#it will get better. wake up another day. this too shall pass

[psikind]

hey so. childhood friend of mine commited suicide late july and his dad’s trying to fund the money for his funeral service - if people have the money to donate please do the service is in 3 days (august 5th) and he’s very close to the goal but otherwise it’d mean a lot if people spread the link around -> https://gofund.me/f04d9bf0

[heavensgxte]

Besieged part II

part one

tw - noncon, forced marriage, pregnancy mentions, breeding kink, blowjobs, naoya being naoya and being an asshole. naoyas shitty excuse of foreplay. not beta read

wc- 2.1k

by clicking read more you are agreeing to consume and read dark content.

a/n- hey…how y’all doin. don’t hate me for posting this over two years later lolol i honestly didn’t think i’d ever get back to this but. i have had been on a writing kick lately. i hope my skills haven’t completely disappeared. thank you for all the love for part one.

You wake up the next morning, covered in dry cum. You feel its presence still very much so stuffed into your cunt. You also feel a warm body draped over yours, looking over at the table you do see a glass of water. You also feel a flaccid cock you must have been warming all night long.

Did he really fuck you until he passed out? You reason he probably did. You look towards the window to find the sun just beginning to rise, not being able to stop the few tears that escape your eyes, a true moment to yourself, sort of. For the last week, the weight of your situation settles, is this really how you’re going to spend the rest of your life?

Eventually, you reckon you had silently cried yourself back to sleep. It was the fact that when you had come to again, your now husband wasn't sprawled out on top of you. But a maid with a worried look on her face gently tapping you awake. Telling you it was time to change the bedding, her skittish voice starting to pull away the curtains of grogginess out of your system.

You make sure to give her a warm smile, nodding and giving a soft thank you. Making a mental note to treat the staff nicely, showing them you are nothing like that vile man you have been legally bound to.

The maid turns away to give you privacy as you move your sore body to plant your feet on the cold floor. Seeing a note laying on your bedside table, picking it up you read it over. “I will be attending my own duties until mid-day, don’t bother me, I shall come find you when I deem it is time. Don’t miss me too much <3” You scoff crumpling the note and tossing it where you found it.

Shivering you pull on the robe nearby, letting the soft fabric hug your frame, giving another smile to the maid, you make your way to the washroom and out of her way. You spot the shower and take a better look at the elegant room. The ofuro and shower separated, traditional yet modern touches adjourning the room. Both bathing options are definitely big enough for two, you mentally note that he had done that on purpose. Looking between the two options, a soak in the ofuro seemed more tempting, something to soothe your aching body from the rough treatment you had taken last night.

Taking a good look in the mirror as you begin to fill up the bath, your eyes widen at the state of your body. Darkened marks adorn your neck and chest, accompanied by bite and scratch marks decorating your thighs and waist. Is he even human? You surely don’t remember the sex being this animalistic, but your fucked out brain probably drifted off after your second or third orgasm you presume.

Hopefully he isn’t this insatiable every night. The thought sends shivers down your spine, keeping yourself distracted by adding salts and herbs you had found sitting out into the steaming water.

Carefully stepping in and letting the warmth consume you, you close your eyes and lean your head back, letting daydreams run through your weary head as you lean it against the edge of the appliance. Near dissociation when.

The brash opening of the door rips you out of your thoughts, you hear his footsteps before you see him round the corner quickly. Ripping you out of your dream-like state, sending your nervous system into fight or flight mode, a shrill gasp emitting from you.

“Ah ha there you are. I was wondering if you were going to wake up or not before the sun went down.” Naoya says as if it was a matter of fact. Cat like eyes trying to peer beneath. “I was looking all over for my little wife.” The man poses with a faux stretch. “I got done with my duties early, and I can’t wait to spend the rest of the evening playing with my new toy.” He begins to shed his daily attire.

Sighing, but not quite in defeat you close your eyes and begin to mutter “well excuse me for trying to take even a bath by my-”

Before you could even finish the sentence, you heard it before you felt it. A smack resounding in the room before your hand flies to your face to soothe the stinging pain. Shocked with wide eyes you avert your profile to him.

You are met with a stern look to his amber eyes, face unreadable. “I will tolerate little from you. I knew choosing you there would be some pushback, a stubborn woman such as yourself. However,  you are smart enough to know and follow expectations regarding being my wife. I do not tolerate back talk. The rumors surrounding my clan are indeed true. We expect traditional wives. You will be absolutely no different.”

Flabbergasted you cannot control your rising emotions as they burst through the seams. “Expectations?! Guidelines?! I didn’t even want this!” No, you will not cry. Not in front of him.

A strong hand grips your face, a force even pulling you from the ofuro. “This. Isn’t. About. You.” Venom laced in his words as he shook your head back and forth. “I don’t care what you want. Surprise wife! You are here for me and me alone. That is your purpose in your pathetic life. Serve me. Warm my bed. Be my personal fuckhole. And bare me an heir. Speaking of fuckholes….” Naoya mumbles. Fumbling around with the cloth on his body. Slipping all of it off, the light illuminating off of his body, accentuated by the steam.

You’d be lying to yourself as to say he did not have a nice body. He did, and a nice cock, 7 and a half inches or so with decent girth and a perfect curve. You would know, the entire night the damn thing was inside of you, you are now very much so used to it.

To add on to his earlier statement, you are being gripped by the nape of the neck, Naoya standing on the stool you use to step into the tub, but he’s not stepping on.

“Open that whore mouth my dear beloved.” How can someone’s words be so venomous yet patronizing?

Taking a moment to process you don’t even see his hand come down to pinch your left nipple, the gasp parting your lips is all he needs to shove it in between your parted lips. Going slow and taking your time is not your dear husband's forte, obviously. As he is instantly gripping the sides of your slippery cheeks and moving his hips to fuck his cock farther and farther down your throat. Your gags, and spluttering echo to and fro through the bathroom, along with the sound of his balls, slapping your chin, pulsing with the need for release.

Though the man above you is groaning, face scrunched up in concentration and pleasure. He protests a moment. “No, no no, fuck, no, need your cunt. Gimme…” Naoya begins to mumble, pulling you up by your arm from the ofuro. “Bend over the edge, yeah, yeah just like that.”

You know it’s futile to argue, and you can’t deny, that he does feel good, is that why your body is betraying you when you arch yourself over the edge of the bathroom appliance? Why you don’t kick and scream when you feel him spread your cheeks to get an adequate view of your cunt glistening with bath water, slightly covered in suds from your attempt of relaxation? Is it that deep down you know that submitting to him is your best option right now? Can you really do this for the rest of your life? In such a compromising position, your thoughts run wild.

All thoughts stop racing through your mind when you feel the head of his cock push in through your tight hole. Shaky trembling hands gripping your hips tightly. Naoya’s head is also whirring in pleasure, just like yours.

“Fuck fuck it’s just as tight as last night.” A sigh emits his mouth. As if his cock in your pussy could melt all his stresses and worries away. Fuck. Is all that he can formulate. Using his hands to bring you back and forth on his erection. A moan threatens to emit from your mouth before you cover it with your hand, no you cannot give him that satisfaction. Biting down on your hand for some semblance of control.

A semi cold hand finds its way to your warm slick breast, a hardy squeeze as he brings up his tempo. “Y-yeah” he groans. “Take it, like you’re meant to. All you’ll ever be good for anyways.” Naoya growls, speeding up his thrusts. Biting down on your shoulder. Angling his hips to hit deep inside your cunt over and over your G-spot. You swear you can feel him in your chest at this point.

Your hand falls to the edge of the tub squeezing the edge in an attempt to ground yourself from the new found angle. You do not want to give him the satisfaction of his use of your body as his own personal fuck-hole, that he could make you cum from the treatment as well.

“Fu- shit. You’re milking me you bitch!” His teeth detach from your shoulder, his hand gathering at the crown of your head to hold onto your hair and bring his body towards him. “Look at me.” The blond demands. Pace never falters. “A fucking mess from a little fucking.” He hisses. “Who owns you?”

As if he can talk, he’s practically panting and drooling like an animal in heat. The latter question sparks a flood of defiance in you, moving your head side to side.

“Tell me who you belong to if you wanna cum. Otherwise, you can just suck me off and I'll finish all over that pretty face. I don’t fucking care.”

You jolt in surprise as you feel his hand on your clit, lithe fingers swirling the bud. Teasingly coming and going each time you tighten around him. The itch that needs to be scratched is becoming a far bigger problem. Your inhibitions going out the window.

I mean, it's four words, it can't hurt right? Just this once you reason.

“I belong to…” You muster the reward of Naoya’s fingers rubbing your bundle slightly faster. The sounds of your moans and his hips slapping yours echoing in the bathroom.

“G-go on I can’t hold out much longer, stupid cunt feels too good.”

“I-I Belong to y-you! Na-Naoya!” You finally snap at the same time your husband increases the pace of both his fingers and thrusts. Your cunt squeezing him so tight he can barely pull out to go back in, your release exiting out of your spent pussy, splashing on Naoya’s pelvis.

“Too tight, too tight SHIT!” The man curses, pushing himself practically against your womb as you hear him growl, squeezing your body to him so tightly not even paper could come between.

You feel the final twitch as you come down from your high. Warm spurts of cum filling you to the brim.

Naoya pulls out slightly wincing as his spent cock falls out. Mesmerized seeing his pearly cum in your thoroughly abused pussy. Two fingers wasting no time to push it deeper. “I-it has to take. You need to be knocked up.” He pants, as you turn your head worried eyes widening. “Need to make sure you can’t leave. Even if you tried.” The latter part of the sentence comes out more dark as the former.

As you sit and lament over what just happened. Naoya steps beside you to drain the tub, leaving half the water before he fills it again with warm water. You look at him quizzically, he pays no mind, checking the water. Adding some salt and soap to the bath.  Before lifting you up and setting you in without a word. “I have one more errand to attend to.” He exclaims redressing himself. “I will be eating dinner with you. Your husband says before leaving the bathroom. Not waiting for a response from you.

Shock leaves your system. Did he just… Do something nice for you? You won’t say it’s the best aftercare, but honestly you thought he was just going to leave you on the cold tiled floor. Warmth creeps up to your heart at the gesture. You shake your head, scolding yourself. You cannot fall for crumbs. Never for him, anyone but him.

You can figure something out, you reason. Find a way to leave and keep your family safe at the same time. Change your names, move out of the country, something! You cannot stay here, if you don’t leave now. You will be stuck under his heel forever.

[knavesflames]

🚪 Hey you! 🫵 Yeah, I'm pointing at you!

I, anonymous de anon III, proclaim the need to have another chapter for the childhood friend fanfiction with Arlecchino. The ones with spider and geode, yeah, that one!

Ahem

Shall I have the audacity to reveal myself, naur.

Maybe, when I wake up. ⏰️

I'm just really riding the concept of an insect and geo hyperfixated couple with the angsty reconnection trope, that's so chef's kiss unique 💋 ✨️.

Maybe some smut with some deck 🤔

Well, up to you and your imagination 🌌

Hello! Thank you for liking them :] I didn’t think I’d write for that trope again but as you wish😌 sorry it took some time 💔

This is part one, and this is part two!

Contents: strap on, kissing, reader is very sad, Arlecchino just wants to love her:(

Word count: 3004

Nsft utc!

Your guard is still up. You are wary, and you’re unsure if it’ll ever pass. With you practically giving her no option but to make the first move with everything, whether that’s some sort of safety net that she won’t stand you up, or if it’s reassurance she’s not leaving you again, it’s difficult to tell, you still have yet to come out of your anxious shell. If you both plan to meet at the cafe across the street, you wait until you see her there before you make an appearance. If you both are studying in the library, you wait for her to make eye contact, only for your face to flush pink as you look down. It sows seeds of doubt in Arlecchino‘s mind, what if you don’t actually forgive her? What if you’re playing some cruel joke to make her feel the way she made you feel that day? But she knows your nature is too kind for that, she knows you’re scared, anxious to have a friend and not lose them. She sees you paying just a little too much attention to the way you act, almost making sure you act more ‘normal’. When you take hikes in the mountains to look at insects and rocks together, she sees the way you gaze at a rock you so want to pick up and inspect, the way you restrain your excitement when you see a possible fossil, or a new find to go in the drawer of your desk. She always sees, because she’s always watching you. How could she not? The woman is completely infatuated with you. If she could, if you’d let her, she’d kiss you in the cafe, with that silly chocolate moustache you always have when you drink your mochas. It’s “adult hot chocolate”, you say, to which she can’t help but nod, agreeing with her eyebrows raised in silent amusement.

Neither of you want to admit you’ve grown quite fond of each other. Nor do you want to admit you spend most of your time together. Neither of you say anything about what this is becoming, perhaps for fear of shattering what has only just been sculpted. You often watch her murmur to the spiders she catches for you in your dorm room before putting them outside (because, of course, you had to be given the room that every insect loves. You say they’re tormenting you because you’re too weird to have human friends. Arlecchino says it’s a testament to your nature, that small, harmless creatures take cover in your room instead of anyone else’s. It makes you feel better, even if you don’t say it). Arlecchino says she only comes to your dorm because she gets to enjoy the company of the spiders, not you, but one look in her eyes and you’d know she’s lying through her teeth. You’re lying too. You learned to take the spiders away when she first showed you, but you let them stay until Arlecchino comes to take them. You like to watch the small smile grow on her usually stoic face before it fades once more. Seeing you cower away from the insects is the equivalent of seeing a kitten scared of a cucumber, she thinks. So silly, yet so adorable.

But your reconnection isn’t without struggle. You haven’t opened up fully, both of you wonder if you ever will. You clam up even more when her friends appear. Your brain is screaming at you to fix everything to seem more normal, not weird. Straighten your posture, don’t tuck your hair behind your ear, take your hands out of your pockets.. without the pebble. You adjust yourself so much that your intention to appear more normal fails completely. And when you turn to walk away, you grimace, muttering curses to yourself. Arlecchino wishes you would just let people see you for who you are. You are weird, but so is she. She just doesnt care enough to hide it. And now, you both sit on the floor in the middle of the forest, her building a little ant house, you inspecting rocks, mostly in silence, before she does speak up, softly, so she doesn’t disturb the ants.

“What happened today?”

“What?”

“You have been different. You were crying when you came out of your geology class.”

“I was not.”

“Do not start lying to me now.”

You sigh, annoyed at her observation. You didn’t want to speak about it, don’t want to speak about it, but the look in her eyes says you don’t have a choice. She’s concerned, her hand still in the air, holding a small twig as she waits for you to speak.

“It was just someone in my class. They’re friends with someone from school.”

“Okay. Why did that make you sad?”

“They called me weird.”

“Ah.”

There doesn’t need to be anything else said. She knows how her that word has affected you, to the point she knows you used to write it on your mirror, where you whisper it to yourself any time something went even remotely wrong. She found that out when she stayed over one night and went to the bathroom while you were sleeping. The messily, angrily scrawled word written with your favourite lip stick across the mirror shocked her, yet saddened her beyond words. Silently, she wiped it away, despite it being past midnight before padding her way to your desk, stealing a sticky note before sticking it to your mirror, her scrawly yet somehow elegant writing decorating the yellow paper: “Most people consider insects weird, but I’m equally as fascinated by them as I am you.” She said nothing of it until she left, letting you find it on your own. And you did, three hours after she left, your eyes red and glassy from crying once she did depart. You don’t know why you can’t just feel normal, and you even though you try, it just doesn’t seem to work. In your brain, her compassion isn’t warranted. You’re prepared to wake up one day for it all to be some new sick way of tormenting you. It seems to most people like you’re simply being sensitive, by reacting so strongly to that one word, but you’re not. She knows that, too.

So, when she receives a message at 11:48pm from you (you’ve said there’s a spider in your room. You are lying.) after you’ve had a particularly bad day, she’s out of the door before you can even read her response.

You lay under your favourite blanket, huddled in baggy clothes with red eyes and raw skin under your nose with the amount of sniffling you’ve been doing. You can hear her footsteps approach, her usual heels clacking against the wood before slowing, and finally stopping. She doesn’t knock yet, and you look at the door with hopeful eyes, just waiting for her to knock. When she doesn’t, when she stands there motionless outside of your door, your eyes lower, a pit in your stomach forming and an ache in your chest pinning you to your bed as you think the joke is finally coming to an end. Your teeth clench as you suck in a silent breath, your thoughts chanting, “no”, screaming at you to not cry while you can still see her shadow from under the door. Arlecchino, on the other hand, is completely nervous. Why, she doesn’t know, and she probably couldn’t find out. Her hand is raised in a fist, ready to knock, but she can’t bring herself to. She wonders if it’s because she likes you so much, and before she can come back to reality, five minutes have passed and she’s still stood there. She scolds herself mentally before bringing her fist to the door gently, once, then twice, in her signature pattern.

Your eyes lift once again, and you swallow your shaky voice, clearing your throat before you speak. When you do, your voice is quiet, hoarse from the amount of quiet sobbing you’ve been doing into your pillow today.

“It’s open.”

When she steps into the dorm room, which is unusually dimly lit for your tastes, she’s noticed, her eyes scan around, looking for the spider you claim to be terrorising you. She can’t see it, but her eyes land on you, your frame curled into yourself with a puffy face, a couple of tissues by your bed, and your rocks.. on the floor.

“I see the spider has infiltrated your rock display?”

“Yes. Stupid spider.”

“Hey. They have feelings, too. Where is the little guy?”

“I think he ran off.”

You glance back and forth from her face and the rock display, or rather, what’s left of it. It was fine four hours ago, different geodes and fossils placed perfectly with neatly written labels underneath describing what they are and where you found them. Now, the labels are ripped up, scattered on the floor next to the pile of rocks you’ve thrown. Arlecchino’s eyebrow twitches up as she observes the scene around her. Then, it hits her. There was no spider. Something has happened and the only person you could think, or want to tell, was her. Her face softens, even if just a little as she moves to perch on the edge of your bed.

“What happened?”

“Nothing. The spider was running everywhere.”

“Spiders can’t rip up paper. Talk to me.”

Your eyes grow misty once more and your voice shakes this time when you speak. One word spills, then more, until you’re rambling about what happened today, your voice hitching as you try to take breaths without breaking out into a sob. How the girls in your one geology class shamed you once more for being so interested in a certain formation that you began excitedly speaking about it at the end of class. How it ended with you being ridiculed and told to shut up and get a life, that nobody will ever want you, and to stop being so weird. You keep rambling and breathing so fast you begin hyperventilating and sobbing at the same time. Your hands are trembling, and in turn, Arlecchino’s eyes narrow, her lips twisting into a sad, sympathetic frown. And when she realises you’re working yourself up too much, she realises that she has to calm you down. Calling your name doesn’t help, her hand squeezing yours doesn’t help, so, in a moment of slight panic, she gently holds your face between her thumb and forefinger, bringing your lips to hers the way she does every so often.

