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#need the darcy hand flex
edgelord-saeran · 2 years
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I need Jumin, dressed like this:
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doing the Darcy UST hand flex
That is all.
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ANDHERA GAVE BINX THE HEART AND SHE KNOWS IT WAS HIM! I am not okay that scene was so good!
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urthemiiel · 1 year
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a’s romance makes me want to chew my own arm off
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knight-already · 2 months
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Yall can't tell me husker aint they type to romance someone. Like the old time --y romance.
I'm talking love letters. I'm talking poetry, I'm talking FLOWERS and chocolate!
He'll sing for him. At the touch of fingers there will be blushing.
Please, y'all -- Angel will be getting romanced, he'll get that gentlemanly treatment.
Not anything fickle: not Netflix and chill, not a one nightstand, not a situation ship. Because Husker isn't fickle, if he catches feelings it'll be that forever shit.
Husker is a protector bro, not that angal needs it. Which he knows.
Husker will romance him. Like some old school lover boy type a shit.
Like some, sweep him off his feet kinda love.
Slow burn only makes sense.
It's a pride and prejudice kinda love.
It's a Mr Darcy's hand flex kinda love
It's a Anthony bridgerton, speech kinda love.
It's a I'll walk you to your door kinda love.
It's a I'll stay up all night on the phone with you, because you can't sleep kinda love.
It's a I'll drive all night to get to you, kinda love
It's a we're both screwed, but I was a past overlord, so I'M GOING TO SAVE HIM. Kind of love.
It's a let's slow dance in our kitchen or living room kind a love.
It's a, 'Talk', by Hozier kinda love.
Y'all I'm so excited for this relationship.
Anthony deserves it.
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thearchercore · 2 months
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If either of them ever handshake and then do the Mr. Darcy hand flex, I need the cameraman ON IT. In fact, I bet it's already happened and we just don't have footage 🥲
im afraid the infamous hand flex is not embarrassing enough for them, they'd do something worse
like this
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sweaterkittensahoy · 6 months
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Never having seen the 2005 Pride and Prejudice, we watched it tonight.
It appears in all my ravings of the book and the 1995 mini over the year, the following plot points missed Sean:
Who Wickham is.
That Darcy sabotaged Jane and Bingley.
That Darcy unfucks himself.
Y'all, he cried during the second proposal scene. He does not cry like I cry at movies. This is an achievement.
Many other achievements:
Having Collins having a sweet face and terrible haircut and just being LIKE that.
Collins coming up to Darcy from behind and being SO MUCH SMALLER.
Collins wanting to sit next to his wife. In his weird way, he's a dutiful husband.
CHARLOTTE I LOVE YOU.
That's it. They did right by my girl.
YOU TOO MARY.
I did not know that Donald Sutherland was Mr. Bennett, and my god, he's perfect. A layered performance with kindness, compassion, sarcasm, and a little bit of asshole. Who clearly has affection for his wife. Which I argue the lack of is a weakness in the 1995 mini.
And, Mrs. Bennett in this is much more layered in her approach to everything. Still a bit crass in all the ways and shown to be very unlike her husband in many ways, but not as...flittery as the 1995 version, if that makes sense.
Look, I love the 1995 mini, but the way the Bennetts were portrayed as Mr. Bennett hating his wife and Mrs. Bennett being constantly dizzy with the womanly concerns doesn't match the tone of the book at all, imho.
Bingley is a golden retriever, as it should be.
I love they were like, "We need the most ethereally beautiful person in the world to be Jane. Someone even more strikingly beautiful than Kiera Knightly." I assume Rosamund Pike just appeared from the heavens on gossamer wings.
The dancing scenes were beautiful.
I have many, many more thoughts, but that's good for now. It is an absolutely beautiful adaptation of an absolutely immortal story, and I love it so much.
WAIT ONE MORE: Lizzie's ruffle on the collar calling back to Darcy's neckcloths when they were having moments of connection; ESPECIALLY IN THE LETTER SCENE when Lizzie finds that Lydia has run away. They're both in black. She's got the white collar ruffle. No doubt Lizzie is certain that if she'd accepted Mr. Collins, Lydia would not have been allowed to go to Brighton because she would have secured the house for her sisters through her marriage. And Darcy, fearing another young girl being tricked by Wickham, feeling a duty to fix things because he could have stopped this by just being like, "THIS DUDE'S A CREEP."
Anyway, done now. (YES THE HAND FLEX I KNOW)
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acourtofthought · 2 months
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Sjm didn't make elucien mates and then change her mind. She knew she's going to make elriel endgame from the get go. Even when she had Lucien say, "you are my mate". If you reread the series, acosf comes of as a filler. It was Nesta's healing journey but it was also used to set some of the vital plot points for Elain's book, with Azriel. And she's not going to change the direction of such a solid overarching plot for gwynriel. GA a mediocre ship with an over done couple dynamic. And sjm doesn't have history of bending to the readers whim. As for Lucien, she's already introduced Vassa and laid the foundation of Lucien and Vassa's story. Pairing Lucien with Elain would be a waste of a great story and a great female character (Vassa). She's not going to do that. If eluciens and gwynriels think the time magazine article was a random mention of Elain and Azriel that has nothing to do with sjm or BB they are sorely mistaken.
You mean SJM thought Nesta would be with Lucien only to change her mind with how toxic they'd be together just to pair him with Elain knowing Az was her endgame? Weird.
I really enjoy how you take a journalists own words over that of the author herself.
Somehow the journalist saying that fans speculate about Az and Elain is a bigger deal to you than SJM being quoted as saying because she has it in her own life, she can write about men who are the females biggest supporter, cheering her on and supporting her growth and we then have the author herself writing it so Az gets SCOLDED for not believing in Elain.
And VASSA is a greater female character than Gwyn who became one of the first Valkryie in how many years? Yes, Vassa's many many pages of dialogue clearly prove your point. I think Vassa says a total of 10 sentences throughout the entire series.
Vassa will still be important, but as a side character in Elucien's journey as their friend who will end up with Jurian.
But you got us, E/riel is up there with the greatest love stories of all time.
ACOMAF
And Mor backed away. Step by step. "What a prize," the kind said, that black gaze devouring her. Azriel's head lifted from where he was sprawled in his own blood, eyes full rage and pain as he snarled at the king, "Don't you touch her." Mor loked at Azriel - and there was real fear there. Fear - and something else. She didn't stop moving until she again kneeled beside him and pressed a hand to his wound. Azriel hissed - but covered her bloody fingers with his own. (oh....just so you know, Elain was kidnapped and is currently bound and gagged, with the King preparing to put her into the Cauldron but Az is a little too busy focusing on Mor to care).
ACOWAR
And somehow had to guard Elain, though I certainly wasn't about to tell Lucien that. Cassian, swearing and pissy, got the short stick, and Azriel only clapped him on the shoulder before heading to the house to prepare. (Here we have Elain depressed but Az is happy to leave her).
Throughout it, he was quiet - removed. Even by his standards. I made the mistake of asking if he'd spoken to Mor since he'd left last night. No, he had not. And that was that. Even if he kept flexing his scarred hand at his side. As if recalling the sensation of the hand she'd whipped free of his touch during the meting. Over and over. (I think you might want to rethink that fanart scene that's floating around of Az flexing his hand for Elain a la Mr. Darcy).
