#sometimes i think i wouldn't mind at all to sacrifice that for the sake of knowledge n success n productivity

[noxtivagus]

i'm sorry

[thebottomfromhell]

In a scenario where the reader is a hashira, what do you think would happen to him if his relationship with a demon was discovered. I know you wrote something along those lines where the reader was someone ordinary. The Hashiras, in the original work, are mostly nice, but they are very strict-minded about demons, so I wonder what their reaction would be if one of their own basically "betrayed" them. If you think it's going to be very similar, you can just ignore it or just say what you think would happen, without it necessarily being a story. I would appreciate it just the same

The Hashira request I like, the one where we treat them as the corporation of hunters they are instead of the avengers! I usually don't like making reader a Hashira, since I like to make it relatable to most, and let's be honest, the power fantasy is nice but most wouldn't live past Kanoe XD. Besides, it's funnier to make powerless MC's who need constant saving. But once or twice can't hurt.

The Hashira will refer to reader as L/N, as Last Name. Like last time it won't specify gender nor who's Uppermoon reader is with. One difference would be that as a civilian, last time reader only knew about the corps due being warned by their couple, hence only saw them as a bounch of psychos, here they will be more aware of certain things.

Hashira find out Hashira!GN Reader has a relationship with an Upper Moon

Warnings: Manga spoilers, Torture (Mostly non-physical, and the ones ññ, Excesive violence, Mutilation, Mentioned non-consented drug use, Mention of character's death, Implied sexual content, Suicidal character with survival guilt (Giyuu) and Open ending.

You became a Hashira to save others, you were told sometimes you were someone that loves too much, even for this line of work, specially for this line of work. In your ranking, most of everyone is civil to each other (depending on your definition of civil), but there is at least a level of trust. But not the tradiotional trust of sharing your burdens or being able to do things together, every Hashira prefers to work without the others, but trust that everyone else will do their job and kill every demon they meet or die trying.

That is exactly the trust you broke, so everyone is angry, upset and thirsty for blood. Most Hashira think positive things about each other, you also had only good things to say when asked, but now? After all that conversations you had with your lover about the inferiority of humanity, that they are pests, barbaric, backstabbers, a necessary evil... you have to wonder. After they caged you without any warning or mercy, sending Kocho and Shinazugawa for you, ending up beated and drugged.... you wonder. You just wonder.

Is it actually right?

The fellow Hashira could have at least confronted you out of the sake of the this fellowship, you could recieve visits from someone that isn't Kocho, drugging you for the sake of being easier to handle for the kakushi. And not only she drugs you, she always makes sure to remind you of your situation. To shame you, to taunt you, to hurt you. "Ara ara, aren't you eager to move? This is the second time I have to drug you today. You should really give a slack to the kakushi, they are just trying to do their job. But again, considering what you did, I must really question if you care about the efforts of the people in the corps." She says smiling, even if your blurred vision doesn't let you see it clearly, you can tell by her tone. Shinobu spits poison so cafefully with every word. Because she hates you. "You know? A mere civilian or commoner would have a an excuse. The don't know the level of sacrifice we have made, the pain the demons have caused. You? You did. And you had one job, the same as us. To stop that pain or die trying, you should have done the later."

You know about Kanae. You were never told about the demon who killed her nor the details, but it's almost (Tokito...) impossible to be a Hashira and NOT know about her death on the hands of demons. You knew, know that most Hashira have lost something to demons, and yet you decided to get close to one. Close enough to become lovers. But... it was right, at the time. The gentle touches, the vulnerable moments, the softness. The beatings inside your chest, the warmness in your face, that lightness in that voice... you are in love. And that Uppermoon is too, or else you would be dead, like everyone seems to wish you were, already.

You have too much free time in your thoughts, since you are tied up in a way you can't move any of your limbs and struggling cut's your circulation, kept in a dark room, when light and noise only appear when the Kakushi are told to feed you, once a day at most. You have no idea if they were told to do it that way or they are only scared to face a "renegade Hashira" or whatever they call you when you can't hear them. Your body is sore, it has been for the longest time, and you feel constantly sick due Kocho's drugs. Dizzy, tired, too hot, wanting to throw out when anything touches your throat, and even after hours the needles stings remains in wherever she managed to shot you. You also never healed your leg when fighting Shinazugawa, at lealt not properly. You can still feel empty tissues and the bone in your thigh stabbing the flesh, with smaller piece stuck. Your nose is also broken, making you need to breath through the mouth. The only thing Kocho actually tended was a cut through your hand, so you don't die from the blood loss.

You still remember grabbing the tilt of your sword to protect yourself, only to have all of the digits cut out of the hand, keeping in each different fractions, but all of the without the tips. At first there was a fast and intense sting, similar to a burning senssation as your katana started to fall from your grip, then, for a second, a coldness that was at worst, annoying, some sort of emptyness. Finally, when the realization sink there was pain in your pulsating fingers, mixing a lasting feeling of both previous ones, fighting to be the dominant one. You still can feel, on a lesser extent, all the time, those sensations.

It takes a lot for you to not go mad with the lack of contact with everything, and that sensation of being ill. Part of you wonders if your beloved will save you, if any other Hashira will speak to at least let you defend yourself in vain. Every day it becomes less of a reality, which adds resentment. Part of you tells you that you were the one to betray them first, another that longs that sweet voice and touches angers, wanting nothing to get out, to go somewhere safe, with the demon you love. "My sister and my best friend were killed by demons..." One day you suddenly feel a voice besides you... Tomioka. He is giving you his back, speaking only high enough so you can make up what he is saying. "So I really hate them... how... how were you able to love such a monster, knowing well what others suffered because of them?"

You don't know the answer, you can't even speak coherently due the drugs on your system. That is a question you asked yourself so much, thinking that if you didn't fall like that, you wouldn't be in this situation... but... "Sp-cil.... hom.... looovd...." you wonder if the silence means resignation or understanding, but you are glad to have someone close. "You will not be forgiven... there is someone that might, but... he is not here right now, and seeing the situation is probably for the best. I'm sorry." You... honestly can't understand it. That is why you curse Tomioka after he leaves, even if he was the only one willing to listen to you. That feeling only gets worse when you realize he is not in your "trial", he didn't go. The others, as always were neither fast to condemn him or dismiss him because of it, but besides some of them changing the subject, nobody came to his defense. Like you have already realized nobody is comming for yours.

You don't listen when Oyakata-sama speaks, is your attention lacking or he is just talking too low due being sick? None the less you just watch the others. Tokito is there, you want to trash out, but are still drugged and tied up, at the fact the child is here. That is child is going to see you being excecuted... but does it make a difference, this child has killed even more powerful demons than you, and you has never seem to care. Is it really that different to see a human die than a demon? Because everyone else seems so eager to see you die as one. You wouldn't know, you never wished death upon any specific human nor killed any. Yes, sometimes you curse some more anstract subjects, like people who hurt others, some criminals, and so, but you have never talked to anyone and wished you could kill them.

Every Hashira seems obsessed with death in one way or another, even if it's only to avoid it like Mitsuri, who is crearly sobbing and trying to keep it down. "Where is Tomioka? We shouldn't start without him!" Asks Rengoku impossible to not hear him, even in your state, but you know that he isn't comming probably asked permission for it. Damn him, that coward. You can also basically hear the scoffs from Shinazugawa and Obanai. After some seconds you feel the Serpent Hashira stab your shoulder with that irregula blade, making the cut difficult ans uneven, not covering the bleeding at all. "Obanai! Stop! Do not let your anger cloud your judgement!" Himejima acrually screams, and Obanai is close enough for you to hear and see him decently.

There is also a significant, loud, growing hatred in his eyes. Being any other situation you would tease that it's because you made Kanroji cry, but you know better. It's because he trusted you to kill demons and die trying, and you didn't. Come to think about it, it's an unfair standard to hold against anyone. What about those who had someone to go hone to? What about those too young to die? What about those who have a bright future ahead? Is everyone expected to? "My judgement?! What about L/N's judgement! This level of treason is unforgivable! It deserves more than a quick death! I apologize, Oyakata-sama, but I can't accept your desition!" Kanroji only cries harder at the time she speaks. "NO! NO! Y/N-SAN IS STILL OUR FRIEND! WE SHOULD AT LEAST MAKE IT AS PAINLESS AS POSSIBLE!"

"OUR FRIEND? A FRIEND DOESN'T GO AND SLEEP WITH THE ENEMY! IF L/N SIDES WITH THE ENEMY THEN WE TREAT THEM AS SUCH!" Shinazugawa screams at her, moving her direction angrily, so both Kocho and Rengoku put themself in between. You can't hear what Kocho says, but you can definetely make up what Rengoku does. "Shinazugawa! I understand your anger! This betrayal woould never go unpunished! But if we torture and rip L/N as we pleasw we won't be better than demons! We must answer with humanity!"

There is arguing, a lot of noise, Himejima and Tokito-kun are the only ones that are not with to it, besides the big boss who will only let them cool down by themselves, but you don't know that because you can make any voice out of the sounds, but because you know them. You know them... You spoke with them, shared meals and stories with some, worked with them... you know them, and they know you. And still, they will be the ones to kill you as long as they sort their shit out before you bleed to death.

"SILENCE! THIS IS SO UNFLASHY, WE SHOULD NOT BE GOING AGAINST EACH OTHER AFTER SUCH AN EVENT. We are already too on edge for this treason, we we can handle it. We should not be losing trust on each other!" Suddenly screams Uzui as he takes out his weapons, unecesaryly moving them for show, having the blades surrounding his torso, arms and shoulders without a single scratch on him. "I should be the one who deals with this. I know how to make it fast." He gets close to you as your vision becomes even more blured, to the point everything is red. Not black yet, you can basically see your eyelids and your own blood on the ground. You feel cold, trembling violently, you are pain, wanting to throw up your empty, tight and twisted stomach, feeling as if your organs will leave your body through the mouth the second you give into that urge. You pant, having a hard time breathing, every muscles is sore and protests... You are scared.

You swore that was what forced you to stay awake, even after loosing so much blood, but then... "Well, isn't this sad?" You hear a voice loud and clear, masculine. One that you have never heard before but still edges you. Your heart beats faster and normally you would worry about what that would mean something for the bloodloss, but... you don't feel like you are loosing blood, on the contrary, you feel more. "To be honest, I didn't notice at first you had my blood in your system, but now that you are weak, loosing the liquids of your body, the few drops you had inside are taking over. I won't pretend I don't know about your... intimacy with one of my powerful demons, but let me tell you this. It can save you."

You.... can be saved? You want to be saved, you have no idea where Uzui is, if he is near and ready to make the last blow or the arguing is stopping him. "You see, right now I can speak with you, share myself, but I can't take any look in your mind. But if you were to say where you are, I will gladly save you. Just tell where where are the ones who hurt you, and I'll even reward you with more blood. Don't you think it's a winning deal for you?" You cal sell out everyone for your own survival. Do you actually want them to die? To be killed. You feel suddenly a bit better, as the demon cells fight off the drugs.

You take air into your lungs softly and-

Tomioka Giyuu is in his home. He didn't want to be part of this. For now he doesn't want to think about it, the fact that one day he might take your place for not killing that demon girl. Urokodaki sends him letters of Kamado Tanjiro's process, the boy sends him his own letters too. He reads them all. Right now he has a brush in his hands, wondering if he should answer. He is tempted to write back, congratulate him, tell him he is doing good, to take care of himself and his sister, or at least to warn him about some difficulties he might face.