Your lips meet in a soft, gentle kiss as her thumb moves softly across your cheek. Your breath is stopped for only a second, but it’s long enough for your lungs to regulate the intake of oxygen and stop your hyperventilation. When your lips part, your foreheads touch, her other hand coming up to caress your other cheek as she whispers softly to you, calming you the way it seems only she can.

“Be quiet. None of that is true.”

“It is, you know it is, everyone at this college knows, everyone in school knew, it’s true, nobody does want me—“

“I want you. I like you.”

Your lips meet again, your move this time. It’s become obvious over the months, or year, by this point, that you like each other, with the constant spending time together, the occasional kissing and even the occasional sex that you both think about for days afterwards. Your hands move over her charred ones, your fingers curling over her palms as your lips slowly move, your breath still hitching occasionally, though less so, your breath more even. Your right hand card through her hair, moving into the base of her ponytail, your long nails scratching gently into her scalp the way you know she loves. In turn, her lips move from your lips across your jaw, towards your neck, lips moving slowly, then quickly, then slowly again as she listens to your breath, how it quickens with every touch of her lips against your skin. Her fingers slowly slip under your sweater, tracing the soft skin of your stomach and your ribs as she murmurs against your collarbone.

“I don’t understand why you wear these baggy clothes. You have such a nice body.”

With your sweater raised to your stomach, her hand ever so gently pushes you down onto your bed until your head is on the pillow, your hair splayed out around you. Her lips move to your stomach, kissing over your navel and upwards, lips tracing over each bone of your rib cage, moving upwards until she nips gently, playfully, at your chest. Your grip on her hair pulls her up towards your lips instead, whispering as you close your eyes in embarrassment.

“Why do you always kiss my chest? I hate it.”

“It’s beautiful. I adore it.”

“There’s nothing there, Arlecchino.”

“So you say. I don’t recall saying that I cared about the size of it. I said it’s beautiful, so let me.”

You know if you really didn’t want to, she’d stop, but the way your grip loosens slightly and your head tilts back is a silent confirmation that she can continue, so she does. Her tongue darts out to harden the buds on your chest, smiling into your skin when a sound almost like a moan escapes you, much to your dismay. You sit up, flipping the positions as you repeat her motions, listening to her sped up breath as you suck on the skin of her breasts, leaving small love bites. She would never admit it, but she adores staring at them when she’s alone again, memories of your lips there flashing through her mind. Her back arches, pushing her breasts further into your mouth before she lifts you, moving you back onto the bed before she whispers once more.

“I left it here last time. Did you throw it away or did you keep it?”

“I kept it. It’s under my sweaters in the drawer.”

You don’t need to speak again because she’s already off the bed, rummaging through before she quickly comes back holding a strap on, one of her favourites, actually, and she hasn’t said, but she left it here so she could use it with you again. It isn’t big, but it fits you perfectly, makes you feel good in the best way, and she loves to see your face when you cum on it. You watch hungrily as she attaches it to herself, your previous mood forgotten, the rocks on the floor gone from your mind completely.

“Lift your hips, pretty girl.”

She guides your hips into lifting up just enough so she can slide your panties, now almost transparent from just how soaked you’ve become, down your legs, letting them land quietly on the floor. Her hands pry your thighs open just a little, encouraging you because you always seem to get shy, no matter how much you enjoy it. The silicone, dark red and black, moves between your legs, the tip of it knocking against your clit, causing you to gasp, your hands moving, one clutching her bicep, the other around the back of her neck. She grinds the strap on your clit for a little while, getting you used to the material, getting you excited and wanting more. And she can tell when you’re ready, when you bite your lip and wiggle your hips in a way that tries so hard to get her to slide into you. Her forehead rests on yours, eyes closing as she moves her hips the same time you move yours, your pussy sucking her in like lungs needing air. Both of you groan quietly, and after a few seconds, her hips start slowly pumping into you. Your voice comes out in small, broken moans, your eyes squeezed shut as you nod in approval every so often.

“It’s good?”

“So good.”

“You’re taking it well, sweet girl.”

“God, you’re amazing.”

Usually Arlecchino finds pleasure in teasing you, slowing down just before your orgasm to draw it out, to keep her hand gently squeezed around your throat or to make you cum more than once just to hear your overstimulated whines. Tonight, she will not. Tonight, she will love you silently and give you what you need, make you forget about all the negative things in your brain. Her hands move to the rough patch on your thigh, feeling each scarred bump, silently counting to make sure you haven’t added another to the horrid, horrid collection you’ve acquired. Satisfied, her hand weave into your hair, occasionally tugging to keep you going. Her other hand moves down to your pelvis, her thumb ghosting over your clit in small circles, helping you along as your small moans become louder whimpers.

“Arlecchino, I think—“

“Do it, then. You deserve it. Cum for me, beautiful.”

It’s all the ammunition you need, your back arching, your hips bucking up as she angles the strap perfectly to hit the spongy spot inside of you again and again before you gasp once more, a long, drawn out moan as your body trembles, Arlecchino’s voice whispering lovingly.

“Good girl. Good, that’s good. You did so well.”

Your eyes finally open, your body finally relaxing as she slows to a stop, then pulls out, both of you scoffing with a laugh as the silicone makes a popping sound when it comes out of you. The pillow sinks slightly as her head moves to rest on it next to you, her fingernails gently tracing your arm. She can’t help but notice your eyes moving towards your (now ruined) rock display, and she speaks.

“Shall I help you make a new one?”

“You dont have to.”

“I want to. I was going to ask you, too, there’s a new science museum in the next town over. They have a feature on different bugs and their habitats, and they have a feature on geodes. Would you—“

“Yes.”

[adrift-in-thyme]

Whumptober Day 3: "Make it stop"

Read it on Ao3

- Wild & the Chain

- Summary: When Wild is captured by the Yiga Clan, Master Kohga decides to get his revenge

CW for graphic depictions of violence, torture, blood and injury, vomiting, and a character briefly wishing for death

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

“Get up!”

Wild pries open his eyes just as a boot connects with his side. He jerks away with a hiss of pain. 

Of all the horrible ways to wake up…

The face of a Yiga assassin comes into view as his vision clears and he groans. 

Even better.

“I said, get up!”

Another kick that takes Wild’s breath away.

“Yeah that’s not the best way to get me off the floor,” he remarks, dragging himself into a seated position.

That earns him a sharp smack across the face. Wincing, he watches as the assassin bends down, unlocking his chains. They fall to the floor with a clatter. But Wild hardly has time to breathe a sigh of relief, or rub his wrists, or even to plan a quick escape. Almost immediately, the Yiga yanks his hands behind his back, then ties them tightly with a thick rope.

The coarse material rubs at his already raw wrists. It only adds to the cacophony of aches that have begun to arise now that he’s conscious. Wild blows out an annoyed sigh. As if he could forget how sorely he had lost his last fight.

Rough hands haul him to his feet and he stumbles. His surroundings go fuzzy and dim and for a moment he is certain he’s going to faint. But then it passes. And not a moment too soon. The Yiga shoves him forward and wrenches open the cell door.

The same one they’d thrown Barta into, Wild realizes dazedly. The thought doesn’t make him feel any more comfortable.

“Walk,” comes the sharp order, accompanied by another, hearty push. Stumbling on achingly numb legs, Wild starts forward.

He falls more than walks down the stairs. Between the Yiga’s forceful movements and the haze he has yet to pull himself out of, he can hardly keep himself upright. Even the journey across the main room is difficult.

Especially once he realizes where they’re headed.

“Master Kohga will be so pleased to see you,” his captor hisses, no doubt noticing the sudden increased tension in Wild’s shoulders.

“Didn’t I kill him?” Wild asks, with a forced chuckle. Maybe if he feigns nonchalance it will mask the thundering of his heart. He sends a furtive glance around the space, looking for anything that could possibly allow for a quick escape. But there is nothing.

…and no one. Save for the few assassins who leer at him from beneath their masks.

He swallows, hard. “I think I remember dropping his own weapon onto his head.”

That garners him a swift kick to the shins. He trips, only saved from face planting by the Yiga’s tight grip.

“You are a fool to think our master is so easily defeated. You on the other hand…”

The hallway narrows, then widens into a familiar room. He forces himself to take a deep breath.

“…you will meet your end today.”

Wild lifts his head as he walks through the doorway, heart situated painfully in his throat. Master Kohga sits before him, looking very much alive.

“You,” he snarls as soon as he lays eyes on the champion. “You cocky, undying little punk! You thought you had seen the end of the Great Master Kohga, didn’t you?”

Wild shrugs, a slight smirk on his lips. “I did drop a boulder on your head.”

The Yiga restraining him kicks his legs out from under him. He hits the ground with an “oof.”

“That-that is inconsequential!” Kohga replies, huffily. “I am more powerful than death! But for the pain you caused my beloved, loyal followers” – He rises now, stomping his foot along with every word– “You. Are. Going. To. Die!”

His captor’s grip tightens and he yanks on Wild’s hands. Wild falls back, head bumping against the assassin's hip.

“Shall I take him outside, Master Kohga?” A sadistic sort of excitement colors his voice. It makes Wild’s blood run cold.

Kohga nods. “Yes, take him. I do not wish to ruin my furniture with his blood.”

Again, Wild is hauled upward, though this time a vicious sickle finds its way into his back. It bites into his flesh and he fights not to let out a hiss of pain.

“Move,” the Yiga snaps and Wild stumbles out into the sun.

Kohga sits cross-legged over the crater Wild had been so certain he had plummeted into, hovering serenely just above it.

“Come forward, hero,” he sneers as Wild is shoved toward the gaping hole. “You will be pleased to find that I have perfected my art more than ever!”

With a snap of his fingers, a massive boulder appears above his head. Dozens of tiny spikes protrude from its smooth surface. Wild’s blood runs cold. Abandoning his more measured, methodical tugs of before, he begins yanking ferociously at his bonds.

But then, the Yiga drives his sickle into the back of his leg and all thoughts of an escape vanish. He chokes on a cry. His vision bleeds white. It’s all he can do not to pass out.

One, swift movement and the weapon is out of him, tearing through his flesh as easily as fingers through tissue paper. This time he screams.

He hardly registers it when the Yiga backs away, barely realizes that a large, stone door is sliding over the opening behind him, blocking any exit.

But Kohga’s shrill laughter pierces his ears like knives and he drags his head up to look at him.

“If I were you I would run,” he says, voice nearly brimming with excitement. “Because the time for vengeance has come!”

He begins to swing the boulder over his head. With each trip around it gains momentum, growing closer and closer to the moment when it will break free and careen straight at Wild.

Come on, get up. You’ve got to move.

Gritting his teeth, Wild forces himself to his feet. Pain shoots through his leg anew, like a thousand tiny shards of glass have entered his wound. A scream breaks through his parched lips. His lungs burn, breath coming too fast, heart beating erratically. Stars explode before his eyes.

And still the boulder spins. The motion makes him dizzy.

On trembling limbs he stumbles forward, bile rising in his throat. But each step is sheer agony and he’s slow.

…much too slow.

When the boulder flies free, he can’t evade it. It collides with his body and he goes flying. Pain erupts within him. It steals his breath, propels forth a shout of shock and agony, makes his extremities go numb. He can hear his bones cracking even over the rushing in his ears. His vision goes blindingly white, then spotty, then dangerously dark.

He hits the ground, crying out at the agony of the impact. And the boulder comes down with him, crushing his prone body.

Somewhere, Kohga is laughing. The boulder disappears, retreating back to its owner to prepare for another round. Wild knows he should get up, knows he should at least attempt to run. But all he can do is lie there, trying to breathe. Trying to stay awake.

Blood gurgles in his throat and he pitches sideways, gagging on it. Against the blurred sand, the liquid looks far darker than usual. Almost black.

Like the blood of the Shadow, he thinks dazedly.

He doesn’t get much farther than that thought. Because once more the boulder shoots forward. This time it rolls into him more than flies, shoving him against the far wall and pinning him there.

He doesn’t have the strength to scream, even as the spikes tear out chunks of his flesh and his shattered bones protest this newest assault. He yearns for oblivion that refuses to come.

“So, hero, how do you like it?”

It hits him again, smashing him against the cool stone. He gags on blood once more. It drips into his eyes, runs in rivulets down his face, pools in the gashes that run along his body. 

“Painful, isn’t it? Well, that is what you did to me!”

Wild teeters on the edge. Of death or unconsciousness, though, he isn’t sure. Death, he hopes.

(Though at the same time, he doesn’t, because that means he has lost the battle again, failed everyone again, but sweet Hylia he just wants this to stop. Please make this stop.)

And it’s clear now that there will be no other escape.

Your brothers aren’t coming for you. Even if they are, they’ll be too late.

It’s already too late.

“But the mighty Master Kogha prevails over pain and death! You, however, are weak! Weak, weak, weak!”

The boulder retracts and Wild watches it dimly. One more hit is all it will take. He is certain.

So much for coming back to life.

He can see bone, he realizes, shining gorily from his left arm. It is at a strange angle too.

Must be broken. 

It certainly isn’t the only thing. But somehow, that hardly seems important at the moment. 

His eyes slip closed. Everything hurts. The only other time he felt like this was when he collapsed on Blatchery Plain.

I’m sorry, Zelda, for putting you through this again.

I’m sorry…

“Champion!”

A shout rings out across the space, protectively furious and wonderfully familiar. There’s a scream and the sound of something heavy hitting the ground. But the blow he expects doesn’t fall on him.

Instead, gentle hands lift his head, cradling it. He blinks open swollen eyes to see the blurred face of Twilight hovering just above him. Legend and Sky appear over his shoulder, seconds later.

“Twi.”

Clumsily, he tries to reach out with his less injured arm, eager to touch him, to prove that he is real. But his body refuses to follow his commands. He doesn’t have to worry, though. The rancher’s hand easily finds its way into his.

“I’ve got you, Wild,” he says, and there is pure fire in his tone. “You’re safe now.”

A head of familiar pink hair leans over him. Gentle, trembling hands nudge his chin upward. 

“Here, you’ve gotta drink this.”

Potion is poured down his throat, lukewarm and burning. But the magic of it begins its work immediately, zipping purposefully toward the worst of his wounds.

Wild swallows it with an effort. Then, he drags his eyes back up to meet Twilight’s. “Kohga?”

It is hardly a whisper, yet they hear it anyway.

“Dead.” He thinks it’s Sky who answers, though his voice doesn’t quite have its usual tone. It is a brittle thing. Dangerous. “For good this time.”

Wild tries to grin, but finds he isn’t quite up to it. “Good,” he mumbles instead. “Tired of his dumb belly.”

Twilight’s lips quirk the slightest bit. Gently, he brushes aside Wild’s bangs, wet with blood and sweat.

“Well, he’s never gonna touch you again.”

“Now, rest up,” Legend says, shakily. “We’ve got this handled. You focus on not dying.”

Any other time Wild would laugh and tease the vet about his blatant caring. But all he can focus on is the pleasantly numb feeling that has begun to spread throughout his body, and how warm Twilight’s embrace is as he scoops him carefully off of the ground. His eyes slip closed of their own accord. Before he even realizes what is happening, the darkness swallows him and he is gone.

[cyberrose2001]

Could you do a pt2 with pregnant reader, like Optimus finds her throwing up with morning sickness. Would really appreciate it. Love your writing.❤️❤️

TFP Optimus x fem!reader

trying out different writing styles so sorry if this feels a lil different to the previous part

SO this is pt 2 of this -> Read here!

There will be a pt 3 so keep an eye out for that, but for now, enjoy! <3

Warnings: Emetophobia, mentions of sex, pregnancy

Word count: 1201

As much as you loved getting dicked down by your alien robot boyfriend for the first time last night, you heavily underestimated the following effects. Unfortunately, waking up to the feeling of your body trying to eject the contents of your stomach was not on your agenda for the day. So, you try to crawl out from under a servo that held you, desperately trying not to throw up all over his shiny chassis.

The idea of you being pregnant never crosses your mind as you ungracefully stumble off the giant berth, almost faceplanting, and run for the nearest toilet, sink, or whatever you may find first. Then, with your mouth salivating at the impending feeling of throwing up, you find a conveniently placed trash can at the room's doorway. You practically throw yourself at it and heave your guts into the poor trash can.

It's unusual because you don't remember eating glowing bright blue soup for dinner last night before you had the pounding of a lifetime from your boyfriend. You weren't sure if you even ate dinner last night, too preoccupied with the jealousy of your cousin and the fact that Optimus had offered to put a baby in you. Yet the thought of you being knocked up still evaded your mind as you leaned over the bin and threw up a few more mouthfuls of the disgusting-tasting "soup". Your nostrils singed from the smell, and the sensation of your oesophagus melting away makes your eyes water. And honestly, the trash can is probably having a better time than you are presently.

Being a relatively light sleeper, Optimus notices your absence from under his servo and awakens to the pathetic sight of you hunched over the bin. Concerned, as one would be by the view of their significant other vomiting, he leaps out of the berth with the gracefulness that you had failed to execute yourself and rushes over to your side.

"Are you alright?" Optimus hovers a hesitant servo over your back, unsure what to do. Then, after recollecting himself from being hit by a wall of stench from the contents of the bin, he peers his optics around to your face; you're sweating bullets, your hair still unruly from last night's antics and clung to your forehead.

You spat out the remnants of your saliva mixed with whatever the hell you just threw up and lifted a shaky hand to pull your hair out of your face, "Just peachy."

Optimus ignores your sarcastic tone and reaches his servo to pull your hair out of your face, gathering the now slightly wet strands behind your head like a makeshift ponytail.

"Shall I call for Ratchet?"

No, for Primus sake no. The last thing you'd ever want was for Optimus to drag the cranky medic out of his recharge to point and laugh at your miserable, sweaty state. Not to mention his horrified questioning about exactly why you're throwing up glowing blue Gatorade. Not that you knew, either. That's an awkward conversation for another time.

"Please don't." You beg, wiping the corner of your mouth with your hand, "Just… get me some water or something… pretty please?"

Optimus, though very reluctant to not advise his medic of your current predicament, obliges and goes to fetch you a bottle of water. You've trained him well. He returns in record time and passes it to you, and you make no haste to unscrew the cap and scull as much as you can.

"June, perhaps?" Optimus suggests, a servo returning to your back, "I understand that she is proficient in human health."

"Yeah, I guess she will be fine." You grimace, looking down at the swirling patterns of what once was your stomach contents, "Though I'm not sure if there are any cases of glowing throw-up in her medical books."

