#she can definitely be cruel but also so warm and affectionate when it comes to the right ppl

[banamaak]

when my life was nothing more than the tick tock of the wall clock, i knew i must, i must, i must love insanely. 

— azadeh heidari (3/?) 

i. heiran (2009) dir. shalizeh arefpour // ii. through heaven’s eyes, brian stokes mitchell // iii. gabbeh (1996) dir. mohsen makhmalbaf // iv. divan i shams, rumi // v. iftar (breaking fast) (2020) dir. mike mosallam // vi. reddit thread by user beezle // vii. the breadwinner (2017) dir. nora twomey // viii. adonis, beginnings of the body, ends of the sea, trans. khaled mattawa // ix. about elly (2009) dir. asghar farhadi // x. the gift, hafez // xi. window, forugh farrokhzad 

[azucanela]

THIS DIDN’T HAPPEN | TSUKISHIMA KEI

HAIKYUU!! MASTERLIST

SUMMARY: Tsukishima Kei would never admit that he happens to like receiving affection quite a bit, only from Y/N L/N of course, and only if no one ever finds out about it. 

WORD COUNT: 2.5k

WARNINGS: honestly i think this is cute, but theres some angst oops, pining, unedited, kissing, kinda sad if you can read between the lines, season three spoilers

A/N: tsukki lovers come get your juice. also if you can’t tell im in the mood for haikyuu!! and tsukki so... rip the wips and requests i said i’d get done but it’ll happen eventually 

“Can I hug you?”

How did he end up here? A fantastic question that he cannot find the answer for as he looks down at Y/N, who’d insisted he walk her to the girl’s dorm. He probably should’ve predicted that she’d ask about his sudden change of pace, but Tsukishima doubted he ever would’ve predicted she’d ask to hug him. Especially since he definitely hadn’t been the nicest to her.

“This didn’t happen.” 

That’s all Tsukishima says as he awkwardly winds his arms arounds Y/N’s form. She hums in response, and Y/N has a feeling if he could see the grin on her face he’d pull away almost immediately. Which is why she’d buried her face in his chest, arms around his body as they stand just outside dorms they’ve been residing in during their stay at the training camp alongside the other teams. 

Tsukishima doesn’t know why he agreed to this. He’s not sure he wants to as he feels Y/N’s breath against his chest, causing his cheeks to warm. During the walk she’d confronted him and he’d— for some reason — told her that he didn’t intend to get left behind Hinata and Kageyama; who’d improved quite a bit it appeared. Even if Volleyball meant absolutely nothing to him.

And then she asked to hug him. Y/N just had a feeling he could use one, though, if she was honest, Y/N had expected a hard no. She’d expected him to criticize her for asking such a childish question, she’d expected teasing and cruel remarks about how ridiculous the idea was. Tsukishima had never been affectionate, or at least openly affectionate. He was never involved in team hugs, hugs in general, not even a simple fist bump from Tanaka. 

And yet here he was, agreeing to a hug from Y/N L/N, one of the new managers of the Karasuno Volleyball Club. 

“This didn’t happen.” Came her response, her words of agreement were muffled against Tsukishima’s chest, but he’d heard her. They had an understanding. 

And he’d never admit it, but it was nice. Hugging someone. Holding someone in his arms. Tsukishima hadn’t actually accepted affection in a while, maybe it was because one of the only people he’d been close with in his life— the one person he looked up to — ended up being a liar. Maybe its because a small part of him wanted to maintain his reputation as a coldhearted jerk, or maybe its because he just hadn’t found someone’s affection he enjoyed.

Until now, of course. There was something different about having Y/N in his arms, something comforting about her presence that made him feel compelled to answer the questions she asked as she pried about his sudden change in attitude. It’s not like they were close, though he tolerated her when she’d simply started coming to club meeting; apparently she’d known Tanaka from middle school, and decided to visit him at the club, until one day it became a daily thing. They ended up giving her the title of manager after she to work alongside Kiyoko. Y/N had even helped tutor those idiots, Kageyama and Hinata, something Tsukishima somehow got roped into. After that, he had a newfound respect for the girl.

It wasn’t that he liked her. He would never like Y/N. She just helped manage the club, and Volleyball was just a sport. Besides, they’d never be that close again, never hug again, never exchange any affection at all, ever again.

He broke that promise fairly quickly. 

Yamaguchi had insisted that he and Tsukishima start joining the rest of the team on their walk home, mentioning how they could stop by Ukai’s convenience store and pick up some food if they so pleased. And maybe that was what convinced him— though Yamaguchi had a feeling the mention of Y/N’s name had a little bit of influence on the decision as well — maybe not. 

It didn’t take long for Tsukishima to realize that as everyone slowly branched off into their respective neighborhoods, Y/N had yet to do the same. Apparently she lived the farthest from Karasuno of the bunch, which is why Tanaka had tried to offer to walk her home. 

She’d rejected the idea entirely, seeing as he’d have to walk back home in the dark by the time she’d gotten to her home. The idea didn’t sit right with Y/N, so Tanaka had left Yamaguchi, Tsukishima and Y/N on their own. 

Y/N didn’t miss the look Yamaguchi gave Tsukishima as he remained by her side, tilting her head in confusion and the blonde waved his friend off and continued walking alongside Y/N. She decided it was best not to question it, they were already a questionable pair of friends and Y/N wouldn’t be shocked if they had some sort of secret code they communicated through.

When she suggested this of course, Tsukishima called her an idiot.

“That’s not very nice, Tsukki.”

If Tsukishima was honest he should’ve kept walking alongside Yamaguchi a while ago, and yet here he was, alongside Y/N. He was pretty grateful she had yet to mention it, especially since he didn’t really favor lying, and he didn’t really have an explanation as to why he decided to walk her home.

It just felt right. 

“Well it’s a stupid idea.” Came his response, nose scrunching up at the nickname. Only Yamaguchi called him that, not that he had a problem with Y/N using the nickname as well. 

Y/N raised a brow, “I don’t think so, you’re smart enough to make a secret code or something.” A smile found its way onto her face as she looked over to him, playfully bumping into his side as she continued, “you probably use it to write about conspiracy theories or something.” 

“I’m not a conspiracy theorist, Y/N.” He side eyes the girl, scoffing at her words as he pushes his glasses up on the bridge of his nose in an attempt to distract from the warmth that flooded his chest. 

Y/N hummed in reply, looking to him as she asked, “so you don’t believe that lizard people run society?” 

Tsukishima’s brows furrowed as he looked to her incredulously, “absolutely not.” 

“Sounds like something a lizard person would say.” Came her reply, a grin on her face as she came to a stop, likely in front of her home. 

“Did you just suggest that I’m a lizard person?”

“Maybe.”

There was no way he liked Y/N L/N. In that moment, he made another promise to himself, Tsukishima Kei swore he would never like Y/N L/N, someone who was apparently a lizard person fanatic and insisted that he was a conspiracy theorist. 

A silence encompasses the two as Y/N looks up at him curiously, eyes falling over his face as a small hum leaves her lips. Tsukishima doesn’t know why exactly he lets it happen, why he lets her gently grab his chin, bringing him close to press a kiss to his cheek, “thanks for walking me home, Tsukki.” When she releases his face, she turns on her heel, heading toward her door, but not before saying, “try not to get home too late, and text Yamaguchi— he’s probably worried about you.” 

Okay, so maybe he would break this promise faster than last time. 

“This didn’t happen.” He manages to call out to her, watching as she makes her way down the cobblestone path to her front door. 

Y/N looks over her shoulder, a smirk on her face as she offers him a wave, “this didn’t happen!” She called back in agreement, stepping inside her home and shutting the door behind him. 

A lot faster than last time. 

He has no idea why he didn’t stop her the first time, when she asked. And he doesn’t know why he didn’t stop her now, or the next time, or the time after that. Tsukishima probably should’ve known better, he should’ve stopped indulging himself with her presence.

And yet sitting on his bed, lying on his side watching her, he knows there was no stopping this. Y/N is smirking, clearly noticing his gaze on her as she continues to silently read from her textbook, writing things down into her notebook on occasion. He almost gets frustrated at the sight, brows furrowing before he returns his eyes to his own textbook

Tsukishima probably would’ve finished a while ago had it not been for her, it’s not that Y/N had done anything, but her presence only served as a distraction at this point, leaving Tsukishima wondering just why he invited her. He can’t remember the reasoning behind his actions, but he has a feeling it wasn’t worth the lack of productivity that came with her visit. 

“Have you done anything?” 

As much as Tsukishima admired how observant Y/N was, he currently despised this trait of hers as he slammed the textbook shut, “yes.” It was a lie, Tsukishima had never been so unproductive in his life, and he hated it. He hated everything about this stupid project, especially the fact that she was his partner. 

A laugh escaped her, earning a glare from Tsukishima, “you’re so scary.” She says, though its clear she’s teasing him as she comes to pat his cheek condescendingly, accompanied by a mocking tone and an annoying smirk.

“Whatever.” He grumbles, tossing the textbook off the bed before falling back against his bed. 

Y/N hums, eyes falling over his figure as she nods to herself. “I see.”

Tsukishima scoffs at her words, lifting his head up to meet her gaze with a glare, “see what?”

Her grin only widens at his words as she shuts her own textbook, placing it on the nightstand beside her alongside her notebook before allowing herself to collapse into Tsukishima’s pillows. “You’re grumpy—” She turns to her side, lifting her arm up, “because you want a hug.”

Tsukishima looks at her incredulously, rolling his eyes as he brings his hands to his face, causing Y/N to lower her arm as she pouts. “You’re stupid.” He mumbles, watching her push up onto her elbows.

“And you’re a touch-starved grump.” Comes her reply, prying his hands form his forehead to gently remove his glasses, reaching over him to place it on the other nightstand before returning to her side of the bed. She lifts her arm once more, looking to Tsukishima expectantly. 

He inhales deeply, looking away in an attempt to maintain some of his pride when he feels his cheeks redden. “We have work to do.”

“The project isn’t due for another two weeks, Kei.” 

Tsukishima finds himself trying to glare at her, though it fails when he realizes she’s said his first name and he can’t bring himself to be upset anymore, simply saying, “this didn’t happen.” Before his arms come around her waist, Y/N’s arm that was once hovering above her now wrapped around his neck as she pulled him closer. Her other hand coming to tangle her fingers in his hair.

“This didn’t happen.” She repeated.

That day, he promises that the next time they meet, they’re actually going to get work done. He breaks this promise too, quickly realizing that this is a theme whenever the promises are related to Y/N.

Tsukishima doesn’t really realize that he’s in too deep until the day his lips crash against hers and he finds himself whispering those damned words once more, “this didn’t happen.” His hands running down her sides as he tries to pull her closer because whenever he’s around her that cold that plagues him day and night seems to fade, replaced the warmth she seems radiate as though she’s the sun.

He hates that he compares her to the sun, he hates that she’s become something he needs, a presence he craves, because Y/N L/N was meant to be nobody and now she seems to be one of the most important people in his life. He hates that she understands him, that she can read his every move better than he can, that she knows what he needs before he even says it. 

He doesn’t realize he’s in too deep until he’s promising himself not to fall in love.

Because for the first time in a while, Tsukishima Kei wants nothing more than to touch, he wants to feel, even though he’s filled with fear of the unknown, fear of the feelings he so desperately wanted to avoid. For once in his life, he wants to let go, because he finally feels comfortable enough to do so. 

This time all she says is, “I know.” 

Because Y/N knows that falling for Tsukishima was a mistake, a big one. She’s well aware of the fact that the boy is emotionally unavailable and renowned for his rude attitude and crude remarks. She knows that even if they have these silent moments together, even if she’s held him in her arms at night, even if they’ve been closer than she’s even been with anyone else, this basically means nothing. Because its not like either of them would ever do anything about the fact that the few words they did share in moments like these, weren’t ones of denial that the moments didn’t happen, but something else entirely at this point. 

Confessions in their own right. 

But she knows that all she’ll ever be, is something that didn’t happen. Not a story of his first love, not the girl he talks about with his friends, not the one he thinks about, the one he saw in everyday life. She was nobody, because she didn’t happen.

She doesn’t know that she’s wrong. Very wrong. That Tsukishima spoke fondly of her— honestly, Yamaguchi loves Y/N, he really does, but he’d getting a bit tired of hearing about how the mundane things she does that Tsukishima happens to notice. That he thought of her frequently, that the smell of coffee reminded him of her now, that the sight of the sunset she fawned over every time they walked home together only served as a reminder of her.

It’s not until he’s crying out in victory because they beat Shiratorizawa, Karasuno won, he won. It’s not until he’s so overwhelmed with emotion that he finds his legs moving on their own, towards Y/N; who stands beside Ukai and Takeda, the pair had taken to screaming at each other in the midst of their excitement. It’s not until his hands are on her face, bringing her into a kiss, much to her surprise, that he realizes what exactly the warmth was.

“This didn’t happen?” She asks, trying her hardest to ignore the stares of the team—though many of them are still caught up in their own celebration— as she looks to him. 

Tsukishima simply grins, “I didn’t say that.” 

A/N: kei is my favorite person to write for and i cannot explain why and this has not been edited so oops

tags: @beifongsss @shawkneecaps @iwaizoom @therainroguefanfiction​

[hxwks-gf]

» 𝖘𝖆𝖑𝖙 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖒𝖎𝖉𝖓𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙

𝖑𝖊𝖛𝖎 𝖆𝖈𝖐𝖊𝖗𝖒𝖆𝖓 𝖝 𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉𝖊𝖗

𝖘𝖚𝖒𝖒𝖆𝖗𝖞: 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚕𝚎𝚟𝚒 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚑𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚞𝚙 𝚒𝚗 𝚜𝚎𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚊 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚊𝚜 𝚊 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚛𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚢 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎 𝚒𝚜. 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚛𝚞𝚑 𝚛𝚘𝚑, 𝚢𝚘𝚞'𝚟𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜...

𝖌𝖊𝖓𝖗𝖊: 𝚜𝚖𝚞𝚝, 𝚏𝚕𝚞𝚏𝚏

𝖜𝖆𝖗𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖌𝖘: 𝚜𝚖𝚞𝚝, 𝚜𝚎𝚖𝚒-𝚙𝚞𝚋𝚕𝚒𝚌 𝚜𝚎𝚡, 𝚜𝚎𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚝 𝚜𝚎𝚡, 𝚜𝚠𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐

𝖆/𝖓: 𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏 𝚒𝚗𝚍𝚞𝚕𝚐𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗

The crescent moon that hung in the sky cast the darkened forest in hues of silvery shadow, silently watching over the feeble cluster of tents that were nestled in a small clearing within the trees. Her glow barely illuminated the scattered scouts that were awake and keeping watch, their fingers resting on the hilts of their swords while they listened to the wind. 

There had been no activity for hours. In the morning they would pack up the wagons and return to headquarters, all of their dead in tow. The journey back could’ve been possible during the night if they hadn’t taken such a heavy hit in the field, so they opted for settling in and waiting until the first morning light when they had enough energy to protect themselves. 

The fires were kept low as not to draw any unwanted attention to their makeshift camp, and from your perch up high in a tree, you silently listened to the sound of the sleeping squad snoring away in their tents. A few other scouts were strategically placed along the outskirts of the camp, also keeping watch alongside you. You lifted your face to the moon’s light and inhaled the cool, midnight breeze, smelling nothing threatening on it. 

The whirring sound of ODM gear caught your attention. Mikasa appeared on the thick branch beside you, kneeling in a crouch. 

“Your watch is up,” she said quietly, pushing her scarf down from her chin. “Get some rest.” 

You nodded and stood up, wincing at your sore muscles. She took your place and trained her eyes on the horizon, allowing you to silently launch yourself from the tree and land gracefully on the forest floor, along with the rest of the scouts who were retiring from the first watch. You made your way over to your sleeping horse to dig around in the saddlebags for something to eat. 

As you searched, your eyes briefly glanced up and made contact with your squad leader from across the clearing, the firelight dancing across his sharp features and those grey eyes that were watching you intently. Your hands stilled in your bag as you were scrutinized under his gaze. 

He jerked his head in the direction of the darkened trees behind him, away from prying eyes and nosy scouts. You swallowed nervously and averted your gaze, staring into the meager contents of your saddlebag instead. A strange feeling of giddiness bubbled in your stomach as you closed the flap and gave your sleeping horse an affectionate pat on the rump, keeping your footsteps quiet as you started towards the treeline to follow the silent order. 

“Psst,” a hushed voice came from your left. 

You came to a stop and glanced over, digging your fingernails into your palms. Armin was sticking his head out from his tent, his exhausted blue eyes doing their best to focus on you. 

“What?” you whispered back, knowing a certain someone wouldn’t wait around forever. 

“Are you coming back from watch?” he asked, rubbing his eyes. 

“Yes,” you replied, risking a nervous glance toward the trees. “Why?” 

“Just wondering,” he said through a yawn, and started to slink back into his tent. “Get some sleep, Y/N.” 

“I will,” you lied, and resumed your path towards the edge of the camp and slipped into the darkness. God, where had he disappeared to? You knew he wasn’t much for waiting around, but if he had left already-- 

Strong hands grabbed you by the waist and suddenly you were spinning around and falling against his muscled chest. Before you could say anything, Levi was crushing his lips to yours in desperation, as if he had been starved of you for months. Which was definitely not true. 

You pushed the thought away and kissed him back, your hands sliding up and wrapping around his neck, feeling the soft hair of his undercut beneath your fingers. God, you had missed this. His lips tasted of salt and smoke and midnight air, drowning every tired muscle of yours in warm, delicious shadow. His fingers were still gripping your waist as he pulled you down on top of him, his back leaning up against the thick trunk of the tree he had you hidden behind. 

