart, whoyapped, recognising the small icon as Dustin. He headbutted the screen.

“Who would get you in the divorce?” he asked, “Me or yourdaddy?”

Dart yapped once. Lucas nodded.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Lucas focused back on thefilm till he felt his phone go off again.

9.23 – Dustin: Damn, Pokémon and a rugby player. Get you a man that doesboth amirite? Why don’t you ever offer me your jersey?

9.25 – Lucas: We don’t have jerseys you idiot, but you can wear mygross basketball shirt anytime!

9.25 – Dustin: mmhmboyfriend sweat. Rawr

Fucking loser, Lucas thought fondly as he led Dart back tohis cage and fed him dinner, he refilled the water bowl before locking him in. Hewould usually let him roam, but he wasn’t currently aware enough to take goodcare of him (Dart fucking loved to escape, and Lucas was too tired to go outsearching – plus it was dark). He didn’t want to fall asleep and wake up andhave him gone. Dustin would genuinely murder him.

He returned to another text.

9.31 – Dustin: he puts pineapple on his pizza. At this point I maynever come back babe byefelicia.gif

Lucas just rolled his eyes, pressing play on the movie. DamnDaniel Kaluuya was nice to look at, even if his character was an idiot.

There wasn’t another text for a while but at this pointLucas wasn’t even worried anymore. He actually felt sorry for Dylan because hewas sure Dustin was spending more time on his phone that paying attention tohim.

10.00 – Dustin: Yikes well he just asked me to come back to his placeto take some headshots for his dad… that sound like a proposition to me…thoughts?

Lucas bit his lip, contemplating, he didn’t want Dustin tomiss out on any opportunities because of him. But he also did not want Dustingoing over to this guys house. He trusted his boyfriend, definitely but hecouldn’t speak for the other guy. He must have been thinking for too longbecause another text came in soon after.

10.03 – Dustin: I’m taking that as a no.,, I thought as much, justwanted to cross check. I’m in the bathroom now so I’ll just go back out, downmy drink and say I have to head home. The fort still up babe?

10.04 – Lucas: I never want to take it down.

10.04 – Lucas: Also… if you really want to go...

10.05 – Dustin: Shut up Lucas. Rollseyes.gif

Lucas sniggers and places his phone down in the bedsidetable. He really, really didn’t want Dustin going home with Dylan – so he washappy. He went downstairs to go refill his popcorn and ran into Stan, one oftheir roommates cleaning up. He held back the urge to roll his eyes. He lovedStan, really – but that boy loved to clean.

Lucas tried his hardest, all the time, he ready did, but he wasstill learning how to live with someone with OCD and wasn’t sure what to do.

“Hey dude, do you wanna come up and watch Shrek with me?” heasked. Stan kept scrubbing – a bit frantically.

“No, No I, uh, I have a date with Richie in 30 minutes,but,” he paused, breathing frantically, “I can’t leave until it’s clean,” hefinished. Lucas nodded, out of his comfort zone. He wished Dustin was here.Dustin was fucking amazing at calming Stan down.

“Okay, I’ll help. We can get this done in like 10!” Lucasoffered, placing the bowl down.

“Really? Thank you, thanks!” Stan shoved some cleaning materialshis way and Lucas chuckled, getting to work on the dishes.

Lucas and Stan manged to clean up in 20 minutes leaving Stan10 to freshen up and get out the door. He was pretty proud of himself. Hesorted his popcorn and ran back up, swearing when he realised he didn’t pauseit.

“Can’t miss Shrek, this film is iconic,” he whispered tohimself, laughing at his own joke. As he rewound the film he noticed his phoneflashing and remembered Dustin. It was coming close to half ten- he was probablytexting to say he was close by. Lucas picked up his phone to check

10.10 – Dustin: Bill paid, walking to the car! Keep the fort warm forme!

10.12 – Dustin: Luca I don’t feel god,,, Cld you make msome soup for,,

10.15 – Dustin: he lockd the doors and im sleep

Lucas’ heart dropped, and he felt his vision tunnel as thesound of the film faded into the background. He must have read that wrong or hewas misinterpreting.

10.15 – Dustin: this isn the way hoe…. Hes not takjin me home. Imscared

This was not happening. This was not happening. Not to Dustin. Not his boy.

10.16 – Dustin: oh my g,

10.16 – Dustin: I think;; he spiked me.

10.16 – Dustin: I thi he spik my coke

Lucas stopped reading the text and looked at the time. Itwas 10.34. This had happened almost 20 minutes ago. He was such a badboyfriend. Anything could be happening. His mind was going wild with possibilities.Anything could be happening. Heneeded to find Dustin and get to him but, no car, they had no car. How could he--?He had to—Steve! Steve had a car. He was a three-minute bike ride away.

Lucas’ mind was made in an instant.

He ran down, stumbling on the stairs and quickly openingSnap-maps to find Dustin. He located him and sped down to Steve’s, it was dangerousbecause he was nervous, his hands were shaking, and he couldn’t really see. Healmost got hit multiple times, but it was worth it for his boy.

He banged on Steve’s door obnoxiously and repeatedly till hecame down. He was in pyjamas, but Lucas didn’t have the heart to make fun ofhim for going to bed to early.

