#maria's drabbles

[antirepurp]

maria who loved gerald when she was younger but grew bitter with him during her days on the ark. maria who used to spend time with the other kids on ark before their presence started to frustrate and annoy her. maria who had spent more time lying by the time of her death than speaking any truths. maria who stole anything from pens to an actual gun without anyone noticing let alone suspecting her when things went missing, because she was such a nice girl. maria who hung out with gerald's freak creation to an alarming degree, but no one really had it in them to stop her either. maria who only exposed her heart to shadow. shadow who ingrained that heart into himself, because his sister was to coolest person in the world to him. maria whose image gets twisted by those who speak of her so they can use her legacy for their own gain. shadow who is the only true mirror of her that remains. et cetera

[mothman-can-write]

Oh god. Oh god help I'm thinking about maria surviving the shot in SI. I'm thinking about Maria surviving and ending up with a stomach scar just like a certain agent that she may or may not have fallen in love with. I'm thinking about her trying to get through life when she only ever sees Natasha reflected in her own body, when she never got to bury Natasha's. I'm thinking about matching scars lifetimes apart that they'll never be able to compare, pain and discomfort that she'll never be able to get tips on how to deal with even though she was there for Natasha's. She could ask someone else, but it wouldn't be the same. It's never been the same.

[mviswidow]

sooner or later

Word count: 600

Summary: Maria comes home late again and R has started not to care anymore.

A/N: I’m realizing as I’m getting this ready to post that I didn’t really follow the prompt since it asked for comfort but I’d be willing to do a part 2 to this if that’s something you guys would like to see lmao so sorry. This was also way angstier bc i wanted to make it inspired by Last Kiss by Taylor Swift but decided against it :,)

Maria finished filing her paperwork and took a glance at her watch. 12:48 AM. You were going to kill her. 

She stuffed her belongings in her bag and made her way to the parking garage as quickly as she could, hopping on her motorcycle and driving off to the apartment you shared. 

Her mind was racing. You’d been giving her a hard time lately because of her work hours. You were right to, Maria thought. You deserved better, to have a girlfriend who was actually home and spent time with you. She gritted her teeth and drove faster. Something needed to change. She couldn’t take the look of disappointment on your face whenever she arrived home late from work when you knew she wasn’t coming from a mission. 

There were so many things she could blame. She’d often lose track of time while doing paperwork, she’d take on a larger workload than necessary, and she would always pick up slack from her coworkers. But you didn’t deserve excuses, you deserved for her to be there when you fell asleep, holding you close to her. 

Upon entering the apartment, she found you sleeping on the couch under a blanket in a hoodie of hers. Maria could tell that you’d tried to wait up for her, the tv playing at a low volume, a drink sitting on the coffee table looking near empty.

She chewed the inside of her bottom lip guiltily as she turned off the tv and put the glass in the sink before leaning down to pick you up and take you to bed. 

You stirred awake in her arms, nuzzling against her collarbone, “What time is it?”

Maria looked down at you, “1:09”. She felt you sigh against her.

Your silence made her uneasy. It was much worse than if you’d yelled at her. Silence meant you didn’t have the energy to fight for her to stay anymore. You were starting to accept Maria’s absence.

She was going to lose you sooner or later and it would be her own doing.

Maria set you down in bed and took a cold shower.

Though your eyes were closed and you were comfortably in bed, now that your girlfriend was home, you found it hard to fall back asleep without her beside you. As upset at her as you were, you still missed her. There were many moments the two of you used to share but you rarely spent any time together anymore. 

You resented her for making you feel more like a roommate than her girlfriend. After one too many conversations about her work hours, you’d decided that if you didn’t see a change from her sometime very soon, you wouldn’t be her girlfriend any longer. You had just started to feel optimistic before tonight as she hadn’t stayed late for more than an hour and a half in the past week. You felt like an idiot for believing things would be different.

After her quick shower, Maria changed into sweats and got into bed next to you, looking down at you, seemingly asleep. She combed back the hair that was in your face and felt an uncomfortable tightness in her chest, “I’m sorry,” she whispered, sinking into the bed.

You turned onto your side to face her at that and threw your arm over her midsection. You didn’t answer her. It wasn’t okay, you wanted to tell her, but you didn’t. You were done fighting, and if she wanted to destroy your relationship by deciding that work was more important than you were time and time again, so be it.

[lowpolyshadow]

you made me, and i love you

This is a dream, Shadow thinks, but he cannot bring himself to move.

[eternalslover]

Bullet train incorrect quotes:

Ladybug: It's like chess. Sometimes you need to sacrifice your king to win

Maria Beetle: That's exactly how you lose.

