#messier 84

[quiltofstars]

A meteor flashing through part of Markarian's Chain // Tyler Schlitt

[tinka-tank]

do u have any huntake headcanons 😁😁

Sorry this is such a late response I had a very busy day and then had a beach day today so yayyyyy

Which actually got me to think about one thing I thought of and that's that Huntake would love beach dates like

- Beach Dates 🏖 🌊

I really take the greetings to heart and in one greeting Jake spoke about his dream date I believe ? (Correct me if I'm wrong) and how it was at the beach and I know they'd end up there on a date...

Like Hunter needs 84 pounds of sunscreen on him and I know Jake would gladly apply sunscreen on him, which probably makes me think Hunter would like to play beach games like volleyball with Jake, but probably has to be under the shade for a bit watching Jake run around and in Hunters head its all in slow motion to take in all the glory

I think of simple things, them on a blanket preferably a magenta one... eating sandwiches they packed with small laughs since there's definitely some sand in the sandwiches from all the shit they got up to... THE SUNSETS... WATCHING THE SUNSET W SMALL SMILES WHEN THEY TURN TO FACE EACH OTHER

- Jake is more cleanly 🧹🧺

What I mean is this:

I like to think Hunters a bit more messier... probably sleeps on an air mattress or a mattress with no bed frame and shirts lying around.. and I think Jake would tweak out if he saw a roach living there and need to clean everything somehow... there's only so much mess he can tolerate the mess, but it makes for cleaning days and excuses for Jake to come over often to see him

- Jobless Brokeass (me) Hunter, Employed Jake 👔📋

Hunter gives off employed, like he went to college w no job just vibes and I always hced as Jake coming from a family with a businessman father or something like that, a more stern family that doesn't tend to understand his emotions and paranoia, so I think Jake is more likely to pick up jobs to make money and to feel fulfilled in someway despite Miriam having the damn mil...

Things like Hunter getting bored of being at home and watching movies and he gets up and goes to wherever Jake works to bother him and ask about his day, sweet things that show to Jake that Hunter cares in his own way

But like also the thought of Jake doing professional only fans or mlm schemes appeals to me so Hunter is probably behind the camera recording and taking photos bc at the end of the day the money means Jake will buy Hunter a new album or plushie

But also ALSO I do like the idea of Jake in a corporate job and starting off as a secretary that sees way too much and is on the phone with Hunter a lot to someone working higher up later... I can forsee Jake in his office and Hunter coming in for his lunch break to eat with him

- (controversial) Big Spoon Jake, Little Spoon Hunter 🥄 💕

This might be controversial to some in our unruly society, but I don't think muscular or buff or taller = top... I really think Hunter would enjoy being snuggled and being treated sweetly and enjoy just. No arguing and no bickering... no problems... just the sweet, tender embrace of the person he loves... and I know Jake ass probably possessive asf and would provide that sweet, strong hug or cuddle to make Hunter feel at home with him... the love Jake can provide with his sweetness is not just verbal or mental, but can be physical. We've seen how sweet Jake can be in canon with Tom and I know he wouldn't leave Hunter feeling any worse

- (more in line w my hcs) Jake helps Hunter with fashion and sewing 🛍🪡

I have a hc of Hunter doing drag so naturally he'd need certain outfits made and I think he isn't rich soooo he probably complained about having no resources and in my eyes Jake probably has experience with sewing and is good at it OR he isn't that good but TRIES to learn more for Hunter... I really like the idea of Hunter wanting to perform something but thinking he can't due to having no outfit and at the last minute Jake surprises him with the custom outfit... you can't tell me Jake wouldn't be that mf dedicated to some shit... he's really intense as is

Like imagine him hand beading an outfit, purposely remeasuring Hunter often just to feel him again... like I know they'd end up having matching outfits at some point...

- Hunter loves to do karaoke 🎤 🎶

Why his ass always singing Lady Gaga songs in greetings. I know his ass wants to sing the entirety of Artpop and will 💯% make Jake watch him and sometimes participate in duets... this also ties into my drag hc thing because Jake getting to remake certain Gaga outfits for Hunter is real...

- SPORTS OR FUN DAYS 🥊🎳

Hunter is muscular SOMEHOW and Jake appears to be athletic in some way and his fit kind of suggests it unless he fucking robbed someone which I wouldn't put past him... anyways

Hunter getting Jake into new sports and activities !! Imagine them trying out things like frisbee or soccer, dates at parks avidly being an annoying gay couple... if they took on boxing I can imagine Jake getting too intense and accidentally clobbering him or the coach... one punch = k.o. type shit 😭 but them trying tennis too or some other crap and if they suck ass at it they say oh well and get some food...

E yeah I think that's all I can think of FOR NOW bc my mind is kinda empty but TRUST I thought of more before

I would've added a Miriam hc in here but I have a tough time deciding if she'd like Hunter or want him dead

[toasttt11]

brinley matthews

Brinley Amelia Matthews

Number: 11

Season: Seventh

Position: D

Height: 5”11

Hometown: Arizona

S/C: R

NHL: MTL

Prev Team: USNTDP

NHL

• Selected First overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2017 NHL Draft.

International

Team USA

•2017 World Championship- Gold, 8 G, 10 A, 7 GP

•2017 World Junior Championship- Gold, 9 G, 9 A, 7 GP

•2016 World Junior Championship-Gold, 6 G, 11 A, 7 GP

•2015 World U-18 Hockey Challenge- Gold Medal, 6 G, 10 A, 7 GP

•2014 World U-17 Hockey Challenge- Gold Medal, 5 G, 11 A, 6 GP

Seventh Season (2023-2024)

Montreal Canadians

50 G, 102 A, 152 P, 80 GP

Captain.

Received James Norris Memorial Trophy.

Received Hart Memorial Trophy.

Sixith Season (2022-2023)

Montreal Canadians

35 G, 91 A, 126 P, 68 GP

Captain.

Received James Norris Memorial Trophy.

Received Ted Lindsay Award.

Fifth Season (2021-2022)

Montreal Canadians

30 G, 90 A, 120 P, 72 GP

Captain.

Received Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award.

Fourth Season (2020-2021)

Montreal Canadians

33 G, 99 A, 132 P, 87 GP

Alternative Captain.

Received James Norris Memorial Trophy.

Received Hart Memorial Trophy.

Received Art Ross Trophy.

Third Season (2019-2020)

Montreal Canadians

15 G, 42 A, 57 P, 40 GP

Alternative Captain.

Received James Norris Memorial Trophy.

Signed a Contract for 72 Million dollars for Seven years and a 5 million dollar signing bonus.

Second Season (2018-2019)

Montreal Canadians

21 G, 80 A, 101 P, 79 GP

Alternative Captain.

Rookie Season (2017-2018)

Montreal Canadians

19 G, 80 A, 99 P, 84 GP

Received the Rookie of the Year award.

Signed a Contract for 9 Million dollars for two years and a 1 million dollar signing bonus.

Before the NHL

Played two seasons with the USNTDP.

Totaled 220 points (80-160--240) in 125 games with the USNTDP, the most assists ever in USNTDP history and the most points ever scored by a defensive player.

Scored points (40-80--120) in 63 games in 2015-2016, played with the U-17 and U-18 Teams.

Scored points (40-80--120) in 62 games with the U18 team in 2016-2017.

Personal

Born January 2, 1999

Daughter Brian and Ema Matthew

Has three siblings Alexandria, Auston, Breyana

[alwayslurkinginthebackground]

Wild Card - A "Kissing You" Drabble

Pairing: Frankie Morales & f!reader Warnings: Passing mention of minor character death, mention of substance abuse, mention of abusive relationships, heavy making out with the suggestion of more, nothing too drastic though Word Count: 1.2k Prompt #84 : Trying to deny your feelings, but attraction gets the best of you, and you push them up against the wall. a/n: Ok, I'm back. I'm actually gonna do the thing and share these. See the masterpost for all the information on what the heck I'm doing.

Masterlist | Previous Drabble | Next Drabble

A hundred thousand moments flash through your consciousness even as you will yourself to stop everything and just think for a second. 

But you can’t, because he’s right here in front of you, heat radiating off of him as you’re engulfed by a distinct scent that is part oil grease, part ocean, and part something distinctly Frankie. 

He was your best friend’s older brother, and you’d initially only known Frankie thanks to his relentless teasing during sleepovers and dinners at their house. As you all grew older, when you were in high school and he was in college, you saw less of him. He'd occasionally appear on weekends if he was home, pouring over engineering textbooks while you were prepping for the latest school dance. You noted, however, the way he would appear whenever an asshole tried to break your heart. They often succeeded in doing so, and he often succeeded in breaking their nose in return. 

You were 26 when your best friend died tragically in a car accident. Frankie was 32, and you couldn’t even begin to imagine the loss he felt. For a brief moment, he let you console him the night before the funeral, but by the next morning his rugged exterior took back over. He left for special ops a week later, eager to get as far away from his grief as possible. 

A small part of you believed that he was trying to get as far away from you as possible too. Your home life hadn’t exactly been positive, so you often spent more time at the Morales house than you did your own, and you figured that for a grieving Frankie, you were the next closest thing to his sister. Wrapped up in memories of her that he longed to forget. But when you’d stumbled upon each other at a bar eight years later, rekindling a long-forgotten friendship, you knew you’d been wrong all along. 

New memories overshadow the less-favorable ones you both attempt to forget - late night breakfasts together at the Waffle House, nights at the bar with your friends and his, movies seen strictly as friends, all replacing the ghosts of his time in combat and the abusive relationship you’d let yourself stay in for far too long. If anyone asked, you’d quickly inform them that you and Frankie had history, sure, but neither of you had ever thought of acting on it. You dated other people, you went about your lives, and you did it all as friends. 

At least, that’s what you tried to convince yourself of. 

To tell the truth, it had been that first night at the bar when you realized that, perhaps, you wanted to be more than just friends. But you’re petrified by the thought of losing him again. There’s more going on in his head than you think you’ll ever understand, especially since he returned from the mission in Columbia that he won’t talk to anyone, not even you, about. Not since his ex-girlfriend dumped him the second he came home from that mission without any money. Not since you caught him with a line of coke on the table in front of him for the first time in years and you begged him to stop. 

