#just moving into a place where fighting is happening

[aettuddae]

business matter — chapter 42.

↳ synopsis: two of the most important kpop companies covet a partnership with a huge global brand, only to be surprised when the deal is extended to both labels. fearing potential sabotage and cynical strategies to secure exclusivity for just one of them, both CEOs resort to desperate measures. in a bid to maintain trust and prevent betrayal before the signing, they come up with a pact: forcing a fake relationship between the leaders of their star girlgroups. if one side attempted to fail the other, they threaten to expose it all to the conservative south korea.

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[written chapter]

a blonde-haired girl wakes up after hearing commotion in her apartment. voices, disguised in whispers, but still loud enough to cause a disturbance. it sounded like two people fighting in the distance. she got up from the bed disoriented, her heart beating rapidly at the thought that something bad was happening to one of her members. with her vision blurred by not having yet gotten used to the tangible world, she roamed around her room. visualizing her acoustic guitar, she wobbled to it and reached out to grab it, trying to shake the sleep from her body along the way.

she opened the door to her room with a rough yank on the handle and hurriedly ran down the hallway, raising the instrument over her shoulder, ready to throw it or use it as a hammer at whoever had barged into her home.

"come in!"

"i don't want to!"

“i told you to take off your shoes and come in!”

“i'm not going to let you see my socks… WHY DOES SHE HAVE A GUITAR!?”

“MINJEONG, PUT THAT DOWN!”

"what's going on!?"

winter dropped the guitar and admired the situation anxiously, swaying from side to side as if at any moment she would have to run away. in front of her was her leader, with her elaborate makeup and elegant wardrobe, barefoot and stressed, pulling on the arm of jang serim, who was in the hallway, clinging to the door frame, refusing to enter, objectively more disheveled than her member. there was a strong aroma of alcohol in the air, and after assimilating what was happening, she understood that it was coming from the guest.

“serim is drunk and she doesn't want to go in.” karina explained with annoyance in her voice, lifting her leg and resting her foot against the wall so she could increase the force with which she was pulling serim into the apartment.

"why?" the youngest took a few steps until she was next to her member, stopping to look at the oldest of the three in confusion.

“it's just,” karina let go of the other party, causing her to fall sitting on the floor. “she says it's not respectful to come in drunk when other people are sleeping here.”

“i am a well-mannered baby.” serim spoke, forming a pout with her lips, but her words were barely understood since they came out in a blur. after that, she lost her balance and fell on her back.

“oh, she's gone.” winter judged.

“she didn't eat anything before drinking." her roommate explained, walking over to the girl who was on the ground.

"she didn't?" the vocalist followed her.

“she didn't, because she wanted to make me upset!” karina complained as she put her hands under serim's arms to lift her up.

"that's true." jang admitted and then began to laugh frantically.

"be quiet." karina ordered, using all of her strength to move her inside while minjeong pulled her legs.

“we had to leave early because the idiot got drunk, so our manager brought us here.” she continued contextualizing as she carried the eldest. “when we were in the car i managed to get her to unlock her phone and i notified her staff, but they will come in an hour, so she has to stay here until then.”

once in the living room, she let go of serim, instructing winter to do the same, letting her fall. the blow and roar woke up the member of heaven, who clumsily stood up, leaving her standing statically with her back to both aespa.

"where am i?" she questioned, lost as she analyzed the place and realized that she didn't know it.

she abruptly turned around, trying to discover the entire room, only to find the girls who had their eyes glued to her. winter couldn't contain her laughter and karina was rubbing her temple with a burdened grimace.

"oh, it's you." serim left the alert position in which she was and her face showed disappointment when she met the dark haired woman. “and giselle!” she regained her energy upon seeing the other person and pointed at winter excitedly.

“i'm winter.” she said simply and laughed covering her mouth.

"please don't rob us!” ningning exclaimed, appearing from behind her friends in her pajamas, throwing various stuffed toys into the air, trying to hurt the criminal who was in her house, but not hitting anyone because she had her eyes closed in fear.

“giselle!” the drunk girl repeated before the arrival of a new individual.

"where?" the youngest opened her eyes to look for the japanese one, finding the disastrous situation. “jimin!” she squealed with displeasure.

“no, i'm serim from heaven.” she introduced herself politely.

“i am jimin." karina corrected her coldly.

“no, you are karina.” she shook her head. “i know because i had to repeat it many times to learn it.”

“why didn't you tell me that serim was here?” the maknae protested, fixing her hair.

“because i shouldn't be here,” the oldest remembered.

"oh no…" vocalized minjeong.

"stay still!" the leader of aespa shouted, going to catch the girl who began to run towards the door.

“she's so funny.” ningning said as she bit her lip and undid the last button on her pajama shirt.

"what is she doing?" jang murmured to karina, who had successfully caught her, staring at the chinese woman, while being held firmly by her waist by yu so that she wouldn't run away again, but this one only looked at her out of the corner of her eye angrily.

"what's going on?" giselle joined the meeting, appearing down the hallway with hiro in her arms.

“giselle!” the guest threw her hands in the air happily. “and the dog i definitely don't hate." she pointed at the animal.

“serim is drunk and she has to wait here for a moment until her manager comes to pick her up." karina repeated. “sorry for waking you up, go back to sleep, i'll take her to my room,” she noticed.

“can she come to my room?” ningning intervened.

“ning!” aeri reproached her.

"alright." serim accepted, trying to walk in her direction.

"get away from my baby." jimin nagged at her, hitting her arm.

"then can i sleep with giselle?" she wondered with a strange hint of innocence.

"serim!" the main rapper amended her.

"cheater..." ning muttered in disbelief.

"stop." karina pretended to start crying while she tried to keep the eldest still.

"why not me?" asked winter offended, as her leader started to drag the guest to her room.

the puppy had decided to change his sleeping partner and entered karina's room following her and serim. once the animal was inside, the resident closed the door. the vocalist stood in the center, looking vacantly around her, her body moving beyond her control due to the alcohol in her system.

hiro walked past her, heading to her bed. with a single jump, he went up and lay down comfortably. he looked warm and happy, so serim was tempted to try it on her behalf, walking there and then plopping down on the mattress.

"sleep and i'll let you know when your manager comes." karina advised seriously, leaning her back against the door.

“i shouldn't fall asleep in your bed." said the oldest, but ironically her eyes closed on their own and her words came out in whispers.

"i'd rather you fall asleep than keep talking."

"you are so mean." she took a big breath of air trying to regain clarity, raising her head a little and resting her weight on her elbows so as not to fall asleep. “it's your own room, are you going to stand there?”

“do you want me to lay with you?” she crossed her arms.

“it's your bed." she made obvious. “and i think we are already committed enough to each other to share it.” she let her head fall against the pillow.

karina looked at her from where she was, taking a moment to think. she began to wander removing all the accessories and makeup that she had on her, finally leaving her earrings on the nightstand and sitting next to her workmate. serim had her eyes closed, but she lifted her eyelids when she felt the weight next to her. she looked at the younger from below, who was focused on watching what her dog was doing. since he was asleep, serim, still intoxicated, realized that she was just trying to avoid eye contact.

“see that we can coexist?” she tried to break the ice.

“didn't i tell you to go to sleep?” she contradicted bitterly.

“you're more irritable than usual." she observed, doing her best to speak properly.

“i have to live with you,” she answered, still not looking at her. “and then when we have an event you get drunk.”

"i don't think is that." she dismissed without getting affected. “you are like this because of your boyfriend.”

“can you not mention it?” she blurted abruptly, quickly turning her head so that she couldn't see her expression, and fixing the position of her body.

“see how is that?” knowing that she was right she laughed, and because of her drunkenness, she couldn't stop it.

“no, i'm sorry, but you're not always right.” she frowned and finally turned to her. "can you stop?" she asked seeing that she wouldn't.

“serim, it's crazy how happy it makes to be right.” she criticized her angrily. “serim!” she held her shoulders with her hands as if she was about to shake her to make her reason, but she only exerted pressure to hoard her attention, intending to make her shut up. the named one connected her eyes with hers and little by little she stopped her fit of laughter. she raised one of her hands and placed it on karina's, which was on her shoulder. keeping the smile on her face, she explored the features of the blackhaired woman with her gaze, who would keep her grip until serim's joy was erased from her face. serim gently squeezed the hand she was touching and accompanied it with an unconscious lip bite.

“i can't believe you, you're horny already.” she quickly pulled away from the older one. "gross."

“you were very close!” she noted merrily. “and i'm not horny, i just have a lot of love to give.”

she let her arms fall spread all over the bed, accidentally resting her right one on the other's lap, making them both look at it expectantly. they remained silent, still. the atmosphere was peculiar, there was a different tension than the one that usually created between them, and it seemed as if one of them made an abrupt movement, it would dissipate. in the dancer's gaze, it was clear that she wanted jang to stop touching her, but nothing in her body language matched that, she did not move to push her away. the vocalist slowly raised her limb, gently bringing it up to the girl's face, to touch her cheek and caress it, gaining her attention, getting her to observe her without any emotion.

“karina,” she called and received a hum. “you know that if you kissed me now i wouldn't remember it tomorrow, right?” with her knuckles she tenderly drew her traits.

“i don't want to kiss you." she stated, still in the same position.

“stop thinking about that guy.” she ran the tip of her thumb over her bottom lip.

“while you ask me to kiss you?” she took the focus off of her. “he is my boyfriend, i can't cheat on him.”

"cheat? but if you're not together and he hasn't spoken to you for two weeks." she let out a giggle full of irony. “and i'm not asking you to kiss me, i'm just saying that if you wanted to i wouldn't stop you.” she leaned on her forearm, slightly separating herself from the mattress.

“we are taking a break." she lowered her head.

“whatever that means.” she took her chin between her fingers and made karina face her.

“serim.”

“if you don't want to, why don't you get away?”

the girl hadn't noticed how she leaned into serim's touch, and how it had drawn her into her personal space. they were at the perfect distance so that they could touch each other just by lowering her head a little, and so that the smell of alcohol the oldest one emanated made her a little dizzy.

serim was right, wasn't she? jongin had disappeared. at first, she didn't believe that he would be so brutal, but who had been her boyfriend for over a year simply asked her for some time and erased himself from her life from one day to the next. and now she didn't know what he was doing, or where their relationship stood.

what does taking a break mean? if he had already cheated on his ex, what could assure her that while they were apart he would not be with other girls? is it okay to want to make him feel bad for leaving her?

if they weren't together as of now, it wouldn't be infidelity, right? serim was probably right. as usual.

karina leaned in, reaching the older girl's lips with hers and trapping them in a kiss. serim moved her grip, sliding her hand down her cheek to her nape, and from there she pulled her closer. the dark haired woman moved closer to the center of the bed, held her opponent's face from both sides and gently pushed her, making her lie down completely again, remaining on top of her.

they were kissing slowly, but intensely. in the end, it was not a loving kiss, but one motivated purely by desire, attraction, and resentment, they did not have to be sweet with each other when they could continue battling as they always did. they pressed against each other and held themselves as close as they could, karina's nails were digging into serim's cheeks, who could only concentrate on maintaining resistance so as not to completely lose control.

until the screen of her phone turned on, and more than it concerned her, it was yu who moved far from her to see where the light was coming from.

