#its evident in the game that the three had genuine love for one another

[slavonicrhapsody]

hey, i was wondering if you had an opinion on why the carian children’s alliance fell apart during the shattering. between rykard having invented the abductor virgins that both ranni and radahn employ, and jerren stating that iji forged weapons for radahn’s army (if you talk to him about iji before the radahn festival while working for ranni), it seems the carians were helping each other out at the start. i have a few theories already, but i love your elden ring meta

first of all thank you!!

yeah I have a lot of thoughts about this. I think it ultimately comes down to the fact that their personal goals are entirely different and really don’t have anything to do with each other.

Radahn seems the most disconnected of the siblings in terms of his actions — judging by what we know, it doesn’t seem like a total upheaval of the current order was a priority for him as it was for his siblings. His specific motivations remain pretty opaque, but I believe, based on his obsession with Godfrey and all the references to honor and combat, that at his core he made the choices he did in order to prove his own strength and heroism.

I suspect this is why his halting of the stars hindered Ranni’s plans — he was never acting with her interests in mind. I doubt he was intentionally sabotaging her though, because there is no evidence of he and Ranni ever feuding. I’ve said this before, but the idea that Radahn’s halting of the stars is specifically holding Ranni back is a total afterthought to Iji… if Ranni were convinced Radahn bore her ill-will, killing him wouldve been her team’s objective years ago. Plus, Iji and Jerren are still amicable as you said. I think the situation is simply that, as Iji says, he and Jerren serve different masters with different priorities. The same goes for Radahn’s relationship with Rykard — I believe it’s implied Rykard tried to protect Radahn, but I don’t think this protection necessarily meant the two were working towards the same goals.

Rykard and Ranni are more complicated… I believe the Blasphemous Claw description implies that before the Night of the Black Knives, the two talked of a wider plan to “trespass” against the current world order: “Should the coming trespass one day transpire, they would serve as a last-resort foil, allowing Rykard to challenge Maliketh the Black Blade, the black beast of Destined Death.” Since there is evidence that these two did share plans with each other, it’s significant that they don’t really have anything to do with each other anymore.

I think this is due to the fact that though their goals were the same on paper — remove and usurp the current world order — their motivations and personalities are quite different.

Ranni is motivated by a desire to rid the world of godly influence because, as I believe, she owes her life’s misery to the gods’ meddling. She has no interest in ruling the Lands Between as a god-queen; rather, she intends for herself and her order to be “at great remove” from the goings on of the world. As god, she will be completely non-present.

Rykard very specifically does want to rule. He had great ambitions; his followers planned to serve him as their “worthy sovereign.” He despises being treated as a servant under the gods and having to fight for “miserly scraps” of power… he dedicated his life to destroying an order he believes is “suffocating,” asserting his own strength and authority in retaliation, operating under the philosophy of “the strong take.” At his core, Rykard’s goal was always the acquisition of power for his own benefit… and I believe this is why he ended up entangled with the Great Serpent, devouring and growing eternally, never satisfied… a caricature of greed and gluttony. Rykard’s personal goals essentially have nothing to do with Ranni’s far-reaching plans for a new order, and I think that’s why the two ended up on very different paths instead of working together.

I also think it’s interesting that Ranni and Rykard go about their plans in very different ways: Ranni prefers to work in the shadows and strike when the moment is right, keeping a cool head and a clear mind, trying to stay detached. She is said to have “cast aside” her great rune, probably because she distrusted its “mad taint.” Rykard on the other hand is rash and volatile, carrying out his treason in spectacularly public fashion. He is ruled by his ambition and hubris, clinging to the power afforded to him by his great rune.

In conclusion I don’t think there was ever a chance of the siblings all being on the same page — they’re each too different from one another with their own lofty goals and priorities, despite the love they might have for each other.

[bitchfromtheseventhhell]

i just threw this in a tag ramble on a rebagel but i feel like actually making it its own post for a hot damn second:

i love that this episode showed the ways in which daemon is the same (will murder without hesitation to get what he wants—in this case, faking laenor’s death by killing a comPLETE rando who did absolutely nothing wrong) and the ways he is not.

for someone who spent the first few episodes of the seasons having visceral reactions to his relationship with his brother, daemon is very non-reactive to viserys in this episode: he doesn’t really respond much to viserys’ offering of friendship and family; he observes but doesn’t intervene (until it looks like criston cole is gonna fuck shit up) in the big family fight on driftmark.  by removing himself to pentos for ~10 years, by taking himself off the board in the game of “how do i get my brother’s approval oh no i don’t have it oh no that hurts oh no i’m gonna act out ok i’ve acted out how do i get my brother’s approval” he broke a cycle that kept him trapped and unable to change.  for all i do believe viserys loves him (and loves everyone in his own way), i also think viserys doesn’t know how to handle the damage he does to people he loves simply by being king, and daemon is the early evidence/victim of that.

on top of that, for all laena may not have been the love of his life, i think it’s evident that he cared for her and loved her in his own way. he certainly loves their daughters (and i’m big mad they cut him comforting the girls after laena’s death like come on).  it certainly wasn’t like rhea royce, who couldn’t stand him and who he in turn couldn’t stand to the point that he literally never was around her and ended up murdering her to meet his own ends.  

he had 10 years away from the brother he couldn’t ever appease and away from a wife who was utterly justified in hating him, but who also still hated him.  he removed himself from one major source of family toxicity and murdered the other which like...dude no, but also the impact of that was that he landed to some extent in a decent familial setup for a while.

and i think that helped stabilize him a LOT.  he wasn’t the loose canon in this episode—not the way alicent was, or even criston cole was.  he had to be invited to participate in the family fuckery twice before he went all in, when usually he was the source of the family fuckery.

which brings me to rhaenyra. 

compare rhaenyra’s adolescent challenge that he steal her off to dragonstone to marry her with her as an adult pleading with him to be at her side in this episode.  compare his fear of her challenge because of what it stood for in the face of the brother he could never appease (aka: do you really want me) with the adult version of “i both need and want you” that he got from a mother of three at odds with her stepmother who won’t be able to rely on her father’s protection forever. when she was 19 he brought her to a brothel to fuck her—a manipulative way to try to claim her from his brother (and i do believe he genuinely was confused by how much he cared about her, how young she was, and that she had unseated him as heir to the throne); as an adult he is holding back, waiting to see if this is what he wants, what she wants. as the post i just reblogged said, he has no expectations, no ambitions, no anything—except his own restraint. 

he is being treated as an equal, for the first time in his life, by a targaryen and i imagine that’s a big game changer for him.  and arguably, he is an equal for the first time in his marriage, despite rhaenyra holding a status he does not, because he and rhea rejected one another and while he and laena seemed to get on, he still had the power to say “no, we won’t return to westeros” and that was the final decision.  but he doesn’t hold the final say anymore.  he shares it.  

which i think, given his relationship with viserys, whom he wanted to be trusted by but was also never stable enough to appease, was really all he wanted from the start.

[ssivinee]

❥ 𝙻𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚜𝚑 𝙻𝚒𝚚𝚞𝚘𝚛

Aespa! Karina aka Yoo Jimin x F reader: After a fantastic night at the Siren nightclub, Y/n's next shift turns into a frustrating ordeal as her bad luck seems to continue throughout the night. Despite the chaos, a surprise visit from a certain idol offers a bright spot in the evening. Her genuine interest leads to an unexpected and hopeful turn in Y/n's night.

Word Count: 3.4 k

Author's Note: Well, this felt a bit rushed, ngl BUT I wanted to pump out another fic since I've been gone for so long. I'll make more masterlists but I wanted more fics out before i do that. AS PER MY GIRLFRIENDS REQUEST, I'll probably be working on Mai from IZNA. But while I do that my reqs are open rn, so don't be afraid to ask for something or just to chat please!

Loving your job was an understatement. Working at the Siren nightclub for the past three years has given you a bunch of new friendships, evolving skills, and endless excitement. The bouncy energy of the place never fails to keep you alive, making each night a unique adventure.

The night prior, the club buzzed like usual as the staff gathered for a meeting with the boss. The air was hyped, knowing that the night shift usually had the most energy out of all the staff. Your boss, a man with a weird love for motivational speeches, stood at the center of the group, flailing his hands as he spoke.

"Ladies and gents," he began, his voice cutting through the low hum of whispered conversations, "our business is booming. But we can't rest on our achievements right now. There's always room for improvement." The Siren wasn’t just a job; it was a second home, a place where you poured your heart and soul into every shift.

As the meeting wrapped up, you felt ready to go, changing into your scarlet red top and clipping your name tag on. Serving customers at the establishment was always a blast. The regulars, with their easygoing and outgoing personalities, kept your shifts eventful, as if you were handing out drinks to a group of your old-time friends every night. It often felt like you were part of a flirtatious game show, with witty banter and playful exchanges keeping you on your toes.

The night was in full swing when you found yourself behind the bar, the neon lights casting a variation of colors across the room. A customer with vibrant pink hair staggered up to the counter, her eyes glassy from one too many drinks. She leaned in, her voice slurring as she spoke.

“You come around here often, huh?” she asked, her words tumbling over each other in a tipsy jumble. You couldn't help but chuckle at her drunken attempt at flirting. “Uh, yeah? Cause I work here?” you replied, pure amusement in your tone.

Another familiar face appeared a few minutes after her. Iseul, a regular with short brunette hair, leaned on the counter. She was evidently trying to push her cleavage forward, hoping to catch your eye. “Have I told you how pretty you look today, Y/n?” she asked, her voice dripping with exaggerated sweetness.

You laughed, shaking your head. “Yes, Iseul, you have. About ten times, in fact.”

Nearby, a blonde woman, clearly worse for wear after four hours of partying, tried to stand up straight. “Trust me, I'm not drunk,” she insisted, her words lacking conviction. You tried helping her sit back in her seat, firmly sitting her down, and placed a glass of ice-cold water in front of her.

“Yes, you are, ma’am,” you replied, tone patient yet firm.

She shook her head furiously, only to make herself dizzier. “You just intoxicate me,” she declared, her attempt at flirtation endearing in its clumsiness.

These interactions never failed to amuse you. The same women who flirted with you in their inebriated state would always come in sober and composed, their proper demeanor starkly contrasting to their playful-drunk selves. The comparison always made you chuckle, a reminder of alcohol being such a powerful thing.

That night wore on, and the club kept going with life. Music pounded through the speakers, a hypnotic beat that drew people to the dance floor. The bar was full of activity, with drinks being mixed and constantly served by three bartenders behind the bar. 

As you handed a cocktail to a waiting patron, you noticed a group of newcomers entering the club. They seemed to be on the younger side. Their attire, hair, and loud energy gave you a glimpse of what was to come from them. One of them, a shorter woman with doll-like features, seemed the calmest of the six girls who walked in. She sauntered up to the bar, her gaze locking onto yours with a hint of curiosity.

“What's your specialty?” she asked, her voice smooth and confident, contradicting her looks. She seemed to want to make a move, but you were extremely cautious with how young she looked.

You smiled, and she leaned slightly forward. “Depends on what you're in the mood for,” you replied, your tone inviting.

She considered this momentarily before her lips curved into a mischievous smile. “Surprise me.”

You gave her a kurt nod and began crafting a drink that was as intriguing as she was. As you worked, you could feel her eyes on you, as if she wanted to elongate the interaction. When you finally handed her the finished cocktail, she took a sip, her expression one of pleasant surprise.

“This is amazing,” she said, her eyes meeting yours in approval.

“Glad you like it,” you replied, a sense of satisfaction warming you from within.

As the final hours of your shift approached, you found yourself reflecting on the evening's events. The flirtatious exchanges, the thrill of crafting the perfect drink—all of it culminated in a deep sense of fulfillment. 

By the time the last patrons had filtered out and the lights dimmed, you were exhausted but content. 

Well... that was last night, and now you find yourself extremely irritated at 10 pm because of everything that just occurred in the past four hours. It was now the next day, and everything and everyone seemed to get on your nerves. The night before had been such a contrast to how this shift was shaping up.

Walking into the Siren at 7 pm, you were feeling somewhat under the weather due to a migraine that had been coming and going throughout the day. But before you could even clock in, you realized your bad luck was only beginning.

A stumbling drunk customer, barely able to hold his drink, bumped into you, sending a full glass of Paloma crashing onto your chest. The strong smell of lime and grapefruit clung to your clothes, and you could already feel the sticky liquid seeping through the fabric of your beige shirt… which was just newly washed, so you were feeling great.

Note the sarcasm.

“Seriously?” you muttered under your breath, trying to keep your cool. The customer mumbled an apology, but despite being annoyed to acknowledge it, you shook your head softly following your words, “no worries”. You rushed to the staff room, grabbing your scarlet uniform. Changing quickly, you hoped the rest of the night would improve, but that was too simple to ask for.

Just as you finished buttoning up your clean shirt, your boss walked in, his expression unusually serious. “Hey, Y/n, got a minute?” he asked, his tone making you wary.

“Sure, what’s up?” you replied, trying to sound casual despite your irritation.

“I need you to train three new employees for the morning shifts. They start in two days,” he said, dropping the bombshell without any warning.

Your jaw dropped. “Wait, what? But there's already a lead bartender for the morning shifts. Why me? Also, Doyun, don't think that I'm being disrespectful to you, okay? But three new people would be a lot on my plate.”

He shrugged, looking apologetic but firm. “We need someone experienced, and you're the best we've got. You know Ilsung just became the lead about two months ago. Just do it, okay? I’ll give you extra these days if it makes you feel better.”

Frankly… that didn’t make you feel better at all. Frustration bubbled up inside you. Training one new person was manageable, but three? And for the morning shifts, no less. You could already feel the extra work piling onto your shoulders. You nodded stiffly, knowing there was no point in arguing.

You even tried heading out to the bar just for a few minutes of peace, hoping to calm down before you could continue your long shift. But the customers tonight seemed to be testing your patience. They were needier than usual, constantly waving you over for refills, complaints, and special requests.

One lady demanded her drink be remade three times, insisting it wasn’t mixed right… when it was literally just a Margarita. Another kept trying to flirt with you, ignoring your polite but firm rejections as you weren’t in the mood tonight.

“Can I get some actual service here?” one woman snapped, tapping her empty glass on the counter. You forced a smile, biting back a retort as you took her glass to refill it.

“Helloooooo? I’ve been trying to get your attention for a good five minutes now!” the other lady practically barks at you and your three coworkers. Yet you didn’t even see her standing there for any longer than a minute. “I’m so sorry for the wait, ma’am. What would you like tonight?”

She scoffed and your friendly tone, “Three Negroni’s.” You simply begin making the drinks, “wanna start a tab?”

“No shit, I wanna start a tab. That’s three drinks right there,” okay, rude. You try your best not to roll your eyes, and once you are done serving and taking her credit card, you pass it to your other coworker, “This Yu Jihye lady. Take her for the night, please. I can’t handle her right now.” Your coworker nods, feeling bad from hearing your tired tone.

As the night dragged on, your irritation grew. Every spilled drink, every rude comment, every demanding customer chipped away at your patience. The lively atmosphere that usually energized you now felt suffocating. You couldn't wait for your shift to end.

In a rare lull, you leaned against the bar, trying to catch your breath. Your coworker, Mari, sidled up next to you, her expression sympathetic. “Rough night, huh?”

“You have no idea,” you sighed. “First, I get drenched in Paloma, then I find out I have to train three new people for morning shifts, and the customers tonight are driving me insane.”

Mari winced. “Yikes. That’s a lot to deal with. Want me to take over for a bit?”

You shook your head, appreciating the offer but knowing you had to push through. “Thanks, but I’ll manage. Just needed a moment.”

With a deep breath, you straightened up and returned to the fray. The bar continued to buzz with activity, the energy of the place almost overwhelming. Then, a group of women walked in, immediately drawing attention with their presence. You recognized them from their music videos—Aespa. They were in town, and NingNing had mentioned this place to them.

Siren was also quite known for having female idols to chill at, and they wouldn’t be bombarded with fans. This is usually why the prices were high at the establishment.

Karina led the group, her black hair styled in a chic wolf cut that framed her face perfectly. She wore a casual yet classy outfit that radiated confidence.

They approached the bar, chatting excitedly. As they drew closer, Karina noticed you talking to Mari, clearly frustrated. Her gaze lingered on you, curiosity evident in her eyes.

“Hey, can we get some drinks to start?” NingNing asked, smiling brightly.

You took a deep breath, trying to shake off the frustration. “Of course,” you replied, putting on your best smile. “What can I get for you?”

As they placed their orders, Karina watched you closely. She didn’t particularly know why she observed you so much. Yes, you were attractive, but she also worked in an industry full of attractive faces.

You felt a strange sense of calm wash over you as you prepared their drinks, focusing on the task at hand. When you handed them their drinks, Karina’s eyes met yours, and she smiled.

“Thanks,” she said, her voice soft but clear. “Rough night?”

You let out a heavy sigh before responding. “You could say that,” you admitted, managing a genuine smile. “It’s nice to see some new faces, though.”

Karina’s smile widened, and she nodded. “First time here. NingNing’s friend recommended it.”

“I could tell. Well, welcome to the Siren,” you said, your mood lifting slightly. “Hope you have a great time.”

They moved to a table, but you couldn’t shake the feeling of Karina’s eyes on you. As the night went on, she returned to the bar for another drink. “Back for more?” you asked, trying to keep your tone light.

Karina leaned against the bar, her casual yet classy outfit making her look effortlessly stunning. “Yeah, just wanted to chat a bit. You seem interesting.”

You chuckled, feeling a bit out of character as a nervous energy crept in. “Interesting, huh? That’s a first.” She laughed, a sound that felt like music to your ears. “So, what’s it like working here?” 

“Usually, it's amazing. The interactions are fun, watching everyone mingle and getting to know everyone.”

“But tonight is just one of those nights, huh?” She points out, and you nod tiredly. “Quite observant of you,” you joke, and she smiles a little. “It's kind of my role to take care of my members, and I guess it's an instinct thing at this point.”

You hand another customer their drink and begin making another round of her own. “You said you could tell we're new here? Do you know all the customers?”

“Pretty much, but it seems like there are a bunch of new faces today. Besides, how could I ever forget Aespa and their gorgeous leader?” You unconsciously slip in ‘gorgeous’ and don’t realize until you see Karina’s dangerous, intimidating stare. “Well, aren't you quite the charmer?”

You smile, are a genuine one-for-one, and keep chatting. You found yourself opening up, talking about the ups and downs of the job, the interesting characters you met, and the occasional chaos. Karina listened intently, her eyes never leaving yours. There was something genuine in her interest that made you feel comfortable, something you hadn’t felt with anyone else before.

After a couple of drinks and an easy conversation, the night was winding down. You glanced at the clock, realizing your shift was almost over. “Wanna have a few more drinks in, like, ten minutes? I’ll be off the clock by then.”

Karina looks over at the dance floor and sees the girls mingling and dancing. She chuckled a little before turning back to you. “That would be nice.”

You finished up your last few customers for the night and it was already 3 am. You’d think there’d be less people by then, but the girls of Aespa being at the club spread like wildfire, so many more people came. 

You exit the backroom, now changed into a plain black baby tee and a simple leather jacket. When Karina saw the new attire, she couldn’t help but check you out. You were already hot with the uniform on, but this took it to the next level. For some reason, despite the loud music, it felt like Karina could hear the stomps of your boots, probably from looking too hard.

“Now, where were we?” You asked her, seemingly more relaxed than the last few hours. “Well, take a seat, and let me order you a drink since it seems like all these new customers are our fault.”

“Oh well, I won't say no to a free drink from you,” you say, taking a seat beside her as she waves Mari down. “Uhm, what would you like?” Karina asks you, and you begin to think. “Order what you think I’ll like.”

“Shit. That’s kinda hard,” Karina mumbles, but you hear it loud and clear, making you laugh. “Then a glass of Lasso, neat, please?” the questionable tone made you laugh even harder. “Lucky for you, I love whiskey, and I love it neat.”