He can't. He doesn't want to get attached, no matter how nice and lovely the boy is, of how much he reminds him of himself when younger, except Tanjiro has more talent and is more capable that he was at his age. He will make a great water Hashira, far better than him. But for that Tomioka can't risk the others undermining his judgement by defending you. He didn't know if he would or not, and he didn't want to find out. Right now, that important thing is to ensure that the boy will take his place, and that means taking his distance too. Because everyone that Giyuu has ever held so dear into his heart dies. His sister and Sabito.... and even if you too were not close, not really friend... but still.

"It shoukd have been me." Is the only thing he can think as he sets the brush aside, not having written anything, and saving the letters carefully in a box. Then, just silence.

It doesn't matter anymore.

[niiikasa]

Honestly i was also of the assumption that yuuji would die to save megumi but i feel no matter which way you look at it, it would be a terrible conclusion to yuuji and megumi's characters, and 265 proves that. Even if it fulfills his grandfather's words, he'd still be stuck in a 'role', a path predetermined for him, which i think would be regressing from the message 265 is trying to make.

And he also wants to save Megumi, that's literally all he's been trying to do this entire time, it'd be wack if gege just decides all that build-up just to kill him off (though it wouldnt be the first time). And if he fails to save Megumi, then what would be the point, especially when he's sacrificed so much to do so? Yuuji has always wanted to save people, him breaking away from the cog mentality doesn't change that ideal. If all of that and he never ends up actually saving anyone in the end, after failing before (junpei, nanami, nobara) and now megumi, it wouldn't really be a conclusive resolution for him (unless gege goes the route of making him accept that sometimes you just can't save everyone and make him come to terms with the fact that he doesn't have to save anyone which admittedly would also be an interesting direction for the story to go, but i don't think yuuji is that type of character to change so drastically like that, especially this deep into the fight where he'd already lost so much trying to get him)

I don't think megumi will die either. I see this prediction that megumi might wake up, use the last of his strength to kill sukuna, and die in the process, but it wouldn't conclude his character imo. He'd still be incomplete, stuck in the climax of his character arc without a resolution. He never gets to process or deal with what happened to him, he never even takes control of his life (literally and metaphorically) nor does he ever reach his potential or find any sort of light at the end of the tunnel? (Gege has been a bit execessive with the deaths, but every single death that happened in this story, the character's arc is more or less concluded, and they accept death and are even smiling at the end (with the exception of junpei but he's a minor character all things considered) megumi wouldn't fit that criteria, as his character still hasn't completed, and there's still so much unresolved about him. Not to mention, it'd be a pretty disappointing way to kill off your deutrogonist.)

Yuuji dying wouldn't bode well for Megumi's character, either. Think about it; Megumi, since the start of the series, has been trying to save yuuji, tell him that his life is worth more than he's trying to sacrifice, and never lets him wallow in his own guilt or self-hatred and even tells him to share the burden. He's always of the belief that he DOESN'T want Yuuji to die, that he deserves to live, sukuna or not. He shares the same sentiment with his sister. But it wouldn't work for Megumi's character if all of this, Even after telling yuuji to give up on him and just kill him, he's the one that ends up living, and the two people he's been trying to save this entire time don't? What would be the point? (Again, gege could go the route of making Megumi learn to live for himself and not for the sake of others like his sister and Yuuji, but that development could be made just by his sister dying, he doesn't need to kill yuuji for that, too)

So i think gege changed his mind on that aspect of only one living and decided to keep them both alive. It would work well with the theme of the newer generations breaking the cycle of the older generations, where gojo and geto died before they could truly bear the consequences of their past mistakes (Culling Games) Yuuji and Megumi live through the consequences of what Sukuna did (Shibuya and Shinjuku) and share the burden together as opposed to Gojo and Geto whom beared it alone and drifted apart. But i guess thats too hopeful an ending for a manga like jjk lol

(There's also evidence of both of them dying so who knows ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)

GUYS THIS IS SO BEAUTIFUL (i will make my response in a bit... i need to shower...)

[hexologh]

“MUST PROTECT!”

THIS HAS BEEN HANGING ON MY DMS FOR A WHILE BUT I WAS TOO BUSY TO DO IT, ACTUALLY EVERYDAY IM BUSY 😭

HOPE YA LIKE IT : @scarletdragontiger

— He adores both of you equally! No preferences involved! (Or maybe there are..?)

— Whenever you and Mk engage in any activity, he's always present. Are you drawing? He's drawing too. Do you want to play princess and knights? He willingly takes on the role of the princess and even allows you to apply makeup on his face.

— You and Mk were the most cherished individuals in Wukong's life. He deeply adores both of you.

— However, as time passed and you and Mk grew older, Sun Wukong's protectiveness turned into smothering and possessiveness. He loves you, so he believes you wouldn't mind, right? He believes he is demonstrating his love for the two of you.

— Wukong personally took care of you and Mk, providing training and education that he believed no one else could match. He is confident in his abilities to guide both of you.

— He epitomizes a caring and protective father. His children, you and Mk, hold the utmost importance in his life. Their happiness is his top priority, and he would go to great lengths to ensure it.

— Wukong genuinely cares about your aspirations for the future, insisting on remaining by your side. He adamantly refuses to leave you with anyone he deems a threat.

— Wukong is willing to do anything for his family, and that remains an unwavering fact. He would eliminate any potential threat if necessary, putting the two of you above all else. His beliefs and principles take a backseat when it comes to both of you.

— He possesses no fear and would not hesitate to sacrifice himself for your sake and Mk's. He wouldn't think twice about saving the two of you and would rather die than live without his children. The mere thought of your demise fills him with rage, and he will not allow either of you to come to harm.

— Wukong refuses to let anyone come close to Mk or you. Deep down, he harbors a fear that one day you and Mk might leave him for someone else. He desires to be the sole individual you can trust, even though he acknowledges the selfishness of such a desire. Regardless, he remains unapologetic about it.

— Wukong's love for you and Mk knows no bounds. You are the center of his world, and he would move mountains to ensure your happiness and safety.

— Each day, Wukong showers you and Mk with unwavering affection and attention. He relishes in being a part of your lives and eagerly participates in every activity you engage in.

— As a father figure, Wukong takes immense pride in molding you and Mk into the best versions of yourselves. He takes personal responsibility for your upbringing, firmly believing that no one else could provide the same level of care and guidance.

— Wukong's possessiveness stems from a place of deep love and attachment. He sees you and Mk as extensions of himself, and the thought of losing either of you is unbearable to him.

— While his overprotective nature can sometimes be stifling, Wukong genuinely believes it is his duty to shield you and Mk from any harm or danger that may come your way.

— Wukong's actions may seem extreme to outsiders, but in his eyes, he is simply demonstrating his unwavering devotion and commitment to his beloved children.

— Despite his fierce and protective demeanor, Wukong also cherishes the moments of joy and laughter shared with you and Mk. He delights in seeing you both happy and content, and he will go to great lengths to ensure those moments are plentiful.

— Wukong's possessiveness is driven by a deep-rooted fear of abandonment. He cannot fathom a world where you and Mk are not by his side, and his protective instincts kick into high gear to prevent that from happening.

— He yearns for your unwavering loyalty and affection, and while his desires may be flawed, he genuinely believes it is for your own well-being.

— Wukong's love for you and Mk is both fierce and unwavering. He will fiercely guard and protect you, sometimes at the expense of his own well-being. Your happiness and safety will always be his top priority, and he will stop at nothing to ensure you both thrive in his care.

— Anyone who dares to mistreat or disrespect you and Mk will face dire consequences. Nobody can harm his beloved children and escape alive. Nobody.

[nerdgirlnarrates]

So a fun thing that came up in therapy is how I have a lot of trouble believing that I can be in a long-term loving romantic relationship and how that relates to being told over and over that going into medicine would make me difficult to marry. There were other things about me that garnered this criticism (I was a weird kid growing up and had the typical weird kid experiences that make you believe you're unlovable), but it mostly revolved around wanting to go into medicine, and it mostly came from my parents. There was a lot of fretting over how men would struggle with a woman having such a demanding career and how they would be emasculated by my salary, etc. There was also fretting over how I should avoid ambitious men because it would make it even more difficult to balance careers, and this concern usually came with the message that the man's career is more important. Sometimes this was implicit, but sometimes it was explicit: at the beginning of med school, my mom told me I shouldn't date a classmate because "[their] career will come first." I once had a hypothetical discussion with my dad about what I would do if I had a disabled child who needed a parent at home, and his immediate response was "you can't ask a man to quit his job." Never mind the work you put in to your career, how much you like it, how your respective jobs impact household finances--you can't ask a man to quit his job. That's that. I was also asked repeatedly, and not just by my parents, if I would give up my job if my husband asked (no additional context was given, of course). When I said I wouldn't, I was accused of being unwilling to make any sacrifices in a relationship.

In retrospect, I think my parents thought they were preparing me for realistic relationship struggles. Obviously having a demanding job can create tension, and it created tension in their marriage when they both had demanding careers and small children. Ultimately my mom quit her job, for that and other reasons. But I think that decision was also due, in some part, to patriarchal assumptions about who should be at home and whose career matters. That assumption was passed along in the concerns they harbored about my career, and instead of making me feel prepared to deal with relationship stressors, I started believing I couldn't have a career and a marriage. I picked a career.

Medicine is deeply, deeply important to me, and it feels like part of who I am, and I can't imagine giving it up to be more appealing as a wife. I can't stop being someone who loves medicine and work. I don't want to be married for the sake of it or loved halfway; I want to be loved as what I am or I want to be alone. For years, it felt like I couldn't both want things and be married. To be married, I had to be ready to give up everything at the drop of a hat, throw out all my dreams and ambitions if someone asked. The context doesn't matter--I'm the woman, so I'm the one who quits. I'm the one who gives things up.

I couldn't do it. I couldn't stop wanting things: I want to be a physician and teach and work in sexual violence prevention for the rest of my life. I want to paint and write novels. And I don't want to give any of it up unless I absolutely have to. Worse, I want someone to actually like all those things about me rather than simply tolerate them. And I want to be seen as kind and smart and funny and interesting and attractive, and it's just too much. I want too much. I just don't think it's possible to want this much from life and from a partner. I've had some people tell me that what I want is fine and realistic, and I don't really believe them.

[alexblakeisgay]

If You're Gonna Love Me, Love Me Like an Outlaw

Ship: Ian Doyle/Emily Prentiss

Summary: Sometimes, Emily wonders whether all this was worth it, whether giving up her entire life to be by Ian's side made any sense at all. She doesn't wonder often, though.

Warnings: None Apply

Word Count: 1028

Author's Note: This was written for the @cmgiftexchange for the lovely @pagetprentissishot - I hope you like it, friend!

Emily stood on the balcony of their little hut overlooking the turquoise waters, arms wrapped tightly around herself, keeping the light shawl she wore wrapped around her shoulders from blowing in the slight breeze.

She didn't hear Ian approach behind her until he'd wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder. "What's on your mind, Love?" he asked in a whisper, then dropped a kiss below her ear.

"It doesn't feel like Christmas," she said with a slight shrug, jostling his chin.

"The lack of snow?" he guessed.

She shook her head, but didn't comment on the matter for long enough that he wasn't sure he was going to...but eventually, she simply repeated. "It doesn't feel like Christmas."