Frankie was a wild card, just as he always had been, and he was one you wanted to keep in your hand for as long as possible. The best way of doing that was to lock any feelings you might ever have for him deep inside your soul. Just having Frankie in your life is enough. You don’t want to mess that up. 

But tonight, things are getting messier by the second. 

Your evening had been so normal, so filled with laughter as you grabbed dinner at a spot along the beach. Benny had been there too, the three of you causing so much noise that your waiter had asked you to quiet down on multiple occasions. But then Benny had left, claiming that Will had needed him to help with a burst pipe. The look he gave you when he left, however, told you that he had other motivations for leaving the two of you alone. Asshole. 

Dinner had turned into the suggestion of a movie at Frankie’s place, a common occurrence for the two of you. What wasn’t common was the way your breath hitched when he helped you out of his truck, or the way you accidentally ran into him as he attempted to unlock his door, your face colliding with his solid back. 

Now, Frankie is standing in front of you, lips parted slightly, the dim light of his front entry casting a shadow across half his face and suddenly nothing is ordinary. He’s breathing just as heavily as you are, and you can practically feel the energy radiating off of him as he waits for you to say something. To do something. Anything. 

You try to tell yourself that the look in his eyes isn’t what you want it to be. A last ditch effort as you attempt to trick your mind into thinking the gaze you’d dreamt about more than once wasn’t actually real. It couldn’t be. It shouldn’t be. Not you. Not him. Not any of this. 

But fate works in mysterious ways, and suddenly you’re ready to play a wild card of your own.

“Frankie,” you whisper so quietly that you’re surprised he’s heard you when he says your name in return. “What are we doing?” 

“You tell me,” he says, voice low and gravely. 

And then it overwhelms you entirely, pent-up desire and mixed signals rushing to the forefront as you reach for him just as quickly as he reaches for you. His back is to the door, and you feel bad about the way he slams into it as your lips meet his. You’re quick to bite his lower lip between your teeth, body melting into his as you push him harder against the door. 

Without hesitation, his hand slides down to your right thigh, fingers digging into the skin just below the hem of your dress as he hitches one of your legs around his waist. His body grinds against you, and that’s when you come back to your senses, pulling away just far enough to break your kiss. You feel him chase you slightly, but you pull away, red alarms going off in your mind. 

“Frankie,” you repeat, a little louder this time, “is this okay?” 

“This,” he laughs, “is more than okay, corazón.” He presses you firmer against him, and you feel the evidence of just how okay against your core. 

You let him match his lips to yours when he chases you again, returning his intensity with your own until the only thought left in your mind is him, his name repeated over and over and over. You run your hands up to remove his hat and wind your fingers through his mess of curls, pulling him closer to you. 

Closer than you’ve ever been before and still not close enough. 

Masterlist | Previous Drabble | Next Drabble

[harmonytre]

Featured Character #61: Joan with Messier (mine)

Featured Character #84: Seras

Both for Saragonvoid on Toyhouse!

[soundgrammar]

Umar Rashid, Messier object 66 and the warrior who slew the basilisk and damaged Mission Control. Ad Astra., 2022. Acrylic and ink on canvas, 72 × 84 in. Courtesy the artist and Blum & Poe, Los Angeles/New York/Tokyo. Photo: Josh Schaedel. Via www.x-traonline.org.

[starmagicked]

as promised, a detailed description of rilha's outfits / hairstyles through the expansions. : ) because i'm insane.

clicking on the images below will take you to an imgur link with all the gposes in full !! ( or if you wanna see 'em without reading, they're here )

cw spoilers for all expansions.

A REALM REBORN.

coming from kugane, rilha is very used to wearing clothing that shows some skin due to the heat. though the temperate is moderate in gridania, her attire has an open midriff. if not for her mother being an esteemed white mage, the conjurer's guild would have made her dress more appropriate long ago. ( not to say they haven't tried in the past, that is. )

her hair is a decent length with messy bangs. while on the journey to gridania, she had cut it short, mostly out of rebellion. over the next coming years, it goes past her shoulders.

HEAVENSWARD.

seeking shelter in coerthas brings rilha to change her outfit. the cold is harsh in ishgard, and during her time on the backlines of the dragonsong war, she learns to adapt to the winds and snow. despite this, she still finds a way to show her thighs a bit with some absolute territory. the leggings and shorts she wears are fleece lined to combat the wind that hits the absolute territory.

while in the war, her hair gets longer and messier. she has little time to take care of her hair when aiding in the war effort, but hydaelyn does she try. her hair reaches her lower back at this point.

STORMBLOOD.

as much as rilha came to find shelter in ishgard, she is relieved when her duties begin to take her elsewhere. her attire shifts to be more free flowing, taking a chance on adorning pink for a change instead of monochromes. the flowy outfit keeps her safe from the dry heat of ala mhigo and the humidity of the far east.

aiding in one war effort quickly leads her to the next. before arriving in ala mhigo, rilha cuts her hair shorter than she had previously. not just as a way to have it out of the way when healing and carrying out duties, but also as a way to take ownership of herself.

this expansion forces her to confront her past, and come to accept who she is. she embraces her feminine side more, but also works on taking control of who she is and what she wants.

SHADOWBRINGERS.

upon settling into the crystarium, rilha returns to her revealing outfits, whilst still trying to accommodate for all the climates present in norvrandt. the skin she shows is tasteful, the tail ends of her gown covering what needs to be covered. her confidence shines through in her attire, and it's that confidence that helps aid her in infiltrating eulmore.

though she lives in norvrandt for four years, she keeps her hair length at her shoulders, not letting the length go past her chest. it is the most upkeep she gives her hair since starting her journey, partially because tracking the time to cut her hair grounds her. it helps her keep note of how long it's been since she arrived to the first. it isn't until she reunites with the warrior of light that she allows her hair to grow once more.

ENDWALKER.

levels 80 - 81.

rilha's attire is more fitting for a mage, with some edge to it. she adorns a bright lily in her hair, with tasteful skin being shown throughout her fit. it's a very adaptive fit, to compensate for the climates of various regions she explores in this arc.

her hair has grown longer since being in the first, enough to be able to tie it up. feeling the long hair, she opts to pull it up when working as a healer. her messy bangs stay prominent.

levels 82 - 84.

while in garlemald, her heavensward attire makes a return due to the harsh cold. her hair stays consistent, tied up to make working easier for her. her bright lily is gone for this arc, due to the cold winds.

levels 85 - 87.

being stationed in radz-at-han for the final days, her attire changes to accommodate for the blistering humid heat. having been given clothes from the locals, she matches a top with some older thigh boots she's possessed and some shorts. on the back of her head is a white bow, an attempt at keeping her free flowing hair in check.

due to the chaos of this time period, she forgoes tying her hair up every day, instead letting it flow freely. her bangs slightly part, due to her continuously running her hand through them to get them out of her face whilst trying to help those in need.

levels 88 - 90.

as the warrior of light returns from elpis, rilha goes back to her previous attire to continue the quest of stopping the final days. her bright lily makes a return in her hair.

this time, she opts to let her hair flow freely once more, her hair gaining some volume and fluff from the intense travel across the universe.

[messieral]

El Diario del Monstruo - fragm. 84

29/05/2024: Con la mente en blanco me atrevo a tomar decisiones, a la correspondencia clandestina, a volver a alterar la realidad a mi antojo. ¿Nos llevará ello a alguna parte verdaderamente inevitable o a un error de proporciones lamentables?; no lo sé y tampoco es importante. Aunque debilitado sigo siendo el amo de este destino extraño… — Messieral “El Diario del Monstruo fragm.…

[aldocerandaz]

Elliptical galaxy leaves its mark on its surroundings

H’ es para Hot and Huge en Chandra Image Con una sola letra aparentemente grabada en el  resplandor de rayos X  a su alrededor, un  agujero negro gigante  en el centro de una  galaxia elíptica masiva  está dejando una marca en su entorno Esta estructura en forma de “H” se encuentra en un nuevo mapa detallado de rayos X del gas de varios millones de grados alrededor de la galaxia Messier 84…

[gaetaniu]

La "H" sta per "caldo" e "enorme" nell'immagine di Chandra

La galassia M84. Con una singola lettera apparentemente incisa nel bagliore dei raggi X che lo circonda, un buco nero gigante al centro di una galassia ellittica massiccia sta lasciando un segno nell’ambiente circostante. Questa struttura a forma di “H” è stata individuata in una nuova mappa dettagliata ai raggi X del gas intorno alla galassia Messier 84 (M84). Quando il gas viene catturato…

[quiltofstars]

Markarian's Chain 😐 // Bryan Wilmoth

Some of the galaxies in this image include: M84, M86, NGC 4388, The Eyes (NGC 4438), NGC 4461, and NGC 4458.

[chibinotan]

Ellipse’s Core

[thrillofcontrol]

Eddie Munson- Looking Back.

Eddie x F!Reader

Fluff, Tad Bit Of Angst.

The one where the reader is waiting for Eddie in his room and notices the pictures on his wall, bringing back happy memories.

Word count: 3.6.k

The girl sat in the small room of her boyfriends trailer, she found the most comfort sat in the home of Eddie, even when he is not there, the scent of him gives her that loving feeling. She met Eddie in high school and the two hit it off instantly, however she did end up graduating in her designated year. Despite this, she has constantly been there for Eddie, helping him whenever she could and loving him no matter his dorky interests and his attitudes of being an outsider in society. If soulmates existed, y/n was certain that Eddie was hers, she loved that boy more than life itself. In y/n's eyes, that boy could do no wrong, she has grown more and more in love with every display of affection the boy gives her.

She was currently sat listening to Guns N' Roses' "Welcome To The Jungle" on her walkman waiting for Eddie to come back to his trailer, her arrival is so expected that Eddie got her a key cut. The girl was currently looking around Eddies room smiling at the surroundings as though it was her first time being in there, she always seems to find new things despite being in their five days a week. Her eyes stop when she realises that his guitar has photos of the two scattered around the guitar, with a messy written note which says "the two things I love the most" with an even messier smiley face underneath the words. Y/n giggled to herself, taking in the corniness of the sight before her, it was so cute, a little cringe, but over all it was an Eddie thing to do, a dorky, loving Eddie thing to do. She looked at each polaroid, taking off her headphones and placing the gadget on the floor, smiling at the memories that the couple had made together.