-

"Glowing what?"

"Puke. Bioluminescent blue puke."

June Darby considers herself a seasoned nurse. She has seen just about everything, but this? Unheard of. She tries to wrack her brain on everything she has ever learned through her many years of medical experience but comes up with nothing as she is now forced to stand there looking like a lost, wet cat.

She clicks the pen in her hand with deep thought, a crumpled piece of paper retrieved from her pocket in the other, "Do you remember eating anything strange? Have you done anything unusual at all that would've caused it? Exposure to chemicals, or…"

You felt the blood simultaneously drain from and flush to your face as you remember getting down and dirty with Optimus for the first time last night. Well, you were sure there was plenty of exposure to chemicals in the form of your boyfriend's transfluids. Drumming the old crusty hospital gurney beneath you with your fingers, you wonder whether or not you should tell June that you had let Optimus make sweet love to you for the first time.

And that's when you remember why he fragged you in the first place. You wanted a baby. And sweet Primus, it's all just hitting you square in the face now.

Could it be that you're pregnant? It starts to add up. The morning sickness, not to mention the abnormal glowing throw-up and the fact that you actually begged Optimus to put a baby in you and complied with the most enormous load of cum your body has ever taken (it's taking a lot for you not to drool at the thought). It makes a least a little bit of sense.

"June, do you happen to have a pregnancy test on you?"

-

After an awkward conversation with June about your recent endeavour with Prime, with her secretly being incredibly impressed, she gave you a clean-ish bill of health. Next, she sent you to the bathroom with a packet of pregnancy tests, with her being on standby in case you pass out from nausea, excitement or the sensation of a potential baby that may be in your uterus currently.

You open one test and place it on the bathroom sink, then pull your pajama pants down to your ankles in preparation for your first time peeing on a stick, akin to a dog. You giggle.

Task successful. You pull your pants up and wash your hands, counting every second the cold water hits your skin. It gave you some time to think. Would a regular pregnancy test even register if the fetus isn't human? Would it show up at all? Was Optimus truthful when he agreed to try and conceive a child, or was it just the lust combined with robot hormones doing the talking?

You didn't have enough time to answer your little pop quiz as you're alerted to the small beep of the Clearblue stick still sitting on the bathroom sink.

Pregnant.

Holy shit. You were having a baby.

An uncontrollable tsunami of emotions floods your senses as you pick up the stick, getting a closer look to ensure you aren't dreaming. It's real. It's so real that you're resisting the urge to climb to the top of the base and scream it out for everyone on Earth and potentially Cybertron to hear.

I'm gonna be a mom.

[all-my-writings-and-musings]

Hey, so, hear me out: Tall, possibly buff, fem!Reader? I would love some head-canons about how Monkey king, Macaque, Red son and MK would feel about/interact with their big beautiful S/O, if it's not too much trouble that is.

I'm a sucker for a good height difference, and we stan strong women in this household.

P.S. I love your work, you are such an inspiration!

Ohohoho you've got good taste! Also thank you so much, that absolutely made my day!! ❤

Reader X Sun Wukong

Reader X Macaque

Reader X Red Son

Reader X MK

Reader X Monkey King

He loves his muscles, but he adores yours. If you happen to do anything that shows off your buffness, he is going to stop and notice, and he borders on fanboying if you're in the presence of others. "Guys, check out how much my girlfriend can lift!" as he gets into position to be benchpressed. The bragging never ends, especially to his enemies.

He really loves being able to look up to you, and is not above asking for a piggyback ride so he can be taller. Sure, the guy has flown through the clouds, but being on your shoulders is so much better! If the two of you are in a crowd there is nothing he loves more than towering over everyone else, proudly declaring you as his girlfriend to anyone that will listen.

However, should you ever lift him bridal style, our monkey man will go from boastful to bashful so fast not even he will be prepared. You'll have him curling up and blushing whilst he looks up at you with the softest expression of adoring awe, his words failing him as he struggles with how incredible you are.

Reader X Macaque

He will try to play it cool, lord, will he try. Unfortunately enough for his ego, he will fail. Whenever you lift anything heavy in his presence his cheeks flush without hesitation, and if you lift something for him he's going to need a moment. He may ask you to open a pickle jar just to watch you do so. He's been around plenty of strength before, but yours brings him to his knees.

Reader X Red Son

When he goes out in public with you, the bragging will commence, and he shall pretend he's not so smitten with your muscles he's incapable of functioning. Should you ever enter some carnival game to show off your strength, he'll be your ultimate hype man, smugly letting everyone know that his girlfriend is the strongest human in existence and has got this. Said confidence fades as soon as you offer him the prize you win, and he returns to being thoroughly overwhelmed.

One day, he will fall asleep on the couch, and when he wakes up to find you carrying him to bed he will pass right back out. It's just too much, he can't even pretend to be smooth with you.

Reader X MK

He is going to call you mommy on at least one occasion. It will not be on purpose, and he will beg for you to never speak of it again. He always tries to present himself with decorum, dignity and control, but you make that an absolute impossibility. On more than one occasion he's bumped your arm and couldn't stop chuckling like a nervous fool at the touch of your muscles...

He's exceptionally strong, but that doesn't stop him from being awed by your strength. He may just find a few heavy things about his garage that need moving, if you have the time, of course... You'll find his gaze lingering every time you pick something up, and he'll turn away with a fiery blush hot enough to melt the wheels off his vehicles.

For as bashful as he gets about most things regarding your strength, he has no qualms about asking you to pick him up so he can reach something otherwise out of range. It's his favorite way to get a little taller when the situation calls for it. He just sees it as a perfectly practical solution, and he weighs absolutely nothing to you anyway, you told him it's like holding a couple grapes.

He isn't subtle, but he sure thinks he is every time he asks you to open another jar, pretending to be absolutely helpless just so he can watch with giddy excitement. There are more open pickle jars than he can ever hope to eat, but he doesn't care. When the two of you train together he's no less eager to watch you show off, and if you offer to show him some techniques he'll be beyond excited.

All he wants to do when the two of you walk together is hold hands and gush to anyone who will listen about his strong girlfriend. Do they know how much you can benchpress? How you once punched a guy so hard he apologized to you? They need to know; he's dating the strongest person in the world!

Piggyback rides, whenever you're game, he loves them so much. If you're down, he also loves sitting on your shoulders. He gets to be so tall, and close to you at the same time, it's such a win! Bonus if the two of you are out in public, he gets to brag about you from above!

[stories-from-the-shaded-moon]

Whumptober Day12

(Insomnia)

I believe it was @luwyv who invented the basis of this

I just checked and it is. It’s also crazy because they just made a post about it-

It was a gift and a curse. During long battles, being able to easily resist sleep was a blessing. On slow nights when his bed was warm, it was such a curse.

This was one of those cursed nights. Taking a watch helped him these nights, but he had watched yesterday and the day before that and now the Old Man was getting suspicious. The last thing Wild needed was for them to bully him into sleeping.

Or worse. Sleep jail.

He shivered at the thought of Sleep Jail. It happened to Time once. He’d taken too many watches and the top of the mountain was when he didn’t wake anyone else up for their watches. Sky Sleep Jail-ed Time. Time slept very soundly that night, but it looked painful.

Wild refused to get Sleep Jail-ed.

He laid down in his spot beside Twilight, who had his head on Wild’s hip. This was far better than Sleep Jail.

Wild loved Sky, but getting bear hugged to sleep by the Skyloftian sounded like a death sentence.

He tried to keep his leg from bouncing. Time was on watch and Wild did snitch on Time and made Sky put him in Sleep Jail. There was no way he wasn’t out for blood.

Wild felt the single eye staring at him. There was no way the Old Man was going to let him live like this. He was going to be cursed to Sleep Jail by Time. He should just consign to his fate-

“Do you bounce your legs in your sleep?” Shit.

Wild froze. He then realized that he was bouncing his leg, but what were the odds that he was talking about him? Four twitches in his sleep!

“Ow!” A rock hit his forehead. Wild heard Time laugh. Wild reached up to rub his forehead, now very conscious about Twilight on his hip. “What the fuck was that for?” Wild whispered.

“You’ll be in Sleep Jail tomorrow. Just so you know,” He sounded so lax as if that isn’t a world level threat.

“I beg you!” Wild whispered. He saw Twilight’s ear twitch. He did not need someone on Time’s side. He would not be locked in Sleep Jail.

Time hummed. “Sleep Jail sounds nice for you.”

“What did I do?” Wild knew what he did. It was obvious that Time knew that he knew with the glare he gave Wild. “In my defense, it was a joke.”

“Well, this isn’t a joke. Sleep Jail for you,” Time sang. He then proceeded to chant “Sleep Jail” another few times.

Wild wanted to move, but Twilight’s gigantic head was still on his hip.

If he had to silence the Old Man, he would.

Now Wild knew how he would silence him without moving from his spot. A smug grin fell onto Wild’s face. “You’re going to make Sky Sleep Jail me, right?”

“Yep,” Time said, emphasizing the P.

“Okay well-“ Wild swung his hand to where he put the Slate. Time wore metal armor. When he reached and didn’t feel anything, he looked back. There was no Sheikah Slate. “What?”

“I’m no fool,” Wild locked eyes with Time. Time was waving around his Slate. “Smithy’s done it before. Never again.”

Wild grumbled. “It was funny though.”

“You know what else is funny?”

“Don’t-“

“Sleep Jail.”

Wild was suddenly overcome by the urge to show Time his pretty little middle finger. He didn’t, but he wanted to. With love of course.

“What do I have to do for no Sleep Jail?” Wild asked, desperation clouding his voice.

Seconds passed. Long, suffocating, but not really, seconds passed.

“I don’t think there is anything. Let’s call it revenge, shall we?”

Wild grumbled.

“Growl again, I dare you,” Wild was startled by the voice coming from his hip. Twilight had a sneer on his face.

“Sorry,” Wild whispered, putting his hand on Twilight’s head and forcing it back on his lap. Twilight was back asleep almost immediately. Wild took a relieved exhale.

“Sleep Jail,” Time was certainly mocking him now. Wild saw the smile on his face. He refrained from groaning again.

The camp was quiet as Wild shut his mouth. Time chuckled.

“Sounds like you’ve given up,” Time mumbled.

Wild decided that now was the time to show Time his finger.

“I love you too. You’re still going to Sleep Jail though. In the wise words of the Champion, “Sleeping is Sleepy.” What does that even mean?”

“It means that…” Wild had no idea what that meant. He ate a weird mushroom that day. Wild groaned.

Wild let out a startled yelp as pain ripped through his hip. Groans rang from across the camp.

“I dared you,” Twilight muttered.

“Did you fucking bite me?” Wild yelled. He forgot to contain his voice.

“Will you shut up already!” Four shouted.

“I will bite er’body, if you all start nonsense,” Twilight groggily shouted. It was evident that Wild’s hip was just too comfortable for him to leave.

Wild shoved him off anyway. Twilight obviously tried for a Wolfie whine, but in his Hylian form, it came out as a muffled scream. Time snorted, trying to stop his laughing with his mouth. Twilight’s eyes truly opened after that. Twilight looked up, probably at the moon. He then looked back at Time, who was also looking up at the moon, a grim expression replaced his smile.

Time looked back at Twilight. They met eyes. Time pointed to Wild. “He hasn’t slept at all tonight.”

Wild jumped on the defensive. “Maybe I would be asleep if you didn’t throw a rock at me!”

“Put him in Sleep Jail.”

“Put him in Sleep Jail!”

“You’re both getting Jail-ed,” a sleepy voice murmured. It was a voice they knew all too well.

“Goddesses no-“ Time put his head in his hands.

“Sky, please! He threw a rock at me!”

“Jail.”

Sky did what he promised the next night.

“So…was it worth it?” Wild asked, the Skyloftian’s right arm and leg squishing his body into Time’s.

“I wish I could say that it was.”

“Sleep Jail is for sleep’in, not chat’in! Close ‘em eyes!” Twilight pointed at them. They both glared at him, Twilight was smiling.

Wild and Time huffed, but they closed their eyes.

“This will not cure my insomnia,” The two victims thought.

[kslenvs3000w24]

Blog #5: Gratitude

Hi everyone, this week we have been given the privilege to talk about anything we are thinking of. I am excited to see everyones blog this week! This week I want to talk about gratitude. Over the past 3 years, I have made it a part of my daily routine to acknowledge my gratitude. Every day I get to wake up blessed that I get to see another day, I am healthy and happy. I have a roof over my head and clothes on my back. I feel like showing gratitude can very easily be overlooked by all the other things we want or desire in life. However, I believe to allow yourself to acquire these new desires, you need to be grateful for the things you already have. An article published by UCLA Health (2023) states that based on previous research, consistently practicing gratitude can “enhance mental wellness and possibly promote a lasting change in perspective”. People often think that you need a lot in life in order to show gratitude but that couldn't be farther from the truth. Showing gratitude in every aspect of your life can make a difference whether it's for something big or small. For example, these past few days I am sure everyone has noticed that the sun has been out. I could not be more grateful for seeing the sun and blue skies. In turn, it also makes me extremely happy. Therefore, I am grateful for the feeling of sunlight on my skin because it has made me very happy and in high spirits. 

Especially in the world we live in today, it is very easy to get caught up with the next best thing or the new shoes that everyone has. I find myself doing this a lot recently. Sometimes I think feeling stressed and unmotivated can be very overwhelming for me and something that will make me happy or ‘I think’ will make me happy is a new purchase. When I feel like this is tend to try and force myself to look at the greener side of the grass, or in other words, show my gratitude for all the things I already do have and tell myself that these feelings come and go. It’s how we choose to react to them that can make a difference. It's crazy how the purchase of a $150 shoe can bring about the same happiness I felt when the sun was shining on my face. It’s all about perspective. My possessions do not define me as a person and I am trying to focus on not associating my feelings with purchases. However, I will say, there is nothing wrong every once and a while and I will most definitely be eating ice cream or sushi if I am feeling like I am in a funk. 

It is okay to resort to this mentality sometimes as long as you can practice gratitude for the things you currently have. These new possessions, experiences, and feelings you acquire do not make who you are as a person rather enhance your life for the better. I just wanted to put this out there because I know when times get tough and stress is eating us alive, it's hard to feel happy and grateful but just know it can be a very uplifting experience. Like my Abuela (Spanish version of grandma) likes to tell me, This too shall pass! Thanks, everyone and let me know your thoughts:)

The sunset from my walk (February 4th, 6:04 pm)

Uclahealth. (2023, March 22). Health benefits of Gratitude. UCLA Health. https://www.uclahealth.org/news/health-benefits-gratitude#:~:text=Research%20shows%20that%20practicing%20gratitude,positively%20affect%20your%20physical%20health.

[dawndelilah]

THE PROMISE I FAILED TO KEEP

chapter two: the closure that i needed

summary: after four years, Diluc had finally stepped a foot back into his hometown. what he didn't know, is that the church of favonious have celebrated a union between two prominent figures of the nation.

masterlist | previous | next

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It took Diluc four painful years of battle and bloodbath for him to finally step a foot in his nation again. Four agonizingly slow years of avenging his father's passing. Four years of regret after leaving the woman he loved the most in shambles. Even after four years, he was still hung up on her. He thought he was already over her— but is he really? Just the mere thought of her blonde hair flying along with the wind brought a whole butterfly zoo in his stomach. Her sweet smile never failed to make him feel a hundred times better on bad days. He cannot help but wonder. 

‘It's been four years- did she move on with someone else?’ 

He's had nightmares of (y/n) slipping away further from his grasp and into the arms of another man. He would find himself waking up, heart thumping loudly in his chest with a tear falling down his cheeks. Sometimes, he would even dash out to find (y/n), only to realize that she is not with him anymore. And that caused an unexplainable pain in his chest. Yeah. 

He is surely not over her yet. 

But it's impossible. It's been four years since he had left Mondstadt– since he had left her. It is not possible that she would still wait up for him. After all, it was him who broke things off between them. As he sat in front of the fire on the hilichurl camp that he had previously invaded, Diluc spurted curses after curses at himself. With his hand on his head, he allowed the salty tears to roll against his cheeks. 

He deserved this. 

He should have given her the closure she needed, at least. He can still remember the night before he had left for Snezhnaya. He was at the Starsnatch Cliff, giving himself a breath of air when he hear her voice call out to him. The voice that he so loved– he surely would not get sick of hearing her voice all over again. “Diluc- wait!” She called, panting. She had run all the way from the Knights of Favonius Headquarters after seeing him pass by without sparing her a glance. She was worried; she had heard the news from Kaeya himself and he too, was distraught. “What do you want, (y/n)?” he asked, voice cold. (y/n) took a few breaths before looking at Diluc's back. He refused to turn and look at her. 

“Where are you heading off to?” 

“Away. Away from this nation. There are things I should settle in Snezhnaya.” 

“This is about Mister Crepus, isn't it?” 

“And what of it, (y/n)? What can a person such as yourself do about it? Go away. I do not wish to see anyone at the moment.” He spat, finally turning his body to face (y/n). What a mistake. From there, he can see her look at him with pain in her eyes. Damn it. Hurting her was the last thing he swore to do– but now, he had done it. Because of his own selfish reasons and desires. 

“So you're going to throw everything away that easily, huh? Tell me, Diluc. Did you even take our relationship seriously? I've told you that you do not have to shoulder every burden because I am here to help you! Kaeya, too!” 

“I DO NOT need help, (y/n)! Why can't you understand?” 

"Allow me to even aid you emotionally! I may not be the best fighter around here, but please!"

"You are weak, (y/n). You'll only keep me behind."

“So that's how it is. Well then, I shall leave you by yourself, Sir Diluc.” 

He could only watch as (y/n) slowly walked away from him, her shoulders shaking from all the crying. He... He had now lost everyone he holds dear. 

But maybe... Maybe he did deserve it. What can a weak man such as himself do to fight against fate, anyway? Sure, in combat, he may be strong; he had trained day and night since Crepus' passing, and now, he is much more confident with his fighting prowess. But also because of his past, he was weakened.  

Oh, how he wished he ran up to her and pulled her in his arms and shower her with apologies. Then maybe, maybe he would still be the man that stood beside her, eyes gleaming in happiness. Had he pushed his anger away, then maybe he wouldn't be drowning in sorrow and misery. Had he decided not to put their relationship down the drain, then maybe he wouldn't be as miserable as he was today.