[tlou-reid]

baked goodies part two is done and will be out sometime tomorrow!!! 6.5k words consisting of winter smut, angst and fluff 🥹 I really love her so if you want to be tagged lmk!! ((I still have the ppl who asked on part one don’t worry!!))

[demigoddessqueens]

Just spitballin here about themes…

Thinking of Dracula being alone all that time and then he met Lisa, who encouraged him to travel and see the best of people, the same Dracula who tore down the Church for her, and Alucard being a manifestation of the love they had for each other

Meanwhile, Tera lost all who she knew and probably saw the lowest of low for humanity, met Emmanuel who was part of the Church who believed his own hypocrisy, and kept his love for Tera and Maria secret

[arlana-likes-to-write]

The 30th by Billie Eilish

Summary: (Alternative Unvierse) It’s been 5 months since you and Bucky official divorced. You still don’t understand what happened between you and him but a phone call from Memorial Hospital stops you in your tracks and shatters your world. 

Warning: car accident, injury based on that, mention of stalking

Word Count: 2.8K 

“Is this Mrs. Barnes?” A female voice asked. The last name that you haven’t used for a little over a year surprised you. You and Bucky have been separated for a year but divorced for 5 months. ‘Mrs. Barnes’ was a name you haven’t heard in a very long time. 

“Speaking, may I ask who's calling?” You asked. You were putting dishes away from dinner and your kids were asleep. 

“Of course ma’am, I am the head nurse on call at Memorial Hospital.” You sat down on the island. Your mind began to spiral on each possible situation. Was it your parents? Natasha? Steve? “Your husband was in a car accident.” The nurse said. Bucky must have kept you as his emergency contact. 

“How is he?” You asked. 

“He’s in serious condition but the doctors are doing everything they can.” Your heart stopped. The man you devoted so many years of your life to and the father of your children. You cleared your throat. 

“Can I come and see him?” You asked. 

“Yes, you can. I’ll let security know.” 

*

You were thankful your neighbor, Wanda, and her husband, Vision, were able to watch the girls. Their twins were the same age as your eldest, Rebecca, and Wanda loved Taylor. The girls asked a thousand and one questions but you assured them that everything was okay even though you weren’t sure if that was the truth. You kept your emotions at bay as you drove to the hospital. You had to be strong for your girls, for Bucky, and yourself. You and Bucky met through a mutual friend, Natasha. You went to college with her and she and Bucky knew each other when they were kids. Natasha invited Steve and Bucky to go out with you during your freshman year. A drunken one-night stand turned into a coffee date the next morning then 4 years of dating. He proposed the day after you graduated college. Life was good. You gave birth to two beautiful girls and were doing well in your respective careers; you as a lawyer and Bucky was working as a contractor at Steve’s construction company. Then something changed. He became distant. He was there for the girls but he began sleeping in the guest room. He worked late and was away for many weekends. Finally, you confronted him and he asked for some time apart. He moved out and then asked for a divorce. You were completely blindsided by it and it hurt because you were still in love with the man. 

*

A nurse brought you into his room. The sight took your breath away as you stared at Bucky. He was barely recognizable with machines attached to him, gauze keeping him together, and a tube down his throat. You were pretty sure a doctor came in to tell you the extent of Bucky’s injuries but their words weren’t registering with you. “Y/n,” you heard Natasha’s voice. You looked toward your friend. The doctors were gone and it was just you, Bucky, and her. She was wearing what she typically wore to work with her badge on her hip. 

“Nat, what-? How-?” Your brain was short-circuiting. 

“Let’s go talk somewhere else,” she led you out of Bucky’s room. You noticed an officer standing by Bucky’s door. Your friend led you to a conference room and you saw her partner, Maria. Steve called her Natasha’s work wife. You’ve met her a few times. 

“Natasha, what is going on?” You asked, sitting down. A cup of coffee was already in front of you. Natasha sat down next to Maria. 

“We don’t think Bucky’s crash was an accident,” Natasha said. You were stunned into silence. 

“We found another set of tire tracks at the scene and in our initial investigation we found another paint color on the back of Bucky’s car,” Maria added. You leaned back in your chair and covered your face with your hands. The room was quiet, too quiet. 

“Are you telling me someone tried to kill Bucky?” You finally asked, looking at Natasha. She nodded. 

“It appears so,” she said. “Bucky had no alcohol or drugs in his system.” That was no surprise, Bucky was straight as an arrow when it came to not drinking and driving. 

“Who the hell would try to kill him? Everyone loved him,” he was a little grumpy and as Sam said he had a ‘resting bitch face’ but he was a teddy bear. 

“Have you noticed anything strange?” Maria asked. You glared at her. 

“The man divorced me after being together for almost 10 years for no reason. Does that classify as strange?” You deadpanned, taking a sip of your coffee. You sighed. “Sorry. Before we got separated he was distant towards me but not the girls.” 