"It's worth a try," Mor sniped. "You're needed here," Cassian said. Azriel looked included to agree, even as he kept quiet. (Elain had a vision with her Seer powers, something Az claimed "We need"......yet he did absolutely nothing about it. He did did not fight for what she was seeing, he did not offer to go. How incredibly supportive!).
ACOMAF
"Are we supposed to get the sisters presents?" "No I said, and I meant it. Az seemed to loose a sigh of relief".
Az, to his credit, gave Mor a smile of thanks, a blush creeping over his cheeks, his hazel eyes fixed on her. I looked away at the heat, the yearning that filled them.
ACOSF
Nesta said to Feyre, "Did you tell Elain?"
Before Feyre could reply, Azriel said, "What about Mor?"
"Where's my beautiful Mor?" Az said tightly, "Away."
Azriel stiffened, an outright sign of temper from him as he said quietly, "There is an innate darkness to the Dread Trove that Elain should not be expose to." / She threw a nod toward Azriel. "Including Elain, who is more than capable of defending herself against the darkness of the Trove, if she chooses to." Don't underestimate her."
Rhysand blinked, "What of Mor, Az?" Azriel ignored the question.
Azriel said nothing. He hadn't gotten that far with his planning, certainly not beyond the sexual fantasies he pleasured himself to.
HOFAS
"We defeated Hybern," Azriel confirmed. A glance toward Truth-Teller at his side. Then at Nesta. "Nesta beheaded the King of Hybern by herself."
There you go. That's your beautiful, romantic, SJM planned from the start love story of Elain and Az.
It doesn't matter how many sweet moments you have for E/riel the fact remains that shortly after each scene, Az was written to still be hung up on Mor (funny how his longing glances only became few and far between in the book where Mor WAS NO LONGER IN THE NIGHT COURT FOR A MAJORITY OF THE TIME), where he still disrespected Elain, where he never once gave her credit for the brave things she did during the war, where he never once addressed her depression or the things she lost like her father, her humanity, her fiance.
And the overarching plot already lends itself to an Elucien and Gwynriel endgame. There's no mental gymnastics or changing the characters personalities to make it fit.
Pairing Elain with Az would be a waste of Elain's character. If you cared for Elain as you say you do you'd ship her with Amren more than Az considering Amren had to reprimand Az for underestimating her.
"But it's what Elain wants!"
Sometimes young girls that just experienced trauma are foolish thinking they know what they want even though the adults in the room can clearly see it's not healthy 🤷. Elain is working through it all but once she comes out on the other side, she'll see things a bit more clearly. I think we got our evidence of that when she returned Az's necklace and I can't wait to see if in the next book she finds out about the bullshit he said about her and Lucien.
I have never heard of a more delusional comment than claiming SJM used SF as filler for an E/riel endgame. SJM is on record of saying how Nesta felt keenly alive to her early on, how she feels emotional rereading SF because of her own journey with mental health issues yet you're turning into E/riel fodder.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
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marymjarvis · 8 days
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I haven’t fallen in love with fictional characters and the world that they inhabit the way I have with Victoriocity in YEARS. It genuinely makes me feel like a kid again, the way I got when I was reading Harry Potter for the first time and the universe just was slowly unfolding and I wanted to know everything about it outside of the main storyline. And then you have the pitch perfect humor and characters I AM VERY DEEPLY INVESTED IN that are in the most perfect Victorian slow burn of all time where I KNOW SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN EVENTUALLY BUT ITS GOING TO TAKE YEARS AND ILL BE HANGING ON TO A DARCY HAND FLEX MOMENT FOR DEAR LIFE UNTIL IT DOES, and you got me hook, line and sinker.
But seriously, it’s well written. It engages in some trope but does so in a way that only good writing can where expectation is subverted and then not that that is surprising and delightful, The pacing is excellent. The world they’ve created is completely original but totally familiar which grounds the characters and the plot.
Anyway, I bought three copies of High Vaultage (audio, ebook and special edition hard copy of course), finished it, binged season three and now I need the link to the kickstarter for the next project because I NEED MORE. This is just going to be a fan account until then.
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millylotus · 1 year
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“You Taunt Me, I Chase You” “You Catch Me, Then Let Me Go” They Do It Again The Next Day
Bat x Cat
Catwoman has a Kitten following her around, and that Kitten just so happens to like messing around with Batman's Sunshine Birdy.
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Maddie and Jack decide that Danny is spreading himself too thin between school and dealing with Ghosts and the GIW, also the excessive bullying is not helping at all. So they decide to send him to live in Gotham with Jack's cousin Selina Kyle. Danny's not extremely happy about this arrangement, but at least Jazz is going to Gotham University, and Sam and Tucker promise to visit during breaks. Selina is unsurprisingly, really cool and it gets even better when she's fine with the whole half-dead thing Danny has going on. One night Danny catches her coming back from a hunt and begs her to take him with her. After a few weeks of training Danny takes his first night on the town, and immediately bumps into Signal, who he may or may not have called hot once.
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CLASS SCHEDULES
BOTH
BLOCK 1 | MR.LOGGE - Algebra 2 Teacher : Riko
BLOCK 5 | MRS.WILLIAMS - Spanish 3 Teacher  : Darcy
BLOCK 6 | MR.LE'STROD - P.E. Coach : Izzy, Troy, Dre
DUKE
BLOCK 2 | MS.KITSON - CP Physics Teacher : Izzy
BLOCK 3 | MRS.O'BRIAN - AP US history Teacher : Dre
BLOCK 4 | MR.CHAKRABORTY - AP English Teacher : N/A
DANNY
BLOCK 2 | MX.REAGAN - US history Teacher : N/A
BLOCK 3 | MX.LERROY JENKINS - AP Chemistry Teacher : Darcy
BLOCK 4 | MS.CHAU - English 3 Teacher : Troy
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Jack and Selina are cousins on their moms’ side, they're parents were siblings, Selina's mom drifted away from the family.
They’ve never really talked to each other beyond a family gathering or two
Jack is vaguely aware that Selina isn’t really on the right side of the law, but who’s he to judge The Fenton family has never really been on “The Right Side” of the law
But Selina is surprised when she gets a call from Jack asking her to watch out for his daughter who’s going to Gotham U that year
And even more surprised when he calls her a week later asking if she could take care of his son while he stays in Gotham
Selina ends up agreeing but is definitely scepticall
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[AN: The script kinda cuts off at the end so warning]
FIRST MEETING - DUSK
The sun is setting and DUKE has had a long day of patrolling Gotham under the sunlight.
DUKE sighs as he stretches near the ledge of a building, they need to get back to cave soon, do some homework, sleep. God Sleep would be wonderful.
DUKE’S shine golden for a second, and the vigilante moves quickly to the side baton up and ready to strike the person who’d attempted to attack him.
DANNY :
Whoa, okay no sneaking up on you then.
DUKE stared at the other boy. He wore a cowl that looked exactly like SELINA’S, the same with the rest of his outfit. Although it was accented with a more neon green then SELINA’S dark emerald green.
DUKE :
Who are you
DANNY :
What you can’t tell, I think it’s pretty obvious
His voice was light and teasing, he flexed his hands and claws popped out of his fingers.
DUKE :
Some wannabe Catwoman fanboy.
DUKE says sarcastically. The Catboy made an offended sound similar to a hiss even.
DANNY :
I’m not a wannabe!
