#sitting with a war going back n forth destroying me w it

[tamagotchikgs]

really though my like object permanence for emotions is nonexistent if i am not actively feeling it i might as well never have and it they r active they r . So much . they take over me completely. 2 the point even happiness feels painful but in a good way i think,, but i will go from like. reduced 2 just wirthing ripping out my heart i am in agony everything has always been & will always be agony to oh, everything is great :] 1 lil thing flipped me upside down n now the world has always been this colourful i cant imagine anything else and then OU,,,,, crying sobbing pain anguish joy doesnt exist. all within the span of like. 10 mins. but it feels so much longer my brain is living in a whole different world. also it is not only painful 4 me but also a big issue when it comes to bad things happening irl, because like. say when my pet rat died, i was fucking inconsolable but then , Fine. it was over. n it feels so bad i feel so guilty i cant hold onto anything for the amount of time i should everything is just in n out n in n out clock in extreme pain clock out clock in extreme joy clock out for no apparent reason

[galacticwildfire]

Lost. | Prequel to Found.

Two

Pairing: Kenobi!oc x Boba Fett

Summary: prequel to found.

Years before Kyra Kenobi met Din Djarin, the Rebellion general caught the eye of another bounty hunter who she enlisted to smuggle her through a war zone to return to Mandalore and take her place as duchess.

Warnings: age gap; oc is 19 going on twenty at the beginning of the story, same age as luke and leia, back and forth word play, fighting with Bo-Katan, things are starting to get steamy

Word Count: 2.7k

A/N: I had people suggest that I should do a prequel to found and well here it is, it won't be particularly long and will have some time jumps but I'm excited to explore the truth of them before he appears in found and elaborate on what I've seen in the Book of Boba Fett

~

~

~

I'm woken by a hand on my shoulder.

"We're entering the system."

I sit upright and look out, sure enough recognising the familiar sight and ask "How did you get past the checkpoints?"

Somehow me falling asleep during the process doesn't feel coincidental.

He doesn't reveal anything. "You paid me for transport, not questions."

I don't press any further and set my eyes on Mandalore in the near distance, immediately notices the lack of Imperial warships. As intelligence said, they've retreated back to the Empire's strongholds while they try to regroup following the destruction of the Death Star.

As we approach the planet I feel the beskar hidden beneath my robes, knowing the rumours of discord within the palace are no doubt true. And it is time I put an end to it.

"Alright, where do you want me to drop you?" he asks.

"The palace," I answer and his helmet tilts towards me. "It's time to go home."

He doesn't ask any questions as we enter the atmosphere and it's clear from the protests in the street that Bo-Katan has already lost control of the planet. He doesn't ask questions as he lands on the palaces landing dock and I'm unsurprised and disappointed to find the doors unguarded. And so I use the force to blow them open, the Bounty Hunter following me in as I tear the veil from my head. Everyone immediately stepping through to let me enter the throne room where the council is protesting Bo-Katan's rule.

"The Duchess is dead!"

"She is," I announce, my voice ringing through the throne room. "But I am not."

"Princess!" someone exclaims only to be corrected.

"Duchess."

The room bows to me, except for one, Bo-Katan.

"You're alive," she says, almost seeming disappointed.

"Why wouldn't I be?" I ask.

"Because your mother isn't."

"Darth Vader took her prisoner, by the time I got to her she was already gone," I say, trying to still my shaky voice. "As is my father. Both dead. And the Death Star destroyed along with our ally Alderaan. While the Empire cedes it is time to unite."

"Under who?" she asks.

"The Manda'lor," I answer and remove my robes to reveal the beskar beneath. "Now, where is the Darksaber?"

With everyone here she has no choice but to publically hand it over to me, as I won it through combat.

And so she kneels as she gives me the Darksaber, as does the rest of the room, by eyes meeting the Bounty Hunter's who stands at the doorway, having had no idea what cargo he was transported beneath the Empire's nose.

~

Once we're out of the throne room Bo-Katan follows me to my room, chastising me like I'm a child.

"You can't rule Mandalore and fight for the Rebellion."

"I can't protect Mandalore alone," I remind her. "The Rebellion is all that stands between Mandalore meeting the same fate as Alderaan."

"It didn't stop Alderaan from being destroyed did it?"

I snap my jaw shut and she shakes her head at me.

"You are too young for this," she chides. "Too young to rule."

"I am a Jedi," I remind her. "Yet it was you who made me a child soldier Bo-Katan. Do not disarm me now I am the one who wields the Darksaber."

"I am not disarming you," she grits out. "I am saying that you are in no position to rule Mandalore."

"And you are?" I challenge knowing the state I found it in.

"I am. Because I am not a child who wants to run off with smugglers and farmboys on an impossible mission."

"Yet we did it," I say proudly. "We did. We destroyed the Death Star. A farm boy. A smuggler. A wookie. A princess. And a Jedi."

"A Mandalorian," she corrects. "You couldn't be further from your father."

"He never trusted you, not truly," I tell her spitefully. "He never admitted it to my mother, but I knew."

"For all the Jedi claim to know all, he was the most blind of the lot," she says and I clench my jaw. "He never knew his own padawan had turned to the darkside until it was too late." She takes a step forward. "Never saw the bloodlust in his own daughter either." I strike her hard across the face and she just laughs. "See, you cannot be both a Mandalorian and a Jedi."

"Get out," I say thickly.

"Excuse me."

"Get out!" I scream at her, using the force to peg a vase at her head which she narrowly dodges. "Get out you hateful bitch!" She leaves with one warning "You know you can't do both." The door's left wide open as I pace the room, wanting to scream, scream at what I haven't even let myself have a moment to feel. The death's of my parents. There is no reasoning with the Empire anymore, we are at war and now is the time to arm ourselves. But the Rebellion needs me, Leia needs me and so does Luke.

I can't just abandon him.

It's then I hear the voice of the Bounty Hunter.

"You're making a mistake."

"Who are you to advise me?" I ask him pointedly. "You don't even claim to be Mandalorian."

"Don't be like your mother," he warns and I tense up. "I was a boy during her reign before the Republic fell. I remember the trouble her stubbornness caused. It was her refusal to see beyond herself that led to the civil war."

"If you hated my mother then why do you think I am making a mistake? And what mistake is that? Coming back here to take Mandalore or the idea of leaving it to Bo-Katan."

"Because you won it in combat, not her," he says, from the tone of his voice knowing how. "Your mother may have been a shit ruler in my eyes but your aunt is a terrorist. She was left as regent for weeks and nearly thrust Mandalore into another civil war despite the Empire being right above them."

"I know," I say quietly. "She is a terrible ruler and a cruel bitch. But this isn't about my faith in her, this is about freedom. Keeping Mandalore free and using this opportunity to strike while the Empire is weak."

"You can't rule a country that's always been on the brink of civil war while fighting for a terrorist organisation."

"Terrorist organisation?" I exclaim and laugh dangerously. "So you are an Imperial."

"Anyone who fights against the Empire is a terrorist by definition," he retorts. "You won't win this war, fighting the Empire will only lead to Mandalore becoming the next Alderaan."

"I'm a Jedi as much as I am a Mandalorian," I tell him with pride. "I did not spend my life hiding from inquisitors to be told by my own aunt who made me a child soldier and a damn bounty hunter that I have to choose!"

He scoffs. "The Jedi. The Jedi were the Republics militia, they brought about as much peace to the galaxy as the Empire. And I'd dare say as much bloodshed."

I look back at him. "What do you know of the Jedi?"

"More than most," he says gravely. "I was a boy when they murdered my father in cold blood. They deserved what the Empire gave them."

My blood runs utterly cold. "You dare say that to me after I witnessed Darth Vader murder father in cold blood?" My voice shakes as I stick a finger into his chest. "After all the blood the Empire has shed!"

He grabs my hand tight. "You're young, so let me give you some wisdom. The Empire will be around for a long time to come, and there is nothing your little rebellion can do to stop them. But you can save Mandalore. The Empire wants you to leave Mandalore in your aunts hands so she can let it fall apart, destabilise it to the point the Empire doesn't have to even raise a weapon to destroy it."

"And if I stay they'll come with their weapons to destroy it," I counter. "I'd rather instability than genocide. I was there when he destroyed Alderaan. Mandalore was next," I warn him and the space between us turns cold. "I'm sure you've done your jobs for him. And the Empire. But don't forget your creed. You may claim to not be apart of Mandalorian society, just as all the others who suffered exile to Concordia. But we are Mandalore. We are a creed. Do not forget it."

He looks at me approvingly. "You are the one who needs to remember that. And make sure the rest of Mandalore does as well if you want them to survive."

And I realise I have an impossible decision in front of me. "I leave Mandalore in Bo-Katans hands and it will destroy itself, and if I stay then it becomes a target."

He tilts his head at me, hand still wrapped around mine. "Are you asking my advice princess?"

"Perhaps," I reluctantly admit, at a loss and not wanting to trust anything that comes out of Bo-Katans mouth. Somehow trusting his counsel above any other.

"Unite Mandalore at whatever cost if you want it to have a chance in hell at surviving itself," he advises. "And as for the Empire- don't put a target on your head."

"It's already there," I tell him. "A bounty hunter should know that."

It's only then it clicks he could put a blaster to my head now and be the Empire's hero, and he knows it. But his hand is holding mine and not his blaster.

"A princess should know better than to trust a bounty hunter."

I tilt my chin up towards him. "You know you'd be dead before you could reach for your blaster."

He chuckles. "Is that a bet?"

In a split second by saber is at his throat at the same time his finger is on the trigger and I despite the way I smirk I can't help but respect him. 

~

I stand on the balcony of the palace to give my address, projectors plastering my face across the planet and know both the Empire and the Rebellion will be watching.

"My mother, Satine Kryze died in the custody of Darth Vader," I begin, trying to keep my voice strong. "I was with her in her last moments, where she was as stoic as always. Her pacifism was her most defining feature as Duchess, and it is what divided Mandalore."

I cannot be a hypocrite, I loved my mother dearly but I did see the flaws in policy, yet am able to sympathise with her decisions now I am in the same position myself.

"Yet in her last words to me she told me to never stop fighting and that is the message I send to every Mandalorian, on planet and scattered across the galaxy. To the pacifists and the warriors. To fight for peace, to fight for freedom. To fight for our survival!"

I hear the crowd below not cheering, but instead shouting a battle cry.

"Mandalore was the next target of the Death Star which destroyed Alderaan, we cannot give the Empire a second chance! It is time to put politics aside and for Mandalore to be united for the first time in its history or else we face extinction!" I look to the people of Mandalore, tears in my eyes and my voice fierce. "From the pacifists to the exiles of Concordia I call to you to return home to defend Mandalore. To fight under my command while the Empire is weak!"

I stand there in my blood red Mandalorian armour as a statement and i do not want it's meaning to be open for debate. "Today I take the throne of Mandalore not just as duchess, but as the Manda'lor who weilds the darksaber. The first Manda'lor in generations by right of combat and I damn well promise to fight first for Manda'lor and second for the Rebellion!"