“Was there trouble at work that Steve didn’t know about?” Natasha asked. 

“I don’t know,” you told them. 

“Could someone from the law firm be angry enough with you to go after him?” It was possible. You’ve worked some major cases over your career and your relationship with Bucky was public knowledge. You’ve tried to keep your kids out of the spotlight. You’ve gotten your fair share of death threats from family members and criminals. 

“Maybe. I can have my assistant send you a list of people we’ve gotten threats from.” 

“Thank you. For now, I’m going to assign an officer to you and your kids. Are the girls at Wanda’s?” You nodded. “Okay, I’ll have Coulson go over there.”

“Thank you, Nat.” 

“Don’t thank me for just doing my job,” You said your goodbyes and headed back to Bucky’s room. You sent a text to Wanda explaining the situation and asked your assistant to send the information to Natasha and her team. You sighed, placed your phone in your pocket, and stood next to Bucky. You cupped his face gently in your hands and kissed his cheek. 

“Don’t leave me, sergeant,” you whispered. “That’s an order.” 

*

6 months later       

Bucky’s condition improved but he was still in a coma. The doctors were hopeful that he would wake up on his own as he had high brain activity. You brought the girls to see their father and explained the situation to them in a way they’d understand. You told Bucky’s family as well. It was nice talking to his mother and sister again. You split your time at your office, the hospital, and at home. You were exhausted. 

You were at the hospital working on a case when a knock on his door made you jump. You closed your laptop and looked at the door. It was Natasha, with a messenger bag over her shoulder. You saw the redhead almost every day. She was making sure you were taking care of yourself. “Hey Tash,” you said. “Are you here for work or pleasure?” 

“Work, unfortunately.” You gave her your full attention. You didn’t ask about the ongoing investigation. You didn’t have the brain capacity to focus on it and you trusted Natasha to get the job down. She sat down in the empty chair next to you. “Does the name Brock Rumlow sound familiar to you?” She asked. You nodded. 

“He was close friends with Alexander Pierce.” You put Pierce behind bars for conspiracy to commit murder when there was an attempt on Natasha’s boss’ life. You wanted to put Rumlow away too but there wasn’t enough evidence. 

“Did you also know he and Bucky knew each other?” She asked. You didn’t hide the shock on your face. “They knew each other back when Bucky served.” He didn’t talk about his time over there. But you knew it still affected him as nightmares kept him up. “Once Bucky was discharged due to him losing his arm, the two stopped talking.”

“What does this have to do with the car accident?” You asked. Natasha pulled out a folder from her bag and set a picture down in front of you. It was of Bucky and Rumlow, dated right before Bucky asked for a divorce. 

“Oh Buck,” you whispered. “What did you get yourself into?”

“They were meeting for a while.” She took the picture back into the file. “When you put Pierce away Rumlow lost it and went off the grid, the only time we resurfaced was to make contact with Bucky,” Natasha explained. 

“What did he want?” You weren’t sure if Natasha was going to tell you. 

“He wanted Bucky to help him break Pierce out of jail,” your stomach dropped. “He had some dirt on Bucky back when they served together and he threatened to release it. He also was following you and the girls,” she took out a few pictures of you and the girls at the park, grocery store, and the library. You rubbed your head. 

“How-how do you know all of this?” You asked. She pulled out an evidence bag. Inside were Bucky’s dog tags and his cell phone. 

“Bucky recorded every interaction. It took a while for the forensic team to pull the file off his phone.” She smiled at you. “He refused to help Rumlow and Rumlow caused the crash. The paint on Bucky’s car matched the car Rumlow has.” 

“What?” You said, speechless. “Why are you sitting here and not arresting the jackass?” She punched you in the arm. “Ouch!”

“Maria and Phil are handling the arrest. I thought you wanted to know the whole story before the press took hold of it.” The press was watching this case like a hawk. 

“Thank you. I won’t be able to play you back for everything you did.” She was working overtime on this case. 

“You and Bucky are family. Now you can focus on healing,” she stood up to leave. You walked over to the door and hugged her. “One more thing.” She said, facing you. “Bucky tried to call you the night of the crash. But he couldn’t get through to you. He recorded a voice memo.” 

“Did you listen to it?” You asked, already knowing the answer. She nodded. 

“Maria and I were the only ones that listened to it. I sent it to your email.” You nodded. “Listen to it when you are ready.” She gave you one last hug before leaving you. The machines that were attached to Bucky seemed louder than normal. Maybe they were trying to be heard over your pounding heart. You took your cell phone and headphones from your bag and walked over to the window. You plugged your headphones in and found the email Natasha sent you. She said to listen to it when you were ready. You weren’t sure if you ever would be ready. You put your headphones in and hit play as you stared at Bucky’s still form. 

