#keep rotating in my mind conversation that goes like

[cutetanuki-chan]

do you have any alecto/anastasia hcs?

I think my biggest hc is that Anastasia wanted to be present at laying Alecto down in the tomb, but something went not as planned, cause she helped design it and it's her house, where is she

and not quite a hc but I want Alecto snatch some of Anastasia's bones before leaving the tomb

but tbh the moment I got the ask my mind completely blanked out on everything I was thinking about them, I'll add more to this post if I remember some of it

but thank you for asking!

[undercoverpena]

Just read your Soft!Frankie. How do you think Joel would be? I love your work. Thanks.

omg anon, okay, so I did quickly converse with my pal, @swiftispunk to clarify my thoughts. but here goes (hope this is okay)—for this you’re ill/have a cold.

soft!joel miller x reader (pre-outbreak)

the house is quiet. the sound of the pipes coming to life groaning in the walls is the first thing which stirs you.

your head is still full, heavy, as your eyes flutter open. then, you’re aware of how your throat still burns, worse than yesterday. more or less like you’d swallowed glass.

the rest follows suit, the sniff returning, the ache in your cheeks. the cold not improving but rather worsening overnight. it proves your point when you move, dizziness adding itself to your list of ailments—blurring your vision, making you even more thankful for declining the overtime, happy to be home and not behind a desk.

you reach out, greeted by cool sheets as the fan on the dresser groans as it performs another rotation.

and you don’t want to rise, but you also do. you want to see him, curl into him. but, you take your time in rising, all slow in your movements, using the bathroom and dressing in nothing but him when you’re done. you hope he won’t mind, maybe even like it as you pull on some of his sweats, grabbing a pair of his work-boot socks before heading downstairs.

he only murmurs your name softly at the sight of you—likely spotting your glassy eyes, and puffy cheeks from the cold making a home in you. you look at him, watching his lips tug up into one cheek when he spots the clothing, brows furrowing before they flatten, and you step closer, palm flat to his cheek as you wipe the crumbs.

and it’s soft, tender. him kissing your wrist before he mumbles about making you a drink. something warm. even adding honey—sarah’s orders before tommy took her to soccer practice. and you smile, hovering, shifting from side to side before he motions for you to get comfy under a blanket, keep warm, grunting: y’shouldn’t even be up.

your feet shuffle into the next room, seating yourself in your usual spot, tugging the blanket up and over—glancing at the coffee table, the magazine you’d grabbed Sarah and the array of coins from Joel emptying his pocket last night, all upon letters and papers—a mess, but a welcomed one. it’s home, a place you’d trade everything to be in.

when he joins you he’s clutching a mug, steam swirling up from it as he briefly places it down, a thud in the quiet before he settles down next to you. you watch as he wipes his hand on his jeans, before he places the back of his hand to your forehead. eyes narrowed, knitted in concern—

“still burnin’ up.”

you know. the sweat peppering your spine tells you as much, but you just lean into him. resting your head, finding no protest, only him moving to get more comfortable as he picks up and rests the mug on his knee—occasionally handing it to you, telling you to take a sip f’me.

and you do.

because it’s simple, easy. both the act and this thing with him. a thing he wasn’t sure he could give you if you remember correctly, yet he does it without trying.

“don’t fall asleep on me.”

he says it, even knowing you will. your head nodding, a sniff punctuating it, and the deep sigh you hear echo through him tells you he knows you’re minutes from doing so—and you’re sure he doesn’t care. most likely even likes it.

your eyes growing heavy, the television sounds slowly lowering in volume as your illness tries to beckon you to sleep. your legs come up, curling more so into him and the couch. feeling his arm move, just ever so slightly come around you, the mug going, finding a home on the table.

it’s only in the place between sleep and awake do you feel it, the slight touch of his fingers on yours. brushing over the tips, calloused palm flattening over your fingertips, trying to remove the chill from them.

and you smile, ever so slightly—and then you sniff before you briefly catch the scent of him. the last thing you needed to be lulled back to sleep.

[amywritesthings]

silver underground. / chapter nine.

( Read on AO3 )

Pairing: Levi Ackerman x F!Reader (Attack on Titan / Shingeki no Kyojin)

Word Count: 3.3K

Summary: Day 162 - also known as the first day of the expedition

Warnings: titans, blood and violence mention, arguments, semi-gaslighting, …things get heated in a wink wink nudge nudge way

Previous Chapter. / Next Chapter. | Masterlist.

CHAPTER NINE.

“Head’s up! Titan spotted on the northeast.”

It’s the first time the Captain of the Special Operations Squad has spoken to the group this morning, inching towards the early afternoon.

The team formation is simple: you’re dead center in a protective diamond while Levi’s black stallion charges in the lead. This was a non-negotiable decision, unanimously agreed upon by your Scout colleagues. 

Your safety, as they claim, is their top priority.

(The mission, as you'd argue, should be their top priority instead.)

And after yesterday's argument, you still feel sour. Devastated. Low, like their efforts don't really mean much.

Lack of sleep can get your comrades killed.

Why would he say that? Did Levi do something wrong when you were still yourself?

Through supper and well into the evening hours, you're stuck on that very question. Every word, every syllable, is loaded.

Lack of sleep can get your comrades killed. Don’t repeat past mistakes.

Just thinking about it breaks your skin into a cold sweat.

(Was it not Levi who fucked up, but you?)

You can’t ask.

Levi managed to avoid group breakfast in the crawling dawn, out of sight and out of mind until the agreed upon expedition hour — 06:00 hours — came to a head.

"How big is it?" Eld asks, squinting against the sun.

"Three meters at most," Levi states.

“I got this,” Eld promises, breaking formation at Levi’s right hand as his horse gallops to the right side of the diamond.

The decorated steed veers into the east, before a burst of life ignites the wires of Eld's ODM gear.

He latches onto the nearby tree trunks, zipping through the field to eliminate the problem.

“Show off,” Oluo huffs.

You continue riding along with the rest of the group, watching as the three-meter titan goes down without much of a fight. Eld uses the fallen body to latch into its skin, zipping back towards the group with ease.

Killing titans is easy.

Predicting where they might come from is where it gets tricky.

It’s like this for hours — spotting rogue titans, mostly under five meters, mindlessly wandering the fields of what used to be. The squad takes turns destroying the humanoid creatures, giving everyone ample opportunity to get their blades wet.

Everyone but you.

After yesterday’s fight, you’re too scared to ask Levi why — so you keep your mouth shut.

The tension is palpable despite your best efforts; Petra gives a look every few kilometers, curious as to why you have yet to speak up or participate in sporadic conversation. In your peripheral vision you see the way her round eyes scrutinize your face, nose scrunched in interest.

You only stare ahead at the tail of Levi’s horse.

“How much further until we set up camp, Captain?” Gunther calls from the back of the diamond.

“A few kilometers,” Levi supplies. “We’ll tend to the horses and set up a watch rotation for the night.”

“Calling dibs on second!” Oluo shouts to your left.

Petra’s head whips to the side, her arm raising to signal the rest of the group. “Another three-meter on my side! Want James to take it, Captain?”

She must see it. She must notice how you’re itching to get into the action, to prove your worth on the team.

You stare ahead, blinking up to the undercut disappearing and reappearing from the whip of raven-black hair.

Mentally, you try to form a psychic link.

Let me, you beg. Let me show everyone that I’m not a waste of space. Let me show you that I’m still me, whoever she is.

Levi takes a moment to think about it before speaking.

“Gunther, take it down.”

You deflate, your fists loosening on the reigns of your horse.

You could do it — break formation and ignite your ODM gear — but that runs the risk of slamming into Petra if she doesn’t duck.

The diamond has, quite literally, trapped you in.

Gunther doesn’t hesitate to act. With the sharp whiz of his ODM wires, the man abandons his horse at the back of the formation. His blades extend from their rectangular sheaths.

Within minutes, the titan goes down with a wail.

To not run into any abnormal titans so far is only a blessing — but the nearing forest, dense with tree trunks and overgrown bushels of leaves, is anything but.

You don’t need to remember how this goes to know the forest is a death trap.

Still, the tall trunks will provide ample vantage point for the nearing evening.

Levi holds a fist up at the mouth of the clearing, causing all horses to cease. Their puffs of exhaustion mix with the serene ambience of chirping birds and singing crickets.

It’s hard to forget how easily a titan can sneak in for a meal here.

“Set up a shelter and start a fire,” Levi orders, hopping off of his black stallion to turn towards the group. His eyes connect with every squad member — everyone but you. “We’ll stay here for the night and push on in the morning.”

“Captain,” you blurt, the intrusive thought hitting your tongue well before you can stop it.

Levi continues his air of boredom, but his eyes belatedly glance towards you. “What is it, Lieutenant?”

Your eyes connect.

Your stomach churns with transparent butterflies.

“Since everyone else spent the day taking down titans, I volunteer first watch,” you state.

“Denied,” Levi answers.

Your eyes widen a fraction of an inch. “What?”

“I always take the first watch.”

Like you’re supposed to know that already. Your body flushes with embarrassment.

“But I—”

“Actually, Captain, the time that’s spent with the rest of us resting could benefit James’ understanding of the mission,” Petra chirps as she dismounts her horse, rubbing at her stiff wrists. “I think James has been eager to help. And if she’s taking first watch with you, then we know she’s in good hands.”

You whip your attention towards her, shocked she spoke up at all.

The men grunt with approval of the redhead’s offer, stretching their limbs to relieve some of the long ride’s aches.

Captain Levi’s expression darkens, but he doesn’t say anything.

Petra doesn’t look your way, not when she’s already turned six shades paler with worry that she overstepped with Levi. Instead she pretends to look around at the nature surrounding the group.

She disappears into the middle of the group, decidedly fussing over the makeshift fire Oluo has started with dry twigs and other nearby supplies.

Had she meant to do that? Question Levi's comfort? It doesn’t seem like it.

Either way, you’re now trapped with two very real facts:

One, you’re taking the first watch of your first real expedition.

And two, you’re doing so with Levi, who cannot back out without arousing suspicion.

A wire whizzes above your head.

With that, Levi Ackerman disappears from view into the tall, tall trees.

You rearrange your cloak, mindful of how heavy the blade sheaths are at your hips, before igniting your ODM gear to follow. Wind whips against your face, cool and crisp.

From up here, you can see everything: the vast field leading back to Wall Rose, the dilapidated buildings of a civilization that once was, the life that found a way where titans cannot reach.