The bells of the Church of Favonius rang as two familiar figures exited the massive doors of the Cathedral. The townspeople of Mondstadt gathered and cheered, congratulating the newly wedded couple with smiles on their faces. It was once his dream from his youth. To be wedded to the person he loved. He once dreamed to be wedded to (y/n). To either take her surname or have her take his surname. He once dreamed to live a happy married life with her. To see the silver glint of the wedding ring that was supposed to be on his finger.

Clad in a white gown that emphasized her youthful glow, (y/n) took her sisters, Jean and Barbara in her arms in a loving hug. He could not hear what the younger had stated, but he can see her say something to (y/n). Giggles from the women were heard from the vicinity about how lucky she was tk be married to a man like him as a gloved hand snaked itself around (y/n)'s waist, making her look up at her groom with love. 

That should have been me. 

It was supposed to be him who planted a loving kiss on her temple. It was supposed to be him who was wedded to her. It was supposed to be his torso that (y/n) wrapped her arms around. It was supposed to be him and her standing in front of the altar. He was supposed to be the one who shared vows with her. He was supposed to be the one to slip the ring on her finger and seal it with a kiss.

It should have been us that the citizens of Mondstadt are congratulating.

Not you and Kaeya.

Ah, Kaeya and (y/n). The two people that he had left because of his own selfishness.

The two people he used to secretly care for are now bound in front of the altar. They are now bound by the rings wrapped around their finger in front of the holy presence of their God, Barbatos. Despite the pain he felt in his heart, Diluc knew that it is better for (y/n) to find another man suitable enough for her to love, and give her the love she deserved. A man that isn't going to push her away when she approaches;

a man that isn't him. 

To think of it, Kaeya and (y/n) would make a better pair. 

Better than they were.

Seeing that (y/n) is happily married to Kaeya, diluc thought that maybe, this could be his eye-opener. (y/n) is finally happy, free from despair- and he should be, as well. It is now his time to leave the past behind, love another woman, and not repeat the same mistake again. 

But can he do it, if (y/n) had become a great influence in his life? Can he do it if his life once revolved around (y/n)?

The sight was too much for him to handle. He shook his head at himself and decided to approach the newlywed couple. No one knew the reason for the break up except for him and (y/n) themselves- probably Kaeya, too. Mustering up his 'confident' façade, he stopped in front of the two. (y/n) caught his gaze, and was taken aback at his sudden appearance. She cautiously glanced up at Kaeya who only nodded with a small smile in return. (y/n) turned back to Diluc and accpeted the gift he had in his hand. One that he would've given her if she remained single along with a heartfelt apology and perhaps some kisses if she forgave him.

"Look-"

"It's okay, Diluc. I have long forgiven and forgotten the past. You don't have to carry the guilt anymore. I know you've had it for years."

She's right. He doesn't have to be guilty anymore. Contented with the closure he needed, he excused himself and retired back into the Dawn Winery.

Crying.

Crying because the realization of not being able to wake up next to her had dawned on him. Crying because he will have to do things alone again, and that (y/n) would not be there to help him with it.

He's crying because the woman he had been in love for years is no longer within his grasp, and is in a loving marriage with the person he used to consider as his brother.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤdawndelilah, 2023.

credits:

https://twitter.com/raiu_81/status/1542184278594928643?t=ToJNFMwuorEEimb2LLdtTw&s=19

The Roses of Heliogabalus, Lawrence Alma-Tadema

[empressofthesunwriter]

Yin and Yang

Balance is a key aspect in the world, so why shouldn’t the Avatar have an opposite?

In a world where Raava and Vaatu merge with humans, the Avatar and the Daimon try to keep the peace between the four nations.

Aang and Hua are the current incarnations, but wake up 100 years in the future.

How will these two learn all four elements in one year and defeat the Fire Lord?

This is an episode I really struggled with since I hate it.

I think most of the fandom isn’t a fan of it XD

I just wanted to get it over, so there you have it now :D

Enjoy it!

Also another chapter The Storm and we will reach The Blue Spirit…

I wonder what will happen ;D

Book 1.11: The Great Divide

Water. 

Earth. 

Fire. 

Air. 

Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. 

Then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. 

Only the Avatar and Daimon, masters of all four elements, could stop them, but when the world needed them most, they vanished. 

A hundred years passed, and my brother and I discovered the new Avatar and Daimon, an airbender named Aang and an earthbender named Hua. 

And although his airbending and her earthbending skills are great they have a lot to learn before they’re ready to save anyone. 

But I believe Aang and Hua can save the world.

Concentrate Hua performed the steps to bend water into their pots as Jaiyi caught the fish in the river.

Already a nice pile of fish the ninetails had gathered.

Going into the bending end pose, the Daimon smiled happily.

“Nice work, Jaiyi.”, she praised her kyuubi. “I think this is enough fish for us.”

Jaiyi yipped in agreement and stepped out of the water. She shook herself free from the water, making her fur fluffy.

Hua cooed at her, giving Jaiyi a nice rub between the ears, which the ninetails enjoyed.

Then the Kyuubi turned into her riding form, as Hua took the pots and fish and then mounted her.

Together they raced back to their camp.

“Hey guys, we are back!”, Hua called out to her friends.

Only Sokka and Katara were angrily staring at each other.

Confused Hua slide down from Jaiyi.

What was going on?

That’s when Aang with Momo joined up with them.

“Okay, I got the grub if you guys got the-”, the Avatar didn’t even finish his sentence as he stared bamboozled at siblings turning away from each other in anger with their arms folded and the unfinished campsite. “Hey, where's the campfire? And what happened to the tent?”

“Beats me, I just turned up now.”, answers Hua with a shrug.

“Why don't you guys ask Miss Know-It-All, Queen of the Twigs.”, growled Sokka angrily.

“Oh yeah? Well, you're Mister Lazy Bum, King of the Tents!”, hissed Katara and threw a twig at Sokka's head.

Pissed he turned to his sister.

The Avatar and the Daimon looked at each other out of the corners of their eyes.

“You wanna take this.”, began Hua, waving at their friends. “Or shall I?”

“Nah, I got it.”, told her Aang before he turned the word to Katara and Sokka. “Okay, listen, guys, harsh words won't solve problems, action will. Why don't you just switch jobs?”

After a moment the siblings agreed.

“You see that? Settling feuds and making peace, all in a day's work for the Avatar.”

Notable Hua coughed.

“And of course, the Daimon would have solved the problem without breaking a sweat too.”

This earned Aang a smile from Hua, which he returned.

It was nice how they were friends now.

Of course, they butted heads sometimes, but it was so much better than a few weeks ago.

Hearing suddenly how Momo, Jaiyi and Appa made noise, Aang turned his head to see the three animals fighting over a watermelon. Momo continuously tries to fly away with it, Jaiyi has bitten down on it, while Appa pins it down. 

The Avatar takes the melon and uses airbending to slice it. Momo and Jaiyi seem to be complaining about how they got the much smaller halves and Appa got the bigger half.

“Come on, Momo and Jaiyi, that's fair. Appa's got five stomachs.”

Appa eats his half of the melon.

Amused Hua shakes her head and proclaims how she will start cooking the fish.

***

The next day Team Avatar-Daimon stands before one of the wonders of nature in their world.

“There it is, guys, The Great Divide.”, presents Aang his friends the biggest canyon in the world.

Hua makes a long Wow sound, while Katara states how she could stare at it forever.

Of course, Sokka has to ruin the magical moment.

“Okay, I've seen enough.”

“How can you not be fascinated Sokka? This is the largest canyon in the entire world.”, wondered Katara.

“Then I'm sure we'll be able to see it very clearly from the air while we fly away.”

Suddenly Sokka gets roughly shown away by a young man in fine white clothing.

“If you're looking for the canyon guide, I was here first!”

This pans Katara's interest.

“Ooh, canyon guide? Sounds informative.”

“Believe me, he's more than a tour guide, he's an earthbender.”, explains the finely dressed young man, totally not seeing how Sokka was mocking him behind his back. Hua has to bite down on her fist to not laugh out loud. “And the only way in and out of the canyon is with his help, and he's taking my tribe across next.”

“Calm down, we know you're next.”, muttered Sokka done with this guy.

The fine-dressed young man heard him anyway.

“You wouldn't be so calm if the Fire Nation destroyed your home and forced you to flee! My whole tribe has to walk thousands of miles to the capital city of Ba Sing Se.”

“You're a refugee!”, exclaimed Katara.

“Huh, tell me something I don't know.”

A large group of poorly dressed people was walking toward them.

Katara asks if this is the tribe of the young man, to which he reacts with disgust.

That’s the Zhang tribe, a bunch of low-life thieves. They've been the enemies of his tribe for a hundred years.

“Hey, Zhangs!”, calls out the young man to them. “I'm saving a spot for my tribe so don't even think about stealing it!”

A chubby woman in a bear pelt with two little buns on her head answers him: “Where are the rest of the Gan Jin? Still tidying up their campsite?”

“Yes, but they sent me ahead of them to hold a spot.”

“I didn't know the canyon guide took reservations.”

“Ha, of course, you didn't! That's the ignorance I'd expect from a messy Zhang. So unorganized and ill-prepared for a journey.”

The Zhang tribe members yell out in protest behind them. Katara, Hua and Aang look at each other worriedly but turn around to see a large pile of rocks being levitated up and thrown away. 

The canyon guide stands behind where the rocks used to be.

“Sorry about the wait, youngsters.”, greets them the Canyon Guide. “Who's ready to cross this here canyon?”

Helpful Katara points at the Gan Jin scout and the Zhang, telling him one of them is it.

The Gan Jin scout races over to the Guide demanding: “I was here first, my party's on their way.”

“I can't guide people who aren't here.”, makes the Guide clear.

Hearing this the Zhang filed past the four kids and the fuming Gan Jin scout.

“Guess you guys will have to make the trip tomorrow.”, mocks the Zhang woman in the bear pelt.

The scout's eyes twitch in anger, however, he sees a group of finely dressed people arrive.

His tribe!

“Wait, here they come!”

This angers the Zhang woman, who was the leader, telling the Guide he can’t consider taking the Gan Jin, also they have sick people!

The Guide was lost for words.

A Gan Jin tribesman with a long elegant beard, the leader steps to them.

“We've got old people who are weary from travelling.”

“Sick people get priority over old people.”, tells the Zhang leader.

“Maybe you Zhangs wouldn't have so many sick people if you weren't such slobs.”

“If you Gan Jins weren't so clean, you wouldn't live to be so old.”

Now all members of the two tribes shout insults at each other.

“Well Aang and Hua ready to put your peace-making skills to the test?”, asked Katara her friends over the loud voices.

“I don't know, a fight over chores is one thing, but these people have been feuding for a hundred years.”, says Aang truthful.

“We don’t have a choice.”, reminds Hua. “First it is our job and second these two tribes seem ready to slaughter each other and making people slaughter each other goes against anything we stand for.”

After a short moment, Aang nods.

Hua was right.

“Everybody listen up!”, shouts Katara and points to Aang and Hua. “These are the Avatar and Daimon, and if you give them a chance, I'm sure they can come up with a compromise that will make everyone happy.”

Expectant the two tribes looked at Aang and Hua.

Both twelve-year-olds started to sweat a bit.

Well, they have to get this over with.

So they mumble to each other what they could do.

“Uh, you could share the earthbender and travel together?”, shares Aang their first idea.

It crashes and burns faster than a cheap firework. 

No Zhang and none Gan Jin want that.

Annoyed Hua bends herself up in a high earth pillar and shouts: “Alright, alright! Here's the deal, you're all going down together and Appa, our bison, here will fly your sick and elderly across! Jaiyi, our ninetails, will protect them if something dares to attack. Can you live with that?!”

After a moment the two leaders nod.

So the sick and elderly get on on Appa with Jaiyi as their guard.

“Sorry, Appa, you'll have to do this on your own.”, said Aang to him, while Hua whispered to Jaiyi: “You make sure that they don’t kill each other alright?”

Her ninetails yip in agreement.

This was the main reason why Hua let Jaiyi travel with Appa and the sick and old. 

She had a feeling the two tribes would start a fight if someone didn’t have an eye on them.

“Aang, Hua, this feuding tribe stuff is serious business. Are you sure it's a good idea to get involved in this?”, asks Sokka.

The Avatar grinned broadly.”To tell you the truth, I'm not sure. But when have I ever been?”

“This was the best we came up with in the short time, hopeful it won’t bite us in the behind.”, added Hua.

“He's the Avatar, and she is the Daimon Sokka, making peace between people is their job.”, reminds Katara.

“Their job is gonna make us cross this whole thing on foot, isn't it?”, bemoans Sokka his destiny.

Why him?

Why always him?

He never asked for all this!

They hear then how the Guide tells them that no food is allowed in the canyon since it lures in dangerous predators.

This makes both tribes whine like babies.

The Guide mocks them telling them how they can’t stay a day without food like babies. They better eat now or throw it into the garbage, because they would move in ten minutes.

So the Zhang eat like hungry wolfs and the Gan Jin like some sort of royalty with chopsticks and all.

Team Avatar-Daimon eats also what they have, then with a yip yip from Aang Appa flow away.

After ten minutes the big group makes their way down the canyon, the Guide with Aang and Hua at the forefront.

The tour guide earthbends to form a bridge in a gap in the path.

“Nice bending!”, complimentes Aang, while Hua studied the move carefully.

She can’t wait to try it too!

“The job's much more than bending, kid. Folks want information.”, explains the Guide and then turns to the big group. “Many of you are probably wondering how canyons are formed. Experts tell us this canyon was most likely carved into the ground by earth spirits who were angry at local farmers for not offering them a proper sacrifice.”

Katara and Sokka look up in fear as an avalanche of rocks comes falling toward them, and the canyon guide earthbends it away from them.

“He he he, guess the spirits are still angry! Hope you all brought sacrifices.”

No one found this funny.

After a few minutes, they reached the canyon floor.

The guide stands in front of the two tribes and the kids beside a huge boulder.

“Okay, everyone stands clear of the wall.”, warns the Guide before he throws the boulder and destroys the bridge he had made earlier.

Aang wonders why he did this.

It’s Hua who answers him: “Think about it Aang. These tribes are fleeing from the Fire Nation. Like this, they can’t follow us.”

“The little lady is right.”, confirmed the Guide. “We'll be safe now.”

Out of nowhere, he is picked up by a huge animal. Aang blows away the dust to reveal a canyon crawler.

“We gotta help him!”, shouts Sokka throwing his boomerang at the crawler, which drops the canyon guide and comes after him instead. “Okay, now we gotta help me!”

Katara comes to his aid and does a water whip on the crawler, but she is quickly thrown aside.

The Hua runs up to the crawler and bends a platform under it. She throws it with the crawler as far away as she can.

It’s only a little point in the distance now.

“What was that?”, asks Aang the Guide.

The poor man lay on the ground, beside him Katara and Hua, who check for injuries.

“Canyon crawler. And there's sure to be more!”

“Your arms, they're broken!”, tells him Katara worried.

“Without my arms, I got no bending. In other words-”

“Calm down Mister Guide.”, replied Hua calmly. “I’m an earthbender. I can get us out of the Canyon. Just explain the moves to me and we will be out in no time.”

The Guide, who was ready to freak out, calmed down.

“Oh thank the Spirits.”

“I thought the whole point of ditching our food was so we wouldn't have to deal with things like canyon crawlers.”, thought Sokka out loud.

With Hua, they had still a way out, but it didn’t mean that the crawler wouldn’t attack them again.

“It's the Zhangs!”, accused the Gan Jin leader. “They took food down here even after the canyon guide told them not to.”

“What?”, screeched the Zhang leader offended. “If there's anyone who can't go without food for a day, it's you pampered Gan Jins!”

“I hope you're happy. We could get attacked by this canyon crawler again, without warning!”

“Why don't you thank yourself, food hider?”

The Avatar calls in between: “Look, sticking together is the only way to-”

“I'm not walking another step with the likes of them!”, shouts the Zhang leader.

“Now there's something we can agree on.”, murmurs the Gan Jin leader.

“Any ideas?”, ask Aang Hua.

“They are not gonna work together that’s clear.”, states the Daimon. “I have a solution.”

“By all means, Hua, tell us. I’m starting to get a headache.”, he mumbles the last part to her.

Friendly she pats his shoulder before she bends herself on a huge stone pillar so anybody can hear her.

“Alright, Zhang’s and Gan Jins since you are incapable of cooperating we will split up, till we reach the end of the canyon. Gan Jins on this side and Zhangs on that side. Is this alright with you?”

The two leaders nod at each other and start walking. Hua jumps down to Aang, Sokka and Katara.

“Sokka, you go with the Zhangs and Katara, you go with the Gan Jins. See if you can find out why they hate each other so much. Aang and I will stay with the canyon guide. If we choose a side I fear the tribes will kill each other in seconds.”

All nod in agreement with Hua's plan.

***

Nightfalls over the canyon.

In the distance, the Avatar and Daimon can see the two camps of the tribes.

Hua was petting Momo, while Aang mused out loud: “Sure would be nice to be sitting around one of those campfires, telling stories and laughing. It's okay Momo and Hua, we'll be out of here soon enough, and then we can eat our weight in leechi nuts!”

Momo jumps out of Hua's arms and up. He snatches a bug out of the air, he eats part of it before offering the rest to two kids.

Hua makes a face.

“Thanks, Momo, I’m still not desperate enough for bugs.”

“Nah, I'll wait for the leechi nuts.”, says Aang.

The Guide, with both his arms and a leg bandage, limps towards the little campfire Hua and Aang made.

It was practical how good Hua had become in firebending.

“Lonely isn't it, being impartial?”, the Guide musses.

The Daimon nods, as the Avatar says for them: “We wish we could help these people get along, but it just seems impossible.”

“At least tomorrow they won’t be our problem anymore.”, adds Hua dry.

Aang tutts at her, while the Guide laughs.

“Get some rest, kids, you will need it.”

With this, the Guide lays down and not even a few seconds later he has fallen asleep.

Astonished Aang and Hua stare at him.

“Wow, I wish I could sleep like this.”, confesses Hua.

Momo chirps and makes himself comfy on Hua's lap. She starts to pet the lemur.

“I hope Appa and Jaiyi are okay.”, muttered Aang.

“Yeah, I hope Jaiyi didn’t need to kill someone of the Zhnag or the Gan Jin.”

“You are joking, Jaiyi wouldn’t do it.”

“Meh.”

It’s still between the two, only Momo's purr interrupts the silence.

“So.”, begins Aang arkweird. “You wanna talk?”

Hua shrugs her shoulder.

“Sure, we can talk a bit. We don’t have much time to talk only we two when we train in airbending and earthbending.”

This makes Aang groan and Hua hits him friendly on the shoulder.

“You will get earthbending. Don’t forget, be the rock!”