Mira hands you the glass, and you raise it to her as thanks. “Cheers?” you asked Karina, not putting your glass down as she willingly clung to yours. “I figured working at a place like this AND with how hardcore you look, that would’ve been the perfect choice.”

You guys chatted for another hour, and the air and chats felt endless despite knowing each other for a few hours. Karina loved your company for some reason, and she felt the urge to know more about you since this didn’t feel enough for her.

Karina seemed to hold her alcohol pretty well, but she began to giggle so much.  “You feeling okay?” You ask, a tinge of concern in your voice, but Karina just smiles as your features look much softer than the anger from earlier. “I am. It’s just nice to talk to someone who feels the same exhaustion as I do but isn’t an idol, I guess,” more giggles followed her words.

Gathering your courage, you decided to take a leap. “Hey, Karina,” you began, your voice slightly shaky. “I know this might be forward, but would you like to go out sometime? Maybe grab dinner or something?”

Karina’s eyes widened in surprise, but a smile quickly spread across her face. “I’d love that,” she replied. “Here’s my number. Text me when you’re free.”

You took her number, feeling a mix of relief and excitement. As she rejoined her friends, you couldn’t help but smile to yourself. Despite the rough start, the night had taken an unexpectedly wonderful turn.

You stepped out into the cool night air, your earlier frustrations forgotten. Tomorrow was another day, and you had something to look forward to. The Siren nightclub had its ups and downs, but again, it gave you a chance at something new and exciting. And you couldn’t wait for the next night you’d meet up with the beauty.

Note: As I said last time, feel free to send kpop reqs, and random anons for a good chat, or just lmk if you wanna be on the future tag lists!

[gfmima]

category : 米哈游 原神 work title : he’s acting shameless, way too shameless

it was a game of cat and mouse.

what he did or said didn’t matter, you chase after him like a lovesick fool; always shadowing him and throwing every bit of your attention on him. bystanders who’ve seen your dynamic snicker amongst each other about how stupid you look pining for him. they called you dense for neglecting his unrequited feelings for you since the signs were right there!

they said he barely smiles when you greet him, rolls his eyes when you test another lame pick-up line, and perceive to be overall underwhelmed when you personally deliver him gifts like homemade meals or trinkets that remind you of him.

it was insulting to hear them jump into labelling you a — very — hopeless romantic, pitying you for your luck in love. if only they took a closer look, they’d see the way the corner of his lips quirk up ever so slightly at the sight of you; the fondness in his eyes after you hand over the lunch you fixed for him, wishing him to eat well; and the breathless chuckle he lets out from your cheesy one-liners.

cyno would never ever make it known, not while he can at leastz but the chase was thrilling, to him at least.

it had become so ingrained in his routine that his day didn’t feel complete without you ‘bothering’ him. he secretly loves it. he loves watching you pursue him. every day, you’d find something corny yet sweet to tout or boldly showcase your interest in him. it was evident right-away that you were way different from the other women who tried to do the same in the past.

however, it never worked out.

for one, he was genuinely enamored by you. two, you are an awfully forward woman, uncaring about traditional courting customs. and three, possibly the actual reason, you weren’t easily swayed. one scowl normally forces them to leave him alone or second-guess their choices.

it didn’t appear to work on you, though. you brush it off and continued your flirtatious tirade.

“have i told you that you have the the most beautiful eyes i have ever seen?” you wink, your arms lay flat on his desk as your chin sits on your hand and longingly stare at the object of your desire.

speaking of, the man himself was hard at work. in the midst of inscribing his observations on the academic paper reported to him in his notebook, he lowers his head to cover the sly grin on his face. on the empty side of his desk awaits the meal you brought for him. he knew you knew he didn’t really take breaks, but that didn’t stop you from announcing you’ll eat lunch with him today.

cyno internally sighs at you.

he usually scolded anyone who bothered him when he dealt with paperwork yet you appear to be the clear exception. he secretly found you pleasant company.

glancing up from his report, he lifts an inquisitive brow. “are you perhaps flirting with me, miss?”

your eyes widen to the size of saucers. are you hallucinating or was he finally entertaining your advances? you blink once then twice before snapping out. your hand slides to where his settles to coyly play with his fingers. “is it working?” you coo, hoping he didn’t notice your flustered state.

he takes his hand back to pick up the pen he discarded and taps it on your nose. he chuckles at the way your whole face scrunches up. you were adorable. you remind him of the stray kitten he saw on the way home. it was messing around with a butterfly and makes a similar expression when it land on its nose.

“you’ve got quite the mouth on you,” cyno tsks, as he opens the next file and resumes his work. despite muttering it, you were still able to discern what he said and it left your cheeks turning redder than a tomato.

“it’s big a shame. someone ought to teach you what to do with it.”

it was too hot for you to handle. literally.

you’d think living in sumeru would make you immune to the heat. it didn’t. you’ve only grown to hate it. you cuss at yourself for forgetting to bring a fan whilst you wave a hand towards your face to cool down. you should’ve worn a more appropriate attire too, something with a lighter fabric. bit by bit, you steadily descending into madness as you dwell over your decision to tag along on his stroll — patrol — through the area.

even he was originally bewildered to hear you beg to let you accompany him, going as far as to think it was a joke. it wasn’t until you began to whine and tug the hem of his shirt did he understand you were serious. it was perplexing when you and nature didn’t get along well despite your tenancy in the nation and your relationship with him, a forest watcher.

tighnari didn’t question it since he saw it as the opportunity to spend time with you. after all, it had been days since he’d seen you thanks to your conflicting schedules. what is more romantic than taking an early morning walk with your lover under the best weather?

there isn’t much to say about your time together aside from the fact he didn’t get much work done. considering you two barely cross paths recently, you were touch-starved for him.

“all ‘m asking for is one kiss! nothing more!” you whimpered and close your eyes and pout your lips.

although he pretended to not hear your theatrics, you knew he did because his ears twitch at your bargain.

“i’m preoccupied at the moment.” he wasn’t doing anything right now.

you scoff. skipping ahead of him, you turn and start walking backwards and carry on egging him to focus on you. to your delight, it got his attention in the end.

“how about a peck? it won’t last more than a second.”

his tail instinctively swishes from side to side as he ponders your sappy request. he appear to be serious in thought over it, weighing the pros and cons. “and you promise to behave if i do it?” he hesitates.

“cross my heart!”

he eyes you suspiciously for a moment or two before slowly leaning in for a quick kiss on your lips. tighnari, being the observant man, persists to keep his guard up after you hum in approval. following right behind him, you spot the skip in his step and the tiny, happy whooshing of his tail.

i guess you weren’t the only one who enjoyed the kiss.

[lilxberry]

Hardly Burglar Material - Bilbo Baggins

Requested by: @donniethescienceguy​

Helloooooooo! Can I have a Bilbo x hobbit wife reader where after Thorin insults him (in the beginning when he arrives) she defends him and Thorins like: are you sure it’s the male Baggins we want?

I mean, I still did as what was requested but man, did I not know where tf this was going lmao

I followed quite a bit of the manuscript of the film, the only alteration is when reader confronts Thorin

Warnings: Nothing really. Asshole Thorin. Terrible writing lmao. 

Words: 1,796

Pairings: Bilbo Baggins x Reader (female reader) (wife!reader)

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You hadn’t expected your quiet evening meal with your husband to be interrupted but when a dwarf, a big, burly, tattooed, balding, towering one at that knocks your door, there certainly isn’t much you can do.

After the dwarf, who introduced himself as Dwalin, had entered your home and devoured your husbands fish dinner, to which you offered Bilbo your own meal, more and more knocks sounded at the door, each one miffing your husband further and further until he had finally had enough.

“There’s nobody home!” he shouted as another sound came from the front door, arms holding up the abundance of weapons the two brothers’, Fíli and Kíli, loaded on to him.

You felt terrible, watching as your husband becomes frustrated, not knowing what to do other than spectate in concern.

He tossed the items down out of his arms as he stormed towards the door, shouting at whoever was on the other side. “Go away and bother somebody else! There are far too many dwarves in my dining room as it is.”

Bilbo closes in on the door. “I-I-If this is some plotheads idea of a joke,” he laughed in disbelief before grasping the door handle in his hand. “I can only say, it is in very poor taste.”

With that, he pulled the door open and in comes tumbling through the doorway a cluster of dwarves, all grumbling and whining at the other to get off of them. Bilbo and yourself, who stood a few steps behind, looked down at the mess of moving bodies on the floor before his feet, dumbfounded expressions on both of your faces.

Movement behind the pile up caught both yours and Bilbos’ attention, and once the tall figure bent down ever so slightly to reveal himself, your face twisted into that of utter confusion as your husband sighs in exasperation.

“Gandalf.”

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Although you were concerned for your husband, you couldn’t help but find the whole situation quite amusing. You found some of the dwarven folk that had invaded your shared home to be quite a fun, entertaining bunch.

Of course, you were concerned about the possessions within your home, hoping that the dwarves leave your home relatively untouched and that your husband wouldn’t have some sort of mental breakdown.

Your uninvited guests had pillaged the pantry of its food. The race of dwarves certainly did have quite an appetite. Even Gandalf had nibbled on quite a bit of food.

The rowdiness of the dwarves had calmed slightly, if only for moment when they downed whatever drink they had. Even the ridiculous and frankly disgusting belching afterwards was calmer than their initial arrival.

Yet that was quickly replaced with plates, platers, knives, forks, and spoons were tossed from one dwarf to another as they sang a merry tune. Bilbo was quick with demanding caution and for things to be put down. Even you were slightly worried for your kitchen utensils.

The dwarves released hearty laughter when you and Bilbo peered into the kitchen and had seen that everything was clean and stacked, Gandalf chuckling along with them as both you and Bilbo simultaneously release sighs of relief.

Then, the atmosphere became tense as three, loud knocks sound at your front door for a final time that night.

The laughter died out instantly and Gandalf spoke quite ominously. “He’s here.”

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You couldn’t really pinpoint what exactly was unsettled you so much when it came to the dark-haired dwarf who sat at the head of the table. Maybe his stature. Possibly his stoic expression.

Most likely the look behind his eyes.

Well, you certainly didn’t like him all that much whenever he addressed your husband.

Most of the conversation between the dwarves and Gandalf became muffled when reaching your ears, certainly seeing no point in listening in on their talk. The second your husbands voice rang out through the room though had piqued your interest and your attention was brought to the conversation.

They spoke of The Lonely Mountain, the dragon Smaug, how they were on a quest to reclaim their home. Gandalf had produced not only a map of some forts but a key, a key the dwarves seemed to become quite excited about.

You also happened to admire the young dwarfs’ courage. Ori.

Then, the topic of a burglar arrived.

“That’s why we need a burglar,” Ori spoke.

“Hmm, and a good one too. An expert I’d imagine.” Bilbo moves back from peering down at the map, holding on to his suspenders.

“And are you?”

Bilbo glances around to behind him before looking towards the dwarves once more. “Am I what?”

“He said he’s an expert!” Oin spoke cheerily. Of course, the dwarf with the horn to aid his hearing would say as such.

“Me? No, no, no, no, no,” your husband started, eyes darting to each dwarf, hoping his point would get across. “I’m not a burglar. I’ve never stolen a thing in my life.”

You nodded your head in agreement. As much as you love your husband, he is quite the stickler for following rules.

“I’m afraid I have to agree with Mister Baggins,” Balin was next to speak. “He’s hardly burglar material.”

You supressed a chuckle as Bilbo, although relieved that someone agreed, looked the tiniest bit offended.

The group of dwarves began to chatter and raise in volume, no words could actually be comprehended by yourself, it all a jumble of noises. Then Gandalf raised out of the seat slightly, his voice booming over the racket the dwarves created.

“ENOUGH! IF I SAY BILBO BAGGINS IS A BURGLAR,” he lowered his voice with each following word. “Then a burglar he is.” Bilbo looked as if he wanted to protest but no words left his mouth.

“Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet,” he continued. “In fact, they can pass by unseen by most if they chose. And while the dragon is accustomed to the smell of dwarf, the scent of a Hobbit is all but unknown to them which gives us an distinct advantage.”

The whole discussion about your husband was unnerving for you. You disliked how your husband was talked of like a ploy in some silly game.

“This quest is no place for gentlefolk.” Thorins’ tone was as if the words left a vile taste in his mouth, clearly showing his disgust for your husband. “He probably wouldn’t last 5 miles away from his precious little home. Look at him, Gandalf! He isn’t made for such things, it’s as clear as day. His big feet and rounded belly would slow us down. Your little Hobbit would cry out for home within a day.”

Your blood boiled with each word he spoke, an anger rising in you which you desperately tried to keep down. Your nails dug into the palms of your hands and your jaw was clenched tightly shut, but enough was enough.

“HOW DARE YOU SPEAK OF MY HUSBAND LIKE THAT?! NO LESS WHILST YOU ARE IN HIS HOME AND IN HIS PRESENCE!”

Your outburst caught the attention of every soul in the dining room around the table. Their eyes settled on your figure that stepped closer and closer to them up to the point where you stood glaring down at Thorin right beside his seat. Even Bilbos’ eyes were wide and looked almost ready to pop right out of their sockets.

“My husband may not be a fighter like you…you BRASS DWARVES! But he deserves no less respect. I will not stand for someone speaking down on my Bilbo in such a manner, even if they are some king,” you all but spat out.

Some of the dwarves looked offended that you spoke to their leader in such a way, others looked thoroughly shocked, surprised that a small thing as yourself had such a fire in you. Gandalf smirked as Bilbo looked like he genuinely feared for your safety. He had witnessed outbursts from you that scared him before, which were quite rare, you barely losing your temper, but for once, he was terrified of the consequences seeing as it wasn’t at him nor a fellow Hobbit.

But it was Thorins’ reaction that had you confused. He seemed…impressed?

Thorin turned towards Gandalf, a smirk of his own forming on his face. “Are you sure it was Mister Baggins you had wanted to join our quest?”

Gandalf chuckled and looked towards you and your husband, you now joined your side, who was silently scolding you with his eyes but nonetheless remaining the concerned, dotting husband. “I was certain on Mister Baggins being the 14th member of your company, but I would highly recommend you take a 15th as I believe Misses Baggins certainly has something of her own to bring to the quest.”

“They both have a great deal more to offer than any of you know, including themselves. You must trust me on this,” Gandalf finished.

Thorin looked at Gandalf and Gandalf at he for a moment, Thorin evidently mulling it over within his head before finally, he spoke. “Very well. We’ll do it your way. Give them the contract.”

Both yourself and Bilbo began to protest as Balin produced the document. He handed it over to Bilbo who unravelled the parchment and began to scan over the words, your eyes peering over his shoulder to read it for yourself.

As Bilbo and you busied yourselves with reading over the document, Thorin had leant over towards Gandalf to whisper within his ear. “I cannot guarantee their safety.”

“Understood,” Gandalf hummed in acknowledgement.

“You’ll be left responsible for their fate.”

“Agreed.”

Bilbo began to read aloud the text, brow furrowed out of concentration, your own face screwed up slightly, straining to peer at the words.

“Terms; cash on delivery up to but not exceeding 1 14th for total profit, if any. Seems fair, uhh-“

“Shouldn’t it be changed to 1 15th if I were to join?” you questioned aimlessly.

Bilbo nodded his head in agreement before continuing. “Present company shall not be liable for injuries inflicted by or sustained as a government, thereof including but not limited to; lacerations. Evisceration?” He unfolds a piece further, reading before looking towards the group with a look of disbelief. “Incineration?!”

“Oh, aye. It’d melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye,” Bofur quipped with ease.

Many more ‘encouraging and reassuring’ words were spoken by Bofur, unnerving both yourself and Bilbo, though you hid it extremely well. The moment your husband passed out, was when Bofur seemed to finally relent.

“Oh dear.” You looked towards your husband laying on the floor unconscious with concern before turning towards the others with a worried expression.

Valar forbid you allow him to go with those dwarves and that conniving wizard alone.

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I mean, I don’t really have anything to say sooooo

If you want to be added to a taglist lemme know

Anywho, I hope you enjoy

As always, constructive criticism and requests are welcomed and greatly appreciated :D

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LOTR / The Hobbit taglist:

@iwazoomingouttahere​ 

[gracelesslady23]

Oooh this sounds so interesting! I'm very interested in three of them

Resistance

Azkaban

Reunited

Whichever interests you the most out of these!

Also, I love ProngsFoot and you are one of the best authors out there!❤️

Thank you so much!! I am glad you found those ones interesting!! (and its always wonderful to meet another prongsfoot lover :D )

I’m going to chose “Azkaban” because that’s the one I’ve got the furthest through.

It’s your classic James lives but Lily still sacrifices herself AU with a twist – James gets injured in the attack and completely loses his memory of the last year. He doesn’t remember switching secret keepers or even having a secret keeper. But despite all the evidence stacked against Sirius (eyewitness accounts of Peter’s & the muggles deaths, Sirius laughing at the crime scene etc) and everyone James knows and trusts being completely convinced that Sirius betrayed them all… James just cannot reconcile it in his head. He just can’t let it go. Even when his friends are getting quite horrified by the fact that James is seemingly obsessed with talking with his wife all-but murderer.

Its probably the darkest and most angsty thing I have ever written, it will have a happy ending eventually - it’s just going to be really hard won haha.

Here’s a snippet:

Fudge gave him a smile that was far too wide to be pleasant. “Please take a seat.”

“I believe congratulations are in order,” James said, as he lowered himself in the seat across from Fudge.

“Why thank you,” Fudge said.

“Well earned, I’m sure,” James said, pushing through the sour taste of the words on his lips, he’d always hated playing these games. But at this point he’d say anything if he got him closer to what he wanted.

Fudge favoured him with another of his unpleasant smiles. “So, to what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?”

James cleared his throat buying himself time as he called up the words he’d been practicing. “I am sure you’re aware of my families – unfortunate – past.”

“Yes, of course, tragic, absolutely tragic.” Fudge sent him a sympathetic look that looked halfway genuine. James was almost impressed.  

“Well, given your new position, I was hoping to ask a favour regarding a prisoner under your care –”

“Ah, say no more,” Fudge interrupted. James frowned. “As per my predecessor, I intend to keep Black under the highest security available and maintain the never to be released mandate.”

James felt heat climb to his face. That is what he should be asking for, more security, a longer sentence, a harsher punishment.

“Er, that’s not exactly –” James stumbled awkwardly.

“No?” Fudge asked, his untidy eyebrows drawing together.

James had forgotten all his planned words.

“I want to see him,” he blurted out.

“What’s this?” Fudge said, his frown deepening. “See Black?”

“Yes, I want to –” James ran a hand through his hair. “I want to talk to him. I want to know why –”

“Mr Potter, I am afraid –” Fudge started.

“No,” James interrupted far too loudly, far too desperately. “You don’t understand, I need to talk to him.”

“Black is one of the most dangerous criminals the wizarding world has ever had the misfortune of producing. You of all people should understand why he is to be kept under isolation under all circumstances.”

There was thinly veiled disgust on Fudge’s face now. And why wouldn’t there be, what kind of widower petitions Ministry Officials to talk to his dead wife’s murder. But he’d come too far to be shamed out of his quest by Fudge or anyone else.

“I am fully prepared to compensate you. Whatever it takes.” James fumbled with his pocket pulling out the bulging pouch of gold. It hit the table with a loud clunk.

[thefanficmonster]

Unexpected

Tabitha Milton x Reader (Female) [The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope]

Warnings: SPOILERS for the game Little Hope, Execution scene mentioned + near-death experience, 17th century-typical homophobia (? Very minor though, no worries), Swearing

Genre: Angst with a happy ending (Angst and Fluff), Romance, Fluff

Summary: Taken forward through the years after nearly being executed, Tabitha is facing familiar feelings toward an unfamiliar subject of her attraction - Y/N

Requested by @emberstoriesandtales  Hi siss! I’m so sorry for this extremely late fic but here it finally is! I hope your interest in Little Hope is still lingering enough for you to enjoy the read (if not I’m so sorry genuinely) Love, Vy ❤

Note: Y/D/N - Your Double’s Name

Stumbling into an abandoned looking structure, Daniel, Taylor and Y/N scramble to close and block the door behind them, preventing the demon that’s been hot on their tails for a few blocks now from following them inside.