It would be peaceful if you were up here alone, but you’re not.

Levi is already crouched by the time you reach the highest branch. Beneath your feet is a massive expanse of flat wood, likely hundreds of years old.

The heels of your boot click when you float down onto its surface.

The captain says nothing.

For a few agonizing minutes, it stays that way. Birds chirp. Fireflies float. Cloaks billow.

This is going to be the longest watch of your life.

Sitting down on the flat trunk-like branch, you run your tongue against the seam of your lips.

You shouldn’t—

You can’t—

But you do.

“Y'know, we have to talk eventually.”

Your voice, echoing gently at this high altitude, surprises even yourself. A part of you wishes you could take it back, to keep your mouth shut, but another part?

Another part knows the entire expedition can’t last like this.

Captain Levi stands from his casual kneel. “No, we don’t.”

You sigh with exhaustion, but it isn’t from the grueling ride out to the forest. “I didn’t act out my memory maliciously, Levi.”

“At the moment, you will address me as Captain.”

Your eyes connect with the gray of his. His voice is hollow.

“Seriously?” you mumble.

His brow quirks. “Am I laughing?”

This? This is fucking ridiculous.

Rising to stand, you brush off rogue specs of leaf from your uniform. 

“Look, I don’t know what’s gotten you so freaked out, but I thought you would enjoy the surprise, Captain.” You dislike how angry you sound, but you are — angry. Mad, that he won’t speak to you clearly about the situation. “As far as I could tell, it was a happy memory for me.”

“A happy memory or not, it wasn’t appropriate,” Levi snaps. “Sneak-attacking what you remember and what you don’t doesn’t—”

“It wasn’t a sneak attack!” you protest in a yelp.

“It is.” He argues. “It was. Because I need to know how to act accordingly around you—”

“Captain—”

“—and being launched into what used to be doesn’t help.”

Into what used to be.

How to act accordingly around you.

A larger bird than the blue jays in the area coos overhead — possibly an owl, hooting as the night takes over the sky.

The tension can be cut with a knife as Levi stares at you, and you stare back. You try fitting the puzzle pieces together without saying a word.

Why does he have to act a certain way around you?

Does this have to do with what happened on the supply building roof at headquarters?

“Captain,” you slowly start, choosing to remain civil. Respectful. “I apologize — for catching you off guard, for not fully understanding the gravity of the situation. I recognize that you and I have history, whatever that might really be.”

There.

History — recognition flickers in his gaze.

Commander Erwin’s words come flooding back to the forefront of your memory:

I had anticipated this… situation to be a bit of a shock to him.

The spars. The special treatment. The way he sat with you on that roof.

You remember looking up at Commander Erwin with surprise when he asked if Levi had visited you during your recovery within Trost Headquarters; the way he appeared surprised when you told him that Levi never once showed; the moment he made you question everything.

We returned two weeks ago from the expedition. I assumed he would have at least attempted once.

You were surveying the cadet training, sir, you told him.

I was, Commander Erwin confirmed, but he wasn’t.

Then where the hell was Levi, if not with Erwin?

“You’re taking the second watch,” Levi decides with an abruptness that catches you completely off guard. “Ask Eld to cover you.”

His words are a cold splash of water to the face. “Wait, are you serious?” Levi is expressionless. “No. No, Captain, I am not leaving.”

There is a hint of anger in his clipped question.

“Are you disobeying direct orders?”

“That wasn’t a direct order, sir,” you reply. “You never ordered me. You only told me. There’s a distinct difference.”

His eyes narrow. “Don’t be a smartass.”

Except the murmur is a thinly-veiled threat and nothing more.

Somehow you’re confident enough about it that you take a few steps into the wide gap between you.

“You said you wouldn’t shut me out,” you urge softly, hoping to spark his own memory in your panic. “I made a mistake and I am sorry for it, but—”

“No, shithead, what I said is that you need to leave.”

You frown. “But why? Why can’t we talk?”

“Disobeying orders and questioning your superior. Are you trying to rack up all possible offenses in one night?”

“You are not my superior, Levi. Not technically. Captain, Lieutenant, it’s all arbitrary bullshit Erwin made up.” Your eyes squint to narrow slits as your frustration climbs. He doesn’t correct you when you sneer at his first name. “I am trying to understand why you became so freaked out over a silly move I pulled when we were teenagers—”

“Enough.”

“—and why saying some silly phrase like dirty trick is such a big deal to you so I don’t make the same mistake again in the future!” you continue. “Because if I missed something? Because if that moment of us in the Underground is linked to something bad that I’m not remembering, since it feels pretty good to me when I say it—”

“I said enough,” Levi barks.

Something ignites in you to step forward, teeth bared.

“Don’t talk down to me like a fucking cadet, Levi.”

A flinch of muscle is all you need to see to know that Levi is as surprised as you to hear the acidic swear on the tip of your tongue — both brows move north from their neutral position, and suddenly the air feels thick.

“Is that not what you are?” he challenges, low and dangerous as he mirrors your step forward. “Because last I checked, you were barely a Scout anymore. You were just some dumbass with a fucked up memory.”

The insult stings its intended target.

You wince, but hold your ground.

“Now you’re saying shit to hurt me because you’re scared.”

“I’m not.”

“Levi, you’re being mean,” you murmur. “You hate not having control. I get that. I hate not having control over my own head, but you don’t get to be an asshole so you can feel better about a fucked-up situation.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I do, and I’m tired of you pretending I don’t. Hiding away from me doesn’t protect me.”

You trudge closer towards your captain, but he bridges the gap for you: one step of his boot and he’s eye-to-eye with you, here, in the middle of this clearing.

The green flecks in the gray of his eyes bring some sickening softness to your belly, quelling a fraction of the fire within. It reminds you of summertime and darkness. A dichotomy of things you once loved — and things that once scared you.

Levi stares head on, seemingly disinterested in your psychological assessment.

Yet when your eyes drop to his arms, you see the most obvious tell of all: his fists are pale, fingers gripped in white-knuckled balls of restraint.

So you ask the first question that comes to mind, throwing caution to the wind:

“Are you afraid I’m gonna actually die this time?”

By the sound of his breath hitching in his throat, it’s safe to assume your question has caught Humanity’s Strongest off guard. 

Painfully earnest, your words are woven in a confusion threatening to choke the life out of you.

And Levi — Levi is four shades of enraged, glaring straight through you.

“I don’t give a shit if you live,” Levi corrects with a snarl.

“You don’t?”

“No.”

“Then allow me to keep the first watch,” you reason. “And second. And third, because if you don’t give a shit, then who cares, right? I'll be tired. Maybe a titan will take me out so you can stop having to deal with my insufferable ass.”

“No.”

Your chin tilts. “But you said you don’t—”

“Why do you want to die so fucking bad?” he shouts, his spit hitting your cheek. “Why bother coming back to me if all you wanted to do was throw away your second chance?”

He realizes a second too late what he’s said —

— what he’s done.

For a man who’s spent the better half of the hour telling you he isn’t scared, that he doesn’t care, Levi Ackerman looks absolutely terrified as he stands speechless in the aftermath of his own wrongdoing. 

For minutes neither of you move. Neither of you look away.

Something dark brews behind Levi’s stormy eyes as you watch with unshakeable shock.

What can you say to go back twenty seconds?

The damage has already been done.

You both know it.

Your stomach sinks in sickening foresight.

“Forget it,” he dismisses.

No.

“Levi.”

He’s turning.

“Levi.”

You don’t know why you reach out, but your hands claw at his sleeve to stop him. He continues to turn.

Desperation takes your hand from his shoulder to his face, and quickly your palm paws at his cheek to pull him back.

He presses hard against your palm, fighting its hold, but you manage to bring his face close to yours in a rushed exhale.

Levi breathes heavily through his nose, nostrils flared and eyes downcast.

"James." It's hardly a murmur.

“Don’t,” you beg under your breath. “Don’t shut me out.”

What are you doing?

What are you doing?

He remains locked in place, all his limbs taut. He doesn’t, however, fling you from his body.

You keep his face caged between your hands.

“You said you wouldn’t shut me out.”

“James—”

His voice is different. Huskier.

Is that a plea?

You shake your head wildly, overcome with fright.

“Don’t shut me out,” you croak once more. “Please don’t leave and shut me out.”

The angle of Levi’s face serpentines from where he was running to come back to you.

Your faces collide, nose to nose.

His hot breath spans across your face in shaken puffs.

"Don't leave and shut me out," you repeat, voice cracking.

His head shakes, causing his nose to nuzzle yours.

“Won’t—”

“Please don’t leave me,” you repeat on the verge of crying.

His voice drops to a whisper, a prayer.

“Never—”

“Don’t leav—”

Your lips close, pressed together by something soft and warm. The sound dies muffled.

As if held hostage by your own body, you tense when a pair of warm hands encircle your head, pulling you closer to a softness in contrast of your desperation.

You blink once and see it.

Levi’s eyes are screwed shut, brows painfully knit together, as his lips move against yours. A boot shuffles, angling the scent of his sweat to engulf you.

Instinctively your fingertips curl around his head, digging into his cheeks when you kiss back with profound starvation.

Spurred by your actions, a ragged exhale causes his lips press harder. The thumbs against your face run absently along your skin, as if to quell the anxiety plaguing your mind.

You pull him impossibly closer, matching the intensity of the kisses.

As if you're drowning.

As if it's been forever.

The tip of his tongue flicks against your lower lip. Wordlessly it requests consent, and your lips part eagerly to comply. He takes the opportunity and runs with it as his tongue seeks yours for salvation, gliding with practiced ease.

Inadvertently you whimper from the contact.

The sound is enough to yank him clear from your ironclad grip, dragging your nails across his face.

Gray eyes meet yours with a swirl of emotion — awe, uncertainty, dread — with lips pinker than before.

Your hands remain in the air from where you had him.

Red streaks line the sides of his face like hastily-drawn whiskers.

All you can do is stare.

Levi Ackerman has never looked so vulnerable.

“I order you,” he finally says, voice wrecked, “to tell Eld to accompany me for the first watch.”

You finally breathe, hands dropping unceremoniously to your sides.

"Yes, sir," you obey on autopilot.

He doesn’t need to say it twice.

You spin on a heel.

Your ODM gear ignites back to life.