“What took you so long?” he muttered against your mouth, his hands disappearing from your waist to fiddle with the buckles of your pants. 

“Sorry,” you said, taking his bottom lip in between your teeth and biting firmly. You heard his breath catch in his throat. “Armin saw me walking by.” 

Levi grunted and helped push your pants down and out of the way, the cool night air a tantalizing shock on your bared core. His fingertips trailed along your naked legs until they came to his own belt buckle, and now it was your turn to help him out of his uniform. It was only the pants with the two of you--you were always too impatient to worry about any other pieces of clothing. Just the ones that were in the way. 

As his pants were shimmied down his hips, you heard the sound of his length springing free and slapping against his navel. Your nostrils flared in desire. 

“Come here,” he growled, mindful to keep himself quiet as not to be discovered by the rest of the squad. Although, you were pretty sure they already knew Levi was fucking you on the regular. 

It was hard to see in the dark without the light of the fires, but you could feel him pumping his cock to ready himself for you. He guided your hips up and over to rest just above the glistening tip, a bead of silver precum swiping along your entrance. You hovered over it with a devilish grin, one you knew he couldn’t see, and marveled at the feeling of his dick twitching against you with anticipation. 

“Stop teasing, brat,” he said, breaking you out of your fun. 

“Always so eager,” you simpered, reaching down and grasping his shaft. With ease, you guided it into your already soaking entrance and immediately bit back the sinful moan that wanted to echo through the forest as his entire length slid painfully slow along your walls. “Fuck.” 

“Be quiet,” was all his reply. You could hear the struggle of keeping his own self quiet in the words, earning a satisfied sigh from you. As he bottomed out inside of you, he paused there, letting you adjust to his size, before slowly rocking his hips in tandem with yours. 

This wasn’t unusual, meeting him out in the open after a particularly rough mission. You realized from the start that it was a release both of you needed. It was a way to cope, a way to make sure you got through another day. That’s all it was. 

“Shit,” he quietly groaned, his hands tightening at your hips as you continued to languidly ride his cock. 

“Be quiet,” you mocked, and you could feel his glare burning a hole in your face. He responded by wrapping his arms around your waist and bringing you tighter against his torso, increasing the pace of his thrusting hips and hitting that sweet spot deep inside of you. “Oh, fuck, Levi--” 

He said nothing, but clapped a hand over your open mouth to silence your oncoming moans as he fucked you relentlessly on the forest floor. 

That warmth that had blossomed in your core was a raging bonfire now, growing hotter and hotter with every single thrust. He kept his hand against your mouth, even when you made those delicious, muffled moans against his fingers that he loved so much. His breathing turned ragged, his pace was getting sloppy. Neither of you could ever last very long with each other. 

“F-fuck,” he muttered, his hand disappearing from your mouth and returning to your hip. 

You did your best to keep yourself under control, but at the growing orgasm in your core, it was getting increasingly difficult not to let the whole forest know how good his cock felt inside of you. You tipped your head back in ecstasy, eyes fluttering open to look up at the moonlit canopy of leaves above you, the stars that littered the night sky peeking through. 

It was almost romantic. You looked down at Levi beneath you, your eyes having been adjusted to the dark, and seeing his equally pleasured expression as he fucked you. He was so beautiful. Those grey eyes, that dark hair, the stoic and firm authority that had originally piqued your interest in him. You always wanted to look into those eyes. You wanted to swim in the expanse of his mind, learn every little detail that hid in the crevices of his brain, protect him from this cruel and fucked up world because you knew it had done enough to permanently screw him up. You hated anything and everything that had ever wronged him. 

Jesus, did you love him? 

Your hips faltered at the invasive thought and you stopped matching his pace altogether. 

“Why did you stop?” he said, voice low. “What’s wrong?” 

“N-nothing,” you whispered, your hands still splayed out across his chest and stomach. His cock twitched inside of you, silently begging for you to start moving again, but he kept his focus trained on your face. 

“Stop lying.” Levi reached up and brushed the pad of his thumb over your trembling bottom lip. “We can stop, if that’s what you’d like.” 

“No,” you sighed, closing your eyes. “It’s not that, I just...I just realized something. Something that could potentially screw our little arrangement up.” 

He simply watched you with those grey eyes, saying nothing. Damn him. 

“I know we said this was just a means of catharsis,” you started, still keeping your voice at a whisper. “A way to escape from this fucked up life, but...I want more. More from you.” 

“More?” 

You nodded and swallowed nervously. “I care about you, Levi.” 

He was silent for a long, painful moment, until a low chuckle reverberated from his chest. His hands settled against your hips again, thumbs drawing idle circles against them. “So what does that mean?” 

“It means I don’t want you to fuck me in the dirt as much anymore,” you snapped, unable to keep your voice down. “I want to spend nights with you in your tent, or your bed. I want to have morning tea with you, for fuck’s sake. I’ve spent all these nights chasing after something I didn’t know I wanted until I realized there will come a time where I won’t be able to have it anymore, and then I knew.” 

“Knew what?” 

“It’s you,” you whispered shakily, looking down at him. “It’s always been you.” 

Levi reached up again and gently pulled your face down to his, to where he kissed you deeply, still tasting of salt and midnight. This kiss was different...different from the ones you had previously shared in secret, all tongue and teeth and urgency. This was sweeter. Slower. He held your chin in place as he kissed you, while his other hand cupped the back of your head. When he finally let you come up for air, he leaned back against the tree trunk with a satisfied smirk on his face. 

“What does that mean?” you asked, a hand going to touch your swollen lips. 

“For someone so smart, you sure are dense,” he said, rolling his eyes. “You know what it means, brat.” 

It was enough. A small, shy smile tugged at the corners of your lips. Before you could say anything else, his hands squeezed your hips. 

“Now,” he growled, tilting his chin up. “Are you going to let me fuck you, or not?” 

There was nothing else to say. 

[peablesart]

Diluc and Kaeya: A Character Study

One of my favorite things to do is analyze the true anti-parallel nature of Diluc and Kaeya’s lives. In my eye, they are so similar but exist as inverted images of each other. 

DISCLAIMER : I see Diluc and Kaeya as siblings and this will not change, so anything I post about them is purely familial and platonic. If you ship kaeluc please do NOT interact with this post.

So I since I started Genshin for Kaeya, and then pulled Diluc and fell in love with him, it’s really only natural that they are two of my favorite characters in the game so far (and probably for the rest of it too). Kaeya’s story has alaways been fascinating to me, and this was just exemplified by the Dainsleif quests that revealed more about Khaneri’ah and the Abyss. When I started getting more invested in Genshin, I started reading the manga, and around the same time I got Diluc and started friendship farming like I never had before. I literally devoured his character stories and enjoy fitting his canon with the stories of others.

But yes, as my favorite characters who actually have canon connections (in surplus in fact), I often think about how similar their stories are, but that they run in opposite directions to each other. I see this so clearly in how they are in canon and what I think they were like in childhood.

On one hand, we have Diluc, the only child of one of Mondstadt’s beloved noble families. He comes from a line of highly respected individuals, the descendent of one of the leaders who freed Mondstadt from the tyranny of Decarabian. Although his mother died young, he grew up in a nurturing and loving family with his father. From the manga, we can tell that his personality was somewhere along the lines of Amber and Klee when he was younger, and I think he was probably a brash and jovial kid who caused problems but was earnest in everything he did.

On the other hand we have Kaeya. Here is where a lot of my headcanons come into play, because there’s very little on his family. I strongly believe in Kaeya as Khaneri’ahn royalty (a descendent at the very least), and that he belongs to the Eclipse Dynasty bloodline. It’s unclear the type of rule of the dynasty, but my thoughts are that it was not cruel but definitely cold. Kaeya likely did not grow up with much affection, respected but not loved. He entered the story with the destiny of a kingdom on his shoulders, and was left to fulfill it on his own. As such, I see him as a guarded, probably extremely introverted kid, especially when he’s first taken in by the Ragnvindrs.

Obviously, this contrasts with their in-game personalities. I still think Kaeya is a true introvert but acts extraverted to come off as more open and trustworthy in order to get what he wants. This is clear in how almost every quest or event interaction with him has some sort of “ulterior” motive. His story quest was him testing the waters with the traveler to see how trustworthy they were, the Windblume Festival was very likely an easter egg conversation for a later quest, and he definitely lied abut the reason for coming to the Golden Apple Archipelago. In short, all these interactions are only half-truths at best.

I similarly think the opposite happened to Diluc, his grief and vengeance stifling the unbridled joy from his youth. I wouldn’t say he’s still a people-person, but his voice-lines make it so clear how affectionate and warm he is to everyone; he worries about Jean and the Traveller, openly admires Lisa’s skills, etc. His 18th birthday and his four-year journey exposed him to the world at its rawest, away from the tinted lens of the Knights, and he likely saw and dealt out more death than he thought he’d ever have to.

After Crepus’ death, the brothers reconciled with the events by changing their nature - at least, how they presented themselves to others. While not mirrors, they definitely took on parts of the other’s childhood self, with Kaeya becoming more verbal and Diluc becoming more skeptical. 

As much as I want it to happen, I don’t think we’ll get a reconciliation of the brothers until one of their last moments. Mihoyo has made it clear they don’t intend to shy away from major character deaths, dropping red flags in abundance for multiple characters. Kaeya is definitely one of them, and my thinking is that he’ll die by Diluc’s hands in an effort to save Mondstadt. Either that, or they’ll be on the cusp of progress before plummeting into the worst-case scenario.

And be- cause I’m a sucker not just for angst but for sucker punch and then a stab to the gut - I’ll put this here as well: although they clearly aren’t exactly on the best terms right now, I truly believe they have both forgiven each other but don’t believe the other has forgiven them yet. Their voice-lines about each other don’t seem honest, and their easy banter at the Golden Apple Archipelago shows so much familiarity. Their relationship is still uneasy, clearly seen in Venti’s story quest, but it is entirely salvageable. Kaeya is ready to atone for abandoning DIluc to his grief and compounding it with a secret too large to stay hidden forever. Diluc is ready to repent for driving Kaeya to death and casting him out form a place he’d felt was the closest to home he could let himself be.

(Would love for a happy ending too, but I don’t trust Mihoyo to give me happy Diluc and happy Kaeya for any lasting duration rip.)

It’s clear that the two are meant to be foils to each other. I could go on and on about smaller things, like Kaeya feeling inadequate filling Diluc’s prodigious shoes, Diluc finding his first true friend in Kaeya, the both of them defending each other behind their backs. I could also go into how other characters perceive their relationship, especially Jean since she’s known them since childhood as well. But at the end of the day, they are simply two men with a broken past that cannot be restored, but can be fixed. Them making up would ease so much off both of their shoulders, and they could fight side by side like I’m certain they did when they were younger.

TL;DR, I love both Diluc and Kaeya with my whole heart and want them both to find happiness. There’s more steps to be done before they can call each other “brother” with sincerity again (and I tend to ill those steps with various ships ik ik) but it’s a start towards healing.

[that-blue-vault-dweller]

How would the companions react to Nora (who doesn’t trust people and doesn’t like to be touched) show her trust in them by letting them tend to several wounds on her arms and legs. Afterwords she gives them a big hug and a peck on the cheek saying “Thanks for helping me. This world we live in is so cruel and you have been a great friend to me and you really care about me.” BTW your writing is excellent and everyday I look forward to your post!!! Please keep up the good work!!!!! 💛💙

Oh, my gosh!!!! Thank you so, so much!!!! You are just so sweet! You have no idea how much that means to me to hear 🥺💖💖💖

Thank you for the request, and I hope you enjoy!!! 🥰🥰🥰💙💛

Cait - Is very surprised that F!Sole let her help her like this, but she does not say anything, just acting as if it is normal procedure even if she does feel like if she makes one wrong move, it could drive the other woman away. But when she finishes and F!Sole gives her a swift kiss on the cheek before embracing her firmly, Cait is totally bumfuzzled. She very carefully puts her arms around F!Sole, not knowing what to do, but just deciding to go with it since she does actually like the feeling of holding someone so important to her in her arms. When F!Sole quietly tells her how wonderful of a friend she has been to her, Cait just shakes her head, muttering a "thank you" but truly thinking of how much better of a friend F!Sole has been to her.

Piper - Is honestly shocked that her Blue is letting her put her hands on her this much even if it is just to help with injuries. However, she feels honored that F!Sole is letting her do this since it shows such a great trust in her. So Piper tries to be as gentle as she can, hoping that this is the beginning of a deeper friendship between the two. And when F!Sole gives her an affectionate peck on the cheek and hugs her tightly, whispering all those heartbreakingly wonderful words to her as she just holds her tightly, Piper feels her stomach twist and her chest grow ridiculously warm as she grins unashamedly. She just nestles her face in Nora's shoulder, whispering a "you're welcome" and just enjoying how close she is to her best friend for the first time.

Curie - Is very pleased to finally be allowed to help F!Sole with her injuries. She is honestly surprised, but she is definitely not going to question it. She just appreciates that F!Sole trusts her enough at this point to let her get so close. However, when F!Sole kisses her on the cheek quickly before enveloping her in her arms, Curie is very pleasantly shocked, and she returns the embrace wholeheartedly, just enjoying the feel of someone she admires so much actually hugging her for the first time. And when F!Sole whispers how much Curie means to her, Curie sniffles, a few tears coming into her eyes as she feels completely full inside.

MacCready - Is very happy that she trusts him to assist with the bandaging of her injuries, and he tries to avoid touching more than he has to since he knows how she feels about this sort of thing. However, he is absolutely reeling when she suddenly kisses him on the cheek once he has finished, and when she hugs him and says what a wonderful friend he is, he is even more bumfuzzled. However, he carefully returns the embrace, not sure what to say but just grateful for the fact that she cares so much.

Deacon - Completely understands her trepidation about trusting others but is extremely glad that he is one of the few people that she does trust with this. He cannot believe that she is actually letting him put his hands on her this much without her flinching away, but he nevertheless tries to work quickly, knowing she must be uncomfortable. After all, he would be if he were in her position. But when she kisses him on the cheek and hugs him tightly before telling him how much he means to her, he is totally shocked beyond belief. It means quite a bit to him that she values him so highly, but he also is very uncomfortable himself and wonders just what has gotten into her to make her want to suddenly get so touchy-feely with him.

Codsworth - Is very pleased that she has trusted him enough to let him assist her with her injuries like this. He is absolutely as pleased as can be to serve in any way he can, but this great show of trust means the world to him. And when she actually kisses him on the side of his metal and wraps her arms around him the best she can before telling him that he has been an absolutely incredible friend to her, he thinks that he could practically die of pure happiness if he was actually human. He is smiling on the inside, and he tries his best to vocally express all that he is feeling.

Hancock - Hopes that this is the beginning of the two of them trusting each other even more. After all, Hancock trusts her completely, and it feels nice for her to trust him in return. He takes care of her wounds carefully, not taking too long but not moving too quickly either. He revels in the trust that is being placed in him. However, when she kisses him on the cheek, gives him a big hug, and explains that he means the world to her, he hugs her back just as tightly and smiles widely, absolutely adoring this newfound connection. He will remember this for a long time.

Danse - Greatly appreciates the trust that she is currently placing in him by letting him tend to her wounds. He is pleased that she has loosened up enough around him to let him help her how he knows that she would help him without any hesitation whatsoever. However, he is completely stuck in place when she kisses him on the cheek and hugs him warmly after he has finished helping her with the injuries. And when she says all of those sweet words to him, he can feel his heart melting into a giant puddle of goo. He carefully returns the hug, just enjoying the huge warmth that is making him feel so strangely whole. One thing is for sure. He will treasure this moment forever.

Preston - Loves how she has decided to trust him. It means quite a bit to him that his General has finally reached the point that she trusts him when she is in such a compromising situation, and he makes sure to comment quietly what it means to him that she is letting him do this. When she offers him small kiss on the cheek and hugs him firmly before telling him just how much he means to her, he is very surprised but ecstatic. He hugs her in return, rubbing her back gently before patting it carefully. He is very happy to be friends with such an amazing person.

Valentine - Appreciates the trust she is placing in him, and he really likes that she is finally loosening up a little about things. He is careful to avoid hurting her when he tends to her wounds since he does not want to break this trust. However, to his surprise, when he has finished, she pecks him on the cheek and hugs him tightly before telling him that he is such a wonderful and kind friend to her. He feels a warmth spreading through his chest like no other, and he just hugs her in return, patting her back affectionately and smiling softly the entire time.

X6-88 - Is rather surprised that F!Sole has actually let him help her when she's so vulnerable, but he just keeps that surprise to himself. However, when F!Sole kisses him on the cheek quickly before hugging him like X6 has never been hugged before, X6 is honestly frozen. And when F!Sole tells him that he has been an absolutely wonderful friend to her, he is completely unable to move and he is just reeling as he wordlessly relishes the feeling of one of the few true hugs he has ever received.

[shibaraki]

Hi Monty! Congratulations on your milestone! And wow, 1k in just over a month? That's so impressive! You fully deserve it 💙

Is the patch-up still open? If not it's completely fine!

But if it is... I'm Mysh, she/her, and I would like to be patched up by a haikyuu boy. I'm a Taurean INFP, constantly insecure and easily nervous. I'm warm and affectionate towards "my people" but I dislike close contact from "not-friends". I think I'm witty and smart? Rather quiet and I don't know how to ask for help.

hi hi Mysh, thank you so much!! yes you just squeezed in before the deadline! I can't apologise enough for how late this is T_T

You will be patched up by... KOZUME KENMA

Kenma is a very logical thinker and sees things objectively which is incredibly helpful to you when you're feeling insecure. He's able to talk you down and show you that the cruel little voice in your mind is wrong. His objective reasoning also slowly teaches you to be a little less selfless sometimes, and let yourself be taken care of first.