The photo that Eddies uncle took of the pair sleeping on the sofa.

Y/n took a gap year in order to spend more time with her boyfriend, due to him not graduating in the year of 84", she wanted to help him succeed in his studies so they could look at going to college together but also she didnt want to leave him alone in Hawkins just yet, she knew how lost rhey were without eachother, and she didnt want to put Eddie through that. This was the first time y/n stayed over at her boyfriends house with nobody else present in the home, the thought of stealing or anything disrespectful would have never even crossed her mind, she was just happily waiting for her boyfriend to return home from his first day back from Hawkins. Y/n would never claim herself as a protector of Eddie, however when she was around her boyfriend, despite his eccentric behaviour, nothing more than a dirty glace was given towards him, you weren't exactly a popular student, but you were well liked by all, making it hard for anybody to exactly judge your boyfriend. Nervous thoughts rushed through your mind, not only was Eddie deemed as an outsider but he also flunked his original graduation year, you knew he was tough enough on the outside to allow people to take the piss, but you also knew that he was a rather vulnerable person and as much as you will happily take care of him once he is home, you wish he wouldnt have to feel vunerable in the first place.

You were instantly snapped out of the sound of your thoughts once you heard the front door to Eddies trailer slam, "Y/n can you please go home" you heard his voice shake whilst not even looking at you, the pair just stay in silence for a few seconds before y/n approaches her boyfriend, wrapping her arms around his back, when he eventually turns around, y/n is made aware of the tears staining his eyes and the fact his hair is damp, and the top he wore was not what he left in. All of her worse fears of Eddies first day back were coming true, she didnt know what else to do but engulf him in the biggest hug, causing him to break down in her arms, his head nuzzled into her shoulder.

They stay wrapped in eachothers arms for a few minutes, until Eddies crying turned into light sniffles, throughout the girl kept a tight grip on her boyfriend, wanting him to know hes loved purley from her embrace, she hated to see him like this. She always knew what he was thinking with how he acted physically, he was the the love of her life, of course she knew his vulnerabilities despite him seeming as though he is a tough guy. She knew he never liked to speak about it, no matter how hard she tried to to make him let her in, it wasn't because he didnt love her, it was because he was scared she'd no longer love him, scared he was too much of a failure, so he tried to hide himself away.

Therefore she just led him towards his sofa and allowed him to rest his head on her chest, grabbing a blanket that was thrown on to the floor and wrapping it around them both. She started slowly running her hands through his head, making him hum in comfort of the soothing sensation, then she quickly placed a soft kiss on the top of his head, making him lean up to look into her eyes, "baby?" he gently said, his voice still slightly wimpering, "yes Eds" her heart shattering hearing his broken voice, looking down into his eyes. He fidgets his position, getting as close to y/n as possible, "why does everybody hate me" he says shyly, avoiding any possible eye contact, shying away into y/ns neck, that statement alone broke the girl, she hated the idea of her boyfriend not realising how amazing he is, she hated how dickheads who have no life could break somebody so far down after one day. The girl tightened her grip on her boyfriend as hard as she could, lifting his head up from her shoulder which he slowly allowed her to do, despite his embarrassment, she started pressing sweet kisses across his face, making his cheeks slowly turn pink. "Sweet baby, I wish I could make everybody see you how I see you, including yourself, you are the most incredible person I know, people in this world are evil, and you deserve none of that" she whispers whilst holding his face between her hands, pressing a long kiss on his lips making him half smile, "I wish I could protect you from everything because you, Eddie Munson, are too perfect for this shitty world" she continues staring into his eyes, making his cheeks turn pink once again, the girl could tell he didnt want to talk about the situation right now, she could he felt daft. "Lets just lie here for now baby", she says placing his head back onto her chest, pressing her lips to his head once more. He happily obliged, letting himself relax onto her chest.

This was the night Eddie knew he was going to be with y/n for the rest of his life, he loved her more than anything before however this night made him aware that, no matter what, y/n would love and appriciate him, no matter how unpopular he is, no matter how pathetic he may seem crying like a baby over being bullied, he realised that she will love him on his worst days and she will be there whenever he needs her, she simply just loved him for him and he'll always love her for her, for the rest of their lives. And that night y/n realised that Eddie was capable of breaking down his walls for her, trusted her enough to let her in despite how hard it was for him, similarly to Eddie, despite loving him more than anything prior after this night she could truly see him in her life forever.

Eddie and y/n ended up fast asleep on that sofa until the morning, and when Eddies uncle came home he thought nothing of taking a photo of the sleeping couple with the camera that was placed on the kitchen counter. Y/ns head placed on top of Eddies, as Eddies head is hanging off of y/ns shoulder, their hands intertwined and the blanket barley covering them. He thought it would be a comical photo they'd laugh at for a second and then it'd get put in a cupboard, he didn't realise he captured a photo of such an important moment in the couples relationship, a photo that is happily placed on Eddies wall to remind him of one of his worse days that turned into one of his best memories because of y/n. The day he realised just how important y/n is to him, made him realise y/n doesnt think any less of him despite his lack of popularity. The day y/n realised Eddies true vulnerabilities, which made her realise that they both truly trust eachother, made her realise how much she truly adored him, not matter his weakness'.

Eddie kissing y/n on the forehead in a candid photo that Dustin accidently took one time in a D&D session.

Y/n never really understood the passion that Eddie has for the game Dungeons and Dragons, better known as d&d. However, she'd always be supportive of the activities Eddie partook in, especially if that activity made him as happy as this game did. She never wanted to get in the way of his sessions, seeming like a clingy girlfriend, nor did she want him to realise you still didn't exactly understand what the game was despite how many times he has explained the process of it, which is why she never commonly attended sessions unless he asked her to. Recently though the two were inseparable, and just craved eachothers attention, therefore y/n has been at every d&d session, despite not playing, she stayed and watched for the many hours that the campaigns go on for, simply enjoying the excitement that the game brings to Eddie, smilimg at his face lighting up at what he is doing, even though you didnt understand it, she played along so Eddie didnt feel as though he was boring her, which he wasn't anyway.

Throughout the game he was checking on his girlfriend to see if she was okay, for a lot of the game she was sat in between his legs, his head resting on her shoulder so he could still continue with the game whilst showing you affection, pressing kisses on her neck when he wasnt present in the game. "Get a room" Mike gagged catching y/n giggling at Eddie kissing up her neck, Eddie simply scoffs saying "fuck off Wheeler, carry on the came" before pressing one last kiss on y/ns shoulder and putting his full attetion back onto the game.

After a while of being zoned out, as the campaign got more intense, she gently got up off of Eddie's lap smiling as she remembered that she had put her camera in the bag, you were rather tired and didn't understand that there would be a problem with suggesting we took a photo of us all. She flipped the camera, being further away from everyone, hoping it'd get everybody in shot, Eddie's friends liked y/n, however they preffered D&D so when the flash of the camera put them off of the game, they instantly all lashed out at the girl who was just trying to do something sweet.

"what the fuck y/n"

"Eddie this is why she stays at home"

"Come on y/n what the fuck"

It made the girl feel stupid, she flinched at the bombardment of yelling and threw her camera on the floor, luckily not breaking it, attempting to compose herself, "shut the fuck up, it was an accident" she heard her boyfriend defending her before checking if she was okay, making the gang shut up and awkwardly look at one another, her attention was solely on the floor in embarrassment, therefore she didnt notice Dustin picking up the camera, trying to figure out how to use this particular make in order make her feel better.

Eddie took y/n into his arms whispering a simple "you shouldve stayed in my lap, i was rather comfy" laughing slightly to make her feel better, making her look up at him and smile, her eyes shutting as he gently pressed his lips against her head. Suddenly a flash of a camera took them out of their moment, making them jump out of their position, "oops" you heard the curly haired boy say, "at least you know how we felt now" Jeff laughed setting all of them into small laughing, "right enough with that camera" the girl smiled grabbing it off of Dustin, "get back to your game" she says shoving Eddie back into his seat before taking her place back into his lap smiling happily.

When she got home, she realised just how sweet that photograph was, the pair looked so happy and in love. Despite it not necessarily being the happiest of moments, nor being a rather important memory to keep, Dustin Henderson definitely knew how to take an adorable photo.

A photo that was not a polaroid, it was instead a photo ripped out of the school newspaper in 84" it was of y/n in her graduation clothes being picked up into a hug by Eddie, the two smiling into a kiss.

This was a hard day for the couple, they both knew that Eddie had not graduated, she wanted this to be her happy day, this was a huge milestone in her life however the idea of Eddie not being able to join her whilst taking this milestone shattered her heart, she obviously had to put herself first, because as much as she adored her boyfriend, she couldnt give up her future for him but she just wished he didn't fool around and waste his year away, the girl wished she helped him succeed, looking back there were so many opportunities were she could of forced him to tag along to the library with her. But it was too late now, because y/n is currently dressed in her grad outfit whilst Eddie stands by her side, his and in hers as she shyly smiles at him and squeezes his hand. She had told Eddie he didnt need to attend her graduation as she didnt want him to start belittling himself over the fact he did not graduate, however he was adamant he wanted to cheer you on, and constantly told her how proud he was of her. He was happily ready to sit in the crowd with your parents and cheer his girlfriend as she received her prized certificate, watching his beautiful girlfriend walk back down from the crowd and notice him smiling at her success. He might have a slight tear in his heart, knowing he wasn't good enough, however he knew that was his own fault and right now he needed to be supportive of y/n , his incredible girl.

Before she went and sat in her allocated seats she gave her mother and father a quick hug, asking Eddie to take a quick photo of the three of them together, in which your father put two fingers behind her head to represent bunny ears whilst making a shocked face, making you laugh as Eddie took the photo and her mother was just smiling sweetly. Shortly after Eddie pressed a quick kiss onto y/ns lips, making her hum in pleasure before her mom insisted that the pair got a photo, taking the camera off of Eddie and snapping a picture of the two of them smiling happily, his head resting on top of her head. "Right you better get going" her father laughed signalling at an array of students already sitting, making the girl snap back into reality. She was about to graduate, she didnt fully process that yet. She blew a quick kiss to all three of them before rushing off to find her seat.