It was silent besides the grunt or moan of pain. “Sugar, doll,” you felt your eyes burn with unshed tears. It’s been so long since he’s called you those pet names. “Fuck baby I messed up.” You couldn’t help but laugh. “I just wanted to keep you and the girls safe, you know?” He groaned. “I did some bad stuff overseas. Stuff I wasn’t ready to tell you. I thought I could handle Rumlow myself. So I distanced myself from.” He went quiet. “I thought if we weren’t seen together he couldn’t use you. I’m a fucking idiot.” 

“Yes you are Bucky Barnes,” you whispered, wiping the tears away that fell. 

“I miss you so much, baby girl. I don’t want to die without telling you how sorry I am,” you stood up and looked at Bucky. You ran over to him. 

“You aren’t going to die Barnes.” You said, cupping his face in your hands. Your tears fell onto his skin. 

“I love you. You and the girls are my worlds,” his voice continued. “Tell them that, will you?”

“Tell them yourself Bucky,” you whispered. “Tell them when you wake up.” It was becoming harder to make out his face because of how hard you were crying. “Please baby, you have to wake up.” 

“You made me a better man, doll.” His voice was becoming strained and hoarse. “Meeting you was when my life started. I love you.” The voice memo ended. You rested your head on his chest, mindful of his injuries, and cried. You haven’t cried through this whole ordeal. You let yourself cry and cry and cry. 

*

3 months later 

Bucky woke up a month after Rumlow’s arrest and when he was released from the hospital he moved back in with you and the girls. They were ecstatic to have their father back with them as he healed and recovered. But you and Bucky were walking on eggshells around each other, uncertain of how to act with one another. Sometimes he would act as he did before the accident, before the divorce and the separation. Then other times he would pull away. He doesn’t remember much from that night, especially the phone call he made. 

You had enough. For 2 months, you were at your breaking point. You sent the girls with your parents, you cooked his favorite food and dessert. The smell brought him out of the room. His hair was wet from a shower. “Do you need help?” He asked. You shook your head. 

“Can you set the table?” He nodded, grabbing two sets of plates and silverware. You were sipping on wine already. Once the food was done, you ate in silence. You watched him eat, slowly sipping on your wine. 

“You're starring,” he said. 

“I am,” he whipped his face with a napkin. 

“Can I ask what all this is for?” 

“After dinner.” He washed the dishes. It was the rule when you were together whoever cooked didn’t have to do the dishes. You pulled out the cheesecake and cut two slices. You handed him a plate. 

“It’s after dinner,” you nodded, taking a bite of your cheesecake. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” You asked. He finished the cake and placed the dirty dish in the sink for later. 

“You are going to have to be more specific,” he said, walking over to the couch. 

“Rumlow. The fact that you knew him while I was working on the Pierce case,” he didn’t say anything as he sat down. You walked over to him and he was opening and closing his metal hand. “Or that he asked you to commit a crime and used me and the girls as leverage.” He still didn’t say anything. He wasn’t even looking at you. “We were a team, Bucky. Why didn’t you tell me?” He sighed. 

“Because I didn’t want you or the girls to find out that I’m a monster.” 

“What?” You questioned, sitting down next to you. 

“I was tasked with black op missions overseas. They nicknamed me the Winter Soldier. I did so many horrible things for this country,” he explained. “Rumlow was on a few of those missions. I wasn’t ready to tell you.” You looked forward, staring into the fireplace. 

“I know the man I married and fell in love with,” you said finally. “That man is not a monster.” 

“Doll-” he said.

“No,” you cut him off and knelt in front of him. “You are not a monster. I’m upset that you didn’t tell me but I understand.” He smiled. “You tried to call me the night of the accident but it wouldn’t go through so you left me a voice memo. Do you remember what you said?” He shook his head. 

“I vaguely remember it.” 

“You told me you loved me,” your voice cracked. “That you missed me and that you were sorry.” You smiled. “You told me that the girls and I are your worlds and that I made you a better man.” He nodded. 

“It’s the truth.” He whispered. 

“I was so scared Buck,” you admitted. “What if the accident happened on a different day? On a bridge where there wasn’t a railing in the way. Or a neighborhood street where the little kids play?” You felt the tears running down your cheeks. “What if you weren’t alone and the girls were in the car? What if you were remote and no one knew where you were? If you changed anything, would you have not survived?” 

“I’m alive,” Bucky said. 

“You're alive.” You repeated. “You’re alive.” He pulled you onto his lap and hugged you. He hugged you tight as you cried against him. You felt his tears on your skin. You ended the hug and put your forehead against his, staring into his blue eyes. A color you didn’t think you would see again. “You’re alive.”