You are both the types to get overstimulated and thus enjoy your quiet time. Kenma is the type of person that you can be 'alone with', you're able to sit in the same room with him whilst you both do your own separate thing and it still feels like quality time.

He understands your weariness when it comes to people you don't know being too friendly with you. He's also someone that only crosses that line after he feels completely comfortable. Kenma may be introverted and quiet most of the time but he definitely has never shied away from speaking his mind when he thinks someone is wrong - he's always happy and willing to step in when you become uncomfortable.

"Oi, Yaku. You're overwhelming her," Kenma states without looking up from his console under the table. You stammer and throw your hands up in reassurance, "I promise that isn't the case, Yaku-san!"

Kenma told you last week that he was meeting up with his best friends from highschool and that if you felt up to it, he would be happy if you met them. At the time you'd been excited, you had heard plenty from him about them and you knew how much they meant to him.

Perhaps you had underestimated how boisterous they all were, or maybe they just got a bit carried away with enabling each other. The addition of the alcohol had meant everyone got a little touchier and their tongues loosened easily.

Most of the night had been amusing and you weren't at all uncomfortable, but at some point the attention had been turned to you and Kenma. They were enthusiastic about getting to know you and you appreciated it greatly, but once Yaku had thrown his arm around your shoulder to 'welcome you to the family' you had felt yourself tense up.

Physical touch for you was something you reserved for people close to you, it was a boundary you only let someone cross after you truly felt comfortable with them. Kenma read you like a book without even looking at you, watching as your hands had clenched in your lap, and felt a flame of irritation lick up his back.

You'd quickly tried to smoothen the interaction out by putting aside your own comfort and he hated it. Thankfully he knew Yaku would understand, and the man had lifted his arm away almost immediately.

"Sorry about that," he grins at you bashfully. "Kenma didn't like me touching him either, in his first year. He'd always bring his shoulders up to his ears like a cat. Remember the first time I ruffled his hair, Tetsu?"

To your surprise the conversation very easily moved on to something else. No one had gotten offended, or made things awkward like you had expected.

You startle at the feeling of a hand intertwining with yours and glance over to see Kenma smiling at you softly. He rubs his thumb over your knuckle.

"You deserve to feel comfortable, you know?" he mumbles. You swallow the lump growing in your throat and scoot closer to him, resting your head on his shoulder.

"Thank you," you whisper.

Insecurity infirmary (closed)

[nutty1005]

Uniquely Him – Xiao Zhan: The biggest monster to defeat is himself

Translator’s Note: This article comes from ELLE Magazine 2019 Jan Issue.

He learned drawing since elementary school, drawing planets and monsters were his obsession, firmly believing in the existence of aliens. As a lively, vivid and exemplary person, he radiates a sense of security from someone dependable, and yet he has a worldly wisdom of one who knows the ways of the world but prefers not to practice it. 

He learned drawing since young, drawing planets and monsters were his obsession. When he watched Martians in movies as a child, his wild imagination gave him a battle with monsters. At that time, he was a boy who was especially fascinated with space, and believed firmly that aliens existed. When he saw news on UFOs, he was excited, curious, but also afraid – would the aliens be friendly with us?

After he read “The Three-Body Problem”, this feeling grew stronger. While exclaiming the broadness of the author’s imagination and how grand the universe is, he researched on the theories and explanations in the novel, as well as on astronomy. Xiao Zhan also imagined how the subjects in “The Three-Body Problem” would look like, “looks like an engineer, perhaps he wears spectacles, he must have a highly progressed mind, great mechanical skills, but probably useless in everyday life, just like Sheldon in ‘The Big Bang Theory’.”

The cruel logic behind all the glitz

Seated in front of the window in the hotel room, his long narrow eyes, puffy and red, Xiao Zhan just finished a day’s filming, and was accepting our interview in a layer of thick winter coat. His attitude was polite, and all around him was the vividness of youth – this made a huge impression.

He had his own studio when he was in year 2 of university, and became a designer after graduating – exemplary student Xiao Zhan’s most glorious moment was being able to design logos in projects with his seniors while he was still an intern, and the client eventually chose his design. Life as a designer lasted until 2015 – his university teacher recommended him to participate in “X-Fire” (TN: A talent search variety show) and he debuted, and since then, his life went onto a different track, becoming one of the hottest idols currently.

Actually, the challenge of becoming an artist is not much different from fighting monsters – since you receive flowers and applause, you would also receive gossip and rumors. His life had been smooth sailing till this, and this confused him for a while, “When the competition ended, there was some dissenting voices, I didn’t quite understand then. Now I’m more at peace, because when you choose a career, you need to learn to accept it. People will like you, and there will be people who won’t.”

However, the cruel logic behind all the glitz was something he could not have imagined. “Audiences do not see what you’ve experienced along the way, they would only judge you based on the final results.” He was filming his first period movie, being outdoors in the mountains at -10°C+ was a daily norm, “We’re filming by the river, everyday we could see the ice slowly form up, today the river is totally frozen, we could walk on it. Basically after every scene I have to cover my face with a warm water bag, otherwise my face would be numb from the cold and become uncontrollable.” And because today there was a scene to scream and shout, Xiao Zhan’s voice was already hoarse.

Xiao Zhan could overcome all this suffering and exhaustion well, the biggest monster he wanted to fight were his self imposed restrictions. “Just now I was thinking while doing make-up, that actually celebrities are like a product, packaged by make-up and styles in order to polish this product. I will bring forth my best to my audiences, but yet I don’t want to over package myself, the real me needs to be in it. I wish that everyone, while accepting my glorious exterior as a celebrity, would also accept my flaws and quirks, since after all, I am a vivid person.”

This sincerity and clarity is where Xiao Zhan’s wisdom lies.

“There is no grandiose in my life”

2018 is the year of rapid growth for Xiao Zhan, he had main roles in various dramas, such as “The Wolf”, “Joy of Life”, “The Untamed”, etc – honing his acting and radiating his presence.

As the lead actor in “The Untamed”, Xiao Zhan’s load was heavy and his filming schedule was tight – filming under the ceaseless summer heat in Hengdian, his mind was always tense. The temperatures in the set was as high as 50°C, the make-up could not stay on, and he filmed most scenes barefaced. The most unforgettable scene was a crying scene – Wei Wuxian, portrayed by Xiao Zhan, had an explosive emotional scene after the massacre of the Jiang family. This scene started filming in the morning, he and Jiang Yanli started crying since 7 a.m. and after they were done, their eyes were as swollen as that of goldfishes. Before this, he was filming “The Wolf” – he systematically took performance classes and grew rapidly in during the filming. “Familiar set and environment, learning to adjust to the nerves and tension, especially since there were hundreds of people servicing you on set, you can do no mistakes.” Xiao Zhan radiates this sense of security from someone dependable. “The Wolf” was his first time as a main supporting role, and he was under tremendous pressure during that period, he often dreamed of acting on set. After every scene he would request for everyone to provide feedback, and then he would learn continuously, analyze and quickly adjust.

After that he had his first cat of his life, a munchkin named Jianguo (TN: Jianguo means nut). After the performance teacher learned about this, one of the homework he gave Xiao Zhan was for him to observe his cat. As a cat-lover, he reveled in the it, “I found out some things that I overlooked, like you will find out that when she’s angry, affectionate or hungry her expression and calls are different.” Xiao Zhan was exceptionally loving to his cat – the first thing he did when after a day’s work was to go home and play with his cat. His private life was quiet and simple, he just stays at home. “The feeling of staying at home is like falling into a cloud, you could roll around as you like, there is no pressure.”

“There is no grandiose in my life.” This was what he felt that gave people the sense of security. His parents, while supportive of his career, were also worried, hence Xiao Zhan often communicated with them, sharing his career successes, helping them be at ease.

In the whole conversation, Xiao Zhan had the purity and enthusiasm belonging uniquely to a youth, and there was this sense of extraordinary realness in him. “Whether or not I want to be an idol, I don’t actually have a choice, the label of an idol is already on me, just that I want to slowly shed off the label of an idol, and become an actor accepted by audiences, so that they can see more of my inner self.”

“I especially dislike public proclamations, you have to pace your life.”

ELLE: What type of boyfriend do you think you are? XZ: I am the boyfriend who is more considerate of the other person, if there were to be my other half in the future, when she’s busy, upset or happy, or wants me to do something, I’ll try to accompany her the way she likes it.

ELLE: Are you the gentle puppy type of boyfriend? XZ: There’s definitely a dominating side, but if you were to be dominating everyday, how do you live? When you have the other half, the most important things are responsibility and trust. (After having a cat, do you think you’re a good dad?) I feel yes, from taking care of my cat.

ELLE: What type of girls do you most want to date? XZ: In many interviews before I spoke about warm, gentle and family-loving girls, but I feel that it still comes down to chemistry, and this is something unpredictable.

ELLE: If you are currently dating a girl, how would you hope to spend Valentine’s Day? XZ: Stay at home, and cook together. There’s a phrase about when you love the right person, every day’s Valentine’s Day, why do you have to spend that day in the crowd with everyone. Being an artist is quite particular, and quite tiring, I have to go back to live my life. If everyday has to be vigorous and stirring, there’s no way to live. No one can act everyday, I especially dislike public proclamations, I feel that you have to pace your life.

ELLE: If we give you a holiday now, what would you do? XZ: Go home and rest, with my parents, and then play with my cat.

ELLE: Are you a typical Libra? XZ: I don’t think so, I don’t have difficulties in choosing, when I spot something I want to buy, I’ll just buy. But sometimes I’ll be stuck in things that I care about, for example the scene I did today, if I’m not satisfied with it, I will think about it from morning till night, and annoy the others around me with my nagging.

[mctherofdragons]

In the Afterglow | 2 | F.W.

moodboard by @minty-malfoy​.

Summary: The reader is married to George Weasley, and for all intents and purposes, he is the perfect husband. But, despite her best efforts to resist, Fred presents temptation she never knew she’d fall for.

Pairing: Fred Weasley x Fem! Reader; George Weasley x Fem!Reader

Alternate Universe: No Voldemort AU

Rating: Mature, Future Chapters will Feature Explicit Content

Trigger Warnings: Angst, cussing, mild sexual content, mentions of extramarital affairs, cheating, nudity

Author’s Note: Let me know if you’d like to be on the tag list! 

Taglist: @oh-for-merlins-sake @sunflowernarry @vivianweasley @haf-the-trash-panda @obsssedwithjustaboutanything @msmarklee1213 @n3ssm0nique @satellitespidey  @michaylahpfan27  @girl22334 @starlightweasley @minty-malfoy @theweasleytwinsgirl

*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:

November 10.

Fall had fully arrived in London, decorating the ground with crunchy orange and red leaves. You pulled a sweater out of your closet and pulled it on. Molly had knit it for you last Christmas. It was maroon with little flecks of grey throughout. Something about it being homemade made you love it more. Being wed into the Weasleys offered you a family you hadn’t had before. One that gave gifts and hugged on holidays; one that shared laughter and drinks far into the night on Christmas Eve; one that cared for you deeply and unconditionally. Your heart jumped a bit when you felt two arms around your waist suddenly.

“Hi honey,” George said, turning to kiss your lips. You kissed back, placing your hand on the back of his neck. A giggle escaped your lips as you moved your hands down to the cool touch of his trouser buttons. The autumn weather had made you more affectionate, seeking warmth in your husband’s arms.

“I have about an hour until I really have to leave. Dinner’s on in the slow cooker, so...I don’t have anything to occupy me for a while…”

But, as was typical lately, George didn’t fulfill your requests.

“I have to go get to the shop,” he pouted. You sighed with an honest attempt to hide your annoyance. When you and George had first married, intimacy was far more...exciting. He would steal you away into the back storage room of Weasley Wizard Wheezes, hoping Fred didn’t come wandering back. You lived in back-arching, toe-curling ecstasy for your first year of marriage. But now, when you actually got around to having sex, it had lost its thrill. George didn’t show or tell you much lately how much he loved you. It hurt, but you were too afraid to let him know that.

You didn’t really have anything to say that wouldn’t have been slightly cruel, so you huffed off to the bathroom to finish your makeup. George followed, leaning against the door frame. “I’m sorry,” he sounded genuine. “But I mean, I have to go to work, honey.”

“I know,” you said, leaning forward to apply mascara to your eyes. He came over and gave you a kiss behind your ear, which only made you grow more frustrated with his lack of fulfilling what you wanted.

“Yup,” you said, moving away from him. The sound of your heels clicking on the tile as you head into the kitchen somehow annoyed George beyond belief.

“You really are being a bit of a bitch about this,” he huffed. His words stung. George was never one for name-calling, and just the sound of the cuss word rolling off his tongue cut you to the quick.

George had grown used to you, you reasoned. He no longer needed to ‘woo’ you because the shiny diamond on your finger had ensured you were his for good.

“Don’t start,” you warned. You busied yourself with filling your travel mug with coffee. The sound of George’s sighing made you look up. He was fastening the buttons of his jacket. For some reason, you felt like crying but pushed your tears back.

“Can we chat about this later?”

You nodded, handing him a paper bag with his lunch in it. He gave you a quick peck on the forehead and left.

You sighed, pulling your phone out of your pocket. Mindlessly, you scrolled to your recent texts and found Fred’s name. You took a type breath as you typed, feeling your heart murmur as you typed.

Thinking of you, Freddie.

But you quickly erased the text, forbidding yourself to continue the thoughts you had started to entertain.

——————-

Later that evening, you stood in the back room of the shop, placing some things onto a storage shelf. It was typical that when you were done with work, you’d head over to Weasley Wizard Wheezes and give the boys a hand. Fred was sitting at a nearby computer, sending an email to one of the suppliers they frequently worked with. He had noticed you and George hadn’t said a single word to one another all night.

“Hey, y/n?”

You heard Fred begin to speak, so you turned to your head, walking over the computer.

“You seem down, is everything alright?”

This was the way of things between you and Fred. He knew you like the lyrics of his favorite song. If the tune was even a little bit off, he could sense it. There were times throughout your time of knowing him that he had used this to comfort you before you could even admit to your own hurt. Often, it so happened, this would be when you and George would get into a fight.

You felt the tears you had pushed down earlier begin to make their way up to the surface again.

“Oh, yeah, Fred, I’m okay.”

You felt Fred place his warm hand on top of yours. His palms and fingers were calloused from years of beating bludgers. The feeling of his touch felt different than ever before. You could sense somewhere deep in your bones that your feelings for Fred were changing as quickly and surely as the autumn leaves. He stroked his thumb over yours, looking up at you, his affectionate chocolate-colored eyes shining behind his long lashes.

“You can tell me anything. You know that, right?”

“I’m fine, Fred,” you moved away quickly, going back to stacking boxes of Whiz Bangs.

*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *

November 29th.

“Happy birthday, Bill!”

Arthur placed a large cake down in the center of the dining table. Molly had allowed Albus to write in icing ‘Happy Birthday Uncle Billy’, which reminded Harry affectionately of his 11th birthday cake from Hagrid. You were sat between Fred and George, smiling happily as you watched him blow out the candles.

Fleur smiled affectionately as she gave Bill a shy kiss on the cheek. You felt yourself wondering if their marriage had also become listless. For a fleeting moment, you wondered if maybe you should talk about how you’d been feeling with Fleur and Hermione, but, you felt a sense of shame. A sense of failure had started to enter your mind - maybe you just weren’t attractive to George anymore. A sense of sadness filled your heart again, so you pushed it away, reaching to George’s hand. He barely held it back. You could feel your knee touching Fred’s, which forced you to take continuous sips of the pumpkin juice in front of you.

Once everyone had finished eating, you chose to clean up so that everyone could continue talking. The truth was, you felt an aching sadness in your chest and needed some time alone. You turned on this sink in the kitchen, smiling at the coziness of Molly’s little kitchen. You allowed the sink to fill with whatever, humming to yourself as you scrubbed. You found your head bopping back and forth as you hummed the Triwizard Tournament theme.

You looked up when Fred appeared next to you, reaching into the water to help you.

“I got it,” you said quietly. Something about his mere presence made you want to scream.

“Let me help you.”

You weren’t sure if he was talking about the dishes, but something about his tone and the huskiness behind his words made you think he definitely was not.

Your hands met beneath the water, Fred’s fingers dancing against yours. You moved to give his hand a squeeze, looking knowingly into his eyes.

“Y/n, I…”

Suddenly, you heard Ginny’s voice behind you. “You two need help?” She asked sweetly, grabbing a hand towel to do the drying. You yanked your hands out of the sudsy water with a splash.

“Absolutely, thanks, Gin,” you replied, letting yourself glance over at Fred who was clearly struggling to calm his breathing.

_________________________

The shower at the Burrow was notoriously hard to operate. But nonetheless, you were finally able to find the right temperature. You stood beneath the hot water, letting it run over you. You sighed contently. The heat had allowed some of the stress to melt away. You worked the shampoo into your hair, closing your eyes as you rinsed away a day’s worth of troubles. After you felt clean, you slid the curtain open, flipping over to wrap your hair in a towel. The room had become foggy from the heat, which you noted as you headed over to the mirror to wash your face.

Just then, the door opened. You jumped, nearly screaming at the sight of Fred in the doorway. He shut the door behind him. There was no way he hadn’t seen pretty much everything you had to offer. You couldn’t find a word to utter as he looked your bare body up and down.