For the majority of the graduation she was zoned out, nervously waiting for her turn to walk up on stage, politely clapping when she realised everybody else was clapping. She wasn't purposely trying to be disrespectful, the realisation was only just hitting her that her future was approaching quickly, it terrified her. Her thoughts suddenly stopped raiding her brain when "y/n l/n" suddenly was said out of the speakers, it startled her, her hands were trembling, but the second she head three different tones of cheering, followed by polite clapping made her nerves suddenly fade. She didn't have to look back to know who these three people were, your mother, your father and Eddie will always be your biggest fans. A grin filling your facd as you headed towards the stage, accepting your certificate, shaking hands, all that jazz before reapproaching her seat, noticing her boyfriend smiling so widley, blowing her a quick kiss- which made her heart flip. She quickly pretended to put the kiss into her pocket before returning back to your seat.

After it all ended, happily throwing her cap up into the air, cheering and smiling with all of her other classmates, sharing hugs and words of encouragement for everybodys futures, simply enjoying the moment, she didnt spend another second without rushing into Eddies arms. He spotted to running over and allowed you to jump into his arms, securing you in one arm his hand placed underneath you and the other hand messily wrapped in her hair, looking into her eyes whispering a quick "im so proud of you" before pressing his lips against hers, smiling against her lips as her grip around his neck tightened. It was honestly one of the best days of your life, and knowing Eddie was there to root for her made it even better.

It wasn't until y/ns mother rushed into her room three days later, that she knew that sweet moment the pair shared was captured, she threw the local newspaper in her face exclaming, "look at page three!" already picking up the newspaper and finding it for the girl, shoving it in her face happily. After she had adjusted her eyes to see the photo, a huge smile spread across her face, "oh my god, i have to show Eds" she squealed happily, grabbing the paper, hugging her smiling mum before leaving putting on her shoes to drive to Eddies, before she left she heard your father yell, "give him that copy, we got two", she quickly yelled back her thanks before shooting off.

The newspaper was mainly about the class of 84”, however on page three the entire page, minus small text saying "Hawkins graduate y/n l/n and her boyfriend, after she had graduated" was an image of the couple sharing a sweet kiss filled with pure happiness, she was slightly upset with the lack of mention by the lack of Eddies name, however you were shocked that the photo even made it in as, you were so deep in the moment you didnt even notice a camera but also as Eddie was also meant to be a Hawkins graduate but flunked so you simply didnt expect it to of been showed of him not wearing his outfit, clearly showing he didnt make it, either way the image was beautiful. When you showed Eddie he smiled so widley, his eyes not leaving the image for a while before grabbing scissors and cutting the image out of the paper, and happily pressing a kiss against your lips. You never knew what he did with that photo until now.

Before she can look through the other photos, she hears the door open instantly pulling away the attention to the pictures, the sound of the door is followed by a "I'm home" making y/n's stomach flip at the sound of her boyfriends voice, a smile forming on her face as she rushes to greet him. Engulfing the scrawny boy in a hug happily muttering a, "missed you" into his chest, resulting in Eddie smiling down at his girlfriend, gently pressing a quick kiss to the top of the head, "missed you more" he says smilining down at the girl. The pair stay silent, in the comfort of eachothers embrace before the boy suddenly speaks, "what have you been up to all day, im almost certain that my room isn't that interesting" he chuckles at himself, looking down at his girlfriend one again, who is now looking up at him with pure adoration in her eyes, "mainly just listening to your cassettes, thinking 'bout you" she giggles shyly. Despite how long the couple has been together, Eddie will always give y/n 'tingly' feelings.

He simply smiles at her response, finally taking himself away from the long embrace they shared and walking to the kitchen counter, placing bread into the toaster, he didn't ask the girl if she was hungry, instead he just made what he knew she enjoyed. As he took the freshly toasted bread out of the toaster, the girl hopped up onto the counter, smiling happily at her boyfriend who is now finishing up his creations. "I saw your new little photo collection, i didnt know how many photos we had together" she said grabbing a slice of toast, taking a bite hungrily, the statement made Eddies eyes light up, making his cheeks turn a deep shade of pink, the girl took the shyness of her boyfriend as a big enough response, 

"it was cute, i feel honoured to be in the same league as your guitar" she sweetly smiles, Eddie looks at his girlfriend who was currently finishing off her slice of toast with pure adoration in his eyes, suddenly not being able to resist another second without her in his arms. With that same loving look in his eyes, he swiftly scoops y/n up into his arms, allowing her to wrap her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, a high pitched giggle leaving her lips, "I think at this point, y/n, I love you more than that guitar" he says, his voice serious but his facial expression looking rather cheeky. Y/n's response to the boy's statement was simply an over exaggerated gasp making the pair laugh, before sharing a sweet, meaningful kiss, whilst wrapped up in eachothers arms.

As much as y/n enjoyed looking back at the old memories with the love of her life, she loves being in the presence of the man she plans to spend the rest of her life with, making even more memories for her future self to look back on.

[justreadingfics]

It’s a Deal (Chapter 11)

Chapter Summary: Bucky is ready for commitment.  

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader

Words: 4.6k

Warnings: fluff. Bucky is so smitten.

A/N: It’s been 84 years, but I hope you have fun! Thank you, @lesqui, for reading it over and helping me out with English and everything. The link to my masterlist, where you can find the other chapters, is on my description. Feedback is highly appreciated.

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  Placing your hands on each side of your hips, you smirk at the popped-up screen in your office. Another project you just nailed. Ever since the promotion, your productivity has increased tenfold and you feel as motivated as ever, your creativity on a top level. Also, the last few weeks, after you decided you needed some time alone, you did set more focus on yourself and your own projects. Work being one of them.

It’s weird to say the least… you’ve been busier than ever and yet, it seems like you actually have much more time to yourself now. You’ve been reading books you’ve bought but never really got to read them, eating ice-cream at 3am as you watch The Return of the King for the millionth time, your drawers are finally organized and so is your precious DVD collection. You got to explore a great number of parks and spots you’ve never been before, even living in New York for so long. You’ve been going out a lot and catching up with friends and family. 

It was a good decision. You remember in your relationship with Eddie there were always obstacles for you to hang out with people outside the small inner circle of you as a couple. Sometimes the obstacles were subtle, and not always brought solely by Eddie, but also by you who let yourself get involved in that dynamic. You had no idea how much you missed people that were yours only, and not yours and Eddie’s.

It’s been great to be single. Really, really single for the first time in your adult life. No boyfriends or fiancées, no booty-calls or deals. Completely single… A title and state of mind you didn’t really get to enjoy in the first months of being broken up, being too heartbroken to even think of everything you could do with your life then.

Deciding to be alone for a while…It was a great and reasonable decision.

You have to admit something to yourself, though.

Sometimes you just wanna throw “great” and “reasonable” out of the window. Because you do miss him… A lot.

Finding out how he’s changed his mind and predisposition towards your relationship has messed quite a bit with your mind… and heart. You weren’t expecting that at all and now you don’t really know what to do with the chaos that’s bringing upon your feelings. And what’s making it even messier is the other guy who also changed his mind and predisposition towards your relationship… you weren’t expecting that either… however, that particular change of heart hasn’t been making your own heart jump each time you think of it…

Squeaky little yells and an animated chattering sound of female voices catch your attention to outside your office. Your previous smirk turns into a smile while you shake your head to yourself. That type of commotion only ensues when a certain someone drops by the Tech Department.  

With a wave of your hand, you shut down the screen you’ve been working on, before moving towards the sound. What you come to find a few stops outside your office, at the Department’s common area, is a little circle of your female coworkers around a Super Soldier. He’s always a hit among your coworkers, but today it seems like they’re even in a bigger frenzy, fussing around something that he seems to be holding in his arms. You attempt to catch an eye of it, but the bodies in front of you make it quite hard.

He spots you as you approach them and opens a huge grin at your sight.

You smile back at him just as widely and after you come closer and some of the girls make room, your eyes widen and a small little gasp slips out of you when you finally find out what the fuss is all about. They are all cooing and marveling at a beautiful cat on Bucky’s arms, white as snow on a mountain peak, standing there like royalty, staring back like they’re nothing but proud of being where they are.

“Hey,” Bucky greets, prompting your eyes to focus back on him.

“Hi, there,” you answer back while your gaze carries an amused question mark at him.

He lifts a hard drive with his free hand to your vision field, “We collected this last mission, it’s some alien stuff,” he offers you the drive, keeping his eyes on yours.

As you gaze at each other, you reach for the little device. His fingers brush against yours and that’s precisely when the chattering around both of you becomes nothing but a distant and vague noise that barely reaches your senses… until a loud clear of throat sound stands out.

“Alright, girls, let’s get back to our desks and let these two, ahm… work,” Camilla, your closest friend there, gives you a pointed look and a discrete curve curls the corner of her lips as she leads the group - which looks far from happy about it - away.  

When your gaze meets Bucky again, he’s got that shit-eating grin of his that tells you the little interaction between you and your friend didn’t quite skip from his attention.

You bite your lip and are about to say something when he beats you to it, “Sorry, I had to bring her with me.” He looks down at the cat on his arm and gives it a gentle shake, grinning down at her while she looks up at him before her incredibly blue eyes shut in what looks like sheer contentment, “This little girl right here started whining at the door when I was leaving… she just can’t leave my side anymore.” Bucky shrugs and ticks his tongue, before winking at you.

You chuckle, finding the surprising scene before you nothing less than adorable. The fact that you enjoy being in the presence of his charm again doesn’t go unnoticed by you, but you say nothing about it, “It’s ok, of course. I love cats. What’s her name?”

“Y/N, this is Alpine. Alpine this is Y/N,” he introduces you two with pride lacing his voice.

“Oh, hello, Alp-” your attempt of petting the cat comes to an abrupt halt with you withdrawing your hand at the loud hiss the animal aims at you.

Your eyes snap at Bucky to see his jaw dropping and his eyes widening with a mix of shock and fluster, “Fucking Christ,” he gasps, before looking down at the cat who now licks its paws absentmindedly, “What the hell, missy? Apologize. Apologize now,” he scolds, gaining absolutely no reaction in response.

He scoffs, looking back at you with incredulous lifted eyebrows.

You laugh, mainly at his attempt of making Alpine apologize, “Don’t worry…” You wave him off, “How did that happen, though? I don’t remember you having a cat.” You narrow your eyes just when your head tilts.