The Catboy grumbled before calming himself.
DANNY :
I’m actually working with Catwoman I’ll have you know. I’m her apprentice.
DUKE :
(Sarcastically)
Oh really, so she’s just got you up here talking to me for no reason?
The Catboy grinned, DUKE did not like that one bit.
DANNY :
I actually do have purpose for being here.
DUKE immediately started looking around the area, and spotted SELINA crouching a few buildings away with a duffle bag over her shoulder and one next to her.
DANNY :
As a distraction
The Catboy kicks DUKE in the chest when he isn’t looking. Quickly moving away from the vigilante now on the ground.
DANNY :
By the way, the names Kitten, nice meeting you Babe
KITTEN runs quickly over to SELINA and takes the duffle bag next to her, he turns back and waves tauntingly at DUKE, sticking his tongue out at him.
The two Cats run off into the distance.
DUKE :
(Frustrated/Annoyed)
Oh mother fucker
BRUCE is so going to scold him for letting that happen and, DUKE just knows his siblings are going to endlessly tease him about KITTEN.
The Vigilante gets up and begins his way back to the Batcave.
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SCENE TWO - CONTINUOUS
SELINA  and DANNY return to SELINA’S apartment through the window. DANNY collapse on the couch, surprising the cats, SAPPHIRE, a blue eyed fluffy white cat, jumps on top of DANNY’S back. DANNY groans.
SELINA picks up SEKHMET, a dark grey Lykoi cat with big ears.
SELINA :
Hello my baby, did you miss you mama?
SEKHMET meows at SELINA happily.
SELINA :
Hon could you got put our hunt away please.
DANNY groans loudly but gets up and moves the duffle bags into SELINA’S bedroom then behind the secret bed door into the vault room. He began to pull out the jewelry from the duffle bags, laying them out carefully on top.
As he works SELINA walks in, holding SEKHMET and with SAPPHIRE following and winding between her legs.
SELINA :
So... How was your little chat with Signal
DANNY :
Pretty normal I guess, he’s jumpier than I thought he’d be
SELINA :
(Teasing)
Didn’t I warn you about that
DANNY :
(Mumbling)
Maybe
SELINA laughs, and DANNY grumbles.
SELINA :
Notice anything... nice?
DANNY’S face flushes.
DANNY :
Nope, nah, everything was just normal!
SELINA :
Oh really
DANNY :
Yupyup, oh would you look at that! Finished laying out the jewels, better got to sleep!
DANNY gets up and walks stiffly out of the vault blushing aggressively. SELINA smirks playfully.
DANNY :
As you said Auntie sleep is important!
SELINA :
It’s alright if you think he’s pretty Danny! I’ll put in a good word with Bats for you!
SELINA yells after DANNY as he retreats to his bedroom.
DANNY :
Goodnight Selina!
SELINA :
Who knows, maybe I’ll have a nephew-in-law by the time you graduate!
DANNY slams the door behind him as SELINA cackles.
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I DON’T HAVE A CAT THING! - CONTINUOUS
DUKE drives back into the Batcave, propping up his bike on its kickstand, pulling off his helmet. He dejectedly walks over to lockers where TIM is still getting ready to go out.
TIM :
So how was patrol?
DUKE groans loudy, hitting his head against the locker.
TIM :
Damn that bad?
DUKE lifts his head and nods.
DUKE :
Catwoman has an apprentice now.
TIM pause and stares at DUKE in shock.
TIM :
Bullshit.
DUKE :
He calls himself Kitten and he’s a fucking asshole
TIM raises an eyebrow
TIM :
An asshole you saw? What was he like?
DUKE :
Checky, he got me distracted long enough for Selina to steal like a third of the Jewels on Rock Street. Then he kicked me and then just ran off, can you believe that!
TIM grins, as DUKE rants about KITTEN not paying attention to his brother.
TIM :
Uh huh, what else?
DUKE :
He had this stupid smile and was all snarky and he looked sooo proud of himself for getting one over me. Then he called be “Babe '' before he ran, and just AUGH!
TIM smiles widens.
TIM :
Oh you’re down bad.
DUKE :
What?
TIM turns away from DUKE and to the rest of the cave.
TIM :
Selina’s got a kid and Duke has a crush on him!!!
DUKE’S face morphs into betrayal and he tackles TIM who’s laughing.
The others in the cave start yelling about the whole situation.
JASON :
What!
DICK :
Say sike right now!
STEPH :
Furry!
DAMIAN :
Thomas your standards!
BRUCE :
Selina has a what now!
DUKE whines and lets go of TIM. TIM gets up and drags DUKE to the center platform of the Batcave at the Batcomputer.
TIM :
I got him!
The others had gathered in the central platform, half dressed for patrol.
BRUCE :
Duke, could you explain please?
DUKE stands up properly and walks over to the Batcomputer and attaches his cam footage to it.
DUKE :
I was getting ready to finish up my last round of patrol when Kitten tried to jump me.
DUKE forwards the footage to the moment, pausing on a clear from of KITTEN’S face.
DUKE :
He said something dumb, I called him a “wannabe Catwoman fanboy” he got offended and said he’s Catwoman’s apprentice. I ask him what he’s doing, I realize he’s a distraction, next thing I know I’m on the ground and he and Selina are gone.
As DUKE speaks he fast-forwards through the footage to the last clear frame of KITTEN and SELINA running off.
CASS “SIGNING” :
Did he just call you Babe?
DUKE :
That is completely unimportant
TIM :
Oh I think it’s important
TIM slips past DUKE and rewinds setting the footage to it’s proper speed.
DIGITAL DANNY :
By the way, the names Kitten, nice meeting you Babe
JASON :
Damn Duke, didn’t know you’d be the one to inherit B’s cat thing
DUKE :
I do not have a “Cat Thing”!
DICK :
Keep lying to yourself Tommy, we all know how that ended for Bruce
BRUCE :
I don’t have a “Cat Thing”
DAMIAN :
Father don’t lie, you’re not very good at it
STEPH :
Ten bucks says we find them somewhere they shouldn’t be in two weeks.
CASS :
I say four, deal
DUKE :
Stop betting on my relationship with the Catboy!
CASS “SIGNING” :
When did we ever say we were talking about you and Kitten?
STEPH :
Thinking about your Catboy that much ‘ey Tommy?
The rest of the sibling begin to laugh and DUKE groans in annoyance. BRUCE pats his son’s shoulder in condolences.
BRUCE :
(Teasing)
It’s alright, just remember to clean your clothes regularly, cat hair is difficult to get out of Kevlar.
DUKE looks up at BRUCE in both disgust and betrayal. Before stomping away to the lockers
DUKE :
I hate you all!
The rest of the family laugh as he leaves.
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SO GOTHAM’S A BIT WEIRD? - THE NEXT DAY/MORNING
DANNY stands outside of Middletown High staring up at it’s front building before sighing and making his way inside. There aren't that many people, just the front desk lady MS.CARTER. DANNY walks up to her.
DANNY :
Uh Hi,
MS.CARTER :
Hello
DANNY :
I’m, I’m the new student. Or like one of the new students I’m not sure.
(Awkward Laugh)
MS.CARTER :
(Sigh)
Alright, what’s you’re name?
DANNY :
Daniel Fenton.
MS.CARTER opens the filing cabinet under her desk. Moving some things around before pulling out a small folder.