.

author note: ...remember when i said i had a scene written for forever? tehee.

tag list: @lazylizzy3 @notgoodforlife @sad-darksoul @dailydoseof-love @maliakealoha @nube55 @kateastrophies @blinkingsuns @gomigami

[love-toxin]

Omg Ellie so (totally haven’t been stalking ur spicy tag 👀) but I just found this and... if you ever wanna do more of puppy play Eddie, you definitely have an audience lmao

heh.....my brain is rotating......Eddie puppy play but it's a throuple--you, Steve, and Eddie, your precious pup that you two just looooove caring for <3

(cw: petplay/puppy play, collars and leashes)

it's something that happens kind of on a whim. you and Steve have had those conversations about having a threesome, maybe even a third partner, but you haven't found any viable candidates yet. too bossy. not affectionate. only interested in sex. only interested in Steve or you, not both. every time you try, something comes up.

but then Eddie just falls into your laps, and you find your answer. probably strolls into Family Video one day while Steve's working, or the arcade next door where you work, and you two get to know him--and when you realize that he's a lot more apt to be unconventional, you grab the opportunity to propose a threeway. he's only a little hesitant but he eases in quickly when the time comes, and he understands that you're not just mocking him--it actually goes amazingly, leagues better than any that you and Steve have tried before. but afterwards, when you hint at taking things further, Eddie warns you of a little "problem" of his--an interest that he swears you won't be down for even though he hasn't told you what it is yet.

when he does, finally, after weeks of pestering, the stuff he has in his room makes a lot more sense. handcuffs could just be written off as kinky, but the collar and the leash....it makes a lot more sense when you find out Eddie's into puppy play. but like the open-minded people that you and your boyfriend are, you offer to indulge him in his fantasy, especially since he's revealed that he's never done it with someone before. only messed around by himself. that's gonna change.

first, Steve gets the leash. clips the collar round Eddie's neck and works out some guidelines--safeword, dos and donts, things he can say and not say--and once that's done, it's go time. literally. Eddie's butt is already wiggling where he's knelt on Steve's bedroom floor, looking up at both of you with big, brown doe eyes and a hopeful whimper as he barks softly for your attention. you thread your fingers through his soft hair and watch him lean up into your touch, eyes closed and nose scrunched up as he tries to nuzzle you for more. his cock is already leaking when you call him your good boy, and when Steve sternly orders him to beg for it, Eddie begs. he does it for you, for Steve, for a touch, any touch to relieve that awful pressure you two are putting in his belly with your commands. he's indiscriminate, eagerly drooling all over his own lap when Steve fucks his face, and humping your leg when you snap your fingers at him and tell him to enjoy his treat--cause good boys get to cum, and Eddie makes sure to be a very good boy for you. his ass is sore and his cock is soaked and strained by the end of it all, but he doesn't even settle down until he's nestled up between you two in bed, clean, fed, warm, and happy. he's so overwhelmed in a good way, wishing and hoping in his dreams that you two will have mercy and let him act out this fantasy with you again--he's got no idea you and Steve have absolutely no plans of letting him go, and are gonna tell him you're keeping him as soon as he wakes up. you've always pestered Steve for a dog, anyways, and now you've finally got one <3

[here2bbtstrash]

bts at a drag show/gay bar

i was already babbling abt how much i wanted to do this with my bias line and then y'all made me realize i should just make it a whole damn headcanons post so. welcome! here we are! here is my brainrot on how the boys would turn up on drag night at the gay bar 🏳️‍🌈✨ if this content is not for you, it costs $0 to just keep scrolling ✌️

knj: everyone expected that joonie bby would be flooded with attention from the people who came out tonight specifically in search of a tall, built daddy, but there's a group nobody saw coming that ends up swarming him first: the lesbians. they fucking love him, and he finds himself getting sucked into an hour-long conversation on the back patio about roni horn and rha hyeseok. he'll probably end up agreeing to start a book club with his new sapphic friends before the night is over (and he'll run into them all again the following weekend when he goes to support soyoon at one of her gigs lmao) 👭

ksj: entirely oblivious to what it looks like when a person is flirting with him, despite that being exactly what happens to him for quite literally the entire night. each time someone new walks away from the table, he'll turn back to yoongi and jimin with the same question: "okay, now surely that wasn't flirting, was it?!" only to be immediately told that yes, yes it was and no, nobody would sit through a 20 minute ted talk on the lore of maplestory if they didn't also want to sit on his dick. he'll argue til til he's half-hoarse from screaming over the music that there's no way everyone in the club could possibly be flirting with him - but frankly, he's not mad at the ego boost 🍆

myg: putting the suga in suga daddy, he's breaking hundreds at the bar to make sure everyone has a stack of singles to tip the queens, and alllllll the drinks are going on his black card. other than that he's pretty lowkey, mostly just sipping steadily at his whiskey and looking at his phone. when somebody finally gets nosy enough to lean over his shoulder and snoop, they realize that he's actively scrolling through his rotation of hookup apps and trying to match up people in the room to their profiles. might slip away for a sneaky link in the bathroom oop, but he'll be back in time to close his tab out 💳

jhs: full-send GAGGING at the queens and their dancing. he can't even stay in his seat because song after song he's jumping to his feet just so he can dramatically collapse to the floor with a gay scream, getting his life entirely with every new kick, flip, spin, and death drop. the word slaaaaaaaay! has never been shouted with more enthusiasm than it is tonight by this man, and he does not give a fuck that he won't have a voice tomorrow. once the show is over, he is the absolute center of the dancefloor, popping and locking and showing off his footwork like he was born to do it-- and the boys will definitely catch him practicing his duck walk at some point in the next week 🕺

pjm: without a doubt, he is the LIFE of the mf party, lost in the lights and outta his mind u kno?? it's literally just the like crazy MV, actually. will make everyone do shots as soon as they get in the door and then at least once an hour the rest of the night, if only because he really likes flirting (and by flirting i mean making out) with the shot boys. lbr he probably gets several shots poured or spat into his mouth, and if anyone's hopping up on the bar to get tequila sucked out of their belly button, it is absolutely this demon. and ofc he's bringing at least one person home with him - "it's gon' be a good night" indeed~ 😈

kth: disappears into the crowd a few songs into the set, but he texts the group chat that he's fine and just made some friends, so the night carries on without him. it isn't until the next performer is called to the stage - miss tata mic! - that everyone realizes he's befriended the queens, and they've done him up right: cinched for the gods, face beat to make his eyes even more smoldering than usual (...wait, did he bring his colored contacts from home?!), and moving fearlessly in borrowed six-inch heels. and of course, his choreo is flawless. he easily earns enough tips to pay yoongi back in full and then some 👠

jjk: the definition of 'happy to be here'. loves the lights, the music, the ~vibes~, all of it. he somehow knows every word to every single song, and the more drinks he has, the louder he's singing along. and the queens love him for being easy to fluster, the way even his ears flush with color when he blushes, so he gets a whole lot of ass and tiddies in his lap and his face (rewarded with generous tips, naturally). when the lights finally come on and everyone stumbles outside, he's a drunchies king, and he thinks the food from the truck in the parking lot is quite literally the best thing he's ever tasted. he repeatedly shouts 'DAMN!' up to the night sky, one fist swinging as he eats, until someone pours him into the car so they can all head back home 🍗

[nat-seal-well]

I’m in bed now because tomorrow I go in at 3 in the morning and I’m tired. But because I’m in bed, it means I can finally talk about an AU that won’t leave me alone :D

(And yeah, I know I already have 2 I’m working on. Tbh I don’t know if I’ll ever actually do anything with this third one, but it’s fun to think about and rotate around in my head like a Costco rotisserie chicken.)

I watched a movie the other day that was frankly, disappointing, but one of the few things I liked about it was that the love interest-person made dresses. He was a dick and his wife deserved way better (even though she poisoned him to put him in his place and I said “fuck yeah, do it again”), but I thought the whole dress-making thing was really cool. And then, because my mind works the way it does and it always likes to play with AUs, I said, “Hm, what if?”

This is also partially fueled by a very beloved book of mine. Some of my favorite parts in it are when the main character and her sisters are getting ready for a ball and getting sized and fitted for fancy dresses. Idk something about it just really appealed to me. Maybe I like pretty things too much. (To be completely honest, I know I do. It’s why I keep buying jewelry when I don’t actually like to wear any most of the time.)

I don’t have a clear plot for this AU like I do for the other two. Really it’s just a couple of scenes that are vaguely connected. Here’s what I’m thinking:

It would be set in, like, the 18th century or something bc let’s be honest everyone likes that.

Dressmaker!Marin who spends their days lost in their work in some tiny, little local shop that doesn’t get much recognition despite having a handful of very loyal customers.

They’re doing their usual thing when someone walks in and makes the bell above the door ring. This is a surprise, because they aren’t expecting anyone today. They don’t have any fitting appointments and while walk-ins are welcome, the shop doesn’t really get any.

So they put their work aside and make their way up to the front of the shop to greet whoever it is. And, of course, who else could it be but a certain very tall, and very pretty Nat?

(With a disgruntled Ava in tow. She does not want to be there.)

They make their introductions. Nat does most of the speaking, and talks about how she and her very dear friend aren’t from here—they’re visiting on prolonged business, she says. (Agency business, but Marin doesn’t know that.) It was very sudden and neither of them had time to pack properly, and she knows this is very short timing, but they’re going to be in town for a while, and would Marin possibly be kind and generous enough spend part of their day having them measured so they can place a few orders?

Ava says under her breath, “I don’t need new clothes.” To which Nat replies, too quietly for Marin to hear, “Your last dress is currently covered in werewolf blood. It’s either a new wardrobe, or you walk around for everyone to see in your shift.”

(Ava does not want to do that. She reluctantly agrees.)

Marin, of course, is more than willing to help. Partially because they’re eager for new customers, and partially because they find Nat very attractive and when they say yes, she smiles at them and it makes their heart jump. And their face feel warm. How strange.

Naturally, they move on to the actual measuring. Ava intimidates them and it goes smoothly, if more quiet than a usual appointment. They discovered quickly that she isn’t one for small talk. When it’s over and done with, it’s almost a relief.

With Nat, it’s a very different story. Nat makes conversation and is very insightful. She has a nice, soft laugh and makes them feel at ease, and has plenty of compliments to offer after seeing the dresses in display in the shop window. It’s safe to say that Marin is a very flustered mess, even though they’re enjoying her company. A lot.