I feel Bo-Katan and the Bounty Hunter both watching me, knowing my words put a target on my head that is burning red having made my decision.

"Mandalore will today enter a state of Martial Law," I decide, knowing many will be horrified by the decision but it is necessary. "Mandalore will be ruled by military authority until we are once again able to have the time to honour democratic process. But we cannot wait in times such as these, we need action and not debate. The clans of Mandalore are invited to meet with me for war council in which we will put together an immediate plan for tackling the current war against the Empire."

I pull my attention away from the crowd to look into the camera. "And to Darth Vader who murdered my mother, who murdered my father the Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi you know that your days are numbered because as long as I live so do the Jedi."

I turn my back and walk past Bo-Katan with guards at my back, not once looking at her and know this has only just begun. ~ I'm in my new office, drawing up and signing off on the order for martial law to give to the council when the Bounty Hunter enters. "You're speech," he begins. "It was impressive."

"Thank you for your wisdom," I say, still curious. "What charge does it come of?"

"None," he answers. "Just don't get Mandalore destroyed."

He goes to leave and I ask. "Come to the war council."

He seems amused. "Why would I do that?"

"You are the last of your clan from what I gather," I say and tread carefully to get him to reveal his name to me. "What clan would that be?"

"Nice try princess."

"Alright Bounty Hunter, what is your price?" 

"Depends," he contemplates. "What can you offer me?"

I smile to myself, intrigued by the mystery behind the helmet.

"An extended contract," I offer. "I need a right hand and I cannot trust Bo-Katan."

Now he's intrigued. "And what is involved in this contract?"

"You've provided me with better advice than I've ever received elsewhere, I would like to have you with me as an advisor," I tell him. "Just name your price."

"Beskar," he says. "And your saber."

"Pardon?"

"I know you have one," he says and I tense up. "I don't trust the Jedi. Leave it with me as insurance."

"No chance in hell of that," I say holding my ground. "Mandalorians as a whole don't trust the Jedi, yet they trust me."

"I have a unique experience with your kind," he says then mentions. "I met your father once."

"How?" I ask in bewilderment.

"He was trying to kill my own," he answers and things start making sense.

"Did he?"

"No, Mace Windu did that," he replies and I look away. "Do you see now why I don't trust you?"

"A Jedi's lightsaber is the least powerful part of them," I warn the bounty Hunter. "Just as a Mandalorian's armour is only an extension of the warrior beneath. I would know as I happen to be both."

"You are still young, do not overestimate yourself."

"I am not a child," I say bitterly, going on twenty now. "How can I be a child when I've been a soldier my entire life. Raised for war."

It's then he removes his helmet and I swallow my words at his face.

"You're a clone."

He shakes his head. "Far from a clone princess. But still, I was raised for war."

"Your father was Jango Fett," I say, finally piecing it all together. "And you are-"

"Boba Fett," he finishes for me. "Have you heard of me?"

"No," I answer, feeling as if I should have, and perhaps I will soon regret that I do not know his reputation.

"You will," he promises me. "Your rebel intelligence will see to that."

"Should I be concerned that you'll betray me?"

"Depends on the price," he says and I'm ready to negotiate. "What can you offer me that the empire can't."

"Honour," I answer.

He chuckles. "A man can't survive on honour alone."

"Then name your price."

"You couldn't afford me full time, neither can the Empire," he says dismissively. "But don't you worry, there's nothing I can tell the Empire that they won't already know already." The rational part of my brain is screaming not to let him anywhere near my war council, but my instincts tell me he is not yet bought. 

"Name, your, price," I repeat slowly and raise an eyebrow. "Every man has one."

He is a man who isn't used to taking no as an answer, to being argued with, and in his eyes I see I've gained his respect.

Which is why his answer surprises me. "Dinner."

"Dinner?" I repeat in surprise.

"Wear something pretty," he says offhandedly, challenging me now. "And I'll be at your damn war council."

"Deal," I agree, too intrigued to refuse and he bows his head to me before putting his helmet back on.

"Princess," he says excusing himself and I find myself smiling rather dangerously, knowing just how terrible of an idea this is, but liking it just the same.

Taglist

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[xspideyimaginesx]

Shoot to Thrill, Kiss to Kill | ONE

Summary: Beware of those with soft lips and guns at their hips. 

Pairing: 1920sMafia!Sebastian Stan x Reader, 1920sMafia!Tom Holland x Reader

Words: 2.5K

Warnings: cussing, violence, mentions of smut

A/N: If you have any requests, my ask is always open! Thank you for reading!

“There's no surrender And there's no escape Are we the hunters? Or are we the prey?”

“Hey darling,” You murmur as you enter Sebastian’s office, adding a little extra sway to your hips. His mouthed turned up in a smirk, nearly hidden behind his steepled hands that were resting against his lips. His eyes tracked your movement before angling his chair towards his desk. 

You learned forward, wrapping your arms around him from behind. One hand slid just beneath the opening of his buttoned shirt. You could hear Sebastian hold his breath as your lips found his neck. Your lips were light, almost teasing as you left each kiss. 

“And what do I owe this pleasure?” He rasped out before quickly clearing his voice. 

“Chris came by and told me you needed to see me.” You mentioned as you moved around to lean against Sebastian’s chair. 

He hesitated. 

He never hesitated. He always went into everything with his whole heart or nothing at all. 

Sebastian’s throat bobbed as he turned his chair to face his desk, causing you to have to stand up to avoid falling over. His fingers scrambled for the brass box that sat in the left corner of his desk. “Seb…” You tried to catch his attention, but he was set on grabbing one of the neatly placed cigarettes from the box. He shut the box with a loud clang, echoing in the silent room. 

He yanked the lighter out from his suit jacket pocket that was draped on the back of his chair. He stumbled to get the lighter to ignite. Flick. Flick. Fli-the flame finally decided to stand tall enough for Sebastian to light his cigarette. 

“What aren’t you telling me, Seb?” You muttered, suddenly thankful that you were able to have control over your voice, because inside your body was bracing for impact. 

He didn’t have a chance to answer and you didn’t know if he took that as a blessing or a curse as the door swung open, slamming against the back wall. Chris filled the doorway, not paying much heed to our privacy as he lumbered in. Sebastian would never take crap like this from anyone except for Chris and possibly you. He had a standard to uphold around here, but Chris never cared for logistics. 

“Someone a tad bit stressed?” Chris chuckled to himself as he sauntered straight to Sebastian’s desk and took one of the infamous cigarettes from the brass box. He knew Sebastian’s notorious habit of smoking when stressed. 

Sebastian rolled his eyes, trying his best to ignore his second in command. “Don’t mind if I do…” Chris mumbled with the cigarette dangling from his lips as he bent over the desk to retrieve Sebastian’s lighter. 

Flick. It lit in one try. 

“So, what’s the verdict?” Chris asked after a stream of smoke left his lips. He sat himself on the arm of the armchair that stood to the left side of the desk, which was part of Sebastian’s ensemble of a large office. He had a sitting area to the left of his desk with two armchairs and a lamp. Bookcases lined the far walls making the room feel more like a library or study. You would never guess what kind of business Sebastian was in by looking at his office. 

You furrowed your brows, not sure what he was referring to. 

“Chr-“ Sebastian started, but was cut off.

“You haven’t told her yet, have you?” Chris asked in an accusatory tone. He pushed himself off of the armchair, proceeding to pace in front of the sitting area. Back and forth…back and forth…

“It’s not just something I can jump into-“

“The plan was supposed to be implemented this weekend.” Chris shot back.

“I know, but-“

“Do you even care about the business? We are sinking deeper and deeper each day, but you want to take your sweet ass time-“ Chris rambled on stridently with his hands poised on his hips.

Sebastian cut him off, standing quickly, causing his chair to roll back, finally ceasing as it hit the wall. He slammed his hands on the desk, surprising all of us. “Do you dare to question my commitment? Do you honestly think for a second that I wouldn’t lay down my life for what we’ve built here?” His words came out quickly, like throwing knives with each of his words hitting some part of Chris that made him halt his tirade. “I am taking my time because I am not going to rush into this. I am trying to come to peace with what I am going to ask Y/N to do, but it makes me sick.”

Chris stood there almost helpless as he didn’t have some snarky comeback. He let out a slow, lingering breath of smoke.

“Get out and leave me to handle this.” Sebastian ordered, and without a word, Chris followed his orders, not hesitating to shut the door with a bang. 

The room was silent. No moving. No fumbling of papers. No teasing. No releases of smoke from smooth lips. 

His whispers resounded like screams in my ears as they broke the silence, “It’s all gone.”

“What?” Your voice cracked as you finally found your will to speak.

“All our money is gone.” He muttered bitterly before taking a drag from the cigarette that had almost reached its end. “We’re broke.”

“How did this happen?” Your tremulous voice echoed in the room, as you broke the pattern of whispers. 

“Holland,”  He replied in a disheartening, taut tone. “He infiltrated the biggest deal that I’ve had in years and now holds power over our suppliers. They won’t deal to me and I don’t have any leverage over them any more. He paid them off and is providing protection for them in case I retaliate. I spent thousands of dollars trying to make sure this deal went through and he took advantage of that.”

He took your hesitation to respond as a cue to continue, “He’s smart…more than I anticipated. I underestimated him and now it’s come back to get me. It’s humiliating. He got the best of me when he’s barely in his twenties.”

“Why don’t you do what you usually do? Get a man on the inside, and destroy from within.” You muttered, trying to not let your fear seep into your tone.

“Got the news last week.” Sebastian talked under his breath as he slid a file across the desk to where you could see. You forgot how to breathe as you saw the pictures clipped to the file. You couldn’t see the faces, but the ferocity of the pictures made your stomach queasy. Two men were pictured face down in various angles showing multiple gun shot wounds and non-self inflicted injuries. “He knew we had people on the inside.”

You wanted to reach out to him. You wanted to tell him that you both will get through this, but you knew Sebastian wasn’t one for wasted pleasantries. He didn’t care for you to tell him, ‘everything is going to be alright.’ He wanted to hear the truth no matter what cost. 

“So where does that leave me?” You exhaled, struggling to keep your breathing even as your anxiety started to mount. 

Sebastian wouldn’t meet your eyes. Fuck. 

“Sebastian.” You tried to get his attention away from the butt of his cigarette that he was fumbling with. “What was Chris talking about?” 

His face paled the moment you said Chris’ name. 

“A plan was drawn up, but I wasn’t the one to come with it. I tried to shut it down every time it was brought up, but I couldn’t think of any other way. I just-“ He cut himself off as he struggled to find the words that could match the war that was occurring in his head. 

You finally found the will to move to him. You carefully moved to kneel in front of Sebastian, being mindful of your dress as you lowered yourself to the ground.He turned his chair to face you, not quite sure what to do. You grabbed his right hand, wrapping both of your hands around it. You hesitated before looking him in the eyes because it killed you how much the man before you was unraveling because of fear. Fear of failure. Fear of losing the kingdom he had built. Fear of losing you. 

“Sebastian, what do you need me to do?” You asked softly, looking into the storm swirling in his eyes. You wanted this to end. You wanted to take away this torture that he was going through. 