“That’s simple for you to say.”, whines Aang. “After you learned firebending it seems like you got airbending.”

“Did you forget, last time, I threw myself against a stone wall?”

“Oh, right.”

Again it is still between them.

“So… your favourite food?”, asks now Hua.

This makes Aang smile.

“We are really doing this friendship thing, heh?”

“Mah, don’t get me wrong, sometimes I still wanna bury you, but it’s stupid to act like I hate you still when we grow out of it.”

In agreement, Aang nods.

“I rather have us be friends too.”

This makes Hua smile before she frowns.

“Why didn’t you like me before?”, wondered Hua. “I hated your guts because after being told how Avatar and Daimon end up mostly together, I felt like I couldn’t choose anymore over my life. Also, you are an airhead.”

A short snort comes from Aang before he answers: “My reasons were similar. When I looked at you I was reminded how I was the Avatar and how the world expected us to fall in love like we did it a thousand and more times. I felt trapped too. Also, you can be really stubborn.”

Now Hua snorts.

“It seems so silly now. Like we are the only ones left of time of peace. We understand each other like no one can understand us.”

“I agree. Also, we are the Avatar and Daimon, our job is the restore peace and keep it then. Working together is better than fighting each other.”

“Aang, let’s make a promise.”, began Hua with a smile. “We will never fall in love with each other but be best friends like Kyoshi and Tian Kuo.”

“I promise!”

He holds his hand out to her and she shakes it.

“I promised too.”

Both ignored the voices inside them who cried out in outrage.

“Also my favourite food is Egg custard tart.”, told Aang.

“Nice! I love Mochi’s. In the Lower Ring where I lived in Ba Sing Se, there was this little bakery owned by an old lady we kids only called Granny. Granny sometimes gave us free mochi’s.”

“Aww, that’s so sweet. What was it like in the Lower Rings? I met your family after you had moved to the Upper Rings.”

So Hua told him about her hard childhood consisting of working, going hungry for days, never having fitting clothes and sometimes not being sure to survive the next day.

But she told also how her parents loved her and Bai so deeply and would always make sure they got what they needed.

When it really wasn't possible, her parents seemed to suffer more than them.

She had heard one time how her mother had said to her father what a failure they were since they couldn’t provide for their children and Hua had to work already.

“I never blamed my parents. It’s difficult to raise in ranks in Ba Sing Se.”, explained Hua. “I know they did anything for us. I wonder if Ba Sing Se is still the same?”

“I’m sure after we have learned waterbending at the North Pole, we can go to Ba Sing Se. I’m sure Bumi has nothing against it if we visit it for a few days.”

“Heh, I can’t wait to learn more crazy moves from Bumi!”

They two giggled quietly and then signed.

“I wish Kuzon was still alive.”, said Aang sadly. “I miss him and he could teach us firebending  .”

“I miss Kuzon too. I love Katara and Sokka, but the hole of our old friends in my chest hurts sometimes when I think about it.”

“This makes two of us.”

“Okay, now tell me some things about Airnomad culture I don’t know!”

And Aang just did this.

“Wait, wait, wait, you are telling me your people were fine with same-sex relationships and even support transgender and non-binary people?!”, whisper-shouted Hua. “How did I never notice it?!”

This made Aang laugh.

“I think you were more occupied to hate my guts than to learn.”

“Touche Avatar.”

They talked about a lot of random things till they got so tired they fell asleep.

In their sleep, they rolled over facing each other and cuddling.

Both children felt closer than ever and felt how their relationship changed again.

It becomes a deeper friendship.

Maybe falling in love with each other would be a promise they couldn’t hold, which one Daimon Lixue in the Spirit World took bets from her follow Daimons and Avatars at when Aang and Hua would realise they were made for each other.

Roku just shook amused his head at his wife.

Oh, how he loved this little gambling side of her.

***

Morning came and they would soon reach the other side of the canyon.

Aang and Hua meet up with Katara and Sokka, to see if they found out something.

“Katara, Sokka, will these people cooperate long enough to get out of the canyon?”, asks Aang.

“I don't think so, Aang, the Zhangs really wronged the Gan Jins. They ambushed Jin Wei and stole the sacred orb.”, explains Katara.

Erm, what?

“What are you talking about?”, wondered Hua.

“Yeah Katara, what are you talking about?”, agreed Sokka. “Wei Jin didn't steal the orb, he was returning it to their village gate and was wrongfully punished by the Gan Jin.”

“Not punished enough if you ask me.”

The Avatar and Daimon find each other eyes, both totally lost about what was going on.

“You know what, we can talk about this later.”, decides Hua and makes her way over to the canyon wall. “I have to earthbend us a way out of here now.”

The Guide was already waiting for her to give her the first instruction.

So she doesn’t get why suddenly the Zhangs and Gan Jin’s beginning to fight again.

Aang tells them how harsh words won't solve problems, action will!

This was the wrong thing to say because both leaders drew their swords to combat each other.

“You know, I take it back. Harsh words aren't so bad!”,

yells Aang.

The two leaders ignore him as they begin to fight. They are evenly matched and continue until Aang blows them apart with a strong gust of air. The two tribes go flying backwards, revealing a large amount of hidden food.

“Is that ... food? Everyone smuggled food down here? Unbelievable! You guys put our lives in danger because you couldn't go without a snack for a day? You're all awful!”, scolds Aang, while Hua makes a facepalm in the background. She fully heartily agrees with Aang and can’t take this stupidity anymore. Suddenly Aang whippers: “So hungry. Is that an egg custard in that tart?”

That’s when everyone notes how the canyon crawlers are back!

First, they fight them, but Aang notes how the canyon crawlers eat the food backs and shows anyone how to capture this the creepy animals.

Zhang and Gan Jin work together and all ride on the backs of the Canyon Crawler out of the Canyon.

As soon as all the people have made it up the cliff, Aang throws the bag, which he used to lure the crawler upwards, and back down, and the crawlers follow.

“I never thought a Gan Jin could get his hands dirty like that.”, compliments the Zhang leader.

“And I never knew you Zhangs were so reliable in a pinch.”, compliments the Gan Jin leader back.

“Perhaps we're not so different after all.”

They both smile at each other and Aang and Hua sigh in relief.

“Too bad we can't rewrite history. You thieves stole our sacred orb from Jin Wei!”, accused the Gan Jin leader, drawing his sword.

The Zhang leader draws her sword too. “You tyrants unjustly imprisoned Wei Jin for twenty long years!”

Again Hua facepalm and feels a headache forming, that’s when she remembers something.

“Wait a second did you say Jin Wei? Wei Jin? I know those guys!”

“Yes, yes, we're all aware of the story.”, says the Gan Jin leader annoyed.

“No you don’t understand, I might not look like it but I’m 112 years old, I was there when it happened.”, begins Hua. “There seems to be a lot of confusion about what happened. First of all, Jin Wei and Wei Jin weren't enemies. They were brothers, twins in fact, and they were eight; and most importantly, they were just playing a game! The sacred orb from the legend, that was the ball! And the eastern and western gates were the goalposts. Jin Wei had the ball and was running toward the goal when he fell and fumbled it. Wei Jin didn't steal the ball, he picked it up and started running it toward the other goal, but he stepped out of bounds, so the official put him in the penalty box. Not for twenty long years but for two short minutes. There was no stealing and no putting anyone in imprisonment, it was just a game.”

“You're saying the sacred orb was actually a sacred ball?”, asks the Zhnag leader in astonishment.

“No, just a normal ball.”

“What about our tribe's redemption ritual?” wondered the Gan Jin leader.

“It was the name of the game: Redemption. As soon as you got the ball from one end to the other, everyone would yell "Redemption"!”

The tribe leaders look at each other sceptically.

“Don't get me wrong, Wei Jin was kind of a slob and Jin Wei was a little stuffy, that much is true. But they respected each other's differences enough to share the same playing field.”, ends Hua.

Finally, it seems the two tribes will get along with each other since both leaders bow before the other and wish to begin a new future together.

Soon Appa lands with the rest of the Zhnag, Gan Jin and Jaiyi and Hua cuddles her kyuubi to her heart's content, while the Gan Jin leader thanks her and Aang for their help.

He stumbles backwards when he sees how Aang is covered in Appa's saliva.

The two tribes start to make their way to Ba Sing Se together as one and are followed by the canyon guide, who has enough of his job.

“That's some luck you knew Jin Wei and Wei Jin.”, tells Sokka Hua.

This makes Hua and Aang laugh.

“You could call it luck.”, begins the Avatar

“Or clever lying!”, ends Hua.

Sokka was in disbelief.

“Yesterday night, me and Aang brainstormed a few ideas on how to get the tribes to work together. We decided that we had to be a bit… manipulative.”, grinned Hua with a little wink to her friends.

“You did not!”, gasped Katara shocked and then smiled in devilish admiration. “That is so wrong.”

Shrugging her shoulders Hua just states: “Maybe, let’s just hope it won’t bite us in the behind later.”

“Nah, don’t worry.”, reassured Aang. “Now where is that custard tart? I'm starving!”

This made his friends laugh heartfully.

Previous

Next

[eiacez]

~ fluff, modern au

~ wc: 4.3k

masterlist

← How Sweet It Is | ← To Be Loved by You (part I)

Luffy not-so-softly barged in the room, regretting having done that out of wanting to see you. Thankfully, you didn’t move an inch from the noise, so he puffs an air out and closes the door quietly. Then fastly grabs the nearest chair beside the bed and sits on it, intently examining your condition. A frown graces his face—one that looks like a person hardly thinking—when he sees you’re pale and looking so tired and he thinks back to the day you two last saw each other.

You were more than okay that day? And if he wasn’t mistaken, only a day was missed by you two eating together, so now all quickly you’re sick? What happened?

He would have done the thing he did to Nami a while back, constantly tapping her face and squeezing it just to wake up. Noisily talking to the manager while she was passed out. He did that because he was worried, however now he won’t do that even if he’s worried too. This is you we are talking about and the last thing he wants to happen now is to prolong your agony, that wouldn’t be ideal as he wants to hang out with you soonest.

A level-headed action—that is by choosing to hold your hand—was he did while pouting. Luffy was becoming sad to see you in this sick state, not at all familiar with you being a gloom. Every time spent with you is always filled with laughter and lighthearted jokes. And every single one of them he always looks forward to and thinks of constantly. There was a moment when he would think of you acting the opposite of the usual way; he can’t even finish the thought because he thinks he can’t handle seeing you not cheerful.

“Hey, (Y/N), get well alreadyyy! I want us to eat together again and talk! Heyyyy!” He pouts at your face, whining and not knowing what more to do. He really wishes he could mess with you like he did with Nami, but he can’t.

“When you wake up and are better, I’ll have Sanji cook for us! All your favorites, mine too, and other foods you and I haven't tried yet!” He giggles for a second then he sees your face again, now with your lips slightly open. “So heal faster, (Y/N)...” he whines and frowns, lying his head beside your arm and now fully grasping your hand.

That whole day, you were passed out with little change of position and movements. Eventually, Luffy fell asleep when he laid his head down to stare at you. Beginnings of drool were on the sheets and someone opened the door to see the sight before them.

It was unusual to see you and Luffy sleeping together and all quiet. This was a new scene for Robin who was smiling and taking a discreet picture. She’ll show this to everyone tomorrow in the morning. Now at night, she was the first one to have a look at you, and she thinks that for the next following days of your stay here—a look out won’t be necessary at all. Robin already knows that Luffy will stay with you all the time, and that alone needs a lot of patience for a person like Luffy.

The second day of your sick stay, you stir awake with headache and dry throat, still having a high fever. Trying to move your hands that’s almost numb, your left hand feels warmer than normal. Slowly opening your eyes just to see a black hair beside you, you furrow your brows and blink heavily then experiment to squeeze your hand with another left hand on yours. Right as you focused your vision, you realize that Luffy was beside you sleeping with a drool prominently seeping out his open mouth.

It would’ve been gross if this were anyone, but this is Luffy we’re talking about so he gets a pass and shall be called adorable. You smile weakly at the man beside you, and your head aches more because of joy and the flutter of your heart.

Luffy woke up when you squeezed at his hand again, a second later he was jumping up to look at you awake. “(Y/N)! You’re awake! How are you?!” This man never holds back to his tone and while that was okay with you, it was not for today due to headache.

You try and grunt out of the throbbing feeling of your head. Why did you ever sleep at the office and go home when it was night the next day again? Not at all having a full sleep and proper place to sleep on?

You squeeze on Luffy’s hand again and he looks at both your hands then he realizes that his voice was too loud for your liking. “Oh! Sorry, (Y/N)! I’ll go call Chopper, okay? Wait here!” Not that you have anywhere else to go in this state.

Luffy dashes out the door and you hear him shout Chopper’s name loudly. What even is the time and was it okay for him to shout that loud?

After Chopper checked you and made you eat a little to drink medicine, Luffy and you were once again alone. He is now rocking in his chair quietly while anxiously looking at your seated self, eyes closed and a content small smile. Your head is still aching but better than when you woke up earlier, so now you have a little energy to talk with Luffy about whatever.

“Luffy, I’m sorry I didn’t come here the other day. My boss made us work the whole day in the office.” He stops rocking his chair and makes it nearer the bed, now smiling when he hears your voice, even if it was almost a whisper.

“That’s no problem! Nothing was interesting that day anyway, so I didn’t work.” Somehow, Luffy’s enthusiasm was 2 levels down compared to his 100 leveled one. Something in his mind made him not want to work and he felt that you weren’t even gonna swing by. And he was right for that.

“That so? Oh yeah I remember, Sabo and Ace are your brothers?” You open your eyes and look at him to see him have that expression with an o-shaped mouth, then he smiles again and nods.

“Yup! I used to live with them but we all went separate ways to work and live alone. So now I’m here, Sabo’s in the next city, and Ace is somewhere around the country. Maybe being an engineer?”

“Ohh. How come you didn’t mention that to me?”

“No reason. Ace, Sabo, and I don't often talk about each other. If we do, it would turn to nonstop talk about us.” He’s aware of that? “I don’t mind talking about them either. Where did you know that, (Y/N)?”

“Sabo and I are co-workers. Do you not know that he sometimes visits the office building?” You mindlessly fiddle with your hands to which Luffy notices.

“Really? He didn’t tell me anything, well that doesn’t matter. As long as he’s okay.” He lets out a little laugh and smiles with eyes closed, swiftly sliding his hand on the sheets to your hands on your stomach. That caught you off guard that’s why you stare at his still smiling face, processing what he just did. Although not expecting any physical contact after his hold on your hand earlier and yesterday, you welcome his hold on yours so you remove his hand that's clasping your two hands to hold his properly. Smiling when Luffy squeezes your hand and you close your eyes again and continue to talk.

“Your brother is a pain sometimes by the way. Especially when he goes and decides for his own without involving us.” Luffy laughs.

“That’s Sabo for you, alright! I think we are impulsive sometimes so sometimes we clash with decisions back when we lived all together.” Luffy rests his head on his arms that are on the bed, hand still in yours.

“Sometimes? I don’t think that’s the right word.” You mumble and chuckle with all you can. A knock on the door halts your conversation followed by a voice.

“Luffy, don’t tire (Y/N) so much. She needs to rest now,” Chopper reminds and the man beside you pouts again while raising his head. “Then later when she wakes up, (Y/N) needs to eat to drink medicine.”

Answering Chopper, Luffy was about to stand and let go though you tugged him back and shook your head. Then he smiled and settled again, hearing Chopper’s next words. “You need to take a bath, Luffy! You don’t want (Y/N) to share your germs, do you?” Luffy seemingly melts at the command from the doctor, not yet wanting to leave you just to take a bath. But if that would add to you feeling better or what, then he must do it.

“Alright, Chopper! I’ll be right there!”

“Don’t worry, Luffy. I won’t go anywhere and just sleep after you go. You can leave for as long as you like, I know you have activities to do. I’ll call if ever I need help, so go.” You squeeze at his hand and smile encouragingly.

“Okay, but I’ll be back quickly. I’ll just bring a game here and food!” With that, Luffy lets go and strides to the door. Right after, you lay down and sleep with a smile on your face.

Today was the third day of your sick stay. For the little time you had here, you woke to Luffy holding your hand again and sleeping beside you on the reclining chair he brought here. As you open your eyes, you smile when you feel Luffy stir and loosely hold your hand. The sunlight peeks out from the curtains on your left and you think that maybe it’s close to 8 AM.

A knock on the door then it opens and reveals Chopper, and Nami who gives a knowing smile by what she sees. The doctor makes a quick check on you and decides what you need to do. The fever is still there but your temperature has gone down near the average temperature. Luffy woke up when Nami poked at his head.

“Okay, (Y/N), this might be taxing for you but you need to take a lukewarm bath. Nami will bathe you so don’t worry–”

“What? No! I’ll bathe (Y/N)!–”

“Ha- no, Luffy! She might get uncomfortable!” Nami yells in his ear, “Plus, you don’t know how long you need to bathe her.”

“No, it’s either I bathe her or nothing at all.” Luffy crosses his arms and puffs out.

“That’s kinda selfish don’t you think?” Chopper scratches at his cheek, looking at Nami and Luffy back and forth. You giggle a little at the situation. Maybe it won't hurt to have Luffy bathe you.

“It’s okay, Nami, Chopper. Or Luffy can be there while I bathe–”

“No! There’s no in between at all,” Luffy shakes his head. The three of you look at each other, the other two sighing and face palming.

That’s what got you here in the bathroom with Luffy shampooing your hair and occasionally massaging your scalp. He was unbelievably good at massaging and you thoroughly enjoy this while you lather your body with soap. Your body is covered by the bathtub’s water with bubbles so it was no problem for him seeing your nude self.

“Hey, (Y/N), I can make bubble figures on your hair,” he giggles, “I can do a shark’s fin, you know!”

“I don’t think that’s possible, Luffy.” You smile weakly, beginning to feel tiredness already.

“If you don’t have enough bubbles! But if–”

“Luffy, I told you to hurry! (Y/N)’s fever will go up again!”

“Okay, sorry!” Luffy grabs the shower head and rinses off the shampoo. You feel for the tub’s plug on the strainer and pull it, not at all minding if Luffy will see you naked. As he rinses off the soap, you try to stand and Luffy was quick to aid you, chuckling when you held tight on his arms.

“I’m sorry…” you weakly say and slump your whole body on him now that all the suds have been rinsed off.

“Hey, Nami! Can you come here and get the towel!” That was really more of a command than a request. Luffy grins and holds you up properly, your back against his front; one arm was wounded around your waist and his other is making your legs go over the tub. As he does that, Nami wraps your body with the towel and dries you up. After all that and you were wrapped with two towels, Luffy lifts you and carries you bridal style on the way to the infirmary again. There, you were clothed by Nami and mostly Luffy.