MS.CARTER :
It’s a gold day so you have 1st 2nd and 2rd block today. Tomorrow is a gray day when you’ll have your last three blocks.
MS.CARTER hands DANNY his schedule and a school planner, DANNY stares at his schedule, reading through everything.
MS.CARTER :
Since you’re an Outsider you’ll have to attended the safety seminars, and read through this pamphlet.
MS.CARTER pulls out the procedure pamphlets.
MS.CARTER :
How long have you been living in Gotham?
DANNY :
About five weeks now, why?
MS.CARTER :
Did you get all your vaccines for Gotham specific aliments?
DANNY :
Yup, I got the Ivy ones, the smaller doses for the Fear gasses. Much smaller ones for the Laughing gasses. Bunch of the other I can’t name.
MS.CARTER :
You’ll want to know their names, understand.
MS.CARTER gives DANNY another pamphlet.
MS.CARTER :
This has everything you’ll need to know about the vaccine you could need and even some you might not.
DANNY :
Is that everything I’ll need to know?
MS.CARTER :
If need be you can change your schedule within the next few days, but you won’t have much freedom with it considering that you came in later in the school year.
MS.CARTER :
Also your first class is on the second floor in the green hallway. And your locker and password are on your schedule.
DANNY :
Okay, thank you Ma’am!
DANNY leaves the front desk area and goes through the door into the school. Nobody was there either, which was great for him, he didn’t want to bother having to deal with new people.
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NEW CLASSMATE, WHO DIS? - CONTINUOUS
DANNY sits near the back of the classroom. The Algebra 2 teacher MR.LOGGE had put him in one of the empty seats once they got to school and opened up the classroom. A few other kids are already in the classroom and more are in the hallway outside. DANNY had found his locker, and after struggling for a while he got it open and stored his things.
People start to file in talking to each other, the bell rings and the class quiets down. MR.LOGGE stands up at the front of the classroom.
MR.LOGGE :
Good morning class, hope you’re all doing well. We just got back from fall break so lets do some introductions. Everyone up and around the room please.
The class moves and everyone stands back to the walls.
MR.LOGGE :
Your name and pronouns, favorite movie, and favorite food. Who wants to volunteer?
No one says anything
MR.LOGGE :
Alright, volun-told then
He pointed to a short Asian girl by one of the windows.
MR.LOGGE :
How bout we start with you
The girl sighs but speaks anyway
RIKO :
Riko Sheridan She/Her, my favorite movie is “The Devil Wears Prada”, and my fave food is chicken alfredo.
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DEADLIGHTS MASTERPOST, GENERAL NOTES, MEMES, AO3
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cinebration · 7 months
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Got the Rhythm (Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x Reader) [One-shot]
Premise: You challenge Rooster to a piano duet.
Warnings: none
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Gif Source: paperjunk
When Rooster walked into the bar, you hardly paid him any mind—not with that terrible mustache, anyway. He had an undercurrent of the same cocky swagger you expected from all the pilots, somewhere on the spectrum between Hangman’s palpable arrogance and Bob’s quiet competence. In other words, he was a flyboy, and they were all trouble.
You glanced back to your girlfriends, noted how their gazes swept the room for the faces they liked the most. One of them elbowed the other as Rooster strode up to the bar.
“Him?”
“How doesn’t love a thick neck and a mustache?”
Your nose wrinkled. “Sometimes I forget you grew up watching Magnum, P.I.”
“Short shorts needs to make a comeback, that’s all I’m saying.”
Shaking your head, you glanced back at him. “He’s okay. “ You effected our best Mr. Darcy impression. “‘But not handsome enough to tempt me.’”
“You never know, maybe he’ll surprise you.”
“Doubtful.”
And then Rooster walked over to the piano and sat at the keys.
That caught your attention immediately. Pianists had always been attractive to you, not least of all because you happened to be one yourself. Leaning back in your seat, you waited for the show to begin, half hoping he would be terrible just so you could laugh about it and not have to reevaluate him.
The first chord struck, and he was off, fingers flying over the keys with the passion of someone who truly enjoyed music. To your dismay, he wasn’t half bad.
And then he started belting out a song.
“Oh dear Lord,” you muttered, turning away from the performance. Your chest constricted with the strength of the cringe you felt.
“I don’t understand you,” one of your friends said. “You can’t even handle it when people sing in movies.”
“It’s just so…” You waved a hand vaguely. “The cringe is strong, ladies. I’m dying here.”
“Then go shut him up.”
Frowning at her innuendo, you twisted your lips at her in a mock sneer and physically cringed again as you listened to Rooster crow. He sang well, but it didn’t change the fact that you wanted to flay the skin off yourself and flee the room.
Clearly you had to shut him up.
Shoving back hard from the table, your chair scraping loudly against the floor, you strode over the piano, interrupting Rooster’s serenade as you hip-checked him across the bench to make room for yourself. His fingers faltered on the keys, the song dying in his throat.
“Hello?”
“I thought you might like a challenge,” you answered, gently shaking out your wrists. “An improvised duet.”
His eyebrows rose. His friends that weren’t already circling the piano drew closer, a quiet “Ooooo” echoing in the background.
He laughed. “Dueling pianos?”
“Well, we only have the one, unfortunately. So it’ll be a fight for keys and elbow space.” You flashed your teeth at him, more challenge than smile. “If you think you can handle yourself.”
A chorus of “Oooos” swelled around you.
Hangman leaned his forearms on the top of the piano. “Let me give you a tip, beautiful.” He cast a sidelong glance at Rooster. “He has a speed problem.”
“Oh?”
He turned back to you. “He’s too slow.”
“Ohhhhh.” You nodded sagely. “So, he can’t keep up.”
“No, ma’am, he most definitely cannot.”
You watched the muscle in Rooster’s jaw flex.
“Let’s find out, shall we.” And you let loose on the keys.
Jaws dropped as your hands moved with an almost preternatural speed, coaxing surprising melodies from the ivories. You lost yourself in the music, in the feel of your fingers creating and maintaining rhythm. For a moment, you forget it was a competition, that even Rooster was sitting beside you on the bench.
A deeper harmony swelled up alongside yours, not quite as fast but still acting in concert with what you were putting down. You risked a glance at Rooster, jolted out of your musical trance, and saw him fixated on the keys, concentration write large on his expression.
A smirk tugged on your lips.
Your hands flew faster.
Roster increased his pace, sweat dotting the hairline on his forehead. To your surprise, you found yourself straining too, putting your all into the piece, throwing complex melodies at him in the hope he wouldn’t keep up, that he’d get up and leave you alone at the piano.
Yet he persisted, his elbow jostling yours as he laid down a heavy rhythm almost in harmonious counterpoint to yours.
He glanced aside at you, his gaze meeting yours. Despite the furrow in his brow, his eyes were bright, joy and excitement vibrant within them.
You brought the piece to a sudden crescendo and a resounding ending, Rooster echoing it with a few final chords.
You were surprised to find yourself breathing heavily, sweat trickling down the back of your neck in a tiny rivulet. Rooster’s chest heaved beside you, his face flushed with the exertion.
“Well,” you managed to say, your voice thick, “aren’t you full of surprises.”
“Surprise is my middle name.”
Hangman snorted and pushed himself away from the piano, shaking his head.
Rooster leaned forward into your space, as though drawn into your orbit. Surprise flooded through you as his nose nearly touched yours.