He bites his lower lip before an almost cringing smile forms on his lips, “Oh well…”

 A FEW WEEKS BEFORE…

 “Weren’t the Skrulls, like, actually good guys?” Bucky frowns, shoving one of his post-missions Oreos in his mouth and crossing his ankles over the spaceship’s dash.

“Every bunch has its bad apple, I guess,” from the pilot’s seat Natasha shrugs, eyeing the apple in question from over her shoulder.

“You’ll regret this,” threatens the prisoner, who’s actually a Skrull slaver named Gragnon and has his hands and feet securely tied up, stuck on a sit at the back of the ship. Still, he tries to get up and advance towards the front, but a shield of red mist surges in front of him, making him fall back on the chair again with a growl.

Wanda, the third member of the party on that mission, smirks from her seat right behind Nat’s.

Nat rolls her eyes, “What a douche… Talos has been leading a search for him for years now, he’d be thankful we’re taking him to them. Feet off the dash, please.” 

Bucky quickly obeys, pulling down his legs to the floor as Wanda snickers.  

“In fact… we should thank the success of this mission to a certain someone, who came up with a device to break alien codes.” The cheeky smile on Wanda’s face as she started speaking only fades so she can shoot a glare back at the prisoner, who’s now revolved by a red mist dome.

“Damn right.” A dreamy little curl pulls Bucky’s lips as he swings on his seat and passes the bag of Oreos to Wanda.

“Jesus,” Nat scoffs, setting the ship on autopilot, before swirling her chair to see both Bucky and Wanda, “Could you ever imagine this could be possible? That this guy would someday be that smitten over someone?” she questions Wanda.

“Not in a million years. I don’t know Y/N that well, but I bow to her.” Wanda mimics the gesture before shoving a cookie in her mouth.

Bucky doesn’t even drop the dreaminess of his smile. He is smitten… completely… utterly… and fuck if that doesn’t feel damn good. He always thought that kind of feeling would be a pain in the ass, boring and painful. It is not. He feels like singing, dancing, hugging every human being and alien he comes across. Fuck, he would hug the Gragnon dude if it didn’t mean to get a kick in the ass from Natasha. It’s been ages that he doesn’t really get high on anything, but that feeling… he’s definitely hooked on it.  There’s not a doubt inside him anymore and he’s in love with being in love with you.

“So, spill it,” Nat crosses her legs, swinging on her chair “You really went to her place and poured your heart out to her? Right after her ex proposed to her?” She questions, “What did she say?”

“Well, first she thought I was kidding and laughed her ass off…” He shakes his head with the same dreamy little smile on his lips, “Then, when she realized I was not, she started crying and, of course, so did I.” He shrugs, ignoring when Nat and Wanda exchange looks, “She wasn’t expecting that from me at all, and, we can’t really blame her can we?” 

“Definitely not.”

“Nope.”

Bucky chuckles at the unison response from her friends before leaning over and snatching the bag of cookies from Wanda, before giving them the details of his talk with you, having their undivided attention.  “And she said she needs some time alone, being single, I mean, to sort her feelings out… Also, it seems like she doesn’t think I can’t deal with the kind of commitment that being in love requires,” he says with a mouthful.

“Oh, honey…” Nat tilts her head.

He notices the sympathy on hers and Wanda’s expressions and waves his hand to brush her worries off, “No, no. None of that. All in all, it went pretty well. As much as I wished it would be different, I think her decision is fair. At least she didn’t say yes to the jackass with the ring,” he huffs, “I wasn’t really expecting her to throw herself in my arms. At least, not just yet.” He smirks.

“What?” Natasha shoots a look at Wanda before turning to him, “You’re not stepping aside?”

Bucky snorts at the question, “Are you kidding me? The first broad I ever fall in love with and you think I’ll leave the path free for that short little clown who thinks ten years matter?” He lets out an exaggeratedly loud laugh, “I’ve lived more than one hundred of them. Ten years mean nothing to me, and soon enough she’ll realize it doesn’t have to mean much to her, either.” A small smile rises on his face, “Of course she can have the time for herself she wants, find out what’s like being single. She deserves that. And she can think and figure out all she needs… have her fun... It’s all good…” He nods, “But in the meanwhile? I’ll be around romancing the shit out of that woman,” he states, right before tossing another cookie in his mouth.

“Holy shit,” Wanda addresses Natasha, with both eyebrows high on her forehead.

“I know…” Nat answers with an equally dumbfounded look on her face, before turning to Bucky, “Listen,” she sighs and tilts her head, “I hate to be such a killjoy here, but… I get you’re in love, and I know this is new and exciting for you.” She’s smiling before her lips tighten, “Having said that… I think she might have a point about you not being ready for commitment Bucky, you never wanted that. I’m gonna be honest here, I’m the one who set what you two had up because I thought it wouldn’t lead to this…” She waves all around him, “Feelings, I mean… and I would hate myself if you two ended up hurt because of it.” She focuses an apprehensive gaze on him while Wanda also rests her attention on him, looking like she agrees with her friend.

Bucky takes a good look between the two of them before putting into words the answer that’s so clear on his head now, “I know it may sound weird and uncharacteristic of me. Trust me, I know that.” He nods at Natasha, taking a moment to silently communicate with her in the way that has been always so easy for the two of them, “You’re right, I’ve never wanted that. Settling down to just one person, commit to a long term relationship…But with her,” he sighs and the corner of his lips curl up without further notice, “I want her and I want all of that with her, the whole package. I’m ready. I’m not afraid. I think the reason I didn’t want all of that before is because I hadn’t met her yet. That’s it. Simple as that. I know it’s not going to be easy, but to hell with easy. I want her. And I want her hard.”

Wanda already has a huge grin on her face when a satisfied little smirk twists Nat’s lips, “That’s what Amanda said.”

Bucky’s eyes widen before he squints at her, “What’ve you been up to?”

Nat puts on a nonchalant face and reaches forward to grab a cookie from the package. She takes a bite and shrugs, “Poor girl… needed some comfort after being let down by your buddy down there.”

Bucky lets out an outraged scoff and throws a cookie on her way, from which she dodges easily as she laughs, “I bet you were of great help in consoling her… Jesus… Amanda and you? The world isn’t ready.” He shakes his head.

Natasha sports a smug smile on her face when she nods her agreement, “You’re not wrong.”

“Alright, as much as I want to hear all about this Amanda girl, we’re getting close to the Skrull base now and we need you to land us, Nat,” Wanda nods towards the dash.

“Copy that,” Natasha makes a military salute at her, before shifting her seat and taking control of the ship again.

“And as for you,” Wanda turns to Bucky, “I don’t need to read what’s on your mind to know you’re telling us the truth. You’re ready for commitment,” she offers him a soft smile, which he reciprocates, “And if you really wanna show her that, I may have an idea.” Her smile turns into a devious little smirk and that’s enough to pique Bucky’s interest.

~~~

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Bucky asks, shoving his hands in his pockets as he walks alongside Wanda through the busy sidewalks of Manhattan, “I mean… I know I said yes, but it is one hell of a commitment, what if it’s not for me?”

“Don’t worry, Bucky,” she smiles, “We’re just gonna take a look around, feel the vibe, and then see what happens. You don’t have to decide anything just yet,” she assures, wrapping an arm around his elbow as he looks down at her, “I just think it’s a good idea for you to get to know a bit more of this sudden inclination to commit…to experiment, I guess,” Wanda shrugs, “Besides, a dear friend of mine runs the shelter and the girl knows her stuff. If she feels like you’re not ready, she won’t allow you to get out of there with one of her babies.”

Bucky lets out a laugh. Feeling a little lighter about the subject, he places his hand over the one Wanda has wrapped around his arm, “Alright… I’m not opposed to the idea of having a dog, I guess. I always loved Labradors…” he frowns, “I would have to switch apartments, though…”

“Look at you.” Wanda nudges her shoulder on him, “Already making plans for your child…”

“Child…” Bucky can’t help but snort. He had agreed to Wanda’s idea of going to an animal shelter because he thought it would be a good way to show you he’s ready for commitment and, like he said, he’s always been fond of dogs and he’s sure if he ends up taking one home he’ll treat them well. But he also never understood how some people could be so attached to an animal to the point of considering them a child, or family…“I don’t know… I’m definitely not taking a pet home today. I agree with you, I shouldn’t decide anything just yet.”

As they walk past a small alleyway, Wanda halts, forcing him to stop with her.

“What?” Bucky frowns down at her.

“Shhh,” she brings a finger to her lips, staring towards the alleyway, “Listen.”

That’s when Bucky’s enhanced hearing catches the thin and shaky little sound coming through the trash cans.

“Come on,” Wanda pulls him to the alley and towards the cans.

What they find behind one of the containers, among all the filth around is a ball of white fur. Curled up and shaking just like the meows they heard seconds ago. A cat, a young adult white cat looks up and a pair of baby blue eyes meets Bucky’s and he just can’t look away from the plea on them and it’s just when something clicks inside his chest.

“Oh, no, look,” Wanda points at the tail, that has an evident injury on it, but when she leans down to examine it further, the animal flinches and rushes towards Bucky’s legs, letting out another trembling and weak meow. Bucky freezes as it starts climbing up his calves. 

Given the poor coordination on their back little legs – probably from the damage on the tail- it can go much higher,  but keeps trying. After the initial surprise, Bucky can’t help but to smile at the little fighter, who seems to reach out at him for protection. Next thing he knows, he’s leaning down and picks it up with all the caution he can muster.

“Hello, little lady… what happened there, huh?” He coos, nodding towards the small injury, which looks like a bite, having the cat meowing while bumping and rubbing the head against his chest.

“Is it a female?” Wanda tilts her head, an amused and questioning expression on her face.

Bucky smirks, not taking his eyes away from the animal, who is now quiet and seems much calmer, but digging her little claws on Bucky’s shirt, “I know a beautiful lady when I see one. Don’t I, gorgeous?”

A purring sound comes out of the now contented animal, the small injury on her tail apparently not being a problem anymore while she climbs higher and practically hugs Bucky with her little paws, whose fur is smudged by dirt, making his heart take a flip in his chest. Damn his heart nowadays…

“Aww, Bucky…” Wanda smiles, placing her hand over her heart, “What are we going to do? Should we take her to the shelter?” Wanda offers, with a bit of tentativeness on her voice.

Bucky’s eyes widen largely, before they snap to her friend. A protective tightness laces his hold on Alpine, who lets out another weak meow. Shit… Alpine? When the hell did he even come up with a name? Fuck if he knows, all he knows he’s done for and can’t possibly think of parting from that white furry little thing, who seems to have gone through a lot in her life already and probably has never met with human kindness before.

He doesn’t need to say anything as understanding falls upon Wanda’s face. He would even guess there’s a bit of pride adorning the smile on her lips now, “Alright, alright… we do need to take Alpine to the vet, though, Mr. I’m not gonna take a pet home today.” She winks.