For Nami, seeing Luffy doing all the work was very rare and quite a sight to see. He’s definitely got it bad by now and if this won’t trigger a relationship afterwards, then Nami will surely set you two up and encourage whatever’s going on between you and him. She was happy that they decided for Luffy to work in the café—for the meantime—too when he moved in with them. This situation makes Nami consider having Luffy work full time now.

Successfully bathing and clothing you, Chopper brings in yours and Luffy’s food. He reminded Luffy to make you drink medicine afterwards and sleep again. The latter didn’t pout this time at Chopper’s command and just happily ate with you again. He was really delighted to eat with you again, not that he didn’t eat with you yesterday.

After eating and drinking, you lay down and turn on your side to face Luffy.

“Thank you, Luffy. You didn’t have to and sorry for–”

“That’s no problem at all, (Y/N)! I’m happy to always be by your side!” He giggles.

“Still, this has restricted you from working and doing other stuff.” You reach for his hand and grasp it.

“They don’t mind me not working, plus it’s less of a task for them to look after you everyday. So that adds help to them!” He fiddles with your fingers. You sigh and close your eyes, starting to feel sleep take over.

“Hey, (Y/N)?” You hum quietly at him. He scoots his face closer to yours and stares at you intently. “Would you like to live here with me?” A hitch in your breath and you open your eyes again, met with a face full of hope.

“Huh? Isn’t that too fast..?” The both of you stare at each other’s eyes while your thumb slides over his skin languidly, “I mean, we barely have a name to ourselves?” You whisper and lift the corner of your lips slightly. He giggles and nuzzles his face with yours.

“Weeell, I’ve seen you naked, can that count?” If it weren’t for your fever you would have smacked his head. Why is he this blunt? You shake your head with a snort.

“Luffy, we’re barely lovers and together for such a long time–”

“Okay and? Usopp and Kaya got together after two months.” Luffy pulled back with his lower lip jutted out as if he was questioning.

“That’s different, we haven’t reached our first month together yet. And maybe those two have been friends before.”

“Ah! I forgot to tell you first that I like you!”

Blinking at him for seconds, you snorted then laughed fully. He grinned at that and laughed along with you. A headache forms and you forcefully stop laughing, not wanting to worsen your condition again.

“Oh Luffy.”

Fourth day and you’re feeling better than ever when you woke up. Though this time, something was missing and you feel your heart sink when you look to the side yet there was no trace of someone being there, the reclining chair was gone and a certain straw hat man is nowhere to be seen. You sat up and felt yourself, you weren’t that hot with fever anymore so it must be good to stand and get out of this infirmary now. Before you do, a voice almost startles you and you look by the window to see your friend looking outside.

“How are you feeling, (Y/N)?” Robin turned around and gave a small smile.

“I’m better, Robin. Thank you for letting me stay here.”

“It’s no problem really. Are you better off walking around again? We have breakfast prepared by Sanji.”

“Yeah, I can manage now.”

The two of you walk down the hallways to the common room. You were wondering where Luffy is and it seems like Robin is sensing what’s on your mind.

“I switched up with Luffy because Usopp said they need to go out to buy stuff. Luffy would have woken you and told you but I said not to.”

“Oh.. that makes sense. Thank you.”

“Have you two talk things out?’

“About that.. well…–”

“Good morning, Robin and (Y/N)! Just in time for breakfast!” As you two enter the common room, Sanji greets you two. Almost everyone is present except for Luffy and Usopp. You all went and ate breakfast without waiting for them. Zoro mentioned that the other two will eat when it’s time for lunch. You still haven’t known where they went but you shrugged it away.

“I suggest you just need to rest until night comes then you’re good to go home, (Y/N). If ever the fever goes back, you can call Robin for me to come and help you.” Chopper was seated beside you and he felt for your forehead and neck.

“Thanks a lot you guys. You didn’t have to but you did.” You smiled at them and nodded. They reciprocated your smile then continued to eat.

After breakfast and lunch, you sleep the remaining hours away and decide to just shower when you get home. Lunch time yet Luffy wasn’t present at all. Only Usopp came back and said that Luffy went somewhere where Ace and Sabo are possibly in. A reunion, you guess.

You woke to Chopper doing something in the infirmary and you saw your clothes all neat and washed on the foot of the bed. Grabbing it, Chopper turned around and smiled then proceeded back to his desk. You slip outside and into the bathroom down the hall to change clothes. The condition your body was in was now back to normal and you were really thankful for Chopper and the others for taking care of you. Especially Luffy whom you have yet to see before you go.

When you came back to the infirmary to thank Chopper again and drop by the clothes borrowed for you, he gave you advice and smiled. Walking down the hallway to the common room, you hear voices and laughter so you hurried to bid goodbye to the people in there.

“Going home now, (Y/N)?” Franky asked.

“Yeah, I should get going. And again, thank you for taking care of me.” You smiled. Nami went near you to accompany you down and out. The others said their welcomes and goodbyes, looking forward to seeing you in the café again.

“Are you sure you don’t want anyone from us to get you home?” Nami asked for the second time and you shook your head.

“No, thanks, Nami. You’ve all done enough for me!” You giggled and walked out the café door. It was still the usual in the café, not too much and less customers dined. Turning around to wave goodbye, the sunset hues in the clouds colors your whole body. The redhead closed the glass doors and scolded Sanji for hitting on a woman who’s clearly uncomfortable and weirded out.

As you walk down the familiar path, you look up at the sky suddenly remembering that you didn’t tell any of your co-workers that you were sick. A smack to your own forehead and you click your tongue, smirking when you realize Dragon must be pissed with you. Well, maybe.

All happened too quickly when you were tackled into a hug and had almost fallen down the ground. A giggle erupts and apologies were said by the person responsible for doing that to you.

“(Y/N)! You’re better now!” Luffy lets go of your body momentarily for you to turn and face him, then he’s hugging you by the waist this time with one arm. The other fixing his straw hat and now on the way to run through your hair. “But where are you going?”

“Luffy! You’re back!” Of course your mood became ten times higher now that you saw Luffy again. With a wide grin, you place a hand on his shoulder and giggle. “What do you mean? I’m going home.”

“What? I thought I invited you to live with me?” He tilts his head, beginning to pout.

You chuckle at him, “No, you did not! You just asked me if I would like to live with you!”

Unbeknownst to the two of you, people passing by were looking at you two and they whisper and giggle at the scene. It was definitely cute.

“Is that so? Then what’s your answer? Come on!” He whines and sways your bodies slightly side to side.

“It’s a no, Luffy,” you giggle to his pouty expression, “I like to but it feels wrong in a way, y’know?”

“Pleeeaasee? Let’s try for a day then–”

“Hey, you lovebirds! Come in here! You’re attracting unwanted attention to yourselves!” Nami shouts from the distance where the café is at. Although that didn’t make you both budge from your place, not really paying attention to Nami who’s now beginning to feel neglected.

“–and then we’ll know by then if you want to. Please, (Y/N)?”

“But we still haven't a name for us, to this..?” You gesture to yourself and Luffy’s back and forth.

“I already told you I like you though? Oh right, how about you?”

It was the moment you’ve mentally prepared yourself and got excited just by thinking about it. Now that the opportunity to admit to him is here, of course you’ll not hesitate to tell him. So you smile and nod a bit. “I like you too, Luffy.”

Said male grinned and lifted you up in the air. “Then we’re set and good! We’re together now right? Right?” Enthusiasm radiates from him, giggling and swinging you around, then he sets you down and smiles at you close to your face. If both of you were aware and paying attention to your surroundings, you would’ve heard people cheering and clapping for you two. Although a bit embarrassing for Nami who is part of watching the scene, she definitely is happy to know and witness that you two have finally leveled things up.

Honestly for her, all those breakfasts, lunches, or dinners together you two had done, it surely looked like dates. Even Robin, Vivi, Rebecca, and—reluctantly—Sanji could all notice and tell that it meant more than it looked.

Luffy hurriedly tugs you towards the café, excited to tell his friends that you two are now official. Entering the café, you see Sabo and Ace in the distance seated on the high counter table along with Zoro. Sabo noticed you and waved but you rolled your eyes and made a face. It was then that you heard the song playing in the café. It’s that song again and you couldn’t be any happier.

Everything I did was just a bore

Everywhere I went it seems I'd been there before

Your boyfriend is gone from holding you and you turn and find him. Before you could even ask someone, Vivi is ushering you to sit on your usual table. Oh how you missed it here! Though you worry for a split second where Luffy had gone at that moment.

But you brighten up for me all of my days

With a love so sweet in so many ways

I wanna stop and thank you, baby

I just wanna stop and thank you baby, oh yes

How sweet it is to be loved by you

Then your boyfriend reappears with food in his hand, singing those lyrics while putting all the food down the table. Your heart flutters at the adorable and heartwarming actions he is doing. His singing voice made you fall for him more than you could think.

“Sorry for not eating breakfast and lunch earlier with you. So here, I bought this for us!” A smile followed by a giggle, he sits down beside you closely. You grin and hug him, feeling that flutter and fast beats of your heart.

“Luffy, thank you! You don’t know how much you make me happy.” You reel back and stare at him. Your boyfriend just giggled and tugged you close then faced the food.

“Alright! Let’s eat, (Y/N)!”

The two lovebirds inside the café were once again in their own universe, not caring and paying any mind to your surroundings, to the people who smile and shake their heads out of happiness for you two. Robin was right in choosing the song to play in the café—she caught on that this was probably your favorite song by now as it played many times when you stayed and ate here. Of course she also noticed the song playing when you and Luffy first met.

These were all like straight out of a movie, and everyone in the café were lucky and grateful to have witnessed love bloom all over the place solely because of you and Luffy. Every action you both do emits love and euphoria, and if that doesn't prove any kore, let’s also add the fact that after you two ate.

All you two did was stay and sit while hugging each other, laughing and effortlessly conversing. Oh the things that love can do for people.

← How Sweet It Is | ← To Be Loved by You (part I)

– eiacez

[hankwritten]

Death Shall Brag You Who Wander’st In Her Shade

Day 7: DAMNED (Pens & Pencils)

Pauling wakes, coughing up sand.

The desert feels different than before, the dirt under her knees grittier, the wind more malicious. The sky above her is a noxious green—she feels, acutely, she is not wanted here.

“Well too bad,” she tells the place.

The chinook whips harder against her bare arms. She shivers involuntarily, but fuck if she’s going to let some shitty hell-dimension tell her where she can and cannot stick her big, stupid, just-can’t-let-it-go nose. This is her hill to die on, she’s going to fucking die on it.

She walks.

The hissing, malevolent landscape may not be able to stop her, but can sure as hell hide the door. Pauling walks for hours, though the red sun doesn’t move against its neon backdrop. She doesn’t have any incentive to give up though. What’s the worst that can happen to her? Dying?

Still, the endless expanse of Distortion!New Mexico isn’t doing her quest any favors. She grits her teeth. How typical that the Administrator puts her in this position, even unintentionally. Impossible expectations. Blood (her own, a lot of it on the floor of Engie’s workshop) and sweat (her body is real enough that discomfort arises in every way you’d expect it to) and tears-

(so, so many tears on this transcendent, selfish woman.)

-the feeling that there’s something just out of her grasp, even as she keeps clawing tirelessly toward it, watching it slip through her fingers like smoke from a lit cigarette. A hand over the flame. Almost wishing it was strong enough to burn her.

There’s burning at the corner of Pauling’s eye, and she shuts them against it. It’s hot embarrassment that flares the back of her neck when she thinks of her last conversation with the Administrator. Those will not be the last words between them, not if Pauling has anything to say about it.

There is no door still, but the sand under her shoes has grown grainier, and gray, and the world of reality-adjacent desert turns into illogical gravel pits. As she pushes further into the realm, the deep trenches of shale fold in on themselves, though never quite curling overhead, twising into bizarre and nonsensical shapes. She finds Blutarch in the halls of silt and unusable engine fuel.

“You!” he points an accusing finger at her.

He’s not entwined with his machine anymore, though that hardly makes him look better. His chest is heaving, apparently having run from who knows where to who even cares where.

“You,” he repeats. “Tell Helen that her new mercenaries are worthless. Worthless! I want replacements immediately.”

“New mercenaries? What. Who? And more importantly why?”

“To fight my brother!” Blutarch screeches. “He pushed me down here and I am not moving on until I take him with me! But the only thing those new mercenaries care about is squawking and pecking at my liver. Feh.”

“…You mean the vultures out near the entrance?”

He folds his arms. “They were the only ones around to hire.”

“I’m sorry Mr. Mann, but the Administrator will have to get back to you later as she’s in the middle of something very important right now. Namely being dead.”

“That’s never stopped her before.”

Pauling doesn’t like it when Blutarch says something sensible. It puts a bad taste in her gut, like she just drank motor fluid.

“I think you two are up to something,” Blutarch goes on. “Been working this game for too long, I think. That you’re going behind me back and-”

“If you’ll excuse me, Mr. Mann.”

Pauling doesn’t have time for his ramblings, not when she’s just noticed a door behind him that hadn’t been there before in the shifting architecture. It’s not Her door. But it’s close. Closer.

Blutarch gives her another feh as she passes. Fingers trace against the rivets in the ancient industrial slab, but only for a moment, and she pushes inward on its aching hinges so compassionlessly that they scream.

Compared to the wind outside, this personal hell is almost cozy.

“Oh please, do come in,” someone says sarcastically.

A man sits at a large desk, a gibus hat looming over his brow, eyes glittering dark beneath it. Piled to the sides of the desk are coins: gold, huge, and ancient. No doubt poetically heavy. Not just on the desks, the two columns of gold are stacked behind the man, and they stretch back into the abyss of the endless room. For miles.

“Zepheniah Mann, I presume?” she asks.

“And you must be one of Her creatures.”

Zepheniah takes a handful of coins from one pile. He places it on a scale that dominates the majority of the desk, weighing it against a large bronze key. When they’re equal, he transfers it to the pile on the other side.

The first pile does not seem to have gotten any smaller.

“I work for Helen, yes,” Pauling says.

“Is that what She’s calling Herself these days?” Zepheniah transfers another handful. “Do yourself a favor, girl. Whatever you think you can get out of Her, She’ll play you like every instrument in the band and take you for ten times your worth. There is no winning. There is no getting what you want and nothing more. It’s Her game to play.”

“It’s not like that,” Pauling says.

“What is it you want girl? Money? Praise? Satisfaction?”

She says nothing. There was a time where she wouldn’t have been able to answer that question, the solidity of truth her smoke-in-fingers. But she knows now.

“Fine,” Zepheniah says when he grows bored. “Your choice. The door is that way.”

He points over his shoulder.

She doesn’t thank him as she walks into the black.

Pauling finds Her door. The familiar code in the keypad knows her fingers like a pen knows an inkwell. The door hisses for her again, taking her to the Administrator’s domain with hungry welcome.

This time, the screens surrounding the chair show only the Administrator’s eye: massive, green, and unblinking.

“So soon?” Helen asks.

She appears to have run out of smokes. She’s burning a rolled up magazine page at the end of her cigarette holder, just for something to do.

“That’s not why I’m here.”

“Not dead? Surprising.”

“Well yes I am dead, technically. But Engie found this other way to use the teleporter- Look. It’s a long story. But I’m here for you, Helen.”

The chair swivels.

She looks unchanged. Not the beautiful young heiress who’d saved them from the island, nor the thing she’d shriveled into when the australium ran out, but as Pauling had last seen her here. As Pauling had known her.

“I came to get you out of here,” Pauling explains. “To go back. We know how to do it without the machine now, to have a real life. But resurrecting your body hasn’t worked, not as long as your soul is here.”

The Administrator waves her faux-cigarette. “To go live a mortal life? Why? So I can pass another twenty years and wind up in this exact same spot?”

“You don’t have to,” Pauling says, exasperated. “You can, I don’t know. Do some good, make up for all the things that landed you here in the first place.”

“Miss Pauling if I were the sort of woman to laugh, I would say ha very dryly and tell you to leave me. As it is, I’ll only do the second half.”

“I’m serious Helen.”

And Pauling is. Dead serious. If she knows one thing, came to one realization at having Helen ripped from her life, it wasn’t her approval she missed. It wasn’t just one singular attribute that she could seek elsewhere. It was the whole of her.

“You did it,” Pauling says, “You got your revenge. But now you can do whatever, years where you get to live after that.”

“I don’t need to live after revenge.”

“But I need you to.”

Fractionally, Helen’s face loses control of its frown. Softening her voice, she says, “Florance. I’m gone. It’s finished. There is nothing I can do out there that would change what’s waiting for me here. Past a certain point, it doesn’t matter.”

“It matters. People change.”

Helen glances down. “Not I.”

Pauling steps forward. She does something she never did in life, never would have dared, but now she reaches out and takes Helen’s hand. She places it over her heart, her own hands folded over it, and bows her head until her mouth presses against skin.

“Please Helen. For me.”

The eyes, numerous and unlinking, close. The screens go dark.

Helen opens her eyes. “Very well. I suppose it can’t be any worse than this.” She gestures.

“I promise, there’ll be real cigarettes back on Earth,” Pauling half-smiles.

“Miss Pauling,” Helen says, “you should have led with that.”

The smile wins its battle entirely, and Pauling signals Engie to pull them both out.

[inlocusmads]

Not A Machine!

Maura comes out to her friends. They suggest she take up a music career instead.

Featuring: Maura Tauber, Angel Savage, Eli Sipes, Shannon Fox and Troy Hassan from Wake the Dead, Choices.

Word Count: 1.6k | Mentions of Aspec-phobia/Teen and Up Audiences

A/N: Written for @choicespride 's Coming-Out Day Celebrations

Zombie apocalypses were hard. Morale was important. And it didn't help that zombie apocalypses were called zombie apocalypses, when they should be called something scientific. Like a Minor Outbreak or something. The same way Maura should be called an "aromatic asexual", rather than being poked and taunted by bullies (who shall go unnamed) for being "abnormal" and "hormonally imbalanced".

Coming out was hard. Morale was equally important, so much so as support and love and cherishing. The first time Maura brought up the subject to one of the Tower people, they'd called her a blasted animal for thinking that way, especially in the context of "being together as a family" and building to repopulate the devastated Earth.

"So it IS all a sham!" Maura had proclaimed, ever so boldly. "Love is another way to repopulate the Earth! Well, I don't want it."