Your breath felt strangled as he walked forward, moving so you were flush against the wall. In your chest, your heartbeat had gone wild. You had never felt like this in your life - not even the first time you finally made love to George.

Fred reached over and handed you the towel off a nearby shelf.

“Make sure you lock the door next time, pet,” he said, watching as you shakily wrapped it around you.

“Get out of here, Fred,” you feigned outrage, even though you didn’t mind him being there one bit.

He laughed, using his thumb to wipe smeared mascara from beneath your eye. It had run while you showered.

“You’re beautiful.”

“Fred-”

“I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s okay-”

But Fred had turned to leave, looking at you over his shoulder.

“Don’t tell George?”

“Pinky promise.”

*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:

December 24.

You all sat around the fire, warmed from the inside out by stories of the Weasley boys as children, and spiked eggnog. You sat between George’s legs, his arms wrapped lovingly around you. He placed his chin on your shoulder, and you turned to kiss his lips. He tasted like Christmas cookies and nutmeg.

“I’m tired, honey. Are you?”

You shook your head. “No, but go on up. I think I’ll stay up a while longer. Do you think I’ll see Father Christmas?”

George laughed, bopping you on the nose. “Perhaps, but he knows you’ve been a naughty girl.”

Molly gasped, “George Weasley! In front of your own mother!”

The whole room erupted in laughter, watching as your face turned bright red. “Goodnight, George,” you chuckled, giving him one last goodnight hug.

The room slowly continued to clear out. You sat on the floor, sipping more eggnog and flipping through a photo album. You smiled at a sweet picture of Fred and George in matching Christmas sweaters, toothy grins adorning their face as they held up their Christmas presents. On the next page was another picture of the twins in matching onesies, just a few days after they were born. They were always together. They shared everything. You felt a pang of guilt wash over you again. You hadn’t been able to forget about the incident on Bill’s birthday, and what’s more, it had thrilled you.

Eventually, it was just you and Fred in the sitting room. The house had fallen quiet as you listening to the crackling of the fireplace. Fred came to sit next to you, silently watching the fire along with you.

You turned and looked over at him. He still captivated you with his boyish charm. No matter how many times you had looked at him, you never failed to feel some sort of joy deep inside of you. Again, you felt ashamed, because your husband has failed to make you feel this way for a few months now. 

Fred scooted forward, looking into your eyes as if he were searching for something. You gazed back, hoping that he would find what he was looking for. He was wearing his old, tattered sweater that Molly had made him so many years ago, a big F on the front. It was sweet and nostalgic. It reminded you a Christmas nights at Hogwarts, sharing chocolates and playing pranks in the hallowed hallways. 

“So, what’s been going on? Seriously, y/n, it’s been driving me mad.”

“Well, honestly, things aren’t fantastic with George right now, Fred, s’all there is to say.”

“How do you mean?”

You blushed. “It’s embarrassing,” you admitted, pulling the sleeves of your sweater down around your hands and pulling your knees to your chest.

Fred reached over to tuck a hair behind your ear. “You can tell me, you know that.”

“I just don’t think he finds me beautiful anymore, Fred. He doesn’t touch me like he used to. He...just...I don’t know. I feel like such a normal part of his life. The fireworks have gone. It makes me feel small and ….unbeautiful. I miss feeling wanted. Sometimes I wonder if it’s because...we haven’t started a family yet. Maybe he’s disappointed in that? I don’t know.”

The words came pouring out of your mouth. All at once, you regretted them, staring down at the carpet. You felt bad for talking badly about George, especially to his closest brother. You felt tears prickle at the corner of your eyes. Sniffling, you used the hem of your sleeves to wipe your eyes. 

“You are so far from unbeautiful, y/n. You’re perfect. George is the luckiest man on this Earth. I...I swear it.”

What Fred didn’t tell you was that the day George had gone through with the proposal, he had locked himself in his bathroom and cried. Full, heavy, fat-teared crying over the fact that his chance with you had been lost forever. Seeing you in white walking down the aisle toward him had taken his breath away, too, until he remembered he was standing next to George as his best man. You were the one that got away, and the hardest part was is that you hadn’t gone anywhere.

He cupped your face in his hands, moving to use his sweater to catch your stray tears. “Do you know how much I hate seeing you sad?”

All at once, your lips were crashing into his. You fell back onto the carpet, his hands coming to rest on either side of your head, propped up by his arms. “Freddie,” you gasped, but before you could say too much, he continued to kiss you.

Your tongues battled for dominance. Fred flicked his tongue across your lip. You felt his hands sliding up under your sweater, grabbing your hips. His hands were colder than you expected, making you jump. Your chest rose and fell, breathing deeply as he pulled away.

“He’s a bloody idiot,” Fred gasped, pressed his forehead to yours. The only sound to be heard in the Burrow sitting room was the shaky breath of you both...and the overwhelming sense that a beautiful secret - like a tapestry -  had just started to be woven together.

[To Be Continued.]

[writer-ish]

my wayhaven detective

Det. Grace Bennett, Wayhaven PD

[created with picrew]

Some ✨facts✨ about Grace below the cut

☾☾☾☾

Full name:

Grace Amelia Bennett

How old are they?

31 years old. Born May 2, 1990.

What gender are they?

Female

How tall is she?

5'3

Does her name have a meaning?

Rebecca and Rook liked the idea of her name representing goodness and mercy and generosity, considering the line of work they were in. They felt that, perhaps, having a child named Grace would transfer some of that goodness onto them and their lives. (They were right, despite how shortlived it may have been). And "Amelia" means hardworking, because grace doesn't come for free.

What family does she have?

The only actual blood relative Grace has left is her mom.

Does she have a good relationship with their family?

Better than it was, for sure. Grace sees how her mom is trying to make up for lost time and, despite lingering hurt from years of emotional distance, she can't bring herself to be mean or cruel towards her. Wary, maybe. But she’s trying.

Is she a good shoulder to cry on?

The best. And a great advice-giver, too. But she falls into the trap, sometimes, of being everyone's shoulder to cry on and not having anyone else's shoulder for her own tears. A lot of what she feels gets buried as a result; she doesn’t like to bother people with her troubles.

Is she well liked?

To know Grace is to love her. She's kind and gracious to a fault and goes out of her way to make others feel comfortable and safe (even at the expense of her own comfort and/or safety at times).

The whole town adores her, but the pedestal they put her on can get uncomfortable. She finds it difficult to live up to everyone’s lofty standards sometimes and always feels like she has to be “on”, regardless of whether or not she’s having a bad day or maybe doesn’t feel like chatting with everyone she bumps into at Haley’s.

More often than not, she longs for the ability to be somewhere without feeling like the eyes of the town are on her, watching to see what she does or says next. That sort of scrutiny, even well-intentioned, gets tiring.

How does she handle being complimented?

She blushes easily regardless, so a compliment is a guaranteed red face, as well as a mumbled thank you or a dismissive wave of the hand.

Is she an affectionate person?

Not really. Affection wasn’t overly bestowed on her as a child, as far as she can remember, and her first relationship wasn’t until college. So, for as warm and caring as she is, she usually keeps her hands to herself. Unless she feels really comfortable with the other person. (Or she's drunk.)

Something about her that would surprise people?

She curses like a sailor. Even though she tries to keep things professional at work, her vocabulary is actually quite colourful more often than not. She's also more sarcastic than people realize, mainly because they think she's being genuine due to her overall friendly nature—even when she's not.

Has she ever been in love?

She thought so, once. She's been since proven very wrong about that and has, instead, realized that love actually feels very differently than what she thought.

Where does she stand with Mason?

Grace is trying her best to take her relationship with Mason for what it is - a glorified friends-with-benefits, according to him - but is finding it more and more difficult to coincide her burgeoning feelings with Mason's desire to keep things casual. She definitely thinks she feels more for him than he does for her. And that's why she tries desperately to not let her hurt feelings show when he implicitly and explicitly reminds her of their undefined relationship status (i.e., the bakery scene) and why she accepted his apology without reservation.

Grace cares for Mason, but holds a lot of self-consciousness and insecurity about her role in their relationship - her feelings compared to his, her lack of experience compared to his plethora of experience, and just where she stands with him in general.

(Get it together, girl!)

☾☾☾☾

[most questions are from here. feel free to send more asks if you like!]

[consumedkings-archive]

mayhaps 4. “You’ll play this game with me, won’t you?” for john/elliot?

BABES I AM. SO SORRY that this has taken so long but i am really pleased that i finally hit a stride with it and how it came out!! i hope you enjoy this absolute tooth-rotting fluff piece. i’ve been having a rough few days so it was so nice to get the chance to just write something sugary-sweet for once. (❁´◡`❁)

v. we can change or part ways ✤ pre-cult au

john/elliot + “you’ll play this game with me, won’t you?”, or: john picks a fight with isolde and immediately loses. hints of joseph/isolde mentioned very briefly. sort of a  sequel to this oneshot!

word count: 2.3k of pure fluff. also, some john bullying.

warnings: does john being an idiot count?

“This is a stupid game.”

It’s eleven o’clock on Christmas Eve, Elliot is snowed in at the Seed Ranch, and Isolde and John won’t stop arguing.

It’s almost enough to make it all worthwhile; the fact that they’re trapped, or that Elliot didn’t even want to come to this family dinner because she hasn’t forgotten about John impulsively asked her to marry him and her kicking him out of her apartment shortly thereafter, or that Jacob keeps looking at her from across the living room like, so uh, this is the one, huh?

“It’s not stupid,” John defends. “It will prove the superiority of Elliot and I over you and Joseph as a couple, and I think that’s not stupid at all.”

“It is,” Isolde replies flatly, “because any couple that has me in it is far superior over any couple that has you in it. No offense, Elliot.”

“None taken.”

“Offense is definitely taken,” John interjects.

“My point is that it could be Elliot and I versus you and Joseph, and I would still win, because anyone with two eyeballs probably knows Elliot better than you know her.”

“Then there’s no reason why you shouldn’t want to play!” John snaps, and then he looks at Elliot. Something in his expression shifts—something that Ell can’t quite read, and she thinks it might be because they haven’t even really made up yet from their last argument but have sort of been forced to play nice in close proximity.

And then his expression clears, and he flashes his teeth at her in that crooked smile, and he says, “You’ll play this game with me, won’t you?”

Elliot stifles a sigh. The idea of the game is simple enough—a couple stands back to back, is asked a series of questions about who-is-more-likely-to-whatever, the person who thinks they are drinks. And so on, and so forth. It sounds like a quick way for Elliot to get pissed at John, and also get piss drunk—there’s like, five rules about making them both drink—but he looks so earnest and—

And, well. He’s been trying. And that has to count for something, doesn’t it?

“Yeah,” she relents at last, “I will. If you stop fucking whining.”

“See?” John says, looking at Isolde pointedly, needling, and she groans.

“Can’t wait to watch you get drunk off your ass because you can’t get on the same page as your girlfriend to save your life.”

John rolls his eyes, almost so hard that Elliot can hear it more than she can see it, but he reaches out and snags her hand to haul her off of the couch. Isolde is prompt in producing two glasses full of alcohol—champagne, if Ell knows Isolde at all, and by now she does—and they stand, back to back, in the center of the living room.

Elliot says, “This is stupid,” with a withering sound, and John reaches behind him and gives her hip a squeeze. She still hasn’t forgiven him for his impromptu proposal, and yet he’s finding himself awful comfortable acting like everything is completely fine.

“Don’t be a poor sport, hellcat, you already agreed.”

She cranes her neck to shoot him a dirty look, with half a mind to tell him that she’d like to instead dissect everything he’d once done to piss her off rather than play this stupid fucking game, but her thoughts are quickly interrupted by Isolde settling onto the couch next to Jacob, looking quite pleased with herself.

Probably because she’d wriggled out of having to play a drinking game.

The first few questions are easy; softballs lobbed in their direction to get them to more relaxed. Things like, who’s more likely to get injured doing something stupid (Elliot), or have an embarrassing tattoo (John), or sell all of their belongings and move to Tibet (in which neither of them drinks, so then the rules are that they both must drink). In hindsight, Elliot thinks that Isolde is sending these easy ones on purpose, just ramping up for something better, grittier.

Halfway through, Joseph brings her a glass of wine just as the questions shift a little; who’s more likely to forget the name of someone they hooked up with (John), and date two people at once (John), and go home with someone they just met. The last one, they both drink, thanks to their most fortuitous first meeting in the club, and because they both drink they must then both drink again.

“These questions feel a little pointed,” John snips out eventually, when he’s drank six or seven times in a row, and Elliot can see Jacob grinning at them from the corner of her eyes. She’s pleasantly warm, but certainly nothing close to how toasty she’s sure that John is—how he must be after heartily drinking expensive, highly alcoholic champagne.

“They’re just fun questions, John. Aren’t you always talking about how you’re the fun one?” Isolde asks playfully. Elliot swallows back a laugh—it would be cruel, of course, to laugh at John’s expense—but she can’t help it. He’s put himself into corners too easily. “Who’s more likely to have the highest number?”

“Oooof?” John prompts irritably. “Candles? Chris—Christmas ornaments? Dog hairs on their clothes?” All things that he knows Elliot would beat him in and thus, have to drink for.

“Bedwarmers,” Elliot says, at the same time as Isolde does, and now she can’t help but laugh at the sound that comes out of John; long, and suffering, and fully aware that had he not insinuated that he is superior to Isolde in any way, she would not be specifically targeting him.

He drinks. Jacob asks, “More likely to hit someone with their car?” And she can feel John’s shoulders sag in relief, because she drinks dutifully.

“Thanks, Jake,” John murmurs, his words slurring a little now after enduring an onslaught of pointed questions. Elliot sees Joseph lean towards Isolde, murmuring something into her hair.

“Joseph says I have to stop torturing you,” Isolde announces, resulting in another breath of relief.

“I only suggested perhaps John has reached his limit,” Joseph admonishes. “You enjoy twisting the blade, a little.”

“You’re right, that is very sexy of me.”

John finishes whatever’s left in his cup—which can’t be much and then sets it on the table, nearly taking a headfirst dive over to the other side, and Elliot steadies him and sets her own glass aside.

“Easy, Slick.”

“Unfair,” is what John whines at her in response. “Isolde likes—she—you better.”

Looking awfully smug, Isolde suggests, “Should probably get that one to bed, Elliot, it doesn’t look like he’s gonna make it much longer.”

She stifles a sigh. The last thing that she really wants is to spend Christmas Eve with John completely, absolutely shit-faced; though considering that she’s so much more of a light-weight than he is, it is nice to have there be that kind of disparity for once. Let John be faced with his crippling vulnerability that he’d can’t laugh off because he’s so toasted.

By the time Elliot gets him up the stairs and into his bed, John has moaned and groaned his way through seven different thoughts. He settles against the pillows and lets out a breath, eyes closing.

“Gonna be stuck here,” he says after a minute. “For a few days. ‘Cause—the snow.”

“I know,” Elliot replies, perched on the edge of the bed. And then: "Fuck, I hate this," the alcohol in her system making her painfully unable to filter herself. At her words, John laughs, sitting up and sliding his arms around her waist so that he can look at her at her.

Drenched in dimly-filtered moonlight, all sharp elegant lines and eyes so blue she thinks they might swallow her up—he’s infuriating. Infuriating. So handsome, and also somehow smart and dumb at the same time. The idea that John wants to marry her is incredibly absurd, not only because of their track record but—

"Do you remember," John begins, fanning out the blanket across their laps, "that storm? A few months back? Took out your, uh....?"

“Power?”

“Yeah, that.”

She does. Elliot hates the dark, and with the power out that meant all of the small little lights she'd spread throughout her house didn't work. "Yes. It was awful."

"I remember it fondly," he continues in that still-warm lilt of being inebriated. He settles more comfortably in his spot and thumbs the slope of her hip, easy and affectionate.

“That tracks. We tend to have different views on how things go.”

He narrows his eyes, but the gesture is playful; he seems to be in a better mood than before, the tension between them less aggressive, waning and waxing the way it likes to do. John will contest it to his death, but she thinks that maybe he had intended for them to be equally as inebriated, not one more than the other, when he suggested the game before.

“It was awful,” John concedes, “but also—good. A moment in time can be many things. Should I state my case?”

Elliot groans. She’s drunk, and he’s more drunk but also a lawyer, and there is no way she can out-talk him anyway. Not in a million years. “John, you know I can’t out-argue you.”

“Maybe you’ll end up agreeing.” The brunette shifts again, reaching out and taking her hand. He does it very easily, like the argument doesn’t exist, like she hadn’t told him to fuck off and kicked him out of her apartment those nights ago. “Consider this: you’re me.”

“Hate it.”

“You’re me, and you’ve been dating this girl,” John continues ceaselessly, winding their fingers together. “That you really like, and you keep—messing it up, but this is the first date since the last time that you messed up, and the power goes out.”

Elliot grimaces. Even like this, even with John leaning in so that there isn’t a lot of space between them, telling her the story like it was the greatest thing in the world—all she can remember from that moment in time is the panic.

“And she’s really pissed off,” he adds, for flavor. “So you light every single candle you can dig out of her cupboard, because if you don’t you think she might actually come unglued from hitting her berserk button so much. And when she finally calms down, she ends up falling asleep right against you, and just before she’s really asleep for good she says that she loves you.”

Oh, Elliot thinks, her chest tightening painfully. She doesn’t remember that. The adrenaline crash, sure, burying her face into John’s neck and smelling his cologne as she fell asleep; but that does sound like something half-asleep Elliot would say, the traitorous bitch.

