#spoiler alert things go awry

[whinlatter]

‘Hermione, the attendees just survived a war,’ says Seamus impatiently. ‘I think they can survive a piss-up in a creepy old mansion.’

🪶 read the author’s note for c.10&11 (spoilers!)

🐾 listen to the playlist

🪺 watch the trailer 

🦉 thoughts & questions? ask me anything!

[joojeans]

˚◞♡ ⃗ I Dare You Pt. 4

♡ Bestfriend!Euijoo x Afab!Reader

♡ Summary: You’re sitting on the floor with your friends playing a juvenile game–truth or dare. Things have been spiraling out of control for some time now, but what happens when you’re dared to turn on one of your best friends without touching them? Can they handle it? Can you handle it? Spoiler alert: neither of you can. Find out how things go from seriously fucked up to seriously fucked, one member at a time.

♡ WC: 3.6k

♡ Content: euijoo has a driver's license (but does not drive in the fic), lil bit of dirty talk, lots of making out, some breast play, unprotected sex (be smart), risky sex location ig, bigdick!euijoo, pinch of clit play, quickie, creampie (yeah all of these have creampies SUE ME)

♡ PREVIOUS | SERIES MASTERLIST 

Euijoo is laughing. It’s that throaty laugh of his that always makes you smile. The one he does when just smiling his amusement isn’t enough.

Why is he laughing?

Nicholas was just dared to FaceTime his current situationship without her knowing the rest of you were sitting around watching. He thought it seemed innocent enough–his friends were just curious who she was. He underestimated her.

It didn’t take long for the intimate details of their “relations” to come to light. She assumed he was calling to play, she was all too happy to indulge. Before Nicholas could stop her, she was recounting details of their last hook up, the lust dripping from her voice and spreading from Nicholas’s warm cheeks to his suddenly aching cock. He was mortified. And horny beyond belief.

He rushed the call’s end, hanging up with as few comforting words as possible, but the damage was already done. When the call was over and the coast was clear, you were all laughing. None of you had expected it to go so fantastically awry for him.

He was especially annoyed with Euijoo, though. You guess he assumed better of him, or maybe he was just particularly bothered because he’s closest to him. Whatever the reason, he’s been shooting daggers at Euijoo. None of you are blind to it.

What you didn’t expect, though, is for you to partially pay the price.

K speaks up. “Okay, y/n. Truth or dare?” And before you can answer: “And don’t choose truth this time.”

You’re even more tempted to choose truth now, if only to irritate him, but you repress the urge. “Fine. Dare.”

He doesn’t even need to think about it. “Okay, I dare you to do to Euijoo what we all just did to Nicholas.”

“Excuse me?” 

“Yeah, you know. Turn him on. He thought it was so funny seeing Nicholas like that. Would he feel the same if it was him instead?”

You glance next to you. Euijoo is sitting right beside you on the couch, his eyes somewhere between mortified and pleading as he stares at K. Fuck, it’s cute. But it’s… not right, is it?

“I don’t think…” You hesitate, not wanting to insult or embarrass Euijoo unintentionally. “I don’t think he wants that? And I can’t in good conscience touch him like that when he’s opposed.”

K waves his hand dismissively. “Ah, it’s fine. The one rule is that you can’t actually touch his dick, so it can’t be that bad. Right, Euijoo?” K is glaring at him–testing him, smirking.

Euijoo’s head cocks slightly. It seems like he’s having a hard time believing that this is actually happening right now. But despite how shy he can be at times, he’s also not one to eagerly back down from a challenge. He’s not a big fan of being underestimated. You watch as his adam’s apple betrays how thickly he swallows before speaking. “Yeah, whatever. I guess.”

“Wait, wait.” Now you can’t believe what’s happening. “Euijoo.” You wait for him to look at you. He does. “Are you actually going along with this? I don’t want to make you uncomfortable because of a stupid game.”

He smiles a little and you can see some of the tension leaving his body. “I know, y/n. That’s why I don’t really mind… it’s you.” He quickly adds: “But if you’re not comfortable then please, please just ignore these idiots. It’s… an awkward thing for both of us.”

Your heart warms at how much he trusts you and centers your comfortability. It’s just like him. He’d put himself through anything, but he’d never allow you or anyone he loves have a single moment of suffering if he can help it.

“I’m okay, Euijoo. Thank you though.” You scoot a little closer to him, the sides of your body touching from shoulders to feet. Just a little test. If he recoils, then he isn’t as comfortable as he’s saying he is. To your surprise, he doesn’t. He just smiles down at you. It’s an unsure smile, one that betrays his feeling of not knowing what to do in this situation, but he looks…excited? Awkward, curious, but open.