“your manager is calling you, he must be downstairs.” she straightened up, sitting properly on the bed and stretching her arm out to reach the device.

“no, he's not.” the senior refused and lifted herself, trapping her face in her touch again to connect their pupils, running her lips from her shoulder to her neck, causing her to close her eyes enjoying the attention, a sign that told her to continue on karina's jaw and cheek, until it reached her mouth another time and they kept going as if the phone wasn't still vibrating.

leaning on the embrace that serim had on her waist, biting her lips while she got lost between them and met her tongue, she convinced herself that she could vent her anger towards jang in this way more often. although she would surely change her mind as soon as it was over. and suddenly she forgot how jongin had treated her. although she would surely remember after serim left.

they were completely immersed in each other, until hiro's growl replaced the silence of the room, forcing them to put an end to it to check what was happening to the dog, who was standing firmly ready to throw a tantrum.

“it seems like someone is jealous..." the drunken one pointed out in a flirtatious tone, making jimin laugh.

perhaps the first time she made her laugh.

“it's okay, don't worry.” the puppy's owner spoke softly to calm him down.

when she made sure that hiro was already appeased, serim took advantage of her grip on karina's torso and hugged her carefully, but also surely, to which she responded by reconnecting their lips, but not for a long time.

serim's scream was possibly heard on the upper and lower floors of the dormitory and woke up all the members again. the girl jumped on her feet over the bed due to the pain and since she was still completely numb she lost her balance and fell to the floor, which made her yell again.

all as a result of the fact that hiro had not really chilled out and as soon as he saw that his guardian was still kissing someone else he couldn't stand the wrath and bit hard the hand that the stranger had on jimin's waist.

“i can't believe i just made out with this loser.” karina talked to herself, covering her face in shame. “i'll cure you and you'll leave, your manager has already waited too long for you.”

(!)

— taglist [CLOSED]: @yoontoonwhs @cwpiqwon @aliceiwk @xen248 @gtfoiydlyj @rinapomu @aeriuchinarga @multiliker @somedaydream @impossiblesharkcashrebel @yjiminswallet @haerinsloverr @yerimbrit @73vyn @dni-unavailable @lovemariana @sewiouslyz @yeetaberry127 @masuowo @yallatalla @aerithykly @chaenniefirst @minfolio @xszn @starrynini05 @hotluvlet @wmnrhot @mineige @lisaswifey @brocoliisscared @fae-the-wanderer

[lilghostiequinni]

For All the Times Before

Main Masterlist Lando Masterlist

Pairing: driver!female reader(no mention of y/n) x Lando Norris

Warnings: Fluffyish, Severe Injury, Probably incorrect use of Medical Terms

Summary: She drives with her big brother. Who would've thought Red Bull would have a woman driver; well, maybe it's because she's related to Max Verstappen. Or maybe she's just that good.

Requested: NO / yes

A/N: I did have to take a few creative liberties about the rest of the season.

One can only do so much when being compared to another, especially a sibling, but you prove them wrong at every step. Every single step, you prove you deserve to be racing, that you deserve your seat in Red Bull.

You show you deserve where you got to on your own, no help needed from your father or your big brother, all on you, not a single mistake made by you.

It's proven even more when you pass your brother for points in the race to win the 2024 World Championship, but that's not planned is the total disaster the Las Vegas Grand Prix turns out to be.

It started with the mishaps that happened during free practice on Friday, then the mechanical problems from qualifying on Saturday. Now, even though she made it through and started P2, she was still in the front row behind Oscar in P1 with Lando in P3 and her brother following with both Ferraris after that.

It was going swimmingly, the problems were fixed, and the only obstacle left was finishing in points position in this Grand Prix.

For the first few laps, everything was fine; it was a great race start, which allowed her to overtake Oscar for P1 by turn 1, with Oscar falling to P3 after being overtaken by Lando before lap 1 was over.

By the end of lap 2, you still had P1, but Oscar had fallen behind Max and Carlos for P5, having to hold off Charles for the position.

From lap 3 to lap 28, the places had changed, gaps stayed the same, and there were virtually no position changes from places of point position.

On lap 28, a safety car was deployed out because the cars of Ocon, Riccardo, and Magnussen bumped each other, sending each other into the wall of the race. It wasn't so terrible that they had to stop and restart the race, as everything was able to be moved out of the way and to the pit lanes after just two laps.

Laps 29 - 33 were everyone just getting back on track with the race.

With lap 34, the gaps that had been shortened had expanded exponentially, essentially giving the first five places the ability for a free pit.

Going into lap 35, those huge gaps shorted.

36 - 42 were rather uneventful in terms of what usually happens toward the end with place fighting, everyone stayed in their places, and gaps stayed relatively similar.

In lap 43, Lando tried overtaking multiple times but was forced to back off as Max approached from behind, trying to overtake Lando when he wasn't trying to overtake you.

Onto lap 44, you saw a significant gap gained between you two, almost 12 seconds of a gap, but just as you had been watching Lando, you had been watching Bottas.

It was in lap 45 that it started to go shit Bottas was in the middle of trying to overtake Sargent when they both got the blue flag, and both tried to move over, resulting in a slight accident as you passed, no real damage to your car.

Then lap 46, that gap to Lando stayed in around 12 seconds, but you made it all the way back up to the drivers in 8th, 9th, and 10th place, Gasly, Hulkenburg, and Stroll.

Nothing seemed wrong at first.

Stroll was in 10th. He got the blue flag first, and Hulkenberg was able to pull ahead of him. When he got the blue flag, he wasn't able to pull to the side after he slowed because Stroll was in the way of the rear of his car.

When he tried to pull ahead to get over, Gasly was in the way, having also gotten a blue flag.

You tried to pass as Hulkenberg had to serve to move into the middle of the track to miss hitting the other two drivers, but his front tire got caught in your rear wheel, and you spun out, hitting the wall and not being able to get back in the race.

The rest of the grid was given a red flag just after it happened, and it was seen you were not able to move your car and you weren't responding.

Lando had driven past you, not knowing if you had responded, just hoping you were okay as he made his way to the pit.

But when he pitted and was told you hadn't responded, he was almost able to get back in his car and on the track before he was stopped by his engineer.

So, not able to do much more, he went over to Red Bull, who allowed the exception, knowing how important you are to Lando and Lando is to you.

"Please respond," Lando pleaded to himself as he was given some headphones.

"Ow," was the first that came through your side of the radio.

"Can you get out on your own?" Your race engineer asked.

"No, my leg is stuck, and everything hurts. I want Lando," You say over the radio. It isn't rare that you want your boyfriend after a race or when you get sick or hurt, being extra clingy.

"He'll meet you at med-bay. The med-car is on its way, almost to you, Angel," Your engineer said, using the nickname you'd been given by the entire grid.

You had gone to the med-bay only to be there until the ambulance came.

It was when Lando was allowed in that you learned that the last few laps of the race had been canceled and the places that were last gotten in lap 44 were where people ended, and points were given though the FIA and Formula One were reviewing the causes of the accident and other things that had happened during the race, as usual.

You had been brought to the hospital, and Lando had ridden with you, both per and against your request, wanting your boyfriend and also wanting him to stay and be able to change before having to go in.

When you arrived at the hospital, you were taken for tests, and Lando was to stay in the waiting room as other drivers had arrived at the hospital.

You had been brought back to a room and both your brother and Lando had met you there.

"She's a little out of it, but a doctor will be in shortly. She should be good by then." The nurse said as she went to walk out of the room.

Both men nod, and Lando sits on the side of your bed as Max stands at the foot and looks over his sister, though he knows that he can't see the internal injuries you may have.

Around an hour later, you had woken from the drug-induced sleep and were not so woozy when the doctor came in.

"Hello, Ms. Verstappen, I am Dr. Kruz, and I looked over your tests. You have a linear fracture to your left tibia and a transverse fracture to your left fibula, with minute fractures to a couple of your ankle bones, a couple of small chips, and a fracture to your outermost metatarsal, again on the left side. You also seem to have minimal internal bleeding in your abdomen and a few rib cracks on your left side, with a few bone bruises throughout your ribcage. There are also a few cracks along your left arm that should be fine within a few weeks. I'm sorry to say that you might not be able to finish the season, but I am also not your primary doctor to know enough about how you heal." The doctor tells her.

"I just want to be able to race in that Abu Dhabi in about a month," You tell her; it's one of your favorite tracks, and you'd rather race it to win than miss it.

The doctor gives her a small sad smile before she also leaves to allow the information to sink in.

"You will still probably win the championship; you have points ahead of everyone; it's two races. There aren't enough points to be given out," Lando tries to comfort her.

"I know, but I still want to earn that title, to prove to everyone and myself that it doesn't need to be handed to me," You say to your boyfriend.

It's safe to say that you pushed your recovery more than your trainer, engineer, and doctor would like, but you were back in that car under two weeks later, having appealed to your doctor about the break you would be taking in between seasons.

He reluctantly agreed, having only the major breaks in your left leg and foot to be careful about, and the internal bleeding was relatively better, and you, the primary one you went to in Monaco, came with you to Abu Dhabi.

The team also added some more support to your car and some little monitors for your heart rate and everything else medical, and your doctor stood in the paddock watching over your vitals as you raced, starting P4 behind Lando, Max, and Charles, after a mishap in qualifying.

All gave you a fair race, but you were still able to pull away in first place in the last five laps of the race as you felt pain starting in your leg; you just took a couple deep breaths to calm down, focusing down on the task at hand.

You were so focused on just getting it done you didn't realize that you had just crossed the finish line with a checkered flag signaling the end of the race and your win.

"You did it, Angel. You are a world champion," Your race engineer said over the radio.

You breathe a sigh of relief and just sit on the side of the circuit just before turn 5.

"Do you cool down lap and get to pit," Your engineer says as you pull in the circuit as you do your lap.

You finish the lap and just wait in the car as it's a little difficult to move still, and you lift the visor of your helmet and wipe the tears from your eyes.

Lando and Max come over to your car and help you out, helping you balance on the top of your car with one leg and throw your arms in the air in victory.

YOu get your helmet off and kiss Lando's helmet as he and Max help you away from the circuit and to the way in then to interviews.

A/N: Yes, I did one of these on my own with a reader, not an oc; it felt right. But which do you prefer? I'm done for the night; tomorrow, the first part of my Lando series will be out.