The moon hung full and low in the sky, casting a golden shimmer on the water below them. It was one of the things she liked best about their little hidey-hole: the brilliance of the night sky. When she'd moved around as a child, she'd liked to look up at the stars and find the familiar constellations and it helped her feel like at least one thing in life remained constant amidst the chaos.

She tilted her head back to stare up at the sky. Almost immediately, she felt Ian trailing his lips along her carotid, knowing he could smell the blood thrumming beneath her skin. "Don't get any bright ideas," she warned.

He chuckled darkly. "One of these days, you are going to let me turn you..." he said, that smugly confident way about him he always seemed to have whenever the topic came up, as it invariably did.

She didn't dignify his confidence with a reply. She never did.

"You know you don't have to do this, right?" he said at length, uncharacteristically quiet.

"Do what?" she asked in that way she often had where he couldn't quite be certain whether she was being intentionally obtuse or whether she genuinely didn't know.

"Stay here. With me."

That had her attention... She turned sharply in his his arms to fix him with a look somewhere near disbelief.

He continued on undeterred, "You can leave. Tell everyone I kidnapped you, held you against your will. Make up any story you like. You don't have to sacrifice everything for my sake."

"It's not a sacrifice," she insisted vehemently, almost furiously. "I'm not here because I think I have to be."

"But..."

"No, Ian!" she hissed. "Your thrall might be good, but it's not that good," she added sardonically.

He barked out a laugh. "Sarcastic little shit," he muttered, but there was no heat behind it.

She rolled her eyes. She'd known it wouldn't be easy, wouldn't always be smooth sailing when she'd confessed everything to Ian. She'd known she would probably end up staring down the barrel of a gun, counting the remaining second of her life. What she hadn't expected, though...

He'd pulled from his safe three passports he'd had made for himself, her, and Declan. New names, new identities. They'd packed up all the irreplaceable possessions and travelled to the Maldives where they didn't extradite. No questions asked.

(Of course, she did eventually ask questions... Namely, why? Because he was Ian fucking Doyle, afterall...and Ian Doyle had a notorious reputation for rooting out and ruthlessly killing every single undercover operative sent in to bring his arms-dealing empire down, so why, then would decide not to kill her when she confessed to being exactly that?)

(His answer was simply that he believed her when she said she loved him. She'd scoffed, of course, because love can be faked... You're not that good an actress, Emily, he'd said, emphasis strong on her real name as it fell from his tongue for the first time.)

Those memories were floating forefront in her mind as she fixed him with her most deadly serious stare and said, "I gave up everything for you, Ian. Not because I was in any way forced, but because there is literally nothing in my life worth going back to."

"What about your family?" he protested, though it was an admittedly weak protest.

"You and Declan are my family," she murmured, softer now, but no less firm in her insistence. "The only family that means anything at all to me."

He grinned, a hint of fang peeking out. "You forgot someone..."

She raised a brow, confused.

He pressed a palm to her stomach, a pointed look on his face that clearly told her the jig was up. "You really thought you could keep a secret from me?"

"What gave it away?" Emily asked, a little pout on her lips at her little surprise being ruined. She'd thought she was being sneaky...between the lack of morning sickness and her still slender frame.

"I can hear the heartbeat," he said, a shit-eating grin on his face.

"Smug bastard," she muttered, also without any heat. "That was supposed to be your Christmas present."

He laughed heartily. He pulled her in for another kiss, this one more heated than the last, his hand drifting from her hip to cup her ass, coaxing a pleased hum from her lips. "I can think of something else you could give me..." he said when he pulled back, brows waggling suggestively.

Rolling her eyes, she said, "If you'll recall, I already gave you that gift last night..."

"I didn't realize it was a limited time offer," he said dryly, though they both knew he was only teasing.

With a sarcastic laugh, she said, "And people think you're not charming..."

"Who said that?"

Rather than reply to the smart remark – which was mostly rhetorical anyway – she shot him a wicked grin as she pulled her nightgown over her head and tossed it aside before diving into the ocean, clearly expecting him to follow.

Ian, of course, would follow a gorgeous naked woman just about anywhere...especially when she wore an expression promising mischief.

[practically-an-x-man]

8 or 9 for Ophelia?

Thank you!! I'm gonna go with 8, I think - this one came out as less active-angst and more introspection, but I like it

8. sacrificing their happiness for someone else's future

More Angsty Prompts

____ With Every Stitch

Word Count: 673 Tags: angst, medical procedures, character study, gen fic ____

Ophelia sat in the bathroom, alone as always, with a washcloth clamped between her teeth to keep from screaming. She probed at her own side with a pair of forceps, fishing around until the tines bumped the sliver of metal embedded in her flesh. The wound carved straight through the center of her tattoo, ruining the symmetry of those elegant swirling lines, and she was sure it would heal crooked with even the most careful of sutures.

Blood spilled out as she removed the shrapnel, and Ophelia pressed a towel to the wound before it could drip. It had once been white, but now was stained a rosy pink from all the times it had been bloodied and washed and bloodied again. She hated pink. Maybe someday she'd finally go out and buy herself some black towels like she'd been promising herself to do.

Every battle ended this way. She would come home in pain, battered and bruised and bleeding, and her only choice was to stave off her exhaustion long enough to drag herself to the bathroom. She had nobody else to take care of her. She was forced to tend her own wounds.

Sometimes she wondered why she was doing all this. It was a miserable life. So much physical pain, so many aches and lingering scars, and there was nobody left in her life to be proud of her for everything she soldiered through.

Her father would have praised her, she thought. They were his inventions that she wore in the field, and he'd always wanted to use them for the good of the community. Perhaps he'd been worried at the state of her injuries, how many scars that marked her skin, but he'd be proud of what she'd chosen to do.

But he wasn't here. He'd never be here to comfort her again.

So here she was, judge and jury and doctor and nurse, placing herself in more pain that she could have imagined for the sake of people who hardly looked her way.

Ophelia dug out her suture kit and readied the needle. Perhaps she could still salvage her tattoo. She had a steady enough hand, at least when she wasn't stitching her own wounds. As long as she kept her mind distant, ignored the pain and the gruesome reality that sat before her, forced her mind to see it as nothing more than another laboratory project, she could manage it.

Why was she doing this? Why did she put her own body on the line for people that wouldn't ever give her so much as a thank-you? Why did she sacrifice her own sanctity for happiness of people she would never meet?

She wanted to think it was some sort of inner morality that guided her - that she did good deeds for something bigger than herself, that she just couldn't bear to see harm befall people who didn't deserve it.

But she didn't deserve the harm that had befallen her. Time and time again, life had surgically extracted every little scrap of joy she managed to pull together. And it left her here, bleeding alone in the bathroom with a needle pinched between her fingers.

Maybe it was more of a punishment. Maybe she thought she deserved to bleed. Maybe this pain was penance for all the happiness she'd been selfish enough to cling to in the first seventeen years of her life.

Ophelia tied off the last stitch and snipped the thread, eyeing her handiwork. Not perfect - the lines would always been a little crooked, with a close look - but good enough. She packed up her first aid kit, swallowed three ibuprofen dry, and made her way back to the bedroom. The same thing she did practically every night. It was a Promethean routine, having herself carved open day after day and yet refusing to regret the light she'd spread.

Maybe it was self-sabotage, at the core of it all. But maybe the reasons didn't matter.

At least it meant others could afford to be happy.

[shannara810]

In you au what would Percy have to do to get in trouble with Luke? Put himself in danger? Do something reckless? Would he have ways of calming Luke down like Luke does with the cute baby trick?

Mmm 🤔 nice question to ponder on, @darkcrowprincess. Had to think about this a little and yesterday I wasn't in the best shape to do so, I'm sorry 🥲.

However today I feel better and my brain has been of help, so I could put together a few things.

I must say I quite like the headcanon I put together. I have been building my characters all along without realizing it 🤣. Shame, shame on me!

About rage

Nothing triggers Luke Milligan more than the random use of the word "family".

It’s a strange thing. If you ask him, I'm sure even Luke wouldn't be able to answer if this trigger of his is due to the memories he now has of his past life or if the reason lies in the self-righteousness with which his dad’s brothers have always flaunted their "we are family" speech to stab you in the back. However to hear someone say "I'm doing this for your sake because we’re family" pisses Luke off like nothing else in the world.

Growing up, his Dad taught him how the best way to make anything work is by talking about it. Father, instead, showed Luke how duty has nothing to do with guilt.

Mindful of Chuck’s yoke, Michael was always quite adamant about what Luke could and couldn't do. The archangel taught him how sometimes his actions would be dictated by necessity, other times because they were the right thing to do. However nothing- NOTHING! - will ever give Luke the right to decide for someone else 'cos "I’m your family, so I know what’s best for you". Michael was always pretty clear about this.

His human family is the best example of why you can't decide for someone else, even for a member of your own family. The first time Luke's dad died, it was because John Winchester "had known" what was better for Adam and had left him in the dark about the supernatural. Meanwhile an endless trail of people had to sacrifice their lives for the Winchesters' sick idea of family. (Not that his angelic family was much better, mind you).

So do you want to make an enemy out of Luke Milligan? Try to decide for him or to do something behind his back using the word "family" as your excuse. And Percy learned this in the hard way.

Is Percy reckless? Does he put himself in danger? No problem! Luke will be there by his side.

As a hothead himself, it would be hypocritical of Luke to ask Percy to be in any other way. And trouble is always funnier when shared 😁.

Said so if you’ve the bad luck to stumble upon the wrath of Luke Milligan, the only way you have to calm him down is to say sorry and tell him the truth. He is like a Hellhound in his rage: nothing can stop him till the enemy is destroyed. This is his Achilles' heel.

As Adam always said, it's a long way to go to solve his son's wrath issues. At least the daddy ones are not a problem anymore.

[shadowqueenjude]

Tamlin angst part 8

@achaotichuman Mother is serving! TWs: suicide, angst, abuse, etc. He couldn't bear it any longer. As his sentries dropped like flies without any success, again and again, he snapped. There was no hope; this was useless. "Enough!" Tamlin shouted. "Enough of this. No more sentries will be dying." His voice broke. "Let's just...enjoy the years of peace we have left." He'll never forget the way Lucien looked at him in that moment, as if he had betrayed him in every way possible. "How can you do this, Tam?" Lucien demanded. "How can you give up? I believed in you- all these sentries do, or they wouldn't have gone to die for you." "And look how misplaced their faith was, Lucien. They're all dead, and all for nothing." Lucien bared his fangs at him. "I didn't take you for a quitter, Tam. I loved those sentries too, but sometimes an individual must be sacrificed for the sake of the family, a family for the sake of the village, a village for the sake of the province, and the whole earth for the sake of the soul." "Well maybe I am a quitter. Maybe I'm weak. Maybe I'm not cut out to be a ruler, because I can't bring myself to do it." "You're a fucking High Lord, Tam. Making tough decisions like this is your job. You can't afford to laze around and let Amarantha overrun us. Talk to me when you've come to your senses." Lucien held true to his word. He refused to speak to him properly when Tamlin refused to change his mind. He loved Lucien with all his heart, but how could he do this? How could he let them die for the sake of one foolish hope? "I did not fight so hard for my freedom to lose it all now," Lucien said, his Autumn Court fire blazing behind his eyes. "And if you don't start sending those sentries back past that border again, I'll venture there myself." Fear flooded through Tamlin. "You don't mean that." "You don't think so?" Lucien stalked towards him. "How. About. You. Watch. Me." He emphasized each word with a prod to his chest. If Tamlin's mind hadn't been so preoccupied with worry about Lucien venturing into the human realm, he might have contemplated how insanely turned on Lucien was making him feel. "I won't let you," Tamlin snarled. "As your High Lord, I fucking command it." Lucien laughed low, a sound that caressed Tamlin's bones. "Your High Lord command holds little sway over me now, shapeshifter, when Amarantha holds much of your power in the palm of her hand. You can try and hold onto me yourself, or have your remaining sentries prevent me from going, but mark my words, I will find a way. I made it here after all, remember?" And he felt it. Tamlin didn't even think Lucien realized it, but as a High Lord, Tamlin recognized it. The power. Even if Amarantha held most of it in her grasp, Lucien was growing more powerful every day Tamlin kept him. He, too, was a High Lord in the making. It would explain his brothers' desperation to kill him. "Fine," Tamlin choked out. "I will send them back past the border, but don't expect any of them to turn up with success." Lucien cut him a look. "If you give them enough chances, one of them is bound to strike gold, Tam. It's simple mathematics." As usual, Lucien was right. At last, Andras's death occurred, and it was not for nothing. When Tamlin's eyes fell upon the cold-hearted human girl, he prayed that all their sacrifices would finally mean something.