Hearing the thing’s scraping and scratching against the door, its skeletal physique not allowing for it to make any attempt at entrance, the three are submerged in a pool of relief as they finally stop to catch their breath - something they’d originally planned to do when they returned to the present following their standing witness to the painful execution of a man who’d been deemed an ally of a witch in the town.

Unfortunately, they weren’t allowed the luxury of gathering their bearings before the demon emerged, beginning its pursuit of them. But more specifically of Y/N.

Now that she takes the time to tinker with that thought in her head, she connects the dots between Daniel’s comment earlier and why the creature had been so keen on putting an end to her life.

He’d said: “The man looked like a male version of Y/N.” And now, thinking back on it, she definitely agrees. Hell, they could’ve been twins. The only thing that set them apart was the evident differences due to their genders, his sharper facial lines and their voices. All else might as well have been copied and pasted.

With that realization finally setting in in its completion, Y/N starts feeling sick, almost nauseous. But she’d be damned if she knelt under the pressure. Instead, she takes to expressing her frustration in more irritated ways. 

Fists firmly curling at her sides, she clenches her jaw, “So...you’re telling me....that charred, mummified skeleton that just shortened my lifespan by like fifty years...that’s the corpse of me, male me, in a past life?”

Two heads turn in her direction, now disinterested in the door they’d been staring at all this time. Their faces lack any sort of expression while as they too ponder what she just said, taking in the ridiculousness and insanity of it all.

“Um, sounds about right...?” Daniel manages to utter after a while, exchanging a brief look with Taylor to which she offers a nod of agreement as if it’ll do anything more in terms of reassuring the distressed girl. 

Surprisingly, it does have some effect on her, relaxing her tense muscles in a slump with her back against the wall behind her, “Huh...well, alright then.”

It’s not alright, it’s far from alright. Nothing about this night’s even come close to ‘alright’. It’s been a nightmare inside a nightmare inside yet another nightmare. A never-ending stretch of shitty events and time travel none of them consented to. There’s no foreseeable end to it, leaving all six members of the group feeling like they’re stuck running on a hamster wheel.

“Should we keep moving? Look for another way out or something?“ Taylor offers, already beginning her venture around the vicinity in search of another door because the one they came in through is still being guarded by Y/N’s demon by the sound of it.

Her and Daniel follow suit, participating in the scavenger hunt although rather begrudgingly. It’s safe to say none of them has had the greatest time tonight but they can at least hope John, Angela and Andrew have had more luck in their pursuit of help.

But as of now, nothing can be said for certain and that’s driving them insane.

They find several doors, most of them leading to other rooms and not to an alternate route out of there but eventually, Taylor strikes gold.

“Guys, over here!“ She waves Daniel and Y/N over to a rusted metal door that refuses to budge with her force alone. Thankfully, it does start moving inch by inch when all three join efforts and yank it open.

Just for Taylor to get yanked to the past by a ghostly apparition, taking her friend and boyfriend along with her.

The scene before them is bathed in the warm orange glow of handheld torches. But even with the comforting lighting, the sight is nothing short of morbid.

A woman with an odd resemblance to Taylor, is standing in the middle of the clearing, hands tied behind her back and a rope around her neck. In front of her, the priest they’ve encountered a number of times at this point is stood, berating her and condemning her for her supposed entanglement with witchcraft which also had gotten her lover executed.

Y/N’s double.

The pleads and begging for her life to be spared fall upon deaf ears when the Reverend orders the rope be pulled, ascending her feet from the ground and therefore throwing her in a desperate fit of agony, gasping for breath.

Jarred, with eyes wide and mouth hanging open, Y/N’s heart palpitates in her chest as she struggles to pull herself together.

“We have to help her, we can’t just stand here!“ The breath that got caught in her throat finally releases with urgency and desperation.

It thankfully seems to be enough to snap her friends out of their horrified trance as well, prompting all three of them to sprint closer. Daniel helps Taylor climb the tree since she’s the one equipped with a knife they found earlier. Reaching one arm out while the other is still holding onto the bark, she swiftly cuts the rope right on time, sending Tabitha falling. Thankfully, Y/N’s right below, taking a hurried step forward to catch or at least cushion her fall if nothing else. But due to the height she’d been lifted at, the weight comes down harder than Y/N is able to handle standing, therefore sending both of them to the ground which feels a lot more solid and painful than grass when her back makes contact with it.

It practically knocks the air out of her lungs but Y/N refuses to stop and take a breath and, despite the surging pain in her back muscles, she finds herself sitting up. Opening her eyes slowly, she finds she’s sitting on concrete, surrounded by the misty darkness instead of the flame-lit clearing. They’ve come back to the present.

Taylor aids her to her feet while Daniel helps Tabitha who look just as startled as the rest of them to have found herself in an unfamiliar environment with three strangers who just saved her life. Tears stain her vision as she’s still recovering from an intense coughing fit, her lungs and throat burning for the air they were refused only minutes ago. To feel air course through them feels like a blessing.

However, even the relief of a second chance at life isn’t enough to bypass the immense fear and confusion coursing her body as her gaze dances between the three college students who are staring back at her with an equally pale expression, unsure of how to approach the situation let alone deal with it.

“You rescued me....I shall forever be indebted to you....“, she mutters voice getting caught in her throat when her eyes zero-in on Y/N who’s currently also catching her own breath, leveling it so it won’t cut her like a knife with every inhale and exhale. “Y/D/N? It cannot be....is it really you?“ Taking a step closure to the stunned girl reveals to Y/N just how pale and terrified she herself is, “My eyes deceive me...“ 

If she could be bothered to find humor in their current situation, Y/N would even make a joke about how the disappointment in Tabitha’s voice wounds her, but alas she’s past the point of humor and will be until her back stops hurting as bad as it currently is, “Sorry to disappoint. Although I think I was him in your time.”

The woman’s eyes soften, now glistening with tears Y/N can only describe as heartbreaking to look at, “I will never see him again, will I?“

She can almost find it in herself to feel guilty now. For what, she’s not sure. Although, she’s not certain it’s guilt either. She just wishes she could’ve been that man she used to be in the 17th century. Cause clearly, he meant a lot to this woman. And clearly, she still cares about him. 

The tear that slides down Tabitha’s cheek snaps Y/N out of her thoughts, prompting her to take a step closer. And then another. Before she knows it, she’s enveloped the other woman in an embrace she luckily makes no attempts at pulling away from. Instead, she finds comfort in it, crying into this stranger’s shoulder. Ever the empath, words of comfort, consolation and reassurance automatically leave Y/N’s lips, one of her hands remaining still on Tabitha’s back while the other draws soothing circles with its warm touch.

The fear’s all but gone, extracted from her system as if by the pull of an invisible hand. All she feels now is protectiveness, wanting nothing more than to make sure they all get out of here alive and well with the added need to verse the newest member of their group into the current world.

*     *     *     *     *

Arriving at a metaphorical fork in the road, the group has dispersed into pairs to discuss their next move. John and Angela are at the end of their rope, feeling the weight of responsibility push down on their shoulders as they are the oldest of the group but also the most hopeless at this moment, growing less and less optimistic with each passing moment.

Andrew and Y/N are off to the side, comparing the experiences each trio had when they separated earlier. It’s taking her quite a lot of energy to try and explain for the nth time how they managed to drag a person from the past into the present, but she cannot leave him in the dark on it. Not that she herself is very enlightened on the matter but it helps to have another brain trying to tie some assumptions together.

Daniel and Taylor take the time to check on one another, physically, psychologically and emotionally, making sure they’re alright - as alright as they can be in a situation like this. Over her boyfriend’s shoulder, Taylor spots the curiously tender gaze lingering in Tabitha’s brown eyes which seem to be transfixed on Y/N, no matter where the two are standing.

Daniel follows where his girlfriend is looking, taking into account what she’s seeing only moments before Taylor approaches Tabitha, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. Unlike how she reacts to Y/N, she’s rather jumpy around the rest which is why she initially flinches but relaxes when she sees the familiar - too familiar - face of her present self.

“Hey, are you ok? I know it seems like a stupid question to ask but....“ The redhead offers a compassionate smile to which she receives a smaller, sad one in return.

“I am quite alright, thank you for your kindness.“ Her eyes stay on Taylor only briefly, quick to cascade back to Y/N who’s still discussing this insanity with Andrew, her back turned to the three. “It is just your friend...she puzzles me.”

The students exchange a confused glance before Daniel prods on, “How so?”

Sighing as if about to admit it with a heavy heart, she replies: “She makes my heart beat the way it did for Y/D/N. But I was in love with that man....it cannot be the same feeling.“

Another glance exchange, this time one of intrigue and curiosity as well as small amusement. This time, Taylor’s the one to prod on although more reassuringly than curiously, “I mean, yeah, I doubt you’re in love with her after knowing her for less than an hour, but that doesn’t mean you don’t like her. You know, the way you probably liked Y/D/N when you first met.”

Tabitha’s gaze flies over to the two real quick when, her eyes wide in confusion and surprise, “But-but she’s a woman! I cannot feel the same way for her, it is wrong!”

Such a reaction is to be expected from someone from four centuries ago which is why Daniel takes the softest possible approach at explaining it to her, “No, it’s not. I was considered wrong in your time period but it never was and it most certainly isn’t now. You can feel that way for anyone you’d like, Y/N included. It’s completely ok to like her and feel the same way you felt for that guy about her. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

Tabitha doesn’t reply, but the small, slow nod she gives in response is enough to leave Daniel and Taylor hoping that their input has been of some help to the woman and emotional conflict. If the way her eyes travel back to Y/N is anything to go by, now even more deeply endearing than before, they have surely succeeded.

~ 3 months later ~

“Treacherous thing....“ Tabitha mumbles, eyes narrowed at the microwave she’s been at qualm with for the past twenty minutes.

Prepped up on the counter next to the piece of technology is Y/N, a cup of coffee in her hands and a smirk playing at her lips as she watches her girlfriend struggle with the machine, “My offered help is still on the table, you know. You don’t have to figure it out on your own when I’m literally right here.“

Tabitha shakes her head, “You’ve already done and showed me so much, I should be able to uncover the secrets of this contraption on my own.”

“Uh-huh, ok. If you say so, Tabs.“ Y/N snickers over the rim of her cup.

It’s been three and a half months since they left behind the horrors of the town of Little Hope. It hasn’t been easy for any of them, the trauma and stress that was inflicted upon them was greater than any of them could really feel that morning when the sun rose. Luckily, with each other’s support as well as that psychiatric help they sought out, they’ve gone on to continue their regular lives without a hitch.

Well, Y/N’s hasn’t been so much the same as it was.

She took it upon herself to introduce Tabitha to the modern world of...well, everything. From the different living arrangements to societal roles, fashion, food and technology and modern English terminology, she’s been a personal life coach for her, with the frequent help of Daniel, Taylor and Andrew.

They hit a few bumps in the road along the way but have successfully gotten over them, allowing for Tabitha to finally admit to the feelings she’d developed for Y/N. Feelings she reciprocated.

Now, they live together in Y/N’s dorm with the only struggles they face being Tabitha’s still-present lack of understanding for technology. 

But they’ll get over that too, I’m sure of it. They turned something so unexpected and unexplainable into something nothing short of beautiful and wholesome. Hell if a microwave interferes with their harmony.

@megandaisy9  @ateliefloresdaprimavera  @lavadoge  @nyctophiliiiiaaa  @squirreljoe

[tinawriting]

Beach trip (R.L)

Requested: Yes/No

Pairing: Remus Lupin x fem!reader

Navigation

Summary: After finishing with school, the group decide to go on a beach trip and Remus finds the opportunity to confess his feelings for Y/n.

Warnings: spoiler of Carrie I gues?? not proofread, alcohol, my english

A/N: Thank you so much @sunrisefairy for posting this and inspiring me, I got so excited I didn’t even read it once so they might be a lot of spelling mistakes, maybe one day I’ll fix it.

Word count: 1.5k

The morning sun hitting her face, the wind blowing her hair, the sand getting in between her toes. She looked at her right to see James and Sirius wrestling in the clear water of the ocean. Lily and Peter looking for shells a little farther away.

At her left, Remus was sitting with his nose almost touching the book in front of his face.

"You should wear your glasses," she said looking at him. He just left and eyebrow, his eyes not leaving the page he was on and she huffed. "Alright, go blind."

A little smile tugged at the corner of his lips, his eyes meeting hers. He doubled the corner of the page and closed the book, smirking at the way she winced.

"What did the poor book do to you?"

He shrugged. "It's easier that way, I don't have any bookmarks."

She looked away from his brown eyes, focusing on the soft waves. "You're a monster."

He chuckled. "You know what else?" He asked leaning towards her. "I also write notes on them, and one time a ripped a corner because I needed a piece of paper."

She looked at him again and moaned. "I love when you talk dirty to me." She said sultry.

He laughed and her heart skipped a beat. He looked so angelic. Little crinkles adorned the corner of his eyes and a dimple appeared on his left cheek. She wanted to see him like this everyday, without bandages all over his body and without that frown he would have constantly when it was close to the full moon. It was almost too much so shifted her gaze to the book on his lap. She grabbed it and turned it upwards, caressing the spine.

"I didn't think you'll be into this at all," she said reading the title. "I thought you’ll be more a poetry kind of guy."

He hummed. "I like this one though, the things Carrie goes through, how her mother wouldn't even explain to her what was happening with her body. How she blamed her for everything. It's interesting how everyone who bullied her regrets it the moment she takes action, but you know it's not genuine."

"Yeah, I think the book made the readers empathize with her, maybe we shouldn't though, she did kill a lot of people."

They kept talking about the book and their point of view. She always liked talking with Remus, he always gave his opinion with valid arguments and respected the other person thoughts, it was a fun banter, and she couldn't get enough of this, enough of him.

A loud splash made both of them turned their heads, just to watch a soaking wet Sirius holding a very angry Peter by his feet and dipping him repeatedly into the water, James' loud laugh filling the air, and Lily next to him with her hands full of shells.

When Y/n turned around again, Remus' eyes were already on her, and he looked away quickly, a slight blush forming on his neck and cheeks. She cocked her head in confusion and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah," his voice cracked and his blush became more evident. "Yes, I'm fine. I'm just hungry, are you?"

It took a lot of work of processing the word that left his mouth because of how hast he said them. She decided to ignore it and just smiled softly at him, nodding.

"We should play a game." Said James with his mouth full of biscuits. Lily made a face and passed him a napkin.

They were sitting together in the lounge of the house they rented for the weekend. Lily and James were sitting on the floor under the same blanket, a plate of biscuits on James' lap. Sirius was sitting on the couch next to Peter. Remus and Y/n were sitting on armchairs. The group decided that with the chilly night the best idea to warm themselves up it was to drink firewhiskey, so it was an understatement that they all were a little bit tipsy.

"Sure," said Peter. "What do we do?"

"Spin the bottle?" Said Sirius smirking.

Remus huffed. "What are we? Twelve?"

"Aw Moony, are you afraid of kissing one of us?" Said Sirius making obnoxious kissing noises.

Y/n decided she had to save Remus from this one. "We should do a bonfire." She said looking at the dark sky behind the window. "The night it's beautiful."

They agreed that if they were going to go outside they had to at least carry all the blankets and the rest of the firewhisky.

Lily and Remus started making the bonfire while the rest made themselves comfortable around them. Y/n noticed how even behind his sweater, Remus' arms flexed as he lifted all the wood. How after lightning up the fire his beautiful brown eyes would look even more bright. How the flames made his face look sharper but softer at the same time. He was incredibly breathtaking, and it broke Y/n's heart to know that he didn't think that about himself. She would gladly remind him everyday.

Y/n smiled smugly at the three boys. After the fire died down and everyone agreed it was time to go to sleep. Y/n, Sirius, Peter and Remus had to decide who would get the big bedroom. The house counted with a master bedroom -it belonged to James and Lily, of course- another bedroom with a double bed and a smaller room with three single beds.

They decided to finish the discussion of who was worthy of the big bedroom with a game or cards, Y/n won.

The three boys made their way to their bedroom and she snickered a little at how Sirius was mumbling profanities at her. She decided it was time for her to go to sleep too.

Y/n woke up in the middle of the night, a loud noise could be heard from the kitchen. She looked at the clock at her bedside table. '4 AM'

She groaned and walked her way to the kitchen to see Remus struggling with a pan.

"Everything alright?"

She watched at how Remus' back tensed and then relaxed, he turned around with a sheepish look on his face.

"Sorry, didn't mean to wake you up," he said putting the pan on its place. "I just wanted a glass of water."

"It's okay," Y/n said walking up to him, amusement all over her face. "How did you manage to knock everything up if you just wanted a glass of water? And what are you doing up?"

"I was distracted." He said scratching the back of his neck and not meeting her eye. "And my back hurts like hell, that bed was made by the devil himself."

She chuckled and passed past him to grab a glass of water for her and touched his arm on the process, she heard him make a sound at the back of his throat and she turned around, her back against the counter. "Alright, what's up with you? You've been weird all day. And can you at least look at me?"

He sighed and looked her in the eye. His cheeks tinted with pink, his scars standing up more than ever, his eyes soft and vulnerable. "I don't know how to behave when you're around."

She frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Are you really going to make me say it?" When she didn't replied, he let out a soft exhale. "I honestly have no idea when it started but one day you weren't just my friend anymore, y-you became so much more to me and it might be my lack of sleep but I don't think I ever wanted to kiss you so bad in my entire life."

She felt her eyes widen and her heart nearly burst out of her chest, her hands trembled slightly at this revelation and she wasn't sure it was out of nervousness or excitement, maybe both.

She smiled brightly at him and reached out a hand to pulled him close, she saw how he hesitantly gripped her hand a little tighter. She reached out and grabbed the front of his t-shirt to pull him down, their lips meeting softly. She pulled his face between her hands and felt how hot his cheeks were, his hands found themselves on her back, pushing her even more against the counter. His tongue brushed her bottom lip and she gladly opened her mouth to deepen the kiss, a soft sound leaving his mouth at the sensation. When they broke apart they were both a little out of breath, soft smiles grazing their lips.

"You know, my bed is big enough for two."

Remus smiled and kissed her again, short and sweet. Just because he could now. He grabbed her hand and led them to the bedroom, getting under the covers they snuggled close to each other. Her head found its way into the crook of his neck, his hand played with her hair until she dozed off with a smile on her face.

[oneyeartoparty]

The brothers react to finding an engagement ring you bought for them

Sorry I haven’t posted for a bit, just been very busy and a litte sick. This was something I’ve been working on for a while. Apologies in advance if its not completely spell/grammar checked, I wanted to get it out for you guys ASAP =D I have a request coming up next, but for now, please enjoy this post and have an awesome day!

Lucifer

Lucifer ventures into your room to drop off some packages from Akuzon that were delivered for you. You’d been getting a lot of packages lately, and he was curious about what you were buying but didn’t want to invade your privacy by snooping.

He was planning on asking you when you returned from studying with Satan and Simeon. Lucifer wanted to make sure his love was provided for, and if you needed something, he would get it.

Lucifer had no issue lifting the boxes, but there was enough of them that even with his best stacking skills, they still partially obscured his sight. He managed to make it to your room without knocking something off the wall, but as he entered, he nudged your shelf with the side of one of the boxes causing something to tumble down.

Placing the boxes down, he turned to see a ring box had fallen from somewhere on the shelf and opened on the way down.

Picking it up, he saw an engagement ring with a golden band with a blue sapphire at its centre. Inscribed on the band were the words “To the only demon to have my heart.”

Pride and happiness swelled in his chest in equal measure. To know you loved him enough to plan to propose was a fantastic feeling.