There’s one moment where she has to get close with the measuring tape. Marin doesn’t notice at first until they realize they can smell the perfume she’s wearing, and then they look up—and wow, she is very tall, Marin has to tilt their head back to look her in the eye, and when did she get so close? They feel jumpy and take a step back, and try to play it off. If Nat almost trips over one of her sentences for some strange reason, Marin doesn’t notice.

Ava notices, though. Because of course she does.

The rest of the afternoon goes relatively smooth, even if Marin does make it a point to avoid making eye contact in order to keep their cool. Ava says she doesn’t care about the details of her garments, as long as they leave plenty of space for her to move around in like she needs. Nat isn’t picky either, though she does have a few things in mind. Marin says that they think she would look good in green.

They thank her, they pay for Marin for their time, and leave. And that’s that. That should be that.

Naturally, it isn’t. Not when Nat walks through the door again a few days later, but not to talk business. Instead, she says, it’s just… to see them. Just because she was “in the area” and thought she’d drop by. (Spoilers: she’s lying.)

One thing leads to another. Nat comes by more and more frequently, and Marin can’t help it when they wind up falling. Hard.

I just have this image in mind of them having quiet, private conversations in an empty shop as Marin works on sewing and beading and measuring fabric, while Nat sits on the other side of the work table and sips on cups of tea. It is soft and intimate and Marin finds they look forward to coming in more and more every day.

Naturally, when their work is done, there would be a scene where Marin is helping Nat into one of the dresses they made for her. Maybe they’re standing back to see it on her in its entirely, looking over their work to search for what can be improved, but oh no—the only thing they can actually focus on is now good Nat looks.

There’s a pause as Marin stands there and tries to get it together to think of something to say. They fail miserably. But why is Nat staring at them like that?

They clear their throat and open their mouth to offer an alteration they could make—a remark about it being just a little too long, or the sleeves extending just a bit too far, or something for them to fix so that Nat can keep visiting for just a little bit longer—but they never get to finish their thought. Because that’s when Nat takes a step forward and places her gloved hands very gently on either side of Marin’s face, and leans down to pull them into a kiss.

(It occurs to Marin later that she never actually looked herself over in the mirror once. Nat was too busy watching them.)

[hobbyrebell]

Since I'm going insane from pointlessly arguing with braindead people and propagandists on here, I'm just gonna give my ten cents and leave this conversation, maybe even the site for a little.

I want Israel to stop murdering civilians.

It's as easy as that. Just stop.

All the defendants of the undeniable genocide I've argued with over the last days and weeks had very little of an excuse really, I believe that comes from them knowing that the sole and only reason for what is happening in !Palestine! and what Israel is doing there comes from their tora saying that it's their "promised land" and they have any right to own it.

Excuses were, for example, that Hamas started it; alright, even if, that doesn't make the murder of children and civilians less horrifying and doesn't say anything.

It was originally Israel and Palestinians are the settlers; what the fuck is your point here even if that was true?

And to the "promised land" thing:

We, as humans, are nothing more than a disease. A virus destroying our host we called earth. I, as many others, wish we could rise to be more, but I don't think we ever will surely are not right now. You religious people's fragile egos just can't handle the meaninglessness that is our existence, but it is the truth, sorry to tell you.

Religion is stupid and dangerous and if you still believe in your imaginary friend and what he promised to you, you are either too indoctrinated, too stupid or too narrow-minded to think outside of the box beaten into your head.

It's a relic of a past when people thought the sun was circling the earth and thunder was the wrath of some superior being, that we are the center of everything, when in fact we are riding a tiny crumb of dust through a incomprehensibly large universe.

Before you cry out "antisemitism", I don't care what bedtime story your parents told you, I don't differentiate in "Jew", "Muslim" or "Christian", I just call it religious and I will still treat you like a human being and in no way different than any other person. Same goes for your place of birth by the way. Idgaf if you are from the US, Spain, Japan or the fuckin south pole and I surely don't care for your skin color.

Some of you people on the other hand treat people as subhuman or as someone who doesn't belong somewhere based on their religion or origin, since YOUR religion or YOUR leader says so, e.g. christian crusades, diverse acts of terror, the colonization of America or recently Russia or Israel.

That's where I draw the line and if you defend that, you are not only stupid, but unnecessarily supporting ruthless murder and I will stop treating you as a human being.

My opposition against Israel is not a thing about religion. They made it a thing about religion by painting the star on their flag and setting it equal to Judaism to make it easier to scream "antisemitism" towards any critic. It's about people being treated terribly and being killed for absolutely nothing while having no options to flee or surrender.

Nothing matters.

The universe doesn't even notice us in the slightest.

The earth still turns and it will keep rotating around the sun.

Those deaths mean nothing. Israel means nothing. Judaism means nothing. Humanity means nothing.

They are dying for absolutely nothing.

Just stop.

Not just Israel, but all wars, all unnecessary violence.

It's all pointless.

[hellhound5925]

Alright so here is something a little different for you all! I hope you like it! Please let me know!

I’m writing a new Fic under the same name as my Captain Rex one but this time it’s a Bad Batch version. If it goes well I will keep writing it. Let me know what you think!

Cyare Verd *Beloved Warrior* Bad Batch edition

Chapter One

Honestly.....this is quite literally the last place I want to be. One time, and I mean one time Cid THOUGHT she was doing me a favor and I owed her. The only thing Cid did for me was get me a job. I happened to be one of the 'lucky' ones - if you can even call it that - when the Empire bombed Mandalore. Needing the money, I guess Cid thought a favor meant throwing my life on the line for her benefit, while paying me enough to put fuel in my ship and replenish SOME rations. Cid was never my favorite, but we do what we have to do. I have a skill set she wanted and she had something I wanted.

Out of the blue she calls saying she's got a job that needs my help. I said no naturally, but then she reminded me I 'owe' her. I know damn well I could storm in there and take her and her mercs out myself...however, she does pay and I wouldn't mind some dirty work. "Fine....I'll be there in 2 rotations", "You'd better be quicker than that, I haven't got all day", the woman makes my blood boil..... "Alright, alright, Udessi (Calm down), I'll be there by morning". I end the link before she can say anything else. I really have no interest in conversations further with her.

I ready my ship (a Kom'rk class fighter also known as the Gaunlet star fighter) or the jump to hyper space. The only reason why I told her 2 days was to get under her skin. We both know I could be there as soon as I want but honestly? I love butting heads with her. I swear if this mission doesn't pay well or pan out, I'll ruin her...

————

Having spent an unfortunate amount of time at CID's before I was used to the ships coming to and from Ord Mantell. However, this time there was one I did not recognize. It looked to be an Omicron-class attack shuttle but it was definitely modified. I land my ship next to it, and head over to admire it.

I take a walk around the hull of the modified Omicron, stopping at the front to use my HUD to scan it. Standing with my hands on my hips I let out an impressed hum. "Not bad. Looks like someone did all the work themselves. Quite impressive" I say flipping my range finder back up.

"That would be because I did it" Says a voice behind me. I spin around, drawing my dual Westar-35 blasters aiming them at the source. I'm met with an individual in black and red plastoid, datapad in hand, "I'm of no harm to you" he says putting up the visor to reveal goggles. His big bright brown eyes give me a once over, "Mandalorian. It's a wonder there are any left after-". I cut him off with a loud sigh and reholster my blasters before storming off toward Cid's. I immediately start to feel bad for the poor guy. My reaction was not really called for, but the loss of my home...of Mandalore, is still raw. The open wound, being pressed by a stranger who likely has no idea what's it's like was rather irritating to me.

————

Cid's Parlor is loud and crowded - as usual. I made my way to the bar where the blue Twi-lek bartender who I haven't seen in ages immediately recognized me. "Long time no see. I was starting to think you wised up" she joked. Poor girl always listened to me complain, but I'm probably the only person here who has ever shown her any sort of kindness. "Unfortunately I'm a little low on rations to be wise" I laugh. A rather large, obnoxious man comes over to me "Wow, that must be real Beskar.......Wonder what kind of price someone would pay for th-th-that...." He slurs a little at the end. I eject my vibro blade from my vambrace and press it to his neck "Try to take it from me and I'll find out how much someone will pay for your head" My words laces with venom. The bar tender laughs and slides a shot across the bar at me. I let go of the man who was rather caught off guard. Some of the other patrons at the bar are starting but I could careless. People usually stare when they see 'one of my kind'. "Don't mess with Mandalorians" someone says across the bar. I glance down and see another group of men in black and red plastoid - must be the poor guy from earlier is with them.

I slide my helmet off, letting my blonde hair fall. Placing my helmet on the bar top, I take the shot. The bartender nods over my shoulder and I sign knowing what's coming. "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes" Cid says throwing an arm over me like we are old pals. I roll my eyes "I'm not here because I want to be. Lets get on with it" I grumble. "No 'Hi Cid, how are you?'" She asks. "Nar'sheb (shove it)" I say with a polite smile on my face. She has no idea what I said to her but there's a snicker from someone close by.

————

"You know some day that attitude of yours is going to get you in trouble" Cid scolds me. "I'm not here to discuss my 'attitude'. What's the mission?", Cid stands behind her desk and crosses her arms "Fine, I need you to help out a group of fine gentlemen." She starts to explain. At this point I'm losing my patience "I work alone". "Not this time, look I'm sorry about the last job alright? You needed the credits, I had a job, but this time will be different I swear. These guys could really use someone with your skills. Dooku's private stash is being relocated by the empire and I want you to help them get as much as possible". The fact that she said Empire had my attention and attitude immediately shifts. "I thought you might like getting back at them and I promise I'll give you 20%" she continues noticing my mood lighten. "35 and it's a deal" I counter back. "Hey! I gotta pay those other guys too. I feel I'm being quite generous", "Fine 20%, Now who are these guys?", "They call themselves the Bad Batch. Wait here I'll go get them" and with that she heads out the door.