Tags: @poppyflower-22 @samantha-chicago @barcelonaloverf1life @tallrock35 @hellothere9597

If you want to be removed from a tag list, let me know so I don't keep tagging you. If you are striked through, I don't know if you want to be tagged, but just let me know if you want me to continue or stop

[rafesapologist]

the setback ─ rafe cameron; part eleven

summary: it's been two years since your departure from the outer banks and rafe cameron has seemingly convinced himself that he can go on with his life as if you never happened, except now more than ever his addiction is at an all time high. whether he was snorting lines of cocaine at wild parties or drowning himself in alcohol to numb the pain, rafe couldn't escape the memories of you. despite his efforts to bury his feelings, your absence lingered like a shadow, haunting him at every turn. meanwhile, you've been navigating life outside the outer banks, trying to carve out a new path for yourself. but no matter how far you've traveled, the memories of rafe cameron still linger in your heart, leaving you with a sense of unfinished business. as you find yourself facing new challenges and opportunities, you can't help but wonder if fate will eventually bring you back to the place where it all began.

warnings: swearing, just mostly angst

His lips lingered like the final note of a symphony, suspended in the air, resonating with the depth of the situation between you two. His hands were tender and gentle as they cupped your face with the delicacy of a whisper, as if he were cradling a fragile dream. His fingers traced the contours of your cheek feeling the warmth that lingered like the last rays of a setting sun.

The intensity of the moment held you captive, locking away the words that danced on the tip of your tongue. It was as if time itself had paused, allowing you to drown in the depths of his gaze, searching for answers to questions you couldn't bring yourself to ask.

In the silence that stretched between you, there was an unspoken understanding, a silent conversation that transcended words. It was in the way his eyes crinkled at the corners, mirroring the warmth in your heart, and the way your breaths fell into sync, as if they were orchestrating a melody only the two of you could hear.

"I wish we hadn't lost all that time," Rafe's words carried the weight of regret, each syllable heavy with the burden of what could have been. You felt his anguish seep into the air, thick and suffocating, wrapping around you both like a shroud of sorrow. Tears welled in your eyes as you listened to him, his apologies echoing in the chambers of your heart. You wanted to tell him that none of it was his fault, that life had a way of steering its course beyond their control, but the words caught in your throat, choked by the weight of your own emotions.

Despite your eyes squeezed shut to fight back your tears from falling, Rafe continued, "You left this island because of me. And because of that, it led you right into Maybank's arms." He seethed, combing his hand through his hair hysterically as he shook his head at the ground. You could see the war waging in his mind by the depths of his discordant gaze. JJ's name was an acrid bitterness on his tongue, as if the taste of every vowel left a lingering taste of a cruel reminder.

"Things were different back then," you warbled in a hushed cadence, "after everything came out I thought it would be easier on you to not be reminded of me. I thought I was helping you move on."

Rafe gazed at you in bewilderment, as though you had spun a cruel jest. His eyes were wild and frenzied, darting back and forth with manic urgency, as if searching your face for a hint of laughter, a sign that it was merely a joke you were telling him.

"Y/n, you're kidding, right? It was fucking hell when you left here," he let out an unhumored laugh, the sound hollow and pained.

Your heart clenched at his words, the pain in his voice cutting through you like a knife. "Rafe, I... I didn't know. I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought you hated me after everything that happened."

"Hate you?" Rafe's voice softened, his anger giving way to raw vulnerability. "I could never hate you, Y/n. I was hurt, confused, but I never hated you. I just... I didn't understand why you left."

You looked down, unable to meet his gaze, tears blurring your vision. "I was scared, Rafe. Scared of what we were becoming, scared of losing myself in all of it. I thought leaving was the only way to protect us both, before we ruined each other."

Rafe gently lifted your chin, forcing you to look into his eyes. "But it didn't protect us. It just tore us apart. And now... now you're telling me you won't do it again, that you won't betray me, but what about JJ? What about everything that's happening now?"

You took a deep breath, trying to steady your racing heart. "I told JJ I can't do it. I can't spy on you, Rafe. It's not right, and it won't solve anything. We have to find another way."

He nodded slowly, relief and sadness mingling in his eyes. "Okay. We'll find another way. Just... please, don't leave again. I don't think I could handle it."

"I won't," you whispered, wrapping your arms around him, holding him as tightly as you could. "I'm here, Rafe. I'm not going anywhere."

As you stood in the rain, lost in Rafe's arms, you began to distance yourself from the world. The sound of the rain hitting the wooden planks of the dock created a symphony that seemed to resonate with the depth of your emotions. The warmth of Rafe's embrace, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat against yours, and the gentle patter of raindrops all blended into a moment of fragile peace. It was as if time had stopped, allowing you to savor this brief respite from the chaos of your reality.

But the world had a way of intruding, even in the most perfect moments. Your phone began to ring, shattering the illusion of tranquility. You pulled away slightly, the sound pulling you back to reality. Rafe's eyes searched yours, concern etched in his features as he watched you fumble for your phone.

You glanced at the screen and saw Sarah's name flashing, the sound of her ringtone piercing through the night.

"Sarah," you muttered, feeling a mix of urgency and dread. You answered the call, your voice barely a whisper. "Hello?"

"Y/n, where are you? JJ's been looking for you everywhere," Sarah's voice was frantic, a stark contrast to the calm you had just been enveloped in. "He thinks something's happened. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," you replied, glancing at Rafe who was still holding onto you, his eyes never leaving your face. "I'm with Rafe. We're talking things out."

There was a pause on the other end, followed by a sigh. "Okay, but you need to come back soon. JJ's not in a good place, and he's worried sick about you."

You nodded, even though Sarah couldn't see you. "I'll be back soon. Just tell JJ I'm okay."

"Alright, but hurry. And be careful," Sarah added before hanging up.

You slipped your phone back into your pocket, looking up at Rafe with a mixture of apology and resolve. "I have to go. JJ's worried about me."

Rafe nodded, understanding but also reluctant to let you go. "I get it. Just... be careful, okay?"

"I will," you promised, giving him one last hug before pulling away completely. "Thank you for understanding, Rafe. We'll figure this out."

He gave you a small, reassuring smile. "Yeah, 'course."

You let out a sigh of dread as you turned on your heel, lifting your hood to shield yourself from the rain. The urgency of Sarah's call propelled you forward, and you sprinted down the dock, the wooden planks slick and treacherous beneath your feet. The cold rain pelted your face, mingling with the tears you hadn't realized were falling.

You regretted walking there now, with the rain coming down harder and the pressing need to get back to the Chateau before JJ blew a gasket. Your heart pounded in your chest, each beat echoing your rising anxiety. Adrenaline coursed through your veins, urging you to keep running, your footsteps a steady rhythm against the backdrop of the storm.

As you raced through the dimly lit streets of Outer Banks, your thoughts swirled in a chaotic mix of guilt, fear, and determination. You couldn't shake the image of Rafe's eyes, filled with a mixture of hope and sorrow. You knew this was far from over, that your decisions would have far-reaching consequences.

The familiar sight of the Chateau came into view, and you pushed yourself to run faster, your breaths coming in ragged gasps. You reached the front porch and paused for a moment, catching your breath and trying to steady your racing heart.

You slipped inside quietly, hoping to avoid waking anyone. The living room was dark, but you could hear the faint sound of voices from the kitchen. You crept towards your room, hoping to slip in unnoticed, but the floor creaked beneath your feet, betraying your presence.

The voices stopped abruptly, and a moment later, JJ appeared in the hallway, his face a mixture of relief and frustration. "Y/N, where the hell have you been? I've been worried sick!"

"I... I needed to clear my head," you stammered, your voice barely above a whisper. "I just went for a walk."

JJ didn’t quite believe your excuse for leaving, and so he pressed forward, his voice tinged with frustration. "Why the hell would you go for a walk in this weather, y/n? It's pouring out there!"

You flinched at JJ's aggression, taken aback by how angered he was at your disappearance. You knew he was worried, but you didn’t expect him to be so hostile. His anger radiated off him, filling the space between you like a tangible force.

"JJ," you began, your voice trembling slightly, "I just needed some air, okay? I had to clear my head."

"Clear your head?" JJ repeated, his voice laced with sarcasm and disbelief. "Do you even realize what you're saying? You went out in this weather, alone, at night. Do you know how dangerous that is?"

"I know," you said, trying to keep your voice steady. "But I couldn’t stay cooped up inside. I needed to think."

JJ scoffed, still not happy with your answer. His eyes burned daggers into yours, fueled with anger. "Bullshit, Y/N. You know, you've been acting so damn weird lately. You do remember we're together, right?"

His words hit you like a punch to the gut. You took a step back, feeling the sting of his accusation. "Of course I remember, JJ," you said, your voice barely above a whisper. "I haven't forgotten."

"Then start acting like it," he snapped, his voice rising. "I can't keep doing this, y/n. One minute you're here, the next you're gone. I need to know where your head's at."

You felt a lump forming in your throat, making it hard to swallow. "I'm sorry," you said, trying to hold back tears. "I just have a lot on my mind. Everything with Ward, John B... it's overwhelming."

"Overwhelming?" JJ scoffed again, shaking his head. "You think it's not overwhelming for me? For all of us? We're all in the same boat here, y/n."

"I know, I know," you said, your voice breaking. "I'm trying, JJ. I really am. But it's not easy."

"Well, you're not making it any easier by disappearing like that," he said, his tone softening just a bit. "I need you here, with us. With me."

You looked into his eyes, seeing the hurt and confusion there. You knew he had every right to be angry, but it didn’t make the situation any less complicated. "I'm sorry," you repeated. "I won't do it again. I promise."

JJ nodded, seemingly satisfied by your reassurance. But as he went to pull you into his arms, for some reason, you instinctively backed up a few centimeters. Immediately, you realized you had made a mistake. JJ's expression fell into one of surprise and annoyance.

"What the hell, y/n?" he demanded, his voice laced with hurt.

You took a deep breath, trying to gather your thoughts. "I'm sorry, JJ. I didn't mean to... I just need a little space right now," you said, your voice trembling.

"Space? From me?" he asked, incredulity and hurt blending in his tone. "I thought we just agreed to be honest with each other. What's really going on?"

"Nothing is going on, I—" you began, but JJ cut you off sharply.

"Cut the bullshit, Y/N! What—are you cheating on me or something? I mean, I get why you did it with Rafe, but I thought we were better than that."

You felt a rush of anger and hurt at his accusation. "I didn't cheat on him, JJ!" you snapped, your voice rising with frustration.

JJ's eyes bore into yours, a mix of anger and betrayal simmering beneath the surface. "Then what the hell is it? You've been acting so damn weird lately. You sneak off, avoid me, and now you won't even let me hold you."

"Because, JJ!" you threw your hands up in defense, feeling overwhelmed by his interrogation. "My feelings have been all over the place since we got back here, and you don't seem to give a shit! You think this place doesn't bring back a lot of memories for me? Because it does, and I am trying to cope with them, but you won't fucking let me do that."

JJ's face twisted with confusion and frustration. "What are you talking about, Y/N? What memories? If you're struggling, why didn't you just talk to me?"