He didn’t know where the box had fallen from, so he hid it on the shelf once more and hoped you wouldn’t notice and left the room, awaiting the day you choose to propose and going to prepare a ring of his own for when the time came.

Mammon

Mammon has a habit of going through your things. It had started as another profit-making venture. Some human items aren’t easy to come by in the Devildom, so he figured trifling through the new human exchange student’s things would be a good way to find something to sell.

But it became a way to learn more about you. Everything you had in your room told your story, and Mammon was intent on learning everything.

It was on a day you were out shopping with Luke that he decided to go through your drawers. You’d been dating a while now, and he wanted to see what you’d picked up on your last shopping trip with Asmo so he could see figure out a gift idea. He wanted to treat you but wasn’t sure exactly what to get so he decided to snoop for ideas.

When he saw the red velvet box, he thought it was for earrings initially, but when he opened it, he saw the two topaz gems sparkle. It was an engagement ring, with an inscription that said, “To my adorable Mammon, who stole my heart the day we met.”

Mammon has stopped working.exe.

He’s flustered, completely red in the face. He so overwhelmed with happiness and love for you at that moment all he can do is stare at the ring.

When he finally regains his composure, he puts back everything as he found it. He doesn’t want to push you to propose until you’re ready, but that doesn’t stop him from being the happiest demon in the Devildom.

Leviathan

Leviathan ventured into your room to set up a new gaming console he’d gotten from Akuzon. He was looking forward to spending the night with you playing games and having fun together.

It was while he was fiddling with the cords that he spied a ring box among some of the consoles neither of you had touched in a while.

Not wanting to accidentally knock it somewhere difficult to reach, he went to move the box. Upon picking it up, he noticed it was already open, and when he saw the contents his mouth dropped open.

The engagement ring inside was a silver band with three small orange sapphires in a triangle. Its inscription read “To remind my true love I’ll always adore them.”

“THEY’RE GOING TO PROPOSE TO ME?” he didn’t mean to shout that; he was just so shocked by his discovery it was automatic. You’re not only dating him, but you like him so much you want to MARRY him?

Tears welled up in his eyes. You genuinely loved him enough to want to propose. It was a scenario he’d only dreamt of, but it was real. For a moment he wondered if he’d isekaied into another world where all his dreams would come true. Still unsure if this was real, Levi sat on your bed and waited for your return.

When you returned to your room, you were immediately smothered in a hug by an equally nervous and ecstatic Leviathan, saying a scattering of “Yes” and “Do you really mean it?”

Satan

While Satan would usually head to the House of Lamentations library or search his room for his next book to read, sometimes he would head to your room and pick from your book selection.

He loved keeping up with the latest additions to your book collection and with many of your books coming from the human world, there was almost always something new for him to read there.

It was while you were cooking dinner that he made his way to your room to return some books and borrow more. After placing back the stack he had in his hands, he scanned the shelves until he had chosen a few.

Retrieving the first few was uneventful, but when he pulled out the final book and small box fell with it.

He internally panicked when it happened as he thought it was something breakable, but when he saw it was a small ring box, he grew confused.

Curiosity taking over, he picked up and opened the box. Inside was a stunning engagement ring, made of silver with four emeralds. Its inscription read “For my loving Satan. May we can spend eternity reading together.”

A smile graced his face when he realised when he was holding. To know you truly wanted him and only him made him swell with joy.

He placed the box back in its place, forgetting the books he’d come to collect as he headed back to his room, grin still present and plans to do something for you in turn already forming in his mind.

Asmodeus

Asmodeus was out shopping when he found the ring you’d bought for him. He’d skipped school to go shopping and had wanted you to come, but you were roped into doing school council tasks for Lucifer before he could slip you out.

He wasn’t going to let this opportunity go to waste though, and he’d been checking out all the new outfits and accessories that had been released since his last visit. He was having a great time and made sure to buy anything he thought would suit you best too.

He had finished buying a new pair of earrings when he was stopped by one of the demon clerks. They said your order was ready, and since their courier was sick, asked if he could take it for you.

Agreeing, they handed him the box and he made his way from the store. He couldn’t glean much about its content other than it was small, perhaps a pair of earrings or a necklace. You’d mentioned wanting to update some of your older jewellery pieces after all.

Wondering what you’d had custom made, he pulled the box from its bag and opened it, nearly jumped for joy when he was the engagement ring within.

He loved the design. The gold band fit perfectly with the five argyle diamonds that were grouped to resemble the outline of a star. And the inscription that read “Never forget I love all of you”.

Slipping the box safely into his pocket, Asmodeus rushed home and began to start pulling together wedding ideas for you two to discuss.

Beelzebub

The nose of a hungry Beelzebub is the most dangerous thing any piece of food can encounter, as anything that nose picks up will soon be eaten. That was the fate of a pile of snacks you’d stowed away in your room, hoping to keep your food-loving boyfriend from eating them.

He lifted your pillow and spied the food hidden there. His attention consumed by it, he began devouring everything in sight, and soon there was nothing edible left.

He noticed it when he was picking up the wrappers. A box stuck between your bed and bedside table. His thoughts immediately shot to it being the final snack that he’d almost missed, so he reached for it.

The box didn’t resemble any food brand he’d ever seen, but this didn’t deter Beel from opening it to check.

The engagement ring withing had a silver band and featured a large ruby surrounded by five smaller ones. It was custom made, evident by it appearing large enough to fit on Beel’s finger and the inscription that stated, “I look forward to snacking eternally with you”.

A happy smile graced his face and red flushed his cheeks. His heartfelt wish of marrying you was going to come true, and he was happy.

He put the box back where he found it and left your room, taking the wrappers from his snack massacre with him.

While he doesn’t tell you what he found, you do notice him smile at you a lot more, especially when he thought you weren’t looking.

Belphegor

With his favourite pillow in the wash, Belphegor was on the prowl for another pillow to use until his original was returned.

Naturally, with you learning magic with Solomon at Purgatory Hall a pillow from your room was a natural choice. You had an excellent mind when choosing the most comfortable pillows and the ones from your room always reminded you of him when you couldn’t be there to nap with him.

He pulled a pillow from the stack and went to make himself comfortable on your bed. He planned on napping until you returned, so napping in your room was the best place.

However, when Belphegor placed his head on the pillow there was a solid lump that made it impossible to get comfortable.

Zipping open the pillow he retrieved a ring box. Opening it he saw, to his immediate joy, an engagement ring.

The ring had several small purple crystals on a gold band. Inscribed on the band were the words “I look forward to snuggling forever with you”.

He wasn’t sure why you though a pillow was the best hiding place, maybe it was because you had such a huge variety of pillows and his brothers accidentally find it there? Regardless he’s please you loved him enough to want to propose.

Stuffing the box back into the pillow, he puts the pillow back and gets another, returning to your bed to nap with a smile on his face.

[incorrect-ikevamp-quotes]

hey so I’m not trying to be gross but this genuinely something that I wonder about like how does mc survive on her period in a mansion full of vampires? Especially with a pure blood like Comte or Leonardo like can’t they sense it? sorry if this is weird I’m just genuinely interested In like pure blood and vampire lore and like what they pick up on especially comte as he’s a fave. I’d love to hear your thoughts as always I love your posts and I hope you’re doing well and staying safe and healthy 💛☺️

Haha, please don’t worry! 😂😂😂 I’ve often wondered about the very same thing, and while I don’t have any canon answers, I can offer the most likely scenario from my understanding of the game. Hope you’re doing well too, lovely, thank you! Stay safe out there~💛💛💛

Given what I know, and the fact that blood is only a small component of the discharge that comes with one’s period, I’d wager it poses a low risk generally speaking. I think the plan would be to make sure everyone’s on guard and has been keeping up with their usual doses of Blanc/Rouge (no waiting until you starve, Jeanne, yes that is a threat) but otherwise everyone proceeds as they normally would. I think it would be hardest on the vamps who are most sensitive to the presence of blood/have a harder time controlling their thirst, like Isaac and Arthur. 

Purebloods have been canonically established as having a much lower tendency to bloodlust by comparison to lesser/turned vampires, so I very much doubt Comte or Leonardo would react much. A blip on the screen for them, nothing more. (I often categorize Jeanne as the closest to pureblood level reactivity because his ability to control the thirst is exceptional; the only time he has ever come close to attacking MC was when he was at a point of intense starvation.) I think the only time her period could potentially become risky is if one of them was starving (and therefore reacting on the level of base instinct) or grievously injured. If they have feelings for her or she’s in a relationship with one of them, it may make them want to bite her more, but I don’t think they’d necessarily act on it. I’d assume most of them would be reluctant because MC is already losing blood as it is? Better to be safe than sorry, and all that.

As for whether or not they can anticipate it, I’m really not sure? It’s possible they might sense hormonal changes, but given I haven’t seen them react to anything so slight I can’t be sure. Purebloods I’d say it’s a coin toss; it’s very possible they can sense it before it comes--but I just have no way of knowing for sure. Lesser vampires, I very much doubt it. 

That being said, you bring up a very timely contention (for me) as of late. Which is to say: what are purebloods capable of sensing? I’ll be elaborating on a recent JPN collection story event that included Comte, as it had a very interesting tidbit that I’d like to share with y’all. It isn’t a huge spoiler as I’ll be focusing on the pureblood lore that was included, but for those who don’t want to see it I’ll be placing it under a cut. (Also some slight spoilers for Comte and Leo’s main story rt).

Mandatory spoiler warning:

So this last event featured MC and her suitor taking care of a child for a few days, in which they act like a pair of surrogate parents. Naturally, being a feral Comte stan, I got his story. In it, both he and MC are taking care of a young girl named Emma--the daughter of a fellow aristocrat (a friend of his). At some point during the story, MC accidentally loses sight of Emma while hanging up the laundry. MC searches the entire mansion but can’t find her anywhere, and she begins to panic when Comte encounters her. Alarmed, he gently asks her what’s wrong and she explains what happened. There’s a brief pause [”...”] and then he says “It’s okay, MC. Emma is–”. Comte then leads her to the gazebo where the little tyke is fast asleep, taking a midday nap in the shade. Naturally MC is relieved to see her safe, but also a little baffled as Comte led her directly to Emma. 

MC: “I’m so glad she’s okay. But…how did you know she’d be here?”

Comte: “Purebloods are good at sensing/detecting nearby human beings.”

And I ????? Granted it’s possible it got translated incorrectly but...I really don’t understand how else he would have known exactly where she was? If MC asked around and searched the entire place and still couldn’t find any trace of her, how would Comte have just known in an instant? Additionally, if he spotted her before he found MC panicking, then I doubt he would have just left her there without an adult/guardian nearby--he would have either stayed there or taken her with him. 

So this makes it plenty plausible that he really did just sense her presence in the vicinity. But........like..........howmst in the fuck. Is that even possible. I have no idea, but I find it a little shocking that I’ve only discovered this now? I mean maybe I missed it somewhere else where this tidbit of lore came up, but as far as I know they don’t discuss it much? The most I remember is Comte giving very clear indications that purebloods were able to sense each other, but I assumed that was restricted to purebloods only...

That being said I’ve been thinking about it and, well, there are at least three pretty strong instances in the game that could affirm his claim in this story. Namely: the beginning of the story itself (Comte’s POV of the prologue), the kidnapping incident in Comte’s main story, and the beginning of Leonardo’s main story.

I remember @a-maidens-dream asking about something very interesting in Comte’s POV story, and at the time I was a little unsure what to do with the information--it wasn’t aligning in a way that made sense. But I think this might help that tidbit fall into place? I think that Comte really hadn’t realized she followed him into the door until she was already in the mansion, and as such this ability to sense humans would explain why he knew she was there before Napoleon even told him anything. If purebloods can sense human people, then he would know a human being entered the house because of the species signature; the only human person living there otherwise was Sebastian. I’m not sure if the sixth sense is acute enough for him to be able to differentiate between human people. (My guess is that it’s not that specific, or if it is, the pureblood has to know the person very well to be sure.)

Building on that, this is a subtle distinction, but it still stood out for me. In his main story route, both MC and a fellow aristocrat (a woman she was friends with) are taken to these small cabin things in the middle of the woods. All Comte, Napoleon, and Jeanne have to go on is the general location of these hideouts. They decide to split up; Comte goes one way, Napoleon and Jeanne go another. I find this instance particularly interesting because Comte’s POV indicates a kind of loss of rational thought--he is 100% in a panic state, just moving to satisfy one objective: save MC before time runs out. This suggests that Comte very much could have been relying on that sense to pinpoint her and her assailants. We have no evidence to believe he was ever a soldier or somebody with extensive experience in tracking--or that knew the landscape well. But he only trusts she’s alive and unharmed for sure when he has her in his arms again, suggesting either that this sixth sense has its limits (in regards to specificity of the person being detected) or that his judgement in that moment was too compromised for it to be clear.

The last one, and perhaps the funniest possibility of the three, lies in the beginning of Leonardo’s main story route. Iirc, Leonardo spends much of that time hauling MC around the mansion to interact and properly situate herself in the mansion’s social dynamic. While this may just be a coincidence, MC notes that she actively tried to hide from him and make herself scarce, but whenever she tried no amount of stealth worked. One can certainly argue he just paid attention or asked other residents about where she was, but I do think it’s worth considering? I need to re-look at the chapters, but I seem to recall her trying to hide in a garden shed and he still found her immediately and just picked her up and walked right back out. 

Tl;dr: So does this mean Comte/Leo can sense when MC is on her period? I have no idea, but at this point I really can’t be sure what abilities they do and don’t have!

[ramblingguy54]

True Colors: An Emotionally Fantastic Serious Game Changer.

If we’re to look back at Reunion as Season 1′s dramatic pay off for Amphibia’s message of toxic friendships, as Anne & Sasha’s conflicting dynamic showed us, then True Colors is a colossal expansive note on this big theme of the series. True Colors makes Season 1′s finale look like a walk in the park for what angst goes down between our three main heroins in Season 2′s climatic resolution. Everything that can go wrong does go oh so painfully wrong for these three kids. Anne, to no one’s surprise, gets double crossed by Sasha leaving things between them a Hell of a lot more bitter than they were previously, as if that couldn’t already be topped when Sasha tried to kill the Plantars before. Anne has had enough of her lies and manipulation not being afraid to tell Sasha straight up how awful of a friend she’s been in general, even hitting her where it hurts most of all saying, “No, I’m done listening to you! I’m done trusting you! You’re a horrible person and I am done being FRIENDS with you!”, going so far as to get a shaken reaction out of Sasha dropping her brave face act, making this girl try to wipe away the frog family.

Right off the bat, True Colors makes it highly evident this isn’t just another story of stopping a bigger threat, but one hitting much closer to home, overall. Yes, King Andrias is certainly a dangerous villain, who makes his presence and intimidating nature known to the others by True Color’s final act, which despite this Amphibia isn’t entirely putting him at the forefront, rather focusing on a more intimate study of Anne, Sasha, and Marcy’s big emotional conflict. This finale knows exactly where to put its focus of importance on, so I love that instead of it being action packed we’re getting the spotlight shined on just how screwed up these three of a friendship have, in spite of Marcy claiming in The Dinner episode, “We’re supposed to be friends for life. We don’t split up!’ . Very ironic stuff right there, indeed.

True Colors’ most powerful strength it adds to Amphibia’s ongoing profound story about healthy friendships is the thorough deconstruction of these girls defined “ideal relationship” as people. Before Anne came to the world of Amphibia this kid was afraid to stand up for what she believed in, even knowing especially well that stealing the calamity box was morally questionable, but did it anyway. Sasha was super manipulative, abusive, and used her power to control people, like she did a lot of toward Anne in their lives. Marcy, while very smart, wasn’t the most competent physically, who soon grew into being more independent without needing to rely on Anne always having to be there for her. These three were changed immensely by the events of being thrust into this world of sentient amphibian creatures. Anne benefited morally most out out of all three in taking up the mantle of responsibility and ironing out her own issues. She’s become a much stronger person all around. 

This episode asks us an important question though in nutshell with, “Have Sasha & Marcy truly changed for the better?”, since Anne has reached a point in her arc feeling genuinely content with who she’s become and the bonds that have been made with the Plantar family shown most notably with Sprig Plantar. Hence the whole purpose behind the song, It’s No Big Deal, with Anne feeling proud for who she is, yet not noticing a bigger issue right underneath her nose. That previous episode was meant to bring Anne’s happiness up only to bring it all crashing down in a devastating display of new revelations in True Colors. Every dramatic emotional beat isn’t just earned. Each significant moment is completely knocked out of the park by terrific voice acting, beautiful animation, and music composition that gave me serious emotional goosebumps. True Colors did exactly as Not What He Seems accomplished for Gravity Falls in shaking up its own respective dramatic stakes just when you thought it couldn’t get any higher for these protagonists. Shit seriously hits the fan here.

Did it ever occur to you, Anne? Sasha? That one of you knew more, than she was letting on? That ONE of you might’ve gotten you stranded in Amphibia on purpose...?

The big bombshell twist of Marcy playing a part too in getting them into this whole debacle completely flips everything upside down. Sasha pushed Anne into taking the Calamity Box, yes, but if Marcy never sent that photo because of her desire to stay with them together forever, then they wouldn’t have been stranded in basically a world full of dangerous creatures and who knows what else. Easily my favorite part of the episode, considering it adds more nuance to a situation that defined Amphibia’s story. It wasn’t just one person’s fault at the end of the day. Sasha bullied Anne into taking the box, Anne didn’t put her foot down to make a stand for something morally questionable, and Marcy took advantage of them both to benefit her own selfish desires for supposedly a “happy ending” not involving them staying apart, due to her parents moving away for a new job. All three girls played an important part on why they got landed into Amphiba. It’s why Anne’s statement to King Andrias, “The three of us may have made some mistake, but you...You’re evil and I’m gonna stop you!”, holds such a real weight to it, as this story continues to solidify how genuinely fleshed out their dynamic is.

Marcy’s super desperate plea to be understood by Anne & Sasha when Andrias revealed her getting them thrown into Amphibia purposefully was hard to watch. On one hand, I felt for Marcy because she didn’t want real life circumstances to tear apart that close connection she had to Sasha & Anne. Sure, she could’ve just kept in touch with them over the phone or chatting online, too. However, Marcy had known them since very early childhood. When you’ve been so attached to someone it can be a devastating thing, depending on just how vulnerable you are emotionally, to start drifting apart. Marcy represents that embodiment of toxic need for togetherness and couldn’t bear to let a possibility, like moving away, throw a wrench into her happiness and friendship, as well.

Never mind Marcy wanting to stay permanently in a different reality, rather than face her’s, but it made this person feel like something more. It gave her a chance to feel truly special in being able to live out a fantasy dream of having such power and freedom that a kid, like herself, couldn’t have had. The freedom to know she is plenty capable of making it out there on her own without Anne having to watch this kid like a hawk. So, to have someone, or something, try taking it away from her terrified Marcy of facing a terrible truth. That she isn’t strong enough after all to live a life without Anne & Sasha by her side completely, where Marcy will never feel truly worthy enough to blossom into her own person. It’s why that line, “I just...didn’t want to be alone...”, carries such a deep pain to it all. Marcy just crumbles into pieces accepting her greatest weakness. As much as Marcy fumbled the ball big time, it’s so easy to empathize with her on the idea of feeling competent enough. Marcy never meant to hurt Anne or Sasha, but the sad crushing punchline is she very much did.

Speaking of which, Anne had every right to be upset and mad, obviously. Anne has been missing so many things from her life before everything went off the wall. Hopping Mall especially highlighted Anne’s emotional desire to give anything just to hear her mother’s singing again. This teenager has been really dealing with a lot of grief in general quite honestly. Anne got into a high stakes battle against Sasha to save new friends, who’d practically became like an adopted family, which left the poor girl traumatized and heartbroken over the end result. She thought finding Marcy would help compensate for it and eventually be able to mend those complications with Sasha to boot. It’s simply painful to see it all blow up in Anne’s face to know not only Sasha betrayed her trust yet again, but realizing Marcy also played a part of responsibility in getting them thrown here. Matt Braly really just decided to slap future trust issues onto Anne finding out Hop Pop, Sasha, and Marcy were all super dishonest in their intentions at one point or another. Damn, I feel so bad for her.