“I’m alive.” He said against your lips. You connected them. The kiss was slow and salty from your tears but it was perfect. You were so scared that you’d never hear his voice again, kiss his lips, or feel his hands on you. He pulled away. “Thank you.” You smiled. 

“You said it on the phone, you're an idiot,” he laughed. 

“But I’m your idiot.” You nodded. 

“Yeah, you are.”

[princessmacedon]

what will remain

Beyond the monastery's stone walls, within the woven forest just beyond, inside that ventricular green grove, there is a statue. Its dais lays in ruin, and what once burned as passion bright now smolders 'neath the rain, smoke in the form of fragile, verdant tendrils curling between the cracks. From its two palms joined as one, beseeching in their reach, a young girl infers that it may have been a prayer, once. Or perhaps it was a story? It could have even been a miracle, but it is lost, now; only its afterimage remains.

Maria presses a thumb to a conjunction of marble and moss; she turns her hand, plants the point of another digit at the edge of its reach, and lets her palm run gently down its surface. How could she so carelessly touch such a precious thing? But she is not careless; in this moment she loves it, perhaps not as well as its maker had, but more sweetly than the passing seasons that pull it year by year back into earth's embrace. She would hear it, if she could. And she tries to do so anyway.

Being a child of Macedon, there is something strange yet fascinating in the idea of a history old enough to be lost and forgotten -- something that aches every so often, like the bones of old soldiers on a rainy day. What had been hers had been new, a still-bright thread in the weave of the world; what had been lost had been proudly kept, recited to her as a child beneath her blankets, looking up with beamish eyes. Nothing born of that seaside kingdom had lain in the earth and grown old, a fledgling thing that closed its eyes not to rust, but blood.

And so she cannot help but in turn wonder: how will what remains of Macedon look some hundred years hence? What will still sparkle in the gardens she once laughed in, and what will look like this?

There are cracks in the marble, all filled with moss. The once-delicate curl of its fingers is marred, forever, by loss, a piece of the statue broken off and vanished without a trace. The young daughter of a bygone kingdom folds her hands over its wound, its coarse, ungentle edges pressing into soft skin.

So even statues have their calluses! When she pulls her hand back, it lingers playfully at her chin, laughter flowing across nail and knuckle alike to a brook happily a-babble. How lovely it is, to her -- how she wonders if it is everything her brother fears.

Because though the gentle Hero-King had not ground their kingdom to dust beneath his boot, he had with sword and valor unified their continent -- and to begin, there first must be an end.

And there is an end: to Macedon as her brother had loved it, as he had told her its histories where their father-- in his brief presences-- would read her fairytales; as he had recounted shackles shattered and freedom won, as he had burned, brilliant and bright, with passion, with resolve, until fire splintered his bones to broken pieces and still he burned with everything he had. Like this, Maria knows of no one who loves Macedon more wholly than he.

So he must be very afraid, she thinks as she throws herself against a beast that would set a different kingdom's brother's heart to stop. Her dear friend, however, is to her as natural a companion as horse or pegasus -- more so, in fact, for this precious homeland she ponders is a land of wyverns and endless skies. The former supports her, neck acting as brace and cradle as it curls around her; she lets her head tip backwards with a laugh, and there sprawled across the heavens above, in turquoise shards, the latter peeks through a canopy of leaves.

Giggles fade to silence, and Maria lets rest her hand against her forehead, palm turned upward as if to catch the dappling sunlight.

...Perhaps Michalis sees Macedon in its solid lines, its monuments and castles, its territories and independence. Yes, then he must be afraid of such a fate as awaits this eroded statue in nameless nowhere. How of the glory and pride that had inspired its creation, only its decay remains; how the future it had been made to yearn for already lays forgotten, buried in the past. All things as made them human -- their efforts, their ambitions, their trials and losses and at last, their triumphs-- gone, to dust. Of the story behind this once-beautiful, still-beautiful statue, nothing remains.

"But Brother," the last of their kingdom murmurs, "Life does."

To the eyes of a youngest sister, there is nothing to fear in the crumbling of lines. The colors they once withheld may change in time, but so too will they spread -- they will bleed as much as they swirl, becoming less here, and more there -- and more there! Though the hues of Macedon will cease to be so distilled, they will have become a dazzling shade in a magnificent prism.

If only you could see as I do; if only I could have you understand. A sentiment he must mirror, she is sure, toward not only herself but their shared sister as well. Yet try as she might, there will always be a part of them that she cannot understand, so different were their upbringings. She had never known the weight of a crown as Michalis had, nor its looming, suffocating shadow as had Minerva. Her two beloved siblings had grown tall well before she had ever been born, as shield and blade, as well and as spade, as heritors to a proud but fledgling history and Maria, a flower in that garden, plucked and then sold.