You slid off the bench, narrowly missing the kiss. He looked up with a frown.
You turned to leave, then hesitated. Snatching up a napkin, you scrawled across it. “If you want to duet again sometime, here’s my number.”
A stupid grin unfurled across his face.
“I like a man with good rhythm,” you murmured, and you returned to your table of friends, ignoring their snickers.
“See, he did surprise you,” one of them said.
“Shut up,” you groused, but a smile played on your lips.
Rooster stared at you all night. Thankfully, he didn’t resume singing.
111 notes · View notes
mechformers · 1 year
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Ma Miles - Ch. 8
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4.1 K words
Bold letters are spoken in English by the Reader to Quaritch.
Thank you all so much for your absolutely amazing response and kind comments! I'm really just so grateful. Each and every comment makes me so incredibly happy, so really; THANK YOU SO MUCH!!
The last chapter had some fun bits which most of you guessed. I just couldn't help myself. That little scene from Pride and Prejudice where Mr. Darcy flexes his hand... Yeah, Quaritch would so do that lol No one noticed that Y/n started thinking of him as Quaritch instead of "the demon" though XD
(I see that people are doing taglists and thought that it might be fun, so if you want to be tagged with the updated chapters, please leave your @ myusername in the comments)
Previous chapter | Masterpost | Chapter 9
Turning for what had to be the thousandth time that night, Quaritch let his eyes rest upon his bedroom wall, his eyes landing on the slight imperfections of the metal. His mind would not leave him alone this night, constantly replaying scenes from previous days every time he closed his eyes. His hand still warmed uncomfortably from where you had gripped his hand when he had helped you down from your banshee. 
It was ridiculous. He was a grown-ass man and this was definitely not his first rodeo - Spider was enough proof of that. Still, his son’s mother made something within him flutter uncomfortably, making him act a fool where he’d usually have a calm and collected mind. Quaritch didn't understand what was happening with this new body of his. 
Flying the banshee had been exhilarating, but having to sit behind Y/n was anything but. He could feel every movement of the mighty beast beneath him, could feel how Haw-nu pushed his mighty wings up and down, speeding them both through the air, drifting along as the landscape below flew by ridiculously fast. He had loved every second of it. 
When you had told him that you thought they were ready for their own banshees, his mood had improved even greater. His plan was finally getting them somewhere, slowly growing the seed he’d planted all those weeks ago when you had come knocking on his door. Learning the way of the Na’vi was working better than he had anticipated. Still… there was something not quite right with him. He could feel it in the wee hours of the night, in the way he woke up in the mornings and throughout the day. Did these natives go through heat cycles? He would have to check in with one of the quacks about it. There wasn’t a flying chance in hell that he’d let a local tail distract him from his mission just because he hadn’t wet his pen in a while. 
Stepping out of bed, Quaritch furrowed his brows at how his spine seemed to crack. This body was supposed to be twenty years old and not fifty as he felt. Popping his spine and joints, he gets up and hastily puts on a pair of standard-issued sweats before he’s out of his door and stomping down the halls. Getting to the gym, he heads straight for the weights, not caring about easing into his session. He needed his body to burn with something else than… Just with anything besides the fiery pit burning low in his abdomen. 
The darkness of Pandora slowly caved way for the blinding sun and the scorching, humid heat that came with it. It will be another sweat-fest today, much like every single day since he first came to this wretched planet. His body temperature was much too high for this environment. He missed the cold seasons back home, missed stepping out of his front door, only to feel his skin freezing before he got the chance to pull his protective gear up over his face. Hell, he even missed dry heat that had him soaked with sweat whenever the sun got around to shine on Kansas. He missed… Earth. 
Instead, he had been stuck in this godforsaken humid hell hole for the better part of his life, even being brought back to life after dying. It seemed like Pandora wasn’t finished with him yet. Well, he would give it everything he got this time around. Roughly wiping the sweat off of his face, Quaritch sat up from the bench, scowling at nothing in particular. He had to be stronger. Firmer - or else Pandora would chew him up and spit him out again. The plan was to get their banshees today and if they were to stand a chance against the flying beasts, they would need some serious tranquilizers, something Y/n definitely wouldn’t approve of. By leaving you at the base and bringing Spider alone, he hoped the day would go without a hitch, at least well enough to soothe your ruffled feathers.
“Boss?” His Corporal asks from the entrance, a curious look on his face before he crosses his arms, waiting. 
“Get the squad ready, Lyle.” Quaritch grunts as he walks past his second in command. “Gonna go huntin’ today,”
“Hell yeah, Colonel,” Lyle grins, pumping his fist in the air as he turns on his heel, leaving Quaritch alone in the halls. 
Huffing to himself, he slams the door to his quarters open. Pulling his wet tank top over his head, distantly he notes how it soggily smacks on the floor as he throws it, but he couldn’t care less. His mood has taken a turn for the worse and when his comm cracks to life, it turns even darker. 
“Colonel Quaritch,” General Ardmore greets, and just like that the bottom of his stomach drops. 
“General Ardmore,” He greets, pinching the bridge of his nose, “What can I do for you, General?”
“Your reports have been lacking as of late. Mediocre at best.” She starts, her voice harsh - almost screeching to his sensitive ears. 
“We are learning the way of the natives, as ordered.” Quaritch offers flatly before continuing, “Our progress has come far enough for the woman to deem us ready to get our banshees, which will grant us access to all of Pandora - undetected.”
“That is good news, Colonel. Keep me informed,” The General tuts happily before the call goes dead. 
“Give me strength…” He growls at the empty room, noting how it’s still quiet from the other side of the wall. 
Looking out of the floor-to-ceiling windows, he watches as Pandora glitters in the darkness, Eywa’s beauty shining back at him even before the sun has risen. Sighing deeply, he turns back to pick up the wet tank top from the floor before walking into his bathroom. Stripping his shorts, he gets into the shower, letting the warm water wash over him, soothing his increasingly sour mood. How his life had gotten this complicated, he didn’t know. Before Jake Sully, his life had been straightforward, with no ifs and buts about it. He followed orders, kept his men and women as safe as he was able to, and honored those he failed. And just like that, every day repeated. Clenching his teeth hard, Quaritch turned off the shower a bit more aggressively than he should have, breaking the knob. Swearing furiously, he steps out of the shower, silently sending thanks to the person responsible for not putting a glass door inside of it. With his mood and luck, it too would have broken. Stepping out of his quarters he’s not at all surprised to see Lyle and Mansk waiting for him. 
“New cargos, boss?” Lyle snickers, eying the way he wears cargo shorts for the first time.  So what if he was a bit late to the party? Although most of the others had been wearing shorts for weeks, he figured he had nothing to lose by trying when they were going banshee hunting. He hated to admit it, but as you had said, they gave him more freedom to move.
Inclining his head in a silent greeting instead, he takes a deep breath before pressing his palm against the biometric scan on the door, waiting for the click. Now, his gramma raised no hooligan before she died. 
“I’m coming in,” He announced after knocking harshly, waiting some twenty-thirty seconds before cracking the door open. Just in case they hadn’t heard him. 
What he walked in on, however, wasn’t what he had expected. In the bed, Y/n lay curled around his son, Spider gripping onto your chest as he slept soundly. Quaritch noted how your ears twitched at the new sounds in the room, your subconsciousness no doubt letting you know that something was amiss. As time ticked by, he stood there frozen, not daring to move a muscle or breathe too loud in case it would startle you awake. Instead, he took the time to map out the features of your slack face, putting the info away for… something. 