~~~

PRESENT DAY…

“Oh well…” Bucky scratches the back of his neck while you keep your beautiful interested eyes on him, “I found this beauty on the street… she had an injured tail, poor thing… probably bitten by a dog. But she’s fine now, aren’t you, sweetie?” He coos, putting on the new tone of voice that belongs to Alpine now and loving the sound of your chuckle, “You know… I’m fully committed to taking care of her. I’m a cat dad now.” He says, putting some effort to highlight the word “committed”.

“I can see that…” you comment, nodding with a glimmer of fondness in your gaze at where Alpine is cuddled against him with eyes closed, completely relaxed.

Bucky looks down and smiles. That one is too cute for her own good, but he’s definitely having a talk with her later, for hissing at you like that, like he hadn’t given her a lecture about good behavior and how incredible you were before they left home.  

“So, it’s been a while, huh? How’re you doing?” He asks softly, boring his eyes on you and holding back every ounce of him to not pull you to his arms and shower you with all the intense love he’s gathering in his chest at your sight in front of him. If it was up to him, he wouldn’t have spent those long weeks apart from you, but he met with missions and an Alpine in the way. Also, as much as he’s resolved to show you he’s the one for you, he understands you needed time for yourself. But, hell, he missed you so much.

“Oh, I’m good, I’m good… pretty good,” you ramble, brushing a finger behind your ear, that thing you do when you become a bit self-conscious, which happens often when he places his gaze so intently on you.

He can’t help but smile, his chest impossibly swelled with his feelings for you, because that woman who becomes all flustered with his attention is the same woman who whined to suck his dick while shitfaced after a party. Damn, he’s so in love with you.

“That’s great...Are you free tonight?” He asks, smoothly, “Wanda and Sam will make hamburgers, they’re one hell of a team in the kitchen, you’ll be welcome to come if you want to.”

“Oh… I…” You falter.

“I’m not trying anything, I promise,” He’s quick to add with a chuckle and raises his free hand up, noticing the trepidation in your voice. “Everyone’s gonna be there. We’re just gonna eat and hangout.” He shrugs.

“Oh… no, it’s not that, it’s just…” You tighten your lips “I’ve got plans.” Something Bucky guesses to be disappointment or something like that sweeps into your voice. As for him, he holds his breath, bracing himself for the news that you’re going out with that douche of an ex, “I’m gonna meet some friends from college tonight. I got a reservation for us for dinner and then we’re gonna go dance…”

Bucky lets out a breath and the smile that grows in his face is wide when he says, “Oh, alright. That sounds like fun.” Really, really fun, especially if that jackass isn’t involved. He’s not disappointed. Far from it.  

You smile back at him, matching his mood. It doesn’t slip from his attention that you seem a bit surprised by his reaction at you declining an invitation from him in favor to hang out with your friends, but he says nothing of it.

“Yeah… I’ve been getting reacquainted with them lately,” you say, excitement plastered on the little curve of your lips and the glint in your eyes, “It’s been fun. I’d love to get to know Wanda and Sam’s talent in the kitchen, though….Maybe some other time?” You offer.

“Sounds perfect, sweetheart.”

The term of endearment brings the effect he was aiming for when you promptly does that thing with your finger on your ear again, but it was also noticed by the other girl in the room and currently in his arm, who seems to wake up from her comfort slumber against his chest to hiss at you again.

You look at each other in widened eyes.

“What the hell,” Bucky scolds down at the cat, glancing at you briefly, catching your now amused expression, before addressing Alpine again in a whispery voice, “We’re gonna have a talk back home, young lady.”

~~~

“What a number you put out there, huh?” His voice is gentle despite the reprimanding intention in his words while Bucky crouches and fills her little plate with the special food the vet recommended.

With her crystal-clear eyes glued on the plate, Alpine doesn’t really acknowledge his half attempt of admonishing her before digging in.

Bucky chuckles, “She’s cute, isn’t she? But so are you,” He scratches the back of her ear and she stops eating for a moment to brush her head against his hand, “You don’t have to be jealous, doll. You’re so cute, you’re my girl, too, you know?” he coos, still petting her, “But you gotta help me out there buddy. Ok? She’s really special and I know you’ll love her, too.”

Alpine lets out a weak meow before getting back to her plate and Bucky swears to God he sometimes wonders if the cat is some sort of shapeshifter in disguise, understanding every little thing he says.  

Letting her out to eat, he stands up, “Hey, Friday,” he calls.

“Yes, Bucky?”

“Could you search for a table reservation in the name of Y/N Y/L/N tonight? I need the address of the place.”

A small silence ensues before the A.I speaks again, “Isn’t it a bit creepy?”

He sighs, placing his hands on his hips, “Friday… babe…” He smiles at the giggles that resound in his kitchen, before bringing a hand to his heart, “I’m in love, ok? I’m not gonna ruin her night…If anything, I’m just going to make her night out with her friends more… interesting.”

“Alright, you know I can’t say no to you,” the A.I concedes, “You can find the address in your phone’s map. Good luck, handsome.”

“Thanks, babe,” Bucky grins, before turning to Alpine, who’s now about done with her food, sprawled on the floor busy with cleaning out her paws, “And you?” He calls, catching her attention before he points at her, “You’ll have burgers with your aunt Wanda. I have plans for tonight.”  

~~~

To be continued...

[umbry-fic]

I posted 77 times in 2021

65 posts created (84%)

12 posts reblogged (16%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 0.2 posts.

I added 324 tags in 2021

#fanfiction - 65 posts

#lloyd irving - 47 posts

#one shot - 47 posts

#colette brunel - 46 posts

#tales of symphonia - 46 posts

#colloyd - 37 posts

#zelos wilder - 10 posts

#genis sage - 9 posts

#multi chapter - 9 posts

#colloydweek2021 - 8 posts

Longest Tag: 96 characters

#i was tempted to give this a happy ending but the song itself ends in tragedy so i waslike eh no

My Top Posts in 2021

#5

sanctuary

Summary: All Colette has ever wanted is for someone to see past the fake smiles and laughter, to catch a glimpse of the real her.

But it's also what she's most afraid of.

Fandom: Tales of Symphonia Characters: Colette Brunel, Lloyd Irving Relationships: Colette Brunel & Lloyd Irving, Colette Brunel/Lloyd Irving Rating: G Word Count: 2443 Mirror Link: AO3 Original Post Date: 17/11/2021

Notes: Had Colloyd feels and was listening to Litchi's sanctuary and wrote a shortish angst fic with a happy ending :)

Can be read as either romantic or platonic. Sorry if it's messier than usual there really was a lot of feels :p

~~~

Perhaps the most painful thing about being Chosen, was the big, bright red cross it painted on her, drawing everyone’s attention the moment they knew who she was. No matter where she went, what she did, everyone was always looking at her - some trying to keep it subtle, others outright pointing, voices raised into an exclamation that she couldn’t bear to hear. There was no place she could hide where someone wouldn’t eventually find her and drag her back out into the open, no place where she could keep her identity a secret - someone would blurt it out. And how was she supposed to explain that it was getting too much, that she felt like a bug under a microscope, being continuously observed and prodded at? She should have long gotten used to it by now, after all - the stares that followed her as she went about her day. Most holding no ill intent at all, but still aiming knives that gouged into her back.

Everyone, gaze holding all sorts of preconceptions and beliefs. About who the Chosen should be - what their perfect Goddess should be like. For that was who she was to them, was it not? Someone to gawk at, to worship, to be the stand-in for the Goddess who no one could ever reach. Not Colette Brunel. In their eyes, that would never be who she was.

On the first day she had stepped into the schoolhouse, all activity had paused instantly, the other children who would become her classmates staring at her with eyes as wide as that of an owl, already shaping the sound of her title in their mouths. It had made her pause, the little introduction she had stayed up into the night crafting, wanting it to be taken perfectly by those she wished to become friends with, dying in her throat as her smile faltered. For it was then that she had realised that it didn’t matter what she said. Whatever impression of herself she could struggle to craft would be instantly overshadowed by the image everyone else had already built of her, crumbling into dust soon after she put the finishing touches on it.

And so she had bowed her head, restraining the bitterness in her chest as Professor Raine had stepped in to introduce her. Knowing that the scant few who didn’t know who she was, who stared at her with a true curiosity that she had never known before and was desperate to treasure, would learn soon enough.

But worst of all, the people around her… their gazes always held expectations. Expectations for the outcome of the world. Expectations for the responsibility she should be carrying. Expectations for her to fulfil her duty, showing not a hint of hesitation, lest they lose all hope for a better future.

For if their chosen one - the one they had pushed all hope onto - were to falter, then who would be able to stand strong in the face of despair?

It was exhausting, the weight of it all.

Yet even with all those eyes on her, the people whom she dearly wished would see her clearly, never did.

Her father, who couldn’t bear to look at her for longer than a few moments before he tore his gaze away, a turbulent storm of grief reflected in his eyes. Leaving her standing alone, lip wobbling and hands clenched by her sides.

Her grandmother, never meeting her eyes when she greeted her in the morning and saw her in Church, hurrying away.

Professor Raine, who she sometimes caught looking at her with an emotion resembling pity sitting heavy in her eyes.

Her friends, whom she loved dearly, and who saw only the happy smile she drew, the bright laughter which had become second nature.

Even Lloyd, the one person who had always seen her as Colette first, and Chosen second, or perhaps not at all… Who had come up to her after class asking to be friends, a grin on his face and no mention of her title at all… Who always had a hand outstretched for her to take… Even he never saw past the falsehoods, never caught a glimpse of her true self.

She wanted to show him, however. Wanted to let herself weep before him, wanted to admit the feelings she had buried deep under a pile of dirt she herself had viciously piled on, wanted someone to see her, to accept her. The real her.

The girl who wanted to see all of the world with her friends, who wanted to have the freedom to wish and dream of anything she wanted, who wanted to be like everyone else. The girl who was afraid of death.

The cowardly weakling she was, who wanted nothing more than to reject her duty and run away.

But she could never do that. For who would accept a Chosen so willing to abandon the world to its horrible fate, who would turn their back on everyone? Surely even Lloyd would narrow his eyes at her in disgust, abandon her like everyone else eventually would, when she gave up her life for this world and disappeared from everyone’s memory, no better than a ghost who had never lived at all.

So she told herself that this was what she wanted, turning away from the hand offered to her. To live her life the way her title dictated it should be, quiet and pious. Such that she might be worthy of the honour of saving this world, of stopping it from breaking down and dissipating. Give the people she loved a chance to live, in a beautiful world free of cold and strife, no matter how much it hurt.

A world that a coward like her didn’t have the right to live in to begin with.

A world built just for everyone else, who were all so much stronger than her.

And when she was all alone, in the dead of night and unable to sleep, she would retreat within the confines of her mind. To the four white walls she had constructed for herself, surrounding a dead silence that she could sink into, letting sobs rip through her, feeling like she was breaking apart into two.

Still feeling the burn of insurmountable guilt, even with no one to witness the tears she wasn’t allowed to shed, the scathing words the priests had drilled into her head remaining there, to remind her that she should be wearing a happy smile at all times.

It was where she found herself after she closed her eyes for the final time in the Tower of Salvation, the events from moments before replaying in her head, again and again.

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9 notes • Posted 2021-11-18 02:23:01 GMT

#4

“Hello, How Are You?”

Summary: The Great Pasca Tree has stood for millennia, longer even than people have walked the land. It has seen much.

But this is its first time seeing a little girl come up to it, asking, "How are you?"

Fandom: Tales of Symphonia, Tales of Crestoria Characters: Colette Brunel, Lloyd Irving, Great Pasca Tree, Lutesse Relationships: Colette Brunel & Great Pasca Tree, Colette Brunel & Lutesse, Background Colloyd Rating: T Word Count: 10824 Mirror Link: AO3 Original Post Date: 10/07/2021

Notes+Warnings: More Lloyd side story stuff, so spoilers! This is mostly written from the POV of The Great Pasca tree, who I refer to as Pasca and who uses it pronouns. (Sorry if that's confusing.)

Just expanding on some more headcanons I have! (And possibly straying into AU territory too...)

Title from Nanou's song.