The Tower guard; a buff woman whose beliefs could be traced thousands of years in the past, had slapped her across the cheek and barked her to get back to her dormitory before the curfew alarms chimed. She'd also hushed the nine-year-old from ever speaking to anyone about it, because to the guard, it was forbidden and Maura should regret being "robotic" and "inhuman".

Over the years, Maura developed a sense of fear everytime one of her friends brought up the subject of romance. And it was quite frequent too. When Silja was around, they'd spoken in detail about it and every time, it was the same thing. Maura would clasp her hands over her ears, get into a huddled position and wait until the conversation was over. People laughed at her for being so "innocent" and being "Silja's little baby sister" for quite sometime and it only made it worse.

"You need to be fixed!"

"Try it! You'll like it!"

"You're going to be so alone and you're going to DIE ALONE. You got that?"

"You have to do it. You have to know how it actually is, before you think of otherworldly conclusions like these."

"But it is a human trait, for God's sake!"

"Oh don't be silly. It is the trauma of losing your parents that's affecting you so much. Its nothing. Just get yourself back on track."

It's just a phase, Maura. I assure you, everyone's felt about people that way. It's all because of our circumstances. Soon enough, it will pass and you'll be okay."

"You have to like someone. At this point, you're just pretending. This is just a big old joke. Face it, Maura. There's worse things out there. Nobody gives a damn. So you'd better change that attitude or you're not getting a man."

"Wait.. you're celibate then? Like the nuns from the Old World? But isn't that.. a choice or something? Something you choose to do?"

"Oh shut up." - Maura kicked a stray pebble into a pool of water. It bounced off the surface of the pond, before landing straight in the middle and sinking slowly and steadily. Behind her, her friends had gathered around a bonfire, celebrating a good night. They'd fortified Camp Cypress to an impenetrable extent.

Angel was quite proud of herself for designing a brand new armour. Shannon had made a huge breakthrough in her research. Troy and Eli were getting along really well. It seemed fine. It seemed as it should be. Calm. Quiet. Peaceful. Sitting on an earthy piece of land. It was an ethereal experience.

"Maura. Join us!" Angel insisted. "Grab a cup. Sit!"

"Okay."

"Shannon's got a Rider boyfriend." Angel egged her friend.

"No. No. I don't have -- I don't --" Shannon started. "No -- I don't -- it is -- okay. Fine. We bonded over petri dishes, okay? It was -- great."

"And Troy and Eli are basically boyfriends."

"Just because we engage in some lowly banter that doesn't mean we're automatically interested in each other." Eli piped up. "Troy will be far down the list of people I'd prefer to -- see that way."

"It's okay. You can say the word." Troy winked.

"-- there's Julia and Greg--"

"Wait, I thought Ella was having --"

"-- Jo! That's Jo!"

"Killy is doing that thing. Caught him with a --"

"It isn't our business to pry into people's affairs, but yes. There has been several of them. Caught the redhaired woman with --"

Maura's head blanked. It went beeeep.

There were lewd jokes. There were suggestive material thrown around. Instantly the professional band of drone-hunters slowly morphed into a gang of high schoolers poking fun at the most obvious of things. Instantly, Maura felt a little sick. Just a little. She hesitated, smiled a little, before the little people in her head clouded her judgement again.

They laughed.

Maura sighed.

There was nothing wrong with them. There was something wrong with her and the people were all right. She was being icky and mean-spirited. It didn't matter what she wanted, because it made the others happy.

"I'm an aromantic asexual." she blurted out loud, almost as if she was pathetic to be that way.

"Wait. What did you say?" Angel paused their conversation.

"Nothing."

"Nothing? It can't be nothing. Maura never opens up about anything and you said something. That's not nothing!"

"Troy. Stop. Maura. Please. Carry on."

"I suppose there's no use hiding it now, right?"

"That you have a teddy nightlight? I think everyone knows that." Angel said.

A pause. Everyone waited for Maura to confirm whether or not she slept with a nightlight on. Or maybe it was something completely different and they couldn't catch that properly. So Maura decided it was high time she told them, at the very least, because even though she wasn't quite fond of people, she loved her crew of people.

"Do you --" she started. "Do you know what it means to be aromantic and asexual?"

"Yes." Troy instantly piped up, followed by an encouraging nod from Eli's side.

"I do have a vague idea, yeah." Angel admitted.

"Of course I do." Shannon offered her a smile. "It means you don't feel either romantic or sexual attraction. I have this book all about it, written by an Old World author. It's in my library right now."

Maura smiled a little.

"Oh. You do."

"Of course we do."

"Then, you'll -- probably know what -- comes after."

"You mean ,'what comes out after'." Troy cracked a pun. Eli took back his encouraging smiles.

"I'm aromantic and asexual. Aro-ace for short. So -- there goes."

"Honestly? Coolest sexuality-name ever." Angel pointed out, earning her a high five from Troy, because they were little kids that way.

"Really?"

"Aro-ace is very lyrical." Eli chimed in.

"How long have you known?" Shannon asked.

"I don't know. Since when I was twelve? It's too hard to look back. Nowadays it is just Pre-Solstice and Post-Solstice. Hard to determine the exact thing but -- you know. It's been there. It started out as a question, you see? A puzzle. And it took me a while to unscramble it and comprehend everything. There were hurdles, obstructions, instances where things got too perplexing. But -- I believed in myself. I don't think many people out in the Old World had that chance."

"They were eaten by drones." Angel swallowed her drink. "Maura? It is so cool that you told us. Did you pick a moment to come out, 'cuz I know you're a massive sucker for rules and you're looking for a best time to come out and --"

"It happened. Sort of. Very quickly." Maura interrupted her before Angel went off on a tangent.

"You should write a book!" Shannon chimed in.

"Books are boring. You should write a song. There are too many boring romantic ones out there. Nobody's heard of an unromantic one, have they?"

"You're all missing the point. Maura, we're very happy you've chosen to tell us. It could've been very burdening to hold onto this for a long time."

"Agreed with Troy. You'd be the best rock-goth ever. Aro-Ace Punk! or something like that. Start your own genre! Be the first one ever to topple the music charts, because you would technically be the first one ever. Doubt anyone's singing anything these days. Can you sing, Maura?"

"You're all missing the point, for God's sake! Tonight is about celebrating --"

"Oh don't you start now--"

More squabbling ensued.

Even if they were frankly terrible at receiving any piece of news, they were still Maura's band of quirky friends. It was one of the very first times she'd cracked a smile that night, beaming as bright as the Sun, as Maura clinked her glasses with everyone else and toasted to a great night.

"You know?" she said, bending her knees to sit cross-legged next to the grave. "You've always told me to be open and honest and stuff. You've preached a load of crap, but it was a good kind of crap, because it -- saved my life somehow."

Maura breathed in.

"It's hard. When people tell you that you're not normal for liking things or preferring a different lifestyle. There's nothing different now, because everything is different. Still -- you know? Let's not dwell on the -- terrible stuff."

She shook her head.

"Thanks. You came to my aid. You were that annoying voice that said, Hey. Just tell them. And I did. And it didn't go all wrong."

Maura smiled a second time. A very strict, yet softening smile.

"If you already didn't know, I'm aromantic and asexual. Still feels so good to say that out loud! It's -- exciting. It's new. It's brilliant. Yet it is old, it feels like I've known this. It's been a part of me. It feels -- different. A good kind of different. Like this realisation of -- understanding.. or something. I don't know. Shannon knows something. She's good at this wordy stuff. I'm not."

Maura stood up and gave the headstone a goodnight pat. SILJA TAUBER, it said.

"Then again, you'd probably have known that. You've always known things."

The sky above went dark, before lighting up in faint hues of yellow, white and blue, as a response.

A/N : As you can see, this was indeed a very personal fic to write. I am aro-ace myself and trying to comprehend it is a journey in itself. Maura's story is built on a bunch of terrible happenings and uncertainty, but one thing is for sure. She knows exactly who she is and she wouldn't change it for a thing.

I hope PB brings out new books which allows us players to have QPRs (queerplatonic relationships) with aromantic and asexual characters, like Zephyr from TE. I also hope PB brings a lot more representation to the table, in terms of aspec characters, because there's so very few in popular media.

Anyway, Happy Coming-Out Day! And also, fun fact, Aro-Ace Week takes place every year on October 23rd till 29th. I might do something for Maura in the coming days! Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed this!

This is how the aro-ace flag looks like and yes, it is very cool:

Tag List:

perma: @ofmischiefandmedicine @quixoticdreamer16 @tessa-liam

wake the dead only: @jerzwriter

[hamsterclaw]

Progressive

A Launderette drabble featuring Jin.

(Part of my 50 fics drabbles series)

Pairing: Jin x F! reader

Genre: Non-idol lawyer Jin, fluff

Rating: 18+

Word count: 640

Warnings: Swearing

Dia eyes the dish one of her cooks has just passed her, intercepting it before the pass. She swipes at a smudge of sauce and then places it on the counter, calling for a waiter.

You’d fallen silent as she’d inspected the dish, respectfully.

Dia snorts at you. ‘What the hell are you still doing here, isn’t Jin waiting for you?’

‘I just missed you,’ you say.

You smile at each other.

Dia says, ‘I’m free for drinks on Monday. Let’s go to that place and get hammered.’

‘Sure,’ you say. ‘I’ll see you then, baby.’

Dia tosses a cloth at you. ‘Get out my kitchen, don’t baby me. Save it for gorgeous Jin.’

You’re still smiling as you leave Pachamama, the restaurant where Dia works.

The early evening is balmy, the neighbourhood looks so beautiful awash in the pale orangey-gold rays of the setting sun.

You love the part of the city you grew up in.

You walk past the shops on the promenade, enjoying the sounds of people getting ready for the night ahead, the smells of coffee and cooking.

And at the end of it, as you turn the corner to where another part of the city begins, is your beautiful boyfriend, Jin.

He’s standing in front of the restaurant, face tipped to the sun, like he’s enjoying the warmth on his face.

He’s so beautiful he makes your heart ache.

His face brightens even more when he sees you, and you rush the last few steps to him.

His kiss makes your toes curl.

Your life is incredible right now, and you’re grateful every day.

‘Hey,’ says Jin, ‘did you do something to your hair? You look so pretty.’

‘Nah,’ you say, wrapping a lock around a finger. ‘It must be your eyes.’

‘You’re right,’ Jin agrees easily, ‘It doesn’t seem possible that you’re this pretty all the time. I should get them checked.’

You put a hand on his chest, over his heart. ‘What’s my name?’

Jin laughs. ‘It’s baby, isn’t it?’

He ignores your disgruntled sound, tugging you into the restaurant with him. ‘Table for two please,’ he says.

After dinner you take a taxi to Jin’s apartment.

He takes your coat off, hanging it up on a hook.

‘What time are you up tomorrow?’ you ask, straightening your dress.

‘Too early. You sleeping in?’ Jin asks.

‘Maybe. It’s weird being here without you.’

‘I like your place better,’ Jin agrees. ‘More personality.’

‘Why don’t you move in with me?’ you ask. ‘There’s an extra room since Dia moved out.’

Jin doesn’t answer straight away.

‘But that would mean I get to wake up with you every day,’ he says.

You raise an eyebrow.

‘And that I get to hold you to sleep every night,’ he muses.

You’re not sure where he’s going with this.

‘I can’t wait to tell our grandkids their grandmother asked me to move in with her,’ Jin says.

‘Progressive, huh?’ you say, getting the gist.

Jin smiles, devastatingly sexy.

‘I’d love to move in with you.’

‘Good,’ you say. ‘So that’s that. Shall we go to mine now and celebrate?’

‘We just got here,’ Jin protests.

He tilts his head. ‘Let me just grab the champagne a client gave me last week.’

To your amusement, he does exactly that, detouring through the kitchen to grab the bottle, and then circling back to you.

‘Clothes for tomorrow?’ you ask.

‘I hid a suit in your closet last week,’ Jin says.

‘Have you been moving into my apartment without telling me?’ you ask.

Jin places a hand on your back to usher you out of his apartment.

‘Everything I need is at your place,’ he tells you.

‘Everything, huh?’ you muse.

‘Everything,’ Jin says, firmly. ‘Especially you.’

©hamsterclaw 2022

[marvelous-writer]

Sleepless Autumn Nights

Summary: In which Peter can’t sleep while he’s staying at the Stark cabin but he isn’t the only one.

Whumptober Day 9: Tossing and Turning & Day 10: Alt. #15: Tears

@whumptober @whumptober-archive

Rating: G

Word Count: 3,168

Genre: whump, hurt/comfort, fluff, humor

Link to read on AO3

It’s close to four-thirty as Peter finds himself lying in bed, staring up at the dark ceiling in his room at the cabin. He’s been lying awake in bed since eleven-thirty once he came upstairs after watching a movie in the living room with Tony and Pepper after she put Morgan to bed.

That was five and a half hours ago.

Five and a half hours of him blinking up at the dark ceiling, his exhaustion weighing him down but his brain not allowing him to sleep.

And this isn’t the first night he’s experienced this.

He’s been having a difficult time going to bed for weeks now, getting a mere couple hours here and there every night but it’s been getting progressively worse these past few days, resulting in him getting an hour or two at night or even in the day like yesterday when he fell asleep on the couch playing a board game with Morgan.

Peter lets out a sigh as he rolls over on his side, facing the window in his room. He can see the moonlight reflecting on the tips of the pine trees outside since he’d forgotten to draw the curtains, he was so tired earlier.

He still is.

His body is crying for him to just pass out but he can’t stop his thoughts from racing. He’s been worrying about the whole college situation, worrying that Ned and MJ are away at college with their new friends and they’ll forget all about him, if MJ has met anyone at college that’s better than him and she wants to date them instead, he’s worrying if he’s making an impact on the city as Spider-Man and if he’s doing enough, if he’s good enough, he’s worrying about keeping his family and friends safe, and he’s worried that he’s just a failure in life and he’ll never amount to anything because he’s just such a mess!

Peter’s thoughts are racing a mile a minute, causing his head to start hurting from it and the growing exhaustion weighing him down.

He lets out another sigh as he closes his eyes, balling his hands into fists where they lay on the mattress underneath the warm covers, escaping the chilly autumn air blowing in through his window he also forgot to shut.

He tries to ignore the tightness building in his chest, the all-too familiar crippling anxiety that threatens to completely take over him.

Go to sleep. Go to sleep. Go to sleep. He repeats in his head.

Peter lays there for a few long minutes, trying to focus on the sound of the lake, hearing the water softly sloshing up against the wooden dock in hopes it will calm his mind and let him doze off.

The sound usually does the trick… but not tonight.

No surprise there.

Peter lets out a frustrated groan as he rips his pillow out from underneath him and shoves it over his head, letting out a loud, muffled groan.

Go to sleep. Go to sleep. Go to sleep. Go to freaking sleep.

He’s so exhausted all he wants to do is just pass out.

The tightness in his chest grows and he swears that he can feel his heartbeat starting to increase. He tightly bunches his comforter in his hands, mindful not to rip it, as he lays there, feeling like he’s on the verge of a mental breakdown.

Something’s wrong with him.

Maybe he’s just going crazy.

“Peter you appear to be in distress and are showing symptoms of a panic attack. Shall I get Mr. Stark for you?” Friday’s voice softly comes through the speakers on the ceiling, casing him to flinch at the suddenness of it.

Tony always knows what to do in situations like this and he’s an expert at helping Peter feel better. But he’s probably sleeping and the last thing Peter is going to do is wake him up, and risk waking Pepper up in the process. He’s not a baby, he can take care of himself. At least that’s what he keeps telling himself.

Peter lets out a sigh as he tosses his pillow away from him to the other side of his bed as he sits up, scrubbing a hand down his face.

“No, I’m good, Friday.” Peter says.

“Are you sure?”

He nods as he throws his comforter off his legs and gets out of bed. “Yeah . Thanks though.”

Peter stands there next to his bed for a few long seconds, debating on what he should do. Maybe he should look up some online colleges like Matt had suggested a few days ago. He glances over at his clock and sees that it’s just about five in the morning.

He lets out another sigh adds rubs his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose for a moment before he drops his hand.

Might as well stay up now. He thinks to himself as he grabs his Midtown hoodie from the back of his desk chair and shrugs it on over his t-shirt, feeling a shiver race through him as his feet pad on the cold hardwood floor on his way to his bedroom door. He grabs his laptop from his desk as well.

If he’s going to stay up and look around at potential college options, he definitely needs some coffee to focus.

It’s dark as he steps in the hallway, now with the moon having moved from where it was half and hour ago. He quietly makes his way towards the stairs and heads down, being mindful to avoid stepping too long on the particularly squeaky steps so he doesn’t wake anyone up.

When Peter reaches the bottom step, he walks over to the kitchen, letting out a yawn as he flips the lights on. He gently places his laptop on the center island countering before he goes over to the Keurig coffee maker and takes out the water reservoir and takes it over to the sink to fill it up with water. When it’s filled, he brings it back and snaps it back into the machine as quietly as he can before grabbing a single serve k-cup and popping it in. He takes out a mug from the cabinet above and puts it under where the coffee will soon drip out from.

Peter leans his hip against the counter, folding his arms over his chest as he lets out a long, silent yawn, just as the coffee maker warms up and starts to make the coffee. He winces at the loudness of the whirring noises it makes as the coffee starts to dribble out and into his mug, praying that it doesn’t wake anyone. He’d hate to be the reason for anyone to lose sleep.

It takes only a few minutes until his mug is full of black coffee and he grabs it, adding a splash of milk to it before he picks it up and takes a sip. A slight cold shiver races through him as he sips at the warm drink, heading back to the counter to retrieve his laptop so he can bring it in the living room. Peter places his mug down on the end table next to the couch and flips the lamp on, illuminating the room in a soft, golden glow before he plops down on the comfy chaise section of the couch.

He crosses his legs together and places his laptop on his lap before opening it and turning it on, sipping at his coffee as he waits for it to boot up. When it does, he goes on the internet to Google and searches ‘online colleges in NYC area for both biochemistry and engineering.’

Unfortunately, it seems as though MIT doesn’t offer any online programs but the ones that do are Empire State, Columbia University, Barnard College, NYU,  Hamilton College and SUNY College.

Peter lets out a sigh as he looks at the long list on one website, deciding to take a deeper look into NYU and Columbia’s online program from the good reviews and the cost. Thankfully, he got quite a few scholarships when he graduated from Midtown, so that will definitely help with getting in to one of these schools if he chooses to go.

And it’s not that he doesn’t want to go to college… it’s just that his life is so crazy and he’s such a mess he just hasn’t decided what exactly he wants to do with his life.

He’ll figure it out, one way or another.

He has to.