“We need you to be my eyes on the inside.” His voice was gravelly as he spoke, like he had to rip every word from every part of him that was telling him not to go through with this. 

“What?” His words reverberated in your mind, not quite sinking in. This seemed like suicide. You weren’t even sure you were capable of doing such a thing. You were Sebastian’s girlfriend, not one of his trained men. 

“We need you to get intel for us. Straight from his lips. He won’t be expecting it.” Sebastian still hadn’t dared to look you in the eyes. 

“Expecting it from a woman?” You asked cursedly.

Sebastian paused before answering, knowing he should choose his words carefully, “We hear that he only sees women as being useful for…certain purposes.” 

“And how am I supposed to do this?” You wondered aloud.

“Gain his trust. Do what you need to do.” Every word falling from his lips were clipped. Short. Not wanting to take the time to say more as this was taxing him more than he would ever wish.

You knew from the look on his face that if you said no, that’d be it. You wouldn’t have to do it, but what other option did you two have? Sebastian made sacrifices constantly to look after you and his men. He did everything to give you a life that you had always dreamed of. You had a home. He gave you access to an education. You had a purpose. Sebastian gave you opportunities during a time that wanted to keep women in the shadows. It was your turn to make a sacrifice for him.

“What about my gin?” You asked softly.

“You’ll still have time to perfect it. We’ll figure it out.” He murmured, running a soft hand through your hair before cupping your cheek. His look was too tender that you did not want to look away in case you missed it. 

Breathe.

You would still be able to have more times when Sebastian would find you in your workroom, taste testing your creations. He would try to distract you by wrapping his arms around your waist and leaving soft, teasing kisses along your neck, hoping that he could catch enough of your attention for a few stolen kisses. 

For almost four months now you have been working on creating a cocktail that you hoped would be made and sold across New York once it is released. Maybe one day it would find its way across the country and over seas. Your main roadblock was that you didn’t quite have the equipment you needed. It was extremely hard to come by during the Prohibition and would be hard to keep a secret. You were limited to experimenting in the bathtub. Literally. 

The bathtub was only supposed to be a temporary tool until Sebastian could get a large still brought in, but the chances of that were becoming slimmer. Bathtub gin was low quality and could never reasonably be sold on the market so you were blindly experimenting when you added the juniper berries and other botanicals. You weren’t able to tell how it would taste with better quality tools so you were almost at a standstill. 

Sebastian loved watching you work. He loved seeing you so passionate about having ownership over it. He couldn’t wait for the finished product so he could have all of New York raving over it, raving over the empire that you both had anticipated creating. Sending you away was merely a…pause in these plans. Sebastian clenched his hands into fists as he questioned what the hell  he was doing and what he was asking you to do. Is he seriously losing his mind?

You separated the torturous waves of thoughts that were crashing through Sebastian’s mind as you broke the silence, “I’ll do it.” Your voice was so timid, you weren’t sure if the words had even left your lips.

Sebastian’s expression wasn’t readable, but you knew that he had heard you. His eyes were still darting every which way, not quite settling on anything. “Angel…are you sure?” His eyes softened as he called you his favorite pet name.He had called you Angel the night that you two had met.

“You must be an angel, I reckon.” He had murmured as he moved a piece of hair out of your eyes.

“Oh, you do?” You had slightly slurred, having enough alcohol in your system to hold your bearings, but enough to have the nerve to be running your fingers lightly over the back of his hand as it rested on the bar.

“Yes, but I am still trying to figure out if  you’ve been sent down to save my soul or entice me to sin. With legs like yours, I’ve come to think it may be the latter. What do you reckon? Are you my guardian angel?”  He pursed his lips, seeming happy with his response. 

“Why? Does someone need to be saved?”  You asked, before taking a sip of your glass of wine.

“You could say that, Angel.” He matched your move as he brought his glass of gin to his lips.

You met Sebastian’s eyes, “Yes.” 

His lips trembled ever so slightly as he brought your hand to his lips, sealing the deal.

[utautattooedghoul]

OK SO I HAD AN IDEA. SO A TOM HOLLAND X READER AU WHERE THEY’VE KNOWN EACH OTHER SINCE DIAPERS AND LIKE TOM GOT HER TO AUDITION FOR INFINITY WAR AND THERE’S A LOVE INTEREST FOR PETER PARKER IN INFINITY WAR AND SHE GETS THE ROLE AND THEY END UP FALLING IN LOVE AND AT THE LIP SYNC BATTLE SHE DOES SOMETHING AND TOM USES UMBRELLA AND HE CONFESSES HIS ACTUAL LOVE THEY HAVE A SWEET KISS AND ZENDAYA IS THE DJ AND SHES LIKE “gET IT TOM” sorry BUT OMG

OH GOD YES I’VE BEEN WAITING TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND I HOPE YOU LIKE IT!!

———————————————————————————————–

You and Tom had been the best of friends ever since you two were practically in diapers. You two were literally inseparable and ever since you can remember you two were attached at the hips. Tom and you practically went everywhere together, from the Spider-Man Homecoming interviews, all the way to just going out to eat or do something stupid together. 

It was a regular day for you which consisted of hanging out at Toms house and watching TV with Tessa and Tom’s mother Nikki. You and Nikki had decided to watch Homecoming while Tom was out so you two could bond over the fact at how cute and precious Tom was as Peter Parker. 

Tessa immediately raised her head and looked at the door which you knew meant that Tom had just come home from his Infinity War audition but instead of casually walking into the house this boy ran into the house trying to catch his breath. He looked at you and his eyes looked like they were the size of golf balls and you could tell he either had something exciting to say or was friken planning something.

“Get your ass up I am bringing you to auditions right now!” He grabbed your hand and began to slowly drag you to the door before he stopped to catch his breath and sat in a chair at one of the small tables.

“What? Why? Didn’t you just come back from your audition?” You told him as you walked over to the fridge to grab him a bottle of water so he could calm his sweaty ass down.

“I-I just did… But they have another part for a female SpiderHero and I wanted you to audition for it!” He chugged the water as much as he could before taking a deep breath as he smiled at you. “Cmon darling it will be fun! And if you get the part we can work together!”

“W-Wait you want me to audition for a female SpiderHero? T-Tom I’ve never auditioned for such a huge role like this in my life, just small parts for like commercials and some TV shows but never a friken Marvel movie..” You sat down across from him trying to calm yourself down from having a full blown panic attack. You were an actress yes but you weren’t as famous as Tom was and you’ve never imagined in your life auditioning for a Marvel movie. After about 5 minutes of silence and the sound of Tom chugging the shit out of his water you gave him the biggest smile he has ever seen on your face. “Fuck yeah I’ll do it let’s go!” And with those words Tom jumped up and you hugged each other and ran to the car as you struggled to put your shoes on and make yourself look presentable.

“Here. I was able to ask for the script for your part.” Tom quickly handed you the script and as you looked it over the name on the paper made your eyes go completely huge. The character he wanted you to audition for was Silk who happened to be Peter Parker’s love interest in the comics. As Tom began to drive you briefly skimmed through the script as your face began to turn completely red. There was a friken kissing scene and a lot of love scenes between Silk and Peter and just the thought of kissing your best friend over and over again for this movie made your mind race. You took a deep breath and composed yourself as best as you could and began to read the entire script before Tom could pull into the studio parking lot.

As you and Tom got out of the car he took your hand and showed you to where your audition would be taking place and as you entered the room it looked like you were the last one to audition for the part of Silk. As Tom hugged you tightly and whispered “Good luck, love!” In your ear he exited the room and you were left there, by yourself in an empty room as you stood behind the door where the Russo brothers were sitting waiting for you to enter. You sat in one of the chairs and right as you were about to sit one of the producers opened the door and looked at you with a welcoming smile. “Y/N Y/L/N, we are ready for you.” And with those words you took a deep breath and entered the audition room.

After reading your lines back and forth with the Russo brothers they both looked at each other and one of the producers then looked back at you. Oh crap did I mess up? Was I not good enough? Oh shit, oh fucking shit! The negative thoughts in your head kept constantly racing until you were pulled out of it by one of the Russo brothers looking at you and smiling. “That was one of the best auditions I have ever seen! It was like I was seeing the real Silk in front of me. Congratulations Y/N you’ve got the part. We hope to see you here bright and early tomorrow to start getting ready.”

“O-Oh my god thank you both so much! I-I’ll see you both tomorrow!” You walked over to everyone and shook their hands before you exited the room. You ran out to where Tom was waiting and ran up to him with pure excitement.

“You got the part didn’t you?”

“Hell yeah I did! You’re looking at the newest member of Infinity War, Silk!”

You screamed like you were an excited fan girl as you gave Tom the biggest hug ever. You guys would be working together and on your first big role as a member of the Marvel Universe.

It has been about 3 months since you got the part of Silk for Infinity War and so far everything was going extremely well and the best part was you got to spend every second of every hour of everyday with Tom. The entire cast had started to make you feel like you were apart of the family and that made you feel less nervous since you’ve idolized these guys since you watched the first Avengers movie when you were a kid. 

“Y/N, Tom. Are you guys ready to shoot your kissing scene?” One of the producers came up to both you and Tom in your superhero outfits and smiled at both of you. You had completely forgotten that you’d be playing Peter Parkers love interest in this movie and as you looked over at Tom your face had turned red like the color of his suit.

“Y-Yeah I’m ready.” You gave the producer a nervous smile as you and Tom walked over to where you both had to stand. The scene was taking place on the big circle ship or as Tony Stark called it a flying donut. It was right after the alien guy that Stark called Squidward was shot into space and you are trying to figure out what to do next. Tom gently grabs your hand and pulls you into a private place on the ship away from Stark and Doctor Strange, as he does he begins to tell you how much you mean to him and how he doesn’t wanna lose you. As he squeezes your hand you look down and give a faint smile to him and as you look up at him, looking into his gorgeous brown eyes your heart begins to race as you know the kissing part is about to come up.

“You won’t lose me Peter. I told you that no matter what happens I’ll never leave your side.” As you smile at Tom he gently cups the right side of your face and gives you a gentle kiss but it wasn’t just an acting kiss, this felt like a real kiss. You felt passion, love, and a bit of lust behind it and it made your knees turn to jello on the spot. The kiss felt like it was lasting an eternity until the director screamed, “Cut! That was great everyone let’s pick it up here tomorrow!” Causing you to jump a but before Tom slowly pulled away.

“You did great love.” He smiled at you not even realizing his hand was still on your cheek which caused your face to burn even more. 

“Y-Y-Yeah you were ummm g-great to Tom.” You gave him a quick smile before quickly walking away as you rushed back to your trailer leaving Tom there with a confused look on his face. The feeling of your lips lingered on his as he gently dragged his thumb across his bottom lip. He knew what this feeling was and he knew for a fact that he was falling in love with you and you were falling in love with him. 