~~~

It was born into darkness, having sprouted from a seed carrying the promise of life, ferried to fertile dirt by the beak of a bird, one of many in a flock. That fragile seed grew into a tiny sapling that knew of nothing but the slow and enduring process of growth - new tips appearing, new leaves protruding out of branches, and roots extending further into the dirt.

The passage of time was marked only by seasons.

Spring brought with it flowers, and the fuzzy snouts of animals that nosed and chewed at the tree’s leaves.

Summer brought with it rain, the droplets cool against the tree’s leaves and sating its thirst.

Autumn brought with it strong winds that tore away the tree’s leaves and left it barren.

Winter brought with it biting frost that caked the tree’s bark, making each day a struggle for survival.

Countless seasons passed as the tree grew taller and stronger against the forces of nature. Its collection of branches became wider, its roots forming an unseen labyrinth. It did not mind the passage of time, did not register it at all, for each day was much the same as the last - darkness, and the occasional sensation. The tree simply existed, living out each second, experiencing emotions it was not yet able to describe or understand.

The tree was not aware of mana, even though it had always known it. The sphere of life contained within itself, the energy that ran through the dirt which its roots tapped into, the particles that floated in the air like fireflies, burning bright but going unseen as they brushed against its bark.

Even millennia later, the same question haunted the tree, a question that had never received an answer. Why had mana picked it to be its vessel? After all, there were a dozen other trees just like it close by that were surely all viable candidates. But the collection of mana ignored them all, coming to the tree with no explanation, with nothing but a vow to be made - that the mana was never to be controlled. The tree would act as the source through which mana was equally distributed, and nothing more unless absolutely necessary. To break that vow would mean betraying the essence of the world itself and disrupting the natural order, possibly dooming every living creature.

And so the tree agreed, for it had no reason not to. The existence that the collection of mana proposed seemed to be no different from the one it led now - quiet and peaceful, just with the addition of mana running through itself.

How wrong it had been.

Its insides were flooded with bright, sparkling lifeforce, the flow of energy in its roots reversed such that it was giving instead of taking. The surplus of mana bolstered its growth, causing its trunk to widen ever more, until it was truly massive, looming over all. Its branches and leaves became an umbrella, providing shade for any creature that decided to rest beneath its boughs.

But that was not the only consequence - there was also knowledge. The ability to read the mana signatures around it, the ability to convert the waves of mana that surged through the air into sight and sound, despite its lack of eyes or ears.

The tree came to know the colourful creatures that walked the land beside its immobile form. Creatures who slaughtered each other in a blood-soaked cycle of survival, but a cycle that was built on mutual respect. It came to know its three other counterparts, trees which stood equally as tall as itself in other corners of the world. They communicated sparsely through the channels of mana that connected the four of them. Not through words, for those would not come for another few centuries. No, they communicated through emotions, those that the tree had only now learned to interpret.

Happiness at growth and a beautiful day.

Sadness at death.

And loneliness.

The ever-present loneliness permeated all. For the tree found that it could not communicate with any of the creatures that stopped before it, seeking shelter or hoping to enjoy the bountiful mana around.

All it could do was watch.

And watch it did, as the first people to walk the lands settled down next to the four trees of mana, for the land was fertile and the harvest plentiful. They gave it a name, and so it came to be known as the Great Pasca Tree. It decided to simply call itself Pasca, for that rolled off the “tongue” much easier.

Pasca was delighted to have permanent company, to learn from these interesting creatures the way of words. The people, meanwhile, came to see it as some form of sacred deity. They took to praying before it, in hopes that their wishes could come true, while the shade under its leaves became a favourite spot for children to play in. People from all walks of life, elves, humans and half-elves alike, all coming to gather before Pasca.

It was disappointing to learn that no one could hear its voice, no matter how loud Pasca shouted. Still, it tried to answer every question that was asked of it, to acknowledge every wish that it was entrusted with, even if no one could understand it.

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9 notes • Posted 2021-07-10 12:09:12 GMT

#3

Accuracy Issues

Summary: Lloyd appears to be facing a problem in the arena, and Colette comes up with the perfect solution! (With Zelos' assistance.)

Fandom: Tales of Symphonia, Tales of Crestoria Characters: Colette Brunel, Lloyd Irving, Zelos Wilder Relationships: Colette Brunel/Lloyd Irving, Colette Brunel & Zelos Wilder Rating: G Word Count: 2515 Mirror Link: AO3 Original Post Date: 04/08/2021

Notes: A semi-crack fic featuring arena (and evasion) and Crestoria game mechanics taken way too seriously. Dedicated to my lovely friend Marsh for jumpstarting this idea in the first place.

~~~

“Damn it.”

Swoosh. The slice of a sword through thin air.

“Damn it!”

Swoosh. Another followed quickly behind it, doing nothing but catching on the edge of purple fabric that quickly pulled away.

“Damn it!”

Lloyd groaned as a horn blared, the sound ricocheting between the rounded perimeters of the arena. He jammed one of his swords into the ground, the metal grating into place between the slats of stone with a deafening screech, audible even in the stands, where Colette and Zelos clapped their hands over their ears.

Sweat ran into Lloyd’s eyes as he flopped onto the ground despondently, watching both his opponents and his allies file out of the arena through the giant double doors that screamed on its hinges. All of the energy had drained out of his body, and he couldn’t make himself stand up and leave.

Another defeat…

And to a timeout again, for the fourth time in a row today! With everyone watching, with Colette watching…

How embarrassing.

“Lloyd!” Colette cried out in concern, vaulting over the seats before her effortlessly and leaping into the air, her pink wings bursting out of her back to bring her fluttering to the ground safely. Zelos flinched from another yell directly in his ears, shooting to his feet and staring down at Colette. Was she insane?!

“Are you alright?” she asked, leaning over Lloyd, trying to decide if she should start poking him in order to figure out what ailed him.

“I’m fine,” Lloyd grumbled, covering his eyes with his arm to block out the sun. “Just taking a break.”

“I’m sorry about your loss, but… You put in a lot of effort, so I think you did great! There’s no need to win all the time!” Colette encouraged. “I’m already proud of you.”

Lloyd peeked from under his arm, catching sight of the wide, sunny smile on Colette’s face. Energy immediately returned to him, enough for him to sit up and sigh, even as he avoided looking into her eyes.

“Thanks,” he muttered. “That means a lot.”

“Come on, let’s get going. We can figure out this arena issue together later!”

Colette offered her hand, which he gladly took. As the two of them walked out, Zelos scrambling his way down the stands to join them, Lloyd looked back, frowning.

How was he supposed to tell Colette the reason he was struggling with accuracy…

Was her?

~~~

“What’s on your mind, angel?” Zelos asked, kicking back on his chair and sipping from his cup of sparkling water. A red-and-white striped beach umbrella stood high over the table that he and Colette were sitting at, providing shade. A strange mismatch of decor, considering the intricate designs inlaid in the back of the chairs and the curved, vine-like table legs better suited a veranda in a colourful garden. But the whole thing was already set up right by the battlefield, so they might as well enjoy it.

The others - Lloyd, Genis, Mithos and Kohaku, had already left. Maybe to grab lunch, because if his stomach was rumbling, surely everyone else's were.

“Hm? Nothing’s on my mind!” Colette replied, crossing her arms. For some strange reason, she was dressed in a swimsuit, despite their battles taking place in the middle of the streets of a drab town.

Which raised a question. Where were all the townspeople? They always vanished into thin air the moment the monsters appeared.

See the full post

10 notes • Posted 2021-08-04 07:06:05 GMT

#2

There's an Impostor Among Us!

Summary: Modern day AU where the Symphonia gang gets together to play Among Us. Chaos and fun all around.