She drinks the sun even now. It lays breezy kisses against her palm until her arm grows tired, and she turns to her side and giggles, a fearsomely tenacious dracoknight in her own right... though the words be split rather than sum. She is a dracoknight for the blood in her veins, the history in her tapestry, the friendship she forges and all the places it takes her; and she is fearsomely tenacious because she dreams not only of what Macedon will be on the morrow, but in all the days to come. Because she is sure that come a decade, come a century, come a millennium or more, wyverns will still soar in endless skies over verdant mountains, and her homeland will endure.

It will endure, Maria knows, in all the ways that matter: in the pride of a stubborn people, fearsome foes and stalwart allies; in a love of the sea's shores and the ever-climbing mountains; in bonds born in their blood, man and wyvern taking to the heavens, ineffably, irrepressibly free. That, she believes, is the wish their great grandfather had made. And so when kingdom gives way to country, when the millennia turn over in their graves, in this way, Macedon will remain.

[bridgyrose]

Ruby and Maria were kidnapped, locked in a dungeon together. Their captors are Silver Eye Warriors, with their elder leader having a strong resemblance to Summer Rose.

(Not what you want exactly, but... this is going to be fun)

Ruby closed her eyes and took a deep breath to focus on the smell of a finished rain and to listen to water drip on the stones next to her. She hadnt the faintest idea how long she and Maria had been locked down here, the small window at the top of her cell always lit with a light that kept her from seeing moonlight. Though, from the meals she’d received, she figured she’d been in this dungeon for a couple of days. Six meals had come and gone, none of them particularly filling though that didnt bother her much since all she seemed to be allowed to do was move around the cell at her own leisure. 

“Have you and your friends been kidnapped like this often?” Maria asked as she sat down her now empty tray. “You seem rather calm about this.” 

“I think Weiss is the only one that’s actually been kidnapped, but I did fall down into an abandoned subway tunnel when the  ground collapsed under me so I’m sure that counts.” Ruby sighed and tossed a rock down the empty cell, listening to the echo to gauge how long it was. “Though, I was only tied up for an hour or two before my friends came to get me. Being locked in a cell like this is certainly a first for me.” 

“You fell into an abandoned subway tunnel?” 

Ruby counted the seconds she could hear the echo, a sigh left her lips when she heard the echo continue to her other side. “Guess its a bit too empty to figure things out that way. Have you seen anyone come by to give us food? The tray always seems to be here when I wake.” 

Maria shook her head. “No, I havent. “

Ruby slowly nodded and went back to leaning against the brick wall of her cell as she listened for any footsteps. She hoped her friends were still okay and that they had made it out of the blizzard after the ambush that took her and Maria. Not that she could really call it an ambush, it almost seemed like a panicked grab for both her and Maria. And to make matters worse, she lost the lamp that Oscar had entrusted her with. 

Her ears perked up a bit as she heard footsteps echo from down the hall. She moved herself closer to the bars and slowly stood up so she could see who was coming and be ready to strike once they opened the door. With a deep breath, Ruby stood motionless as she waited as quietly as she could. Then, she froze as she saw a woman come into view that could’ve been a near spitting image of her mother. 

The woman stopped in front of Ruby’s cell and started to unlock it and open the door. “Our elder wants to see you both.” 

“Your… elder?” Ruby asked. 

“Get moving,” the woman said as she pulled Ruby out of the cell and pushed her forward down the hall. “You do not want to be late and anger him.” 

Ruby grunted a bit as she was pushed forward, catching Maria still in her own cell. “What about Maria? Is she going to come with us?” 

“The elder wanted you.” 

“And who is this elder?” 

“No more questions until the elder deems you as one of us.” 

Ruby sighed and spoke under her breath. “I dont know who you are.” She walked forward as she was directed and made her way down the hall. Her eyes glanced at the stone walls to the side of her, not quite sure if she recognized any of the stonework. Not that any of it really would’ve helped since Oobleck had always lectured about relics and old forts a bit too quickly for her to follow. Still, it’d be nice to know if she was still near Mistral. 

She winced as she was nudged to turn left, still following the directions she was given as the woman who followed her made sure to keep her on track. Soon, the hallway led to a set of stairs that led up, lanterns still lit along the walls. Once she reached the end of the stairs, she opened the heavy door that led to a ruined courtyard, one that was long past it’s prime. Where walls once stood were now only stones barely poking out of the ground, A few buildings still in livable condition covered in snow and vines that only grew in the cold. 

The woman pulled Ruby close and tied her arms behind her back. “Follow me and keep quiet.” 