Face planting onto the bed of your trailer you let out the loudest groan into your pillow. You rolled over onto your back as you hugged the pillow to your chest and stared at the ceiling. Your heart was racing, your face was probably still red like a tomato, and you could still barely feel your legs again questioning how you even made it to your trailer without falling on your face. “I can’t believe I am falling in love with him..” As you said that you gently touched your lips feeling the taste of him still on it. His warm lips, his embrace, his smell, just the thought was making your head spin. You in all honesty wanted to be with him and every time you thought of him it made you smile. You loved Tom, you really and truly did, but you weren’t sure if he loved you. But by the feeling behind that kiss you were sure as shit certain that he too felt the same way you did. “This is going to be a long ass movie..” You sighed a bit as you decided to get up and change out of your suit and into some regular street clothes and you planned on making your way over to Tom’s place for dinner.

You had a few days off from filming which you were completely and utterly grateful for since your feelings for Tom kept getting bigger and bigger with every scene you two had together. Just as you were lost in thought Tom came out of his room in a science t-shirt and some sweatpants as he looked like he had just hung up his phone.

“I just got a call from one of the people at Lip Sync Battle and they asked if we’d be interested in going on. What do you say, love? You ready to get your ass handed to you?” He was acting super cocky and sassy acting like he was going to win Lip Sync Battle when in fact you planned on beating him with a song he had no idea was gunna destroy him.

“Oh you think you can kick my ass? Bring it on Spidey-Boy tell them we will be on!” You got up and got into his face acting cocky as well which caused both of you to bust out laughing.

“Alright. Let me call the producer back and let him know we will be on.” He took his phone out of his pocket and walked away dialing the number and began to strike up a conversation with the producer.

“Lip Sync Battle huh? This should be fun.” You mummbled to yourself which in turn caused you to smirk since you knew you were going to destroy this boy.

You and Tom had been practicing your Lip Sync Battle routines for a few weeks and you were sure you were going to win. The song you picked was Demi Lovato’s Sorry Not Sorry and you were prepared to go completely hardcore on this song and on Tom.

As you both were waiting backstage for them to call you out you playfully nudged Tom’s shoulder as you smiled at him. “You ready?”

“Hell yeah I am. Can’t wait to see the routine you prepared.”

“Same here. Good luck.”

“Y/N you’re up first.”

And with that you were being announced by the DJ who happened to be you and Tom’s best friend Zendaya.

“Ladies and Gentleman give it up for one of my best friends and the most badass girl in the world Y/N Y/L/N!” As soon as the song started playing you immediately did the sexiest ass walk out ever. Tom was standing on the side of the stage next to Zendaya as he carefully watched every move you made. The way your body moved along to the song and the way you lipped along to the song perfectly. You put the perfect amount of sexiness and overall badassness into this song that you even shocked yourself at how good you were doing. You even caused Tom’s jaw to drop a couple times at some of the moves you did. About halfway through the song you walked over him and gave him a little taste at how much you prepared for this, you walked around him tracing your fingertips across his shoulders as you mouthed along to the song perfectly, as you got to the front of him you got into his face acting like a badass bitch which caused him to roll his eyes and laugh at you as you walked away finishing off the song. As you finished and made a badass pose the audience erupted into a mix of cheers, screams and whistles as you took a bow. 

The next performance was Tom and as you stood to the side next to Zendaya you watched as the opening of this routine was Singing in the Rain with him happily swinging a cane. Then it all went down when Rhianna's song Umbrella came on and his outfit completely changed and it caused your jaw to drop and hold your stomach dying of pure laughter. This boy went hardcore on this song and you mean HARDCORE he literally acted like he was a friken stripper and it made you smile and laugh to yourself at how much of a dork this boy was. Just like how you walked up to him he did the same and he acted like he was twerking against you and this made you dance along with him doing the ass slapping motion before he walked away and finished his routine. 

Before Zendaya could walk over to Tom he began to walk over to you and nicely asked Zendaya for the microphone real quick.

“I know this is a weird place to say this but I need to. Y/N.. We have been friends since we were babies and growing up together with you was amazing. Getting to work with you on Infinity War is amazing and everything about you is just perfect. I just wanna say that… I love you Y/N Y/L/N so much. I have for a while now and I wanted to say it in front of the whole world.” Tom smiled at you and handed Zendaya back the microphone and as Tom gently held your face in his hands the audience began to freak out and make whooing noises. 

“I-I love you too Tom..” You smiled up at him as you gently placed your hands over his as you both leaned in and gave each other the sweetest kiss ever.

“GET IT TOM MY BOY!!” Zendaya literally screamed into the microphone as her and the audience cheered you both on and the audience even stood up for you.

You knew that this was going to be the beginning of something completely wonderful and beautiful. 

———————————————————————————————-

OMG I DIDN’T REALIZE THIS WAS GOING TO BE SO DAMN LONG BUT I LOVED DOING THIS! HGAFSAFDGAFDGGAS I HOPE YOU LIKE IT CUZ I THOUGHT THIS WAS C R A P

[theyoungest-weasley]

James Potter Imagine 2

Request: Could you do a James x reader where they are having a prank wars but OMG they're so romantic but also hate each other at the same time if ya know what I mean?! Love you and your blog btw❤️✨:)

so I’m super exited to write this!! its such a good idea I can’t wait!

____________________________________________________________________

You crouched down behind the suit of armor in the hall, waiting to hear that asshole James Potter’s voice. You had set up stink bombs to go off when you said a simple spell with your wand. Not only that, but James would also be covered with bright pink paint, that would hopefully dye his hair. 

“I’m telling you, Padfoot,” you heard James’s voice, “She’s so bloody annoying!”

“Mhmmm,” You heard Sirius respond skeptically, “Just last night you said she was hot.”

“Well, I never said that, but maybe you should have taken me to Madam Pomfrey! Clearly I was having some sort of nervous breakdow-”

With a flick of your wand James and Sirius were covered head to toe in foul smelling pink goo. 

James took off his glasses to show two perfectly circle untouched area’s of skin around his eyes, which made you howl with laughter. 

Sirius was attempting to pull the goo out of his hair, devastated. 

“I can’t see!” Sirius complained.

“Y/n!” James shouted, fuming in your direction.

You were doubled over in laughter, “Oh my- I’m so- this is just too funny!” James began stomping towards you, leaving pink footprints in his path.

“Good luck getting that out of your hair!” You yelled over your shoulder as you ran away from James and his confused friend.

_____________________________________________________________________

James marched into the Great Hall with pink hair the next morning, making you snort with laughter, failing miserably to hide it. 

James sat next to you and glared at you.

You only giggled, “Have you done something new with your hair, James?”

“Ha ha,” He responded sarcastically, getting closer to your face.

You felt butterflies in your stomach, it’s only because I hate him so much, not because he’s attractive or anything, you attempted (and failed) to convince yourself.

There was a pause and you could’ve sworn James glanced at your lips for a moment. 

He looked back up at your eyes.

“Just you wait, Y/n. You won’t know what hit you.” 

He got up to leave and you suddenly had a moment of confidence. You stood up with him and looked straight into his anger glistened eyes, but.. there was also something else there.... lust? No... 

You shook the feeling and moved along, “Do tell me, James,” you said with very smug mock concern, “where’s Sirius?”

James’s confidence faltered, “T-That’s none of your business. Why? Do you... care about him or something?” James finished quickly.

You scoffed and put your face even closer to his, “No, my guess is just that poor little Padfoot was too scared to leave his dormitory with pink hair.”

James fumed even more, getting even closer to your face, “Padfoot can do whatever he wants, he just wasn’t hungry this morning.”

“Sure,” you smiled falsely, sitting down as James began to clam down and start to walk away

“Just,” you waited for James to turn around, “tell him I’m sure he looks ravishing.”

You saw James’s fists clench as he stormed out of the Great Hall. You let out a short breath and looked over at your friends, who were smirking at you. 

“What?” for some reason you blushed. 

Y/f/n looked back and forth between you and the door, “This little charade is cute to watch, but we all know you are head over heels for James.”

You mouth fell opened and for some reason you blushed harder, becoming flustered, “N-no... No! There is no way I could ever like... him. I mean, he’s... annoying! Um...” you blushed as you struggled to think of things. On any other day you could make a list of 101 reasons why James Potter is a self-absorbed prat, but right now, you were a stuttering mess. 

“Sure,” y/f/n smirked.

“I don’t... like him,” you mumbled to yourself, standing up from the table and walking out the doors of the Great Hall.

____________________________________________________________________

“I’m telling you, Padfoot, shes-”

“- So bloody annoying, we know!” Sirius rolled his eyes as he straightened his beanie.

“I think she seems nice,” Peter interjected, “She helped out with my charms homework one time.”

James shot Peter an angry look and pointed to his hair, “Does this seem nice?”

Peter looked at the ground.

“What in Merlin’s name are you doing?” Remus had arrived at the Gryffindor common room to see James standing in the middle of Peter and Sirius filling a  metal bucket with water. 

“I’m,” James said confidently, “going to get y/n back for messing with me and Sirius.”

“This is such a stupid idea,” Remus sighed.

“Whatever,” James was almost done filling up the bucked. 

“Don’t you think it’s a little odd how much time you’ve invested into thinking about Y/n? I mean, you’re always talking about her,” Peter asked.

“That’s because she makes me angry,” he responded, talking to Peter as though he was a child.

“Are you sure,” Remus said cautiously, “you don’t... like her?”

“W-what?” James said, a blush appearing on his cheeks, “That. Is. Ridiculous. I could never like her! Sure, she’s kinda hot, and good at playing pranks, and funny, and smart,” he looked up at his friends, who were now on the verge of laughing. He blushed harder, “But that’s not the point! She’s the worst!”

“Sure, Prongs,” Sirius rolled his eyes once more.

_____________________________________________________________________

You wiped the tears off of your eyes, trying you best to stay calm and collected. 

You looked down at the crumpled paper in your hand. You couldn’t do this anymore.

Your pureblood family had officially disowned you, sending a letter to let you know that for Christmas break (which was only a week away) you wouldn’t have any home to go home to, and basically said ‘good luck with finding a place to stay over the summer, blood traitor.’ After making tons of Gryffindor friends, you parents had warned you to fall in with the right crowd, perhaps hand out with Regulus Black. You ignored their warnings and began pointing out their racists comments and ideals at home. After years of defending muggle-borns, half bloods, and ‘blood traitors,’ they had finally decided that you weren’t a member of their family. 

You looked up at the Fat Lady, she didn’t even ask you for the password, just giving you a ‘I’m sorry, dear,’ and letting you in. Immediately you were covered in water, charmed with some sort of spell to make you slip every time you got back up. You heard James’s laughter and looked up from where you were sitting on the ground. 

“I told you not to mess with me, Y/n!”

You remained silent and held up the soaking parchment, black ink running off the paper.

The last time you would ever hear from your family, and it was ruined. 

You felt your voice crack and you began to sob. Hugging the letter close to your body you cried the hardest you ever had in your life. 

“Y-yn?” James seemed worried now, “I-it was only a joke I never meant to hurt you feelings I swear, I’m so sorry,” he said genuinely.