Fandom: Tales of Symphonia, Dawn of the New World Characters: Lloyd Irving, Colette Brunel, Sheena Fujibayashi, Zelos Wilder, Raine Sage, Genis Sage, Regal Bryant, Presea Combatir, Marta Lualdi, Emil Castagnier, Mithos Yggdrasill Relationships: Colette Brunel/Lloyd Irving, Sheena Fujibayashi/Zelos Wilder, Everyone being friends Rating: G Word Count: 7786 in total Mirror Link: AO3 Original Post Date: 30/11/2020

Notes: This one's just a preview with a screenshot from the first chapter! This fic is built entirely around an AO3 workskin and so can't be cross-posted on Tumblr. Do go to AO3 to read the full fic and its sequel, which introduces proximity chat!

~~~

~~~

Full fic

12 notes • Posted 2021-07-06 06:08:50 GMT

#1

Sunflower of Parting Regrets

Summary: Inch by inch, leaf by leaf, the two sunflowers in the garden grow, side-by-side.

But on the day a flower finally blooms, the one who was supposed to see it by his side was no longer here.

Fandom: Tales of Symphonia Characters: Colette Brunel, Lloyd Irving Relationships: Colette Brunel/Lloyd Irving Rating: G Word Count: 2864 Mirror Link: AO3 Original Post Date: 15/09/2021

Notes+Warnings: This is not a happy story, and features major character death (though not explicitly).

Title from Yamashizuku's Sekibetsu no Himawari.

~~~

Hands patted dirt over fragile seeds, planting the potential for new life. The sun, just beginning to recover from its winter lethargy, shone gently down on the two energetic children.

"There! Done!" Lloyd exclaimed, grinning as he observed his and Colette's handiwork. Two sunflower seeds that had been cradled in careful hands and carried here to the garden plot, now buried, little mounds visible where he and Colette had piled the soil.

"Good job us!" Colette let out a little giggle, the two of them squatting next to each other, hands filthy with dirt - between their fingers, under their fingernails, some even managing to find their way onto their arms and clothes. It was like spring had already arrived to chase winter away, despite the faint dredges of cold still clinging to everything. "How soon do you think we'll get to see them bloom? The sunflowers in the book were so pretty..."

"Uh..." Lloyd cocked his head, trying hard to cast his mind back. "I think three months. According to Dad, sunflowers grow super, duper fast. Only if they survive, though."

"Oh..." Colette's head bowed, her shoulder-length hair swaying slightly in the breeze, a smudge of dirt on her cheek that Lloyd itched to rub off. "Then I'll take really good care of them! I'll make sure they survive!" Colette cried with gusto, head snapping up as she locked gazes with Lloyd, determination burning in her eyes.

He felt the spark of something warm in his chest, then, as he stared straight into that bright blue, which he'd seen so many times before. Not that he wasn't happy in her presence - hearing the sound of her voice was enough to make his whole day. Yet there was a little more this time, a little more that he couldn't put into words...

"Me too!" he replied, "And then we'll see the flowers bloom together." He held out his pinky, ready to make the most sacred of vows. At least, to a young child like him. "Pinky promise?"

He did think it strange, when she appeared to pause, hesitating before finally linking their pinkies together. Her skin warm against his as their two small hands shook together under the winter sun, sealing a promise never to be broken. For to do so was the most unforgivable of crimes in a child's mind.

"I sure hope they bloom soon," she muttered, staring down once again at the soil with hopeful eyes. And something else, hiding behind that hope.

And the sense of strangeness in Lloyd's mind faded away, a mere instant later, lost in the colour that was childhood.

~~~

"It's still..." Colette muttered, reaching her hand up to grasp at a non-existent flower, fingers only managing to close around the sun. She sighed, lowering her hand to instead rub one of the massive leaves that jutted out of the stalk.

Lloyd frowned, averting his gaze. He couldn't stand it, the disappointment in her voice, so heavy that it seemed to take form and weigh on his shoulders, dragging the both of them into the ground beneath their feet. He desperately wanted to do something. But there wasn't anything he could do. He certainly couldn't perform magic.

The two of them returned here, to this garden plot near his home, all the time. Every week, sometimes every day. It had become one of their favourite spots, sitting by the sunflowers as they did homework, talked, or simply enjoyed the silence. What had once been invisible seeds had become tiny sprouts, pushing their steady way out of the soil. And then they had become long, thick stalks, populated with leaves, gaining height with each day, growing side-by-side just as the two of them did. Colette always joked that it was so much like him, for his sunflower to be a full head taller than hers. The height difference clearly didn't bother her, since Colette had taken to affectionately calling her sunflower "little one", caring for it gently. Watching the loving way in which she handled it, watered it, sang to it, even, filled his heart with so much warmth.

Yet no matter how much love was showered upon the two sunflowers, the buds that had appeared on the first year had never become more than that. They simply remained buds, eternally closed, the flowers hiding away like they were shy of facing the world.

Colette must have really, truly wanted to see them in full bloom. To know of their beauty.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, repeating the words she'd been saying recently, at this very spot. Always out of the blue, always hurrying on before he could even pause to ask her what it was she was apologising for, the opportunity to buried instantly by Colette. And it was his turn now, the words slipping from him, the reason eluding him as his heart clenched in his chest.

"Don't say that..." Colette shook her head, taking her hand in his and squeezing. "It's not your fault. It's like what Genis said, right? There's not enough mana for them to bloom."

"I... didn't get most of what Genis said," Lloyd admitted, feeling his cheeks flush slightly as Colette let out a small, bright laugh. "But if we need more mana... Then we can just wait, right? When we come back from the Journey of Regeneration, together, the flowers should bloom in no time."

Colette's hand tightened on his as she turned away, just slightly. "Come back together, huh..."

"Colette...?" he asked hesitantly, wondering if he'd imagined what he'd seen, for just a fleeting second. The downturn of her lips, the sadness in her eyes. No longer were these moments easily forgettable. They stuck in his mind like tiny shards, to be turned over countless times in the safety of his own bed and the silence of the night, wondering if it was him, if he'd said something wrong, if he should dig deeper. Yet something always held him back, fear forming a taut rope around him that refused to let him get any closer.

"Yes, I'm sure they'll bloom then."

There was nothing but that lovely, sweet smile on her face as she turned back to face him, eternally plastered on her face.

See the full post

16 notes • Posted 2021-09-15 05:37:45 GMT

Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →

[andromeda1023]

Messier 87 (M87), also known as Virgo A or the Smoking Gun, is a supergiant elliptical galaxy located in the core of the Virgo Cluster, in the southern constellation Virgo. The galaxy has an apparent magnitude of 9.59 and lies at a distance of 53.5 million light years from Earth. It has the designation NGC 4486 in the New General Catalogue. Virgo A occupies an area of 7.2 by 6.8 arc minutes of apparent sky, which corresponds to a linear diameter of 120,000 light years, roughly the same size as the Milky Way. It is the second brightest galaxy in the northern part of the Virgo Cluster, second only to Messier 49.

M87 can be observed in small and medium-sized telescopes. These reveal the galaxy’s core, which is about 45 arc seconds in apparent size. The jet emanating from the nucleus of M87 is difficult to see without photographic equipment.

In 10×50 binoculars, M87 appears only as a faint patch of light. Small telescopes show a fuzzy ball of light, elliptical in shape, with a slightly brighter centre. Being an elliptical galaxy, Virgo A appears mostly featureless even when seen in larger telescopes.

Messier 87 is positioned near the border with the constellation Coma Berenices and can be found just over halfway along the line from the bright star Denebola in Leo to Vindemiatrix in Virgo. Another elliptical galaxy, Messier 89, lies just over a degree to the east, while Messier 84 and Messier 86 are about 1.5 degrees to the northwest of M87. Virgo A can also be located using the M84/M86 pair, positioned almost exactly halfway between Denebola and Vindemiatrix. Two fainter ellipticals, NGC 4476 and NGC 4378, can be seen in the same low power field of view as M87. Other galaxies in the vicinity include NGC 4478, NGC 4486A and NGC 4486B. The best time of year to observe M87 and other galaxies in the Virgo Cluster is during the spring.

Messier 87 is one of the largest, most massive and most luminous galaxies in the local universe. It has an estimated mass of almost 2.7 trillion solar masses and an absolute magnitude of about -22. The galaxy is home to at least 1 trillion stars. The stars form only a fraction of the galaxy’s mass. M87 has an estimated mass to luminosity ratio of 6.3, which means that about one sixth of M87’s mass is in the form of stars. The total mass of the galaxy may be 200 times that of the Milky Way, even if the galaxies are similar in size.

Giant elliptical galaxies commonly form after a series of mergers of large spiral galaxies like the Milky Way. Elliptical galaxies outnumber other types in the central region of the Virgo Cluster and, as the cluster members move toward the cluster’s core and merge, M87 will only grow larger.

Currently, M87 is still dwarfed by IC 1101, a supergiant elliptical galaxy at the centre of the Abell 2029 cluster and the brightest galaxy in the group. IC 1101 is the largest galaxy in the known universe. Also located in the constellation Virgo, it is almost three times the size of M87 and home to about four times as many stars. However, IC 1101 is more than a billion light years from Earth, or 20 times farther away than M87.

Deep long exposure photographs have revealed that Virgo A extends far beyond 120,000 light years, showing that the galaxy’s outer regions are quite elongated rather than circular and occupy an area of over half a degree, more than the full Moon. This apparent size corresponds to a spatial extension of over 1 million light years. The outer regions of M87 are considerably distorted, likely as a result of encounters with other galaxies in the intracluster neighbourhood, with the giant M87 absorbing material from the smaller cluster members into these regions.

The galaxy has a jet of energetic plasma emanating from its core and extending at least 4,900 light years outwards. The jet consists of gaseous material expelled from the galaxy’s nucleus and travels at relativistic speed. Observations with the Hubble Space Telescope in 1999 revealed that the jet was moving at four to six times the speed of light. The gas clouds have an apparent superluminal motion, which is likely an illusion caused by the fact that the jet is pointing in our direction. The discovery of such motion supports the theory that quasars, radio galaxies and BL Lacertae objects may all in fact be active galaxies, only seen from different perspectives.

Continue reading/pics: https://www.messier-objects.com/messier-87-virgo-a/?fbclid=IwAR29jZp0ET_BD8PB3SMuCemECGOAccIpJuHXAwAVYxJ9POj9hIkMU9t0BDY