"Because it's not that simple, JJ," you scoffed, crossing your arms defensively. "This entire place is a reminder of my past. So forgive me if I'm 'acting weird,'" you spat, the words coming out sharper than you intended.

JJ looked taken aback, his eyes narrowing slightly as he processed your words. "Your past? Y/n, we all have pasts here. But you don't see me freaking out and running off in the middle of the night," he retorted, his voice tinged with frustration.

You felt a surge of anger rising within you. "You don't get it, JJ. This place, these memories... they're not something I can just brush off. Every corner, every street brings back something I thought I had moved on from. And you standing here, accusing me of cheating, just makes it worse."

"Well, it's nothing you haven't done before," JJ replied, his tone biting and accusatory.

You flinched at his words, feeling the sting of his accusation. "That's not fair, JJ," you said softly, trying to keep your voice steady despite the turmoil inside you. "we were not together and you knew that. Why are you holding that against me? It was two years ago."

JJ scoffed, his frustration bubbling to the surface. "Yeah, well, it's hard to not think about when you keep disappearing and acting all secretive."

"I told you, I'm not doing anything behind your back," you insisted, your voice trembling with a mix of anger and desperation. "But you need to understand that I can't just forget everything that's happened here."

JJ's eyes bore into yours, the intensity of his gaze making you feel even more vulnerable. "Then help me understand, y/n. Because right now, all I see is you pulling away, and I don't know how to fix it."

"There's nothing to fix, JJ. You have to let me figure this out on my own," you asserted, your voice firm and resolute.

JJ's expression softened, a mix of resignation and concern in his eyes. "I just want to help, y/n. I hate seeing you like this."

"JJ, I just... think we need a break from each other right now," you confessed, your voice heavy with emotion. "I'm not in the place to be in a relationship right now, and obviously that's evident to you, too."

JJ's expression faltered, a mix of surprise and disappointment crossing his features. "A break?" he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper.

You nodded, your gaze fixed on the ground. "Yeah, just for a while. I need some time to sort things out, figure out what I want."

There was a weighty silence between you as JJ processed your words. Eventually, he let out a heavy sigh. "Okay," he said, his voice tinged with resignation. "If that's what you need."

You offered him a weak smile, grateful for his understanding. "Thank you, JJ. I'm sorry."

He reached out to touch your arm, a fleeting gesture of comfort. "Don't be sorry, Y/N. Just take care of yourself, okay?"

As you turned away from JJ, the tension in the air was palpable, thick with unresolved emotions. Your heart raced, a mixture of guilt, relief, and uncertainty coursing through your veins. With each step down the hallway, the weight of your decision seemed to grow heavier, pressing down on your shoulders like a burden too heavy to bear.

Tears blurred your vision as you hurried away, the sound of your own footsteps echoing in the empty corridor. You could feel JJ's eyes burning into your back, his unspoken questions hanging in the air like a stormcloud ready to burst. But you couldn't bring yourself to turn around, couldn't bear to face the hurt and disappointment that you knew would be written across his face.

Just when you thought you couldn't take another step, you collided with someone, jolting you out of your spiraling thoughts. It was Sarah.

"Whoa, y/n, are you okay?" Sarah's eyes widened in concern as she steadied you with a hand on your arm. Her warm smile quickly faded when she saw the tears streaming down your face.

You looked up at her, struggling to find the words. "I... I broke up with JJ," you finally admitted, your voice trembling.

Sarah's face softened with sympathy. "Oh, y/n, I'm so sorry. What happened?"

You wiped a tear from your cheek, taking a shaky breath. "It's just... everything's been so overwhelming since we got back here. This place brings back so many memories, and JJ doesn't seem to understand. I felt like I was drowning, and I couldn't breathe. I needed space to figure things out."

Sarah gave you a sympathetic look and sighed, resonation hitting her as she spoke softly, "It's because of Rafe, isn't it?"

You fell silent, looking up at Sarah as tears welled up in your eyes. Unable to hold them back any longer, you nodded frantically and fell into her arms, sobbing onto her shoulder. She held you tightly, offering the comfort you so desperately needed.

"I thought I was over him, Sarah," you choked out between sobs. "I really did. But then when I saw him for the first time again, it all came back."

Sarah rubbed your back soothingly, her voice soft and understanding. "I know, y/n. Feelings like that don’t just disappear. It's okay to still have them. It’s okay to be confused."

You clung to her, the weight of your emotions pouring out as you continued to cry. "I don’t know what to do. Everything’s such a mess. I hurt JJ, and I feel so guilty about it. But at the same time, I can’t ignore what I feel for Rafe."

Sarah pulled back slightly, just enough to look you in the eyes. "Listen to me, y/n. You have to follow your heart. It’s not going to be easy, and people might get hurt, but you can’t live your life based on what others expect of you."

You nodded, wiping your tears with the back of your hand. "I just don’t want to keep making the same mistakes."

"You won’t," Sarah assured you. "You’re being honest with yourself and with everyone involved. That’s the most important thing. And no matter what happens, I’m here for you."

Taking a deep breath, you felt a glimmer of hope. "Thank you, Sarah. I don’t know what I’d do without you."

She smiled warmly, giving you another reassuring hug. "You’re stronger than you think, y/n. You’ll get through this."

You pulled away from the embrace and nodded at Sarah with a small smile, wiping away the last of your tears as you attempted to calm your breathing. "I need to go see Rafe. To tell him I ended things with JJ."

Sarah gave you an encouraging nod. "I think that’s a good idea. He deserves to know where you stand, and you deserve to move forward without any more confusion."

Taking a deep breath, you gathered your strength and turned to leave. The thought of seeing Rafe again filled you with both anxiety and anticipation. As you made your way to the door, Sarah's voice stopped you.

"Remember, y/n, you’re doing the right thing. Just be honest with him and with yourself."

You gave her one last grateful look before stepping outside. The rain had eased to a light drizzle, the cool drops refreshing against your skin. You pulled your hood up and started walking toward Rafe's place, your steps steady despite the turmoil inside you.

The journey felt longer than usual, every step bringing a new wave of doubt and fear. But you pushed through, knowing that this was something you had to do. You needed closure with JJ and a new beginning with Rafe, or at least clarity on where you stood with him.

When you finally arrived at Rafe's house, you hesitated at the door, your hand hovering just inches from the wood. Taking one last deep breath, you knocked, the sound echoing in the stillness of the night.

After a moment, the door opened, and there stood Rafe, his eyes widening in surprise and concern as he saw you standing there, rain-soaked and trembling.

"Y/n, what are you doing here?" he asked, stepping aside as you pushed yourself inside.

You entered, your heart pounding in your chest as you faced him. "I need to talk to you, Rafe. It's important."

Rafe looked at you, a nervous look on his face. His eyes scanned around behind him as if he were looking for something, which made you confused. "Y/n, we can talk whenever you want but right now really isn’t a good time—"

Before he could finish, a female voice came from the shadows of the hallway, "Rafe, who’s at the door?"

Your heart skipped a beat as you peered into the dimly lit corridor, trying to make out the figure approaching. The girl stepped into the light, revealing herself to be none other than Sophia, Rafe's supposed girlfriend. Her eyes widened slightly when she saw you, then narrowed in a mix of surprise and annoyance.

"Y/n?" Sophia said, her voice dripping with disdain. "What are you doing here?"

Your expression fell as you took in the sight of Sophia, a familiar pain surfacing that you thought you had forgotten. Seeing her was a harsh reminder that Rafe had moved on after you left, adding salt to your open wound. The shock and hurt must have been evident on your face because Rafe immediately tried to speak up.

"Y/n, wait—"

But before he could finish, you were already sprinting back down the driveway, the rain mixing with the tears streaming down your face. The dampness of the night mirrored the turmoil inside you, each step feeling heavier as you ran, trying to escape the crushing reality you had just faced.

Your thoughts were a whirlwind. The memory of Rafe's tender words and the undeniable connection you felt with him clashed violently with the image of Sophia standing in his hallway. The betrayal stung deeply, and all you wanted was to put as much distance as possible between you and the pain.

───────── ౨ৎ ─────────

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[kizzer55555]

Core Gems

So when a ghost becomes injured, they have a last ditch defense where they retreat into their core. And I mean, injured badly where their body is rip apart to the point they can’t hold a solid form anymore. And they basically go into a hibernation state until they are strong enough to form again.

Ellie, Danny, and Dan are all injured in a final battle against the GIW. The organization was destroyed and the ghosts were safe but the halfas ended up being so injured that they reverted to core form and then went to sleep for a bit. When they woke up, they were still weak but at least recovered enough to gain consciousness. And realize…they are in some kind of auction…in the middle of a heist. It appeared that two furries (one in a bat costume and one in a cat costume) were ducking it out. And they…they were a necklace. All three of them had been turned into a necklace with their cores as gems accompanied by sapphires, pearls, and opals. And frankly gorgeous craftsmanship as the metal was crafted around their cores as if to cradle them and the other gems.

Unfortunately, they were too weak to take a form properly, they could still feel the strain on their bodies. But at least they could still communicate through their auras. Then the cat lady punched a hole in the glass container surrounding them and grabbed their necklace.

However, the bat grabbed the other end and it resulted in a sort of tug-a-war. Meanwhile, Danny, Ellie, and Dan were having a back and form commentary on the situation and what they should do. Completely unheard by the other party.

In the corner of their eye, the three halfas finally noticed a third contender. Some kind of clown who was…hold on…holding a gun?! And it was pointed straight at the two fighting furies who had yet to notice him. The ghosts’ protective instincts went into overdrive and they frantically tried to shout, yell, move. Just do something to warn the two but their cries fell on deaf ears. All they succeeded in doing was faintly glow which immediatly caught the attention of the fighting duo. The two turned to look at the strange necklace but right at that moment, the clown fired and a gunshot rang throughout the auction room. Having no other options, Danny and the others poured every ounce of ectoplasm they had to try and phaseshift, making the two furries intangible as the bullets passed right through them, but in their shock, the two jumped away in opposite directions and accidentally ripped the necklace apart. Gems and pearls went flying and the three cores bounced along the ground.

Luckily, the two finally noticed the clown and went to deal with him and his minions who had appeared. Seemingly putting their fight on hold and forming a temporary truce. The three halfas could only watch as the battle finally wound down, ending with the cops barging into the place and arresting the clown and his grunts, the cat managing to escape with half the scattered gems and pearls from the broken necklace along with a few other jewelry pieces (none of their cores though) and the bat leaving through a skylight.

The auction continued and in the end, despite being broken, their necklace seemed to have caught someone’s interest. A man named Bruce Wayne bought up every piece of the shattered jewelry wear. The auctioneers appeared relived that the item managed to sell in the end and gratefully gave it to him.