[idkwhoiamanymorebutwtf]

How would you deal with Marcy’s arc(assuming no major plot points could be changed?)

Okay, so, if I can't make any major changes- like giving Marcy a bigger role besides "being possessed" for all of season three or keeping her in Amphibia (whether permanently or just letting her go back sometimes by doing away with the "oops, portal's gone, they can't go back" thing)- I think my biggest change would be regarding Marcy's own feelings and attitude.

I think Marcy's biggest issue has always been that she doesn't have enough agency, self worth, or assertiveness, honestly. Her friends have seriously hurt her and she doesn't even seem to realize it, much less be in a place where she feels like she can say something about it. Even in Newtopia, where she seemed to be happiest, it felt like she was being taken advantage of to some extent with just how much work was being piled onto her by people who didn't really appreciate her. And I know they didn't explore it much and just kinda swept it under the rug to some extent, but I really do not get the impression that she had a good home life before coming to Amphibia (which, if we're making changes to marcy's arc, i'd also absolutely elaborate more on the things that pushed her to the point of being fully willing to never see her family again, because no teenage girl runs away for six months, let alone forever, and doesn't miss home once, unless there's a serious issue, which apparently the writers didn't think about). She's been hurt a lot, but she's always putting her feelings on the back burner to help other people.

Taking all of that into account, I think Marcy needed to learn to know her worth and realize she's allowed to say no to people/have negative feelings about things. That she doesn't need to fix everyone else, that she's allowed to ask for better for herself, how to set boundaries, etc. I think that would have been the logical evolution of her character arc. Honestly, that wouldn't even have been that hard to do without changing anything. Andrias blatantly took advantage of her! The core literally forcibly imposed itself onto her mind! It wouldn't have been difficult at all to use those story aspects to lean into the lesson she needed to learn!

Instead, in canon, it just kinda felt like Marcy was punished for wanting what Anne learned she deserved. Marcy's big moment was putting everyone else over herself again (not that it wasn't the right thing to do in that circumstance, i didn't want her to stay in the core forever, but narratively i don't think the writers should have made it a matter of self sacrifice or let everyone in the real world die! i think the writers should have made breaking free a matter of self assertion and individual identity!). She gave a whole speech about not running away from reality or whatever, said nothing about how she's been hurt by everyone around her, and decided to move away with her parents (iirc she didn't even consider another option, actually, i think we were meant to take her moving away as an extension of the 'lesson' she learned when she rejected the core offering her everything she wanted).

Overall I just think "I started this whole mess because I wanted to escape reality, but I won't run away from it anymore" was a bad lesson for them to settle on. I'm not sure what exactly the writers intended with that. At best, it was a lesson about being positive in the face of a bad situation, which Marcy didn't need to learn in the first place because, save for the, like, one mental health crisis she had that started the whole series, Marcy is a very positive person and in fact tends to push her feelings into the background for the sake of not making things harder. At worst, Marcy is actively shamed for wanting what is freely given to Anne (and what anne's told she deserves) and is taught to be complacent when she deserves to demand better for herself. Either way, Marcy's story would have been better off with her learning a completely different lesson in her big defining scene with The Core.

[senotsuri]

What do you think of Bakugan Battle Planet

It's physical game is a miracle compared to the original... if only the cards weren't a pain to get, and I lived anywhere that would have people to play against. Curse living in a non tourist trap surrounded by tourist traps...

I haven't watched much of it, admittedly. There's a single episode I can sit through without wanting to do something else (that is down to voice acting direction, mostly. Dan's voice sounds.. off in a way that's hard to describe.)

Under cut. This got longer than I thought it would.

I don't mind the idea of a reboot, but I do mind false advertising in terms of character. Drago is pretty much identical, voice and all, Dan's a little more childish (to be expected, since he got put back to 12 years old or so, like during Battle Brawlers), but... I can't really forgive our other returnee.

And it really is the name - if Shun Kazami had a completely different name, I guarantee there wouldn't have been nearly as many complaints. It means Fast and Wind-watching. It's absolutely not aquos, and it's barely still ventus, given that they changed it. Ventus' name is inaccurate, even!!

I understand bringing back a fan favourite to give nostalgia to older fans, and maybe give incentive to younger fans to check out the original, but the difference between the two Shun's is painful, at least to me. One is a trained ninja and loner, who is sometimes too confident in himself and has difficulties admitting when he's wrong, and the other is a smart kid who really just wanted some friends, and so he flew to a different country just to meet them.

While it isn't exactly Battle Planet, in that it's Armored Alliance, I did play the Switch game. It's shoddy, to put it shortly. At the very least the economy joke kid feels exactly like a kid (they absorb way more than you think they do, whether they understand what they've absorbed or not). And I know it's not directly story related, but I do like that you get a centipoid from a flower. That one was cute.

Leonidas, though, was a joke, and had nothing to be strong against because he was the only Aurelus bakugan, and was weak to every other attribute (not to mention how weak he is when you fight him. For sake of example, I played mono darkus with focus on Sacrifice effects. Barbetra, my darling front liner, died to sacrifice long before the opponent could kill her.)

My whole team was diamond; Leonidas had evolved only one stage. It was nearly the end of the game.

I was also under the impression, probably mistakenly, that because Leonidas would return in the reboot's own game, that maybe we'd get them immediate-- oh no you get one of the main characters' partner bakugan. (Granted, Leo's later appearance made sense due to story, but I did forget about Leonidas, until the reactors. Sorry Leonidas.)

[ibuki-loves-you]

DRV3 Girls with an S/O who's like Mikan

Warnings: Mikan's personality/actions

Mod Ibuki: JSISJDOSJD OF COURSE YOU CAN!! Thank you so much! I'm so happy it was a comfort for you! I know I must sound like a broken record but thank you so much for the compliments!

Kaede:

Kaede thinks you are "an angel sent from heaven"

She adores you

But like the others she doesn't favor how you are willing to please anyone

"S/O! Get on all fours and bark like a dog or else!" "O-Okay!" "S/O doesn't have to do anything! So why don't you take your request and stick it!"

Kaede doesn't mess around when it comes to you

Like if someone ever bothered you she'd smash their head over her piano no hesitation

The one time you offered to take your clothes off for her, she was very upset

"S/O...? Why would you offer to do that? I don't want you to take your clothes off just to please me. That's not how a relationship works! I love you for you! Not your body! Though it is beautiful!"

If you ever thought she was mad at you, she'd be even more upset than when you offered to take your clothes off

"I-I'm s-sorry!! I d-didn't mean to hurt y-your f-feelings!" "You didn't hurt my feelings at all, S/O! I promise! I love you far to much to be angry at you, okay?"

Kaede gets a little overbearing sometimes, but it's only because she worries and wants to make sure you are alright

Miu:

Okay, at first, Miu used your gullibility

She thought it was funny how you would offer to please her

But after you started doing the same for Kokichi, she got a little upset

"Hey, asshole!! Leave her alone!!"

She realized after that there was a problem with what you were doing and that it wasn't something she should make fun of

If you ever took a fall in front of her, she would laugh a little at first, but she definitely helped you

She wouldn't leave you hanging

If you fell in a suggestive position she'd get start screaming and kinda just, throw herself on you

Not in a sexual way, more like she panicked and tried covering you up

If you ever thought she was mad at you, she'd get a little annoyed

With herself and the situation

"Babe, I'm not mad. I'm pissed at Kokichi because he was bein' a little shit again. Are you bein' a little shit? No, you aren't! So you shouldn't act like you did something wrong when you know you didn't."

Miu may have laughed at first, but she really does love you

Maki:

Maki got annoyed at first

She thought you were weak

But when Kaito brought you to training as a method to try and break you out of your shell, she went into protective mode

No one even glanced in your direction because she was always there

If someone ever made fun of you, they might actually die

"S/O! I always wanted a dog! Can you show me what one looks like?" "Alr-" "Do you want to die, asshole?"

If you ever took a fall in front of her, she'd act annoyed, but she'd be worried

She would take your hands and help you up while asking if you were alright

If you fell in a suggestive position, you'd see a slight blush on her face as she tried to help you

Anyone who looked would get glared at

You thought Maki was mad at you after you fell because she seemed angry

"No, I'm just a little worried. I'm not mad that you fell. Everyone falls once in a while. It was an accident. Why would I get mad at you over an accident? That's stupid."

Maki may be stoic, but you definitely broke down her walls

She loves you so much because of that

Kirumi:

Kirumi immediately went into mother mode

She doesn't let anything happen to you

On the rare occasion someone made fun of you, she'd make them feel so guilty

"You know, that is very rude of you. I don't understand why you'd say such things. As a result, I suggest you keep to yourself and mind your own."

If you ever took a fall in front of her, her reflexes are very fast

She's sees it happening I swear

So more often than not she catches you, but if she doesn't she immediately picks you back up and covers you if need be

Once, you offered to take your clothes off for Kirumi because you thought she was bothered by you

"Dear! Don't do that! I do not want you to take your clothes off just for the sake of entertaining me. You're body is far too beautiful to be used like that! Only show it to me if you want to, not because you feel obligated."

Because of that conversation, you thought she was mad at you

"Dove, I promise, I am not angry in the slightest. I am just, scared. I am scared others will use you and I don't want that. So let's try and work on this together, okay?"

You are literally Kirumi's world <3

Angie:

Atua told Angie that she must befriend you

So she listened, of course

"Hiya! Atua says Angie should be friends with you, so Angie will oblige! So, what do you say?" "O-Only if y-you want..." "Of course I want to!"

If someone ever made fun of you, she'd get very mad

"I'll use your blood as a sacrifice to Atua... Don't say another thing to them."

Yeah...terrifying

If you ever fell in front of her, she'd immediately pick you back up and pull you into her chest

If it was a suggestive position you fell in, she'd do the same exact thing except she'd cover you up if need be

"It's okay, my love. Don't cry, it's okay."

If you ever thought she was mad at you, she'd be a little confused

"Why would I be angry? I have no reason to be! So, I promise you, I am not angry with you. Why don't we cuddle for a bit, yes?"