It makes their embracing hug back in Marcy At The Gates so much harder to watch. Anne was super glad to see her again. Anne had wondered what became of Marcy or even possibly started to think she could even be alive at all. Then come to find out later on Marcy having intentionally ripped her away from a normal life must’ve felt worse then what happened with Sasha. Anne, already done with all of Sasha’s bullshit, thought she could at least expect better from Marcy not letting her down, but that too wasn’t the case. Marcy is very much as flawed as Sasha in what she has done. To think, Anne wanted so badly to get back home, yet she’s staring the very person dead in the eye, who ripped her away from it to begin with. Marcy knew Sasha would talk Anne into taking the box from that thrift shop, even if she wasn’t completely certain it would successfully teleport them away. Regardless of whatever good intentions someone can have in why they did what they did, it still doesn’t absolve them of said mistake. Fact of the matter is, Marcy tragically made her own bed, by choosing to mess with forces she couldn’t begin to comprehend and now has to face consequences, in spite of her not deserving them.

What really got to me was when Marcy tried to spin around Anne’s personal growth and close friendship with the Plantars as all entirely thanks to her. When she said, “I gave you this! I gave you everything!”, I was like, “Nope, that couldn’t be any further from the truth.”, seeing everything that has culminated in Anne’s journey of bettering herself. Marcy didn’t give Anne anything, but a one way ticket to cutting the kid off from her family, presuming she’d be fine with this idea. It’s all kinds of messed up, however what it boils down to is Marcy undermining Anne’s independence and agency. Anne’s moral judgement in decision making was what allowed her to create this new life she made for herself in Amphibia. Anne’s honesty as a whole led her down a path of togetherness, while Marcy’s lying landed her in a result of not wanting to be alone, costing her so much.

“I don’t believe this. We were so focused on each other we couldn’t see what was right in front of us!”

True Colors excels at earning each of its emotional beats because they line up with character motivations down to the last letter. Anne doesn’t want to trust Sasha anymore because of their already rocky past, which leads to her helping King Andrias regain control of his kingdom. Sasha not keeping a lid on her temper, wanting to rule over Amphibia, and trying to reinforce that power dynamic with Anne & Marcy only made things worse for her image of a changed good friend. There wasn’t a chance in Hell Anne would hear Sasha’s reasoning after she flat out tried to take away her frog family, by attempting to use the Calamity Box a bit ago in the episode. Marcy wanted to believe there was a happily ever after in seeing this world traveling idea as their only chance for salvation as friends for life, but it turned out to be something much more sinister, when learning of Andrias’ backstory and his true scumbag nature. All three of their motivations come clashing together, blinding them from a much bigger danger. Something that effectively puts everyone at stake.

Amphibia’s Season 2 finale works so excellently, given it covers important dramatic elements it’s been stirring around since Season 1′s early rumblings. Amphibia is a story centered around people’s need for emotional connections. True Colors builds miraculously off what Reunion already did quite well in showing friendships can become rough and they are never easy to deal with. When you have to make a stand it can be a tough pill to swallow on the reality check of maybe this “good friend” of your’s isn’t as nice as you previously thought them to be. Anne having been hurt one too many times now by her former friend sends that message close to home, so much so even Sasha begins to question her morality as a human being. It poignantly encapsulates how this trio’s complex friendship is a serious growing issue needing to be reexamined, overall.

What if Anne’s right..? What if I am a horrible person...?

Something I absolutely love to pieces about True Colors, also a testament to Season 2′s darn good writing, is how much introspective we get from each character on what they’re feeling. We’ve seen plenty of Sasha’s vulnerability before in other episodes centered on her issues, but now we’re getting to the root of it. Sasha is really taking everything more to heart, little by little. Sasha’s understanding what kind of an effect she has on people, seeing the damage it has caused made evident by Percy and Braddock in Barrel’s Warhammer. Grime once told her, “Some dreams have a price and not everyone is willing to pay it.”, where she’s questioning that idealism every passing minute the invasion plan proceeds further into reaching success. Sasha isn’t sure what to do with herself anymore feeling aimless. Those previous episodes had a real impact on her priorities more than she cared to let on with Sasha’s typical tough girl act. This kid has let her guard down more, which scares and confuses Sasha. She’s always used to playing the role of protector it contradicts everything Sasha stands for when the roles are totally reversed because now Anne has made her feel the tremendous change in their growth as individuals.

Sasha’s lifestyle has been all about control that after somewhat learning to be more considerate to Anne & Marcy’s feelings she feels beyond conflicted about what truly matters to her. The most screwed up part of it all is Sasha didn’t want to fight anymore, taking up a pacifist approach after seeing what King Andrias had been hiding from everyone. It’s a fitting punishment for Sasha to try bringing Anne over to work together once more, but getting her pleas for companionship outright ignored. Anne was correct that Sasha had wasted all the chances to be reasonable. Boonchuy tried to hear out Sasha before at The Third Temple. One wanted to start things over again to iron out their serious issues, but the other was driven by bitterness, while only remorseful to a degree at best, of seeing their once weak friend become so independent, mature, and stronger that it drove her up wall. Sasha wanted to take away that “problem” being the Plantars, since in her eyes they’re the source of Anne’s strength, driving a wedge further between the two girls in their heated Reunion 2.0 battle.

True Colors demonstrates the horrific price of no trust, communication, nor teamwork from the three main girls that Andrias smoothly took advantage of, as if they were fiddles. 

“That’s the thing about friends isn’t it? The more you love them, the more it hurts when they go.”

King Andrias is quite literally what I wanted Lunaris to be, where DuckTales’ Season 2 finale didn’t impress me on doing. He’s a serious big baddie to the main cast, who follows through on his threats of violence to demonstrate his wide array of arsenal and power. Andrias doesn’t just emotionally manipulate characters, like poor Marcy, but utterly crush them without an ounce of remorse for his actions. When he dropped Sprig out that window after Anne willingly let him have the Calamity Box back I thought they were legit gonna kill this boy off. The way Anne’s flashback montage of her good times with Sprig were eerily shot really didn’t help either on that note. Anne’s Calamity power finally activating is easily up there among stuff, like Dewey risking his life for Della’s disappearance in Last Crash, where the cinematography is shot and animated brilliantly. You feel Anne’s blind raging sadness in every hit she landed on those robots and Andrias. If anyone didn’t believe Sprig was like a little brother to Anne, then I dunno how anyone couldn’t view their bond anymore as such after this hugely defining scene. Anne went bloodthirsty when she believed Sprig to be dead further evidenced when she hugged him in relief afterwards exclaiming, “Sprig!? You’re alive!? Oh, thank goodness...”, which cuts deep so damn much.

Anne was ready to fight every one of Andrias’ troops in that castle to the death, if need be. Before Sprig came back from falling, thanks to Marcy’s quick acting, to comfort Anne, her only goal was to slaughter every opponent in that throne room, along with making Andrias pay dearly for even daring to lay a single finger on anyone of the Plantars. I’m not gonna lie, this pivotal power up reminded me so much Gohan turning Super Saiyan 2 after Cell curb stomped Android 16 into pieces with a smirk on his face. Anne Boonchuy’s maddening outburst is a classic testament to the idea of, “Piss off the nicest person and they’ll make it their mission to instill the biggest kind of fear/terror into you.”. showing this kid at her most vulnerable mental state, yet. Sprig & Anne’s cathartic embrace really messed me up in reinforcing just how these two respect, love, and would go above any of their limitations to help the other out. Sprig’s “death” scene was a masterful bait by the writers into making us think someone was gonna die and it was gonna be a poor kid, no less.  

However, it was actually all just a bait and switch for the real, “Oh, shit. They really just did that”, moment with Marcy unexpectedly getting run through with Andrias’ gigantic sword. In a last ditch effort, Marcy wanted to atone for what she had a hand in getting them all into. Marcy was ironclad determined in making her own stand for what was right trying to save the people she endangered. Akin to what Sasha did in Reunion for saving Anne’s life, Marcy does the exact same here. Although, unfortunately this time, no one is here to protect Marcy from escaping death, like Grime catching Sasha from plummeting at Toad Tower. Marcy couldn’t react in time because she was so focused on helping her dear friends out. She wanted to prove to herself at least one time, “I’ve screwed up so much stuff with my friends. Maybe, just maybe. If I get my friends back home, it’ll prove I’m not an entirely crappy person for setting these events into motion.”. Marcy’s own deep seeded remorse is what saved Anne & the Plantars, while being the cause of her own untimely demise at Andrias’ hands.

This scene is what no doubt encouraged the warning sign for younger viewers Disney decided to make for them. It’s impressive how far Matt and his crew are willing to go for intense dramatic content. Andrias trying to crush Polly with his fist after destroying Frobo with casual ease, dropping Sprig out of the window from up sky high, and stabbing Marcy with his powerful sword displays his cold blooded brutality. Doesn’t matter who you are. If you get in the way of Andrias’ plans for multiverse domination, then he’ll throw anyone into their own grave, be it man, woman, or child. That’s the mark of a truly terrifying antagonist.

Andrias didn’t care who had to be hurt or manipulated to get back the box, so he could invade other worlds with Earth being his next prime target for invasion. Marcy’s fate is a horrifyingly poetic statement, since Sasha stated to Anne in a flashback from Marcy At The Gates, “One of these days, she’s gonna get herself killed.”, with True Colors tying back to this line in a disturbing manner. Something that sends chills down my spine is we get to see the full extent of how far Andrias shoved the sword through her body. We don’t just see the entry point of where it hit her, but it even zooms out to show the whole thing. Real talk, I got serious Avatar The Last Airbender vibes from this scene. Reminded me so much of Aang getting suddenly zapped with lightning by Azula when he tried to enter the Avatar state. Marcy didn’t want to be alone so badly she ended up inevitably dying alone trying to send Anne back home to their reality. One Hell of a way to close off Marcy’s last moments in Season 2, until her inevitable resurrection happens in Season 3 now that King Andrias has her in a tube tank that looks tied to his master.

True Colors ends on a deeply bittersweet cliffhanger leaving the fates of Sasha & Grime totally unknown if they’ll get away by the skin of their teeth, or get captured by Andrias’ soldiers and robots. Anne finally returned home with the Plantars, but at a deadly cost of leaving her other close friends behind in Amphibia. After all the isolation, heartbreak, and endurance she went through with her frog family Anne finds herself at a total loss for words. Once again, Anne is in a state of solitude of not knowing if her friends are really okay or not, mirroring the start of Season 1 when she landed into Amphibia’s world. It’s safe to say to say that, “Finally me and it’s no big deal.”, lyrics have aged terribly for Anne’s realization of finding her own identity came at the expense of getting separated from friends she’s known since kindergarten. Definitely see Anne becoming a lot more protective of the Plantars now more than ever after watching Marcy drop to the ground from being stabbed in front of her eyes.

Amphibia’s Season 2 finale is exactly how you capitalize on a winning story telling formula of dramatic writing, lovable characters with layered depth, and increasing the stakes of your story in an organic manner. True Colors is a finale that should be talked about for a long time to come, as it not only showed how worth the wait it was, but reinforces why Amphibia is a truly great series. It’s unafraid to take its characters to dark places in a way that feels totally earned.

Amphibia Season 2 is everything a sequel to a first film should be.

[idreamofplaid]

Living a Lie

Summary: Sometimes happiness waits on the other side of pain and misunderstanding.

Characters: Sam x Reader; Dean mentioned

Word Count: 3826

A/N: The expansion of my Masterlist continues. This is another one of my early fics that I’ve revised a little and am reposting. At the time I wrote it, I wanted to explore the effect someone’s looks can have on them wherever they may fall on the spectrum of what is considered conventionally attractive.

READER’S POV

There had been a time Sam picked up girls in bars, not with the frequency Dean had, but he'd done it. Now, he was doing it again. Dean had stopped entirely because he was in love, monogamous, and completely happy. Dean spent his nights sharing a bed with his soul mate. Sam prowled bars, and you hid away, alone, in your room.  

Your heart broke again every time Sam didn't come home. The pain was fresh like it was the first time, like somehow your heart had mended, had rebuilt itself just to be shattered again. A heart in pieces leaves an emptiness in the center of your being, but all the broken shards are still there, the sharp edges piercing you from the inside out. That was how it felt when night fell, and Sam wasn’t in the bunker. You knew where he was and what he was doing.

Those were sleepless nights for you, nights spent hearing Sam's voice in your head.  You'd always been too romantic for your own damn good. How could you be sitting here in the dark, back against your headboard, clutching your pillow tightly to your chest while you cried over the loss of a man you'd never had? He wasn't a man you were going to have. You'd seen pictures of Jessica. You just weren't his type. Sure, you could dye your hair blonde. That still wouldn't make you model gorgeous with a perfect body.  

You were smart, maybe not Stanford smart, but who knows? You might have been if you'd actually studied in high school instead of sitting in the back of class scribbling love poems in your notebooks. You had more than one regret and missed opportunity in your life.

Your thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Sam's footsteps coming down the hall.  He had to pass your room to get to his. That's when you got your brilliant idea. You jumped up and flicked on the lights, splashed cold water on your face at the sink, and reached for your makeup bag to erase the evidence of your crying.

Minutes later you were knocking on Sam's door. He opened the door dressed for bed, and you smiled your prettiest for him. "Can I come in?" He opened the door wider giving you room to walk inside and stood with his arm over his head, hand on the door as he leaned against it watching you.  

You took a seat on the end of his bed and waited. Sam closed the door and walked closer to the bed. He was still looking at you with an unspoken question in his green eyes touched with warm honey.

He didn't move any closer, and he didn't say anything. Your broken heart made you bold. "Your night didn't go the way you had planned?"

Sam raised his eyebrows and tilted his head. "Planned?"

"Yeah. You know. You didn't go home with anyone." You looked down as you said it, unable to meet his eyes and say it out loud.

Sam sat down next to you, head bowed, his hand under his hair on the back of his neck. "Uhh...no, I didn't go home with anyone." 

You inched closer to him until your thigh was touching his. He looked at your bare leg and swallowed. You hadn't worn anything to bed but an oversized t-shirt and a pair of panties. 

"You don't have to spend the night alone, Sam." You reached for his hand and moved it to the inside of your thigh parting your legs slightly. His hand covered a large portion of your leg.  It was warm and solid, and the feel of it made your core quiver.

SAM'S POV

Your skin is so soft, and you smell so good. How am I supposed to resist this? Resist you when I've wanted you for so long? I can't. I just can't. I'm sorry. You should be touched by a man you love, not me. I love you, but you deserve more than something one sided. That's why I haven't said anything or made a move. Maybe I shouldn't have put you on a pedestal, but I did. In my mind, that's where you belong.

I slide my hand along your smooth skin stopping at the top of your thigh, take a deep breath, and pull you closer to me with my other arm so I can kiss you. Your mouth opens under mine, and my tongue eases inside. Everything about you is so sweet. I'll never forget the way you taste. I want to leave some trace of me on you, some mark, some memory that you were mine for a little while. I pull you down on the bed with me and roll on top of you.

My kiss gets deeper; you accept it and respond. My hand is moving over your hip and under your shirt. I'm already halfway to hard. My hand is resting on your waist, and I keep kissing you, taking it slow.

I've thought about kissing you so many times, but my imagination never got it right.  My hand continues its move up your body over your stomach, and I feel you pull back the tiniest bit. Alarm bells go off in my head. You're beneath me, in my arms. I want you so much, but if you’re not absolutely sure….  I pull back and look at you. "I can't do this, Y/N."

The expression on your face sent a pain straight to my heart. The next thing I felt was your hands pushing against my chest. "Get off of me!" I sat back, and you were off the bed instantly, glaring at me through tears. 

"Really, Sam? Am I that much of a disappointment? Just tell me I'm not good enough for you. Just tell me!" You stormed across the room fumbling with the doorknob before you managed to get it open.  

You turned back to me. I was frozen in place trying to absorb the shock of being snatched out of the soft, perfect dream that I'd been lost in seconds before. "Go back to the bar, Sam. It's early. I'm sure there are plenty of tall blondes there with long legs, or petite brunettes, or whatever the hell you want. Take your pick; you can, and I'm sure she'll be happy to satisfy you."

The slamming of the door got my brain working again. I almost fell off the bed in my hurry to get to you, to explain. By the time I got the door open, there was no sign of you in the hall. I ran toward your room calling your name. When I got there I wanted to crash through the door, but I controlled my near desperation to let you know what I truly felt, that I would never think you weren’t good enough. It’s me who isn’t good enough for you.

I knocked on the door. Seconds passed. You weren't going to answer it. I didn't blame you, believing what you did. "Y/N. Y/N. Please. You don't understand. Let me explain.  It's not what you think. At all. It's nothing like what you think."  

READER'S POV

Sam had stopped knocking on the door, but he hadn't stopped talking. You were leaning against the door listening. "Please let me in, Y/N. I'll tell you everything. Just let me in." He sounded genuinely upset.

Even now, after what he'd done, you still wanted to comfort him. You wanted to take the hurt from his voice. Slowly, you opened the door. His chest was rising and falling fast. This really had affected him. That didn't make sense. You'd offered him sex. Scratch that. You'd offered him you, and he wasn't interested. Now, he was upset?  You saw the relief wash over his face. "Y/N?"

In a flat voice you said,"You can come in." He stepped just inside the room. You walked to the bed and sat down. "Stay over there."  

Sam folded his hands in front of him, drawing your attention to the bulge that was still in his pajama pants. He focused on the floor in front of where you were sitting. "Why did you do it, Sam? Do you know what it feels like to be cast aside like that?" You swallowed and shook your head, fighting back another wave of tears. "No, you don't, because practically every woman that sees you wants you. If you spend the night alone, it's because you choose to."

He raised his head to look straight into your eyes. "I've chosen to spend a lot of nights alone. Do you know why?" He paused. "Because I met you. I started noticing these little things about you like you chew on your bottom lip when you're trying to figure something out. You run your hands through your hair and put it behind your ears all the time; it's enough to drive a guy crazy. You always eat your French fries first. When you want to relax or calm down, you listen to rain or ocean waves. Then one day you smiled at me like you had probably hundreds of times before, but that time was different. That time I felt my stomach do a little flip, and I knew I was in love with you."

A tear slipped down your cheek. Sam's voice was deep and gentle as he kept talking.  "Then Dean got married, and right in front of me every day I saw what it was like to share your life with someone. He had everything I wanted. My brother was happy."  

Sam looked up to the ceiling; tears collected in the corners of his eyes. He looked back down, blinked, and they fell. Then he raised his eyes back to yours. "So, I started going to bars because it was too hard to be here, but I was never going to find what I was looking for there because it was already here, and I knew it. I wanted to be with you."

"Sam?" His name came out of your mouth as a whisper. 

"The problem was you didn't want it. I saw your reaction when waitresses would flirt with me at the diners we went to. You'd tense up or get fidgety. You didn't like it. You thought I was one of those guys who likes to play those games, using my looks to stroke my own ego."

You put your hand over your mouth and held it there before you moved it down to your chin, fingers shaking. "Sam, I never thought that about you. I thought I could never measure up to those women who were flirting with you. That’s what I didn’t like, that I was someone who could never get your attention." Your hand was shaking harder now.

Sam crossed the room in three steps and wrapped his arms around you.  He held you and rested his chin on top of your head. "Don't you know you're beautiful, Y/N?"  

You looked up at him, your eyes glistening with tears. "How would I know that, Sam?  No one has ever told me." He squinted his eyes slightly and brushed the tears from your cheeks with the pad of his thumb. "And, if that's what you thought then why did you stop?" Your voice caught, and your words came out unsteady. "I was going to give myself to you." You were shaking in his arms.