Gently stepping up to the bed, Quaritch haunced down, noting how your nose twitched, no doubt recognizing his scent. He could feel his ears drooping as something aching to an emotion he hadn’t felt for a very long time started bubbling up inside of his chest. That emotion didn’t subside when you sleepily reached out a hand toward him, searching the bed behind Spider for his body, only to come up empty. Quaritch watches as your nose scrunches up in confusion before your eyes slowly open. For a split second, they close again as a small, warm smile graces your face, only for your eyes to shoot open with the realization, your smile morphing into a toothy growl as you scoot away from him, taking Spider with you. 
“Didn’t mean to scare you, sweetness. Tried knocking, even gave you extra time,” He found himself unnecessarily explaining to you as if you were his personal guest and not a prisoner of war. 
Getting up to his feet, he watches as Spider’s head pops out from his mother’s arms, looking more like a baby kangaroo than anything else. His hair was in a state and his face sleep smudged and warm. Chuckling gently to himself, he distantly remembered how hard his own teenage years had been and how inhumanly sleepy he had been those early mornings at military school. Looking at his son, he guessed the apple didn’t fall far from the imaginary m tree. 
“How bout this, darling. Imma go brief the unit and in…” Looking down at his watch he noted how they were already ten minutes too late, “say twenty minutes, and I’ll come back,”
Dramatically, Spider grunts as he flops backward in his mother’s arms, drawing both of their eyes to him. Quaritch watches as he yawns and rubs his eyes, mumbling under his breath to himself before he stretches. Letting go of him, Y/n grins as Spider hits the bed, sinking deep into the bedding before emerging with a huge grin, looking up at his mother. 
“Okay, okay, I’m awake,” Spider yawns before getting out of bed, “I’m ready to go,”
“You sure about that, kid?” He asks again, not understanding why he even bothers. 
“Yeah,” His son stretches as he moves past him, greeting Lyle and Mansk with a lazy wave of his hand. 
He turns his head to watch you step out of the bed, eyes trained on him as you walked closer. Reaching his hand out, his fingers wrap around your wrist, halting you on your way to join them. Shaking his head, he was unable to meet your eyes as he grunted a negative to you. Quaritch could feel the stare you had leveled him with hours later as Spider led them through climbing floating rocks. Instead, he decided to focus on the way his son smiled and laughed as they fumbled through the vegetation. He focused on the way his son scrambled to help him, fear in his eyes, as he slipped while swinging on a vine. But most of all, he focused on anything but your warm skin against his palm or the way you reached for him in your sleep. He’s definitely not going to focus on the gentle smile on your face as you sleepily opened your eyes to look at him.
“Come on, keep up losers!” Spider shouts from above them. 
Sighing deeply, Quaritch pulls his long body up yet another floating rock, lifting his head to see which path his son takes, following it as closely as he’s able to. In the end, they’re able to reach the top where the banshees were. Crouching low, they follow Spider’s lead, only stopping at what he figured was the closest they would be able to go before the banshees attacked. He, for one, would not be the one to tell Spider’s mother that her son had been harmed, or god forbid; killed, just because Quaritch wanted to get closer to the banshees. 
Crouching behind the fallen tree trunk, he was glad Spider had led them to a stop where he did. Up close, the banshees were excitingly feral, screeching and hissing as they spread their wings threateningly. They were magnificent beasts, mighty in a way Earth could never produce. In the middle, a big dark blue and gold colored banshee sat screeching. Although it was huge, it wasn’t even close to Haw-nu’s size. Still, instinctively, Quaritch knew that this was the banshee for him, and by the way it snapped its powerful jaws at him, it had decided to kill him. Beside him, his Corporal is reading the rifle, the tranquilizer dart sliding into place as he snaps it into place. 
“I’ve got this,” He grunts, taking the rifle from Lyle. Aiming the weapon at the big banshee he’s getting ready to fire when Spider chuckles by his side. “What?”
“Na’vi kids younger than me do this with their bare hands,” Spider smirks, so obviously looking down on him for taking the easy way out. 
“Jake Sully, did it the hard way?” Quaritch can’t help the competitiveness from ruling his actions, the words just falling out of his mouth before he even registers what he’s said. 
“What do you think?” The deadpan look on Spider’s face, combined with the eye roll sets something off inside of him 
Sucking his teeth, he gives the rifle back to Lyle before stepping over the fallen tree they were taking cover behind, officially entering the fight with the banshee. Hell, if Sully could get a banshee the hard way, then so could he. Readying his braided ponytail, Quaritch tactically steps closer, eyes zeroed in on the banshee’s movements. The beast cried loudly as it spread its long wings before hissing at him, extending its sharp row of teeth in a way he didn’t know they could. 
“It’s just you and me, Cupcake,” He growls, grinning widely as he dances even closer to it. 
The banshee hisses at him again and in a show of defiance, he hisses right back at it, squaring his shoulders to appear larger. It’s what the banshee has been waiting for as it pushes its long neck forward, snapping its powerful jaws at him. And just like that, the fight has started. Stepping away from the huge, snapping head, Quaritch twists his upper body and delivers a heavy blow to the side of the banshee’s head. The impact makes his fist burn, but he’s unable to do anything about it as the punch seemed to have angered the banshee even more. Turning its head towards him again, it snaps its powerful jaws at him again and again. He’s barely able to jump away from the sharp teeth each time, but in the end, he’s forced to jump onto the banshee’s neck to avoid the snapping mouth.
The landing isn’t ideal, not by a long shot. He manages to wrap his long arms around the banshee’s neck, his legs flailing on both sides, trying to get a good grip as the beast moves frantically beneath him. The banshee quickly lifts its head, successfully throwing him up in the air as it lowers itself to the ground again. Quaritch manages to hold on with one hand to the long tsulu-thing, but as his heavy body comes down to straddle the banshee’s long neck, the landing fails miserably. As his heavy body crashes against the solid neck of the banshee, his privates take the force of both of their bodies colliding. In the distance, he can hear most of his unit groan in sympathy while others chuckle. 
“Did I mention you were supposed to tie their mouth shut first?” Spider shouts over the sound of your fighting, the grin on his face all but making him glow with humor. 
“Thank’s a lot kid,” Quaritch growls out, trying his best to hold onto the thrashing banshee. 
It’s just a split moment of inattentiveness, but as he already has experienced, it only takes a split second for shit to go to town. Before he knows what’s happening, the banshee throws itself over the cliff top, diving through the air as he clings to it for dear life. Their descent is going too fast and at times, they barely manage to steer clear of cliffs, vines, and floating rocks. Quaritch doesn’t know how he did it, but suddenly he’s connected to the banshee. He’s immediately flooded with a sense of panic, of fear. It’s probably his own feelings, but just for a moment, he understands what Y/n talked about while you were both flying on Haw-nu. 
“Shut your pie hole and get on with it,” He growls as he harshly tugs on the banshee’s antennas to clamber on. 