I set my helmet on her desk and lean against one of the book cases lining the wall. I fiddle with my gloves and my vambrace until the door opens. Cid, followed by 4 men - one of which was the guy from the landing zone - and a kid? Each of the men remove their helmets to reveal their faces. Clones? I stand up straight and rest my hands on my blasters. “Take it easy there Mando these are the good guys” Cid rolls her eyes after seeing my body language. The kid strolls over to me - clearly not intimidated at all - and sticks out her hand “Hi, Im Omega”. I quirk a brow at her before offering my hand, “This is the part you tell me your name” whispers Omega. “Right, Ni ceta (sorry). I’m Raven” I finally tell her. Her boldness takes me by surprise. I like this kid. Omega looks at the others who are standing there in silence. She nods my direction, and the largest one of the 4 pushes past, “I’m Wrecker! I like to blow stuff up!” He says very loudly. I shake his hand which compared to my hand - even with gloves on - looks like it could crush mine. “Wrecker, I feel that last part was not necessary” says the one from earlier - still holding a datapad. “I’m Tech by the way. We met briefly earlier” he continues. “Look I’m sorry about-“ I start before he cuts me off. “No need, it was rather insensitive of me to speak to you that way”. This causes the other two - one with a skull tattoo on half his face and the other with a socket for an arm. “So that modified Omicron is yours then?” I ask causing the one with the tattoo to now look at me. “Actually it’s my ship, the Marauder. I’m their Sargent, well was their Sargent and this is Echo.” Echo waves at me with his socket arm and a soft smile. I nod, “Look, no offense but whatever this mission is I can promise it’s dangerous. I don’t really feel like bringing a kid along with us is going to be a great idea” I say gesturing to Omega. “Hey! I go on plenty missions!” She protests. “Look, Omega. I like your spirit I do, but your a kid. I’m not going to let something happen to a kid” I explain to her. “She goes with us” Hunter says in a gruff voice, putting his foot down. I can see a little of myself in the way Omega is looking at me. She seems like a smart kid but I’ve seen enough damage the Empire has done, I’d hate to see this kid caught in the middle. I choose to say nothing and shake my head. “Let’s get on with it, shall we?” I ask grabbing my buy’ce (helmet) and sliding it over my head. With that, we all head out to the ships.

————

When I start heading towards my ship, I hear someone call out to me “wouldn’t it just be easier if we all rode together?” Omega asks. I stop and turn around “How do I know you won’t leave me behind?” I ask. I don’t really trust these guys. I mean how could I? The clones - even though it was at Palpatines hand - were the reason the Republic fell and we are in this mess. These guys seem different but I don’t have a reason to trust them. Omega, almost like she is reading my thoughts says “you can trust us, we aren’t like the others”. The others. I scoff to myself. Without saying anything I head up the ramp to my ship, gather a few things, and come back out to see Omega standing where I left her. The rest of the group must have gone to their ship. “I knew you’d come around!” She about jumps for joy before leading me onto the Marauder.

Omega shows me to ‘her room’ and tells me I can leave my bag there. I’m a little hesitant at first but I don’t have any other options at the moment. The only things in this bag are a couple changes of regular cloths and some rations. I’ve not got much to lose that isn’t my beskar these days. She then gives me a brief tour of the ship, ending at the cockpit where Hunter and the rest are talking…about me. Well, I didn’t actually hear them say anything specific, but by their body language and the way Hunter stiffens before he even saw me told me everything I needed to know. I decide to speak up, “I know you don’t trust me and that’s fine. We don’t have a reason to trust each other but once this mission is over and I’m paid I’ll be gone. You won’t have to worry after that”. They all glance at one another except Hunter, he’s watching me. “That seems reasonable” Tech says very matter of factly.

Seeing that there are no more available seats, I sit on the floor leaning against the wall. “So what’s the plan?” I ask a sliding my buy’ce (helmet) off. “Get to Serenno and scout the area.” Hunter says without looking over at me. I sigh, “That’s not much of a plan but I can improvise.” I hear a clunk and look over to see a curious Omega with my buy’ce (helmet) - she almost dropped - in her hands. “Sorry” she says when she notices she’s been caught. The rest of the batch turns to see what she had done. Hunter frowns and looks as if he was about to scold her, I give him a look before turning to her. I smile “It’s alright, you can’t hurt it. It’s already got a lot of scratches on it”. This kid makes me soft and I don’t know why. I mean she is just a kid after all. She turns it over in her hands, “where did you get it?”. Before I can answer Tech is already explaining it, “Mandalorian armor is passed down through families. Sometimes it is even reforged for the wearer.” Omega looks to me to confirm the story and I nod. “Not many people know much about my people, how is it you know so much?” I asked Tech. Wrecker lets out a loud sigh “ughhh you had to ask…” Tech gives him a looks “You see, I spend much of my time doing research and as you may know we are clones of Jango Fetts.”, “Yeah but you guys don’t look like the others” I point out. “We are….well….different. Each of us had a unique genetic modification. Wrecker is brute strength, Hunter had enhances senses, I have high intelligence, and Crosshair-“, “He’s with the Empire now” barks Hunter, interrupting Tech. “What about you?” I asked Echo. He rubs the back of his neck awkwardly, “I was originally with the 501st under General Skywalker. There was an accident and I was blonde up, capture by the techno union and they made me mostly machine”. Hearing his story pulls at my softer side, “Ni ceta (I’m sorry)” I say to him. He gives me a soft smile.

“Woah” Omega interrupts the mood - thank Maker. She’s got my buy’ce (helmet) over her head, which quite honestly is kinda funny. It’s definitely too big for her. “This tech is outdated. You know, Tech could make some upgrades to this if you wanted” her voice sounds kind of funny through the modulator. I mull it over for a second, “We’ll see kid” I laugh at the image of her tiny frame with the giant buy’ce (helmet) on. I notice Hunter is watching the exchange between her and I out of the corner of my eye. I can tell by her silence she is playing with the HUD. “So how do you know Cid?” Omega asks. “You’re quite the curious one aren’t you?” I point out. She giggles and shrugs - still wearing my buy’ce. I sigh sadly, “After…..Let’s just say I was in a rough patch and needed some credits. Now I prefer to bounty hunt, but I refuse to work for the Empire”. Maker why am I spilling my guts to this girl? She’s a kid. This is probably the most I’ve ever talked about myself to anyone other than Cid. Which I know now was a mistake. Omega - reading the room - slides off my buy’ce and sadly looks at me, “Something bad happened didn’t it?”, I sigh again “I’d rather not get into it”. Hunter turns back around in his seat facing the front window. I glance over his direction this time. “What’s his deal?” I ask Omega. She looks fondly his way, “He’s really protective of me, of us really. He’s my family”. “Hold on to that kid. It’s special” I say to her. She looks at me with a smile.

I decide to lean my head back against the wall and close my eyes for a moment. I feel someone approach and a tiny head lay in my lap. I glance down to see Omega curling up to me, with my helmet still in her arms. She trusts too easily. Some day that might hurt her….like it did me….the only difference is, she’s got them and I had no one. Let’s just hope that’s enough.

Next Chapter

***A/N***

Thanks for reading! This is a little different than my last Fic but I thought I’d throw something else out there. I didn’t find a whole lot of Hunter Fics and definitely not one with a Mandalorian OC or reader so I figured I’d give it a shot. Let me know what you think!

[mondays-writing-pit]

everything he wants

(check this shit out on ao3, especially for the tags)

word count: 2,342

summary:

“We’ll look for one tonight after we finish off that nest, huh?” Roy promises and Jason nods, switching books for the one Roy threw at him. It’s a book the archer picked up for him anyway, collecting them like a magpie since he goes outside so much more often, and Jason likes how much Roy knows him. He’ll go by the little blurb on the back if there’s one and then bring it wherever home is at the time if he decides Jason will like it.

“Okay,” Jason answers him again because his brain only allows for one word functions when he’s happy and Roy beams at him before offering him a piece of rabbit just because he thinks it’s funny.

orrrr

if jason told roy he wanted a horse during the apocalypse roy would actually go out and find him a horse and be happy to do it. theyre so in love with each other that it hurts and yet they're still being weird about it.

“What are you doing?”

Roy remembers the first time he felt like his heart beat enough for both of them. It was back when Jason was still human and the bat (figuratively) had turned to smile at him after he finally caught up to the view Jason was rushing to show him. The sunrise was gorgeous but Roy couldn’t help where his gaze kept trailing, face hot as he stared at Jason’s side profile and let his mind run a mile a minute.

Roy wonders what feeling that same fuzziness now says about him.

They’ve learnt some…mundane things about Jason in the past five years he’s been a vampire, like the fact that he can purr and how his bat form is small enough for Roy to cuddle into his shirt. He’s like a tall furnace now too with his internal temperature needing to reach what could be considered fever heights for a human. Roy’s gushing again but he can’t help himself when Jason drools in his sleep because he can’t keep his mouth closed anymore.

Jason looks up at him like he didn’t hear him coming, like he doesn’t hear everything now, and shrugs before breaking Roy’s still beating heart. “I wanna watch the sunrise without burning to a pile of ashes so I’m researching.”

“Oh.” Roy doesn’t really know what to say but Jason saves him by going back to the book in his hands without prompt, humming one of the rotating tunes he’s been stuck on for the past week. They were driving away from Seattle and the only radio station that worked was a ‘80s greatest hits station, so Roy’s been hearing a lot of fleeting lyrics from Wham!, no matter how annoying he thought their music was. It sounds better in Jason’s voice.

They’re staying in an abandoned cabin right now because it has a generator and running water, which is really from the grace of God five years into this mess of an apocalypse, so, instead of pushing on with the conversation, Roy turns to rummage through the running fridge. They had to clean it out because five year old food is absolutely rancid but it was a task that Jason didn’t mind doing while Roy was out scavenging and setting up a perimeter, giving him a fangy smile in greeting when he came back with a rabbit.

“You don’t wanna just, like, sit on my shoulder or somethin’?” Roy finally offers and Jason looks up from his book after a few seconds of thought.

“I’ll fall asleep,” Jason murmurs, fingers tapping the cover of the book in thought. “I always fall asleep.”

“That’s true,” Roy answers after shutting the fridge with a cold container in his hands. There was a point where he and Jason were separated, the bat back in Gotham for a reason Roy doesn’t want to remember, and Roy still remembers how rabbit tastes in his mouth when he couldn’t get a fire started but it’s not a situation where he can be picky, so he’s just grateful for the fireplace instead.

Jason sighs through his nose and watches Roy pad over to the fireplace to get a fire started, gaze low as he turns back to his book again. “I was thinking about sitting in a tree,” Jason suggests just for his reaction because he already knows it’s not a good idea.

“That’s not enough shade,” Roy chides and Jason chuckles softly as he keeps reading, “because too many trees are thin now. It’s fall, dude.”

“I have to get outside somehow,” Jason murmurs, “and I know a tent is hard to find ‘cause everybody’s using them.”