You heard Remus mutter a spell under his breath and the water slid off your face and clothes and back into the bucket, leaving you perfectly dry. You felt a glimmer of hope and looked at the letter again. It was dry, but all that was left of the writing was black blobs. You put a hand over your mouth and stared at the letter, tears streaming down your face but no longer sobbing, this was it. Your parents were done with you, and you knew it was all your fault. Id only you had just done what they asked... you might still have a family. 

“Y/n..” James said quietly and he slowly sat down on the ground next to you, “What’s wrong?”

You honestly didn’t care who it was anymore, you just needed someone there. You turned and put your head in James’s chest and he slowly wrapped his arms around you, still confused. 

“T-they don’t want me anymore,” your muffled voice said.

“Who?”

You ripped away from James, standing up and waving the letter around, tears running down your cheeks and almost in hysterics.

“My fucking parents! My whole fucking family! I got fucking disowned!” You heard yourself laugh, “I got fucking disowned! How funny is that? They sent me a letter and said ‘good luck out there! We don’t fucking want you anymore!’ And now,” you stopped laughing and your voice quieted, you looking at the parchment in your hand, “The last letter I have from them is destroyed.”

James rushed over to you and pulled you into a hug, “I’m so sorry, y/n.”

You cried silently into his chest and the two of you slowly sat down on the ground. Eventually you looked up at him to see he was crying as well. 

“James,” you laughed a little, in spite of everything wrong with your life, “Why are you crying? My family didn’t disown you,” you were able to joke.

You wiped a tear from his cheek and he smiled back, breaking your heart, “Because you’re crying.” 

“So?”

“I don’t like to see you cry.”

“Why is that?” You whispered back after a short pause.

“Because you deserve to be happy,” he responded in the same whisper.

“Do you know what makes me happy?” You asked, feeling confident in his arms.

James simply shook his head.

“You.”

James closed the gap between the two of you and you ran a hand through his hair. 

You pulled apart after a few moments, both of your eyes red and puffy from crying.

“You know what?” James said excitedly, “You can come stay with my family for Christmas! My parents will love you!”

You laughed at his excitement and looked up at him, “Can you believe you hated me just a few days ago?”

James blushed, “i never hated you. Love is shockingly easily mistaken for hate.”

[dazzledbybooks]

Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Red Queen, this is the first novel in a sweeping YA fantasy-romance duet about a deadly assassin, his mysterious apprentice, and the country they are sworn to protect from #1 NYT bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz. Caledon Holt is the Kingdom of Renovia's deadliest weapon. No one alive can best him in brawn or brains, which is why he's the Guild's most dangerous member and the Queen's one and only assassin. He's also bound to the Queen by an impossible vow--to find the missing Deian Scrolls, the fount of all magical history and knowledge, stolen years ago by a nefarious sect called the Aphrasians. Shadow has been training all her life to follow in the footsteps of her mother and aunts--to become skilled enough to join the ranks of the Guild. Though magic has been forbidden since the Aphrasian uprising, Shadow has been learning to control her powers in secret, hoping that one day she'll become an assassin as feared and revered as Caledon Holt. When a surprise attack brings Shadow and Cal together, they're forced to team up as assassin and apprentice to hunt down a new sinister threat to Renovia. But as Cal and Shadow grow closer, they'll uncover a shocking web of lies and secrets that may destroy everything they hold dear. With war on the horizon and true love at risk, they'll stop at nothing to protect each other and their kingdom in this stunning first novel in the Queen's Secret series. The Queen's Assassin (Queen's Secret #1) by Melissa de la Cruz Publisher: G. P. Putnam's Sons Release Date: February 4th 2020 Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy Book Links: Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39334176-the-queen-s-assassin Amazon: https://amzn.to/2WQpCSR B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-queens-assassin-melissa-de-la-cruz/1131493132 iTunes: https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-queens-assassin/id1463329191 Bookdepository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Queens-Assassin-Melissa-de-La-Cruz/9780525515913?ref=grid-view&qid=1573047342544&sr=1-2 Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/the-queen-s-assassin-5 Google books: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Melissa_de_la_Cruz_The_Queen_s_Assassin?id=mNqXDwAAQBAJ Excerpt: Chapter OneShadowSomething or someone is following me. I’ve been wandering the woods forquite a while, but now it feels as if something—or someone—is watching. Ithought it was one of my aunts at first—it was odd they didn’t chase after methis time. Maybe they didn’t expect me to go very far. But it’s not them.I stop and pull my hood back to listen to the forest around me. There is onlythe wind whistling through the branches and the sound of my own breathing.Whoever is following me is very good at hiding. But I am not afraid.Slivers of light penetrate the dense foliage in spots, shining streaks onto theblanket of decaying leaves and mud under my boots. As I slice through thickvines and clamber over rotting logs, speckled thrushes take flight from theforest floor before disappearing overhead. I pause to listen to them sing toone another, chirping elegant messages back and forth, a beautiful songcarrying warnings, no doubt, about the stranger stomping through theirhome.Being out here helps me clear my head. I feel more peaceful here among thewild creatures, closer to my true self. After this morning’s argument at home,it’s precisely what I need—some peace. Some space. Time to myself.My aunts taught me that sometimes when the world is too much, when lifestarts to feel overwhelming, we must strip away what’s unnecessary, seekout the quiet, and listen to the dirt and trees. “All the answers you seek arethere, but only if you are willing to hear them,” Aunt Moriah always says.That’s all I’m doing, I tell myself. Following their advice. Perhaps that’s whythey allowed me to run off into the woods. Except they’re probably hopingI’ll find their answers here, not my own. That I’ll finally come to my senses.Anger bubbles up inside me. All I have ever wanted is to follow in theirfootsteps and join the ranks of the Hearthstone Guild. It’s the one thing I’vewanted more than anything. We don’t just sell honey in the market. They’vepractically been training me for the Guild all my life—how can they deny me? Ikick the nearest tree as hard as I can, slamming the sole of my boot into its solid trunk. That doesn’t make me feel much better, though, and I freeze,wondering if whatever or whoever is following me has heard.I know it is a dangerous path, but what nobler task is there than to continuethe Guild’s quest? To recover the Deian Scrolls and exact revenge upon ourenemies. They can’t expect me to sit by and watch as others take on thechallenge.All the women I look up to—Ma, my aunt Moriah, and Moriah’s wife, my auntMesha—belong to the Guild; they are trained combatants and wise women.They are devotees of Deia, the One Mother, source of everything in the worldof Avantine, from the clouds overhead to the dirt underfoot. Deia worship wascommon once but not anymore, and those who keep to its beliefs have theGuild to thank for preserving the old ways. Otherwise that knowledge wouldhave disappeared long ago when the Aphrasians confiscated it from thepeople. The other kingdoms no longer keep to the old ways, even as theyconspire to learn our magic.As wise women they know how to tap into the world around us, to harness theenergy that people have long forgotten but other creatures have not. Mymother and aunts taught me how to access the deepest levels of my instincts,the way that animals do, to sense danger and smell fear. To become deeply intune with the universal language of nature that exists just below the surface ofhuman perception, the parts we have been conditioned not to hear anymore.While I call them my aunts, they are not truly related to me, even if AuntMoriah and my mother grew up as close as sisters. I was fostered here becausemy mother’s work at the palace is so important that it leaves little time forraising a child.A gray squirrel runs across my path and halfway up a nearby tree. It stops andlooks at me quizzically. “It’s all right,” I say. “I’m not going to hurt you.” It waitsuntil I start moving again and scampers the rest of the way up the trunk.The last time I saw my mother, I told her of my plans to join the Guild. Ithought she’d be proud of me. But she’d stiffened and paused before saying,“There are other ways to serve the crown.”Naturally, I’d have preferred her to be with me, every day, like other mothers, but I’ve never lacked for love or affection. My aunts had been there for everybedtime tale and scraped knee, and Ma served as a glamorous and heroicfigure for a young woman to look up to. She would swoop into my life, almostalways under the cover of darkness, cloaked and carrying gifts, like the lovelypair of brocade satin dance slippers I’ll never forget. They were as ill-suited forrural life as a pair of shoes could possibly be, and I treasured them for it. “Thebest cobbler in Argonia’s capital made these,” she told me. I marveled at that,how far they’d traveled before landing on my feet.Yes, I liked the presents well enough. But what made me even happier werethe times she stayed long enough to tell me stories. She would sit on the edgeof my bed, tuck my worn quilt snugly around me, and tell me tales of Avantine,of the old kingdom.Our people are fighters, she’d say. Always were. I took that to mean I would beone too.I think about these stories as I whack my way through the brush. Why wouldmy mother tell me tales of heroism, adventure, bravery, and sacrifice, unless Iwas to train with the Guild as well? As a child, I was taught all the basics—survival and tracking skills, and then as I grew, I began combat training andarchery.I do know more of the old ways than most, and I’m grateful for that, but it isn’tenough. I want to know as much as they do, or even more. I need to belong tothe Guild.Now I fear I never will have that chance.“Ouch!” I flinch and pull my hand back from the leaves surrounding me.There’s a thin sliver of blood seeping out of my skin. I was so lost in mythoughts that I accidentally cut my hand while hacking through shrubbery. Thewoods are unfamiliar here, wilder and denser. I’ve never gone out this far. Thepath ahead is so overgrown it’s hard to believe there was ever anyone herebefore me, let alone a procession of messengers and traders and visitorstraveling between Renovia and the other kingdoms of Avantine. But that wasbefore. Any remnants of its prior purpose are disappearing quickly. Even myblade, crafted from Argonian steel—another present from Ma—struggles tosever some of the more stubborn branches that have reclaimed the road for the wilderness.I try to quiet my mind and concentrate on my surroundings. Am I lost? Issomething following me? “What do I do now?” I say out loud. Then Iremember Aunt Mesha’s advice: Be willing to hear.I breathe, focus. Re-center. Should I turn back? The answer is so strong, it’spractically a physical shove: No. Continue. I suppose I’ll push through, then.Maybe I’ll discover a forgotten treasure along this path.Woodland creatures watch me, silently, from afar. They’re perched in branchesand nestled safely in burrows. Sometimes I catch a whiff of newborn fur, ofmilk; I smell the fear of anxious mothers protecting litters; I feel theirheartbeats, their quickened breaths when I pass. I do my best to calm them byclosing my eyes and sending them benevolent energy. Just passing through.I’m no threat to you.After about an hour of bushwhacking, I realize that I don’t know where I amanymore. The trees look different, older. I hear the trickling of water. Unlikebefore, there are signs that something, or rather someone, was here not longbefore me. Cracked sticks have been stepped on—by whom or what, I’m notsure—and branches are too neatly chopped to have been broken naturally. Iwant to investigate, see if I can feel how long ago they were cut. Maybe days;maybe weeks. Difficult to tell.I stop to examine the trampled foliage just as I feel an abrupt change in the air.There it is again. Whoever or whatever it is smells foul, rotten. I shudder. I keepgoing, hoping to shake it off my trail.I walk deeper into the forest and pause under a canopy of trees. A breeze blowsagainst a large form in the branches overhead. I sense the weight of its bulk,making the air above me feel heavier, oppressive. It pads quietly. A hugepredator. Not human. It’s been biding its time. But now it’s tense, ready tostrike.The tree becomes very still. And everything around does the same. I glance tomy right and see a spider hanging in the air, frozen, just like I am.Leaves rustle, like the fanning pages of a book. Snarling heat of its body gettingcloser, closer, inch by inch. I can smell its hot breath. Feel its mass as it beginsto bear down on me from above. Closer, closer, until at last it launches itselffrom its hiding place. I feel its energy, aimed straight at me. Intending to kill, todevour.But I am ready.Just as it attacks, I kick ferociously at its chest, sending it flying. It slams to theground, knocked out cold. A flock of starlings erupts from their nest in thetreetops, chirping furiously.My would-be killer is a sleek black scimitar-toothed jaguar. The rest of thewildlife stills, shocked into silence, at my besting the king of the forest.I roll back to standing, then hear something else, like shifting or scratching, inthe distance. As careful as I’ve been, I’ve managed to cause a commotion andalert every creature in the forest of my presence.I crouch behind a wide tree. After waiting a breath or two, I don’t sense anyother unusual movement nearby. Perhaps I was wrong about the noise. Orsimply heard a falling branch or a startled animal running for cover.There’s no reason to remain where I am, and I’m not going back now, in casethe jaguar wakes, so I get up and make my way forward again. It looks likethere’s a clearing ahead.My stomach lurches. After everything—the argument and my big show ofdefiance—I am gripped with the unexpected desire to return home. I don’tknow if the cat’s attack has rattled me—it shouldn’t have; I’ve been in similarsituations before—but a deep foreboding comes over me.Yet just as strongly, I feel the need to keep going, beyond the edge of theforest, as if something is pulling me forward. I move faster, fumbling a bit oversome debris.Finally, I step through the soft leafy ground around a few ancient trees, theirbark slick with moss, and push aside a branch filled with tiny light green leaves.When I emerge from the woods, I discover I was wrong. It’s not just a clearing; I’ve stumbled upon the golden ruins of an old building. A fortress. The tightfeeling in my chest intensifies. I should turn back. There’s danger here. Or atleast there was danger here—it appears to be long abandoned.The building’s intimidating skeletal remains soar toward the clouds, but it’smarred by black soot; it’s been scorched by a fire—or maybe more than one.Most of the windows are cracked or else missing completely. Rosebushes areovergrown with burly thistle weeds, and clumps of dead brown shrubbery dotthe property. Vines climb up one side of the structure and crawl into the emptywindows.Above the frame of one of those windows, I spot a weathered crest, barelyvisible against the stone. I step closer. There are two initials overlapping eachother in an intricate design: BA. In an instant I know exactly where I am.Baer Abbey.I inhale sharply. How did I walk so far? How long have I been gone?This place is forbidden. Dangerous. Yet I was drawn here. Is this a sign, themessage I was searching for? And if so, what is it trying to tell me?Despite the danger, I’ve always wanted to see the abbey, home of the fearedand powerful Aphrasians. I try picturing it as it was long ago, glistening in theblinding midday heat, humming with activity, the steady bustle of cloaked menand women going about their daily routines. I imagine one of them meditatingunderneath the massive oak to the west; another reading on the carvedlimestone bench in the now-decrepit gardens.I walk around the exterior, looking for the place where King Esban charged intobattle with his soldiers.I hear something shift again. It’s coming from inside the abbey walls. As if aheavy object is being pushed or dragged—opening a door? Hoisting somethingwith a pulley? I approach the building and melt into its shadow, like the petname my mother gave me.But who could be here? A generation of looters has already stripped anythingof value, though the lure of undiscovered treasure might still entice adventurous types. And drifters. Or maybe there’s a hunter, or a hermit who’smade his home close to this desolate place.In the distance, the river water slaps against the rocky shore, and I can hearthe rustling of leaves and the trilling of birds. All is as it should be, and yet.Something nags at me, like a faraway ringing in my ear. Someone or somethingis still following me, and it’s not the jaguar. It smells of death and rot.I move forward anyway, deciding to run the rest of the way along the wall toan entryway, its door long gone. I just want to peek inside—I may never havethis chance again.I slide around the corner of the wall and enter the abbey’s interior. Most of theroof is demolished, so there’s plenty of light, even this close to dusk. Tinyspecks of dust float in the air. There’s a veneer of grime on every surface, andwet mud in shaded spots. I step forward, leaving footprints behind me. I glanceat the rest of the floor—no other prints. Nobody has been here recently, atleast not since the last rain.I move as lightly as possible. Then I hear something different. I stop, stepbackward. There it is again. I step forward—solid. Back—yes, an echo. Like awell. There’s something hollow below. Storage? A crypt?I should turn back. Nothing good can come from being here, and I know it. Theabbey is Aphrasian territory, no matter how long ago they vacated. And yet.There’s no reason to believe anyone is here, and who knows what I might findif I just dig a bit. Perhaps a treasure was hidden here. Maybe even the DeianScrolls.I step on a large square tile, made of heavy charcoal slate, which is stubbornlyembedded in the ground. I clear the dirt around it as much as I can and get myfingertips under its lip. With effort, I heave the tile up enough to hoist it over tothe side. Centipedes scurry away into the black hole below. I use the heel ofmy boot to shove the stone the rest of the way, revealing a wooden ladderunderneath.I press on it carefully, testing its strength, then make my way down. At the lastrung I jump down and turn to find a long narrow passageway lined with emptysconces. It smells of mildew, dank and damp. I follow the tunnel, my footsteps echoing around me.I hear water lapping gently against stone up ahead. Could there be anunderground stream? The passage continues on, dark and quiet aside from theoccasional drip of water from the ceiling.At the end of the corridor a curved doorway opens into a large cavern. As Isuspected, an underground river flows by. A small hole in the ceiling allowslight in, revealing sharp stalactites that hang down everywhere, glittering withthe river’s reflection. The room is aglow in yellows and oranges and reds, and itfeels like standing in the middle of fire. This space was definitely not made byhuman hands; instead, the tunnel, the abbey, was built up around it. There’s aloading dock installed for small boats, though none are there anymore.Then I see something that makes my heart catch. I gasp.The Aphrasians have been missing for eighteen years and yet there’s a freshapple core tossed aside near the doorway.That’s when I hear men’s voices approaching from the corridor behind me.Excerpted from The Queen's Assassin by Melissa de la Cruz. Copyright © 2020by Melissa de la Cruz. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may bereproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.Original Link: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/567301/the-queens-assassin-by-melissa-de-la-cruz/ About the Author: Melissa de la Cruz is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of many critically acclaimed and award-winning novels for teens including The Au Pairs series, the Blue Bloods series, the Ashleys series, the Angels on Sunset Boulevard series and the semi-autobiographical novel Fresh off the Boat. Her books for adults include the novel Cat’s Meow, the anthology Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys and the tongue-in-chic handbooks How to Become Famous in Two Weeks or Less and The Fashionista Files: Adventures in Four-inch heels and Faux-Pas. She has worked as a fashion and beauty editor and has written for many publications including The New York Times, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Allure, The San Francisco Chronicle, McSweeney’s, Teen Vogue, CosmoGirl! and Seventeen. She has also appeared as an expert on fashion, trends and fame for CNN, E! and FoxNews. Melissa grew up in Manila and moved to San Francisco with her family, where she graduated high school salutatorian from The Convent of the Sacred Heart. She majored in art history and English at Columbia University (and minored in nightclubs and shopping!). She now divides her time between New York and Los Angeles, where she lives in the Hollywood Hills with her husband and daughter.  Author Links: Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21911.Melissa_de_la_Cruz Website: https://melissa-delacruz.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelissadelaCruz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorMelissadelaCruz/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authormelissadelacruz/ Tumblr: https://authormelissadelacruz.tumblr.com/ Tour Schedule: February 4th The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club - Welcome Post February 5th The Book Bratz - Review + Playlist + Favourite Quotes Sometimes Leelynn Reads - Review + Playlist + Dream Cast Ya It’s Lit  - Review + Dream Cast + Favourite Quotes Fanna Wants The World To Read - Review Shelf-Rated - Review + Favourite Quotes February 6th NovelKnight - Guest Post Booked J - Review + Playlist + Favourite Quotes Whispers & Wonder - Review Foals, Fiction & Filigree - Review + Favourite Quotes Beware Of The Reader - Review February 7th Wishful Endings - Interview L.M. 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[survivorkomnata]