Angie thinks you're precious and just wants to hold you all the time

Tenko:

PROTECTIVE MODE IMMEDIATELY ACTIVATED

Tenko immediately yelled at any male who came in a near vicinity to you

If someone ever made fun of you, they better pray to whatever god they believe in

Because she will throw them

"Don't you dare! If you say another thing to my S/O I'm gonna knock you out so hard! Degenerate!"

If you ever fell in front of her, she'd pick you up immediately

Like full-blown bridal style

If it was a suggestive position, she'd do the same thing with a blush

And if anyone said anything, she'd make a mental note to wreck their shit when you weren't around

When you offered to take your clothes off for Tenko, she freaked out

"S-S/O! Don't do that! No, no, no! Beauty like that should not be shown so easily! Especially if it's just for pleasing someone!"

If you ever thought Tenko was mad at you, she'd immediately shut that down

"I could never be mad at you! I'd never! You are far too adorable to get mad at! I love you!"

Tenko would kick anyone's ass if it made you happy, trust me :)

Tsumugi:

Tsumugi was worried for your safety

She thought you would get the same treatment Gonta got from Kokichi

If you did, she'd try her best to keep them away

"Hey! Leave S/O alone! They did nothing wrong!"

She's not very intimidating but she tries

If you ever took a fall in front of her, she'd do her absolute best to help you back up as quick as possible

If you tore a bit of your clothes from the fall, she'd fix it for you as soon as she saw it!

When you offered to take your clothes off for her, she got very confused

"W-What!? Why would you offer that so easily!? S/O, you have the perfect body people could only dream of having. Please, only show it to those who you know are worthy of seeing it!"

If you ever thought she was angry at you, she'd immediately disagree

"No, S/O! I'm not! I'm not mad at all! Kokichi was just getting on my nerves today. Nothing new! You did nothing wrong!"

Even though Tsumugi is a little shy, she'd try her best to protect you

Himiko:

Himiko thought you were kinda cute

She found your shyness to be very adorable

But when someone bothered you, oh boy

"I'll cast a spell on you that'll turn you into a pig! Maybe you should practice your oinks to prepare!"

If you ever fell in front of her, she can't really catch you because she's tiny, but she'd help you up

"I'm sorry that my magic couldn't help you. My mana is a little low..."

If it was a suggestive position you fell in, she'd screech and cover you up while covering her eyes

Speaking of screeching, if you ever offered to take your clothes off for her, she'd start screeching again

"No! That's n-not what I want at all! Don't offer to do that! It's not right! Y-You're body is the most beautiful thing ever! S-So, don't show it to m-me if you don't r-really want to!"

If you ever thought Himiko was mad at you, she'd freak out

"N-Never! I am not mad, S/O! Pinky promise? My pinky is magical, so you know it's real!"

Himiko will use her magic to protect you, don't worry

[greenygreenland]

Dream A Little Dream Of Me: Norman x Reader

-MANGA SPOILERS! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK! 

-NOTE: YOU’RE BOTH AGED UP SO DON’T START TELLING ME FBI’S GONNA COME TO MY DOOR 😂😂

-THE TIMELINE IS A BIT MESSED UP SO JUST IGNORE IT COMPLETELY AND DON'T ASK ME LOL

-also, is it just me or do thick eyebrows look really cute??? Norman has pretty thick brows compared everyone else and I think they're cute 

WARNINGS: Kissing lol

Summary: You finally see Norman again.

Life had to be the scariest thing you'd ever faced. It threw the bad, the good, the everything your way until you could barely stand. Until you were left broken and mangled and shattered. Life was scary. It was cruel. Yet somehow, today was different.

You thought it was a dream. After all, how could it be reality when the boy in front of you died a year and some months ago? He had been shipped out, left for dead because it was a part of his stupid escape plan.

So how was it he stood before you? Breathing? Smiling? Living?

The office door closed behind you with a soft click. It bathed the room in silence, as if for a moment, the world decided to give you a second to breathe. A second to take in the wonderous sight before you.

The boy's name stuck in your throat. He had changed, not only in height, but stature and appearance. Norman was older, and he grew up to be more handsome than any runway model could ever be.

"(Y/n)," he gently said. "I'm glad you're well."

That was all it took. One sentence and you tackled him in the tightest hug your trembling arms could muster. "Norman...!" To have his arms around you, to hear the beating of his heart--it was a relief. A miracle sent by the gods. "You’re so stupid!"

No, he was more than stupid. He had to be the dumbest boy alive to think that it was okay to sacrifice himself for the sake of your family. You all were supposed to escape together just like Emma said. No one was supposed to be left behind, yet Norman--bless his heart--acted on his own.

You hugged him as if he would disappear if you let go. "We were all supposed to leave together. But you--I thought you--shipped out--and then--!" You chocked on your words. What more could you say anyway?

You buried your face in the crook of his neck. The muffled sob that ripped through your throat was more than Norman could handle. His knees went weak and you both slowly sunk to the floor in a heap. 

"I'm here." he gently said. "I'm not going anywhere (Y/n)."

Despite the steadiness in Norman's voice, his shoulders hitched, and he sniffled. "I'm here." he repeated. "I-I'm here." It sounded like he were reassuring himself that he wouldn't leave you so soon, as if he were scared too. Not for the way you sobbed and sobbed, but for the ache in his heart that seemed to beat in sync with yours.

Slowly, your sobs turned to quiet sniffles, which then silenced into nothing but tiny hiccups. You basked in Norman's warm embrace. He didn't hold you too tightly, as if he were afraid it would shatter you to pieces. Instead, he pulled you close to his side and leaned on his desk behind.

You rested your head on his chest, taking the time to memorise his scent. Parchment, the woods, and old books. You liked that, it was comforting to know he still smelled the same. On the other hand, his voice wasn’t as smooth or rounded as it once was. It was icy. No one seemed to notice that tiny sharpness that hit the end of each note he spoke. You wondered what could've made his kind heart harden.

Sure, Norman was still the same Norman you remembered, but something about the way he acted seemed off. He was clingy, much more than he ever was. Maybe he just missed you? No, that couldn't be right. Norman acted as if he were running out of time. He held you close and gently, as if these would be the last moments you'd see each other again. As if there wouldn't be a tomorrow.

You slowly pulled away to get a good look at Norman's face. His chin was slightly pointier, his cheeks less chubby and full. His lips twitched upwards into a comforting smile. It didn't quite reach his eyes because he looked so overwhelmingly tired. Your poor boy probably worked day and night to keep the hideout on its feet. It must be hard on him, you thought. Especially since he was revered as a god.

Norman's brows raised. "What's wrong?"

You took his thin hands in your own and gave them a good squeeze. "It's nothing. What about you?"

Ah yes, small talk. The perfect way to avoid any question thrown your way. Norman knew you well, sometimes even more than himself. When you asked simple questions such as these, that meant your mind laid elsewhere in a land he could never reach. Norman took that as a hint to drop the subject.

For now.

He wondered what invisible weight laid on your shoulders. Was it something as heavy as his? Perhaps your weight was worse and it ate away at you. Norman wished he could take that weight away and relieve you of that pain. He'd carry it all if he could, and it didn't matter to him if he'd die trying. This was you he was thinking about. He'd do anything for you.

"I've been okay," Norman vaguely responded. "But I have been busy, so I find it difficult to sleep sometimes.”

Norman liked to be honest, but you knew it was because that helped him figure out what was wrong with you. It was a game of tag. In this case being 'it' meant figuring out each others' worries through a back-and-forth match.

"You haven't been sleeping enough?" Your voice came out rather quiet as you traced invisible circles over the back of his hands. "Is that because you have so much work? Or do you refuse to get help?" Norman sat in a still silence and you sighed.

Of course. 

This was your Norman after all. He always shouldered a burden too big for his shoulders to carry. It was always something so heavy, so terribly hard to balance by himself. If that burden grew any bigger, it would collapse, and that would be his downfall. But you wouldn't let that happen to your Norman. No, no, no. You'd take that burden from him, steal it if you had to, and be his crutch.

"What have you been doing here?" you quickly added. "As 'William Minerva', I mean?"

Norman looked unbearably uncomfortable. That little frown tugging at the edge of his lips was a tell-tale sign. “I’ve been getting a lot done." he carefully said. "In fact, I’ve figured out a way to end this. Once and for all.” 

Norman began by explaining the first phase of his plan. The first phase had long been in motion. It started with the indiscriminate burning of cattle facilities, then the gathering of information, and continued on to pave the way for all the other phases you didn’t care to hear about.

The first few steps weren't too bad, but the final act in Norman's plan made your skin crawl. You half-wished you hadn’t asked him anything to begin with. Maybe it would have spared your appetite. Your grip on his thin hands loosened and loosened until your hands rested on your lap.

Norman wasn't so little anymore. He had grown up just a bit, but not in the way you wished to see. How could he think of something so cold-hearted and cruel? The extermination of all demons in Neverland was an act of genocide. If you re-called correctly, it was also considered a war crime.

Norman was smarter than that. He understood the consequence he'd have to face if that were the path he walked right? He understood that there were still other options right? Maybe you heard him wrong.

No.

You had to have heard him wrong. Norman wasn't ruthless like that. He was a ball of sunshine that made you smile whenever you were together.

"I see..." You tightly smiled. "So that's your plan on freeing everyone?" Norman nodded with a seriousness that took you back to the time he left everything to you and Ray and Emma. 

You weren't mistaken then. Norman truly meant everything he said.

"Yes, that is my plan. It's been taking me a little longer than expected to set it in motion. I've decided to officially start tomorrow."

Tomorrow? 

Your breath hitched. "Don't you think that's a bit hasty? What if...what if something goes wrong?" Norman smiled. It was hollow and wry and everything that he wasn't. "Don't worry. Fortunately, I've always been pretty good at getting what I want." You didn't return the smile, and you didn't want to say why.

Norman was quick to catch on. But of course he would catch on so quickly, this was Norman. Your Norman.

"Do you have a problem with my plan?" he inquired. You shook your head. "No, it's...it's not that." Yes, it was that. Your plan is dangerous even if it is good, you thought. Innocent lives wouldn't be spared, and that would spell an unfair fate for the demons who ate to survive.

You wanted to tell Norman why his plan was wrong, and why he didn't have to be so unforgiving about it. But then what? Why would he listen when you didn't have any better ideas? He seemed to have his mind set anyway, so no half-baked ideas would make a difference. And besides, he was the smartest person you knew. Maybe that was the only way out of the terrible fate all you cattle children faced.

"If you're okay with my plan," Norman said, "then what's bothering you (Y/n)?"

"It's still a lot for me to take in," you admitted with a plastic smile. "I guess I'm just shocked that you're, well, here." Norman smiled, this time with a genuine warmth. "I understand." He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on your lips. "I'll see you at dinner."

Your cheeks burned. How bold of him. "Y-yeah, I'll see you at dinner." Norman let out a cute little chuckle that made your heart beat a little louder than it was supposed to. You hauled yourself off the floor and made your way to the door. Norman followed.

You flashed him a nervous smile, one that mixed in with your muddled worry and anxiousness. You glanced at his bright eyes. For a moment, they seemed to dim like the setting sun. It reminded you of Mama. When no one looked at her, she didn’t smile. She always looked so sad when she sat by herself, and maybe that was because she was. 

"(Y/n)?"

Your fingers brushed against the doorknob. “Hm?”

"I want nothing more than to protect you and our family. I know you don't fully agree with me," his expression darkened. "But this is the way--the only way we can save everyone without spilling a single drop of blood."