“You also would practically have to camp outside and you don’t like camping,” Roy adds as he goes to grab a pan from the kitchen. Everything works but the fucking stove that he gives a disdained glance to before coming back to his fire.

“And they’re thin!”

“They can be. What are you reading, by the way?”

“Sun Protection for Life by John F. Barrow,” Jason answers, proud to have found a book solely about skin protection, “but he’s kinda nutty.”

“So are you,” Roy snorts and Jason throws an unoccupied book at his shoulder with a little frown. He’s pouting as he goes back to his book and Roy chuckles to himself as he returns to his searing rabbit.

“Give me my book back.”

“No.”

Jason flips him off with an even deeper frown and Roy launches the book at his forehead. He makes it too, because having an aim with no rivals comes with perks, and Jason lets out an embarrassed squawk.

“I’m gonna kill you in your fucking sleep!” Jason hisses, feisty like Damian, and Roy snorts out another laugh.

“You could kill me right now, what would I do?” Roy bites because nothing makes Jason feel worse than the thought of the archer actually dying. The bat hasn’t exactly recovered from the scar he left on Roy’s shoulder, the one right through the tattoo he said was his favorite a few years before all of this. It’s a low blow but Jason settles back on the floor where he was sitting before amongst all of the pillows and stops arguing, going back to his book instead but probably not reading anything.

(Jason brings the pillows from the previous place every time they have to move somewhere new and it’s not as useless as Roy thought at first, especially when they’ve shared so many beds in recent times and makes it easier to relax. Jason doesn’t need to sleep but he likes to and Roy kind of drilled it into him accidentally, suggesting he sleep during the day like how parents “suggest” cleaning your room. The knowledge that he sleeps makes Roy feel a little better because he knows Jason doesn’t watch him anymore or at least not as much as he used to.)

“What about an umbrella?”

“What?”

“An umbrella,” Roy says, in a way of an unspoken peace treaty because it makes him feel like shit when Jason gets that pouty, and Jason considers it for a few quiet seconds before shrugging, red eyes flicking up from the floor to Roy’s green.

“It would work,” Jason mumbles, “probably.”

“You get to push me out of bed if it doesn’t,” Roy promises, coming over to him with his pieces of rabbit still in the pan because plates would’ve been too big of a luxury.

“Okay,” Jason chuckles, no longer shying away at the smell of food. It used to make him nauseous but he’s gotten over it just enough. Roy thought it was pointless watching him shove food in his mouth just to spit it out seconds later, so he’s really glad that’s over. It was intriguing for about two minutes hearing how Jason’s tongue can’t even handle the texture anymore.

“We’ll look for one tonight after we finish off that nest, huh?” Roy promises and Jason nods, switching books for the one Roy threw at him. It’s a book the archer picked up for him anyway, collecting them like a magpie since he goes outside so much more often, and Jason likes how much Roy knows him. He’ll go by the little blurb on the back if there’s one and then bring it wherever home is at the time if he decides Jason will like it.

“Okay,” Jason answers him again because his brain only allows for one word functions when he’s happy and Roy beams at him before offering him a piece of rabbit just because he thinks it’s funny.

---

“Holy shit, I found one!”

It’s a lot Roy would do for Jason and, apparently, getting his ass kicked for an umbrella is one of them. They finished off the nest, because of course they did, but not without a fight. The office building got worse with the mutated vampires who are more animalistic than normal and Roy felt vindictive when he recalled telling Jason they should’ve just pushed through when they first came here.

“What?” Jason’s too frazzled to remember why they left out of their perfect little cabin in the woods besides the nest.

“I found a fucking umbrella!” Roy holds it up after pulling it out of the rubble like it’s Excalibur, free hand glued to his leaking side, and Jason jogs over to him after dropping the vampire he was drinking from. He wishes sometimes that drinking from other vampires gave some added benefits but he’s not sure how much more powerful he could get without scaring Roy off.

“Open it,” Jason says and Roy nods, taking it out of the plastic covering. They have less than an hour left before the sun starts to rise so this really is their first and last chance to find something they should’ve been looking for the entire time they’ve been out. It feels like it takes ten minutes for the umbrella to open up and show them it’s the most broken umbrella they’ve ever seen. Shit.

“Shit,” Roy curses and Jason gives a solemn shake of his head. “I’m sorry, Jaybird.”

“S’okay,” Jason answers before looking around, face brightening once he sees what they’re standing in front of. “Really okay, actually. C’mon.”

The strange thing about this apocalypse is the amount of buildings still standing. Jason drags him into an intact but severely looted 7-11 and sends him off to search after seeing the empty umbrella rack near the front.

They reconverge after finding three other umbrellas and Jason bares his fangs once he sees the one he found is just as broken as the one from outside. Roy looks at him with a little smile, “It’s okay, dude, we have two more. Ready?”

“Ready.” Jason nods, gaze fierce as he presses his thumb to the button that opens up his umbrella. Roy’s doesn’t even open but Jason does and it’s perfect enough to almost bring tears to his eyes, with one bent metal arm and a few holes peppered around.

“Alright, let’s go.” They don’t have time to celebrate with forty-five minutes left to get to some sort of peak. Roy leads him out, still holding his bleeding side, and Jason nods dazedly as he follows.

“I’ll drive,” Jason offers and Roy hands him the keys before slumping into the passenger seat of their stolen truck. Jason looks at him for a moment before shooing his hand away so he can grab the gauze from the backseat. Roy lets his hand fall and watches Jason take a moment to wrap his ribs. He practically feels the color coming back to his face once Jason’s done.

“Thank you,” Roy murmurs, shifting, and Jason nods.

“It’s not stitches but you won’t bleed out. Hold this.” Jason gives Roy the umbrella sitting on his lap before starting the car and taking a sharp left so they can make it to the only hill he knows and so he can focus on something other than the blood on his hands.

There hasn’t been any traffic since vampires took over the world and today’s no different, Jason quiet as he clambers out of the car after the short drive. Roy follows behind him and holds the umbrella over him right when the sky goes from dark blue to burnt orange. They made it.

“It’s been a long time, huh?” Roy looks at him but Jason doesn’t turn to look at him like usual, hands shoved in the pockets of his jacket instead, but he does nod. “I don’t usually question your motives but what was all of this about?”

Jason gives himself a moment of pause before he starts to fidget with his hands, an uncharacteristic show of nerves. Roy is about to tell him not to worry about it but Jason shushes him and explains anyway while he’s flicking the dried flakes of blood off of his fingers, “It’s something me and Bruce used to do.”

“Huh.” That breaks Roy’s heart more than last night did. He wonders how many heartbreaks he can manage while he’s still human for the sake of them both.

“We would get food and just sit on the batmobile so we could watch the sun come up whenever we went on a mission together.” Jason’s gaze narrows at the brightness of the rays painting the sky even more of that pretty orange.

Their mentors aren’t something they’ve talked about often. Jason wasn't there when Dick killed the rest of their family, halfway across the country with Roy trying to find a pipe dream of a cure, and Roy hasn’t been sure of Oliver’s whereabouts since they left Seattle. They both have reason to keep to themselves.

“I understand, Jaybird,” Roy murmurs after a beat and crowds a little closer when Jason digs his teeth into his bottom lip because he knows that face. “I don’t think I ever said ‘I’m sorry for your loss’ but I am.”

“Dick killing all of them feels like a sick joke,” Jason murmurs and his gaze softens once the sun’s just high enough to peek through the little holes at the top of the umbrella instead, stinging a little and singeing his hair.

Roy doesn’t say anything but bumps their elbows together affectionately in a quiet reminder that he’s not going anywhere, letting Jason cuddle against him like they can get any closer. He’s never noticed that Jason still breathes despite all of the angsty sighing, so he shifts a little out of surprise when Jason’s shoulder rises against his before falling.

“If I’m honest–.”

“Roy.”

“If any of you would be evil, it would be Dick.”

“Roy,” Jason repeats but he’s laughing this time, “shut up, man.”

Roy chuckles himself and switches the umbrella with his other hand so he can throw his arm across Jason’s shoulders. “I hope this is everything you thought it would be, Jaybird.”

“…You shouldn’t be moving around so much when you’re bleeding,” Jason answers but he rests his head against Roy’s and doesn’t quite manage to hide his little smile.

[demonscantgothere]

Though the Gods and the Years Relent, Shall Be by Helholden for sg1jeditardistrek

Fandoms: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (TV 2022), The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien  

Warnings: Explicit, No Archive Warnings Apply, F/M, Work in Progress

Relationship(s): Galadriel | Artanis/Sauron | Mairon, Galadriel/Halbrand

Tags: Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, Alternate Universe, Post-Canon, Post-Canon Fix-It, First Meetings, Developing Friendships, Friendship, Male-Female Friendship, Developing Relationship, Conversations, Bonding, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Fluff, Eventual Romance, Slow Romance, Romantic Fluff, Galadriel Grows Up in Front of Mairon's Eyes, First Kiss, Galadriel's First Kiss, Also Mairon's First Kiss, Yes I'm going there, Falling In Love, Idiots in Love, Living Together, Cohabitation, Apprenticeship, Marriage Proposal, Marriage, First Time, POV Female Character, POV Male Character, Only Rated Explicit for the Last Chapter

A/N: So, here is that "Five Things That Never Happened to Galadriel/Artanis and Sauron/Mairon in Valinor" fic. Presented in six parts with rotating POVs between Galadriel/Artanis and Sauron/Mairon. Time skips in between some parts will be happening. Complete mindless fluff. Enjoy.

Summary:

After the final Breaking of the World when existence is remade by its creator Eru Ilúvatar, second chances are possible. A little Artanis goes into the city with her brother, Finrod, and meets someone who isn't an Elf at the forge. Intrigued by Mairon, who is a Maia instead of an Elf like her, she keeps coming by to visit him throughout the years, and he visits her family, too. They develop a fast friendship, but the older Artanis becomes, the harder it is to remain just friends.

Written for a tumblr prompt for sg1jeditardistrek: Sauron/Galadriel fic post-canon, post-LOTR. Anything goes. This is where my mind went.

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[writingsoftwistedwonderland]

I saw that you were doing a character match-up and I wanted to give it a try, sorry if this is a bit weird, this is the first time doing one ^^*

My name is Ash, I'm nonbinary and use they/them pronouns. I'm really shy at first, but once I warm up to you, it gets better. I am kinda awkward and weird, but I embrace it. I also have a mouth that could make a sailor blush. The best way I could describe my style is a rotation between "uncle on vacation", softcore/cottagecore, alternative, and hobo. I'm 5'6, my hair goes down to my hips and is split dyed green and pink. I wear glasses. I don't like large crowds or noisy places, I have social anxiety. I'm neurodivergent (ADHD, anxiety, and auditory processing disorder (maybe autism)). I'm a black belt in karate and kobudo. And I do origami.