Episode #10: “ I'm a fucking Virgo. If you burn me I will never forget it.” - Jess

Dear Alyssa,

For someone who claims to have a HUGE interest in Astrology.... you seem to have forgotten the fact that I'm a fucking Virgo. If you burn me I will never forget it. You declared war and that's on YOU.

i hate this “we only start talking an hour before tribal” nonsense that this merge tribe has going on. like pls get your lives together sooner. i don’t even message ppl anymore bc we just do the “yaaa i haven’t heard anything” “me either” back and forth

i feel pretty hopeless in the game i’m ngl, fully think we should just wrap it up now and give zach the win

alyssa is an emotional and illogical player who came into the merge with the goal of miguel and luke being voted out for voting against her premerge. she didn’t think of the long term, only revenge. it’s embarrassing.

i don’t rly have an endgame path. or anything anymore. i miss luke and stephen.

So, yesterday was a bit of blindside for me. Not even really because Luke left, I woke up that morning willing to vote him out myself, but because I was unable to get Karth, Tim, or Alyssa on my side. I don't think any of them are truly "against me" at this point but it's a little worrying that Luke left over Jake, who I still don't really have a strategic relationship with.

Alyssa confronted me last night saying that other people had gone to her and said that I was planning to target her once Jake was gone. This isn't exactly true, but it has enough basis in reality since I have talked in the "4-elements" alliance about how we should target Jake before going after Alyssa. I'm not sure who went to her with this idea, nor do I know if she was even approached with it in the first place. Alyssa has deceived me for 2 votes now. First, she outright lied to me about voting Zach out at F10 (I still don't technically have confirmation of this, but it makes sense that she'd take out Luke/Miguel as soon as possible). More evidence supporting that she lied is that the former Kato2.0 side decided to vote Luke out next, which would be odd if he was the one to flip to their side at the first merge vote.

The second thing she lied about was being on the fence at this last tribal council.  After Luke was gone she told Jess that we "should've known she didn't want Jake out" despite her never saying that to us. It's clear that Alyssa had planned to vote Luke out as soon as she knew this would be a 5-4 vote. But she lied to me about that and wasted my time up until the very last minute.

Basically, what I'm saying is... it's getting exhausting to try and work with her strategically. It's not like Ally/Jess/Karth, who I feel I can talk frankly and honestly with. I want her and Jake gone. Jake hasn't really "wronged" me in anyway, but I can tell him and Alyssa have to at least be a little close so the jury can have both of them. Honestly, I kinda want them both gone more than Zach at this point. I'm doing my best to win this upcoming immunity challenge so people stop going behind my back, but if Zach were to win.. well... I certainly have a few alternatives in mind.