“Stupid,” she murmurs after a moment, when she thinks she’s recovered. Her words elicit from John a half-cocked grin as he’s leaned in, studying her. “That you remember that.”

“I remember everything,” John replies, his voice pitching low, “about you, Ell.”

Bad. This is bad, a mistake. It’s cozy under a blanket, away from the bustle of his siblings, knowing how much it’s storming and snowing outside, and she keeps thinking about how he kissed her in her apartment that night he’d tried to sneak the proposal in—like he wanted more, like he wanted to kiss her more than that, but he was trying to behave.

He was trying.

“I can’t,” Elliot manages out, soft. “John, I can’t—this—back and forth, and—”

“I don’t want to either,” John insists. “I want you, Ell, I mean it—I meant it then, and now, and I’m sorry that I thought a ring would fix it. Or, not even fix it, just that I thought—”

Her chest feels tight, and hot, and she swallows thickly as he speaks before she interrupts. “It was really stupid, really really fucking stupid, like—the meanest joke you could—”

“It wasn’t a joke—”

“So what did you do?” she asks, suddenly, blurting the words out before she can stop herself. John blinks at her.

“What did I do?”

“That night,” she presses. “That night in my house, when the power went out. When I said...”

Her voice trails off. She knows what she wants him to say, deep down inside of her. She knows that she wants him to say, I love you, I loved you then and I love you now and there’s nobody else I want more than you, because she’s a hopeless romantic and there’s nothing that would make her life into a Hallmark movie than John whispering a profession of love like this, right now.

John starts, “Elliot, I’m—”

Panic. If he says it, it’s real, and then she will have to face it. Really, truly face.

“An idiot,” Elliot interjects, her words overlapping with his and strangling them until all she can hear is the tail end of him saying, “—with you,” and his mouth sets down in a deep frown.

She looks at their hands, intertwined. He’d been so sure of himself that night, sliding the ring on her finger, and it’s less that he seemed sure she would say yes but more sure that he thought he had been making the right decision. More than anything, all I want to hear is that you missed me.

“Go to sleep,” she says at length. “We’ll see how you feel when you wake up in the morning.”

John, true to form, heaves the most dramatic sound possible out of his body before he lays back against the pillows, still in his jeans and button up. Elliot stands, and leaves him like that, because there’s plenty of things that John Seed deserves and Elliot thinks waking up in tight jeans is one of them.

“Hellcat,” he says, when she reaches the door. She pauses, glancing back; he’s quiet for a moment before he says, “Mean it, you know.”

I’m in love with you. She knows that’s what he’d been trying to say before she’d spoken over him.

“I know,” Elliot replies softly. “We’ll see if you mean it tomorrow, too.”

She hopes he will.

[thegrimmgrimm]

oh im sorry did you think i was done with this?? 😂😂 https://thegrimmgrimm.tumblr.com/post/620532449904132096/an-idea-bouncing-around-in-my-head-for-the-last

Fair (I'll Stand Here With You)

Jaskier lets himself into the apartment, loudly declaring his entrance, and fairly sure he's left the two lovebirds enough time to finish up their morning celebrations. (Which he is certain will have involved pancakes, and copious amounts of maple syrup and whipped cream.)

Thankfully for his sanity, it appears he's correct in the assumption. He hears Yennefer call him into the kitchen where she stands nursing a fresh cup of tea, hair still damp from the shower and frame dwarfed in an obviously stolen shirt. Jaskier can't see any more of her from behind the counter, but he has to imagine that's all there is to the outfit. She gives him a lazy grin and a wink as greeting

Behind her, Geralt is quietly swearing at their perpetually-broken coffee machine and mumbling about infernal machines, wearing nothing but the most colourful pair of unicorn-patterned boxers Jaskier has ever seen. He turns to greet Jaskier with his own warm boneless-seeming smile and Jaskier can't help but laugh affectionately at the pair.

"Do you two still need a bit longer? I can go for a walk around the block and come back later?" Jaskier teases, watching Yen roll her eyes and Geralt huff out a silent laugh. Geralt just pushes a steaming cup of coffee across the counter towards him, looking fond and exasperated already.  

"So, year number five, eh? I, for one, am pleasantly surprised you two haven't managed to kill each other by now." It's Geralt's turn to roll his eyes at the line, but he's well versed in Jaskier's style of affection by now.

"What are we in for this time, Jaskier? More maudlin tunes to send us to sleep?" Yennefer asks, though the fondness in her expression takes the bite from her words.

Jaskier puts a hand to his heart in mock-horror. "Yennefer, you wound me. I have it from a good source you love all my songs."

Yennefer eyes him skeptically, then turns a suspicious eye on Geralt, who is suddenly very interested in the coffee machine again.

The three of them polish off their drinks whilst catching up around the kitchen counter, and soon enough Jaskier finds himself ushering his dearest friends into the living room to sit over on the couch.

He sets himself up on their sturdy coffee table, one leg tucked under him that he knows will fall asleep before he is finished but can never bring himself to care. Yen and Geralt sit watching him with the expression of school children told to be on their best behaviour.

Jaskier pokes his tongue out them and pulls out his phone to rest on his knee with lyrics he won't need, while they settle themselves down more comfortably and naturally. Yennefer sits forward with her knees tucked under her, and Geralt lounges back against the sofa with an arm thrown around her waist.

Jaskier smiles at them fondly before clearing his throat, "Right, now don't get all judgey-judgey. I've worked hard on this and no, I will not accept criticism."

They just laugh softly and Jaskier shakes off the barest of nerves daring to threaten him. It isn't really stage fright, or anything like that, and nor does he think they would be cruel or mean about it, not really. But Jaskier really has poured his heart into the song, and it'll feel inadequate if they don't end up liking it.

"Right then." Jaskier clears his throat again and starts plucking away at his guitar.

"It's what my heart just yearns to say In ways that can't be said..."

He watches his friends' reactions as he sings the first few lines, though he soon finds himself uncharacteristically overwhelmed by the attention and he looks down sightlessly at the words on his phone screen.

There are lines that draw small sounds of amusement from the two, but mostly they're silent as they watch and listen. Jaskier's eyes drift closed as he holds each line in his mind and tries to focus on keeping his voice steady. Each time he feels his voice strain or crack he fights a wince, as strong emotion threatens to choke his voice away.

There's just something about capturing how Jaskier sees the love between the two, and offering it back to them, raw and bare and honest.

"...Oh how, oh how unreasonable How unreasonably in love I am with everything you do I'll spend my days so close to you cos if I'm stood here Then I'm stood here And I'll stand here I'll stand here with you."

He fades off into a dreadful silence and waits for a moment before looking up, hiding only a little behind a hand he cards nervously through his hair. Yennefer and Geralt are staring at him with wide, shocked eyes.

"So, it was... good?" He ventures, tension growing in his stomach. He'd expected a much more jovial response, perhaps he'd overstepped? Maybe they're just that impressed. Completely lost for words. Jaskier is confident, but not that confident.

Yen and Geralt turn to look to each other in such synchronicity that Jaskier almost laughs aloud, and they share an indecipherable look before turning back to their long-suffering friend.  

It's Yennefer who moves first. She rises from the couch to stand in front of Jaskier and gently takes the guitar from his hands. Confused, he hands it over without complaint, did she not like it? She leans the instrument against the coffee table and her hands come up to cup both sides of Jaskier's face, her expression serious, yet somehow awed.

"Is that truly how you feel?" Her voice carries the same awe as her eyes, and Jaskier swallows round a lump in his throat, unable to answer with more of a jerky nod.

Something alights in her expression and all of a sudden, her hands are sliding back into Jaskier's hair and her mouth is on his mouth and she tastes of too-sweet tea and mint toothpaste and she's kissing him.

She pulls back and it's Jaskier's turn to stare in shocked awe. His traitorous voice remains elusive and his eyes flick to Geralt who looks so astoundingly soft and fond as he also moves forward, brushing his thumb gently across Jaskier's cheekbone, before he also captures Jaskier's lips in a kiss.

It's soft, and hard, and sweet. When he pulls back Jaskier eyes flick back and forth between amber and violet, slowly losing his mind. His hands are clinging to the fabric of his jeans, knuckles white, and he's sure he doesn't even have the leg he's sitting on anymore. "Hm." Jaskier finally manages.

"That's my line," Geralt rumbles back, and it's like the breaking of a dam. Yen's laugh ripples like a river over rocks and Jaskier can't help but join in, even as she pulls him in for another kiss, and Geralts hands pull him up off the table. He stumbles a little on his sleeping leg but is caught and held fast by strong arms. Cheeky ones at that.

Hands tease at the hem his shirt, and there's a mouth attached to either side of his neck, which is lovely, but might also kill him. Finally regaining the use of his hands, Jaskier twines them with one each of Yen and Geralts, briefly halting their fervour.

Jaskier clears his thoughts with the slight shake of his head, but the only discernible thing is, why on earth would you want to stop this? And Jaskier is hardly one to argue with himself, especially on such matters.

He gives an encouraging squeeze to each of the hands grasped in his and nods with a somehow shy and sly smile towards the bedroom door. "Should we, uh...?"

Yennefer's grin is cat-like and almost feral, and the rumbling groan he hears from Geralt is almost enough to make his knees give out, but like so many time before, but also like no other, Jaskier finds himself dragged after these two. And he wouldn't have it any other way.

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

Sometime later, (Minutes? Hours? Days? Who can say?) Geralt is, predictably, fast asleep, and Jaskier lies tracing meaningless shapes on the soft skin of Yennefer's back with his fingertips.

"So, I take it you liked your gift," Jaskier teases, mouthing softly at her shoulder.

Yennefer preens like a cat, dark curls falling about her shoulders. "Definitely the best one so far."

Jaskier gasps mockingly at her candour and she nudges him away with a laugh, sending him dramatically sprawling backwards, though careful not to wake the sleeping mountain. Yen just scoffs and rolls her eyes at him.

"Though, I'm not sure who out of us really got the better end of it." Yennefer teases back, and her smile turns devious. "We shall just have to endeavour to have you beat next year."

Warmth spreads through Jaskier at the implication, "You're on." He challenges, and he returns to doodling on her back, this time words forming under his quick fingers.

"What are you writing?" Yennefer asks, though she can probably sense the answer.

"Next year's song, of course." Jaskier hears the low rumble of laughter from behind him and Geralt's warm forearm wraps around his waist, stubble scratching between his shoulder blades as Geralt softly presses his face in.

"A hard act to follow," he murmurs, voice still thick with sleep. "But I'm sure we'll think of something."

[targaryenimagines]

SFW Alphabet: Viserys Targaryen

(Important Note: This isn't a nice happy SFW Alphabet. There is mentions of abuse and neglect in this, which follows Viserys character type. I just wanted to warn you all before you continue.)

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

Viserys isn’t the most affectionate person, and the only time he ever truly shows affection is when he is trying to claim you. He doesn’t much care if you’re alone in a room, but the moment someone shows interest in you (even if its harmless) he’s by your side in an instant. His arms wrapping around your waist in a tight embrace. His features set into a smirk you are all too familiar with. Sometimes you wish the person would just stay and save you, but no one ever does. 

B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)

This would entirely depend on if Robert’s Rebellion happened or not. 

If it didn’t then Viserys would be the most supportive and caring friend you could ever ask for. Yes, he may have quite a temper but it was never directed at you. More often than not it would be because some was being cruel to you and being disrespectful. An event that wouldn’t be that uncommon since you were a simple servant within the castle. The young prince taking a liking to you and becoming your unlikely protector from all the other servants. And while it did cause you to be ostracized you wouldn’t change anything. Viserys was your best friend and nothing would ever change that.

Now if the Rebellion did happen then everything would change. You would watch as bit by bit Viserys lost himself. His eyes growing dimmer and dimmer the more he lost, and there was nothing you could do but stand by him. Trying to support him in any way that you could, but even then that wasn’t enough. Soon your job was protecting Daenerys from his wraith. His fury turning on you with all the fire of a dragon, and there was nothing you could but take it. Trying to remember the sweet, charming boy that had protected you oh so long ago. 

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

Viserys hates to cuddle but he does like to make sure that you’re near him. While you’re not in his arms, he does have one arm stretched out to make sure that you are there. He doesn’t want you to leave him when he isn’t aware of it. Apart of you wishes that it was because he still loved you, but you know that it was because he didn’t want anyone else to have you. 

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

Viserys doesn’t see the point of learning to cook or clean. He has servants that listen to his every wish, and he also has you if he has no one else. It’s a fact that he relishes greatly and never wants to live without. His joy only growing more when he fantasizes about what it would be like when he sat on the Iron Throne. 

As for whether or not he wants to settle down? You hope that you aren’t alive long enough to become his spouse. 

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

Viserys would be cold and uncaring as he stares at you. His violet eyes shining in the dim light of the room but, unlike yours that were shining with tears, his were shining with the sort of vindictiveness you had come to expect from him. It was a sight that caused your heart to twist in your chest, and if you were being honest you weren’t even crying because you were losing him. You were crying because now Daenerys would be alone with him, and that’s something you couldn’t handle. The sweet young girl had done nothing wrong in her life, and she did not deserve what Viserys was doing to her. But, you could do nothing as Viserys had his men throw you out on the street. Your body slamming into the ground causing a pained grunt to escape your lips, and before you can let one more cry leave your lips the doors slam closed behind him. A sight that caused a new wave of tears to escape your eyes.

You had failed Daenerys in every way possible. 

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

The moment he takes the crown he would want to marry. To finally show everyone that you were his in every possible way. Even though your skin crawls at the thought of being tied to him for the rest of your life. 

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

Viserys is about as gentle as a hungry dragon. If he sees something he doesn’t like he will tell you without care of your feelings. He wants you to look your best so you don’t embarrass him, and would even make you change however many times he wanted until he deemed you appropriate. As for whether or not he’s gentle physically? He doesn’t say “Don’t wake the dragon” for no reason.

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

Viserys appreciates hugs when they’re on his terms, and they’re probably not the type of hugs most are used to. Especially when it involves someone's significant other. Viserys isn’t a warm hugger nor is he affectionate when he hugs. His arms are tight but they don’t make you feel safe and protected. The hold makes you feel like an object that must be protected at all costs. His arms are like iron bars made flesh, trapping you within their embrace. No escape in sight and filled with warmth… no heat would be the better word. Because there is nothing warm about Viserys. 

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?)

You were the one that said “I love you” first, unsurprisingly, and Viserys did react in his own way. Not the way you had wanted, but any reaction from him that’s not filled with anger and malice is a good one. Though he uses the love you have clearly shown to him against you. Maybe not in obvious ways but he definitely tries to manipulate you into doing things for him. (He takes him awhile to say it back… not that you were expecting him to.)

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

A jealous Viserys is something that you try to stay away from as much as you can. If Viserys is normally in a bad mood then him becoming jealous is absolutely apocalyptic. Sadly it does happen quite often when anyone shows you interest, even when all you want to do is talk to them. His rage glowing as brightly as the sun of the Red Waste and just as scalding. He makes sure the person he has deemed as his adversary knows that you’re his, and later in the night he makes sure that you know too. (Not that you can forget the careful planning of outfits to hide the bruises.)

He also gets upset if you spend too much time with Daenerys, which is a whole other story. 

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

Viserys kisses with the intent to claim and nothing more. He hasn’t kissed you with any real emotion in a long time. Gone were the long and loving caress of his lips against yours. His lips were now demanding against your lips, as if he thought he had the right to them. Though your lips aren’t his favorite place to kiss you… that would be your neck. It’s the best vantage point for everyone to see the marks he leaves behind. 

Viserys likes to be kissed on the lips and his cheek, but he’s feeling petty he will only allow you to kiss his hands. 

L = Little ones (How are they around children?)

Viserys should never be around children. EVER. He can barely take care of Daenerys as it is, you would never trust him around any other child. Even if it was your own. 

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

Viserys usually is gone before you wake because he has important things to do. He has his future conquest to plan and people to order around. You would be lying if it didn’t fill you with relief that you were left alone. Even if it was for such a short amount of time each day. It gave you the chance to cry without anyone overhearing. 

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)

You normally do what Viserys wants you to do. If Viserys wishes to have sex then that is what you do. If he wishes for a quiet night than that is what he gets. You have learned your lesson when it comes to that. 

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

Viserys only reveals things about himself when it’s of benefit to him. The only time he ever gave anything openly to you was back in Westeros and in the earlier days of Essos. 

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?)

Don’t wake the dragon, is a phrase you hear with a common occurrence. Either being directed at you or Daenerys, and having the same results in the end. 

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)

If it’s not important to him then he doesn’t remember. 

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

Viserys doesn’t really have a favorite moment in your relationship. Maybe if he was in his right mind he would say back in the earlier days in Essos where you both would talk for hours. But none of that matters now because all he truly needs to be happy is the Iron Throne. 

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

Viserys is very protective, but not in a warm and fuzzy type of way. He’s very controlling and when he gets protective you’re not allowed out of his sight for even a moment. More often than not you would be locked in your shared bed chambers with barely anything to do. His sense of protecting you is very, very skewed. 

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

He asks the servants to get you something from the market or to make you a meal that he thinks is your favorite. But at least he remembered… right?

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

Anger. Viserys is known for his awful temper and it’s something that you’ve always been terrified of. The fear you have for not only yourself but Daenerys, and any of the servants that even look at him when he’s in that mood, is all consuming. After one of his fits you’re not surprised to see the bruises that mark your skin because of it. Purple is one of the only constants in your life. 

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

Viserys cares more about his looks than he does you. He’s the future King of Westeros so he has to look his best at all times. 