I hope this is enough, I'm really bad at describing myself ^^*.

Thank you!!

Thank you for requesting Ash! I am very similar to you! I am very quiet when personally meeting someone for the first time then I release crackhead energy after properly becoming their friend! The three characters that I would personally pair you with are Epel Felmier, Jack Howl, and Vil Schoenheit! Word count: 662

☆ My first immediate thought was Epel Felmier, due to how Epel is introduced. The Adeuce duo led the player into thinking of one characteristic when it was another.  Meaning the pair of you would be best at sharing since you both sorta have a similar thing happening! ☆ Epel was most likely caught off guard due to your language, but takes that in stride and joins in with you, making the conversation very fun and very scary to listen to. ☆ When it comes down to possible anxiety attacks or being overstim, Epel is quick to help, covering your ears gently, and tucking you close to him while quietly cussing out the person or thing causing your distress while providing gentle forehead kisses. ☆ He would be very interested in all your hobbies, Especially Kubodo and Karate! Having you teach him different moves and the proper technic while excitedly rambling to you about how cool he thinks this is. He thoroughly got his ass beat but he is so happy and so proud of you. ☆He adores your Origami, finding how you fold the paper into making a shape you want very fascinating and adorable. He will admit, he does not have the patience to fold the paper, so instead you and Him trade origami and carved apples.

☆ For my second choice, I say Jack would fit as well. Jack, while being a big buff beast-man, is an overall sweetheart. He would be another perfect match for you! ☆ He didn’t mind your language, instead taking it in stride that you are warming up to him and feeling safe around him to lower your guard and let loose! Even if it's swearing and being a goofball. ☆ He is quick to detect if you are going to possibly have a panic attack/severe anxiety in a situation and is quick to deter it. He wraps his arms around you gently, before mumbling soft praises while keeping you nice and safe from possible threats.

☆ WIth your hobbies he would gladly help you train! Having you teach him how you do karate and Kobudo would make him all excited as he shows you the stretching and running practice he uses for running! 

☆ The origami amazed him even more because he thought it was so cool that you could change the paper into different shapes! Any origami pieces are saved in a neat box or next to the cactus that he named after you!

☆ My Last and third thought was Vil Schoenheit! Purely because despite having a regal and sorta scary appearance (He is so pretty that I would panic if I stood next to him) but he is overall a sweetheart! He would gladly boost you positively!

☆ He will lightly scold you for your language, but never really means it. He has a soft spot for you and knows that your cursing and being energetic are showing him that he has your trust and that he will gladly cherish it without a second thought. ☆ He gets very protective very fast when it comes to anxiety and panic attacks. He will quickly excuse the both of you and bring you to a quiet, secure place before having you do breathing exercises, Hugging you close as you name items you can see as you ground yourself from the severe anxiety.

☆ He is very supportive of your hobbies, granted he does fret about you in case you do get hurt, being that karate a kubodo are contact sports, meaning he is cheering you on as you go against your opponent but has the first aid kit quickly so he can treat any possible wounds.

☆ Your origami is also very supported! Vil, himself knows how to do it. So he makes you a very special gift of your favorite animal made out of paper. Similar to Jack he too has a box filled with both your and his creations.

[deafearsdiary]

Unrealistic Mannerisms

Being a hopeless romantic leaves too much room for my imagination to run wild. Maybe it was all of the TV or the movies that I grew up watching that paved the way for my blueprint of love. Or maybe it was when I discovered romance novels, and drowned in vivid details describing the love between two fictional characters. And I know that it's also just part of my DNA that makes me want to swoon desperately at anything that's connected to making my heart flutter. Whatever the reason, the end result is that it feeds my imagination.

Now, of course it's always ideal that the woman is emotional, and you expect her to gush at everything. To be open and straightforward with how she feels. To fall deeply for a man, and become seemingly psychotic because of how he makes her feel. We all know how the story goes, but I love to think of how a man is that way for a woman. Because it is less common. We don't usually get to witness the man in love. We don't get to witness the first stages of him losing his sanity for a woman, or how long it lasts. We don't see the things that set him off, or the stuff that makes him smile. The things that make his heart flutter. But, lucky for you I think about it all the time. I think about what a man falling in love would be like. Let me paint you a picture...

Their meeting was unintentional; coincidental. Let's say they are both friends of mutual friends, to keep it simple. You meet her and think, "damn, she's gorgeous". But you keep it cool. She smiles at you, and you try to ignore that strange feeling you get in your stomach. You're not usually like this, so you think it's nothing. Just another woman you're attracted to that you can bang and forget about. As your hangout continues, you're noticing more and more amazing things about her. Her laugh is cute and contagious. Her smile, also contagious but sexy as hell. You got close enough to her to think, "God, she smells amazing." She's a great conversationalist and you could listen to her talk for hours, just for an excuse to stare at those sexy ass lips. When you guys engage in conversation, you can't help but want to flirt with her. But she beats you to it. She teases and her questions are intriguing. She's witty, and obviously intelligent. "Lord, where have they been hiding this girl?", is what you think after you leave.

Days go by and you want to stop thinking about her, but you can't. You start thinking of the ways that you want to make love to her, but usually when these fantasies start, they end there. This time, they keep going. And suddenly, you're thinking of things to do on dates. Anything to hear her laugh again, see her smile. You do your best to get in touch with her and make yourself relevant in her life. All while trying to act cool. But you're anything but that when you're with her. She's so different from what you're used to, but you can't help but gush over her. She's makes you nervous. Makes you second guess yourself. You feel clumsy around her, and you've never been clumsy your whole life. You barely know her, but she makes you want to be the best man in the world for her. Time passes and it's still all about her. Even though your regular life had a rotation of girls, that rotation feels different now that she exists in your world. All of a sudden you're dissatisfied. So you can't help but focus on her.

You muster up courage to hang out with her. You take all of your guts to lean in for a kiss with her, and it's the best first kiss you've ever had. You can't stop thinking about it, about her. It replays over and over in your mind, and you get this feeling in your body that you've never experienced before. In your arms, hands, legs, stomach...heart. It's not normal for you for a girl to make you feel so out of your element. Usually your the catch. Able to forget about the girl right after you get your nut, but not this one. This one treats you differently. Where did she even come from, honestly?

For days after your first kiss you were confident she'd be on you like white on rice. Like they usually are. Calling you, texting you, "needing" to see you again. But not her. Wasn't it as amazing for her as it was for you? "Get it together, man!" is all you tell yourself for weeks, when you can't stop thinking about her. And then you give in and hit her up again. She sounds so breezy and beautiful on the phone you can't understand how she's holding it together so much better than you.

After months of it being just you two day in and day out, she finally asks you the big question. She uses the L word. The one your allergic to and too scared to even think about. Your first thought is "yes, of course I do", and it comes lightening quick. But that freaks you out. So you hesitate, but give an answer that's honest but not too honest. She didn't like your answer and you can tell it saddened her. Damn it, you messed up. She pulls back from you and that kills you. You don't understand why you can't just be upfront with her and completely blunt. You know that you want her to know that you're in love with her and have been probably since the first conversation you had with her. She's the most beautiful woman you've laid eyes on. Yeah you've seen some fine women, but something about all those other woman turned you off. But not her. Everything about her is right. Everything about her makes you feel giddy like a child and horny like a cat in heat. Her voice, her laugh, her eyes, her lips, her nose, that she thinks is too big but you find adorable. Her hair, man oh man, her hair. And don't even get started on her body. She's insecure about so much of it but you can't understand how, because it's magnificent. She has the type of figure that makes you want to look at her when she does any and everything. She has a walk that's confident and beautiful. She can make anything look good, and does on a daily basis.

Eventually, you caught onto the fact that she isn't the type of woman that will wait for you to grow up and be vulnerable for her. She wants to be with a man that is willing to do what you won't. That fuels a type of jealousy you didn't know was in you. A couple of times she tried to move on, but you wouldn't let that fly. You had to intimidate a couple of guys, and lie to a few more. You aren't proud of it, but you knew you couldn't lose her. And then, she gets away. She confessed her love but you couldn't put your pride to the side for this amazing love that has become your life. To her, she doesn't matter to you, so she went to someone that cared. It crushed you. You couldn't show it cause you knew you messed up bad. Even one "I told you so" would've made you lose it. Every single song that had to do with love reminded you of her. It got so bad you even talked to your mom about her. Trying to figure out what to do. You hope that she'll come back one day, and if she does, you vow to not let her slip through your fingers again. And then, after what seemed like a millenium, it happens.

The day that you thought would never come. She's a free agent, and by God, she's still got a thing for you. You have no idea how, because you know you messed up big time, but then you settle on, because she's amazing that's how. And she's your soul mate so that other douche bag would never make her happy the way you can. You guys get back to talking and after all of this time, she still can read you like a book. She still makes you nervous. She still gives you a type of happiness that is unmatched. So what do you do?

While you guys were apart you got yourself into a pretty serious entanglement. You sort of gave up on love and just let life handle you since she left, so now you're in a bit of a pickle. But she's free now, so what do you do?

You know that you still mess up here and there, but you also know three strikes and you're out. And you're on your second one, so what do you do? She won't deal with being mistreated. She knows she deserves queen treatment, and that's what you want to give her. You're afraid you can't change, but does that matter when your life is on the line? And then she opens up a window for you. You can't lie to yourself, you saw it coming. It seemed strange, and kind of all of a sudden, like how you guys met, but there were definitely signs.

She still makes you feel the way she always has. And did she get more beautiful? Is that even possible? This entanglement you're in is starting to look very 'neither here nor there', and you know that you would drive to the ends of the Earth or wrestle a bear for a ticket back to paradise. You know what you want. You even know how to get it. You have to figure out if you're ballsy enough. And by God, you just might be.

So, what are you going to do?

[kiroons-hyperfixtations]

A totally not late “moss” prompt for the inktober list I am following which I totally wasn’t supposed to finish on the second haha I have no idea what you’re talking about!

Anyway my Pokemon Rejuvenation OC, cuz all the cool people’s cool ocs in the tags inspired me to make her and I am now showing her off instead of just rotating her in my mind like she’s in a microwave.