Alright, game on.

You pull your legs up under you so it’s easier to move around in Euijoo’s bubble. His eyes are watching your every movement like a hawk, surely trying to anticipate your next move so he’s prepared for it. You chuckle to yourself. He’s so cute.

You sidle up next to Euijoo, closing the distance between the two of you even more. You drape your forearm on his shoulder, your fingers fondling his pretty hair as you look right into his sparkling doe eyes. He grins–it’s one of the nervous, endearing ones. “You look so handsome tonight, Euijoo.”

A softball. You know you’d have to do much more than that to get a good reaction out of the others, but you’re going easy on him. For now. You don’t want to scare the sweet boy.

“Oh,” he mumbles quietly. He doesn’t say anything else–just nods his gratitude. He won’t take his eyes off yours, and you can’t help but feel taken off guard by that. You had expected that he would be avoiding your gaze as much as possible. You’d think this much eye contact would feel much too intimate for him. Maybe he’s full of more surprises than you’ve always thought.

“You know…” You start again, threading your hand through his hair. Your fingers clutch the strands at the roots, tugging just enough for his pretty, pouty lips to part. The tiniest gasp puffs out, but you’re sure that no one but you could hear it. You smile fondly, encouraged by this reaction. “I’ve always liked how tall you are.” You lower your head, plucking his earlobe between your teeth, feeling him shiver slightly in response, his body tensing again. “Sometimes when you’re looking down at me…” You whisper the words against his ear, purring. “It makes me want to get on my knees for you.”

Euijoo’s breath catches in his throat. He clearly wasn’t expecting you to be quite this bold.

You lift your head again, gently grazing your hand up the front of his throat until it rests palm side up under his chin. You hold the two of you like this, eyes locked on each other once again. You don’t want to give him the opportunity to start dodging you now. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you, Euijoo?”

His mouth starts to move. He was going to answer, but he thinks better of it, closing his mouth.

That’s okay. You weren’t quite done yet, anyway.

“You’d make the prettiest sounds for me if I let you have my mouth, wouldn’t you?” You tailor your voice to sound as if it’s what you want even though the words sound like they’re about him. You know it’ll be harder for him to ignore the temptation if he believes you’re the one that wants it. He can ignore his own needs. Ignoring yours…not so much.

You don’t let him ignore you this time. You hold his gaze silently, forcing him to speak up if he wants to move on from this. 

You watch as his eyes flit about your face, stalling. Even if he wanted to say yes, please, he wouldn’t let himself do that. His jaw is tense from this situation that feels impossible. You take notice of his ears reddening and the way his hand twitches in the direction of his crotch in your periphery. You choke down a smirk. Finally, he speaks.

“It’s not polite to say things you don’t mean, y/n.”

Your lips part this time, surprised by how assertively he speaks. You watch as his pupils dilate, a shiver traveling through your own body. Something about how confidently he’s calling your bluff makes you feel like maybe you’re not bluffing anymore.

The dare ends with Euijoo getting the last word, though. Before you’re able to do anything more, K is sneering, motioning to the way Euijoo has clasped his hands just so over the crotch of his jeans. “I bet you wish you never laughed at Nicholas now,” he taunts. Euijoo rolls his eyes and takes his bodily agency back, turning his head back to the front, leaving your hand floating awkwardly where it had been under his chin.

You pull your hand back a little too quickly, startled by how much you seem to have affected yourself in the process of riling up Euijoo. As expected, you accomplished the job. Unexpectedly, he didn’t respond in any of the ways you’d predicted. You sit back down properly, but you’re still sitting much closer to him than before. You feel like you’d both be able to breathe easier if you sat back where you were initially, but you don’t want him to feel like you were just waiting to get away from him.

Euijoo doesn’t seem to be as concerned with little things like that right now. He clears his throat and stands up, expertly controlling his reaction to everything now that it’s over. “Now that whatever that was is done, can we go get some drinks?” His eyes dart to Nicholas. “You were supposed to take care of that when you came tonight, but since you didn’t, you can just go with me to get them.” Not a question. An order.

Nicholas groans and leans back from his place on the floor until he’s laying flat on his back. He frowns up at Euijoo, hoping to get out of this. “Can’t I just send you the money and you can go? I’ll send extra as an apology.” 

Euijoo shakes his head. “No. You know better what everyone’s going to want since they already told you beforehand. You know, so you could bring the drinks like you said you were going to.”