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

The long answer? Viserys would feel like something was missing with you gone, but not be affected by it at all. Nor would he care all that much for very long. Deep inside of himself, however, a small piece of him that hasn’t withered away yet cries out for all that he’s lost.

The short answer? No.

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

Hopefully Viserys would one day realize what he has done to you, and try to make up for it. Getting down onto his knees and begging for your forgiveness.

Or before he dies he begs for you, not Daenerys, and you simply watch as the gold comes down. 

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

Disloyalty. Viserys wants someone that is completely loyal to him in every single way. Maybe even stupidly loyal to be honest. 

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habits of theirs?)

Viserys is a heavy sleeper because he doesn’t stir at all during the night. His breathing remaining even and calm throughout. It’s either that or he just ignores you as you cry yourself to sleep every night. 

[artificialqueens]

Undone, Chapter 28 (Bitney) - Stephanie/Veronica

A/N: Hey guys. To anyone who’s still reading this story, thank you for your patience between chapters, I know it’s been slow! Here’s a link to the previous chapters. Thank you so much to some very patient and helpful betas: @opalescent-cheetah, @artificialpuddle, @blackhighheels 

Chapter Summary: Bianca faces the dreaded lawyer meeting. 

NOTE: The role of Bianca’s divorce attorney has been recast as Asia O’Hara. 

TW: Emotional abuse, physical intimidation, gaslighting, PTSD 

***

“B...don’t you want to take a break?�� Courtney tries to speak casually, but she can feel the edge of frustration creeping in. Bianca has spent all weekend at the sewing machine, creating garments at a manic pace. She’s barely slept since her call with Asia on Thursday, and only eats or sleeps when Courtney forces the issue. What began as concern is now full-on anxiety over her health. “Come on...we could go for a walk. Or take a nap. And I made that pesto thing you like, so-”

“I just need fifteen minutes,” Bianca mumbles. If she can keep her hands busy, she doesn’t have to think about Asia’s words turning over and over in her mind.

Don’t expect any resolutions right away.

Be sure to send me the sonogram pictures and a blood test. They’re going to want immediate proof.

No one can predict how he’s going to react.

She doesn’t have time to stop and even acknowledge Courtney; she has no desire to bring Courtney into the firestorm of bullshit racing through her mind right now.

“You said that an hour ago.” Courtney sighs and walks closer, sitting on the edge of the table right beside her sewing machine.

“I have to finish these pants.” Bianca grits her teeth and presses the pedal harder, shoving the tweed fabric through the surger.

Courtney puts a hand on top of the machine and states matter-of-factly, “B, you’re working too hard.”

“Maybe you don’t work hard enough,” Bianca snaps back.

The second the words leave her mouth, dreads surges through her veins, making her heart race and her skin heat up. A terrible feeling creeps into her stomach. This is how it starts. A snide comment here, a sarcastic insult there. Why does she always alienate people? What’s wrong with her?

Her eyes are misty when she finally dares to raise them, to look at Courtney and assess the damage. Only when she does, it’s not an angry face glaring down at her. Courtney’s expression is a bit surprised, but mostly...amused?

“Perhaps,” Courtney says with a giggle. “But my point still stands. You need to take a break.”

Bianca nods, trying to get a grip on her emotions, which at the moment feel all over the map. She’s relieved, mostly, that Courtney isn’t angry or offended, but also drowning in guilt, and her heart still races with leftover panic.

Courtney tilts her head, noticing the color in her cheeks, the glassy-eyed stare, the way her shoulders stiffen.

“Are you okay?”

Bianca nods, afraid that if she speaks, it’ll all come spilling out. All the darkness that she’s been desperately trying to hold back. The fear, the anger, the exhaustion. Courtney runs a hand through her hair, a motion that would normally be welcome and soothing. But right now, it feels almost oppressive, making Bianca’s muscles tense even more.

When she still doesn’t speak, Courtney drags a chair over and sits down right beside her. She takes both of Bianca’s hands in hers.

“Please tell me what’s wrong, Bianca.”

“I…” She doesn’t even know how to begin. The whole time she’s been living here, she’s been trying to force herself to listen to what everyone says about Jared. That what happened between them wasn’t her fault. And she does believe it, to a degree. But sometimes in her darkest hours, there’s still a sliver of doubt that creeps in.

What if it was my fault?

Because she remembers how sweet and loving and generous he was when they first met. How he showered her with love and affection. Went out of his way to make her feel special and loved and desired.

Just like Courtney does.

He wasn’t angry or cruel when they first got together. He became that way over months and years, and Bianca sometimes can’t shake the feeling that she made him that way. And even worse...her deepest fear, one she has barely even acknowledged to herself, is that not only did she make him like that. But that something inside her is so broken that she actually needs that destructive energy. That she can’t be in a normal relationship, or accept normal love.  

That no matter what she does, she will end up destroying the goodness in Courtney with her anger, her bitterness.

She’s not trying to hide these thoughts from Courtney, not exactly. She’s just so deeply ashamed, so terrified of being exposed as a monster.  

Courtney hasn’t gone anywhere. She’s still stroking the back of Bianca’s hands, waiting patiently for an explanation that Bianca knows isn’t coming. Because now, even if she wanted to, she can’t get any words out.

As hard as she tried to keep everything in, Bianca can’t stop the hot, bitter tears from streaming down her cheeks. She takes a few gasping breaths, but it’s not enough, not enough air. When she begins to hyperventilate, Courtney goes from gentle, supportive concern to overt worry, cupping her cheeks.

“Hey...look at me. We’re gonna breathe. In….out…” She nods as Bianca copies her breathing, desperately trying to pull herself together.

“Court, I’m sorry, I just don’t know how to explain,” she chokes out.  

“It’s okay. You don’t have to say anything. Keep breathing...” She takes an exaggerated breath in.  

“No, I want to tell you...but I just…” Bianca’s breath hitches again.

“I know. I know you do.” Courtney gently brushes the tears from her cheeks. “But it can wait-”

“But you deserve an explanation.”

“It can wait,” Courtney repeats. “Just breathe.”

Bianca nods, finally releasing some of the tension in her shoulders. She sits silently, tears still trickling down her face, until her breathing is back to normal. She lets Courtney help her to her feet, pulling her into an embrace.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers. “I’m just...sometimes I get so scared that you’re gonna end up hating me.”

Courtney pulls back, looking into her eyes.

“I could never hate you. Ever,” she says.

“You say that now, but-” a sob escapes from Bianca’s chest, but she tries to push through. “But I say stupid shit, and I don’t mean it, but I-”

Courtney’s gently kissing away her tears. Her unending patience suddenly feels stifling, like Bianca will never be worth it.

“I know this is gonna end. I know I’ll fuck it up, I always do.”

Bianca watches Courtney take a deep breath, terrified that she’s already begun to destroy what they’ve worked so hard to build. Heart in her throat, stomach in knots, as she waits for the inevitable rejection.

“Look at me,” she says, waiting for Bianca’s eyes to meet hers before continuing. Saying adamantly, “I’m not him.”

Unable to respond with anything more than a slight nod, Bianca bites her lip.

“Do you hear me? I’m not him.” Courtney pulls her close again, holding her tight, lips grazing her ear. Bianca feels weak and dizzy from crying, finally allowing herself to lean on Courtney for support.

She’s not sure how long they stand there, but it’s long enough for the body heat to make her comfortably sweaty, for her lips to find Courtney’s, brushing against her in a light kiss.

“How are you doing?” Courtney murmurs. “Wanna lie down?”

“No.” Bianca tucks her face against Courtney’s neck.

“Wanna dance it out?”

“Definitely not.”

“Why not?!” Courtney asks, giggling. “Endorphins will make you feel better.”

“Good idea. Let’s have sex,” Bianca says against her skin, teeth grazing her jaw.

“Mmm, no. If we have sex when you’re upset, you’re gonna associate sex with trauma, which will take a lot of the fun out of it. No sex,” Courtney finishes decisively.  

“Ugh, you’re so bossy.”

“I’m bossy?” Courtney pulls back, one eyebrow so high it’s nearly to her hairline.

Bianca laughs, finally breaking the tension in the air. She reaches up to cup Courtney’s cheek, tired and grateful and relieved all at the same time.

“Can I make you a cup of tea?” Courtney asks.

“Yeah, alright,” she agrees, settling back into her chair with a sigh.

***

Courtney would never admit it out loud, but the truth is, she’s nervous. She’s seen these ultrasound pictures before--mostly in movies and TV shows--and she’s never seen anything but a floating amorphous blob. Is she gonna have to lie and tell Bianca that a blurry mass is beautiful? What’s she going to say when it comes up on the screen?

It turns out, her worrying is all for naught. Because when she finally does look at the screen, Bianca’s hand clasped in both of hers, what she sees is the shifting image of a baby.

“Oh my god!” she can’t help exclaiming. “It looks like a person!”

“What were you expecting?” Bianca laughs.

“Um...more like...somewhere between a potato and a spaceship.”

“Ahh.” Bianca nods, then deadpans, “So are you disappointed?”

“Yeah, I was really excited about that spaceship,” Courtney giggles, nuzzling against her and squeezing her hands.

The warm, affectionate mood is killed a little by how somber Bianca seems once they’re in the car. Courtney looks over at her, reaching over to touch her cheek.

“You alright, babe?”

“Yeah. I’m just sending some shit to Asia.” Bianca looks up from her phone, biting her lip.

“Right.” Courtney’s hit by a wave of sadness, mostly for Bianca. As excited as she knows Bianca is for the baby, as much as she’s dreamed about motherhood, she knows that the bittersweet reality must never fully leave her mind. The dark cloud of her divorce hangs over her all the time, even when she’s not talking about it--even when she seems fine.

Courtney leans over the center console to brush her lips against Bianca’s temple.

After letting out a deep sigh, Bianca throws her arms around Courtney’s shoulders and buries her face into her neck.

***

Courtney stands outside the bathroom door, contemplating how best to approach Bianca this morning. She’s getting ready for what’s likely going to be a long, terrible day. Her first meeting with Jared and the lawyers, where they are supposed to (hopefully) hash out the main points of their divorce settlement. She knows that Bianca has been anxious and worried all week, even though she’s been putting on a brave face.

But last night, it seemed like it all really hit her hard. She laid awake for hours, letting Courtney hold her and talk to her about everything and nothing, just to remind her that she wasn’t alone. Courtney hadn’t drifted off until the first rays of dawn began to slant through the window, and she’s not positive whether Bianca slept at all.

Knowing that this was coming, Courtney’s been planning a surprise weekend getaway for them. Now, though, Courtney wonders if this kind of surprise after a long day with the lawyers will be too much. Maybe she didn’t think the plan through very well. She bites her lip and pushes the door open.

The counter is littered with hair appliances and makeup and assorted beauty products, what looks like everything Bianca owns spread out and opened. There’s not a hair out of place, and her face is fully beat. Compared to the relaxed, softer look she’s been moving towards since she moved in with Courtney, it’s almost jarring to see her this glammed up again.

“Hey,” Courtney says, moving toward her slowly, careful not to disturb any of the open powders and pots and bottles. She offers a smile, adding, “You look beautiful.”

Bianca can’t help but feel defensive. Of course, Courtney is giving her a simple compliment. The kind she gives her all the time, every day. But her insecurity immediately turns it into a judgement.

“I’m not trying to impress him,” she says. Her feelings for Jared, at this point, are crystal clear--she has no interest in getting back together with him, is sure she never will. But for some stupid reason, she can’t bear walking into that office looking different than she had when they were married. It feels, in an unjustifiable way, like that would be admitting something to him; it feels like that would make her even more vulnerable than she already is. “I know it’s silly.”

“It’s not silly,” Courtney replies. She can see the anxiety on Bianca’s face, her tense muscles, the little line where her brow furrows. Her heart aches for how scared Bianca must be feeling. She reaches out and gently touches Bianca’s sleeve. “And you don’t have to justify anything to me. Do whatever you need to prepare.”

Bianca puts down her mascara and sighs, closes her eyes. She feels anything but prepared. What in the world made her think that a little makeup and a curling iron would fix that? Courtney takes her hands.

“Hey...you can do this.”

Bianca looks up, her blue eyes cloudy with pain. She hopes it’s true, but a nagging voice in the back of her head is saying the opposite.

“I just...wish it was over.”

“I know.” Courtney tucks a lock of hair back, gently running a thumb against the shell of Bianca’s ear as she does so. “But hey...later today, it will be. And as soon as you’re done, you’re gonna come back home, and then I can tell you about your surprise.”

“Did I ever tell you that I hate surprises?” Bianca says, biting back a smile.

“You have. But you’re gonna like this one.” Courtney winds her arms tighter around Bianca’s neck. “I promise. And if you don’t...then, we can do it another time.”

“Yeah? So it’s something to do?” Bianca chases Courtney’s lips with her own, pressing her against the counter.

“You’re gonna ruin your lipstick…” Courtney slyly evades both the question and the kiss, teasing her.

“Worth it,” Bianca murmurs, finally capturing Courtney’s lips in a sweet, soft kiss.

***

Asia is true to her word. When Bianca arrives, they spend the morning together, going over the game plan and wish list. After a short lunch, most of which remains untouched, Asia escorts her into a conference room and waits with her, by her side, until Jared and his attorney show up.  

Bianca keeps her eyes down, trained on the blank legal pad in front of her. She can’t look at him. Even knowing he’s there turns her stomach. She does glance at his lawyer a few times. A petite Asian woman with dark eyes and glossy hair. He’s smart to have hired a woman. She’s not sure why it surprises her.

When the arbitrator arrives, she immediately gets down to business. The attorneys spend a few minutes discussing the big ticket items - their condo, the joint retirement account. Bianca is actually relieved that there’s a pre-nup, because it seems like it’s going to make everything go faster. She allows herself, for the briefest moment, to imagine that this might happen quickly.

Before they drill down into the details, Asia hands a paper across the table. It’s a disclosure statement, short and to the point, along with a copy of her last blood test. The most recent sonogram. The arbitrator looks it over, nods, and hands a copy to Jared’s attorney.

Bianca can sense Jared’s energy when his lawyer shows him. She hears his hands slam against the table, hears his lawyer do her best to quickly calm him down, get him to hush.

Her eyes are downcast, blurry with tears that begin to drip slowly down her nose, splashing on the legal pad. Asia puts a hand on her back.

“Do you need a break?” Asia whispers, and Bianca nods vigorously.

***

The meeting seems to disintegrate quickly once Bianca leaves the room, which doesn’t surprise her at all. She knew full well that this news was going to be a wrench in the plan. That Jared’s limited time of playing nice would be over.

Asia’s assistant brings her a glass of water, which she attempts to drink slowly, reminding herself to breathe every few seconds. She flexes her fingers and toes whenever they start to tingle, brings her focus back to the physical.

When Asia enters her office to give the update, she’s prepared. Jared is unwilling to negotiate any further. His lawyer quarantined him alone in another room to have his tantrum and requested to schedule a follow-up meeting in a few weeks. No financial agreements will happen until custody is worked out. They knew this would most likely be the case, so now it’s a waiting game until they see what Jared asks for.

Bianca nods.

“Are they still here?”

“They’re packing up now,” Asia tells her. “You’re welcome to stay here until you feel ready.”

“Thanks.”

Though all Bianca really wants is to go home, she takes her time, texting Courtney for a bit while she calms down. She doesn’t want to risk running into him in the lobby or at valet parking. She has a sick feeling when it’s time to go down to her car, and though she feels a bit silly, asks Asia if someone can walk her down.

Once she’s safely in her car, she breathes a sigh of relief. Soon she’ll be home; it’ll be over for the day. She’s even finding herself improbably excited for whatever surprise Courtney’s been planning all week. She takes a deep breath and pulls out.

Her relief is short-lived. At the parking gate, she rolls down her window to slide in her ticket, when Jared races up to the car like a bat out of hell, before she even knows what’s happening. He somehow manages to reach in, yanking the door open before she has a chance to react.

She has no idea what he’s screaming. All her brain can comprehend is the rage, the fury in his eyes as he rants at her, accuses her of all kinds of things. She knows she’s yelling back, telling him to stop, trying to pull her door closed, but he’s overpowering her, forcing her to listen to his tirade. It’s a complete out of body experience.

It must have been a hell of a commotion. Because the next thing Bianca knows, she’s somehow sitting on a bench by the elevators, head between her legs, as Asia’s heels come clicking towards her in a hurry.

“Bianca! Shit…” Asia sits beside her, places a hand on her back. “I’m so sorry. You’re supposed to be safe here.”

Bianca lifts her head. Her cheeks are wet with tears she doesn’t remember, and she scrubs at them with the sleeve of her jacket.  

“We’re gonna get statements from the guys down here, okay? I should be able to fast-track a restraining order.”

“Alright,” Bianca says, mind starting to spin. How are they supposed to negotiate a divorce under these conditions? What’s gonna happen to her baby?

“I don’t want you to drive right now. Is there someone we can call to pick you up?”

Bianca nods. Courtney’s waiting for her - probably expecting her to walk in the door at any moment. She pulls out her phone and goes to her recent calls with shaky fingers, then turns to Asia, grasping her sleeve.

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Okay.” Asia takes the phone from her, glancing down at the screen. “I can handle it. Courtney? Is that your girlfriend?”

“Yeah.” Bianca closes her eyes, feeling useless and dumb, the way she always does when words fail her.

“I’ll fill her in, and then we can go upstairs to wait,” Asia tells her.

“Thanks,” is all Bianca can manage. She lowers her head again, praying for it all to be over quickly.

***

Last week, while filming a very awkward sex scene, Courtney let it slip to one of her favorite costars how stressed Bianca has been, and how she wished she could give her a break. He generously offered his house in Santa Barbara for the weekend, and Courtney figured that it would be the perfect way for Bianca to decompress after her meeting with the lawyers.