I am feeling a bit stuck in this game. With Zach in the game I feel my game is pretty restricted and I would feel too bad to backstab him. I already felt bad for voting Luke. I just dont know what to do here.

i have no idea what’s happening

zach and karth have reached out to me about potentially trying to reconcile and ofc i’m open to that

i’m kinda worried they’re voting jess out and i hope not bc i love her

i wish i had any kind of idea what i was doing

i wish luke didn’t get voted out

i wish this idol search made sense

i wish i was a little bit taller i wish i was a baller

So apparently Zach and Jake are throwing around Stephen's name with my name as an alternative. I'm not surprised at all at this rate. I figured this would happen as soon as I took my strike at both Zach and Jake.

The only possible saving grace from this all is that both Alyssa and Tim let me know about it. This kind of gives me a glimmer of hope that both of them aren't willing to at least vote me out at this stage in the game. If they'd did.. they'll look like idiots because I'm playing such a horrible game. I have yet to make a big move or win an immunity, I don't have any solid alliances aside from "The Last Hope" which honestly just a circumstantial alliance and most likely we die soon. Taking me at this point is ridiculous because I'm literally the perfect person to sit final 3 with right now.

My game plan at least now is.. I want either Zach or Jake to go. If I can work the angle of Jake or Zach trying to get me out as a way to sway people who think I'm their best friend in this game... yeet. If not I am dead and I will write my own eulogy....

If I get voted out because I lost immunity by 1 point.. I WILL FUCKING RIOT.

Ok so sorry for the lack of confessionals going on I have a lot (of good things) happening in my life atm. Anyways, I got sent to the basement which sux and now the vote is super stressful!!! I'm pretty much pulling a lot of strings within the tribe atm and trying to balance it all! I have Zach and Jake in my pocket completely!! Jake and Alyssa are like on my coat tail and Jess/Stephen/and Ally are in their grave ready to be destroyed lmaoo. Fingers crossed I don't go home.

im vulnerable, and it's an hour til tribal. i'm unsure of what's going to happen. here's a quick recap:

A - i go to ally/stephen to encourage reconciling. i think this is genuinely smart as we are all 'big threats' and it's stupid to let middle players slide by while helping pin bigger threats against one another. they basically end up agreeing (more so stephen). B - alyssa and tim come to me (separately) saying that they are throwing my name around, and tim goes even further to say that they want to split between me / jake. this sounds really believable based on track record. C - ally pms me saying that she heard X told Jess who told her that i'm targeting stephen. i say it's true, but under the circumstances that people are saying they are going after me. D - we talk in the "alliance" chat and come to a conclusion that jake should be the vote as he best fits the "middle player" role, thus being dangerous. though i disagree, i'm in no position to bury karthik/tim in a hole. E - with karthik spearheading, i help flip the vote from stephen to jess. this is because jess will weaken that side, and i don't trust her. at all. on top of that, it helps me not worry as much abt alyssa being sketchy & it keeps my promise 2 stephen/ally in the sense of not voting stephen (and i can argue saying that with them lying at merge, i had to be reaaaalllllyyyy cautious). F - i'm unsure about my idol. it could still happen. right now i'm leaning towards playing my idol because i want it GONE. by using this idol, here are the outcomes: F.1 - the vote is 4-4 or even more slanted, and i idol successfully, meaning jess will leave this game. F.2 - i receive 0 votes and completely waste it. this makes me more vulnerable, but also, could help if i utilize it correctly/effectively. F.3 - I receive 3 votes (give or take) and it's ineffective but shows that i can't trust ally/stephen and by attachment, jess (who should be gone). i guess my preferred order would be F1 -> F3 -> F2 just because if i use it, i want it to be as effective as possible since wasting an idol isn't going to help my case at FTC (which is already weak LSDGKDSLGDSH).

my gut is really sick (as always bar f9.. so just f10). i don't THINK i'm getting any votes, but u can never be too sure. to elaborate on the entire point of 'F', i want to go over pros n cons of idolling (and wasting it). PROS: - no more paranoia for me (GOD BLESS) - i'm much more vulnerable, meaning they may not target me (double-sided) - im 100% safe regardless, and in f7. CONS: - im more vulnerable; easier to target. - ppl are shook bc i dont trust them/ didnt tell them - its wasted and doesnt help my FTC case.

and lastly, who has the idols? [based on tribe idols] CONFIRMED: me . (OG Takagi idol) LIKELY: alyssa (the only person who could have two) COULD POSSIBLY HAVE ONE: stephen (someone probs has attila, i think itd be him or alyssa). karthik (basement king, but def not tribal idol probs .) jake (og kato, could have the kato idol). NOT LIKELY: tim (og takagi/nu-kato. both idols were gone, so i doubt it. but, maybe basement??) jess (unless she worked w alissa n found attalia, it's no) DEFINITELY NOT: ally (was on OG Takagi (my idol) and takagi post-swap, so unless swap idol, N/A).

Jess is voted out 5-3. She becomes the fourth member of our jury.

[fanficofmanyagenre]

Sanctuary (5)

(1,709 words)

           “I think this will do.” Emerald said, staring into the cave. Bloodstone popped his head up from over his shoulder. The cave ran deep into the mountain and after a bit of exploring Emerald found a good-sized cavern in the center; perfect for them to set up a base. Bloodstone smiled and nodded in response.

           They travelled down into the cavern, their stolen goods in tow. They had to make it look homely somehow and what better way to get stuff than, borrow, it from the Rebels and Homeworld? They wouldn’t miss it. Things extra weapons and building materials, to things they thought looked nice. Emerald had taken a banner from both sides and stitched them together, the two of them using it to mock them. Bloodstone had taken the engine from a small hovercraft just to screw over a single Homeworld officer. The pair seemed to be doing petty thievery for their own amusement, but that was nothing compared to the actual operations they ran. They weren’t stupid.

           The first mission they ran was against a Rebel base near the front lines. They snuck in, took out the officers quickly, then proceeded to trap the Rebels in the buildings for hours. The Rebel supply lines went unguarded for so long Homeworld actually acted and raided the route a few times before they could regroup. The very next day they destroyed the warp pads in the nearby Homeworld base and the materials to fix them, making their resupply take days instead of hours. Back and forth they went, ruining both sides from commanders to supplies. Nothing went untouched from the pair. They wanted to make their little war as difficult as possible.

           “Beds?” Bloodstone asked Emerald after mostly everything was set up.

           “Beds? You mean bed.” He said and started working on said furniture. Bloodstone could feel a blush rising to his cheeks. Share a bed? I mean sure he liked Emerald like that but there’s no way he feels the same way. Even after the months they’d been working together he hadn’t said anything or even hinted at the possibility. Maybe it was to save room, yeah that’s it! But then for what? They had already set everything up. Oh god what did it mean??

           “Hey, it’s ready. Wanna test it?” Bloodstone looked up and his blush intensified tenfold. Emerald was laying on the queen-sized bed in the “Paint me like one of your French girls” pose with a smirk on his face. Bloodstone shook his head quickly and covered his face, making Emerald laugh aloud.

           “Man you turned so green!” He exclaimed, referring to the Gems inverted blush. Bloodstone glared at him, though his blush didn’t fade.

           “S-shut up, you’re the greeny! A-at I change color when I blush!” He retorted, smirking a bit when Emerald’s cheeks turned a slightly darker shade of green. That one got him. Normally Emerald would easily beat Bloodstone with any teasing, but over time he was learning all the tricks up his non-existent sleeves. Luckily Emerald couldn’t read Bloodstones thoughts.

           “W-well, it helps me hide my emotions better unlike someone. At the slightest sign of embarrassment, you turn green.” It was true as Bloodstone was primarily red; that’s what made Bloodstones extra unique. Emerald called him Bloodred because of how red he was, as well as the shade of red. Despite this, Bloodstone knew he had a one-up on Emerald. Oh this was going to be a good argument for once.

           “Hide your emotions, huh? Oh yeah I’m sure that comes in handy when you’re practically fawning over my progress!” Bloodstone smirked as he watched Emerald’s blush deepen. Bloodstone was too caught up in his gloating to realise exactly what he said. Had someone mentioned that fact to him, he would have denied it in embarrassment. But for now, Emerald’s embarrassment was all he was focused on, so not too far from what he normally did.

           Emerald got up, his eyebrows down. Bloodstone was still smirking, not intimidated by the other Gem any longer. They’d been on their own for far too long for that. The silence hung around them like thick fog, both thinking. Emerald was going to make a move, but now Bloodstone couldn’t tell what. It was like he was out of ideas, but that never happens. Bloodstone’s smirk faded a little, the awkwardness weighing him down.

           “E-emerald? You’re acting really strange all of a sudden. I know I beat you in an argument for once but come on, it wasn’t that bad. It was just about your cute blush.” This snapped Emerald out of his thoughts, his turn to begin smirking. Bloodstone tilted his head at him for a moment.

           “Why are you smirking? I swear if you sucker punch me out of no-where…” He began, taking a step back as a precaution.

           “You think I’m cute huh?” Emerald asked, stepping closer. As soon as he said it Bloodstone realised the error of his ways and began to blush. Busted.

           “N-No! I-I didn’t say that!” He retorted quickly, shaking his head, and moving back farther. Emerald slowly followed him, chuckling a little.

           “S-so you think I’m ugly than? I’m hurt Bloodred, I thought we were the best team ever.”

           “No I didn’t say that either! Y-you’re definitely not ugly! I-I swear on my Gem!” Bloodstone gasped as he fell back onto the bed, his blush deepening more so than either had seen when Emerald got over him.

           “Than which is it? Am I cute or ugly?” He asked with a chuckle.

           “I-I think you’re really handsome!” Bloodstone exclaimed, Emerald sighing in triumph. But right before he could get up, Bloodstone continued.

           “I-I like you a lot, ok?! I-I can’t help that you’re really good looking and smart and funny and talented and I don’t know why you ever considered talking to me let alone personally training me but I l-love every minute of it! I can’t help I love you…” At the end of his little speech his voice had died down to barely more than a whisper, his head turned away. Emerald was taken aback by what he’d said. He really felt that way? He knew Bloodstone liked him but not nearly that much.

           “I’m sorry…I-I need some air…” Bloodstone mumbled and started to push Emerald away, hoping the tension would negate the fact his statement made no literal sense. Emerald stopped him, however, looking him dead in the eyes. Bloodstone was a little worried now and struggled a little but Emerald was much stronger.

           “E-Emerald I’m serious y-you-“ He was interrupted by Emerald’s lips on his own. He gasped in surprise but after a moment he returned the kiss. When Emerald pulled away slowly he just gave him that old, warm smile.

           “I’m glad you feel the same way.” He said simply, getting up. Bloodstone was still blushing like mad, now trying to process exactly what just happened. Emerald moved to move the last few things into place, letting Bloodstone think.

           “What, you act so surprised I feel the same way. You think all that praise was baseless? N-not to say it was just based on my attraction! Y-you really have improved a lot!” A light blush came back to Emerald’s cheeks and Bloodstone smiled a bit.