Nicholas smiles sheepishly. Maybe if he’s cute enough, he can get out of this. You know how he works. “I know, but…” He looks around the room. He needs a get out of jail free card. His eyes light up when he sees you. “Just take y/n! She always remembers what we like because she actually pays attention, unlike the rest of us stupid men.” Oh. So now he’s trying to butter you up too.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Everyone looks towards Fuma. He shrugs. “I don’t know. I just thought that after…” He motions to the couch. You almost feel embarrassed. He doesn’t need to say anything more.

K scoffs. “Please. It’ll be fine. You know Euijoo. He won’t try anything.” 

And with that, the decision seems to be made for you. Everyone nods and mumbles their agreement, going back to their own discussions and phone screens, knowing that you and Euijoo won’t cause much of a fuss. They’ve sorted it. 

Euijoo looks at you. He looks like he feels a little bad that you got roped into this but other than that, he’s solid. He holds up his keys and dangles them. I’m ready when you are.

You pull yourself up from the couch and step over the other men spread out on the floor. Euijoo holds open the garage door for you when you reach it, closing it behind the both of you when you walk past the door frame. He reaches for the lightswitch and flicks it on, but it doesn’t do much good. Most of the lights are burned out, leaving only enough light to see each other when you’re standing close. Euijoo starts to move past you towards the driver’s seat, but you catch his hand.

“Wait.”

He stops. He takes a step back so that he’s standing directly in front of you, eyes looking down at you as if to check for any signs of you being uncomfortable. You know all he’ll be able to see is intrigue. “You good?” His voice is lower than usual. Probably trying to not startle you, you’d guess.

“Yeah.” You pause for too long and Euijoo looks antsy. Why aren’t you letting him get in the car then? “I was just thinking…”

The words are having a hard time coming out. This is the most precious person you know. He’s so sweet, gentle, proper. How do you propose what’s in your mind?

“Y/n?” He’s going to need you to finish that sentence.

“Sorry.” You decide to rephrase. “How are you feeling right now? After…what went down in there?”

He laughs politely. “I’m fine, y/n. Don’t worry. You didn’t send me into a spiral or anything.” He starts to move again. You stop him again.

“No, wait. I…know.” His brows are furrowed as he tries to piece together what’s going on. “But…what if I’m not fine? You could be…not fine, too.”

“What are you saying, y/n? Are you uncomfortable with what happened? Because I’m really sorry if that’s the case…”

“No. I want more of it. That’s what I’m saying.”

“Oh?”

You lightly graze your fingernails up and down his forearm as you talk, slowly. “Maybe we could just…make out? For a few minutes. Try and relieve some of our tension before we go.”

You watch as everything clicks in Euijoo’s mind, reflected in his eyes. “Are you sure that’s a good idea, y/n? Seems like it could just cause more trouble.” His eyes drop to your lips. It would appear that he’s not too worried about that.

You nod, smiling as you pull him closer to you by the hand. You step backward a step or two until your calves hit the front of the car. Euijoo is watching you, letting you guide him where you want him. It’s a bit hard to read him. He doesn’t seem as eager as you, but he’s not uninterested either.

It feels like a challenge and you like a challenge.

Your lips part instinctively when Euijoo leans in first. His hands are respectfully at his sides, but he’s leaning into you, tilting his head just so as he brushes his lips against yours, testing, watching. The small action evokes a dreamy sigh from you and Euijoo smirks, his hand finding the small of your back as he seals your lips together.

He moves his lips against yours slowly, not pushing too far. His tongue remains in his mouth, focusing on kissing you properly. His hand is holding your shirt tightly at your back and that’s the sign you need to know he’s pent up too. Yeah, he can handle himself, but does he want to? Do you want him to?

“Euijoo,” you whisper against his lips, one leg wrapping around his long one, forcing him to stumble even closer to your body. He exhales, the needing undertone of your movements making his heart race in his chest. He leans forward, his free hand resting on the hood of the car as his other keeps its place on your lower back. You’re looking at each other, lips close but not kissing, eyes communicating. You can see Euijoo fighting himself.

You want to make it impossible.

You move your hands under the front of his shirt and he hisses, glancing down. You take hold of his waist–perfectly sized for grabbing. His breath is already heavy from how hard he’s trying to hold himself back. By the time his eyes drift back up to your face, you’re moving in on him.

This time, you capture his lips, gliding your tongue along the crease of them, silently begging for entrance. He groans, frustrated with his own cravings, but gives in to them. He invites your tongue into his mouth, freely letting himself feel it with his own. You’re holding yourself up with your arms on the hood and everything feels urgent, desperate, as Euijoo takes over the kiss, leading you both in the direction his tongue wants.