Ruby nodded and followed as she was pulled on a rope leash, her eyes glanced around to look for an escape route. The first thing she noticed were the people around, most of them looked like they could’ve been huntsmen or bandits, but what struck her as odd was that all of them had silver eyes. She wasnt able to look for an escape for long as she was pulled into what remained of the keep of an old castle, promptly pulled and practically thrown down to the ground. 

“I brought her like you asked,” the woman said. 

The elder, an older man who looked much like he could’ve been related to Ruby, turned away from a map that he had marked with a few pins and looked over Ruby. He walked over and lifted her head, almost as if he was looking for something. Soon, a smile crossed his lips once he found what he was looking for. “I’d swear you were Summer if I didnt know she was much older than you.” 

Ruby paused for a moment. “You… you know my mom?” 

“Your mother, huh?” The elder asked. “Well, that would seem to explain why you look so much like her. But enough of that, lets get you free.” 

Ruby flinched for a moment as the ropes were cut and her wrists were freed. She gently rubbed them as she looked over the elder. “Who are you? A-and where am I?” 

“This here, is the remains of those families who hunt grimm like in the fairytales,” the elder started as he went back to his map. “Most of everyone came here to hide while others grew up in this little clan of ours to help keep Anima safe. Though, when Summer ran off, I’d never thought her daughter would make it here.” 

“You still havent told me who you are.” 

The elder smiled and took one more look at Ruby. “I figured it’d be obvious. I’m your grandfather, Amadeus Rose. And you, Ruby, are home.” 

[antirepurp]

i keep finding fascination in the way maria is portrayed in-universe and also in meta sense, especially the latter, because so often she gets depicted as a kind of saint or an angel or god forbid a martyr, and the palatable things about her like her kindness and "inherent" goodness get focused on. it makes her character less about who she was and more about her death i think, and i get it she wasn't intended to be much more than that. her purpose was to be shadow's driving motivation in sa2 and that's fine sometimes you need characters like that when you're telling a story. but in the wider sense it becomes kind of twisted.

like you're a terminally ill teenager. you've been quarantined onto a space ship to buy you some time, and you're surrounded by people who coddle you and tell you not to do things and have your blood taken and shit. whatever normalcy you used to have is long gone and every day you come to better terms with your own mortality, or you don't think about it, whatever gets you through. you have good days when you almost feel like there's nothing wrong with you, and days when you can't get out of bed and your body aches and you feel like today might be the day you finally die

you are kind. you've been as good of a person as a child could have been so far. but you're also tired and angry and frustrated and bored. you have barely any meaningful social connections outside of your grandfather, and maybe one or two kids you run into on occasion who are younger than you and could never truly process the kind of life you're living. you are 16 and living in a hospital gown, sick of being treated like inspiration porn when you do normal things without showing your pain. you are the furthest thing from an angel. you don't want to be seen as anything comparable to an angel

you are kind and there's so much love in your heart, enough that you take a bullet for the brother who was created for you. but would you have done it if you had known how much it were to strip you from your humanity down the line?

[vrachis]

Marie is such a doll. Literally is one. I heard she worked in a maid cafe once…do you see where this is going? ☺️

anon… don’t even get me started.

she’d go red and be so embarrassed just by when you ask her to dress up in her old uniform. you think she’d look so cute in it, and plus! you haven’t see her wear it. like ever. not even once, so that gives you the right to see!

she’ll be reluctant but will give in to what you want, since you’ve been bragging and begging so much. just to end her embarrassment and your countless pleas, she puts the outfit on and will go out to show you,

she will become more shy by the time a gasp escapes your mouth, her hands laying sheepishly at the lacy hem of her dress while she looks down :(

you’ll take the time to explore her, taking in the sight of your cute girlfriend in such an adorable yet tempting to rip off dress.

you can’t help the excitement that overcomes you as you tower over her, looking down at her amazed like you’ve seen the most perfectly displayed doll in your life.

licking your lips, you get closer to her and place your hands on her shoulders.

“i know you don’t work in that cafe anymore, but i know other ways you can service me while in this dress.”

[mariatesstruther]

ellie would be so obsessed with getting a nose ring once she realizes maria has one like. homegirl would drive joel fucking nuts

[urmomlikeslinotoo]

Summertime Sadness— Yang Jungwon

Genre: angst… only angst, lovers to exes

Pairing: idol!Jungwon x gn!reader

Warnings: loads of crying, neck kissing, cuddling, yeah that’s about it

Words: 500+

author’s note: man i really like writing depressing shit i’m sorry 😔😔 i promise i’ll write something nice and fluffy next time

“HUG ME”

He wrapped his arms around your smaller figure as you cried. Sobs wracking through your body, you clung onto him tightly, fearing he’d leave you sooner than you wanted.