           “You’ll never change, will you? Thank you, Emerald, you kind of saved me a lot of thinking and courage. Wanna go steal something from the nearby camp to always remember this screw up of a confession?” Emerald chuckled and followed him out of their new home. The two set down the mountain for the Homeworld camp north of their home. It was temporary, no permeant buildings up. It seemed they were just resting for a while before moving on to their actual destination. When they got close enough, they saw that the small convoy was carrying “recaptured” supplies from the Rebels.

           “Nothing looks good…” Bloodstone muttered while they scanned.

           “That does.” Emerald pointed to a worn and scarred shield just outside one of the tents. An Amethyst walked out of the tent, sighing before moving on. Emerald smiled at Bloodstone before the pair made their way down into the camp.

           The convoy looked like they needed a rest, as most all the Gems were sitting down exhausted. This made their sneaking through relatively easy. Bloodstone seized the shield but quickly ducked into the tent as the Amethyst was coming back. Emerald was waiting back just in case something happened, like now. The Amethyst entered the tent and walked over to a small table, looking at a hologram of reports. Bloodstone stayed still, under the table, hoping Emerald would do something. Suddenly there was a clang from outside the tent and the Amethyst sighed. As soon as she was out of the tent Bloodstone bolted, soon joining Emerald. As they left the camp with the old shield, they could hear the Amethyst in charge scolding the other Gems for fooling around.

           “Thanks for the save.” Bloodstone said and smiled at Emerald. The taller male smiled a little nervously at the comment.

           “That…wasn’t actually me. I think something fell on accident. I-I was going to do something, I swear.” Bloodstone stared at him with a deadpan look, obviously not amused.

           “Gee thanks. I confess my love to you and then you plan to leave me stuck in an enemy camp.”

           “N-no it wasn’t like that! Oh, come on Bloodred you know I wouldn’t leave you behind!” Emerald almost whined as Bloodstone hung the shield on the wall. Before he could whine more Bloodstone kissed him on the cheek.

           “Next time, act a little faster, yeah?” He asked, Emerald nodding in response. Bloodstone chuckled a little and laid on the bed, soon joined by Emerald.

           “I think that’s enough stress for today. At least for me, you didn’t do much at all!” Emerald scoffed a bit and turned his head to face him.

           “Didn’t do much? I carried almost all our stuff up here! You even had me carry you at one point!” Bloodstone blushed lightly and glared at him a bit.

           “Y-you’re not the one that confessed their crush, or were the one stuck under a table trying to steal a shield!” He retorted, their argument lasting through the night.

[shadow-silverman]

Sanctuary

           “I think this will do.” Emerald said, staring into the cave. Bloodstone popped his head up from over his shoulder. The cave ran deep into the mountain and after a bit of exploring Emerald found a good-sized cavern in the center; perfect for them to set up a base. Bloodstone smiled and nodded in response.

           They travelled down into the cavern, their stolen goods in tow. They had to make it look homely somehow and what better way to get stuff than, borrow, it from the Rebels and Homeworld? They wouldn’t miss it. Things extra weapons and building materials, to things they thought looked nice. Emerald had taken a banner from both sides and stitched them together, the two of them using it to mock them. Bloodstone had taken the engine from a small hovercraft just to screw over a single Homeworld officer. The pair seemed to be doing petty thievery for their own amusement, but that was nothing compared to the actual operations they ran. They weren’t stupid.

           The first mission they ran was against a Rebel base near the front lines. They snuck in, took out the officers quickly, then proceeded to trap the Rebels in the buildings for hours. The Rebel supply lines went unguarded for so long Homeworld actually acted and raided the route a few times before they could regroup. The very next day they destroyed the warp pads in the nearby Homeworld base and the materials to fix them, making their resupply take days instead of hours. Back and forth they went, ruining both sides from commanders to supplies. Nothing went untouched from the pair. They wanted to make their little war as difficult as possible.

           “Beds?” Bloodstone asked Emerald after mostly everything was set up.

           “Beds? You mean bed.” He said and started working on said furniture. Bloodstone could feel a blush rising to his cheeks. Share a bed? I mean sure he liked Emerald like that but there’s no way he feels the same way. Even after the months they’d been working together he hadn’t said anything or even hinted at the possibility. Maybe it was to save room, yeah that’s it! But then for what? They had already set everything up. Oh god what did it mean??

           “Hey, it’s ready. Wanna test it?” Bloodstone looked up and his blush intensified tenfold. Emerald was laying on the queen-sized bed in the “Paint me like one of your French girls” pose with a smirk on his face. Bloodstone shook his head quickly and covered his face, making Emerald laugh aloud.

           “Man you turned so green!” He exclaimed, referring to the Gems inverted blush. Bloodstone glared at him, though his blush didn’t fade.

           “S-shut up, you’re the greeny! A-at I change color when I blush!” He retorted, smirking a bit when Emerald’s cheeks turned a slightly darker shade of green. That one got him. Normally Emerald would easily beat Bloodstone with any teasing, but over time he was learning all the tricks up his non-existent sleeves. Luckily Emerald couldn’t read Bloodstones thoughts.

           “W-well, it helps me hide my emotions better unlike someone. At the slightest sign of embarrassment, you turn green.” It was true as Bloodstone was primarily red; that’s what made Bloodstones extra unique. Emerald called him Bloodred because of how red he was, as well as the shade of red. Despite this, Bloodstone knew he had a one-up on Emerald. Oh this was going to be a good argument for once.

           “Hide your emotions, huh? Oh yeah I’m sure that comes in handy when you’re practically fawning over my progress!” Bloodstone smirked as he watched Emerald’s blush deepen. Bloodstone was too caught up in his gloating to realise exactly what he said. Had someone mentioned that fact to him, he would have denied it in embarrassment. But for now, Emerald’s embarrassment was all he was focused on, so not too far from what he normally did.

           Emerald got up, his eyebrows down. Bloodstone was still smirking, not intimidated by the other Gem any longer. They’d been on their own for far too long for that. The silence hung around them like thick fog, both thinking. Emerald was going to make a move, but now Bloodstone couldn’t tell what. It was like he was out of ideas, but that never happens. Bloodstone’s smirk faded a little, the awkwardness weighing him down.

           “E-emerald? You’re acting really strange all of a sudden. I know I beat you in an argument for once but come on, it wasn’t that bad. It was just about your cute blush.” This snapped Emerald out of his thoughts, his turn to begin smirking. Bloodstone tilted his head at him for a moment.

           “Why are you smirking? I swear if you sucker punch me out of no-where…” He began, taking a step back as a precaution.

           “You think I’m cute huh?” Emerald asked, stepping closer. As soon as he said it Bloodstone realised the error of his ways and began to blush. Busted.

           “N-No! I-I didn’t say that!” He retorted quickly, shaking his head, and moving back farther. Emerald slowly followed him, chuckling a little.

           “S-so you think I’m ugly than? I’m hurt Bloodred, I thought we were the best team ever.”

           “No I didn’t say that either! Y-you’re definitely not ugly! I-I swear on my Gem!” Bloodstone gasped as he fell back onto the bed, his blush deepening more so than either had seen when Emerald got over him.

           “Than which is it? Am I cute or ugly?” He asked with a chuckle.

           “I-I think you’re really handsome!” Bloodstone exclaimed, Emerald sighing in triumph. But right before he could get up, Bloodstone continued.

           “I-I like you a lot, ok?! I-I can’t help that you’re really good looking and smart and funny and talented and I don’t know why you ever considered talking to me let alone personally training me but I l-love every minute of it! I can’t help I love you…” At the end of his little speech his voice had died down to barely more than a whisper, his head turned away. Emerald was taken aback by what he’d said. He really felt that way? He knew Bloodstone liked him but not nearly that much.

           “I’m sorry…I-I need some air…” Bloodstone mumbled and started to push Emerald away, hoping the tension would negate the fact his statement made no literal sense. Emerald stopped him, however, looking him dead in the eyes. Bloodstone was a little worried now and struggled a little but Emerald was much stronger.

           “E-Emerald I’m serious y-you-“ He was interrupted by Emerald’s lips on his own. He gasped in surprise but after a moment he returned the kiss. When Emerald pulled away slowly he just gave him that old, warm smile.

           “I’m glad you feel the same way.” He said simply, getting up. Bloodstone was still blushing like mad, now trying to process exactly what just happened. Emerald moved to move the last few things into place, letting Bloodstone think.

           “What, you act so surprised I feel the same way. You think all that praise was baseless? N-not to say it was just based on my attraction! Y-you really have improved a lot!” A light blush came back to Emerald’s cheeks and Bloodstone smiled a bit.

           “You’ll never change, will you? Thank you, Emerald, you kind of saved me a lot of thinking and courage. Wanna go steal something from the nearby camp to always remember this screw up of a confession?” Emerald chuckled and followed him out of their new home. The two set down the mountain for the Homeworld camp north of their home. It was temporary, no permeant buildings up. It seemed they were just resting for a while before moving on to their actual destination. When they got close enough, they saw that the small convoy was carrying “recaptured” supplies from the Rebels.

           “Nothing looks good…” Bloodstone muttered while they scanned.

           “That does.” Emerald pointed to a worn and scarred shield just outside one of the tents. An Amethyst walked out of the tent, sighing before moving on. Emerald smiled at Bloodstone before the pair made their way down into the camp.

           The convoy looked like they needed a rest, as most all the Gems were sitting down exhausted. This made their sneaking through relatively easy. Bloodstone seized the shield but quickly ducked into the tent as the Amethyst was coming back. Emerald was waiting back just in case something happened, like now. The Amethyst entered the tent and walked over to a small table, looking at a hologram of reports. Bloodstone stayed still, under the table, hoping Emerald would do something. Suddenly there was a clang from outside the tent and the Amethyst sighed. As soon as she was out of the tent Bloodstone bolted, soon joining Emerald. As they left the camp with the old shield, they could hear the Amethyst in charge scolding the other Gems for fooling around.

           “Thanks for the save.” Bloodstone said and smiled at Emerald. The taller male smiled a little nervously at the comment.

           “That…wasn’t actually me. I think something fell on accident. I-I was going to do something, I swear.” Bloodstone stared at him with a deadpan look, obviously not amused.

           “Gee thanks. I confess my love to you and then you plan to leave me stuck in an enemy camp.”

           “N-no it wasn’t like that! Oh, come on Bloodred you know I wouldn’t leave you behind!” Emerald almost whined as Bloodstone hung the shield on the wall. Before he could whine more Bloodstone kissed him on the cheek.

           “Next time, act a little faster, yeah?” He asked, Emerald nodding in response. Bloodstone chuckled a little and laid on the bed, soon joined by Emerald.

           “I think that’s enough stress for today. At least for me, you didn’t do much at all!” Emerald scoffed a bit and turned his head to face him.

           “Didn’t do much? I carried almost all our stuff up here! You even had me carry you at one point!” Bloodstone blushed lightly and glared at him a bit.

           “Y-you’re not the one that confessed their crush, or were the one stuck under a table trying to steal a shield!” He retorted, their argument lasting through the night.