You’re all too happy to let him show you what he wants, especially when his lips gravitate from your lips to your jaw, knocking your head to the side gently as he finds your neck. You’re pulling at his body and gluing your own to it as he drags his tongue over your skin, wincing from the feeling of you pressed so firmly to his stiff crotch. He lets himself get lost in exploring your body, one large, gorgeous hand moving up your torso, taking your breast in its grasp. He groans against your shoulder as he feels the soft flesh, his grip tightening when you moan in response.

He pulls back from your neck to look at you again and his eyes are glazed over with lust. You’re kissing again and your body is practically vibrating with need. You know he is too, his cock hard against your leg, both of you dizzy from a lack of oxygen. Euijoo’s doing a good job of making you feel so fucking good, but you need more.

You keep his body in place with one hand as your other reaches for the zipper of his jeans. Immediately, instinctively, his hand drops from your chest to where your hand is trying to unzip him. He leaves his hand on top of yours, his lips breaking contact. He turns his head to the side just enough to be able to see you on one side and the garage door on the other side, his lips swollen and red. He knows where you two are right now. He knows it would only take a second for one of your friends to see what you’ve been up to.

Fuck, you think. I pushed too far. 

His eyes turn back to yours and you can see gears behind them. It’s only a moment, but it feels like a lifetime. 

He moves his hand from yours. You wouldn’t be sure what that means if his hands didn’t immediately move to your own pair of shorts, nimble fingers working the button and zipper free, his lips on yours again. You moan into his mouth, anticipation killing you, pushing his jeans down when you’ve managed to unfasten them.

“We need to be quick,” Euijoo warns between rushed kisses. A chance for you to change your mind. A reminder that you’re not exactly in a private place even if it feels like it right now. You nod eagerly, not giving a shit about anything but having him. Now, preferably.

You fall back against the hood a bit as your arm weakens, half-laying over it as Euijoo manages to undress you both from your waists to your knees, your clothing haphazardly hanging as best as it can to your bodies. True to his word, Euijoo moves things along swiftly, looking down as he glides the tip of his cock through your folds, collecting your arousal and testing your readiness for him. He hisses at the sensation, his eyes fluttering from the warm wetness.

“Oh my god,” you moan at the feeling. 

Encouraged, Euijoo pushes inside you, a drawn out but soft moan pushing out of his pink lips. You echo him, doing your best to keep relatively quiet even as the sheer size of him stretches you more than you’d expected. You try to lift yourself back up somewhat, salivating at the thought of seeing the point of connection between you. Seeing Euijoo fully sheathed inside of you makes you clench and he hisses, a quiet chuckle following. 

“Yeah? Good?”

You scoff, grinning. “So fucking good.”

Euijoo’s lips quirk into a crooked smirk and he starts to move, thrusting into you at a pace that is increasing steadily from the start. We need to be quick, his voice echoes in your head.

Oh god, you moan. Feels so good. Euijoo. Euijoo. Euijoo.

So pretty, he fawns. Shh, y/n. Y/n. Y/n. Y/n.

It pains you both to restrict yourselves, to rush through your pleasure, but the pleasure is better than the pain.

Euijoo fucks you like he’s been waiting to his entire life. He learns in moments how to make your eyes roll back into your head, how to make you choke trying to keep your voice down. He fucks you deep, his hands harshly gripping your thighs–you’re sure he’ll apologize for that later. He lets you fall and writhe on the hood of the car, all too capable of controlling your body with his own hands, drinking up the sight of you being drunk on his cock.

When he can tell you’re losing yourself to your pleasure, his thumb finds your clit, reveling in the way you whine. “Shh, a little quieter for me” he reminds you, his voice the gentlest aphrodisiac. He’s grinning, proud to see you like this for him.

You cup your hands over your mouth when the knot finally snaps, your eyes squeezing shut as your muffled cry is smothered in your palm. Euijoo’s legs stutter at the feeling of you cumming around him, squeezing him, coaxing him to follow you. He groans and allows himself a few more impossibly deep, sharp thrusts into you before he whitens the inside of your cunt, his mouth hung open in silent relief.

He looks so fucking pretty like that.

You’re both spent, but Euijoo only takes a few moments to recover. He gives you many more though, taking it upon himself to redress you both. He moves your panties and your shorts so carefully up your body–as if he’s afraid to break you after fucking you like that. 

Once he’s finished, he sits you up, his arm the security you need around your back. He smiles at you, brushing his thumb over your lip. “You did so well.” Butterflies. “Are you okay to go now?” You know he wouldn’t make you.