He hated seeing you cry. You never cried, and when he did see you cry that one time, he promised himself that he’d do everything he could to never see you cry again.

He broke his promise.

He couldn’t stay with you. His job demanded too much from him and he didn’t have time for you. Even though you told him that you were fine with it, the guilt ate him up from inside.

You deserved better, he told himself, you deserved someone who could be by your side and did have time for you. You deserved so much better than him, and so he made this decision.

You pulled his sweater closer to you, trying to imprint his scent in your memory. You’d never get to smell it again, that sweet, honey scent. His unique scent you loved.

He held his tears back as much as he could, but he couldn’t help a few tears slipping down his cheeks. He was going to lose the love of his life, he was going to lose you.

“Please” You choked, burying your face into his chest, hoping this was just a dream. He wasn’t leaving you, he wasn’t.

His arms tightened around you, it felt like a distant wish. His hold felt alien, it felt cold.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry I’m so weak” He sniffled, bumping his nose into the crown of your head. Your hair smelled of lemons and vanilla, a perfect combination.

2 years of happiness, of blissfulness, of peace and serenity, gone in the blink of an eye. Your two years together would soon mean nothing. They would be nothing the next morning. He’d leave you with nothing.

“Please, please don’t leave me” You sobbed, gripping his sweater tightly between your fingers.

He shook his head, his body shaking slightly. He shut his eyes tightly as tears now poured uncontrollably down his face. He shoved his face into the top of your head, pleading you to stop.

You desperately kissed his neck, reminding him that he was yours, and you were his. You reminded him where only you could kiss him. That no one else would be the same, that you were the only one who could do this for him.

He shook his head even more now, begging you to let him go. He begged, but he made no attempt to push himself away, instead he pulled you flush against himself, not wanting to let go.

And so you laid there, two broken people with broken hearts and a ruined future. Your hearts still beat for each other, but that would have to change. Because you couldn’t go through that kind of pain again, so you had to let go.

It was the summer of 2023, and you lost the love of your life. He wasn’t yours anymore, and he never would be.

Yang Jungwon became your summertime sadness.

[carnivalls]

writing some of eve's relationship with her dad. did you guys know it was this bad

[marinaiguess]

This is back from December lol. Found it in my drafts so, you can have it. I really don't remember where I was going with this shusugsihs

Ark siblings for yall :')

‐---------------------------------‐--‐

"Are you afraid of anything, Maria?"

"where...where did that come from?"

"I don't know, I was just," he paused for a brief moment, turning his gaze away from her, "thinking about things."

"Shadow, you can talk to me about anything." she smiled reassuringly. "I'll try to help you."

"Yet you're not answering my question."

"how will that help you?"

"I guess you don't want to answer then."

She stops and sighs, her eyes drawn back to Earth before she looks at him again. "I'm sorry, shadow, I was just... not expecting that kind of question." Her face falls as she sits down, admiring her favorite view.

Shadow is concerned but not exactly sure what to do. So, he resorts for a simple hand on her shoulder, it should be enough. "I apologize, Maria, you don't have to answer if you don't -"

"it's funny actually. you were made to protect me from the inevitable."

"Maria?"

She is a human, sure, so she always has had responsibilities. But she is more than that, something more important. She is a big sister. she won't crumble down in front of her brother. she shouldn't be afraid of anything, she can't be. she shouldn't admit to anyone what she is afraid of. but why is she so tempted then?

maybe because it doesn't matter. because they won't be able to change her destiny no matter how hard her grandfather tries. Love prevails, but it can't change fate, it cant create miracles, it won't give her a second chance on this life. she turns to shadow, heart instantly filled with warmth just from looking at his eyes. maybe, whatever she'd do, that crippling fear will always find its way to her. And no one can save her.

"I'm afraid of dying shadow."

He whips his head around to look back at her, confusion prevalent in his features. If he is taken aback, he manages to hide it. "But, isn't death part of life for everyone?"

"for people like me, it is. for you, not really."

shadow remains silent, allowing her to speak further.

"still, it's not just death that I'm scared of, I know I can't avoid that. it's...I want to be able to do things. to make my dreams come true. to find and fulfill my purpose. to go down there, on that planet..." her voice cracks slightly, and Shadow realizes it's the first time he feels like he has a heart, he didn't know he had to feel it break in order to understand that it is there. "that planet which" she reiterated after a very short pause, an important one in order to pull herself together, "is so close yet feels so far out of reach for me, and help people in need with you by my side. I want to live life. and I'm afraid death will deprive me of this before I get the chance to." Not even once had she glanced away from earth, visualizing in her head what life would be like on there, how people lived their everyday lives to the fullest.

The tears pricking her eyes are burning more than they usually do.