Bruce had no idea what happened at the auction, but he could have sworn that some of the gems faintly glowed right before he and Selina were shot. If the necklace was some sort of magical item, then he needed to understand exactly what has been brought to Gotham. It was unfortunate that Selena had taken some parts of the necklace but he utilized his vast wealth to make sure all the other parts ended in his possession. Now he would take them back to the mansion for examination.

[writingquestionsanswered]

Anonymous asked: I have a few questions as an aspiring writer and a current fanfic writer who publishes.

Okay! But if you write fan-fiction, you're already a writer! I'm guessing you mean an aspiring author? ♥

How would you help with distractions and writer's block? I try to dedicate myself to writing, but then I wander off to other stuff and my motivation wanes.

This is not uncommon and there can be a lot of different reasons for why it happens. Understanding the reason behind why it's happening is important for knowing how to fix it. I have a couple posts that will help with this:

5 Reasons You Lost Interest in Your WIP, Plus Fixes! Feeling Unmotivated with WIP Writer’s Block

How do you advise me outlining a huge original story plot with world-building in an organized way that isn't just scattered?

Outlining is really just any method that helps you get all the important pieces of the story out, in order, so that you can use it as a reference while writing. Some people use one big beginning to end summary. Some people like scene lists or timelines. Other people like scene cards or mind maps... Different things work for different people, so part of the work you need to do as a writer is figure out which method/methods work best for you.

I often find, though, that the struggle people have with outlining is less about what method to use and more about how to actually fill out the details, which brings me around to plot and story structure. All stories have structure. Fan-fiction is often short, character-driven fiction, which gives it a different structure from the average novel. That said, even if you're a prolific fan-fiction writer, you may still need to take some time to learn about plot and story structure. I'll link a few posts that will help, but once you understand story structure (all the specific plot points a story should go through), it becomes much easier to know how to outline it.

Guide: How to Outline a Plot Guide: Starting a New (Long Fiction) Story Basic Story Structure Beginning a New Story How to Move a Story Forward Plot Driven vs Character Driven Stories Understanding Goals and Conflict

What advice would you give for writing fictional religions and mythology?

First and foremost, it's important to understand the role religion and mythology play in your story... how do they feed into your characters' beliefs? How do they influence your characters' actions and behavior? How do they guide the forces of power in your story's world? How do they impact the story's conflict/s and plot? Ultimately, you don't want to put a lot of time into creating and fleshing out a religion or mythology that's ultimately unimportant to the story. It helps to focus most on the aspects that truly matter.

Also, you might consider using real world mythology and religions as inspiration... just be careful about cultural appropriation. It's best not to use anything that belongs to an active culture or religion unless it's yours, or unless you do intense research and consult with sensitivity readers to make sure you don't do anything harmful.

And lastly, what sources do you recommend to accurately describe buildings (especially castles and manors) battlefields, geographical locations especially when it comes to mountains and rivers, etc), dresses and clothing especially if it isn't modern, and fighting techniques that are believable (for example, how a smaller woman would fight a larger man without being unrealistic)?

1 - Find Inspiration Sources - No matter when and where your story is set, it's important to find inspiration sources for the places in your story, whether that's buildings, towns, regions, whatever. Not only will this help you imagine and describe what you're envisioning, it will help you immensely with research on specific details.

2 - Time and Place Are Important - Many descriptive details are specific to time and place, so make sure you know that about your inspiration sources and/or the elements in your story. You can do a Google search for layout, architecture, and design (along with relevant location and era information) to find the details you need. For example, "medieval European castle layout" or "Victorian era manor house architectural details." Likewise, you can look for "Tudor era menswear" or "Victorian era dress details."

3 - Fighting Techniques - This again will tie into the time and place when your story is set. However, some fighting techniques will be somewhat timeless. I would strongly suggest heading over to @howtofightwrite for the best information and resources about portraying fighting techniques in writing.

Happy writing!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

♦ Questions that violate my ask policies will be deleted! ♦ Please see my master list of top posts before asking ♦ Learn more about WQA here

[emhm]

Coffee? Please?

Let me preface this by saying; I am not disabled and this is not about 'urgent' vet bills.

[I have an outstanding debt to pay in that regard, but the monthly payment is small and the service was already done. It was the amputation for our kitten Lucky's dead front leg.]

I do have a job and the pay is too good to quit. I work 40 hours a week and I spend almost 13 more hours just driving to and from work because our boss 'can't find a work assignment closer to where I live.' Up until about two weeks ago my partner was also working 40 hours a week on an opposing shift. We were just starting to get on top of our crushing pile of monthly bills. Then she lost her work assignment [not her fault] and he couldn't find anything else for her to do. So she lost a whole weeks pay. He found her a place, but now she's only getting 24 hours a week instead of 40. And we were already struggling to pay for the bare essentials. I was hoping so hard to just have something left when the bills were paid. But my entire tax return was used to pay for overdue bills and it still wasn't all of them.

-We have not had a working washing machine since September. Almost all of my ancient towels have rotted and ripped apart from trying to hang dry them to avoid killing the dryer too.

-Our house does not have central heat or air so we've been freezing for months with no money to buy wood for the stove. [It's warmer now but still in the low 40s at night where I am.]

-We have been flushing the toilet with buckets of water for almost a year because hiring a plumber is not happening.

-For over a year we have been fighting the flea infestation caused by the deadbeat trash-pit roommate we had to force to move out. They're biting me as well as the cats and I'm allergic to them. So I constantly have a rash on my feet and ankles. We never have money for flea drops consistently enough to get rid of them and I do not have a working vacuum to get rid of the flea eggs in the carpet.

-I just had to take on $1200 worth of debt because my tires were bald from my ungodly commute and they told me the brakes need replacing very soon.

-Our youngest cat Lucky will need to be fixed soon because she's almost old enough to go into heat. [She's indoors only but I don't want to deal with the screaming.]

Our predatory mortgage payment is almost $2000 a month with all their shitty add-on fees. My car payment is $334. The internet is $87. The power is usually $125. Car insurance is about $115. Garbage is $65. Our car is shared and I go through 1 tank +1/4 tank of gas EVERY WEEK. I owe both Sunbit AND Carecredit. We're both estranged from abusive parents and have no other family to turn to in an emergency.

I can't ask for money for fanfic. I know that's unethical and illegal.

But I can tell you that I write better/faster/more when I'm not distracted by gut-wrenching despair, crippling anxiety attacks and the bone-deep fear of quickly losing my home because I'm always two missed paychecks away from disaster. I know pretty much everyone is in the same boat, and my problems aren't unique or special.

But anything helps.

I have several hundred dollars in overdue bills from last month and it's already time for the next month's to start arriving. I feel so hopeless and I don't know what else to do besides resorting to begging.

I just set up a Ko-fi account - https://ko-fi.com/followmeontumblr

My Paypal is attached to this old email address - Nightshade518@yahoo.com

I have an Etsy shop with some things for sale - https://www.etsy.com/shop/PatchworkLaboratory

I also have a Spoonflower shop with fabric featuring my designs. [I only make $1.50 per yard that people buy though.] - https://www.spoonflower.com/profiles/infamousdoctorf

And for anyone who was kind enough to read this whole thing- I do have some NSFW sketches I've drawn for "Eclipse Meets His Match" that I have nowhere safe to post. If you're bold enough to direct-message me with the line-

"I swear on all I hold holy that I am not a minor. Show me the art."

I'll let you see them. Thank you either way.

-Doc

[sokkastyles]

Zutara Month Day 27: "Shall We?"

Part 1, Part 2.

It had taken some asking around, but Katara had heard tell of a clear spring in a secluded place a short walk from the city, a place where the water ran cool. Just to be sure that she would be on her own, she had slipped away from the palace several hours past sunset, while the moon was high and bright.

The water, the solitude, and the silver gleam on the surface of the pool made her blood tingle pleasantly. Things had finally calmed down at the palace, the housing project was going smoothly, and there had not been another assassination attempt since that night in Zuko's room.

And yet, Katara knew that if she were to tell Zuko about her nightly excursion to the spring, he might disapprove, saying something about how things were dangerous in the city for the friends of the Avatar. And what about your friends, she had asked him. What about you, Zuko?

She worried for him increasingly, much more than she did for herself, and always when she thought of Zuko there was something else, too. And it wasn't just that he was attractive. Because yes, she was mature enough to admit that Zuko was objectively good-looking, athletic, fit. She was also mature enough not to dwell on the thought of him, naked in the moonlight. The feel of his lips brushing against hers roughly. An accident, not a real kiss. If Zuko wanted to kiss her, it would be, it would be...

Shaking off that thought with the rest of her clothing, Katara stepped in to the cool water, her body quickly becoming acclimated to the pleasant temperature. Cool, and calm at last.

Until there came a rustling from the underbrush. Katara did not wait to see who it was coming along the secluded path, her mind thinking of assassins. She sunk down into the water until it was over her head, quickly creating a bubble of air around her mouth and nose. Her loose hair fanned out around her under the water as she waited, hearing the muffled sounds of someone approaching.

The person stepped into the water, bare feet and pale, naked legs moving towards her as she watched from below the surface. The person didn't seem to see her, though. As they waded further into the pool, Katara could see that it was a man.

Quite plainly, in fact.

Then he leaned back in the water, wetting his sleek dark hair that was still shorter than most people wore it in the Fire Nation, and rose up again with a splash and a long, loud sigh that she could hear from below the surface.

Oh, no.

Katara's foot slipped on the sandy bottom of the pool as she hurried to expand her air bubble, suddenly feeling quite out of breath. No way could she come up out of the water with Zuko there, though. Unfortunately, the sliding of her feet kicked up some pebbles that rippled through the water with a kerplunk.

She saw Zuko, or more correctly, his bottom half, whirl around in the direction the rocks had been kicked. He still didn't know where she was, and he had turned, giving her an athletic study in the view of his backside.

"Who's there?" She heard him say from above the water.

She felt a pang of guilt, thinking of how few restful nights he had probably gotten as firelord. He probably saw assassins in every shadow, and he would be right to. He had probably come here to be alone, as she had, and here she was spying on him unawares while he was in such a vulnerable position.

She was no better though, her clothes discarded by the side of the pool, her accidental voyeurism about to be discovered by one of her deepest friends.

Then there was a loud splash, and Zuko cried out, and Katara saw the light of firebending from above the water. The water below grew cloudy as things started happening that Katara could only guess at.

Of course, if Zuko had found his way here, so could someone else. Perhaps he had even been followed. Katara sprang from the water, its surface pooling around her, ready to fight, to throw her bending at the assassin, and saw -

Zuko standing in the water a few feet away from her, a ball of fire alight in his palm, his amber eyes glittering in the moonlight and a small smile of triumph playing on his face.

Katara quickly drew the water around her, making it freeze and cling to her skin where her underwrappings would normally be as she stood facing Zuko.

"How did you know it was me?" She was too proud to admit defeat.

"I saw your wrappings by the shore." Zuko shrugged. "And, well, this is a little unfair." He made a gesture that encompassed her in her icy wrappings and then returned to where he stood naked in the barely waist high water. Droplets glistened on his bare chest, dripping down to below the waterline.