“Mhmm. I’m good.” You reflect his smile.

“Yeah. Me too.” He kisses the corner of your lips and helps you off the hood of the car with a smile, making sure to open your door and buckle your seatbelt for you. You both know he doesn’t need to. 

He just wants to.

[mgc02]

I have a angsty and fluffy request for you to write. Post season 1 finale; Vaggie painfully transforms into a humanoid and sentient Weremoth during one particular blood moon, and Charlie happens to walk in during the midst of it and tries to comfort Vaggie the best she can. What happens next is up to you!

Hopefully this is within the guidelines.

You're good. I'm not too experienced with angst but I love a challenge so here goes

The Other Secret

Cw: Angst, violence, body horror, hurt/comfort

Vaggie had become very good at hiding her secrets. Her being an Angel unfortunately came out. But her other secret was still hidden

She mostly kept this one hidden for other's safety. (She also thought she looked hideous when she turned)

It was very strange but since she had fallen to hell she was at first shocked her angelic appearance had changed very little. It wasn't until her first blood moon that she discovered her "curse".

She was so afraid for Charlie to find out. Even worse if she accidentally hurt her. Her memory was in pieces like a broken mirror and a bit out of order but she remembered seeing her own appearance. She was a monster

And now even though Charlie had accepted her past as an Angel. Something still held her back from telling her about this. Maybe it was protectiveness, maybe it was insecurity, maybe it was the fear that having one big secret you haven't told your partner was bad enough but two... what if Charlie didn't trust her anymore?

She just had to continue to disappear every blood moon. She found an excuse somehow every time and would go into hiding and chain herself to the walls of an abandoned warehouse

This time though something went awry...

It all started when she told Charlie she was going away for the night to practice her fighting skills. Her skills were getting rusty is what she claimed. Just a late night training session and she promised to try not to stay out too late. (Spoiler alert she was going to stay out the whole night) she could deal with a lecture about self care from Charlie in the morning

Charlie believed her skills were sharp as ever but still decided to give her girlfriend some space and let her go out and train. Vaggie made her way to the warehouse which was still empty it seemed. She went inside and began the process of chaining herself. She placed a lockpick close by. In her monster form she couldn't use them so it was the perfect key

She sat and waited as night fall came. She wasn't excited for this part. She felt her bones shift rapidly... painfully. She felt her body contort like a million muscle pains and her insides burned. She screamed out an agonized scream that transformed into a monstrous shriek.

Her arms and legs extended and thinned out like giant insect legs but with wolf like feet and claws. Wings grew out of her but they were Moth wings. Her face and skull began to stretch painfully into a wolflike snout. A third set of arms sprouted out of her body pulling her skin like a rubber band.

Her teeth became canine like. And her eyes rolled to the back of her skull and then turned blood red. Her ears stretched and shifted to the top of her head becoming pointy. Her senses heightened and her self awareness and sense of identity had left her mind

In this new form she felt claustrophobic and panicky. She forgot where she was and who she was. She she needed to get out. Somewhere! Anywhere! She struggled in her chains. Lashing out angry and scared

Suddenly her head snapped in the direction of a voice

"I thought I heard something in here"

Then another voice

"You told me this place was abandoned! We can't do deals here if there's a squatter in here!"

The other voice talked back

"Relax, well just kill em"

Vaggie yanked on the chains feeling a wave of panic and confusion. She screeched loudly as two sinners came into vision

All she saw was a threat...

"What is that thing?!?"

They pulled out angelic knives

"I don't know but it looks like it's all tied up"

The other seemed scared

"Let's get out of here!"

While the one had a dangerous look in his eye

"Or maybe we can use it to our advantage... hey! You! You want outta here you gotta do as we say"

Vaggie only sensed danger, lashing out and before she knew it the chains snapped...

Charlie was getting worried at how late it was getting. She had texted Vaggie a hundred times. Maybe her phone was just turned off... Charlie had a bad feeling. She knew Vaggie needed space sometimes but she also sensed a growing distance between them. It hurt and she knew Vaggie was keeping something from her. But she couldn't imagine why. Especially after she knew she was an angel now. Of course she had been upset at first

Maybe her reaction is what made Vaggie feel the need to keep more secrets from her. Had she been too harsh? Did she make it hard for Vaggie to trust her? Was this all her fault?