It’s touch and go as they continue to plummet to their deaths, but then something seems to click. The banshee straightens, her wings soaring through the air as she takes him up once more. Climbing the mountain face they had been falling down, Quaritch couldn’t help the excited whooping that left his throat. The grin on his face felt juvenile and the new input in his head exhilarating. His banshee liked his excitement at flying, liked how it made the constant buzzing in his head quiet down to a numb blur instead. In turn, it made Quaritch feel… almost content - childish even. As they climbed the mountain face, he couldn’t wait to show his unit just what a magnificent banshee he’d gotten. Screeching approvingly at his pride, he couldn’t help but answer her scream with a whooping shout of his own just as they came back to the clearing they had fallen from.  
“Yes - that's right!” Quaritch grinned, pumping his fist in the air as pride soared through him. His unit, who had been on their way back, turns back in excited relief to greet him with smiles and excitement of their own. 
“Yeah Colonel, get some!” He could hear Lyle shout back at him as he twisted and turned around with his banshee. 
“Who’s up next?” The happiness that coursed through him was almost too much. He hadn’t felt this happy since… Hell if he knew. 
The banshee matched his excitement, their connection feeding off of each other as she spread her wings and screeched, obviously loving the excited attention she was getting. Oh, he had a diva alright - but what a mighty beauty she was. As the rest of his unit got their banshees, he couldn’t help but sit astride her, feeling her thoughts and her excitement as each banshee got its rider. By the time everyone got their mount, night was just around the corner from the setting sun. 
Calling in that they would get back on their own, Quaritch gestured to Spider to come closer. The kid didn’t have to be told twice, jumping from the tree he was sitting on before running over to them. For a split second, Quaritch worried that his banshee would be aggressive towards his son, but as he neared, she simply turned her head to greet him, pushing her muzzle against his stomach as he gave her a quick cuddle. Through their connection, he got the slight feeling that she had just thought of him as stupid. 
“What’s her name?” Spider asks once he’s gotten into the right position in front of him. 
“Dunno, kid… Y/n would have been spot on, but I guess Cupcake is as good a name as any?” Quaritch mumbles as he thinks about it. 
“Why would you call her Y/n?” His son turns his head to look up at him, confusion written all over his face. 
“They’re much alike,” He scrambles out, his heart beating faster in his chest as he almost slipped out. There was no doubt in his mind that what was said on their little adventures would be repeated to his mother. No need to make the woman angrier with him than she already was. 
His son hums, deep in thought before turning around again, seemingly accepting his explanation. Snaking his hand around to support Spider’s frame, Quaritch lets his mind wander- The wind against his face is relaxing, the connection to Cupcake strong as she soars through the skies. By the time they reach base, the sun shines its last rays on Pandora before bathing it in darkness. Spider chats excitedly all the way to the cafeteria, through the halls and when they’re nearing their quarters, he runs on ahead trying to open the door to their room only to rudely be stopped in his tracks. 
Chuckling, Quaritch opens the door for him, watching as Spider runs into it. Jumping into his mother’s open arms, a sting goes through his chest as he watches the scene before him. Spider chats excitedly, animating every scene with wild gesticulations and sound effects as he rushes through their day. The grin that crosses his face when he turns back to look at him, including him in this little family reunion of sorts, takes Quaritch’s breath away. Spider looks so happy, so content, that it’s almost painful to watch. 
“Mom, you should have seen him!” Spider grins as he takes his arm, pulling him further into the room to stand before his mother. 
“He challenged the Ikran head-on as if he’d grown up on Pandora. He stepped up to her and when she hissed at him, he hissed right back, barely dodging her bite when she struck at him,” Spider’s excitement was comparable with a young child on a sugar rush, his eyes huge and his grin even bigger as he continued to retell the happenings of the day. 
“Then he punched her hard and jumped onto her back - and mom, he didn’t bind her mouth shut,” The laughter that left Spider’s mouth would forever be ingrained into his mind. With equal parts happiness and excitement, he laughed until tears sprung forth in his pretty little brown eyes. 
“Cupcake dived down the mountain with him and he hadn’t even managed to make tsaheylu with her yet. We thought for sure he had just died,” Behind him, he could hear Lyle chuckle as the grin grew even bigger on Spider’s face as your eyes grew wide, snapping up to look at him - and was that worry for his wellbeing he saw?
“Thanks for your vote of confidence, kid,” Quaritch drawls, rolling his eyes with a smirk on his face. 
“He named her Cupcake instead of your name though,” Spider continues, his excitement never ending. 
“Why would he call his Ikran my name?” You ask, a confused look on your face as you first look at him and then down at Spider again, but before Quaritch manages to halt their boy, he’s on again - much to his unit’s joyful glee.
“I don’t know, he said you were very similar,” Spider offers, his own face scrunched up with confusion. 
“Alright, that’s enough, sport. You don’t have to repeat everything,” Heat blooms over his cheeks as your sharp eyes lift to meet his. He’s unable to help himself from sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck while Mansk joins Lyle’s laughter. 
“What does Cupcake mean?” You ask him, eyes holding his as you wait for his reply. 
“It’s uh - It’s a term of endearment, sweetheart,” He explains clumsily, rolling his eyes at the way his men snort behind him. To his relief, your eyes widen as a warm smile spreads across your face.
“You have grown, Miles Quaritch,” You praise him, happiness spreading on your soft features as you pull Spider back against your body to hug him tight. 
Feeling short of breath, he nods hastily before turning, leaving you behind. Passing Lyle and Mansk’s grinning faces, Quaritch presses past them before hastily slapping his palm on his door, entering and shutting it before they can come at him. Leaning back against the door, he slowly sinks down to the floor, his hand resting over his quickly beating heart as he breathes deep, sucking in as much air as he’s able to in an attempt at slowing down his racing heart. It doesn’t work, because of fucking course it doesn't. All he sees when he closes his eyes are your sharp, warm eyes looking at him with something painfully aching to fondness. 
Just thinking the word makes anger course through him, but damn him to hell and back, he couldn’t help but revel at the way his stomach fluttered and his heart soared. Maybe… But he couldn’t allow the thought to manifest in his mind. Couldn’t allow his mind to go there. Instead, he crawls forward, getting into position as he starts his punishment. By the time his body collapsed on him, unable to do another push-up, you would be far away from his thoughts. 
At least, that’s what he hoped…
Chapter 7 | Masterpost | Chapter 9
360 notes · View notes
lunalockley · 2 years
Text
Body and soul
Masterlist
Steven Grant x Fem!Reader
Warnings: Fluff and more fluff
Summary: After a long day you get home to watch your favorite movie with your favorite soft boy
Words: 800, working on making them longer
Notes: There's some rain, some Pride and Prejudice, some kisses and some fluffy Steven <3
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It’s raining on your way back home. The city lights reflect a dazzling echo on the wet pavement, raindrops looking like sparkles on the ground. It’s magical. But you feel too exhausted to appreciate it.
You had too much work to get done today, having barely a few minutes to have a snack every now and then and now you are starving. Your head is pounding at your temples. Your hands are numb and your feet are creeping cold despite the warm socks you’re wearing under your shoes. Even your ears hurt from the chilling air.
All you can think is to put yourself under a stream of hot water and lay on the sofa wearing the comfiest sweatsuit you own with a big cup of hot tea. You don’t even feel like cooking, you’ll order some dinner while you wait for Steven to get home.
That’s what you are thinking when you open your flat’s door and the smell of your favorite soup feels so good that almost makes you cry. As soon as he sees you Steven rushes to kiss you, taking care of your umbrella and coat while he tells you they closed the museum early for lack of visitors.