He could melt the ice if he wanted. All he had to do was touch her. Katara thought about what it would be like to have his warm hands on her, heating up her skin. She wanted to ask him to, but she would not, could not. She dared him with her silence, as they both just stood there, neither willing to move.

"What now?" she said.

This was it. The moment when she'd been found out. Even with the icy wrappings, she felt as bare and exposed as if she had been standing before him with nothing. She had clearly won, and yet, and yet...

"Well," he mused, his eyes sparkling, "I know a secluded spot along the beach where we can dry off. Shall we?"

And Zuko held out his hand.

Katara took it.

[delicatebarness]

“While they’re happy” I’m going to hyperventilate.

Maybe a request where Bucky shows up again after a fight but is a bit extra drunk as well, and is just so extra lovey and touchy with crybaby. And he sleeps on her couch again. I think that one part you wrote was so sweet when you wrote that one time when they were laying together.

cry baby | "my safe place,"

Summary: ^^ Requested.

Warnings: Fluff. Drunk Bucky.

Word Count: 517

Series Masterlist

Tags: @winterslove1917 | @thetorturedbuckydepartment | @thezombieprostitute | @buckys0whore

Late one night, there was a soft knocking at your door. You opened it to find Bucky, looking worse for wear. Bruised knuckles, a cut above his eyebrow, and his expression was mixed with frustration and something softer. He swayed slightly as he leaned against the doorframe, it was clear he overdid it at the bar. 

“Hey, Sweetheart,” he slurred, using the affectionate name he’d adopted for you back when you were children. “Mind if I stay here again?” 

Stepping aside, you let him in. “Bucky, are you okay? What happened?”

He shrugged, a failed attempt at acting nonchalant. “Just a little fight… Nothing I can’t handle.” He paused, his eyes softened as he looked down at you. “I missed you.”

Closing the door behind him, you sighed. “You shouldn’t be fighting, Bucky.”

The alcohol made his smirk a bit lopsided as he reached his arm out for you. “Couldn’t help it… but, being here with you makes it all better.”

You guided him to the couch, helping him to sit. As he flopped down, you felt his gaze on you as you wandered into the kitchen, fetching him a glass of water. He immediately pulled you down to him after you placed the glass on the coffee table.

His arms warped around you, burying his face in your shoulders. “God, you always smell so good,” he murmured, his voice muffled. 

Despite the worry that gnawed at you, you couldn’t help but smile. “You’re a mess, Bucky.” 

“Ah, but I’m your mess,” he said, lifting his head to catch your gaze. His eyes were soft, the blue almost vulnerable. He pressed a gentle kiss to your temple. “You’re my favorite person, you know that?” his breath reeked of beer, yet you found yourself craving the scent of it. 

Your cheeks rushed with heat, you tried to steady your voice. “And, you’re mine.” 

“Good,” he mumbled, his eyes fluttering closed.

As he drifted off, you managed to move him so he could be lying down on the couch. Grabbing a blanket, you covered him before sitting down on the floor beside him. His hand found yours, and even in his sleep, he held onto it tightly. 

Bucky has a tough exterior, but it comes with a soft side that only you were trusted enough to see. 

You rested your head against the couch, closing your eyes. Within moments, you felt Bucky shifting, his hand tugging at you lightly. “Come up here,” he sleepily murmured.

Carefully, you climbed onto the couch, lying beside him. His arms wrapped around you, pulling you closer to his chest. “That’s better,” he whispered. You nodded in response. 

The night grew quiet, his arms wrapped around you, and you felt a sense of peace. You could feel him lightly tracing shapes over your shirt, sending soft tickles over your skin. 

“Thanks for being my safe place,” he whispered, his voice barely audible as he placed a gentle kiss on your forehead. 

Your eyes began to well, a sniffle escaping. “And you, mine,” you whispered back to him, tilting your head to kiss his nose.

[definesanity]

Lords and Dames That Sung in The Chapels on a Sunday

There was a library in Laplace, which many borrowed books from. Likewise, there is one in the SPDM, too.

Due to circumstances, the one from the former to had to help the latter, leaving Mesmer Jr. to take the part as the librarian in Laplace.

Which also meant she had to deal with the genius herself.

Every so often, at the exact same time, she always came by. Either to borrow or return a book, and always making sure to say at least one thing to Mesmer Jr. before she left.

It made her want to tear out Vertin's throat and--

Vertin came towards the desk, holding a borrowed book. "Good day, Mesmer Jr."

"...Good day, Vertin." replied the girl who did not want any interaction with any Arcanist ever. "Returning?"

"Yes, I am," she passed over the book to the Mesmer child. "I found it quite interesting, if quite morbid."

It was, of all things, a book detailing Jack The Ripper. Insane.

Mesmer's expression did not shift, but she did look from the book to Vertin. "I did not expect you to enjoy such grotesque stories, Miss Vertin."

"I don't, really," she replied, face equally stoney. "But I found it interesting on the many factors involved with the cases in 1888 Whitechapel."

"'Factors', you say?" Mesmer Jr. replied. No one else was in the library, meaning she had to keep the conversation going. "Like what? The police dogs?"

"Indeed," Vertin nodded, which was not what Mesmer was expecting. "The Metropolitan police failed with a number of aspects; using bloodhounds was one of them."

"I hope you realise that the story isn't true."

"I know, yes; I still find it intriguing. Moreso when you consider the fact we still know not many details of Jack the Ripper."

"And why, pray tell, are you so enamoured with that madman?"

Vertin shrugged. "A current interest. And, it helps to converse with others."

"Ah, yes. Because people would love to discuss serial killers." Mesmer rolled her eyes.

"And what we are doing right now, then?"

"..." Mesmer paused. Then, placed the book back on the shelf. "Are you here to borrow another book, Miss Vertin?"

"No, just wanted to return it." Vertin gave a smile and a bow. "Good day."

She started to walk out.

After a moment, Mesmer followed after her.

"You appearing every day is a plot, isn't it?"

Vertin shook her head. "Not at all."

"You had never used the library prior to my starting there. You must have a reason behind it."

"..." Vertin looked, for once, conflicted. Eventually, she gave a short sigh. "A guilty consciousness. That is all."

"And who's fault is that, hm?" Mesmer Jr replied, her tone clipped. "Need I remind you of--?"

"Mesmer." Vertin's voice cut her off. It was quiet, but Mesmer could hear anger in it.

"Oh? Touched a nerve, did I? I'm surprised that exposed nerve hasn't healed yet, all these years later."

"Mesmer, I'm warning you." Vertin's expression was stormy, eyes narrowed.

"Now you're warning, huh? Could have saved a group of innocent children, had you warned us!" she wasn't shouting, but her voice had been raised.

"Mesmer."

"Oh, no, but you thought you had everything planned out, didn't you?! Our dear little girl, our dear little genius, a leader for a group of children!"

"Mesmer!"

"And look where we are now, Vertin:" she stared directly at Vertin, hatred in her eyes. "Us, alive. And Isabella and The Ring? De--"

SLAP.

It took both parties to register what had happened. Vertin was the first, eyes filled with fury. "THE FOUNDATION KNEW, DAMN IT!"

Mesmer Jr. placed a hand near her right cheek, feeling a stinging sensation. "What did--?"

Vertin grabbed a hold of both of Mesmer Jr.'s hands, and slammed her against the wall, staring down at her, body shaking in pure, unadulterated, anger.

"Every move we made on that day, every fight, every step, even the timing in which we defeated Lilya? All planned by Constantine."

Mesmer had never seen this side of Vertin before. Like all bubbles, you can only make it grow so much before it bursts. And in this case, it bursted violently and swiftly.

"There was no way of knowing I'd lead them to their deaths!" Vertin exclaimed, their voice now slightly hysterical from 4 years worth of repressed feelings and emotions. "And no way in knowing I'd become the Timekeeper!"

She squeezed hard on Mesmer's arms, and the girl knew it would leave rashes. "So for once, in your goddamn life, DON'T. RUSH. TO CONCLUSIONS."

With a rough sigh, she let go of Mesmer Jr's arms. And, without looking back, left.

Mesmer slid down the wall, and looked at her arms. Peeling back the sleeves, she saw red start to form.

She should be hateful. She should go and report Vertin. Heck, she can, right now.

...But then...

Why is it that she feels...

...She deserves this?

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

She did not often use Arcanium. But this was an exception.

She used it to stop the rashes from vanishing from her arms, and spent the next day trying to figure out what was going on.

Mesmer Jr. thought on Vertin. Not the Timekeeper, not that small, idiotic child, but Vertin.

And found that, no matter how hard she could, she could not feel any distate towards her. If she tried, all she felt would be... an empty feeling.

Vertin was just... Vertin. A girl thrust into a role she did not want.

Like herself, in some ways.

She rolled down her sleeves, and got to work.

She thought during it, too.

Arcanists were chaotic, it's in their nature.

It was Constantine who showed her that...

She stopped dead in her tracks in her room.

Was that... also apart of what happened--?

"That's a curious expression."

She turned to face the intruder, a mask set immediately. "Get out, X."

X did not listen, that smile on his lips taunting her. "You know, being a researcher, my field often overlaps with others. In this case, I can safely say I can fully understand that you're experiencing some... interesting emotions."

"..." Mesmer Jr. sighed. "No, you know what? I don't have enough energy to deal with you. Good day."

She slammed her head into the desk, and as planned, fell unconscious.

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

She woke back up in her own bed. She could tell it was, because she was the only one to have air fresheners in her room.

Her eyes didn't have to adjust to the light, it being low in brightness, and saw a retreating figure.

One with a top hat.

"Wait." she rasped out.

Vertin stopped. Then, turned around.

"Hello, Mesmer." she said. "I... owe you an--"

"If you're going to apologise, then let me do it." she said, controlling her breathing as the headache (unexpected) began to set in. "I provoked you. It was only natural you'd respond, what with so much repressed emotions."

Vertin stayed silent, but she looked momentarily surprised. Not that Mesmer Jr. could blame her. She isn't one to be trustworthy, after everything.

"...What I'm trying to say is..." she breathed in and out, struggling to get the words out. Saying aorry is not something she often does. And for good reason. But in this case...

"...I'm... sorry, for my behaviour."

Vertin looked at her. And then, smiled. "Thank you for being honest. I also apologise, although that is for the..." she trailed off, and Mesmer rolled her eyes.

"I wouldn't have kept the rashes if I didn't want to. Whatever you did, it made me think on a number of things; the fact that I have never gotten to know Vertin was one of them."

Vertin, once more, looked quite surprised. "...If that is the case... when you have recovered, would you care to do that?"

Mesmer looked at Vertin. And, for a split second, Vertin swore she saw the lips of the girl upturn. "Provided there is coffee. It is not often that I indulge, and I want to make sure that I do not perish due to boredom during it."