Charlie couldn't just sit there anymore. Her thoughts were just bubbling up too much. It's time she just talked to Vaggie about these feelings. After all communication was the key to a healthy relationship

She left Alastor in charge while she went out in search of her girlfriend. She wasn't quite sure how she was going to find her. She hadn't quite thought this through

Suddenly she heard screams coming from a distance. This was usually a sign that one should stay away. In hell screams of pain and terror were kinda normal. But what if Vaggie is over there? In danger even!?!

Charlie sprinted off in the direction. That's when she saw it. A large mothlike beast with some canine like features. It screeched and howled and tore a man apart, ripping him into ribbons. Charlie had never seen anything like it in all her years of hell

She got up close, manifesting her pitchfork in hand. The creature lashed out at her... but then it stopped. It looked afraid and it looked sad as soon as it seen her. Like it recognized her. Charlie didn't know how she knew. She just did.

"Vaggie...?" She reached out. Vaggie pulled away, backing up. "Grrraaugh..." it sounded like her voice was trying to break through "grraahhh don't look at me errrr" her voice was echoey for some reason

"Vaggie, is this what you've been hiding?" Charlie asked with not a hint of malice nor judgement in her tone. Only concern and love. "I'm a monster" Vaggie growled tears beginning to form in her eyes. "I'm hideous!" she cried.

"Vaggie, I love you. I love every part of you. Your strengths and your flaws. I'm here for you" she spoke soothingly. She reached out again. Vaggid pulled away for a second but then stopped. Charlie placed her hand on Vaggie's cheek. She then pressed her forehead onto Vaggie's

"You're always so hard on yourself. You always treat yourself like a burden... but my life wouldn't be the same without you. And if this is something you suffer from, I want to be there for you. Just like you're always there for me" Charlie caressed Vaggie's face and wiped away her tears

It was then that the full moon finally set as the sun began to rise. Vaggie transformed back. It was as painful as before in reverse. She collapsed into Charlie's arms. Charlie scooped her up and began to carry her. "Let's go home" she whispered with a soft kiss to her temple

"We'll talk more when you are awake"

[safyresky]

Happy Lunchtime! The Clifton Manor Incident is now LIVE on ao3!

You can read it HERE (and on ff.net here, of course, but it's been there for YEARS so. you know. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)

Part of the Crystal Springs: Smile Shot collection!

Summary:

England, 1732. Santa sends Bernard on a little search and recovery mission for his family in London. Jacqueline has a life-changing realization that same night, indirectly causing Bernard's mission from Santa to go a little bit awry. Needless to say, Bernard is getting very tired of awful brothers. This hopefully won't bite them in the butt later.

(spoiler alert: it totally does >:)

And a little excerpt below the cut, just for funsies :)

Enjoy!

Grinning, Bernard focused on the desk and dissipated, the colourful sparks he left in his wake outside barely settling on the snow when he reappeared right at the desk.

There was a source of heat somewhere in the room, for it was far warmer inside then it was outside. The wind rattled the windows, the outside looking near whiteout conditions. It was a nasty storm.

But, shoving that thought aside—not his problem right now, nor his department, Bernard thought—he got to work examining the office. As his eyes adjusted, the room became clearer to him. There was a smouldering fire lit in a fireplace on the far right wall. Tall ranges filled with books were arranged in rows, with a large space in the middle of the library for a heavy desk and several regal armchairs. A spindly table was by the double door entrance, lamps burning low on either side of the doors.

With a flick of his wrists, two golden balls of light headed towards the wall scones, the low burning lamps now bright enough to give Bernard a decent line of sight while still keeping the library dark enough to not arouse suspicion. Sure he could see in the dark, and could have done everything in the dark completely, but a well-lit space was preferred.

He just had to be very, very quiet.

The winds outside roared, a light tack tack tack sound signalling that now ice was falling outside as well. Bernard rounded his way to the head of the desk, sitting down in the leather chair. Three drawers, two small ones on either side of the space allotted for the chair, and a large one underneath the left drawer. All locked.

Good thing Bernard was magical, and locks weren't an issue.

He opened the big drawer on the bottom first and pulled out all of the documents inside. He was able to make fast work of the ones that weren't really pertinent to his task. Questionable portraits, and what may have been handwritten books with equally as questionable content. Bernard threw those right back into the drawer.

There were a few notebooks he kept out, as well as a thick folder with Santa's father's name on it. That could be handy. Done with the big drawer, he opened up the small top drawers and began rifling through them.

There was a creak in the hallway. He stopped, glancing at the lamps. They dimmed. He sat still, unmoving, until he heard another creak. It was moving away from the library. He waited another minute before he breathed a sigh of relief and turned the lamps back up.

As long as he was quiet, this would go fine and he wouldn't get shot. He just had to stay quiet...