But all day, she’s been anxious. She was anxious while she packed their bags and loaded up the car, waiting to hear from Bianca. And she was anxious when Sasha arrived to pick up the puppies. So much that her friend immediately saw it and suggested that they have a cup of herbal tea while they wait for Bianca to finish.

Even after she gets the text that Bianca is on her way home, something gnaws at her stomach. She supposes that until she sees Bianca in person and knows that she’s truly okay, she won’t be able to feel better.

“Do you want me to wait with you until she gets home?” Sasha asks, a hand covering hers.

“Do you mind?” Courtney says, chewing on her bottom lip.

“Not at all.”

Courtney feels a little stupid and overly dramatic, but she’s grateful that Sasha is so perceptive. They chat about her students this term, and an art show she’s putting together, and when Courtney’s phone rings, she’s able to answer cheerfully.

“Hey baby, what’s up?”

“Hi, Courtney? This is Asia. Bianca’s attorney.”

Courtney feels her blood turning to ice, fear rushing through her.

“What’s wrong? Is she okay?!”

“She’ll be fine, but--Jared accosted her in the parking lot. She’s a bit shaken and I don’t think she should drive.”

“Oh, god.”

“Do you think you can come, and-”

“Of course!” Courtney exclaims. “Of course, I’ll be there in 20 minutes. Can you text me the address? I’m sorry, I just don’t have-”

“Absolutely, I’ll do that right now.”

“Thank you.” Courtney looks up at Sasha, panicked.

“Don’t worry, I’ll drive you.” Sasha’s already on her feet, placing the mugs into the sink and rinsing them. She grabs her keys and ushers the dogs into the carrier.

***

All Bianca feels is numb as she waits, fingers digging into the throw pillow in her lap. She has no idea how much time has passed when Courtney appears in the doorway, then flies straight to her.

Feeling Courtney’s arms around her, finally, unleashes something. She begins to cry, an unwelcome avalanche of tears that makes her hate herself even more.

“Baby…” Courtney crawls into her lap, stroking her hair and rocking her.

It feels like ages until she finds her voice again, choking out, “I’m sorry.”

“For what? You didn’t do anything wrong!” Courtney holds her tighter, cheek pressed to the top of her head. Her heart hammers in her chest, terrified of what Jared might do next, but knowing that her fears are nothing compared to what Bianca must be feeling.

“I’m just...sorry. I know you’ve been planning something, and I-”

“Oh jesus, Bianca, that doesn’t matter. All that matters is that you’re okay.” Courtney cradles her face and looks at her, eyes bright, brow furrowed in concern. “It was just a little weekend getaway thing, you know? We can do it another time.”

“Actually,” Asia interrupts, then looks a little chagrined when they turn to her. “Sorry for eavesdropping, I just wanted to tell you that it might be a good idea. For you to go out of town for a couple of days. I don’t want to freak you out, but...at least until the protective order is in place.”

“When will that be?” Bianca asks tiredly.

“Monday morning,” Asia says. “I promise. We have everything we need.”

Bianca nods.

“Well...if that’s what you want, we could go,” Courtney says, smoothing down her hair. “I have all our bags packed and in the car downstairs.

“What about the dogs?”

“They’re downstairs too. With Sasha. She drove me here because she was gonna watch them this weekend. Is that okay?”

Bianca nods, then asks quietly, “Can I see them first?”

“Of course!” Courtney leans forward to kiss the tears slipping down her cheeks. “Whatever you need.”

They sit together for a few more minutes, until Bianca feels composed again--as much as she can, considering the circumstances. Courtney slides off her lap and offers a hand, helping her to her feet.

The leave hand in hand, fingers laced together, Bianca gripping Courtney tightly to keep herself grounded. As they wait for the elevators, she manages to give Courtney a small, grateful smile.

[august-anon]

Touch

Hey hey! Very nervous about this because, unlike Sanders Sides, I have not written for TAZ for over 2 years, and I also have not listened to Balance for over a year so I wasn’t sure I nailed their voices. The wonderful, talented, kind, amazing @cefsticklestoo​ looked this over for me, though, and she said it was good, so here I go lol.

Fandom: The Adventure Zone: Balance

Ship(s): Taakitz

Characters (lee/ler): Lee!Taako/Ler!Kravitz

Word Count: 2335 words

Summary: Touch and Taako have always had an interesting relationship, but it was time he started figuring it out with this new world, since they seemed to be sticking around.

[ao3 link]

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

Touch was an interesting thing for Taako.

For so long, it had just been him and Lup. The Taaco twins against the world. And most days, it truly had felt like the world was against them. They didn’t have an easy childhood or adolescence, but Taako liked to think that’s why he’d survived so long through all the bullshit he’d been through.

Even with the Starblaster crew, the people who became their family, people as close to his heart as Lup (and that wasn’t easy to do), touch had not come easily.

They had held their aloof personas, darting out of hugs and away from fond touches with their usual bravado, making a joke of it as they went. Even as Lup and Taako had practically attached themselves to each other at the hip, molding into each other when the other was near, they did not let the rest of the crew touch.

It took quite a few cycles before anyone besides each other was able to lay a hand on them. Of course it was Magnus, the stupid man (more of a child back then, to the two of them with their lifespans and his startling youth) was practically a golden retriever in a human’s body. He was excitable and affectionate and he grew on you like a fungus, getting under your skin and making you fond of him without you even realizing.

Then it was Barry. Then Merle. Lucretia and Davenport were the last to be invited into the physical contact gang, though not for lack of love. They were simply more reserved people, which the twins (and everyone else on the Starblaster) had come to respect, and even endear.

But they were family. It made sense for them all to hang off each other like jungle gyms, touching whenever touch was allowed. It was just the way of the Taaco’s when someone became close to them, became family.

Which was why Taako was so torn with the new people in their lives.

Angus was a whole new can of worms that Taako wasn’t necessarily ready to open, though he really should work on that before it was too late, now that all the world saving was done. The rest of their new friends weren’t as pressing in that matter (except maybe Carey and Killian, possibly Avi, but they seemed fine to give him time to figure himself out for the time being), but he really needed to figure out what he was going to do with that kid, who they were to each other.

But Kravitz. That was his focus right now.

Kravitz, his beautiful Bone Daddy. Kravitz, his whirlwind romance. Kravitz, the one he kissed at the end of the world. Kravitz, the one he was certain he was beginning to fall in love with.

And wasn’t that a terrifying thought? Taako had never been in love before, it really wasn’t fair of Kravitz to spring all these feelings on him now.

But Kravitz. The man sitting on his couch at that exact moment, waiting for Taako to bring out the hot cocoa he’d made for them since neither of them had been sleeping well since the almost-end-of-the-world, and were both somewhat stressed with the rapidly approaching wedding of Carey and Killian. (Taako was not ready. Weddings were too mushy. Magnus was going to cry, and if Magnus cried, Taako would cry and have to pretend he wasn’t crying).

Taako took a deep breath and grabbed the mugs, walking out into the sitting area of their room in the BoB (which, it was a little uncomfortable staying there now, he had a lot of things to work out before it became okay again, if it ever would, but he didn’t really have many other places to live at the moment. At least Merle and Magnus were out, currently), setting them both on the coffee table.

Taako moved to sit down near Kravitz. Kravitz lifted his arm in invitation. Taako paused.

There was a standstill for a moment that Taako hoped Kravitz didn’t notice before he made a bold decision and sat down, pressed up against Kravitz from his thigh to his shoulder, and pulled his feet up onto the couch next to him. Kravitz seemed to relax at Taako’s decision and wrapped his arm around him so that his fingers rested against Taako’s side.

And it was nice. Taako didn’t feel like fleeing, he wasn’t scared or nervous (okay, he was a little nervous, but he would never in his life admit that to anyone). The touch didn’t feel wrong. In fact, it felt so incredibly right.

So Taako curled further into Kravitz, snatching the mugs off the coffee table to hand one to Kravitz so they could both drink. Thankfully, the hot chocolate had cooled off enough in Taako’s dawdling to drink, a comfortable warmth instead of a burning heat.

Taako thought he was in the clear, that he had managed to hide his hesitance well enough from Kravitz that he didn’t notice, but that proved to be false as they reached the mid-point of emptying their mugs. 

Kravitz interrupted the companionable silence. “Are you not big on cuddling? Or touching? It’s okay if you aren’t, I won’t mind.”

Curse his wonderful undead boyfriend for being so sweet and considerate and actually making Taako want to discuss the issue instead of brushing it all off with a joke as usual.

Taako sighed and set his mug down on the coffee table again, Kravitz leaning forward to follow suit. His hand shifted nervously against Taako’s side, as if he felt like he was overstepping, but he didn’t remove it yet. Taako stared forward at the doorway to Magnus’s room, not looking Kravitz in the eye.

“If you asked Lup,” Taako started, speaking startlingly quietly, “she’d say I was the most cuddly bastard in the world.”

Taako paused, searching for words in a way that felt very not-him. Kravitz remained silent, giving him time to work it out.

“Not sure if the rest of the crew would share that sentiment, but physical affection is definitely not uncommon. It’s just weird. Hard to decide when I trust someone enough to let it happen.”

Taako finally turned to look at Kravitz, something twisting and stirring in his heart at the painfully soft look he was sending him. Taako wanted to look away, put up his haughty facade again as he cuddled up to Kravitz and drank his cocoa and pretended he wasn’t soft on the inside, but something in Kravitz’s eyes kept his gaze there.

“So you trust this, trust me, enough to let it happen?” Kravitz asked softly.

Except his words were accompanied by a squeeze to Taako’s side. It was probably meant as comfort or encouragement or affection, but it hit certain pressure points far too well, leaving Taako to do his best to cover up a gasp and a jump so high that he practically ended up in Kravitz’s lap.

Wait. He could use that.

Taako quickly readjusted himself to sit in Kravitz’s lap completely, trying to make it look like it was part of the same movement as before. He gave Kravitz one of his flirtatious smiles and turned on the charm, wrapping his arms around Kravitz’s neck.

“I’m in your lap,” Taako teased, “what do you think?”

Kravitz let out a startled laugh, wrapping both hands around Taako’s waist to intertwine at the base of his spine. “I guess that proves it, doesn’t it?” He chuckled.

Taako let out a pleased hum and relaxed, preparing to reach for his mug again. Kravitz was warm (which was strange and new, but certainly not a bad thing) and so was the hot cocoa, and while Taako didn’t necessarily think he could sleep yet, some more time spent just like that and he might be able to.

“But,” Kravitz said cheekily, “I am very interested to know why you vaulted onto my lap so quickly.”

Taako froze, trying to bury down a look that was some mix between panicked and excited. Panicited. 

Kravitz’s hand inched along his back to grip his side once more. “Did it have something to do with this?” He asked, and squeezed once more, this time with purpose.

This time, Taako’s cover-up was not as graceful. He yanked his arms down from around Kravitz’s neck, sticking his elbows tightly to his sides. He used one hand to cover his mouth and the other to start pushing at the hand Kravitz had on his waist as he squirming in Death’s lap.

Kravitz laughed. “Oh, this will be fun, I think.”

And suddenly both hands were squeezing up and down Taako’s sides. Not-quite-contained squeaks were muffled by the hand over his mouth, but Taako was determined not to embarrass himself by giggling. Kravitz hummed thoughtfully, quickly pinching his hips and the edges of his stomach before returning to squeezing his sides.

And here’s the thing.

Taako didn’t necessarily mind tickling. In fact, at times he could quite enjoy it, both giving and receiving. Pan knows the Starblaster crew had plenty of such “bonding moments,” not to mention he and Lup themselves. But only Lup knew about Taako’s true feelings surrounding the silly, affectionate action. He had an image to keep, after all. If people knew how much he liked it, they’d think he’d gone soft (or, worse, realize he had secretly been soft the whole time).

And another thing: when was the last time Taako had laughed? A real, true laugh. Not a laugh concocted perfectly for the situation at hand, carefully faked to sound as natural as possible. Not a barely-there chuckle at Magnus and Merle’s goofs, even still disguised to hide the true sound of it. Not a laugh to mock or be cruel or tease. A real laugh.

Truthfully, it was probably back sometime in that century he just regained.

And Taako was nothing if not competitive. He had a record going now, after all. If he hadn’t truly laughed in that long, he should really see how much longer he could keep it up.

But then Kravitz’s hands weaseled under his elbows and started skittering up and down his rib cage and Taako lost it. He forgot how bad that spot was. Lup knew, get Taako’s ribs or thighs and he would agree to just about anything you wanted.

“K-Krav” Taako cried through his laughter, hand flying down from his mouth to try and push the offending hands away.

Kravitz’s hands faltered for a moment, giving Taako a brief moment of respite. He glanced up to see Kravitz staring at him in wonder. 

“What?” He snapped.

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard any music ever so beautiful before,” Kravitz whispered in awe, still staring into Taako’s flushed face.

Taako huffed. “Well, don’t get used to it. It’s not going to happen ofte--!”

Taako’s laughter turned to shrieks and cut off his own sentence as Kravitz’s hands started spidering back up his ribs in the middle of his sentence. His fingers had traveled up and slightly back to that awful spot, just above the middle of his rib cage, slightly on his back.

Taako couldn’t remember the last time he laughed that hard. Once Kravitz found that little spot that made him cackle and almost scream, his fingers abused it in the terrible (wonderful) ways they possibly could. They dug in with fingertips, they fluttered with a barely-there touch, they skittered around playfully, they traced with fingernails. Every new technique made the sensations wash over him anew, leaving him in desperate stitches with barely any room to speak.

And Taako realized that he missed this. Sure, he’d always had an affinity for it, loved playing around with the people he called family, would occasionally get a craving, but he never thought it was a big part of his life. Evidently, his body (and mind, not that he was admitting that) missed the playful torture more than he thought. Despite the fact that he was desperately running out of air, he wanted Kravitz to continue forever.

But Kravitz did stop soon after that as Taako’s laughter went silent, rubbing comfortingly up and down his torso. Taako faceplanted into Kravitz’s chest as his own heaved for breath, letting out residual giggles with every exhale.

“Ne—Never do that again,” Taako breathed out the lie through his residual giggles, trying to save face.

Kravitz chuckled above him. “Sorry, love.” (And didn’t that just made Taako’s heart flutter in the most embarrassing of ways) “But I don’t necessarily think you mean that.”

Taako sat up with a scowl, “And just what makes you think that, huh?”

Kravitz smiles softly at him. “Well you see, Taako is a man who knows what he wants, and what he doesn’t. You wouldn’t have let that go on for as long as you did if you actually meant that.” Kravitz’s smile turned cheeky. “Plus, you hardly struggled and never once said ‘no’ or ‘stop.’”

Taako sputtered hopelessly, feeling himself blush to the tips of his ears.

“It’s cute,” Kravitz teased, pulling him closer again. “Relax, your little secret is safe with me.”

“It better be,” Taako grumbled, but fell into Kravitz’s embrace without any struggle.

Kravitz held him tightly and hummed, the sound rumbling through Taako where he laid on Kravitz’s chest. He glanced up at Kravitz just as he glanced down at Taako. They both smiled.

“Hey,” Kravitz said.

“Hey,” Taako replied.

“Can I kiss you?”

“I’d be offended if you didn’t.”

Kravitz laughed and leaned in. The kiss was short, but sweet. They hadn’t kissed since that terrible day, the world collapsing around them. At the time, Taako wasn’t sure if he would ever get to do it again.

He was so glad he got to do it again.

When they pulled away, Taako cuddled into Kravitz’s chest, curling up in his lap like a cat and just letting Kravitz hold him, running a hand through his hair and across his back. Within minutes, he was falling asleep.

It was the best sleep he’d had in years.

[mimymomo]

Homeless Eurydice HC’s

I made a post a while ago about homeless Eurydice AU and an anon asked me to expand the AU further so here it is after a long wait. Thank you for being patient anon!!! There’s a lot of them so I’ll be putting most under the read-more link.

Pre-Orpheus:

Home was not a word Eurydice was familiar with. Sure, she had heard it constantly flung around in public and on TV shows and songs, and questioned by others at school and work, but the idea of ‘home’ and herself never seemed to mix. 

From a young age, she found herself bouncing and forth from one misfit foster home to the next, staying at no place for longer than a year.

Even her original residence left many things to be desired: an absentee father, an alcoholic, rarely-present mother with her numerous cruel and creepy boyfriends. It was less a home and more a temporary place until CPS picked her up at age 9. By age 17, she’d had enough: no more homes. She knew she wasn’t going to be adopted, no one wanted a problem child with issues up the wazoo.

So she ran.

For the first few months, Eurydice lived in a tent- it was spring/summer so for the most part, besides the occasional rainstorm, she was fine. She was in school during half of these months so she could shower/eat there and had a place to store some of her belongs. When summer broke out, she took to bathing in ‘less than desirable’ places when the school wasn’t open (public bathrooms with a washcloth and sometimes even outsides in lakes/a kitty pool she bought to wash clothes to save money). But fall rolls around, this has to change.

She devises a plan to spend the spring/summer months in her tent and the fall/winter months in shelters or friend's houses.

Eurydice gets a job at a fast-food joint (NIGHTSHIFTS ARE A GODSEND!) and becomes a master at saving/dividing money. She likes working at restaurants do to food accessibility. 

She will sometimes purposely mess up orders so she can eat the returned mistakes. Most managers don’ t catch on but one did and nearly fired her. Some co-workers notice how small and constantly hungry Eurydice always is and often try to sneak/buy her food on her break (Eurydice is more stubborn than a mule so usually outwardly refuses but will eat it secretly).