Sam stroked your hair, touching you like you were precious. It made you cry even more. His voice was steady and soothing. "Shhh. That's why I couldn't do it. You should only give yourself to someone you love as much as I love you. Anything less than that isn't the way it should be for you. It isn't what I want for you." He placed a single kiss on top of your head.

You lay your hand on his chest where you had shoved him earlier, so close to his heart.  "Sam, I do love you."

SAM'S POV

Your touch was light, and your hand felt tiny on my chest. I held you tighter, processing what you'd just said. After a few seconds, I pulled back from you far enough to see your face. The truth was in your eyes; I could see it. You do love me. 

I knew this kiss was important. We would remember it for the rest of our lives, talk about it in the middle of the night when we settled back into bed after one of us got up to take care of our baby. I barely touched your lips with mine at first, but it wasn't long before everything I felt for you that I'd kept bottled up inside came out in that kiss. My hands were holding your face, and I slid one of them into your hair. You felt so warm and willing. My body was responding to you, hardening again.

Your hand rubbed down my side grabbing the bottom of my t-shirt. You started to pull it up. I broke the kiss long enough to take it off, then my mouth was back on yours. I felt your hands on my back, and I wanted to feel your skin. I rested my cheek against yours, slowly easing my hand back under your shirt where it had been before. I whispered to you "Is this okay?" I kept my hand still, waiting for your answer.

I felt you tremble. "My body isn't what you're used to, Sam."  

I brushed my fingertips across your stomach looking for any sign that you didn't want me to. "You're perfect, Y/N. I'm going to show you just how beautiful you are." I felt your head nod against mine, so I moved my hand up a little higher and cupped your breast. You sucked in a breath and let it out in a tiny gasp. I kneaded gently, moving my thumb back and forth across your nipple until it was hard. You arched your back,  rolled your hips, and let out the sweetest, softest moan I could have ever imagined. The way you sound is beautiful. I did the same with your other breast, kissing your neck while I touched you.

All your little moans and noises had me totally hard and throbbing for you. I moved my hand back down your stomach and under the waistband of your panties. You whimpered when I slid my finger between your folds, and you were so wet your juices were running over my hand. Avoiding your clit for now, I put one finger inside you and your moans got louder. "Sam."

I moved that finger in and out, establishing a rhythm. "I've got you, Y/N." You were tight around just my finger, and my dick twitched. I added another finger, taking all the time you needed to stretch you and get you ready for me. I held you close while I pumped them into you. When you were writhing against me,  I touched my thumb to your clit and started making little circles. Then I changed the motion, dragging my thumb over your clit in time with my fingers moving in and out of you.  When I thought you were ready, I added a third. You clenched around my fingers and tightened your hold on my shoulders. The feel of your hands clutching me like that made me moan, imagining what you would do once I was inside you.

I went back to making circles, faster this time. "Let go, Y/N, let go." You came on my fingers, your nails digging into my shoulder. I worked you through your orgasm then put both of my arms around you. You were panting. I kissed you,taking those little breaths into me. I could still feel you shaking in my arms. "I love you, Y/N. I love you."

I held you until you stilled in my arms and were calm again. You shifted, sitting back and looking at my chest. You reached out and touched me gingerly. "I'm sorry I pushed you off me the way I did." You leaned down kissing the places on my chest where your hands had pushed against me.

When you sat back, I put my hand under your chin tilting your face up. "Let me see you, Y/N." You only hesitated a second before you lifted your shirt over your head and put it down beside you. I think I held my breath when you reached to take off your panties. You are beautiful. Your body is all feminine, soft curves I want to kiss and caress. Seeing you makes me harder. The tip of my cock is leaking; I feel it. You lift your hips and slide your panties down your legs.

My mouth drops open, and I Iick my lips pulling the bottom one into my mouth. I can see the uncertainty on your face. "Do you trust me, Y/N?"

You close the distance between us and lay your head on my chest. "Yes." It may only be one word, but it's exactly what I need.  

I put my arms around you, my hands on the bare skin of your back, and I lower you gently to the bed. "I'll make this good for you; I promise." I take your earlobe into my mouth sucking lightly. "You are beautiful, Y/N, and sexy. Do you know how much I want you?" I push my pelvis against you, so you can feel my erection. "That's because of you. It's for you." I move my mouth down the side of your neck, kissing you the entire way. Your skin is sweet; it occurred to me then that I'll fall asleep tonight with the taste of you on my tongue.

I kiss my way across your shoulder. Then I lift my head to put my mouth on your breast. I start by kissing a soft circle around the edge then move to the center to flick my tongue over your nipple. My lips close around you and start to suck. A groan escapes from my throat, deep and full of need. I'm so hard for you now that I don't know how much longer I can take this, but I will.

I move my mouth to your other breast, careful of my teeth. Tonight I'm making love to you slowly, gently, and completely. I want you to forget that I've ever been with anyone but you. I want you to understand who you are to me and never again feel the need to compare yourself to another woman. I swirl my tongue around and over your nub until it stands up firm in my mouth, my fingers rolling your other nipple still moist from my mouth keeping it just as tight.

You're squirming under me. I lick down the center of your stomach right to your core, and you open your legs for me. I put my hands on your hips to hold you still. You are so wet my face is covered in your slick as soon as my tongue touches you, and I drink in everything you give me. My tongue is flattened against your clit. I’m stroking it slow,  teasing before moving down to push my tongue inside you. I thrust it as deep as I can go. Your voice is pleading with me. "Sam. Sam." I go back to your clit, pointing my tongue and moving over it as fast as I can. You're fisting the sheets.

"Put your hands in my hair, Y/N. Hold me where you want me." You did exactly what I said and pulled my hair hard. That turned me on even more. You were close to coming again. Your thighs were shaking. I put two fingers inside you and crooked them rubbing your g-spot until you fell apart. I kissed your stomach softly while you came down from your orgasm, keeping my fingers inside you. "You are beautiful, Y/N. Absolutely perfect."  

Your expression is gentle and a little blissed out from the two orgasms, but your words are clear and certain. "Sam, I want all of you. I want you to come inside me. Give me what I gave to you." I kissed you one more time just below your belly button then stood up long enough to take off my pants. Naked, I crawled back up your body and propped myself on my forearm so I could brush your hair off your cheek. It amazes me that every part of you is just so soft.

 My face was just inches from yours. I was memorizing the way you looked right now.  "Are you sure?" Your eyes were filled with everything I'd ever wanted to see there.  Love. Trust. Desire.  

"Yes." You lay your hand on my cheek. “I’m completely sure.”

I couldn't take my eyes away from yours as I lined myself up with your opening.  I wanted to see the look on your face when I entered you for the first time.

READER'S POV

You felt the end of Sam's shaft touch you. The way he was looking at you made you feel wanted and, yes, beautiful. You felt the stretch as he pushed inside. He stopped with just the tip, letting you get used to his size. Your eyes closed and fluttered back open. "I love you, Sam." He slid in another inch.

"I love you too, Y/N.”  He went deeper, inch by inch, until he was all the way inside you.  He started to move, and you grabbed onto his shoulders. His thrusts were so deep they were hitting your cervix. Your walls tightened around him. Nothing had ever felt so good, so right. He moved faster then slowed down. "I don't know how much longer I can last, Y/N. I'm so close."

Through all your pants and moans you managed to say, "You don't need to. Just love me. Don't hold back."  

He pumped into you deep and fast. You felt him throb releasing his seed into you. "Sam!" You scratched down his back. "I'm coming again. Sam." You squeezed your eyes shut tight. Everything went black. Then you felt him rolling over, bringing you with him so that your body was part way on his, and he was cradling you against him.  

You lay with your head on his chest listening to his heartbeat for a long time. Finally, it slowed back down to its normal rate. Sam was combing his fingers through your hair.  "Can you forgive me, Y/N? All those nights I wasn't here, I should have been."

You snuggled closer into him. "You didn't owe me anything, Sam. There's nothing to forgive. Just don't ever do it again. Let me be enough. I want to be enough for you."

"You're everything, Y/N.  Everything."

Everything: @gambitwinchester @princessmisery666 @peridottea91 @logical-princey @beenlovingromansincedayoneish @fangirlxwritesx67 @waywardbaby @atc74 @tumbler-tidbits @fandom-princess-forevermore @terrarium-jpeg @crashdevlin @jules-1999 @cosicas-cuquis @sammyimpala-67 @queenoftheunderdark @dean-winchesters-bacon @timelordy-fangirl2 @sweetness47 @hobby27 @awesomesusiebstuff @kickingitwithkirk @sandlee44 @supernaturalgrandma @volleyballer519 @kdfrqqg @lizette50 @sorenmarie87 @lovealways-j @mrswhozeewhatsis @spnbaby-67 @wayward-and-worn @petitgateau911 @thinkinghardhardlythinking

Sam/Jared: @girl-next-door-writes @stunudo @idabbleincrazy @evansrogerskitten @focusonspn @autumninavonlea @durinsbride @deansyahtzee​ @waywardnerd67​ @fullmooner​ @sams-sass​ @beskaradberoya​

[evakuality]

Matteo - episode two

Social media - I feel like the social media doesn’t always work for me just because I often sleep at the wrong times of day for Germany and so when or why things happened sometimes feels difficult for me to judge.  For example, I feel like the Sara and Leonie and messing around with David at PE feels somehow out of place.  They didn’t seem to know each other much on Friday when Sara interrupted Matteo and David and yet here they are hanging out and playing together like long time friends on social media not long after.  It’s a lovely set up for Matteo finding out more about David as he reluctantly follows Sara’s social media, but the connection from one moment to the other is difficult to follow.  More than ever I wish we had more of a sense of David and what he was up to behind the scenes so to speak.  Also, Sara’s desperation around Matteo when she’s talking to Leonie is so painful.  By the end of this episode Leonie is all ‘you need to get over this asshole’ but Sara is still super invested in this thing she’s built up in her head.  She wants this to be real so much that she’s ignoring all the red flags.  It doesn’t help that Matteo is actively curating his social media presence to fit in - so he does a lot of stuff with Sara for her Instagram.  That it’s all the same sort of stuff he does with his friends seems to go over her head - he doesn’t see her the way she wants to be seen, but then he also does things like knee-jerk into an invite to his home when he sees David hugging Leonie.  What he does and why makes sense (we’ll get to that in the actual clip) but it doesn’t make it any easier for Sara.  Though, really, she should listen to Leonie who is the only one in this scenario who has her back and can clearly see what is happening.

clip one - I really like seeing characters peacefully chilling in their own space and just being relaxed.  Matteo’s not exactly happy, of course, but he seems content in this scene.  He has his game, he has his little stalker moment on David and there are no expectations on him.  But then of course Hans comes along.  Hans, bless him, doesn’t mean to be forcing expectations on Matteo, but unfortunately he’s hitting some sore spots for Matteo.  Matteo knows he’s into guys, is fairly obvious about his attractions, but there’s this very painful understanding that the guys he likes can’t or don’t see him the same way.  David is still something exciting at this point - they made a connection and while Matteo doesn’t know if he likes guys too, he also knows they have some kinship on some issues.  So his gut reaction is to hide the picture he’s been looking at despite it being on his girlfriend’s Instagram, because it feels incriminating to him.  Here he is fantasising over yet another guy who is probably straight and probably has a thing with Leonie (he is extrapolating HARD from the small bits of info he has and from Sara’s reactions).  It’s sweet that Hans literally comes to Matteo to get advice on his choices of guys, but it feels threatening to Matteo both in a ‘I can’t let on that I’m gay’ way and because it feels like someone expecting something of him which he isn’t capable of giving - it’s very obvious that the guys Hans is choosing from and the type of guy Matteo likes are poles apart and so he literally doesn’t know which of the guys Hans wants is best.  They really aren’t his type at all.  

I also have to say that Sara’s demands for instant answers is exhausting.  Why do we have this expectation?  She’s decided that he’s not being good to her because he’s not instantly responding, but it shouldn’t be such a norm that we reply right away.  In Matteo’s case, he’s trying to chill and relax and we have both Hans and Sara intruding on that space with expectations of him.  My introverted self shudders at this and I feel for Matteo.

clip two - this of course leads into clip two when Sara confronts Matteo again.  She is once again, the one trying to use words and communicate properly.  This is exactly what we tell people to do when trying to work with relationships but she’s not really forceful enough as yet and she chooses to do it in front of his friends which doesn’t really work.  For her, she thinks this will legitimise it and has perhaps subconsciously picked up that he’s far more willing to play along if he has an audience and so this works for her.  But for him, it’s even more awkward than usual because she’s showing up his lack of attention in front of his friends.  So while she probably thinks she got some sort of positive sign out of this, for him this was very uncomfortable and he’s really starting to find it difficult to keep this up.  The discussion of relationships and communication in relationships is also very interesting.  Abdi, who seems to be really off the wall and stupid here, is the one who actually hits on the reality of the situation.  We see how attempted communication works in relationships alongside Matteo and Sara, but we also hear about Carlos and his frustrations with Kiki and a lot is being set up for the future.  We’re already getting set up for Matteo feeling really shit when David won’t contact him, when he feels played and on and off, hot and cold.  This thing with Sara here comes back to bite him later when he’s on the receiving end and it allows him to find his moment of kinship with Sara later on.  Once he knows how this feels, he realises how shitty he was being here.  

The ‘when they don’t talk to you, they want to sleep with you’ stuff is fascinating because a) that’s definitely not what’s happening with Matteo - he absolutely doesn’t want to sleep with Sara, but b) also it kind of IS what happens with David later.  He wants things to progress with Matteo but doing that means he has to come out and so he has to retreat.  Totally different reasons, but the idea is the same.  ‘You have a lot to learn’ the boys tell Matteo, and they’re right even if not in the way they mean.  Most of what Matteo needs to learn and figure out in relationships is actually touched on in this clip.  Of course, to really ram this point home, we get the deeply awkward Matteo and David meeting by the lockers.  David appears to be invested as well - coming up to Matteo, making the first contact here in a way.  It’s awkward for sure, but in a very different way to Sara and Matteo.  Here, they both want to actually connect but are still feeling out how to approach each other.  Of course, they are again interrupted before this can develop better, and again Matteo’s response to a romantic advice question is ‘I don’t know’ - it’s his way to slide out of having to be committed to something, but also both questions (Hans’ and Leonie’s) veer quite close to things he doesn’t want to be open about - interest in guys on the one hand and specifically David’s relationship status on the other.  So he hides behind these words and in both cases the person fills in their own gaps and assumes he’s helped them.

The bit with Amira and the weed is so close to the original that there’s not a lot to say, except that I do like that she gets to make her own defence with Matteo as a back up more than the one speaking for her the whole time as Isak does.  I’m also highly amused that they never attempt to make this exchange again and the weed just gets used by the girls.  Neither Matteo nor Abdi seems worried about it after this point.  For Matteo that makes sense - David starts to become much more important, but for Abdi it’s just funny.  Maybe he got some more weed somewhere and just decides it’s not worth pursuing anymore.

clip three - this clip is just sad all around.  Matteo clearly does care about Sara and he’d make a good friend for her but she has these expectations of him that don’t work for either of them but in totally different ways and they talk at cross purposes throughout the whole thing.  We find out later everything that’s going on with Sara here and why she wants distracting, but she’s chosen the wrong person or at least the wrong way.  And this whole idea that she can force sex on him when he’s very very clearly not ready is so uncomfortable.  Even if this was a very normal relationship in which both parties genuinely had feelings for each other, him pulling back and not being ready isn’t a bad thing and should be respected.  That Sara uses this as evidence later that he’s a shitty boyfriend is unfair.  He is a shitty boyfriend in many many ways but this isn’t one of them.  @sun-undone made a wonderful series of videos on this season and mentioned how awkward and uncomfortable the extreme close ups are in this scene (and many of the others between these two).  It works to make a claustrophobic and trapped feeling for Matteo.  We’re so tight on his face that he has no way to escape and what’s really interesting about it is that often when Sara is in reverse shot to these close ups the camera is further away allowing her to feel more comfortable.  Which sums up visually everything about this relationship really.

I want to touch briefly on the food thing - in this scene Matteo brings food for Sara, and food is usually used to show nurturing and caring etc etc.  And then he places it as far from her as he can.  Contrast this with how he uses food with David, making it playful and literally bringing him into its production and they eat together.  It’s very clear that while he cares about Sara and wants to connect with her, he’s not willing to properly nurture her in any of the ways she needs.  He also makes it very clear that it’s from her mother and not him.

clip four - in this context, clip four is very sad.  It’s just a short moment where Matteo watches David and sees him smile at Leonie and hug her.  It immediately makes him sad (sadder than usual, which is fairly sad at this point) and we just saw how little interest Matteo has in sex, but that sight and all the things it brings up for him (which have been set up through the previous episode) results in him deciding to just get it over with and try to sleep with Sara.  Of course, for her this means a whole different thing to him.  The emojis etc that he uses are really playful and happy but the Matteo we see on screen as he does that is so far from that it’s super painful to watch.  More examples of how his social media presence does not reflect his genuine lived experience.  She sees this as a final acceptance of what’s happening between them and how he now wants to be with her.  For him, it’s a final desperate attempt to stop being so invested in these guys who don’t want him and to focus on someone he knows actually does.  But it doesn’t make him happy, and he in fact looks much sadder at the end than he does at the start.

clip five - A continuation of the previous one really.  He’s decided this has to happen, has actively set up the date for the end of the week and is now trying to find a way to make it work for him.  But he looks SO depressed and out of sorts when he does so, made more so when the responses he reads are things like ‘why would you want to sleep with someone if you’re not into her’ which is a question he has no good answer to.  Of course we also get the moment when he finds David’s Instagram and the picture he’s posted and the way he responds to that is much more genuine and authentic than anything he’s done with Sara.  I do like how often we get subtle moments of comparison between how Matteo reacts to Sara vs how he reacts to David.  Once again the social media is nice in this part.  Hans and Linn and their conversations and the way Matteo is then drawn in and included.  I like that they chose to document such a small and insignificant moment, eating food together, in such a way.  It makes the ‘big’ stuff that’s scattered through feel more authentic when it’s mixed in with such normal social media behaviour.  

clip six - The cross dressing in this clip makes me feel really awkward, partly because cross dressing in general feels weird (just... dress however you like whenever you like, you know?) but obviously also because of David.  How horrible this must feel for him (and as an aside, the school must have known why he changed to them so late and how traumatic it has been for him - why did they approve the topic????), but consequently how good it must be for him that Matteo doesn’t engage with the dressing up.  On another note, Sara talking over Matteo is again a great representation of the whole way their relationship works (and how she thinks one should work maybe?)  She speaks for him and makes assumptions about what he wants in many of their interactions and it’s no different here.  I guess she’s so desperate for this to be something real that she can’t let anyone speak who may ruin that - up to and including her supposed boyfriend.  He looks so checked out and irritated with this whole situation when she’s talking for him and it doesn’t get any better after she leaves and the boys go right back to sex talk.  This whole episode is a good representation of how little presence Matteo has in his own life, particularly when he’s outside his own space and/or with other people.  The one person who sparks any sort of difference is David.  In this whole clip, Matteo doesn’t speak a word (he tries to but Sara leaps right in as if she owns his home, which.... hmmmmm) which is a huge contrast with the final clip:

clip seven - this is such a great clip and it’s fascinating that it’s so long compared to the rest given that not a lot actually happens in it.  But that’s part of its charm - this is Matteo’s and our chance to meet and get to know David properly which is allowed time to breathe and relax into it.  And over the course of the nine or so minutes, the two of them do get more and more relaxed and easy with each other.  Also, here’s to the random ticket collector who facilitated the start of this.  If he hadn’t come along and David hadn’t decided to step in to save Matteo from the consequences of his own actions, they’d probably still be staring awkwardly at each other to this day.  But also, Matteo’s flirting when he genuinely wants to do it appears to be ‘hey do you want to smoke?’ and despite David clearly not being all that into it, it works presumably because David is also besotted already and happy to go along with literally anything Matteo might suggest (like some terrible sandwich toppings).  