She goes by the name Fate and she’s a dumbass (affectionate). She really likes Darchlight Woods cuz it reminds her of her old home. She doesn’t really keep her Pokemon in their pokeballs, she only puts them when they’re injured, in an bad environment or she is legally not allowed too keep them out. Her Flotzel, Captain, particularly likes to collect random things and gift them to her (as I drew for the prompt). She can also talk to and understand fairy type pokemon, though no one really takes notice cuz she talks like she’s having a full blown conversations to all pokemon even if she can’t understand them.

[ingolds]

@indeath. — sender kisses receiver to pretend they’re in a relationship.

     the bar isn’t one they’re familiar with; nour had picked it out, excited to try somewhere new, and theo barely tries to deny him anymore. it’s cozy, at least, the interior well-lit and warm, and the bottles lined up at the top shelf behind the counter are true spirits, theo’s eyebrows going up when the bartender rattles off how much it’ll cost for a glass. nour cuts them a lazy look, pays for it without much fuss, and then theo has whiskey in their hand, aged somewhere north of 150 years. he wanders after that, flitting here and there, and theo tries not to mind.

     three glasses in ( two of which theo has paid for themselves, thank you very much ), and they’re back at nour’s side, sipping slowly and not too focused on the conversation occurring on either side of them. the stranger seems more engaged than nour, spinning a tale even as his eyes drop, lingering somewhere around nour’s throat. he’s interested, sending signals so strong theo can nearly hear them, but nour keeps him tethered far, nodding every other sentence or so. he strikes theo as skeevy, slippery and oily as an eel, his hair slicked back tight and his eyes narrowed in an assessing, bold study of everything that nour is.

     then – he lays a hand on nour’s own atop the bar, fingers curling over the side of his palm, and the world sort of…halts, like its rotation has stopped dead. two things happen simultaneously: one, theo raises their eyebrows, caught just as off-guard as nour seems, at a move so brazen. second, long fingers slip into their back pocket, pointed and obvious. theo doesn’t quite startle, shifting in place, and when they glance at nour, he very explicitly doesn’t mention anything to the man – waits for him to catch on for himself. and catch on he does, dark eyes dropping to theo’s feet, trailing up their hips, over their chest, until they make eye contact with them – and theo smiles, showing all their teeth. it’s a clear attempt at sizing them up; theo feels an embarrassing sort of victory at having a clear eight inches on him. nour goes so far as to turn his face towards them, the man now only given his profile, a dismissal that doesn’t need to be spoken aloud.

     or maybe it does. neither of those gestures works.

     the patron sidles closer, hand skimming further up nour’s arm, and theo lowers their glass to their side, a warning hovering at the tip of their tongue. nour doesn’t need saving, not by any means, but if it’s one thing theo has long since tired of, it’s persistence. they don’t get the chance to voice it.

     theo feels their head being tipped to the side, nour’s palm soft but intent at their jaw, and then nour’s mouth is sliding against their own. they almost drop their drink when nour’s tongue curls past their lips, theo tasting wine, copper, something far sweeter they can’t name. he tugs them closer with the hand still in their pocket, fingers tangling into the hair curling just over their nape, and theo’s palms settle on the slim jut of his hips, pressing forward until nour has to arch his back to accommodate their height. nour’s leg slides between theirs, his hand slipping beneath the hem of their shirt to guide theo’s hips into theirs, and that finally sparks something in theo’s brain, a message reaching them through the fog of nour’s mouth sliding cool and slick against theirs, the hard line of his thigh nudged right up against them. theo tilts their head away, and almost for good measure, nour skims a kiss over their jaw, nuzzles at where their pulse hammers in their throat. theo cannot, with every fiber of their being, remember the last time they had so desperately wanted someone in public.

     and then, in case he hadn’t quite gotten the message yet, it’s spelled out for him: this is my boyfriend, theo. it’s only those words that finally get him to throw in the towel ( and perhaps the flagrant display of affection as well, theo thinks ), slinking away with his head bowed, certain to find some other poor customer to bother. that word – boyfriend – swims in theo’s head, makes them dizzy, a dog chasing its tail and never quite catching it. they know it doesn’t mean anything. can’t. it doesn’t stop them from wondering.

     nour’s hand doesn’t leave their pocket, his face still turned towards theo’s shoulder, and theo tries desperately not to read into it. it only somewhat works.

varying kisses prompts / accepting

[allbeendonebefore]

if you’re still doing the OC asks, could we know 💝🗺🤔💓☕️🏳️‍🌈 for Cal??

yeah sure i'm here all week lol

💝 - What gestures do they really appreciate? How do you get on their good side?

It's probably harder to get on his bad side than it is to get on his good side because he tends to approach relationships with a little too much genuine friendliness. But you can definitely climb the social ladder with gifts (he likes things with horses on them and expensive whiskey) or just reciprocating by treating him to coffee or lunch once in a while (if you have deep enough pockets........)

non-expensive gestures would be helping to clean up or volunteering to help do xyz for a day, he goes over the moon for ~Volunteer Spirit~

🗺️ - What languages do they speak?

Calvin is notorious for being That Guy ("I speak both official languages: English and Business"). He does lean into the dumb anglo stereotype to his advantage in the sense that people tend to underestimate how much he actually understands. He would have grown up knowing a great deal of Scottish Gaelic so it would be an oversimplification to say he was always monolingual even if he generally speaks and thinks in English most of the time.

He struggles a lot with French and recently decided he would no longer make French mandatory for students despite being a member of - oh the acronym escapes me, but the alliance of cities with significant franco populations in Canada. He does try, but he does play up the My Francais Est Not Bon : ) because he perceives central Canadians with caution and suspicion by default and would prefer to play the dumb anglo in negotiations.

He's very international business minded despite his academic shortcomings. The languages he probably speaks probably include Mandarin or Cantonese, German and Spanish for sure, probably a significant amount of Arabic due to The Industry, and probably some amount of Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu, Tagalog etc. I can't say how good he is at any of them but I do think his genuine efforts make local aunties and grandmas adopt him and correct his pronunciation hahaha.

🤔 - What’s something they’ll never understand?

how equalization payments work. if he does understand it he goes out of his way to misconstrue it as Everyone (Quebec) Is Taking OUR Money to Use for Nefarious Purposes because he so desperately wants to be seen as Just One of the Guys (tm) when equalization affects rich people regardless of where they live and not Him Specifically and rather than Nefarious Purposes it's just in order to keep healthcare and other basic services at a comparable level in other parts of the country. Whether it works or not is certainly debatable but he is almost purposely and stubbornly obtuse about it that it's impossible to have an informed conversation about it with him.

💓 - What are some signs they’ve fallen for someone? How do they show their affection?

He straight up tells them lol, he doesn't beat around the bush or get shy about it or anything. That's of course assuming he realizes it himself...

He is a hopeless romantic and he's very much about the big ostentatious gestures. The problem is there's not an enormous amount of difference between romantic intent and trying to woo business clients hahahah.... there's a lot of horseback riding and hot springs and fancy dinners in rotating restaurants there.

☕ - Coffee or tea?

Calvin grew up drinking a Lot of (black) tea but he tried coffee at a young age in order to impress his American friends (his guardians at the time were really against this lol). He still drinks both and usually neat which has the unintended benefit of psyching people out when he drinks extremely bitter coffee and appears to genuinely enjoy it.

🏳️‍🌈 - What do they identify as? What are their pronouns?

Cal being asked this question would probably respond "conservative" lol. "true/blue". Gender is something that he has not wrapped his head around entirely though he's been making more efforts to try now that he recognizes it as a way of keeping up with other big cities and especially as a city that has welcoming as a major pillar of its core identity. It's not his fault that he is still mentally in 1972 hahaha...

The realization that he's probably maybe definitely bisexual hit him like a sledgehammer and he's still recovering so maybe ask again in another decade and see where he's at with that.

[platonichaterbuthenihaveinsomnia]

Oh, sweetness devouring hair splitting perfections of the sea I sit in between of these thoughts and I hope to god We make it make sense today, I hope to god we make it make Sense today, don't you also feel that we're being so real? Don't you also wanna lay down for a little while on grass and then Sandy tiles besides the beach in a villa eating a peach Rotating, half-slithering, as we make the ends of the world Meet slowly, darling, we're meeting slowly, darling, we're meeting Truly, I'm in love and now I feel, I don't have to be sealed On the lips but then again, all these prior adjustments are so rare To be found in such ideal conditions, to be found in this way, and I know if it goes sour, the most beloved thing I have right now Will disintegrate into memories, oh what a curse to have, Memories, and so I'll keep my sealed, with my doors felt, I'll hold your hands somewhere in a fantasy as we jump from the River to the ocean over some cliffs and commotion, the normalcy Of humanity looking at us above, it'll just be the two of us, The darling, and her love, And even if months pass, I'll stay in a corner, you'll be the steps That take us from loveliness to foreigners, attached and together Holding the threads of eternity, forever, oh This is me trying, speaking, and dancing, and writing, and finding Another one to say, look at the day outside Look at the way the clouds all come to such pretty formations as If we they were trying to be you, and as March'll pass, so shall Spring, April and May would be summer that brings relief at the end as we Jump to June and July, by August, we mightn't even be fine, Cause we mightn't even together, in September and October, When I come back and I tell you finally, I don't know If it'll make any sense, any sensibility, maybe we'll be together in October, Maybe we'll be the ideal frolicking characters that jump Over the fields of wheat in fray, you'll be Aphrodite, and I'll still not Over your grace, and so then we arrive at the intricacies of November As it seems to be sort of cold, but then we remember, However cold it might be, it always rains a little bit too deep, So you live, suddenly, in that house in front of my window and We talk about how this world's such a bad, but great place, looking at each Other from distance and space, and then when the November rains greet us, The windows, also, fog up, The little droplets sounding so in tune to our conversation but more, Our dreams we do, and then as it rains, still, we'll meet In the evening when no one's still around, and I'll ask you If I could tell the stories of you I saw in my eyes, and I'll misspeak, The dreams is what I talk about, because my eyes are so hellbent On the beauty I see, and my mind is so hellbent on your unending Intellect and sweet, so that when we meet someday again, The November rain will be immortalised then, And this is a story, I hope it becomes true, Darling, you're my permanent muse, Permanent, permanent, like the rain in November, You're my sweetest muse.

-Aryamaan Upadhyay