But instead of answering you only react by holding him as close as you can. His embrace instantly makes you feel better.
You’d think your cold nose against his neck would make him flinch but he only hugs you tighter. Like he knew the warmth of his body has the power to soothe any pain.
“It’s freezing cold, isn’t love?” he asks, smoothing your hair and brushing his fingers in your neck, realizing the tension effortlessly. “I wanted to surprise you by picking you up at work but then I thought that waiting for you with some warm food was better”.
At your lack of words, he backs up a little to look at your face. And he doesn’t even need to ask, he already knows. That’s how much in sync he is with you. You could bet even your heartbeats pound in perfect harmonization.
“What if you change into some comfortable clothes and we have dinner watching whatever you feel like watching? Hmm? What'd you think, love?”
Yet, it still astonishes you how he always knows exactly what to say and what to do to make you feel better. You think he doesn’t even notice it because that’s who he is. Being this kind, considerate, and thoughtful is a second nature to him. It’s as natural to him as breathing.
So later, even when Pride and Prejudice it’s one of your favorite movies, you spent half of the time watching him instead. You’re hypnotized by his genuine reactions, despite the fact he must have watched the movie as many times as you have. You’re absorbed by how he’s not scared of showing his emotions. Completely caught up by the strength behind his open vulnerability.
You melt when he says he gets Darcy’s hand flex because that’s how he feels every time he touches you, when he shakes his head in disapproval at the appearance of Mr. Wickham, when he softly hums the melody of the dancing scene into your neck, when he laughs at the one flower Collin uses to propose, when he holds you closer at Darcy’s confession, when he caresses your hands holding them to his chest at the dawn scene, when he gets teary watching the emotion on Mr. Bennet's face at the end of the movie, and when he helps you get up from the couch, saying he can’t offer you half of Pemberley but all of his heart.
But then he makes you weak on the knees by repeating Darcy’s words in between kisses while leading your way to the bed: “You have bewitched me,” the gentle caresses of his palms on your cheeks, the breathlessness of his low voice sending goosebumps all over your skin, “body and soul”.
You turn around and push him into the mattress. Climbing onto him and easing with your lips that point where his brows meet sometimes, pronouncing the words as a veneration: “And I love,” a fluttering kiss on his eyelids that steal him a soft sight. “I love,” gentle kisses on his flushed cheekbones. Then you back up a little to look him in the eyes, your heart hammering in your chest and all the discomforts of the day long-forgotten as you whisper “I love you”.
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ghouljams · 5 months
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I feel like I’ve spent the last week reading everything on your blog and I’m obsessed with all of it. Soap and Moon make me feel the same way reading Jane Austen does tbh 💕
But I also love your demon au and I’m wondering if we’ll ever get a follow up to Die overhearing Ghost talking to Soap?? I’m so curious about how that gets resolved. Does Simon notice something’s off and ask what’s bothering her? Or do things get heated and everything comes out in a moment of anger?? I just want both of them to realize they’re more than just killing machines 😭
AAAAAH how could you compare any of my silly work to Jane Austen, I love her. Soap doing the Darcy hand flex every time he touches Moon, he wants her more than anything and she is rejecting him at every opportunity. Even when they start fucking she keeps him at arms length. He's gnawing at the bars of his enclosure, he's gonna get out.
AND We are getting a follow up to Die overhearing Ghost talking to Soap. That's on the queue for later. I have a couple fics I wanted to get posted on Halloween to round out the month. I'll say this! They aren't resolving anything but Ghost definitely does get the realization of "oh fuck this thing has feelings"
This is where if Ghost was able to sit down and say "hey when I choked you out while fucking you it kinda scared me and all those thoughts you're picking up on about me wanting to hurt you are thoughts I actually super hate, and also you're making me feel like I'm turning into my father" Die would go "OK :D I will adjust my behavior accordingly"
But he's not gonna do that because that would mean all those psych evals he lied on were right and he does need counseling
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redscrawl · 1 year
Text
In Succ 4 i don’t need tomgreg to go completely canon, i just want tom to do the Mr Darcy Hand Flex after talking to greg
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girl-named-matty · 6 months
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I am in desperate need for Sebastian to do the Mr. Darcy hand flex right now.
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missyourflight · 5 months
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hello coming directly from your ao3 comments to your inbox to continue being unhinged your world building in space persuasion was sooo good, and i would love love to hear about the space media that inspired you! i also thought you translated SPACE so so well to F1, and i would love to hear just in general about how you went about making it feel so complete and real! and do you have favourite little details that didn't get a lot of airtime in the fic that you want to shine a light on to make me feel even more insane?
thank you kay!! 💖✨
i love love stories set in space - probably my favourite space film is sunshine (2007) but that is not really the vibe of space persuasion lol. i did make a lil visual inspo pinterest board which features the space casino from the last jedi, the hostesses from the fifth element, the casino de monte carlo and the blue lagoon in iceland (i saw a youtube video while i was warming up to write this fic and i was like, this needs more lake, and also someone take me to the spa pls). daniel's skiff is basically a lift from disney's treasure planet (i looked up some windsurfing terminology and i have Not retained it) and i watched the wachowski sisters' speed racer for some wacky races inspiration. the fleet is somewhere between battlestar galactica and star trek (don't worry about it). unfortunately the whole massive ramp/platform in the middle of the lake setup is heavily influenced by the triwizard tournament, because as loathsome as jkr is sometimes images from childhood stay with us! sticking the rest of this under a cut whoops
secret little details... the whole offscreen galex plot of them trying to pick up max's investigative slack in the background lol (and also they're in love). the annoying AI in daniel's room is my version of michael (sorry not sorry) and max's AI that kind of has his accent is supposed to be like a reminder of his mum (he also keeps the scrap of fabric from his mum's dress and his sister's bracelet with daniel's dogtags). i tried to somewhat mirror the structure of persuasion where there's the big incident at the centre of louisa's fall (daniel's crash in the fic) and then the back half of the story is about them coming back together.
when i write AUs i like to try and use related imagery so in the story there's like the three main strands of space stuff, casino/gambling stuff, and austen/period drama stuff, and all of it made me like unreasonably happy. my favourite space imagery is probably the stuff about comets - daniel remembering them watching comets together on the outpost and then thinking about getting to touch max every few years like a comet returning. favourite gambling image is probably daniel calling himself a bad bet, and also when he describes zak as a busted flush. so many self-indulgent austen references and half-references but a few i like are daniel telling alex he barely recognised max - shoutout wentworth describing anne as so altered he should not have known her again. any time daniel flexes his hand that's 2005 darcy. daniel lying down on the floor is johnny flynn knightley. daniel giving max the dogtags when the only thing he had to offer was himself/wentworth having nothing but himself to recommend him. and so on! daniel half-hoping when he touches max's hand at the gala a ref to the wentworth letter, half agony half hope etc, and then max's version of the letter as well obvs
also it's not austen without dancing imo so rule of three: when daniel bumps into max outside the spa they do an awkward shuffle-dance to get past each other; the actual gala where daniel asks max to dance but max thinks it's a joke; when they fuck and daniel thinks of it as a dance they've always known the steps to.
also i could have probably built up to a bit better but i like the lil bait and switch in the race where he thinks fernando's going to get him but actually it's jenson! and after he called him sweetheart and everything
lol thank you lovely kay for affording me the opportunity to go off about it!! 🪩
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