Vertin gave a nod, smiling. And then left, leaving Mesmer Jr. alone once more with her thoughts.

She looked over to her bedside.

It was a music player, and it has a cassette in it. She leaned over and turned it on.

A song she did not recognise started to play. And the calmness to it, like being near a beach, lulled her into a sleep.

She did not recall the dream. But when she woke up, she found her lips in a smile.

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

She drank from her coffee slowly and carefully, taking time to enjoy every ounce of it.

As she said, she did not partake in it often. But if there is one thing Mesmer Jr. enjoys, it is the taste of espresso. A comfort, in a world of stupidity and nonsense...

Speaking of nonsensical, Mesmer Jr. looked at Vertin, who drank heartily from a cup of mocha.

The two sat in silence in the Suitcase. There was no one here but them.

Mesmer Jr. took the time to truly study Vertin. Her face was a healthy flush, and Mesmer could smell remains of soap and deodorant on her.

"For the record, pineapple does not suit you." Mesmer Jr. commented.

"It was the only one I had at that current moment." Vertin replied.

The two, once again, went into silence. It felt... strange. One was meant to hate the other and, yet, that very same person who sat there did, in fact, not hate the other one.

Hatred is an emotion that is something Mesmer feels often, mostly towards those in the ward. And, yet, she felt none towards Vertin.

And it annoys her greatly.

"If you don't mind me asking..." Vertin spoke up. "You have heard quite a bit about me, either thorough Laplace or the Foundation; so, would you like to share anything about yourself?"

"Not particularly," Mezmer Jr. immediately replied. "...But, since you are insisting, there was this one event I can remember from my childhood.

"When I was younger, I just so happened to write down my thoughts or any passing interests on pieces of paper. This came to bite me as, one day, my father noticed them and brought me downstairs.

"'Jane, Jane!' he yelled, waving the piece of paper in his hand. 'Look at how intelligent our daughter is! It is certainly a strange way of seeing the world, but one oh so interesting!'"

Mesmer Jr. looked deeply unimpressed. "My mother took the paper, gave it a quick glance, looked at my father, and said: 'James. These are the lyrics to Bohemian Rhapsody."

A small but noticeable snort came from Vertin upon hearing this.

"After that, I can't remember any more, because I was sent to the SPDM." she gave another sip of her coffee. "By the way, having all that sugar could lead to a heart attack."

Vertin immediately put the cube of sugar she had in her hand down. "And you?"

Mesmer Jr. took another sip. "I will be fine. I measured the exact amount I needed and used it."

"I've always noticed that you recall the times of ceratin things; it's rare to meet someone with a photographic memory."

"Well, congratulations to you." Mesmer Jr. remarked, and finished her drink. "..."

She looked away. And then, back. "...Thank you for the coffee, Vertin."

"My pleasure," Vertin smiled. And then stood up. "And, before you go..."

She passed a gift box to her. "Here. Sorry if it's nothing special."

Mesmer Jr. gave a non-committal hum and left the room.

She arrived back at her own in the Suitcase, and opened the box.

It was a plant. A very distinctive one, too.

Lycoris radiata. The red spider lily.

She could have simply returned it. And left it be. A memory.

Instead, she held it gently, and stared.

And stared.

And stared.

And, then, as the stared, she noted a feeling inside of her stomach.

A flutter, as she stared at the gift in her hands.

Maybe...

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

They met again and again, over the course of three weeks.

During that time, Medicine Pocket was seen entering Mesmer Jr.'s room and later seen leaving via running out, their right hand broken. Both parties deny that Mesmer Jr. had any influence.

During it, both also thought more on each other.

Vertin saw Mesmer Jr. as an enigma, one that had many mysteries, and Vertin was curious about each and every one of them.

She was a girl that had so many things go wrong for her, and no one was there to help pick up the pieces. During that short time, Vertin felt as if she had gotten to know someone she both knew, and did not know both at the same time.

She... loved Mesmer Jr. And she knew that Mesmer would never return it.

To Mesmer Jr., she saw Vertin much like the flower she was given. Mesmer Jr. knew both of their hands were dirty with many deeds, but Mesmer Jr. learnt something during these interactions:

That fluttering was caused by intense emotional responses. In layman's terms, she... loved Vertin.

And that scared her, more than it did disgust her.

She did not want to become the one Vertin loved, as Mesmer did not want anything bad to happen to her.

Mesmer was afraid. Afraid and, she can admit to herself, cowardly.

And, yet...

That gentle embrace gave both new worries and made old ones vanish.

"Mesmer..."

The two stood in silence. A gentle one, once more.

And, very slowly, Mesmer held Vertin, too.

"...Jane."

"Hm?" Vertin looked at Mesmer, who looked back.

"When it is merely you and I, call me by my first name."

Vertin nodded. And smiled to herself.

Jane Mesmer Jr. What a beautiful name.

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

The door opened, and Vertin looked up. "Hello, Jane."

"Don't." Mesmer said, sitting down on her bed. "I know that I said I wanted to try and talk to other Arcanists, why did you stick me with Regulus?"

"She was the only one available."

"..." Mesmer sat in silence. Then, looked up. "My term as the temporary librarian has come to a close. I was informed on my way back five minutes and thirty-one seconds ago."

"Shame," Vertin said. "I... enjoyed you being there."

"You only did to come and see me. And, besides, Jack the Ripper?"

"It was the only book I saw at the time," Vertin tried to defend herself.

Still, Mesmer looked at her. And then, sighed. "I suppose... as far as Arcanists go, anyways... you..."

"..."

"...'

Mesmer looked at Vertin, a very small, but still there, smile on her face. "You are... alright, I suppose."

[hogwartslegacyreactions2]

Jumping on the headcanons bandwagon: do you have any for professor Sharp? Love your work, this is one of my favourite blogs.

A/N: I'm happy you enjoy my work 😌 💕

AESOP SHARP HEADCANONS

Sorted to Slytherin

Quiet and reserved, but not shy, just heavily introverted

He was a quick study of DADA, charms and potions; top of the class

Struggled with transfiguration, a bit too technical for his liking

Always wanted to be an auror, most of his family members were

Had one best friend in school, they both strived to be aurors

Never had a girlfriend in school; he didn't understand the romantic obsession some teenagers had, he likes his alone time

Graduated with high marks and went straight to auror training

It was his mentor that taught him "Shortcuts only lead to shortcomings"

This is where his lack of interpersonal skills hurt him; he could track and fight dark wizards till the stars themselves fell, but calm a distraught person over the death of a loved one? ....nope. awkward as hell.

And office politics at the Ministry? Actual hell. Hated the lot of them.

Except one

A young secretary working for one of the higher ups, she was one of the few people he could stand to be around without losing his mind

He found himself making excuses to go see her or finding the most mundane reasons to go talk to her

His best friend turned work partner knew right away what was happening, would tease him endlessly about it

She made the first move to go on a date; nothing fancy, just a casual lunch date

They never made it back to work from talking for so long

Both of them got writeups but didn't care

He knew within months of knowing her that he wanted to marry her

He proposed privately in his family's garden, just them and the spring butterflies

He was on top of the world; being one of the best aurors the Ministry had and about to marry the love of his life

....but we all know it doesn't end that way

December 31, 1875

He and his partner were ambushed while on assignment

His partner, his best friend, dies

Death curse to the chest, his eyes frozen wide with surprise

Aesop fights off a total of 35 dark wizards single handedly, being critically injured in the process

He holds his fallen partner as he uses the last of his strength to apparate to St. Mungo's

He passed out on the street in front of the hidden hospital where he is found by staff

He sleeps for days in the hospital, his fiance staying with him as long as she can every day

When he wakes up, he's silent

Even when he looks at his lover, his eyes are dark and hollow

The healers did what they could for him but the damage his body took from the curses would leave him with chronic pain and a limp for the rest of his life

He struggles to walk out of St. Mungo's but refuses to use a cane; pride won't let him

His injuries result in his medical discharge from being an auror, his response is anger

His grief over the list of his partner and career sent him down a dark spiral of self destruction

He becomes belligerent, aggressively arguing with everyone over anything about his condition (mentally or physically)

He drinks to numb the pain

That only makes things worse

Any money he had for a wedding is slowly squandered away by drink

Hangovers made him even more insufferable

He refused to talk to anyone about the night of his friend's death, even his fiance

He didn't even go to his friends service, it made things too final and he wasn't ready to accept his friend's death

His behavior eventually led to a fight with his fiance, a big one

She left the ring on the table

He never saw her again

He was alone

Weeks later a familiar face came knocking, his mentor

His mentor gave him the talk he needed to hear

There where shouts of anger until tears of sorrow flowed

He broke and finally accepted that he was in a bad place

Everything he had was gone and he needed to let himself greive

Even after he finally took the time to take care of himself, he still didn't know what to do next until Hogwarts needed a new potions professor

He could try that

Teach kids...not his first choice but he wasn't doing anything else with his life at the time

Worst case scenario, he quits

Turns out he loves it. as much as teaching comes with its own stresses, watching them figure out and admire a well earned accomplishment makes it all worth it

In his time at Hogwarts, he's tried contacting his lost love to no avail

It's one of his deepest regrets, pushing her away

He's well settled as a professor and living life one day at a time

[cannibalclass]

Do u write fics and if so could u write one between kate and Caitlin 😊

the way i absolutely do not write fics but i wrote one just for you...ask and you shall receive i guess!

friends or lovers, which will it be?

caitlin clark x kate martin

caitlin is frustrated and exhausted after a loss. kate tries to comfort her which just leads to a mini mental breakdown whoop whoop

word count: 1.5k

uhh lots of angst

Besides the court, there was no other place else Caitlin loved being in than in a bed. With the near-, forget it, straight up unbearable media circus following her every move since last season’s March Madness, that feeling had only intensified. There were also days where she just wanted a hug. Today was one of them. 

It wasn’t long before she’d heard a click at the door, followed by Kate walking in, hotel key in one hand and a box of chocolate chip cookies in the other.

“Hey,”, the dirty blonde greeted with a smile, before placing the box on the drawer next to Caitlin’s bed and hopping on her own. “I know how hard everything was today….I got your favorites.” 

Despite all the shit she’d been through today, Cait couldn’t help but smile and greet her back. Amidst all the media frenzy, Kate was the one person she could rely on to have her back. Since the europe trip, they’d grown closer and closer, they’d always say they were the bestest of friends and Kate seemed to think it too….but Caitlin wasn’t exactly sure if her feelings towards her were purely platonic anymore. 

Remote in hand already, Caitlin decided to channel surf. They only had a couple hours until they had to leave for their flight back to CHA Iowa anyway, and it wasn’t like they could do much else.

‘Iowa and Caitlin Clark lose in overtime loss to Ohio State, 100-92.’