"Bernard, I cannot even BELIEVE!"

So much for quiet, Bernard thought, as the space in front of the desk grew cold and a small flurry of snowflakes and blue sparks appeared. If it wasn't for how distraught the familiar voice sounded, Bernard would have immediately shushed her. Instead, he stood up, waiting for his friend to properly appear.

There was a small poof and a slightly dishevelled Jacqueline Frost appeared in front of him, her eyes watery. Her hair must have been up at one point, but was now falling. She rubbed ice off of her cheeks, sniffling. "I spent this entire time thinking it was all my fault but it wasn't my fault! I'm not responsible for his actions, but I let myself think that and I—" she gasped for breath, rubbing her eyes again.

Silver bells, Bernard thought. This at least explained the blizzard, he realized. He got up around the desk and placed an arm on Jacqueline's shoulder. "Hey, calm down kid. It's gonna be okay!"

"Is it?!"

"I don't know yet. But I imagine it will be. Look, Jacqueline, you know I'm here for you, and I'm more than happy to help you. On one condition."

The sprite nodded, sniffling and wiping her cheeks.

"If you're gonna stick around, I need you to be very quiet, okay?"

Finally having caught her breath, Jacqueline nodded, taking another deep breath that nearly turned into a sob. She hiccuped. "Sorry," she said.

"Hey, don't apologize! It's okay! Seems like you've had a bit of a rough night. It happens. I'm halfway to one myself, I'm beginning to think. Have a seat. I have some things to go through here but I can multitask. And remember, quiet."

"Right," she said. "Quiet." She tried to sit but was stopped by her panniers. She groaned. "Of COURSE!"

[cinemapsychosshow]

Drive Away Dolls (2024) - Spoiler Free (Kinda)- Bonus Review

John and Brian got invited to another advanced screening!  This time to the new Ethan Coen film Drive Away Dolls. Filmed locally in Pittsburgh and starring Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan, and Beanie Feldstein.  

Synopsis: Jamie regrets her breakup with her girlfriend, while Marian needs to relax. In search of a fresh start, they embark on an unexpected road trip to Tallahassee. Things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of inept criminals.

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  MAIN TITLE: “Red Alert” 

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WARNING: UNAUTHORIZED USE OF THE MUSIC CONTAINED IN THIS PRODUCTION IS SUBJECT TO CRIMINAL PROSECUTION. All copyrights, licensing, duplication and distribution rights are held exclusively by Music Bakery Publishing (BMI). 214-636-5887 

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[madscarypod]

Episode 3 Recap: Talk to the Hand

We are back! For episode 3. Or 4? Who's counting? We are, I guess.

Trigger Warning: This episode talks about self-harm, suicide and other tough subjects. Skip it if you think it'll upset you.

In this episode, Millie waxes poetic about her love of Rick Rubin's book The Creative Act. His book straight-up offers practical tips for creatives to tap into thee "source" and overcome emotional blockers in order to create. We discuss our plans to participate in a spooky event - at the Church Street School for Music and Art - in October. We'll interview peeps about their favorite scary movies, what frightens them, and maybe craft a scary story on the spot! Stay tuned for that fun little bonus ep.

Hey, what's up with the SAG-AFTRA strike? It's still going on so we'll continue to adhere to the mandate - don't watch non-compliant movies! We'll do our best.

We also dig in further on our wild speculation about local crimes possibly involving a serial killer aka the Newton Creek Killer. We theorize it could be the work of a serial killer, possibly a female who targets intoxicated men. Rina goes in on The Pope's Exorcist, a Jules Avery joint, with fan fave Russel Crowe. Russel Crowe's character is an exorcist and gets assigned the case of a possessed young boy in Spain. The Pope sends RC, aka Father Lankford, to perform the exorcism. This movie is too silly, with gratuitous nudity and unnecessary sexiness. Also, not scary enough. But as per Rina's recommendation, "Watch it. Don't watch it. Who cares!?" Next we dig into our movie of the ep, Talk to Me by the cutie pie Philippou Bros. An A24 production, this Australian horror movie is about a group of teenagers who use a cursed ceramic hand to commune with spirits. And film it. With their phones.

The main character Mia immediately gets in too deep after contacting her deceased mother. Things go awry (you gotta follow the rules!) and her young friend Riley gets possessed. Riley's possession leads to a traumatic event (very, ew) and hospitalization.

Mia becomes obsessed with the hand and uses, but it starts warping her grip on reality. SPOILER ALERT: In the end, the hand's influence leads Mia to sacrifice herself for Riley. She throws herself into oncoming traffic.