But honestly, the heart of this clip is literally this developing bond between the two boys and I was trying to work out why the montage ‘getting to know you’ sequence works better here than it does for Mia and Alex and I think in the end it comes down to baggage and also timing.  David is not dragging baggage behind him; we don’t have the same sense of ‘why does s/he fall for him?’ with David that we do with Alex.  In Alex’s case, Mia had been very open about how much she hated Alex and how he was treating Kiki and also just how awful she felt about being bribed into going on a date with him.  Given how important that was, we needed to see more of their bonding so we too could see Alex’s personality.  Instead we’re told that Mia starts to like him without being shown any real proof.  Whereas with David, we don’t know him just like Matteo doesn’t know him, so having some conversation filled with compliments and small moments of bonding and developing trust interspersed with the montage actually works.  We have a real sense of the sorts of things they’re talking about and the way they’re talking and we’re shown in montage that there’s more happening behind that.  In this case it works to show the development where for me it fell flat with Mia because of how long we were told and shown Alex was an asshole for.  

The upshot of this is that they have both shown vulnerability on screen by the end of the episode and have both shown themselves to be careful and considerate of the boundaries around those vulnerabilities (Matteo respects David’s wish to keep certain pages of his art book private and David doesn’t mock or scorn Matteo’s fears about not knowing what he wants to do after school).  It means that when David tells Matteo what his favourite movie is, Matteo is able to admit that he doesn’t know it.  There’s a long pause before he says it, almost like he’s weighing it up whether he wants to admit that or not.  But in the end he does say it, allows himself to show more vulnerability.  Unlike Isak, who tries to bluster his way through knowing what Even finds interesting, Matteo is willing to be real and genuine with David.  

Basically, this clip serves as a nice contrast to the rest of the episode, where people speak over Matteo and don’t allow him the space tp be himself.  Both boys here are able to be open and show themselves in a way that we repeatedly see Matteo at least unable to do so far.  So it’s not surprise that when reminded that Sara is coming he tries to remove himself from that situation.  The long look he gives David while Sara’s message is on screen really shows just how different these two people feel to him and honestly, she needed to take Leonie’s advice after this.  Matteo has made it very clear that Sara’s needs are not at the front of his mind and she really really should take that hint.  

[chemicalvelocity]

Happy Friday! I need therapy

So I wrote a fic for Fingers in my mouth Friday! Hope Y'all enjoy it.

AO3 Link

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: No warnings apply

Pairing: Dean Winchester / Castiel

Word Count: 3545

Read Below the Cut:

Dean's not a creep. He's not, he swears. It's just that he's... noticing things now that he's not on high alert for monsters anymore.

He remembers the first evidence of Castiel he'd ever seen, an angry burn scar of a handprint. He thought it was a demon's for christ's sake. He hadn't paid mind at the time to the fact that it took up his entire deltoid.

Now, however, he was absently tracing its outline after a shower, staring more through the mirror than at it while recalling the events of breakfast. Jack had playfully started the comparing hand sizes game that seems to entertain kids so much.

Dean hadn't even put any thought into it until it turned into everyone else doing it to humor him; which culminated in Dean foolishly slapping his palm to Cas's and then realizing just how much smaller his hand was.

Naturally, he'd joked it off and found his way out of the conversation, acting like it wasn't a bruise to his ego. He had thousand-yard stared his way through a shower, and now, here he was.

He carefully fitted his hand over the scar tissue on his shoulder, and yep, there it was, a literal physical reminder of Cas's massive hands. He got over himself as quickly as he could and threw on his clothes before going to the garage to wash Baby.

*

That turned out to be a bad idea, as many of Dean's ideas do. Cas was sat in a lawn chair with the tunnel doors cracked, rolling a joint. Dean had pointedly ignored him, turning to rinse the car until Cas spoke up.

"Would you like some?" He asked, looking over at Dean with a twist of his slender fingers as his tongue darted out to wet the rolling paper's adhesive. Dean swallowed.

"Y'know that shit's bad for you, right?" Dean grumbled, but his heart wasn't in it. He opened a drawer to pull out sponges and brushes, tossing them into nearby buckets and setting them  down near Baby's rear fender

"I think you know that's not true." Castiel hummed, placing the fresh joint between his lips, bringing the flame of his zippo to the end, and inhaling deeply.

"Whatever, Stoney baloney... Don't you usually smoke out on the roof, anyway?" Dean asked, filling up the first bucket with hot water and suds, the second with only cold water.

"It's raining," Cas replied, voice husky from the strain of holding in a hit. "Frankly, the Bunker is well ventilated enough that I could smoke in the library... where we still keep ashtrays on the table, but I figured I'd come in here to keep it away from Jack." He mused, blowing his lungful of smoke out the door.

"Right... Gotta say Cas, I'm sure second-hand smoke doesn't affect 20-year-old Nephilim toddlers." Dean chuckled, saturating the sponge in the first bucket and slung the soap across the Impala's roof, leaning up to scrub away the dust and bugs that come from hauling her back and forth across the Midwest.

"No, but I don't want to influence him, he's very impressionable, you know." Cas flicked the collecting ash into a labelless beer bottle that sat discarded in his chair's cupholder.

"I wonder where he could've gotten that from. Claire came to visit for one weekend and all of a sudden you're Bob Marley!" Dean teased, and Cas narrowed his eyes at him.

"I am not a musician, nor a Rastafarian, Dean. Claire simply pointed out that I think too much, and that cannabis is known to help." He drew in a deep hit and outstretched his arm to Dean, the cigarette balanced between two fingers. Smoke twirled lazily into the air around him.

Dean made a show of rolling his eyes before coming over to pluck the smoke from Cas's possession. Cas watched him appraisingly as he took a drag, then another, and Dean almost choked when Cas's lips parted for the stream of smoke to travel neatly into his nostrils.

Okay, so Claire taught him how to french inhale. Dean idly wondered if he knew what ghosting was, before passing it back and returning to his task, pretending like his lungs didn't burn from the comparative lack of practice.

*

Dean hit the wall hard, his breath punched out of him with a grunt. He scrambled to his knees and whipped his head around to see Sam in a similar position nearby. Cas was still standing though now surrounded by three, very pissed-off demons, one of which had Dean's angel blade. Dean attempted to gather himself and help out, but his vision went sideways and he steadied himself against a table, opting to call out the angel's name, stupidly.

Cas had slashed the leg of the demon to his right and grappled the one to his left. As the first one went down, his palm met its forehead and smote it out of its meatsuit. The middle one charged him, but he spun the demon in his grip, shielding himself by launching his captive forward onto the blade, then seizing the neck of the remainder, holding him in place firmly. He turned to the bewildered hunters casually.

"Did you need him for anything else?" Dean bit down on his tongue in a failed attempt to reintroduce moisture to his mouth.

"N-No, Cas I think we're good, knock yourself out..." he rasped as Castiel tightened his grip on the demon's throat, and light burned out from under its skin. Sam and Dean had picked themselves up off the floor by now and made their way to the middle of the room.

"Good work, buddy," Dean panted as Cas piled up the bodies at his feet, and wiped blood away on his jeans. "Guess you hardly need us."

"Of course I do, You made an excellent distraction." Cas smiled and while Dean was sure it was a genuine statement, definitely felt the hit to his pride. Maybe he was just getting too old for this shit. Sam snorted at something and walked out. Dean didn't know what, but he didn't want to hit him any less for it.

*

"Hey, Cas, I have a bit of a concussion from the hunt the other night. Can you work a little magic?" Sam rubbed at his eyes, setting his laptop aside. Dean raised his eyebrows from his seat, taking a sip of beer. He wouldn't have asked Cas to expend any healing energy on himself, but Cas didn't protest. Instead, he hardly looked up from his book and snapped his fingers. Sam visibly relaxed. Dean did not.

"Thanks, man, I appreciate it. I'm gonna go grab some grub, probably just pick up a pizza and some beers or something." Sam held his hand out for the impala keys. Dean tossed them to him with half a mind.

When Sam was gone, he was still staring at Cas in confusion.

"Can I help you with something too, Dean?" He quirked an eyebrow over his book. Dean cleared his throat and shook his head.

"Nope, no, I'm okay, just a few scrapes. Can't have you wasting your mojo on that... I was just wondering why you didn't, uh, y'know," He tapped two fingers to his forehead and Cas's eyes turned up in a half-smile.

"I don't need to do that to heal."

"Oh... okay." He'd already asked a weird question, probably best not to pry into why Cas always touched him to heal.  He tipped back the rest of his beer and fumbled around for an excuse of some sort to break the silence, but Cas stood first.

"I'm going to go find Jack. Let me know when Sam's back with dinner." He passed Dean with a  warm squeeze to his shoulder. Dean watched him go, then realized just how long it's been since he's been laid. Too fucking long, apparently.

*

Yeah, no. Way too long. Dean's half-convinced Cas is fucking with him, too. His suspicion stemmed from Cas's sudden love of eating every meal with them and requesting things like wings or fries.

"Morning sunshine, Sam and Jack already left to go check out a case. I made pan...cakes..." Dean's sentence fell flat when his eyes met Cas entering in a half-buttoned-up shirt. His long fingers slipped buttons into place as he yawned his greeting and trudged his way to the coffee maker.

Dean was a little concerned that he noticed Cas's hands before he noticed the toned and tanned chest underneath the shirt. He ran a hand down his face and moved to pour more coffee. Cas passed over the pot and turned to the stack of pancakes, tossing two onto a plate and proceeding to destroy them with fruit and whipped cream.

"When was the last time we cleaned our firearms?" Cas asked, swirling his finger through the toppings of his breakfast before popping it in his mouth. Dean set his mug down, a little too hard. Cas gave him a look.

"Are you fucking with me?" Dean tried not to sound petulant, but he can't catch a single break.  Cas bit his lower lip, and then cleared his throat.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Was his response, innocent and hid behind a sip of coffee. Dean pursed his lips.

"You- you don't?" Dean was momentarily taken aback. Was he so unbelievably tense that he'd imagined the whole problem?-

"No, Dean, you've been staring at my hands all week, I have no idea what you're talking about." he deadpanned.

Dean's face burned. He didn't think he was being obvious about it or anything. Cas was observant, though.

"At first I thought you were just insecure about your hand size, but surely you'd have gotten over that in a day. Then I did some research and decided to... Encourage you." He continued casually as if Dean wasn't praying for the earth to swallow him whole.

"I uh, appreciate that, Cas... Um, what conclusions exactly did you draw?" Dean squeaked out because frankly he still wasn't sure what was going on here.

"You may have a sexual preference for hands, which makes sense, given your previous statements regarding slapping." Cas hummed into his coffee and, yeah okay Dean needed to end this conversation before he melted from shame.

"Okay, right, got it, I'll stop staring." He managed, grabbing his mug and turning to leave before Cas grabbed his arm. He glanced down at the sudden warmth around his wrist, then up to meet Cas's cobalt gaze.

"I never told you to stop," Cas said calmly, loosening his grip to slip his fingers into Dean's hand and pull him closer. "Dean, I researched it." His expression was earnest, and Dean shuddered involuntarily.

"Listen, man, It's not like, a thing... It's just, well, you have nice hands, and you kinda marked me... with your very large hand." Dean still wanted to disappear, but Cas didn't seem too bothered.

"I wanted to tell you, I touch you when I heal because I like the excuse to," Cas murmured, raising his other hand to cup Dean's jaw. Dean's breath hitched. "I enjoy the warmth. Everything else is always so cold." Cas whispered, running his thumb lightly across Dean's bottom lip. Dean couldn't stop the noise he made as it caught on his nail.

Cas's pupils grew wide, and he curiously pushed his thumb deeper. Dean closed his lips over it and sucked gently, noting the faint taste of the strawberries Cas had put on his pancakes. Dean pulled back before he embarrassed himself any further.

"Uh," Dean's brain replied dumbly. "Can I kiss you?" His dick helped with that one.

"I just put my thumb in your mouth and you feel the need to ask-" Cas's snark was cut short by Dean pressing him up against the counter and slotting their lips together. Cas gripped the front of Dean's shirt and kissed him back like a man dying of thirst. This is why Dean's thought process is filled with question marks when Cas puts a hand firmly on his chest and pulls back to speak.

"I don't think the kitchen is the best place for this." He rumbled into their shared space. Dean perked back up when he realized the proposition.

"Did you wanna finish your breakfast first? I can't guarantee we'll be back in here any time soon." Dean wiggled his eyebrows at the angel.

"That's very thoughtful of you, Dean," Cas smiled. "I'd love to. While I do I think you probably want to go get ready." Cas wiped the look off Dean's face when he reeled him back in for another kiss.

"O-oh, yeah, okay. Meet you in my room in ten." And then he was speedwalking out of the kitchen.

*

Dean turned off the shower after a very thorough cleaning and wrapped his towel around his waist, hurrying back down the hallway to his room. Cas was sitting on the bed patiently.

"Hello, Dean." He smiled, reaching up to tug off his tie. Dean's throat went dry again.

"Hi," Dean was clutching his towel like a lifeline. Cas observed him fondly as he unbuttoned his shirt. "Did you want me to put something on? Or..."

Cas just chuckled and beckoned him closer. Dean stood between his legs and his heart dropped out of his ass when Cas took his hands and pulled gently, signaling for Dean to kneel. He lowered himself slowly to his knees and looked up at Cas, expectant, and not at all freaking out on the inside. Cas leaned in to kiss him again. That, he could work with.

"I want you to put your hands on my knees, and you can't move them unless I say so, is that alright?" Castiel spoke when they parted.

Oh.

Apparently, hand kink isn't the only thing Cas researched. Dean felt the command go straight to his dick. He nodded hastily, but Cas said nothing, only waited, quirking an eyebrow.

"Yes, Cas." He breathed, and Cas grinned and shrugged off his shirt, tossing it into Dean's desk chair.

"Good. Get comfortable." Dean sat back on his heels and placed his hands on top of Cas's thighs. Cas placed both of his hands on Dean's shoulders, rubbing small circles in the muscle before he slid them upwards to massage the back of Dean's neck. When Dean was staring up at him with hooded eyes and humming his appreciation, Castiel's patience grew thin.

Cas held the back of Dean's neck steady, tracing the fingers of his right hand down Dean's temple and across his lips. This time, Dean didn't have any reservations about darting his tongue out to meet them. Cas inhaled deeply through his nose and pushed his index and middle fingers into Dean's mouth.

Dean sighed and let himself go, he lapped at Cas's fingers like he was starving. He held Cas's heated gaze and felt his dick wake back up, twitching underneath his towel.

"So good, you're such a good boy for me, Dean." Cas praised. Dean thought he might pass out. The feeling of Cas inside him, even if it was just his fingers sliding along his tongue was heady. He looked down and took notice of the increasing tightness of Cas's pants. Cas slid his fingers out and leaned back on his elbows. Dean panted, his fingers gripping Cas's thighs with the effort of keeping still.

"Would you like something else, Dean?" Cas smirked down at him. "All you have to do is ask." Dean screwed his eyes shut and swallowed his pride.

"I want," He let out a shuddering breath as Cas ran a hand through his hair. "I want to suck you off."

"You can move your hands now." Cas hummed and leaned his head back. Dean practically sprung forward, ignoring the ache in his calves as he latched his mouth onto one of the angel's nipples. His hands made quick work of Cas's belt and fly, tugging firmly at his pockets to get them off. When Cas's flushed erection came free, Dean leaned forward to mouth at the head and cup his balls.

Cas wove a hand into Dean's hair and pulled. Dean moaned around the cock in his mouth, drawing a deep groan from Cas in response. Dean drank in the sound and relaxed his jaw to swallow him down further, bobbing his head rapidly.

"Dean." Cas sounded wrecked, and Dean's head snapped up to attention.

"Yeah?"  He asked, breath heaving as he leaned up to his eye level.

"May I-"

"Anything, Angel, seriously." He pressed his lips to the heated flesh under Cas's jaw, sucking hard and nipping gently.

"I want to fuck you." Cas gasped, leaning into Dean's mouth. Dean nodded and climbed to his feet to get the lube from his nightstand. Cas sat up and wrenched Dean's towel away. His eyes roved Dean's body appreciatively before pulling him down on the bed. "Lie down on your front, please." He purred, and Dean was on his elbows in an instant, handing back the lubrication.

Cas caressed the contours of Dean's back reverently, before gingerly parting Dean's cheeks and licking a broad stripe across his hole. Dean felt his whole body twitch.

"Fuck, C-Cas..." Dean whined out, completely sideswiped by Cas's impromptu rimjob. He helplessly thrust his hips back against Cas's grip. Castiel reeled back a single hand and gave Dean's ass a hard smack. Dean dropped his face into his pillow with a keen from the back of his throat.

"Sit still, Dean. Let me take care of you." He growled, mouthing kisses from the base of Dean's spine to the cleft of his ass again. He laved his tongue in tantalizing circles, fucking it in and out nimbly and drawing a chorus of breathy sounds from the hunter.

"Please, Sweetheart... I need you... Need you inside me, c'mon." Dean whimpered, writhing under the sensation of Cas's hot breath and slick tongue. Cas finally gave in and sat up, reclaiming the bottle of lube to squeeze a sizeable portion directly onto Dean's entrance. Dean shivered from the sudden cold, only to cry out again when Cas's strong index finger slid in with very little resistance.

Cas continued to pepper Dean's shaking shoulders with wet kisses as he thrust his finger in, curling it hard against Dean's prostate and savoring the faint sound of Dean nearly wailing into his pillow. He slid in a second finger and scissored them back and forth to make way for a third. At this point, Dean had lifted his head and turned towards Cas with pleading eyes. Cas leaned forward and kissed him deeply.

"You're doing so well, Dean... Are you ready?" Cas mumbled into Dean's mouth.

"Yeah, Christ... Yes, Cas, please." Dean managed to get his knees under himself and Cas slicked himself up, working the head of his cock into Dean's fluttering hole. He clutched at Dean's hips and slowly rocked himself in deeper. "Fuck!" Dean yelped, trying to meet Cas's thrusts to no avail.

"Relax, my love." Cas moaned, rolling his hips into Dean, captivated by the catch of skin around him. "Do you want to move?" He asked, and released his iron hold on Dean's waist with a chuckle when Dean nodded eagerly. Dean thrust back against Cas with abandon. A surprised gasp was drawn from both of them as Cas sped up his thrusts to match. Dean was going to come if Cas didn't slow down, so he gathered his thoughts enough to speak up.

"Cas, wait. Can I flip?" He panted, and Cas's onslaught came to a stop.

"Of course, Dean." He pulled out carefully and leaned away for Dean to position himself on his back. Castiel admired the flush that spread down Dean's neck and covered most of his chest. He leaned forward to suck dark hickeys into Dean's collarbone to contrast. Dean reached down to guide Cas back inside, sighing amorously when he was seated again.

Cas rocked in and out once more with renewed enthusiasm. He snapped his hips forward, causing Dean to arch up off the bed with a shout. Stars burst behind his eyelids as Cas lifted Dean's legs to wrap around his waist and repeated contact his prostate shot sparks through his bloodstream.

"Ah-fuck, Cas, Baby... I'm gonna come. Are you almost there?" Dean gasped and reached up to pull Cas down for a vehement kiss when he grunted his confirmation. Dean felt the heat of his release coil deep in his gut and rocked up into Cas with a fervor, moaning heavily into Cas's mouth with each collision of their hips.

Then the tension in Dean's core snapped, and he was coming without so much as a moment's attention to his dick, clinging to Cas's shoulders with a fucked out whine. Cas kept going and Dean's synapses felt like they were being deep-fried as Castiel's stuttering hips drove him in deeply one, two then a final time as he emptied himself into Dean with a low groan. He then pulled out slowly and rolled off a now depleted Dean to spoon him.

"I think I'm in love with you." Dean wheezed, and Castiel grinned into his hair.