For a moment, you forgot who you were speaking to. This wasn't the same boy you begged to run away with before he got shipped out. This wasn't the same boy who gently tucked a piece of hair behind your ear and sweetly complimented you. This boy--did you truly still know him? Was he still the Norman you grew up with and fell head-over-heels for?

You blinked and that dark look washed itself off his face. He strode up to you and placed a hand on your cheek--just like the day he was supposed to be harvested. Norman’s eyes were soft, softer than any blanket, and his lips pursed into a gentle frown. With his thumb, he wiped a stray tear away. 

Why were you crying?

"Norman..." You couldn’t find the right words. There were none that could explain the suffering you endured in silence. You worried, not only for Norman, but your family and all those other people in the world you didn’t know about. Norman’s plan--oh how stupid it was--had it changed him? Had it forced him to guard his heart to keep a still mind? 

You wondered what he endured while you went on your crazy adventures. At least you had your family, and Yuugo, Lucas, and all your friends. But Norman? He didn’t have anyone but himself. He carried the whole world. Alone. Had he been scared? Worried? Angry that no one came for him? Your heart clenched at the thought. 

"Smile,” Norman said. “It’s okay, I promise. I'm here." He gathered you in his arms and you didn’t have the heart to protest. “How?” you whispered. “How were you able to do all this on your own?” Norman helplessly shrugged. “You could say I have connections, either that or I’m just lucky.”

“What will you do after this is all over?”

Norman went still again, as if he couldn’t answer your question. You heaved in a shaky breath. If Norman wasn’t going to give you a straight answer, then you’d squeeze it out of him. “Did anything else happen to you? I’m sure there’s a catch, isn’t there?” 

It was like someone flipped a switch. One moment, you were a mess of tears, sorrow, and anguish. Now, something menacing laid in your voice. It was almost threatening, as if you were indirectly telling Norman to dare avoid the question. “I don’t want you dying trying to be everything at once,” you said. “Here you’re revered as a god, and if I know you, then it’s plain that you set yourself up like that. Don’t tell me you plan to die on us again.”

He stiffened.

“I know you Norman, don’t forget that. And because I love you, I don’t want to see you destroy yourself. I admit, I don’t know why you act like you’re going to leave again, but I’ll do everything in my power to stop you.” You pulled away and took his hands in yours. A small smile of reassurance made its way up your lips, but Norman didn’t return it. 

No, he couldn’t. And despite all he did, he couldn’t lie straight to your face. Not like this.

Dinner cheered you up. The smiles and laughter that your family shared with Norman made you feel just a little bit better. But how long would it last? And how long would those smiles stay present? All the questions swarming in your mind made you feel sick to your stomach. There was too much to think about, and too little time to answer them.

You forced down the last of your food with a sigh and brought the plate to its respectful place. Everyone was too busy chatting and catching up to notice, but that was fine. It was better that way. 

You made your way to a secluded walkway. It was in one of the calmer areas of the hideout that overlooked the lower levels. It was quiet, save for the distant chatter of Hayato and his friends. He let out a bright laugh that echoed through the vacant walkways. What a shame it would be to hear that disappear.

“So this is where you went.” 

“I told you she’d be here.”

You whipped around in alarm. “Ray, Emma!” 

Ray sharply looked you up and down. He raised a brow and you squirmed under his gaze. He gently bumped shoulders with you. “What’s wrong with you?” 

You absentmindedly shrugged. “Nothing.” 

“That’s what someone who’s not okay would say.” Emma noted. She settled by your side on the railing and flashed a bright smile. “You were so quiet at dinner today.” 

You shook your head. Que another absentminded shrug and plastic smile. “I guess I just wanted to make sure everyone was okay.” 

Ray sighed. “Everyone but you?” He leaned against the railing next to you. “Did you and Norman talk at all?”

You froze. ‘Yes’, was what you wanted to say, but no sound came out. The image of Norman’s matured face, the way his his soft lips hit your own, and his stupidly tall build crossed your mind. 

Emma let out a gasp and slapped a hand over her mouth. “Ah!” she cried. “You’re all red!” You covered your hands with your face, ignoring Ray’s curious stare.

“What did you two talk about in his office anyway? Or should I say, do?” The glint in Ray’s eyes had subtext you didn’t want to recite out loud. “Rayyyyy,” you grumbled, “shut up.” He sent you a teasing grin as Emma frowned in confusion. “I don’t get it.” 

“You’ll understand when you’re older.”

“Yeah, it’s grown up stuff.”

You ignored the warmth spreading to your cheeks and elbowed Ray. “Don’t say it like ‘that’! Now you make it sound like something else!” 

He daringly raised a brow. “Like what?” You ran a hand over your scorching face. It was a miracle you weren’t on fire. “No, no, I’m not answering you!” 

You shared a good laugh and a comfortable silence began to settle, blanketing your shoulders in a lightness that you hadn’t felt in a while. 

Emma softly smiled. “I’m glad we found you.” she admitted. “You looked really sad all by yourself out here.” Ray nodded with a small snort. “Yeah, talk about depressing. But seriously though, did something..?”

Of course these two would see through your façade. Of course they’d understand something was wrong. They were your family, and they didn’t deserve your silence. Your smile shattered. “I don’t know if Norman told you about his plan yet, but it’s...it’s bad. Sure, the demons have done some terrible things to us, but that doesn’t mean all of them are guilty. I want to stop him, but I don’t know how.” 

Emma nodded in agreement. “He told us earlier and I don’t like it either.” she firmly said. “Ray and I talked it over and we have a plan, but it’s risky. Like, really risky. It has to do with the Seven Walls and...” 

You held on to every word Emma and Ray spoke. Risky was your middle name. Well, not actually, but it was something that became your friend. You and your family looked death in the face too many times to count. What would be another?

By the end of it, you were sure this new plan would change Norman’s mind, or at least convince him to give up the whole ‘genocide’ thing. It was decided by Ray that tomorrow, you’d all talk to Norman. Things seemed to be looking up. No, they had to be.

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

The halls were empty and you were alone. How was it you got lost in the first place? You made sure to have every twist and turn memorised, so why did you end up in the wrong corridor twice? Ray would surely tease you for getting lost. What an absolute--

You slammed into someone’s chest. A yelp escaped your throat as the person in question lost his footing. He sucked in a sharp breath and went tumbling straight into you. Your back hit the ground as the boy threw out his arms on either side of your head to brace himself. You didn’t need a name to know who you had tumbled into. Light hair, soft eyes, fancy waistcoat and suit. 

“Norman?”

He hovered over you with wide eyes. His lips were inches from yours and he was just so, so close. 

Thump, thump, thump.

Your heartbeat was so gosh dang loud. Could he hear it? Could he see the way your face burned red? 

“Uhm--I--I--uh--” 

Why wasn’t he moving? Why weren’t you moving? Why was it so hard to look him in the eyes? A nervous smile broke out across Norman’s lips. He pushed himself off of you and offered out a hand. You gingerly took it.

“Sorry.” Norman said, helping you to your feet. “I wasn’t looking where I was going. Are you okay?” Your gaze darted from his lips to his dazzling eyes and then to his cheeks dusted in red. Your heart wouldn’t stop slamming against your chest. It kept going, and going until you felt like you were about to burst. 

“Sh-shouldn’t I be asking you that?” you retorted. “I’m not the one who--you know...gets sick all the time.” You weren’t sure why you said it like that, or why that made Norman smile so cutely, but he was smiling. That made your heart flutter. You glanced around the corridor a few times, and somehow, you kept finding focus on his lips. 

What was wrong with you?

Norman caught on fast--like he always did. “Oh I see,” he said with a low chuckle. You swallowed. His voice really did deepen (but you kind of liked it). For a moment, you thought he caught onto your staring, but instead of commenting on it, he intertwined his hand with yours and led you through the winding halls. 

“Don’t tell Ray I got lost.” you muttered. Norman laughed and it was like the sound of happiness itself. “I won’t.” 

The halls all looked the exact same: cream coloured paint, nature-like decorations, and numbered wooden doors. You forgot what number your room was, so that was probably why you got lost. Norman took a sharp left where you recalled should be a right instead. “Wait isn’t it that way?”

“I have something to give you, so we’re going to make a quick detour.” Norman’s cheeks dusted pink and he looked the slightest bit nervous. “What is it you want to show me?” He flashed you a contagious smile. “It’s a surprise.” 

“What kind of surprise?”

“I can’t tell you,” he said with a chuckle, “that’s why it’s called a surprise.”

When you got to his office, you were nervous. Surprises were fun, yes, but in a world where nearly getting eaten by wild demons fell into the category of ‘surprise’, you learned not to like them very much.

Norman closed the door behind you and it softly clicked shut. Okay, you thought. So he was locking the door and making his way over to his desk. Okay, that’s fine. Norman shuffled through a cabinet, that nervous look still on his face. Okay, okay, nothing wrong here. He gently shut the drawer, and as he walked out from behind his desk, you took note of the small little box he fiddled with. 

Okay. Okay. Box. Nervous. Locked door. Did he not want anyone to interrupt whatever he was about to do? 

Norman heaved in a deep breath. A really, really, really deep breath. “(Y/n), I have never met anyone else like you. You’re the strongest person I’ve ever met, and you’re beautiful and kind.” He sunk to one knee and opened the little box. “Will you marry me?”

“Yes!”

---------

You jolted awake with a start. 

“Sorry,” Norman said. He scribbled a few words down in his notebook. “Did I wake you?” 

Ah, that’s right. After you talked with Emma and Ray, you all met up with Norman and hung out for a bit. But when had you gotten to his office? Much less, fallen asleep? You rubbed your eyes with a shake of your head. Judging by the tired look on Norman’s face, it was way past bedtime.

The heavy cloak around your shoulders offered a welcoming warmth. It smelled like books. It smelled like parchment and ink. It smelled like Norman and it was comforting. 

He glanced up from his notebook and curiously met your gaze. “What are you smiling at?” The dream popped up in your mind and your smile grew. “I had a good dream.” 

“What was it about?” he inquired without looking up.

“You.” 

The scratch of the pencil froze and he met your gaze. “You had a dream about me?” Your cheeks flushed. “Yeah, and you proposed.” Norman’s back went rigid and he turned as red as an apple. “I-I pro--proposed to you?” he stammered. You snickered, a smug smile tugging on your lips. “It was really sweet. And if you’re wondering, I said yes. I was going to kiss you, but then I woke up.” You stood up with a sigh. “It was disappointing, but that’s okay.” 

You let out a small laugh and neatly folded Norman’s cloak. You left it on the couch and made your way across the room. “That’s a nice notebook.” you said. “What’re you writing about?”

Norman stilled and closed the book with a smile. “It’s nothing special.” He put the pencil down ever so quietly and stood. “Do you seek my affections?” he inquired. You settled on the wall. “Don’t you have work to do?” Norman looked down at you. His fringe brushed across his eyelashes, and he loosened his tie. Slowly.

Your heart steadily drummed against your chest. “What are you doing?” The false innocence in your voice caused Norman to chuckle lowly. He caressed your cheek with a feather-light touch. “Well, you did say you were disappointed right? Why don’t I make it up to you?” 

He rested an arm on the wall with a sly smirk. Your lips connected and it made your stomach flip-flop. The kiss was slow, it was sweet. You found yourself pulling him closer, running your hands through his hair and yanking him over. "Norman?" He met your gaze with half-lidded eyes. "Yes (N/n)?"