She buys a membership to a really cheap and crappy gym in order to use their showers (she had some BAD experiences while trying to use said showers but the ability to bathe wins out not using them anymore). 

Over the next few years, she PERFECTS the art of keeping good hygiene and smelling good on a budget: a spritz of cheap body spray before drying her skin/clothes completely and travel-sized/dollar store toiletries will go miles!

Eurydice is a master pickpocketer. She won’t do it often because she’s prideful and hates not paying but sometimes when money is real-tight, she the bite the bullet Her most shoplifted items are tampons/pads, washcloths/hand towels, sanitary items, socks, and granola bars. She’ll usually buy one or two items to distract workers from the small stuff she stuffs into her bag.

Eurydice has had to do some other pretty questionable acts that she’s not proud of to get money/shelter but only as an absolute necessity.

Eurydice keeps a tally of ‘How Many Coffeeshops Kick Me Out Because I Make Other Customers Uncomfortable/Other Random Reasons.” She’s at 7 so far. She’s become quite the loiterer (her favorite places are college campuses and libraries). 

Meeting Orpheus:

She never meant to go home with him, never meant to even meet the boy with wide, shiny hazel eyes that stared into her soul. It had been a completely random occurrence. 

She had only wanted a drink: it was the middle of spring but it still felt like freezing cold winter. She needed something to perk her up. 

He was working the bar, wiping down the counter and serving up drinks with a smile that passed the obligatory customer service smile she often wore at her own job. He looked so young, a beacon of natural light in the dark, dinginess of bar. She doesn’t pay him any mind past ordering her drink (the boy stutters as she does so, face flushed pink and he stares at her for far too long. He can’t form a full sentence and instead just nods at her order). An older gentleman with dark skin wearing a fancy silver suit begins conversing with her, asking what brings her in. She doesn’t know what it is, but before she realizes it, she’s immediately spilling her predicament. Nothing too major, she’s not that stupid, but she does admit she has nowhere else to go. 

“I’m a homeless runaway who’s in desperate need of a drink. Problem with that?”

She moves from the bar counter to an old table that runs along the sides of the bar wall. She’s lost in her thoughts when it happens:

“Come home with me!” 

That’s what he says to her, that beautiful, idiotic bartender with the pretty eyes. Not “hello again”, not “here’s your order”, freaking “come home with me...” Hell, he didn’t even remember her drink!

Eurydice meant to laugh him off, tell him to buzz off and continue on with her night drinking away her woes in peace. Yet, she doesn’t. They, to her utter shock, hit it off surprisingly well. He’s sweet, a bit on the naive side, and has the most precious laughing expression Eurydice has ever seen. 

She learns his name is Orpheus, he’s a year younger than her and he works part-time as a bartender here at his guardian's (Orpheus points to the man in the silver suit and he affectionately refers to him as Mister Hermes) bar. He also a musician. 

“You’re a player huh? Hope you’re not planning to break my heart, poet.”“No, of course not! I’m not like that.”He tells her about his dream of his song one day being played all over the world and spreading love to all that hear it.

“So you wanna be famous and make a load of money?”

Orpheus shakes his head, “it’s not about the money Eurydice. It’s about expressing feelings to others. Telling a story and hoping that everyone who hears will understand what you mean.” 

Eurydice is definitely not enamored by the boy and his poetic words

Eurydice forces Orpheus to sing to her before she agrees to go home with him (”I have to make sure you weren’t a liar as well as a player.”). By the time the first note spills from his lips, she sold.

His apartment is small, modest and cramped, half scribbled in notebooks and sheets of crumpled up paper litter the ground. Pictures of Orpheus, Mister Hermes and some other relatives Eurydice doesn’t recognize decorate his walls and shelves. An acoustic guitar sits undisturbed in its stand in the corner of the one-bedroom home. Nothing happens that night, which stuns Eurydice. Men always want something more. They sit and talk, moving from the living area to the queen-sized bed.

Eurydice asks Orpheus why he decided to let her stay and he answers like it’s the most obvious thing in the world, “because I didn’t want you to be all alone in the cold.” Eurydice would’ve been pissed had anyone else said this to her, she was an adult damn it. She could take care of herself. However, it didn’t sound patronizing coming from his lips. He just genuinely cared. 

 Eurydice lets Orpheus spoon her from behind, his warm breath tickling the hairs on her neck. She drifts off to sleep to the sounds of Orpheus’ light, harmonious snores, the rest of the outside world for once is silent. It’s the best sleep she’s had in years.

Eurydice thinks that it was a one time deal. That Orpheus, with his head in the clouds and eyes towards the sky, would move on and forget all about her. 

But he doesn’t. 

He invites to come back the next day as she’s heading out the door.

“You can come back tonight! If you want, that is.” 

Eurydice doesn’t say anything at first. She just leaves with a quiet, “we’ll see.”

She finds herself back at the bar and in Orpheus’ bed again that night.

She finds herself returning to the quaint apartment again and again. She makes excuses (the shelter ran out of rooms, my tent has a hole in it, etc.), she’s sure Orpheus doesn’t buy them after a while but he never questions her which she greatly appreciates.

Soon, she starts leaving things in his house. Small things- a bag, some clothes, a toothbrush. Small things turn into big things then all of her things.

Their relationship quickly morphs from friendship to romantic in the following weeks. Were they moving fast? Yes, definitely. Too fast? Maybe, but for them, it wasn’t fast enough. 

Eurydice doesn’t know when she started thinking of Orpheus’ apartment as her home but she clearly remembers the first time she said it out loud: she’s outside the bar, kissing Orpheus goodbye as he’s heading into work.

“See you at home lover boy.” She pauses, home? Is that what it is?

Orpheus, not noticing her hesitation, kisses her once more, “I’ll see you at home. Love you.”

‘Home, huh?’ For the first time, the word didn’t sound funny rolling off her tongue. It didn’t send acidic shocks down to her stomach, quite the opposite really, she felt butterflies fluttering about in its place. Home. She finally had a home. ‘Maybe wasn’t such a bad thing after all?’ She smiled as she continued her way back to her and Orpheus’ apartment, already ready to see her boyfriend back at home.

I’m so sorry that this is so late anon! But it’s super long so I hope that makes up for it slightly!

[chipmunkfanno1love]

Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure Speculation: Varian and Vex Shipping

Though Varian has often been shipped with Cassandra, lately it has been a mixed bag of very strong opinions regarding the ship, especially some negative ones about Varian being too young for Cassandra who is in her 20’s while he’s in his teens. Personally I don’t have a problem with them becoming a couple, so long as they wait until Varian is legally an adult (such as it was with Ferb and Vanessa in “Phineas and Ferb”). I could see them as a couple if the creators of the show flashfoward to the future with an older Rapunzel and Eugene are telling their story and the fates of their friends to their children.

Personally I want to keep out of the arguments, and talk about this from a purely fictional opinion. While I do think Cassandra and Varian had great chemistry together in “Great Expositions”, so far Varian’s feelings for Cass are just an innocent crush (I even heard a rumour that Chris Sonneberg said it wouldn’t go any further than this) which Cass doesn’t requite. So I think the chances of these two becoming a couple, even when Varian’s older is pretty slim. Still, I do hope these two become friends again.

Anyway, the point of my topic is to bring up a potential new love-interest for Varian, and while I am pretty open about his love life and who his future girlfriend could be, I’m pretty keen on this ship I’m about to suggest.

The ship is between:

Varian

and

Vex

I imagine this ship is going to have a lot of mixed feedback. Some may not like it because they’re strong for the ship between Cassandra and Varian, while others won't like the ship because they simply don’t like Vex. Hear me out though, here are some good reasons why I think Varian and Vex could make a good couple.

1. The two appear to be close in age to each other. I imagine they’d be some cute teenage romantic tension between these two. It would be adorable to see the growing puppy love (which may eventually blossom into true love) between them.

2. Vex seems to me like a younger counterpart to Varian’s old crush, Cassandra, so I wouldn’t be surprised if Varian becomes attracted to her. Plus the fact that they both look up to her could give them something to bond over (though it might also cause some jealousy too if Vex develops a crush on Varian).

3. I get the feeling that Varian is attracted to tough women. While his crush on Cass was partly to do with her saving his life, I also think it could be that he admired her for her strength and courage. I reckon if he got to know Vex he would come to admire her own strong qualities. Perhaps like Cassandra before her, Vex could also learn to admire Varian’s compassion and smarts (though she may find his optimism annoying at first). I reckon in time these two opposites could attract.

4. Both are former juvenile delinquents of sorts, what with Varian taking over and almost destroying an entire kingdom, stealing a precious ancient relic, not to mention kidnapping Queen Arianna and later attempting to murder her and Cassandra. While Vex as far as I know hasn’t done that, she had her fair share of crimes including bribery and playing part of a kidnapping. Plus who knows what else (her selling weapons suggests a few possibilities). Over time I can see these two learning to empathise with each over their past crimes and connect over their desires to redeem themselves in their current roles, e.g. Varian in helping Princess Rapunzel and Vex in being Deputy to Captain Quaid the Sheriff of Vardaros.

Fun Fact: I reckon their ship name could be V.V (Varian and Vex). Unless of course Vex isn’t Vex’s real name. I believe she could have changed her name, much like two other former criminals we know (Eugene and Lance).

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Here are several movie and TV couples that I think could be good examples of how these two could interact as a couple and/or even friends:

Zuko and Mai from “Avatar: The Last Airbender

The one thing I have noticed is that Varian and Zuko’s falls from grace and eventual redemption stories have a lot of similarities to each other, especially since they both had something to do with their estranged relationships with their fathers’ (though I am no way saying that Quirin is cruel and abusive like Lord Ozai was). Both are also rebellious risk-takers who want to do the right thing but often take misguided actions which have terrible consequences to them, though both are eager to make up for their past mistakes and help their respective main character (Rapunzel/Aang) in their destiny. Of course, nerdy alchemist Varian is much more friendly, optimistic and clumsy compared to the hot-tempered, moody and athletically-inclined Fire Prince turned Fire Lord, Zuko. Still, he certainly has his angsty moments which are very similar to Zuko’s. 

I think it makes sense that Varian gets a girlfriend with a lot of similarities to Zuko’s girlfriend, Mai. Mai and Vex are certainly similar in the sense that both are moody, cynical action girls who both seem to have trouble expressing their feelings. Maybe Vex’s cynicism is the result of growing up in her rough town. She had to be tough in order to survive, plus there is a hint that maybe she’s an orphan, so there’s potential that she could be carrying a lot of emotional baggage and even fears of abandonment. She probably pretends not to care about anything because she’s scared if she does she’ll get hurt, similar to how Mai pretends not to care because she was taught to repress her feelings from a young age by her controlling mother.

Either way, like Zuko and Mai, I think both Varian and Vex could bring the best out in each other. Varian could help Vex to open up more, while Vex could help Varian recover from his past wounds (in her own Vex way). I’m sure she can empathise with Varian’s dark past as she wasn’t always on the right side of law herself, or at least her neutral siding didn’t exactly make her stand out as a good guy, until she made the decision to become Captain Quaid’s deputy and therefore firmly planted herself on the good side.

I can definitely see Varian and Vex having a fight similar to Zuko and Mai’s during the party scene of “The Beach”. Also I can also see Vex wearing the pants in the relationship like Mai does (Mai’s warning to Zuko in the series finale never to break up with her again sounds like something I imagine Vex saying to Varian). I believe they will show affection to each other in the same way Zuko and Mai do. This confession of love from Mai sounds like something that Vex would definitely say herself: “I don’t hate you.”

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Wednesday Addams and Joel Glicker from “The Addams Family Values”

A lot of people have compared Vex’s looks and personality to Wednesday Addams from The Addams Family franchise:

While I certainly won’t deny the similarities, I believe that Vex was inspired by Mattie Ross from the 2010 version of the film True Grit:

Nonetheless, I can’t deny there are similarities between Vex and Wednesday. I just hope Vex isn’t quite as morbid, lol. Still, I do wonder if the writers do bring in more of the similarities into later episodes (if Vex does make future apperances).

Personally I don’t find that Joel Glicker was the most well-developed character ever. He was more the overprotected nerdy boy who fell for the dark gothic girl. Still, I guess that Varian has similarities to Joel in the sense they are both nerdy characters who are a little insecure and intense (though I do hope Varian has better self-esteem than Joel). I think it would be funny if Varian had a reaction to seeing Vex for the first time similar to Joel’s when he met Wednesday. Somehow I doubt it will happen, but it’s still funny and kind of cute at the same time

Wednesday meets Joel. See 1:59 to 2:17:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us3JQh-m2FM&list=PLlXqHikVVQDQerwZg0GuBzJPXel5MIPHi&index=6&t=142s

I wouldn’t call Wednesday and Joel’s relationship the best, and I certainly wouldn’t want the ending of their relationship to happen between Varian and Vex, but underneath all the morbidity and insecurity, I think there’s a lot of cute moments between these two. They are definitely an interesting example of opposites attract, plus there is some adorable awkwardness between them that I think could be brought to Varian and Vex’s relationship. I personally see Wednesday and Joel’s relationship being an example of how Varian and Vex’s friendship and eventually relationship starts out, perhaps even hinted at as spoof material within the show.

Some examples could be Varian attempting the “yawn and stretch move” on Vex, but she holds up a knife and says “Touch me with that arm, and you’ll lose it.” or simply “Don’t even think about it.” causing Varian to fearfully back away from her on the seat. Though perhaps Varian does something that really impresses Vex, whether it’s showing his braver, angsty side (which I believe that Vex would find attractive) and/or he uses one of his inventions to help the town of Vardaros. Because Vex is a little reluctant to show she’s impressed, she simply says thank you and a half-hearted comment to Varian for his good work. Though Varian can tell that how moved Vex is from a small smile she shares with him and a sign that she’s warming up to the possibility of being affectionate with him, as shown by Wednesday here:

Even Wednesday and Joel’s farewell and first kiss I could see Varian and Vex spoofing, though in their own individual way.

Wednesday and Joel’s first kiss

https://youtu.be/ZibUVA54BWY

So while I hope they’re not exactly like this couple, it would be cute if we saw some spoof references like this. :)

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Arnold Shortman and Helga Pataki from “Hey Arnold!”

I’ll be honest with you guys, I’m probably one of the few people who hasn’t seen the most of the Hey Arnold! TV series and movies. I’ve only seen a few episodes. Still, from what I’ve seen of these two, they seem to have similar personalities to Varian and Vex, plus I imagine their relationship being similar too.

Like Arnold, Varian is friendly, optimistic and always there to help out his friends. While Helga and Vex are similar in that they are both tough, aggressive girls who don’t like to open up about their feelings.

I could definitely see Vex being rather mean to Varian at first, calling him “dork” or “nerd”, but overtime maybe she’ll start to lessen up on the insults and starts to respect Varian for his smarts and the positive affect his inventions could possibly have on Vardaros, though she still keeps him at an emotional distance due to trust issues, and it will probably take a bit of time but perhaps Varian’s mixture of kindness and tough love towards Vex could eventually be the thing that slowly breaks down her emotional walls.

I could probably see Vex developing a crush on Varian (though perhaps not as obsessively as Helga though) but has a hard time showing it. She’ll probably show him affection by punching him in the arm, which is meant to be friendly but hurts because Vex is stronger than she looks.

Maybe she might convince Captain Quaid to give Varian a job as the Alchemist of Vardaros, saying that he can help the people of Vardaros with his inventions and alchemy. Though this is possibly true, I believe she would more suggest the idea to Quaid so she can convince Varian to stay in Vardoros. Varian considers the offer, partly because he believes he can be helpful to the people of Vardaros and the other half because he’s starting to fall for Vex and wants to stay with her. I think he turns down the offer at first (which will probably hurt Vex) but promises he’ll return to visit once he’s helped Rapunzel achieve her destiny and reunite her with Cassandra. Though he may even decide to stay in Vardaros as their professional Alchemist after the mission is finished, eventually becoming Vex’s boyfriend.

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A bonus unofficial couple I could compare them to is:

Hiro Hamada and Karmi from “Big Hero 6: The Series”

There’s no denying that Hiro and Varian are very alike. Both are intelligent and creative child prodigy inventors who are both adorkable and clumsy. Both have lost and/or almost lost family members, and as a result have almost committed murder in order to avenge their loved one’s, though have tried their best to make up for their past mistakes. They are also the one of youngest in their respective group of friends (though not quite with Varian as Keira/Angry and Catalina/Red have now officially joined the group and are a few years younger than him).

While Karmi is rather different from Vex, they do share anti-social and moody tendencies. Deep down underneath their moody exterior though, both have the drive to do the right thing.

Like Hiro and Karmi, I could imagine Varian and Vex having a rivalry of sorts during their first meeting. Perhaps Varian gets jealous over Catalina (Red) and Kiera (Angry) looking up to Vex over him as an older sibling/mentor figure due to them respecting her “tough as nails woman” exterior. Also maybe Vex could get jealous if Quaid starts paying more attention to Varian and his inventions, e.g. maybe he could invent a special smoker to calm Quaid’s bees, impressing the Captain of Vadaros greatly and gaining Vex’s envious resentment.

Over time though, like Hiro and Karmi, these two could learn to respect each other and their talents, eventually forming a friendship, which over time shows signs of romantic attraction between the two teens.

-

Even if Varian and Vex don’t become a couple, I would still love it if somehow they did meet on the show and eventually become friends. I’m sure it would be cool to see how they interact with someone in their own age group.

What do you guys think? I’d love to hear your feedback, but please refrain from harsh negativity.