"I'm glad I could help you come to that epiphany. I love you too, Dean."

[gem-rewatch]

SU rewatch- S1E11- Arcade Mania

Hey, long time no see!

I’m desperately bored in solitary quarantine at university right now, and decided to try and pick this SU rewatch series up again for fun. It’s been a while since I’ve watched through the show in order. Plus, now that this show is completely finished, there’s plenty more connections to make. I can’t promise I’ll be consistent with this, but at the very least I can have fun trying to make a few more posts at my leisure.

Anyways. With that business out of the way. Let’s get right on to the show!

We begin with yet another mission Steven’s guardians have brought him along on! I believe this is the fifth mission we know of that he’s accompanied them on so far. (Lunar Sea Spire, Inverted Pyramid, the unknown mission he returns from in Tiger Millionaire, the desert, and now this one.) It’s really sweet seeing the Gems begin to trust him tagging along more often. There will come a day in the near future where missions become routine for Steven, but in these early episodes, you can really tell that each and every one is a brand new adventure.

In terms of plot, though, this episode is honestly Future Vision: The Prequel.

We learn a lot about Garnet’s abilities and her role in the team here, even if all of these details aren’t spelled out word-for-word quite yet. Hints towards her future vision we see this ep include:

Garnet moving ahead of the group to be in the perfect spot to catch Steven when he falls.

Her flawless moves while fighting and dodging the monsters.

Her becoming a master at the rhythm game later in the episode.

Like, damn. Look at this.

Look at her go.

My Q U E E N!

I had to gif all of this just because it’s such a beautiful and smooth sequence of animation.

If there’s one thing all of the Crystal Gems can 100% agree on, it’s that Garnet is friggin’ amazing.

Garnet: “Let them go. They’re just parasites. If they want to be a problem, they’ll have to answer to me.”

So, does this statement mean that- at this present moment- her extended stay at the arcade was entirely beyond her future vision? That the only futures she saw were ones where she was actually present to deal with containment of the Gem parasites? Given that later scenes insinuate she’d never been to the arcade before, and would have no “data” about its games to factor into her internal understanding of the world, this seems likely.

I adore the gradual palette change here, from shadow, to setting sun. It’s a nice detail that adds so much more life to what could otherwise be a rather mundane transition scene. It seems like unique palettes were more common in early SU- I wonder why Crewniverse stopped implementing these as often later on?

Pearl, entering the arcade: “Humans find such fascinating ways to waste their time.”

Thanks, Pearl. Love you too. <3

This sequence of Pearl failing at playing a car chase/road rage game hits so much different knowing what happens in Last One Out of Beach City. It’s genuinely radical how far she grows in confidence from this point, because here, she seems so shackled to rules and guidelines. Now that we know about her rebellious past, it might be tempting to write this characterization off as “early series weirdness,” but... I don’t think that’s what’s happening here.

Instead, I wonder if she’s working through grief-related regression.

Think about it... the pain of Rose’s passing is still so fresh for her. She was a rule breaking rebel once, yes, but she spent all of those days at Rose’s side. And I get the sense that she’s poured so much of herself into keeping Rose safe, into the rebellion against Homeworld, that without those, she’s caught in a vacuum. What IS her purpose now, when the very person she rebelled for is gone?

So she slips back into old pearl-like habits. Chronic rule following, and a fear of deviating from norms. How familiar. Thankfully, much of her arc throughout the show is her directly growing beyond these habits to live boldly as her own Gem.

The friggin video game when Garnet knocks its head off: “TELL MY WIFE I’M SORRYYY!!!”

Yo, what the fuck. This line is both hilarious and messed up, all at once. Please tell me the game isn’t sentient.

Aaaand here we finally introduce Garnet to the video game sensation that is Meat Beat Mania! This game is perfectly suited to her and her power of foresight because its patterns are algorithmic and not vulnerable to spontaneous deviations, and thus easy to predict, with enough input. She’s probably getting a quick rush of satisfaction with every correct move, and she barely has to exert any energy with her future vision to get that rush. After years and years of wading through endless possibility at every avenue, this video game’s patterns must be a rejuvenating breath of fresh air.

It’s addicting.

...Kinda makes me think of how I get sometimes when I play solitaire on my phone for an hour straight. After a while, I barely even think, I’m just shuffling through my deck and moving cards almost on automatic. I don’t have to use much energy to play, and it gives me animated fireworks every time I finish a match. It’s a win-win.

Amethyst: “I’MMA WIN AN AIRPLANE!”

I don’t know what it is about the way Michaela Dietz says the world “airplane,” but this makes me laugh every time. Does... does she think she can win a genuine airplane here because she saw Onion win a tiny motorbike from the ticket booth?? Amethyst, oh my god. XD

She’s got the spirit, this wild child.

So, moving on- we meet up with our crew later the next morning, Garnet nowhere to be seen. There’s an interesting exchange I’d like to highlight real quick-

Pearl: “If we’re supposed to fight a giant foot, Garnet would let us know.” Amethyst: “Yeah, Garnet’s the boss!” Pearl: “Well, we’re all a team. Garnet just has heightened perception that guides us towards our mission objectives.”

Considering the specific phrasing Pearl uses here- “heightened perception” instead of “future vision-” did Garnet outright tell the two of them to not explain her powers, just like she told them not to mention she’s a fusion? Because I’m pretty sure no one ever uses the phrase “heightened perception” again in reference to her powers.

Given the fact that Garnet chose to keep the knowledge of Ruby and Sapphire under the table until she felt Steven could understand her better, my guess is that this is a similar scenario.

Ahah, I genuinely can’t tell if this is Steven being gullible, or just impulsively playing along with Amethyst’s antics. Still- gross, kid. Don’t wipe your wet cereal face on your shirt! Ew! :O

When he goes outside and starts to use a kiddy metal detector to scan for quarters... so THAT’S where he finds his arcade money! Because I can’t imagine Greg is financially able to give him that much to spend on non-essentials at this point in the show.

Okay, so... I just want to bring light to the fact that Garnet has literally been in this arcade ALL NIGHT LONG.

It was evening when she first arrived here- the sun was visibly setting in the background, and when Steven, Amethyst, and Pearl left, the sky was dark. But now it’s morning. Steven was just seen eating breakfast. And Garnet is STILL HERE.

Does this mean Mr. Smiley locked her IN? I have so many questions... Did he try to get her to leave, only to be intimidated by her complete lack of response? I would kill to know more about this interaction. Poor Mr. Smiley. That man deals with so much bullshit in this town, huh?

Geebus, is Garnet a solid wall. Previous episodes have shown Steven forcibly shoving whole tons of food, and swinging a mini-freezer over his head, and yet he can’t get her to budge even an inch.

I absolutely adore how he climbs up her frame like a koala, though, ahah. Cute.

Meat Beat Mania announcer: “That’s rare!!” Steven: “Oh my gosh...!”

I take these two lines as evidence that this is the first time Steven’s ever seen Garnet’s eyes. Specifically, the fact that there’s three of them. Which, makes sense- since Garnet is still really reserved emotionally at this point, and is only begins to get in the habit of taking her visor off to show Steven her full face later on in the show.

This expression deeply hurts me.

Steven’s so distraught here- because the others are in danger, the town is in danger, and he doesn’t have his trusty, dependable guardian who catches him when he falls and beats up scary monsters for him. Without her, the whole team is vulnerable and blind.

He feels alone. He feels... powerless.

And so he responds to that confusing, powerless feeling by trying to compensate with his own power. When all other routes he can think of fail, he smashes the video game console.

It... uh, it works... but once again, Steven entirely fails to consider the consequences, huh? He experienced a little bit of character growth in this regard in the episode Serious Steven, but even past that it’ll remain an recurring issue for him. Hell, his impulsiveness is a general character flaw even stretching into SUF.

In summary, though:

Poor Mr. Smiley. He works so hard, and doesn’t deserve this BS. ;-;

[haikyuuhoo]

Contemporaneous - Chapter 1

Pairing: Atsumu x F!Reader

Summary: In which you are so incredibly lucky to exist at the same time as Atsumu Miya. Or, perhaps, it’s the exact opposite…

Words: 2.6k

Warnings: Swearing, inconsistent chronology (sorry I just liked it better that way), that’s about it so far

A/N: Okay, here’s ch. 1 finally! Mostly background, setting the stage, all that. Things will probably move quicker in upcoming chapters because I’m busy and have a hard time thinking of filler plot lol. Enjoy, please let me know what you think!

Prologue | Chapter 2

All of your best memories were with the twins.

Not like that was a hard thing to accomplish—pretty much all of your memories were with the twins.

The good memories, the bad memories, and all the ones in between. They were the biggest constant in your life and you felt so lucky to have them.

Sometimes you got emotional about it, and they teased you for it, but you wouldn’t have it any other way.

“H-Hey, why are ya crying?” Atsumu had asked one time at fifteen when the three of you sat outside of the 24-hour convenience store near your house at 2 in the morning, each of you holding your own popsicles you’d snuck out to get.

“I just love you guys so much,” you said with a sniffle, wiping your nose on the cuff of your sleeve.

Osamu grimaced, looking down at you. “Y-Ya don’t have to get all emotional about it. We’re kind of stuck with ya.”

You frowned, giving him a light punch in the shoulder. “Just say you love me too, dummy,” you huffed.

His eyebrows knitted together. “We love you,” he sighed before wrapping an arm around you to give you a side-hug.

Atsumu wrapped his arm around you as well and gave you a grin. “Yeah, but please don’t cry anymore. It’s kinda embarrassing,” he laughed.

“Oh, shut up,” you whined, though you felt comfort flood through you at the feeling of being sandwiched between your two best friends. “You know I get sentimental when I’m tired.”

“Doesn’t make it any less embarrassing,” Osamu mumbled, but a smile played on his lips.

You hummed and closed your eyes for a moment. “Well get used to it, you’re not getting rid of me.”

The twins were like your personal bodyguards. If someone messed with you, they messed with the Miya twins—and no one wanted to mess with the Miya twins. You first learned that when you were nine years old.

The air left your lungs, palms and knees scraping against the ground as you were pushed from the swing you’d been sitting on.

“You’re so lame!” one kid teased from behind you, shrill voice barely making its way to your ears as tears began to prick in your eyes.

“Yeah, where are your dumb friends? They must not like you if they aren’t even playing with you!” another said as the three kids who were picking on you moved to stand in front of where you still remained on your hands and knees, head hung in an attempt to hide the way you were crying.

Atsumu and Osamu had been punished for fighting during in class and the teacher made them stay inside for the first ten minutes of recess. You told them you’d wait for them by the swings; you didn’t really hang out with anyone else anyway. This group of kids didn’t like that though, telling you that the swings were their hangout spot during recess. You told them you’d leave after a couple minutes—you didn’t really want to just stand around and wait for the twins. What was the harm in swinging for a bit?

The harm was too great for the kids currently bullying you, apparently, and they decided to shove you off of the swings.

Your hands and knees burned from the scrapes you’d gotten, and you pushed your palms against your legs to try to make it stop stinging.

“Aww, are you crying?” the third kid laughed, and you looked up at them, face wet with tears.

“Oh my god, she is crying!”

A chorus of laughter sounded in front of you, making you cry even harder. Your face grew hot with embarrassment, tears leaving silvery streaks on your skin. And then suddenly, the figures of the three kids in front of you were shadowed as someone approached them from behind.

Two someones, in fact.

“Leave her alone,” Atsumu said, his voice causing a terror to run through the bullies in a way you didn’t think was possible for a nine-year-old.

The twins had a few bandages decorating their arms and faces, evidence of all the spats they got into with each other. But even after being kept in from recess they were already willing to fight again—just not with each other this time.

“You’re really pathetic,” Osamu continued, arms crossed over his chest as he gave the terrified kids an apathetic look.

“Yeah, get lost before I punch yer stupid face.” Atsumu stuck his tongue out, and somehow, the intimidation worked.

The bullies scurried off and Osamu helped pull you to your feet. “I’ll take ya to the nurse,” he offered, looking at the scrapes on your hands.

“And I’ll go beat them up,” Atsumu said, eyes still angry as he watched the kids run to the other side of the playground.

“No, it’s okay,” you sniffled, reaching up to wipe your eyes.

“Yeah, you’ll just get in trouble again, dummy,” Osamu reasoned with his twin.

Atsumu sighed and turned to you, shoulders slumping when he really took a good look at you. “’M sorry we weren’t here,” he said as the two of them started walking you back to the building so you could get your cuts cleaned up.

“‘S okay,” you said again.

“No it’s not! They’re dumb for picking on ya,” Atsumu argued. He let out an annoyed grunt when the three of you got inside. “Wish they’d get kept in from recess for being idiots…”

Being a family friend also meant that you got along with the twins’ parents too—especially their mom. She treated you as if you were her own daughter, and sometimes she joked that she wished you were because the twins were so hard to handle.

You were so close with them that sometimes you would go over to their house even when you knew the twins were at volleyball practice.

When you were twelve, she’d decided you were probably old enough to watch one of the shows she enjoyed, and so you started going over to their house after school to watch TV dramas with their mom while you waited for them to come home from practice.

“Y/N,” Atsumu whined one day as soon as he saw the two of you. He hadn’t even taken his shoes off and he was already complaining. This was the fourth day in a row they came home to find you watching television with their mom. “What’re ya doing? Yer supposed to be our friend!”

“Shut up,” Osamu mumbled, taking his shoes off and removing his jacket. “You’re so embarrassing.”

Atsumu frowned, eyes going wide as if he was pleading with you to come hang out with them instead.

“‘Tsumu, you just got home. We’re almost done with this episode, and then I’ll come hang out!” you reasoned with him.

He huffed, finally reaching down to take off his shoes. “Sometimes I feel like ya like her more than me,” he grumbled, earning him a smack on the back of his head from his brother.

“Keep up the attitude and she will start liking Mom more,” Osamu hissed.

You were always at their games. And when I say always, I mean always. You were the loudest member of the cheering section, and there were countless times when you didn’t even have the voice left to congratulate them on their victories.

One thing you never did, though, was boo them. They were your best friends—and you were close with the rest of the team too—so you never had the heart to boo them when they messed up.

Atsumu confronted you about it once when you were seventeen—they hadn’t even lost—after he’d had a tough game.

“Y/N,” he said, face stuck in a frown as he approached you.

You gave him a grin, wrapping your arms around him as you pulled him into a hug. “Congrats, ‘Tsumu!”

“Don’t congratulate me,” he hissed, stiffening in your hold.

You frowned and pulled away from him. “Why not? You won.”

“Because I sucked. You should have booed me.”

You rolled your eyes, waving a hand dismissively. “You’re so dramatic. Everyone messes up, ‘Tsumu. It’s not that big of a deal.”

“It was close! I could have cost us the match!” he argued.

Now it was your turn to frown at him. “So you botched a few serves, it’s not a big deal. Your sets were great. Besides, I’m not gonna boo my own team, Atsumu—” He grimaced at the sound of his full name. “—and I’m most certainly not going to boo you.”

“Losers don’t need applause.”

You scoffed. “You aren’t a loser! I swear sometimes you’re so hard on yourself for no reason. People have bad games. I’m not going to ridicule you for it.”

“You should!”

Your jaw clenched. You hated when he did this to himself.

“I deserve ta be booed, ta be yelled at, ta be told what a piece of trash I am because I almost screwed this up for us!”

“It’s not going to make you better, you dumbass!” you finally shouted, shoving his chest.

Atsumu stumbled backwards a few steps, heartrate increasing. He couldn’t tell whether it was from the adrenaline of the game, his disappointment in himself, or your actions. You’d never pushed him like that. Sure, you bickered and things of that nature, but this time you seemed genuinely angry.

“You’re one of the hardest working people I know and seeing you put yourself down like that when all you had was one bad set makes me want to punch you in the face!” Your heart was pounding, the sound deafening you as your hands clenched into fists at your sides. “I don’t give a shit about those people in the stands, they don’t really care about you. I’m your best friend! I’m not supposed to beat you down, I’m supposed to pick you back up!”

His mouth opened and closed a few times, words getting caught in his throat as he tried to gather his thoughts.

You pushed past him with a scowl. “I’m gonna go congratulate ‘Samu. Don’t talk to me until you’ve got your shit together.”

Osamu had been standing with Aran, Suna, and Kita by the entrance to the gym. They’d been chatting, but it had gotten cut short in favor of watching your interaction with the setter.

Osamu was in shock. He’d never seen you like that, which was saying something considering how long he’d known you, and it was kind of refreshing to see his brother get put in his place like that.

“That was kinda hot,” Suna said absentmindedly, eyebrows raised in amusement.

The gray-haired twin turned to glare at his friend. “Say that again and I’ll punch you.”

“Osamu,” Kita scolded.

“Sorry, Kita-san.”

Of course, with years and years of memories and friendship with the twins, you couldn’t help but think it was more than luck that brought you together. And even though you believed the three of you were fated to be together, as you got older something just felt different.

The summer before you started high school you had started to think that maybe you were fated to be more than just friends with Atsumu when feelings for him started to blossom. You tried to ignore them, far too shy and inexperienced in the ‘liking boys’ department to know how to deal with this new sensation.

You tried not to let it change your friendship with him, but there were times when you’d feel your face grow hot or your stomach flutter when you were around him.

At first, you didn’t like this feeling at all.

The twins had always been your comfort—your safe space. And now you were nervous to even be around Atsumu. But at the same time, all you wanted to do was be around him.

You hated it.

You hated the way you immediately perked up at the sound of them coming home when you should have been watching TV with their mom, now too distracted to even pay attention to the end of the show.

You hated the way you wanted to comfort Atsumu in a way that was so much more than friendly when he was beating himself up.

And you loathed the way you felt jealousy bubble in your veins at the thought of Atsumu liking someone else.

So you did your best to push the feelings away when you were around them.

But when you were alone, they all tumbled out, and you decided to take up journaling as an attempt to deal with the feelings. You felt embarrassed, as a teenage girl does, to have a journal filled with all of these thoughts, so whenever you were finished writing you hid it in your sock drawer lest one of the twins find it and tease you about it for weeks.

When you started high school and the twins joined the volleyball team, they were instant phenoms. And in turn, they garnered a lot of attention—especially from girls.

It upset you, if you were going to be honest with yourself. Not only because you couldn’t really hang out with your friends in the halls or during lunch without being interrupted by their gang of fan girls, but also because you despised the girls who flung themselves at Atsumu. It killed you to see them batting their long eyelashes and talking to your best friends with their cute voices, all while you sat to the side like some kind of unwanted piece of stale bread. And it especially killed you when Atsumu started returning their affections.

It scared you. It all scared you. The feelings, the girls, high school—you were terrified. You didn’t want to ruin things between the two—three—of you with your feelings, but the girls made you so insecure. So instead, you wrote in your journal.

You wrote down all of your feelings for three years.

You didn’t speak a word of them to anyone, no less the twins.

And there was a page you came back to almost every day, even though you had written it during your first year:

 The odds of existing are slim,

so the odds of you and I existing at the same time

must be next to impossible,

and I think that’s beautiful.

 Maybe the universe does work in my favor after all

because I got the chance to get to know you.

 You stared at the page, not even realizing tears were forming in your eyes until one fell and landed on your hand that pressed down on the page. It was a habit to hold it open, but it wasn’t even necessary anymore—you’d opened your journal to this page enough that it stayed open on its own.

When you’d written it, it was a happy thought. But now, three years later, it didn’t feel so happy. Atsumu was getting busier and busier with volleyball, and that meant he only got better, and when he got better his fanbase grew.

You were starting to feel like a second choice.

Scratch that, you were starting to feel like a tenth, twentieth, fiftieth choice.

You craved the attention he gave those girls. You wanted him to grin at you like that. You wanted to be more than just his best friend.

But you felt like you were running out of time.

It was ironic, considering you believed the universe brought the three of you together with the intention of you being side by side forever.

Maybe, after all this time believing it, you were finally starting to realize that you were wrong.