"Where did you learn how to do that?"

He smirked and it was hot. The fact that he kept his arm braced against the wall didn’t help either. "Why?" he lowly inquired. "Do you like it?" Your breath caught in your throat and you found yourself wanting more. 

Knock, knock!

Norman didn't look too happy about that. He ran a hand over your cheek and gently tucked a lock of hair behind your ear, that half-lidded look of his melting into warmth and love. He made his way to the door, tightening his tie and smoothing out his hair with a quick touch.

"Hello--?" Norman fell short mid-sentence. As soon as your gaze locked with the person on the other side, you understood why. Ray stood in the threshold, just as red-faced as you and Norman, with a sheepish look on his face. “I’ll come back later.” he muttered. 

Oh great. Had he been eavesdropping? You glanced at Norman and he glanced at you, then Ray, and back to you. Ray sucked his teeth and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Don’t have too much fun.” he said, a smirk twitching onto his lips.

You made your way to the threshold with a groan. “Rayyyy!” 

“Yeah, yeah, don’t worry.” he coolly replied. “Do whatever, I didn’t see anything.”

PART 2 <--- READ PART 2

NOTE: I spent a WHOLE WEEK writing this. Please reblog so I know you guys like it :)

TIP JAR

[eyelessfaces]

Forgotten birthday

sherlock x reader

summary: basically Sherlock forgetting about your birthday because of his information sorting thing

word count: 1.2k

You had been sitting on John's armchair for about thirty minutes, staring at Sherlock and waiting for something to happen. It was unlikely something was going to happen; the man was in his mind palace and nothing could get him out of it unless he himself decided to leave it.

You sighed heavily and decided to look at the newspaper, ready to admit Sherlock wasn't going to make a move anytime soon.

"Hello" John arrived, a little box ahold of his hands. He threw his coat on Sherlock's armchair and sat on it. "Happy birthday" he said smiling lightly, handing you the box.

"Oh John you shouldn't have" you shook your head, taking the gift which turned out to be a sweater. "I love it thank you !" you got up to hug him in appreciation.

"You're welcome." his head tilted to Sherlock. "Has he noticed I am here ? What is he doing ?" he asked frowning, looking at the man laying on the couch, his hands joining as if he was praying.

"Mind palace"

His head turned back to you, his face full of concern.

"Don't tell me he forgot-"

You nodded slowly.

"Fuck's sake !"

"That's fine" you shrugged it off, though you were obviously upset. It was Sherlock after all, being in a relationship with him wasn't always pleasant and you had learnt to get used to some bits of it, but some other weren't acceptable.

"It's not. It's kinda insane how uncaring he is, even to you" John said grabbing his laptop.

"Can't change a man I guess" you said sighing, half joking. Sherlock really wasn't the kind to change for anyone, but he had made some sacrifices for you.

"When is he coming back ? From his mind palace ?"

"He didn't tell me. He could have planned to stay there for weeks and I wouldn't know" you wiggled your eyebrows, somehow amused. John nodded, looking as upset as you were. "You know what ? I'm gonna shower so I can put my fresh new sweater on" you said smiling at him.

---

When you came back to the living room, it seemed as the scene you left before you came to shower hadn't moved. John was still on his laptop and Sherlock hadn't moved a inch, making you even angrier with him.

You sometimes hated when Sherlock couldn't sit still and rambled everywhere in the flat, bursting with theories and shit but you think seeing him not moving for so long distressed you even more.

"Suits you perfectly !" John stated nodding at you.

"I know right ! Thanks again."

"Alright" another voice exclaimed. You turned your head and Sherlock was standing on the coffee table. "Figured this out. The husband's bestfriend is the murderer. John, phone Lestrade. Anyone wanting some tea ?" he asked stepping down on the floor, heading towards the kitchen.

"No thanks" John said getting up, grabbing his phone from his pocket, leaving the room and heading downstairs to call Lestrade.

"Y/N ?" Sherlock called looking up at you, the kettle in his hand.

"No. Thank you." you said crossing your arms, still expecting something from him.

"What is that" he asked glancing at you. "A new sweater ?"

Your heart jumped a bit, glad he noticed a small change about you. But this feeling was slight compared to the annoyance that came back instantly.

"It's my birthday gift" you erupted, a fake smiling embracing your face. "From John"

"Oh" he blurted out. "When was it again ? You should know I don't really care about those kind of things, I don't have enough space for these useless informations-"

"Sherlock !" John called from downstairs.

Sherlock pointed his finger at you, turning around to join John.

"The world needs me"

He then left and you shook your head, deeply hurt by the statement he had just let out - he didn't care and you had to get used to it.

---

They came back to the flat about two hours later. You had been overthinking Sherlock's words over and over again, and the more you thought about it, the more you felt angry. It was sadness and frustration at first, but it turned into anger.

Sherlock was ranting about how inefficient the police was, but his fuss was just drowning in your ears, not wanting to catch a word from him as you decided not to care just like he did for you.

"Sherlock" John sighed. "Leave her alone, she doesn't care"

"Thank you John, exactly"

Sherlock's eyes widened, he furrowed his eyebrows then joined his hands, focusing.

You jumped from your seat, knowing what he was about to do.

"No. Don't. Don't try to deduce me or read me. I've had enough Sherlock, and I don't think you need to be a consulting detective to notice."

"Are you on your period ?"

You chuckled bitterly and shook your head in despair.

If you weren't so fed up with him you would have almost laughed at his stupid remark, but enough is enough.

"You know what ? Leave me alone and maybe explore your mind palace so you can tell why I'm acting like this"

You left the room and locked yourself in your shared bedroom, not wanting to see your boyfriend's face for the rest of the day.

Sherlock turned to his bestfriend, a confused expression drawn on his face.

"It's her bloody birthday Sherlock" John said crossing his arms, pinching his lips and raising his eyebrows.

The man brought his hands to his face, covering the most of it and letting a sigh out.

"Shit. I told her I didn't care about it. I'm such a arse"

"You what ?!" John exclaimed.

"Indirectly. You know, my information storage and how it's limited to certain things depending on their importance" he said.

"She's your girlfriend it should be important to you ! I don't think she's mad because you forgot, I think she's mad because you think it's not important !"

Sherlock looked down at his feet, realizing he messed up.

"If you love her, you're supposed to care"

---

Leaning on your side, you tried to get it all out of your mind. But it wouldn't leave it.

You heard a knock at the door and sighed. Not waiting for an answer, Sherlock stepped in.

"What do you want" you muttered between your teeth, not wanting him here and now.

"To apologize" he said sitting at the end of your shared bed.

You frowned, almost shocked. It was very rare for Sherlock to apologize, it had only happened a few times during your relationship actually.

"I'm interested then" you said sitting up next to him. He kneeled in front of you and grabbed your hand.

"Listen... Don't you dare thinking my cases are more important than you. They're not. I'm sorry I forgot about your birthday and I promise you I'll get some informations out to have your birth date engraved in my mind" he smiled and kissed your hand. "I'm so sorry. Happy birthday. I promise you you'll remember that one"

"I think I will" you replied chuckling.

He smirked at you and kissed your forehead before grabbing your hand and standing up.

"Come on, we'll do whatever you want so that I can redeem myself"

You smirked and got up.

"You're gonna suffer on this one, reckless man"

[lovee-infected]

♦ Anon asked ~ Okay how would guys and their darling react to being slapped by Eliza? Feel free to write for any of those who got slapped ^^ Gender is neutral

Aaa this one was really sweet so I did it for all guys (who got slapped-)

I reached my 10 pic limit and had to sacrifice twins ixkskxksos

[note : re-posted his because my tags weren't working]

♦♥♠♣

Poor boy remained silent for a few minutes after that mess with ghost princess , still unable to talk

His cheeks are flushed that proved him being embarrassed , making him look greatly...cute

Just as much as you loved seeing softer sides of him you can't see him this sad , so now it is your responsibility to lift him up

He is upset with both failing to help and being an idiot in front of Eliza

The whole thing proved how soft he can actually be , which fascinated you . You hadn't ever thought of him being like this ; shy and... helplessly childish with girls

Deuce is a bit worried with the way you see him now , he doesn't want his picture ruined . But as a matter of fact you like him even more now , he could be serious and strict at times but still , he's a soft boy inside

You ask if he feels any shy around you and it makes him turn his head away to add a nervous : " M...me? Absolutely not- why would I .??"

You now know that he actually does but it isn't something he needs to hide , that actually makes him look awfully cute

He still seems sad though so you give him a small kiss on forehead , making him blush even harder

Well even if he's shy with you you aren't ; after all he is your boy

Trey himself couldn't help laughing at what had happened. He tried his best to be a gentleman , and he really was . But seems like Eliza had more different standards than he was expecting

Trey's mind just wasn't ready to go from his normal self to a high-level prince , but he doesn't find singing a part of a prince's duties either

"My my , it really messed up," he says as he joins you and the others in the losers' bench

You knew that the proposal was all fake , but Trey just wasn't one who could act it all ; he didn't have Vil's pure talent of an actor or Leona's charm of a prince , yet he did his very best

You tell that you really liked the way he presented himself , pretty much of a mature young man he really is and he gets blessed . He isn't much of a romantic guy and he appreciates that you like him as he is

You give him a "Ghost bride surely lost a great option , " to lift him up and it did , making him wink adding : " Well, perhaps she knew that I have a better one myself ,"

Finally after posting 34 pics of his slapped face along with other supplies such as his fake tears , dead flowers and some broken-hearted captions with tons of #Ghostbride #Puishmentoflove #illfate #brokenheart and and and you managed to have him looking off his phone for a second

You tell how he's making an issue out of nothing but he'll just laugh : " Who cares that it's all fake ? Teens are gonna love it ! ,"

He must be thankful that Eliza didn't see this part pf him or he should've spammed pics of his broken legs and hands instead

He takes the best advantage of being slapped and you wonder how he's just being all excited about it , what if the same thing happens while he's seriously proposing to someone ?

You ask if it bothers him , the feeling of being rejected and he goes silent for a moment not looking at his phone but the ground now , perhaps thinking of an logical answer

You drop your head regretting what you asked and then , he cuts you off with a small kiss on your cheek : " That's simple , my dear (y/n). Not a single soul likes being rejected no matter what the reason is , so that's why I always make sure that I won't get rejected before asking ; today was just an exception ,"

You get a bit confused at the answer , wanting him to give you an example

He slightly smirks before adding :" Well , ‌you didn't reject me , did you ?"