The sentence stung like a bee. She’d put up 45 points and still lost the game. No one else on the team had more than 20. The loss wasn’t sweet, and neither were the comments her coaches had made after the game. “More,” they'd insist. “When the rest of the team can’t get it going, it’s up to you to step it up.” They couldn’t & wouldn’t say it directly, but even a 5 year-old could read between the lines and know what they were really implying. The exact same suggestions they had made in the NC State blowout loss the season prior. 

‘Star player Caitlin Clark collides with fans following a court storm, and social media is DIVIDED over whether she flopped or whether it was truly an accident’

To make matters worse, she had just happened to collide with a fan while storming the court. It was just so sudden. Caitlin had just been so absentminded walking off the court, wanting to get this over with as soon as possible, that she didn’t even register the collision before she hit the floor. Droves of security & her teammates had come over, all with concerned looks on their faces. They couldn’t afford to lose the best player in the game, after all.

The concerned yet angry look on Kate’s face had been something Caitlin had never really witnessed before, or at least really paid attention to. Kate was the pacifier, the peace-maker of the team, it was her who would be the one to calm her down when she was acting up due to a mistake or a bad call. It felt weird, the roles being reversed. There were maybe three or four times she had really gotten angry like that around Caitlin, and yet when she had come across a clip of Kate as Caitlin was being carried off…the look of unabashed anger on her face made a certain feeling swell below her belly button. Something about the same girl who she would fight tooth and nail for unleash a rarely seen side over her almost made her feel…pride? 

“They’ve never been serious haven’t they,” Kate murmured to herself. Caitlin could hear it anyway, and quickly changed the channel before eventually turning it off. She had no idea why she’d left that on for that long, morbid curiosity was really a disease. 

“Why the fuck would you purposefully run into a fan like that? What would you gain from that? I swear….”

There’s that Kate again. Shades of the beast unleashed earlier in the day after the collision. Jada had joked in the locker room that they might have had to block her eyesight & cover her ears anytime anything regarding the incident came up before she turned into ‘Katezilla’. Caitlin would be lying if she said she didn’t find that hilarious. 

Kate glanced at her roommate with a look of worry on her face. She knew Caitlin was the type to internalize and blame herself in losses, even in games where she was the only one stepping up like today. Their coaches certainly didn’t help with that. Add on the media circus & pressure around her, Kate was almost certain that one of these days she was going to break. She was determined to not let that happen anytime soon. 

Caitlin had the hood of her sweatshirt up as she felt that all too familiar feeling start to bubble up. “Fuck.”, she muttered under her breath. Crying sessions weren’t unfamiliar territory for her, but it was really when her roommates were out of sight that she would let it all out. Kate was the last person she wanted to cry in front of, even though she knew her better than anyone else sans maybe her family did. 

Eventually, Kate had hopped out of her bed and into Caitlin’s. Seeing her favorite person in the world in such a distressed state made her want to start crying, too. The same girl whose 2nd favorite thing behind basketball was chocolate chip cookies, the same girl who would rush to pet a dog anytime she would come across one somewhere and talk to it like it was her own…it absolutely broke her heart. Kate leaned over and gave her a warm embrace, patting her head.

 “Cait…I’m right here, okay? I’m always here. You know that, right?”

And that’s all it took.

Caitlin’s head fell into the crook of Kate’s neck as she fell into her embrace, muffled yet loud sobs coming escaping her mouth.  She couldn’t hold it back anymore. This loss in particular felt so much worse than the Kansas State loss months prior. They were so close and Caitlin had truly tried her best and they still couldn’t pull it off. 

“Hey, stop.” Kate sighed as she let out a sad smile. “If you cry, I’m gonna start crying too.” 

“Promise you won’t overthink this loss too much, for me. This isn’t on you, you tried your best. I mean 45….that’s insane.” She soothed, rubbing her hands up and down Caitlin’s back. By this point, the brunette had stopped the loud sobbing, solely because she didn’t want to see Kate cry. She had still let out a small whimper at the mention of the 45 points though.  “I could’ve done better. The whole team could’ve done better. Take it this way, we can only go up from here. And as for the collision…..” Kate started to trail before getting back on track. She knew it was more likely than not an accident and couldn’t fathom how anyone would think otherwise. A feeling most similar to disappointment & anger started to build up again before she calmed down…it had already been hours and what happened had already happened. There wasn’t anything she could do now but comfort her best friend.

Did that even accurately describe their relationship at the moment? Best friends? Because it sure as hell didn’t feel like it right now.

“Cait, I love you so much. I hope you know that.”

Still trapped in Kate’s embrace (though she wouldn’t have it any other way really), Caitlin wanted to flinch at those words. Not because she didn’t love her back, it was the opposite actually, but did Kate love Caitlin the way Caitlin loved Kate?  It wasn’t the first time Kate had said those 3 words to her and most certainly wouldn’t be the last. But everytime she would say it, the question of whether she meant it as a friend or something more would plague Caitlin’s mind for hours and lead her into an existential crisis. The fact that it would be a year since Kate had broken up with her long-term girlfriend in a couple months certainly didn’t help at all. 

“Love you too,” She responded with a small smile, before pulling away, wiping what was left of her tears and getting up off the bed. “We should probably get going.”

She wouldn’t show it, but that hug and pep talk was exactly what she needed right then and there. 

Growing up in what was probably the most traditional Midwest family ever, Caitlin didn’t think falling in love with anyone other than a handsome, tall guy was even an option. A quick look at her old notebooks would show several pages full of her name plus whoever was the guy crush of the month at the time with hearts around both. Hopefully get into the league, marry a guy with a huge wedding, have kids…that was always the plan. 

This feeling…of feeling something that’s not purely platonic about someone of the same-sex was completely foreign to her, and she’d be lying if she said the uncertainty of it all wasn’t slowly killing her inside.

[sharpth1ng]

Do you have any tips for writing? Or you just go with the flow and hope for the best

I do have tips yeah, but keep in mind this is just how it works for me, there are probably lots of different approaches that are equally good.

My writing is pretty character driven so that drives a lot of my process.

When I'm writing I want to have a sense of how a character experiences the world, so I ask myself questions like this:

-Are they more cerebral, in their head? Or are they more sensory -How much tolerance do they have for bad things and feelings? -How do they react when something good happens? -Do they celebrate their wins or react with anxiety because winning adds pressure? -Are they embarrassed by compliments or do they take them well? If they're embarrassed do they get flustered or gruff? -Do their outward reactions match the way they feel inside? -Do they lie well? If they do is there anything they can't lie about? -What do they need to feel secure? -What calms them down? -What are their coping mechanisms? Make sure there are some bad ones (I mean that, imo a good character needs real flaws) -Do they speak directly about their feelings or do they talk around things

There's a lot more questions like that that you can ask yourself, and know the answers to those things makes it a lot easier to figure out how they would react to whatever you want to throw at them in the plot. Sometimes a character is going to be resistant to something you want to do and it's worth it to take the time (both IRL and in the plot) to figure out what that character needs to get them to a place where they're ready to react the way you need for the plot point.

Dialogue and Language

Another big thing for me is dialogue, as well as the language you use in general for describing things from a character's perspective. I'm not exactly sure out to describe this exactly, but I'll give an example. Stu uses a lot more casual and shortened language than Billy ('cause, gonna, sayin', ect.), and he's a lot more willing to use goofy slang than Billy is (dope, rad, the bomb).

Both of them use some movie language but Billy uses more- referring to his life plans and experiences as "the plot", referring to his field of view as "the shot", stuff like that.

Billy on the other hand uses slightly more formal, occasionally more dramatic language. He's less likely to use shortened words if he's not actively having sex, and when he swears he's more likely to say fuck than shit. He also refers to a lot more using critical language. Things are stupid, dumb, asinine, ect.

for both of them though I generally try to stick to more common language. Theres lots of fun words in the thesaurus, but if they don't sound like something a 19/20 year old dude would say I'm not going to try to find something else.

Plot

There are different kind of arcs to consider when you're figuring out pacing. For me I try to make sure chapters have an arc- I try to introduce an issue in the start, the characters navigate that through the chapter, and the tension rises toward the end until it comes to a head somehow. In my writing thats often a sex scene or a fight (or both).

I also try to consider the overarching plot. where do I want my characters to end up by the end of the story and what needs to happen to get them there? I don't like introducing plot elements out of nowhere, so I often try to mention things at least in an offhand way before they become important to the plot.

Practically the way I approach this is to figure out plot milestones. as an example for Debaser we start with a choking encounter that results in both of them having a sexual experience. That leads to an exploration of more power/painplay under the guise that it's not sexual, until they get to the point of having to admit that it sexual.

At that point its a slippery slope, especially after Maureens murder, which is a bonding experience. It sort of continues on that way, but they're all steps that move Billy into a place where he's more willing to let himself do what he actually wants.

I'm sure there's more I could say but this is the most useful advice I can think of right now. Basically know your characters! Know more about them than you think you'll need to to write the story, because you'll be shocked how much of it you can use to fill in blanks in a way that feels genuine.

I hope that helps!

[daydreamerdrew]

The Incredible Hulk (1968) #253

[hadesknockedupintheunderworld]

Bout to muse about something that is part headcanon part canon events

ㅤ

Tails is finally saved from his bullies by the (currently) small time hero he admires

Tails stalks follows his hero, uses his mechanical knowledge to improve Sonic's plane

While Tails follows Sonic around, even on dangerous journeys, the hedgehog keeps an eye out for the younger fox behind him, keeping him from being in too much danger

Sonic leads by example, demonstrating to Tails how to fight, and Tails runs maintenance on Sonic's plane and teaches him how to read

Soon enough, they become softly inseparable. Even if they can't adventure side by side (although they do more often than not), Sonic keeps contact with Tails whenever he can.

They strengthen each other's weak points. Where Tails lacks in raw strength, Sonic makes up for it with experience and speed. Where Sonic lacks in firepower, Tails has a machine, a gadget, or the technical know-how to take one. Sonic often rushes into danger, fighting without thinking too hard, but Tails' specialty is strategizing or making plans, and he's one of the few who can slow Sonic down enough to make sure he's prepared. And where Sonic supports Tails by being a force of nature, someone who can roll with the punches and execute one of Tails' plans with complete trust or faith, Tails also supports Sonic by understanding what he cannot, by crafting plans when Sonic is at a loss for how to proceed. They have such unwavering faith and trust in each other's abilities now.

Where Sonic is a hero, Tails is his own kind of hero, saving the people only he can save, helping in the ways only he can help. They support each other. They look out for each other. Even if Sonic is a force on his own, or Tails can go on solo adventures, they're more effective when they're together.

And no matter how things change as they grow, the people who come and go, the two of them are a constant. Sonic and Tails, ever at each other's sides.

[sskk-manifesto]

(*・ω・*)b♪

[nexus-nebulae]

i love that my physical therapist has told me exactly Why I'm getting so much pain and how to fix it (nerves getting trapped in too tight muscles) but man i hate that fixing the problem (stretches and massaging around the trapped nerve) takes So Long and so much patience