Steve took in his state and expression and his frown lightenedup.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, grabbing his car keys from the standin preparation.

“Dustin—I – I can’t. It’s all my fault, spiked— his drinkgot spiked. We- we need to go. 16 Pembrooke Drive. Steve now, Steve! He spiked him!!Anything could be—he could be— oh god!” Lucas didn’t even know when he begancrying, he was so frustrated and couldn’t believe he was wasting so much time.Dustin had been alone and out of it with the guy for at least half an hour. Whoknows what was happening?

Luckily Steve seemed to understand and nodded solemnly,

“Get in,” he said, beeping the car open and speeding off assoon as they were both in. He inputted the directions into the satnav. Lucas reluctantlywent back to Dustin’s texts

10.13 – Dustin: Sorry, I sosrry, so sorry,. ‘’; I cahkgkn’t

10.13 – Dustin: u wer rit; I sorry ii lovv . I cant ;’kgkjl

“Fuck,” he whispered, feeling more frustrated tears comepouring out, “fucking fuck,” he slammed his hand on the dashboard.

“Lucas, we’ll get there. He’ll be alright.”” Steve said, hisvoice calm and steady, contrasting his death grip on the steering wheel. Lucasdidn’t believe him.

“This is all my fault, I shouldn’t have let him go. Stupid,stupid, stupid,”

“Hey, hey listen up shithead. Did you spike him? No. so stopthat self-blame shit, cause that’s not helping him right now.” Lucas’ mouth slammedshut and he nodded. Steve was right. Focus on Dustin.

They got there, and Lucas was tumbling out of the doorbefore the car had even come to a full stop, he distantly heard Steve reprimandinghim but just ran forward into the house, ramming the door with his shoulder. Hejumped back as pain flared up in his arm, but only took a moment to recover beforehitting it again and again.

“Shit, Lucas, step back,” Steve said, when he’d finallycaught up, pushing Lucas back and picking the lock.

They ran in to find a shirtless guy standing in front of thefridge, holding a bowl of grapes. Lucas felt anger flare up in his gut as hetook in his dishevelled hair and unclasped jeans. The guy frowned when theywalked in, taking a step back,

“Who the fuck are you? Why are you in my house?” He asked,

“Dylan Ffion?” Lucas asked, stalking towards him. The guy shrugged,dropping the grapes and crossing his arms defensively,

“Who’s asking?” Lucas reared back and decking him across theface. Groaning when he pulled his shoulder more and bruised his knuckles, thepunch wasn’t as hard as he would have liked but the shock factor helped him asthe guy flew back, clutching his nose. “What the fuck, dude?”

“Where’s Dustin?” he asked coldly, the guys eyes widened in realisation,but he quickly schooled his expression, grabbing a cloth to catch the bleeding.

“fuck! What are you a jealous ex? I don’t have to tell youshit about his dating life,” dating life,Lucas felt disgust grow in the pit of his stomach.

“Look, you fuck, Dustin texted me saying you drugged him,you piece of shit, so unless you want me to leave and go straight to thestation, you’ll tell me where he is and pray to God I find him in a decent condition.If I find that you’ve harmed a single fucking hair on his head, I’ll skin you.”He reeled off, stepping into the other guys personal space. He seemed tofinally be understanding how serious the situation was and began stutteringthrough an excuse.

“n-nah dude, you’ve got it wrong. I was j-just helping him. Hehad too much to drink and…” Lucas scoffed rolling his eyes and grabbing Dylan bythe collar, cutting off his spiel,

“Where. Is. he?”

“Upstairs, first room on the right,” he choked out just as Stevewas pulling Lucas off him,

“Dude you don’t wanna get done for assault, go get him. I’lldeal with this shithead,” he said, shooing him upstairs. Lucas heart was in histhroat as he ran up and to the room Dylan had said, he bit his lip when he sawDustin, passed out on the bed. He could almost pretend he was asleep form thisfar away, but upon approaching him he could see the faint tear tracks on hischeeks. His heart was in his throat as he approached the bed.

“Hey Dusty,” He said, gently shaking him, “Can you hear me,love?” Dustin groaned on the bed, his eyelids flickered, and his fingerstwitched. Lucas took his hand tightly, feeling his eyes tear up, “C’mon baby,wake up please,” he murmured, rubbing the back of his knuckles with his thumb. Allhe got in reply was another groan. He ripped of the blanket, cringing when hesaw his boyfriend was just in his underwear,

“Shit, Dust, where are your clothes?” he asked quietly,looking around the room. He grabbed a dressing gown, wrapping Dustin in it andpicking him up. On his way out, he noticed Dustin’s jeans on the floor, andgrabbed them as well.

“Steve can I have your keys?” he asked as they walked by theliving room.

“Fuck” Steve uttered when he turned around and saw Dustin inLucas’ arms, “Of course,” he threw him the keys and all Lucas could think as hemade his way back to the car was that he let his happen.

“Never again,” he whispered, kissing Dustin’s forehead, “Neveragain,”

lmao sorry for the shitty ending

send me a word (or phrase) and an IT ship and I’ll write u a drabble//headcanon for it :)