Peter winds up getting lost online, writing a few notes down in his notes on his laptop on the online bachelor degree program at NYU for biochemistry and engineering. He could always major in one and minor in the other, but that’s going to be a lot of work he’ll have to do. But he would have more career options, so that could open a lot of doors for him. He rubs at his eyes a few times that are growing increasingly heavy and achy from staring at the bright screen light, no matter how much he dims it. His eyes are always more sensitive when he’s tired, especially with his powers and heightened senses.

He’s so invested in reading an online article on one of the programs, he doesn’t hear the squeaky floorboards on the stairs before the main living room light is flipped on, causing him to jump in his seat and look up, only to see Tony standing at the bottom of the stairs in his slippers and bathrobe, looking like he had just woken up.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you,” Tony says with an apologetic smile.

Peter lets out a shaky breath, offering him a small smile. “It’s okay.”

Tony takes a few steps into the living room and stops in front of the coffee table, studying Peter before he eyes Peter’s now empty coffee mug on the nightstand. “How long have you been down here?” He asks.

Peter shrugs as he looks at the time on his laptop screen before he closes his eyes and yawns, stretching his arms up over his head. “An hour or two.”

Tony’s frown deepens into one of concern. “Did you even go to bed?”

Peter drops his arms and looks up at Tony as he walks over and sits down next to him on the couch. “Would you believe me if I said yes?”

“Oh, Pete…” Tony says sympathetically before he lets out a small sigh. “We’ve talked about this plenty of times, kiddo. If you’re having a rough night, you can come to me.”

Peter shrinks back into the couch a little. “I know… I just didn’t want to wake you up.”

“Why?”

Peter shrugs as he picks at a loose piece of lint on the sleeve of his hoodie. “I don’t want you to lose sleep because of me and my stupid problems.”

Tony reaches over and places a hand on his shoulder, giving him a soft, concerted look. “Peter, your problems are my problems and they are not stupid. What’s an hour or two of lost sleep for me when you’re not getting any at all, hmm?”

Peter bites the inside of his cheek as he looks off to the side, unsure of what to say to that.

“Whatcha reading?” Tony asks after a few beats of silence as he looks at Peter’s laptop that has NYU’s engineering degree program up on the screen.

“Uh… just looking into some college options,” Peter says, giving a one shouldered shrug, looking up at him.

“Yeah? What schools are you looking at?” Tony asks as a smile pulls at the corners of his mouth, looking back at Peter. “Are you thinking about going?”

Peter bites the inside of his cheek again, harder. He knows Tony wants him to go to MIT more than anything in the world but Peter doesn’t want to be away from home. He just doesn’t know how to tell him that without breaking his heart.

Matt’s wise words from a few days ago echo in his mind: “As for Tony, knowing how much he loves and cares about you… I think if you told him the truth he would understand. You just have to be honest with him, Peter.”

Peter closes his eyes for a moment, taking in a deep breath.

Just tell him the truth. Be honest, like Matt said.  He thinks to himself.

“I…” he starts, feeling the tightness in his chest once again as he licks his lips. He opens his eyes and looks at Tony. “I don’t want to go to MIT.” He blurs out before he can convince himself not to say it.

Tony doesn’t react for a few seconds, long enough to worry Peter.

“That’s okay.” Tony simply says, clearly not upset at all by it, taking him completely off guard.

“A-And… you’re… okay with that?” Peter hesitantly asks.

Tony frowns. “Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?” He asks.

“W-Well… I know how much you wanted me to go a-and you and I went on a tour a while back.”

“Of course, I went there but I want you to go where you want to, Pete. This is all about you. You’re the one that’s going, not me. I’ve already done my time.” Tony says with a chuckle.

Peter feels his chest tighten at the mention of going. “A-About that… I… I have been thinking… what if I… tried going online?”

Tony raises his eyes brows as he nods. “Yeah? That could be a good option.”

Peter frowns, blinking in surprise at how okay he’s being with all of this. “You’re… okay with that?”

“Of course I am. I know a lot of people who’s kids are doing online college.” Tony says with a smile.

“Oh…” Peter says as he looks at the screen blankly, starting to feel like a complete idiot for making such a big deal out of this and not talking it over with him sooner.

“I’ve wanted to talk to you for awhile about college… but I know how hard things have been for you lately, Pete,” Tony says, leaning his head down to the side to meet his eyes. “I haven’t wanted to push you making any decisions and I’m still not. I think you taking a gap year is a great thing. You need a break, Pete. And whatever school and whatever form of attendance you decide on, you have my full support.”

Peter just looks at him for a few seconds, letting his words sink in.

The next unexpected thing happens.

A lump forms in his throat as tears immediately spring to Peter’s eyes.

Tony must notice because his brows pull together in concern. “Awe, Pete, is that why you’ve avoided talking about college whenever I mention it to you?”

Peter blinks, feeling warm tears slide down his cheeks. He wipes them away with his hoodie sleeves as he nods. “I-I know how much you wanted me to go to MIT a-and how important that is t-to you. But h-honestly… I don’t want to go away to college and dorm. I want to stay h-here, with you a-and everyone. I’ve just… I’ve lost s-so much… s-so much time with you, Morgan a-and I’ve been going and going for so many years, e-especially after the blip.”

Tony’s face falls as he leans forward and takes Peter’s laptop off his lap and puts it on the coffee table before wrapping his arms around Peter in a tight, warm hug. “Awe, Pete… why haven’t you told me all this?”

Peter wetly sniffs. “I didn’t want to disappoint you.”

“Pete, there’s nothing you could ever do that would disappoint me. I’m so damn proud of you—and I can speak for May too. We all love and care about you so much and if you want to stay here and do college online, then I’m going to do everything I can to help you and make it happen. Whatever you need, kiddo you’ve got it. Okay?”

Peter nods against Tony’s shoulder, weakly smiling at that as warmth blossoms inside of him. “Okay.”

They remain like that for a few long moments until Tony pulls away. “Is that why you haven’t been sleeping?”

Peter frowns. “How do you know about that?”

“Pete, I’m a dad and you’re my kid. I know these things.” Tony says, giving him a knowing look with a warm smile.

Peter shrugs. “I guess it has a lot to do with it but… there’s just so much going on in my head, I can’t… turn it off, you know?”

Tony nods. “It sounds like you’re dealing with some insomnia. I have a fix for it after years of experience under my belt but coffee isn’t it.” He says, gesturing to Peter’s empty mug on the coffee table.

Peter sheepishly smiles at that. “Well… I did need it for some research?”

“Uh huh,” Tony says as he gets up from the couch. “Come on. It’s six fifteen and you need to get some sleep.”

“But I-”

Tony raises an eyebrow and gives him his famous Dad look.

Peter lets out a sigh, his shoulders dropping. “Okay...” he says as he stands up, his whole body feeling weighed down and achy with exhaustion.

He follows behind Tony as they head upstairs, blinking as he clears his vision when it blurs out slightly on him. He thankfully makes it up the stairs without any trouble, despite how heavy his legs feel, following Tony down the hallway to his room.

When they step inside, Tony goes over to the window and shuts it, as well as drawing the curtains. Peter gets into bed without even taking his sweatshirt off, shivering at the feeling of his cold bedsheets. He feels the bed dip next to him and he turns his head as Tony settles down next to him.

“All comfy?” Tony asks him.

“Mmm, not yet…” Peter says as he wiggles closer to Tony until he’s at his side, resting his head on his shoulder. “…now I am.”

Tony chuckles at that, the sound rumbling in his chest against Peter’s ear as he pulls the comforter up over Peter’s shoulder. “Close your eyes and don’t try to force yourself into falling asleep. Just try to let it happen.” He says.

Peter closes his eyes, listening to the sound of Tony’s heartbeat against his ear and inhaling the familiar and comforting smell of him, feeling a wave of calmness washing over him.

They stay like that for a long while, and Peter feels himself actually start to drift off. He can faintly hear Pepper downstairs in the kitchen, starting her day but it’s soon drowned out as another powerful wave of tiredness washes over him, pulling him in deeper.

He feels Tony’s warm hand start to card through his hair and Peter lets out a long, content breath at the soothing sensation.

“Sleep tight, kiddo.” He hears Tony softly whisper to him before falling asleep.

[pxmun]

.“

It was almost midnight at Tidmouth Sheds. All the engines were fast asleep, so were Romeo and Cleo, who were having a sleep over with their engine friends. Everything was calm and quiet, well until Percy woke up screaming.  The little green engine’s sudden outburst had woken up the others. Gordon, James, and Henry were very crossed with Percy for disturbing their slumber, while Thomas was concerned for his friend. He asked Percy if he was alright, and Percy tells Thomas that he had been woken up by a scary nightmare. The little green engine apologizes to his friends for waking them up, the other engines understand and go back to sleep. Percy tries to do the same, but now he is unable to fall asleep. Percy quietly wakes up Thomas and tells his friend that he can’t get back to sleep. The blue tank engine tells Percy to just close his eyes, Percy tries it, but no luck. Noticing that Cleo was still awake, Thomas asks her if she had any remedies to help Percy. The girl thinks for a moment and remembers her brothers telling her bedtime stories when she found herself in a similar situation. Percy and Thomas like the idea, Thomas decides to start and begins a story. Wendell in a basket One day, Wendell and the other engines were in their sheds, waiting for their firemen to come and ready them for the day. While they were waiting, Wendell decided to pass the time with a question that had been pestering him. “What came first? The chicken or the egg”? He asked. Some of the bigger glanced at the narrow -gauge engine in annoyance, but nevertheless one decided to entertain the small engine. “Why the chicken of course, otherwise where would the egg come from.” The larger engine sniffed snootily. “Nah, it had to be the egg. That’s where chickens come from.” A smaller engine retorted. “Then where did the egg come from? It couldn’t have just appeared into thin air.” Another engine argued. Soon the engines quickly found themselves arguing amongst each other. Dinah and Ethan soon arrived and stopped the squabble, they were crossed at the engines for fighting with each other. The engines blame Wendell for starting the fight. Wendell said he didn’t mean to start the argument, he just wanted to know the answer to the chicken question. Dinah manages to diffuse the situation and tells Wendell that some questions are better left unanswered. Wendell doesn’t understand but decides to drop his search for the moment. Dinah and Wendell soon head out to start their chores for the day. They picked up and dropped off workmen, shunted the trucks to their proper places, and headed to the farm to pick up some supplies. While the farmhands were busy loading Wendell’s trucks up, a chicken walked onto the rails. Wendell greeted the chicken, and the chicken greeted the engine back with a “Cluck, cluck.” An idea suddenly flew into Wendell’s funnel. “I’ll ask the chicken my question! Surely, she’ll have an answer since the question is more about chickens than people.” Wendell concluded. He puffed a little closer to the chicken, not realizing he hadn’t been coupled up yet to the train of farming goods. “Pardon me Ma’am, would you by any chance happen to know if the chicken or the egg came first”? Wendell politely asked. The chicken began walking away, heading off to somewhere unknown.  “Maybe she wants to tell me the answer in private, it might be a well- guarded secret. Oh, I shall have to seal my lips after this.” Wendell thought. He continued to follow the chicken, but in the blink of an eye the track he was on had a sudden incline and Wendell quickly found himself speeding down the track. “Oh dear, oh dear! Help, help”! Wendell cried out. Blasting his whistle as he rolled along. Dinah heard her friend’s cries, but by the time she got off the platform it was already too late. Wendell became derailed and ended up sliding into a hen house. He busted into the wall, feathers, chickens, and eggs flew everywhere.  Dinah found the engine covered in egg yolk and feathers. The farmer was very crossed with the narrow- gauge engine and gave him a stern talking to while Dinah was busy rounding up chickens that had escaped the hen house.  Wendell was soon rescued and had to be taken to the steam works. “My dear Dinah you were right, some questions are better left off unanswered, otherwise those who go looking might end up with egg on their face.” Wendell admitted. Percy liked the story and hoped Wendell the silly engine had learnt his lesson. Thomas asked his friend if he would be able to sleep now, but Percy admitted he still couldn’t before wheesing sadly. Cleo sat on Percy’s footplate, she decided to share a story to help Percy. Spring Loaded. Spring had finally arrived on Sodor; everyone was excited as this meant that the annual Garden Party would be held soon. This year’s them was produce and invitees were bringing dishes containing their best crops and their most gorgeous flowers for a floral contest. Passengers eagerly waited on the platform for their train to arrive and take them to the party. Wendell soon chuffed in, by this point Wendell was a much wiser and experienced engine. He had much better grasp on magic and although he was more mature, the magical engine still had his bits of silliness. While pulling into the station, Wendell did not see a basket of tomatoes someone had spilt onto the rails. The magical engine ran over them, splattering nearby passengers in tomato juice. “Oh dear, my sincere apologize. Here allow me to clean this mess up.” Wendell said. With a huff and a puff, steam flew out Wendell’s funnel and swirled around the passengers. In the blink of an eye the passengers were clean and spotless. They were very happy. “Now, let’s get you all to the Garden Party, Lady are the coaches ready yet”? Wendell asked.

During this time Lady the golden engine was Wendell’s apprentice, she was still new to magic and didn’t quite have a good handle on it yet. “Sorry I’m late master Wendell, I was busy practicing last week’s lesson and lost track of time.” Lady apologized as she shunted in the coaches. “That’s quite alright Lady, just remember to keep a better eye on the clock next time.” Wendell said. With that Wendell, Lady, and the passengers were on their way to the party. When they arrived, Dinah and her grandkids were there to greet them. Among them was Dinah’s youngest granddaughter, she didn’t seem that enthusiastic about the party. “Why so blue”? Lady asked. “It’s my tulip. I wanted to enter it into the floral contest, but it’s too sickly. I did everything I could to make it healthy; I gave it plenty of water, soil, sunshine, and love, but nothing seems to work.” The granddaughter said. Lady didn’t like seeing the girl so upset and wanted to help. “Would it be alright if I gave it a shot? Maybe all it needs is a bit of magic to feel better.” Lady said. The girl felt hopeful and agreed to let Lady care for her flower. They brought it to the furthest part of the garden, where Lady began her work. She gently wheeshed steam out of her funnel, it caressed the tulip as Lady worked her magic. The flower was swayed a little bit by the magic steam, but nothing happened. “Maybe the spell just needs a bit more strength.” Lady told herself. She wheeshed more steam and the flower began to regain its healthier color. Lady couldn’t help but smile as she watched the tulip rose up. “I’m doing it, I’m actually doing it”! Lady grinned. Once the magic was stable, Lady approached the tulip. She couldn’t wait to see Dinah’s granddaughter’s face light up when she saw her flower strong and healthy. Lady was about to have her driver pick up the flower when it suddenly spluttered out a big puff of pollen. The pollen ended up all over Lady’s face and she soon found herself in a sneezing fit. “Achoo, achoo, achoo”! Lady sneezed. During the fit Lady had managed to sneeze up gold dust from her funnel, it sprinkled down onto the tulip and the surrounding garden. “That can’t be good.” Lady said worryingly. Dinah come over to check on Lady and as she approached, the ground beneath them began to shake. Roots shot up from beneath the surface as flowers, plants, and other produce became enlarged. Vines wrapped around Dinah and ensnared Lady, they snaked around her wheels and side rods. Lady couldn’t move, Dinah grabbed a nearby axe and began chopping away at the vines in an attempt to free them. Soon all of the garden became out of control and caused chaos at the party. People and engines alike became trapped by giant heads of lettuce and pumpkins. Wendell stepped in and did his best to quell the wild vegetation. He freed the trapped guessed, who in turn helped the narrow- gauge engine reach his friend and student. With a large huff and a big puff, Wendell conjured up an enormous puffball and released it upon the garden. In less than a second the garden came to a grinding halt. Dinah and Lady were soon freed, allowing Wendell to give a big sigh of relief. That night all of Sodor was welcomed to a larger- than- life feast. The floral competition went on and to Dinah’s granddaughter’s surprise, she had won the blue ribbon. Lady had told everyone about all the love and hard work the girl had put into her tulip to make it feel better and the judges agreed that the girl’s determination and labor of love was sufficient enough to win the blue ribbon. Later Dinah would talk to Lady. “Not everything last forever Lady, sometimes it’s best to just to let it go.” Dinah said. Percy was surprised that even Lady made mistakes, he was glad the granddaughter had won the competition. The little green engine thanked his friends for the stories and felt like he could go to sleep, however Romeo had just returned after fetching a glass of water for himself. He asked Cleo if they were telling stories about Dinah and Wendell. Cleo answered yes and told her brother they were sharing stories to help Percy fall asleep. To her surprise Romeo tells the three that he also has a story to share, the teen pulls out a piece of paper. Cleo is speechless as Percy asks Romeo where he found the journal piece. Romeo tells him that it just flew into Gordon’s mouth while they were speeding on the track. He hands it over to Cleo, who notices that just like the documents on the Wishing Tree, this journal entry too was heavily censored. Nevertheless, Romeo begins his story, with the gusto of a Broadway actor. Nighty Knight One morning, Dinah and Wendell were getting ready to help Ethan begin laying down track for a new branch line when they were approached by two gentlemen, a set of twins, they spoke with an accent Dinah never heard before. They informed Dinah that Wendell and her were asked for an audience with the queen of Sodor. The two friends looked at each other in disbelief, but nevertheless they felt very honored and would gladly accept the queen’s invitation. They arrived at the palace and were escorted to the throne room a ******* named *** *****. There before them was ******, she gave the two a warm welcome, her smile was kind, and she had a motherly tone to her. Dinah and Wendell bowed, but ******* told them they didn’t need to bow, as long as she was queen, everyone on Sodor would be treated as equals. The ***** ***** had heard about the twos adventure and how they were helping the residence of Sodor. She tells the friends that those like her have been abusing gold dust and using it to oppress the engines and fight amongst each other, ******* fears that their abuse of gold dust will put all of Sodor in jeopardy. She concludes that the gold dust needs to be guarded, but as of now she can’t trust her fellow ***** *****s to properly protect the gold dust. ******* ask the friends if they’d be willing to take up the mantel as Sodor’s guardians of magic. Wendell and Dinah talk among themselves about what they should do. The two do agree that the gold dust needed to be protected from those who wish to use the magic for their own gain and at the cost of others. Wendell and Dinah accept the position and are officially knighted by the queen of Sodor. Percy was now soundly asleep, Romeo grins at this and wishes his little sister and Thomas a good night and sweet dreams. The lights are turned off and Thomas falls asleep. Cleo though remains awake for a while longer, wondering about the journal entry her brother found. She wonders why there was no mention of a queen or any other ruler of Sodor after king Godred, she wonders where the palace in the journal entry is and if it is still around, mostly though Cleo wonders about the censored group and if they could possibly be the great danger that will return to Sodor.