For the heaven's sake ; you couldn't be any more thankful that he got rejected . From the very moment they announced that princess was looking for a prince you feared of her picking Leona , a real prince

Leona is already prince charming of his home town ; Not a single soul could say no to him

The second he got slapped , his eyes - You were trying to feel sorry about it but the way he glared at Eliza as if he was a chubby cat pushed into water ; it was beyond hilarious

Leona has his own ways when it comes to attracting ladies , making him almost irresistible to many including you , but not the ghost bride

He seems really pissed off at the whole thing ; not that he liked the ghost bride that much , he just hates being rejected

With him being a growling cat for the rest of day , you decide to spoil him a little ; letting him take naps on your lap and rubbing back of his ears make him a whole lot better , but he won't say a word of satisfaction

You are used to his cringy behaviors and can't help loving them , you are really thankful that your cat would still be all yours - even if it was supposed to be a fake marriage

He just - Froze

Sword skills ? Were they a thing he lacked ? Was it just one of those royal fancy rules or could it be a serious problem ? He now was concerned

You found him getting slapped pretty unfair since not many these days are familiar with sword skills ; but there were no argues on that point since Eliza once lived as a girl from more than 500 years ago , so she surely ends up having more complicated standards comparing to you

You tell Jack about it and that it's fine , but he refuses to believe

He had heard of Sebek together with Silver being well-trained sword men which meant that this tradition still remained necessary , so he now is seriously thinking about picking it up

You couldn't blame him though , once he feels like he needs to be stronger that's it ; but you don't want him overwork himself

You insist that sword skills are pretty silly to him while he's got his powerful fists and the secret unleash the beast , but he still seems to have a doubt about it

Since he looks pretty certain with his choice , you don't try to stop him but you make promise that he wouldn't overwork himself , which he does

He intends to get stronger to protect his beloved ones , including you so there was nothing that could hold him back if it was because of you

♦♥♠♣ Jade Leech

Jade still doesn't get why Eliza didn't like the flowers , yes he didn't like them either but aren't flowers ladies' most appreciated gift ? How confusing , he thought

You slap the ice-pack against his face , just who on earth would give away unwanted flowers from his terrarium as a bouquet ?

Jade doesn't get why he shouldn't have , he was benefitting both himself and Eliza , right ? Or could that be that surface girls followed different romance traditions from underwater ? He needed more information then

He asks for ways to make a girl fall in love , which made you laugh , you told that if he's going to retry the thing with Eliza , he would end up needing way more than one ice-pack

He agrees with you on that point , so he wonders if he can practice tactics with you since you are a pretty gentle and calm partner , and it makes you blush

You tell him to focus on not being slapped again as long as this ghost marriage lasts and in return , you then can teach him some tricks with ladies

♦♥♠♣ Floyd Leech

He didn't really like Eliza from the very beginning so there was no way the two of them would end up together even if he wasn't slapped

Floyd isn't into this type of girls which are too strict and loud ; he prefers softer and cuter types , something he can dominant

You expect him to get moody and pissed off , but he just doesn't seem to care

thanks to him Jade as well got slapped -very hard- and that successfully lifted his mood up

You ask him if he wants to take a walk and he agrees in deal of you paying for his candy , and you gladly agree

The two of you have candies together and make fun of others getting slapped back there

Both of you agree on Jade's expression being way more hilarious than Azul's

When you finally get back to others trying to find a way , he whispers into your ears : " If I ever were to propose to someone , I'd prefer it to be to someone like you"~

Man , he's really pissed off. Talking too much will usually be beneficial while dealing on a contract , mostly because of the way it confuses dealers and gives them an unconscious vibe causing them to believe you ; strange yet helpful

Azul hadn't thought of proposing being this different from making contracts , and it was odd to him

He now is supposed to be looking for a way to save his boardgames club friend , but another thought keeps haunting him :

What are the correct ways of... making someone fall for you ? To attract a lady ? Isn't having a good face and using sweet words like enough ? He needed more lessons if he wanted to be an ideal dealer

You sigh as his serious replies , disappointed to see how he really had no idea about emotional terms

You tell him how life isn't always about business and benefitting , but sometimes about feelings and well , loving

He mumbles saying how useless emotions are , a waste of time and brain cells to him

You suggest teaching him more about emotional situations which may be helpful , and charming to others , which sounds like a great deal to him , but he doesn't accept you giving it to him for free, saying that you as well must set a price

You aren't really sure what to ask , so you just want him to invite you to a fancy dinner after having this case with the ghost bride solved

Just as you hear the sound of him getting slapped , you know that it was bad news

Vil is trying his best to be calm but...it doesn't really seem to be working . His fist's shaking in anger as if he's gonna slam it against the wall or maybe someone . He got rejected and he couldn't take it ; he

wasn't one to accept such a thing

Although he isn't a real prince , he had anything needed to be a real one : Elegance , Charm , Nobility and maturity ; he was perfect

He is really furious now , specially thinking at how Lilia intended to avoid Malleus from showing up in fear of his high chance of being accepted . He wasn't one to say that he would surpass Malleus , but he wasn't any lower than him either: if a dog was the only reason he got rejected then Malleus as well would've been...but wait- doesn't it mean that Idia too shouldn't have been chosen since he loves cats ?

In that case..it must've had another reason : He wasn't good enough

You knew that Vil would never be satisfied no matter how many times you told him that he was already gorgeous , he wanted to be better

It was useless trying to take his mind away from being rejected through the same ways so you had to sacrifice yourself :

You go to Vil asking is he can join you for a second -until others get slapped try to propose because you are having some... beauty issues

You try to get him talking to you as much as possible ,from importance of having an organized sleep schedule to forbidding laughing too much since it will bring you wrinkles

You know that if there's one thing that Vil would always be proud of , that would be speaking of his high-key beauty skills which he couldn't ever get enough of

He could go on all day if Leona didn't cut him off : " Oi , aren't the two of you done yet ?"

Even with Leona pissing him off , he now seems to be a lot better and that was a success for you . Even if he doesn't notice how you were trying to secretly lift his mood up

Lilia is...crying ?

Your heart melts at the sight of his soft tears falling down his pale face , making you as well cry

You don't know why you are being overly emotional but who on earth would slap others because just because of being too cute ?!

You can't help but to be mad at Eliza , wanting to punch her in the face just as she did to Lilia , but Lilia stops you , wondering why you might want to do such a thing

You angrily express how unfair you think what she did was , telling that she shouldn't be treaten las if she has the right to do whatever she'd like

"Just HOW is cuteness considered to be a bad thing ?!" you argue , loud enough to gain attention to yourself . Lilia takes you out before Eliza could've heard

He then sits beside you , trying to see what could've been wrong with you ; were you sick or just in a bad mood maybe ? He couldn't tell

" I'm sorry I just , got really mad with what she did and after you cried..." you mumble slowly , making Lilia giggle

" My my darling , I wasn't the only one who got slapped and also , I just cried at how my whole presentation keeps getting ruined by my... appreance . You know , it's a bit frustrating to be called cute after living hundreds of years as a terrifying dark fae ," he says , shaking his head in a playful manner

You are relieved knowing that he wasn't crying of pain or being heartbroken , and now he as well seems to be better

He asks of you're ready to return inside and you quickly agree , admitting that you might have been a bit too emotional

Just before you two get to others , he brings himself closer to ask you something : " You as well agree that I'm cute , don't you ?"

"How dare she- I see now why master Lilia didn't let master Draconia approach - this disgraceful spirits don't deserve having the slightest sight of him..."and and and were the words you keeped up with untill you grew tired which was 20 minutes later . You really wish him to have a turn off button sometimes

Sebek feels really offended specially because he was just about to get to the best part of his speech about Malleus but got slapped in face

The sight of his mouth getting shut as Eliza slapped him was priceless , perhaps she and Malleus were the only ones who had ever got to shut his mouth

When he finally cools down , his puppy side is brought up : " (y/n) , maybe I didn't present myself good enough in front of her and caused her to take young master lightly . Is it my fault ? "

You keep telling him that Eliza just didn't like how he brought Malleus out of nowhere and started to ramble nonsense about him when he was supposed to be proposing

Sebek doesn't take your comment as a polite one at first , bit he had to agree , maybe it would have worked out for her if this ghost knew who the great Malleus Draconia is and that was why it all went wrong

You sigh at how he doesn't get your point at all but you don't say a word , he deeply appreciated Malleus after all ; Thought Malleus had to be removed surgically from him

Since he doesn't seem to be giving up , you say that you'd really like to hear that best part about Malleus , making him flatter and start talking like a parrot again

You don't really care what he says or how great Malleus can actually be , but if that's what makes him happy you are fine with it

[hepaidattention]

I love when I find articles that love to find things wrong with Stiles Stilinski. they'll name crap off like "omg he didn't tell his dad about the supernatural" and "he was so paranoid like wow," or my favorite "he like murdered someome" (literally a whole half season with him dealing with the guilt of self protection but you're going to dump on him for killing a murderer before he killed him???? hahaha wow anyway I just crack up. you mean he was a fictional character that was written like a normal human being??? 😂 like literally that was Stiles' thing. he was the human in the group of supernatural beings and he did very human things. someone once shamed him in an article for letting the nogistune take over !!! like !!! what !!!

Stiles Stilinski was not written to be perfect. He was flawed because he was written to be a human being.

was Scott? honestly to an extent, yes. he was supposed to be the guy who always did everything right. he became a true alpha because he was an amazing human being. even SCOTT did crappy things though. why?? because no one's perfect. like okay guys the only reason Scotts mom knew he was a werewolf is because he had absolutely no choice but for her to find out. You think he would've just willingly told her without that happening? absolutely not. Stiles had even more reason not to tell his dad because their relationship was always rocky, and his mother literally died of a disease that made her lose her mind. I wouldn't want to tell my cop of a dad I believed werewolves were real either. PLUS Stiles was a very protective character and his dad was all the family he had.

And yes, he was possessively protected. Of course he was. He was was written to be FLAWED. people with DAMAGE tend to be to that way. (literally they make clear he was damaged pretty early on guys the writers weren't just hinting at it ok.)

anyway I'm just dead. why do people feel the need to dump on characters that were just solid, well written, flawed people?? want a character to dump on, find any single one of the characters Vampire Diaries. Absolutely none of those characters were well written and they all sucked as human beings. Don't even get me started on self-righteous Stefan and Elena. I'll go on for hours. They were written as the heroes and they SUCKED.

Stiles wasn't supposed to be the hero. He had moments where he could be, because he found his potential through his friendship with the extraordinary people around him. But Stiles was an ordinary guy with a lot of damage done to him surrounded by extraordinary people. The fandom sees him as a hero because he did selfless things for people with his life on the line all the time. Stiles could've died just like Allison at any point. Stiles did die a few times (if you count nogistune and sacrifice for a tree and erased from existence all dying).

He was a hero because he was a very flawed, human being that was selfish and possessive and damaged that still stuck his neck out for the people he loved despite the high risk of dying. He was a hero because despite his human flaws, he still would do anything for the people he loved.

Yeah he was a jerk sometimes but Scott (disclaimer I love Scott with all my heart) literally almost killed ppl in s1 because he refused to believe he was a werewolf (THE BOY COULD JUST CAUSALLY HEAR CONVERSATIONS THRU THICK CEMENT WALLS AND WAS MAGICALLY HEALED FROM SEVERE ASTHMA AND WEREOLF WAS ABSURD??), technically was the entire reason Allison ever got caught up in the supernatural world which eventually killed her, the entire reason Stiles got caught up into it and almost died/died on numerous occasions, and chose Theos trust over his own best friends which resulted in a lot of bad things. I say that to say Scott is still a precious bean whom I love. He just did stupid stuff sometimes. That's just life. He was a teenager for Pete sake. they all were. And Stiles with his panic attacks dealt with it more normally than anyone.

Yeah he did let the nogistune in. He was human and it was a supernatural mind trickster that tortured him until he had hardly anything left. And then it was kill someone you care about in front of you or finally give in. I'd pick the life in front of me too. Stiles didn't know all of those people would die.

anyway that's my long rant. do with it what you will. i just think those articles are hilarious because not a single bullet point is valid. (okay wanting to see a dead body was twisted ill give you that)

end of Ted Talk.