Hot commentary in this film; phone use is a driving force in the film, with people filming everything and sharing everything on social, even the private moments of others. The pacing of this movie was a bit off but all in all a spooky, thoughtful romp. 4 1/2 Corns. That's good.

We rap the episode by digging further into the common tropes we've seen across the 4 films we've watched. Check out our list below. Lots of commonalities across them.

Anywho, thanks for listening and reading!

[theteasetwrites]

The Beginning Is the End Is the Beginning

Chapter 3: The World Now

❧ Pairing: Daryl Dixon x Reader ❧ Era: Season 1 ❧ Pronouns: she/her ❧ Warnings: mild swearing ❧ Word Count: 2.9k

❧ In This Chapter: An earnest attempt to connect with one of the newcomers to your camp goes awry when he lashes out at you, but Daryl seems to quickly regret his transgression, and is hesitant to participate in his brother's sinister plans.

❧ A/N: This chapter delves a bit more into the relationship between Daryl and Merle, and also gives us our first real conversation between Daryl and Reader (spoiler alert, it doesn't go great).

It was twilight by the time you and the newest additions to your group had reached camp. You set your things down by your tent as the two Dixon brothers followed closely behind.

You barely had time to breathe before Shane and a few others jogged over to you. “What the hell is this?” The Dixons narrowed their eyes at Shane, who was practically breathing down your neck. You turned around, opening your mouth to speak but Merle beat you to it.

“You must be the leader!” his voice boomed and caught the attention of nearly everyone in the camp, who were all coming to see what the commotion was about. “Well, (Y/N) here got herself in a bit of trouble but luckily my brother and I happened to be passin’ by.” Merle gestured wildly as he pontificated for the group. “The little lady said your group needed some folks with huntin’ capabilities, and we’re the men for the job.”

Shane glowered at you with a scowl that could crack a mirror. “You didn’t think to run this past me? Didn’t think, gee maybe Shane should check these guys out ‘fore I bring them to camp?”

“I didn’t realize you were the end-all, be-all of group decisions,” you retorted, your hands on your hips and feeling a sense of pride as you stood your ground. “They know how to hunt. They can help us, teach us. We need people who know the wilderness, otherwise we’ll starve.”

As if on cue, Merle stepped in between you two. “That’s right, y’all don’ wanna starve now, do ya?”

God, I wish he’d just shut up.

Shane looked between the two men. You could tell from the looks he was giving them that he didn’t approve. Shane was a good enough judge of character, but he was too reliant on stereotypes. You knew he wouldn’t take too kindly to a couple of “white trash redneck hillbillies” permeating through camp. Still, you saw them as potential assets to your group’s survival. You hoped Shane would see that too.

After a long silence, Shane surprised you. “Y’all do your part to feed the group then we got no problems. You stay, you contribute, you follow our rules.”

“Sounds like a deal,” Merle drawled, a big shit-eating grin splitting his cheeks.

Victory. You glanced over at the quieter, more serious Dixon as his distrusting eyes stayed glued to Shane. You wondered what he was thinking, if he even wanted to be there. Merle seemed the more eager one, Daryl seemed to just follow the leader.

“And you,” you turned your attention back to Shane, “you don’t do this again without comin’ to me first, understand? We gotta have order around here.”

“Yes, sir.” Prick.

The Dixon brothers had set up their tent in what seemed to you to be record time. They had surprised you by bringing back a pickup truck full of a small arsenal of guns and ammo. It wasn’t enough to arm everyone, but enough to feel that much more secure. Daryl had even skinned and fried the squirrels he had brought with him. So far your spontaneous recruitment, and your intuition, seemed to have paid off.

You were a little disappointed, though, that the brothers already seemed to distance themselves from the group. They had set up shop on the outskirts of camp rather than in the center where most of your people’s tents were.

“You think those guys are cool?” Glenn asked as he chewed on his last few bites of squirrel meat.

You looked over at the Dixons who were keeping to themselves in front of their tent. The glow of the campfire you and Glenn were warming yourselves by illuminated the more delicate features of Daryl’s dour face. He hadn’t cleaned himself yet but his skin seemed to glow a much warmer tone in this lighting.

“I’m counting on it.” You looked over at Glenn as he picked some rodent bones out of his teeth in slight disgust. “I mean, Daryl saved me from a geek, and then he saved me from a mushroom.” You chuckled a little at the thought of a mushroom killing you in a world where the dead walked the earth. “So I guess they can’t be all that bad, at least not Daryl.”

“I just hope they don’t go all Texas Chainsaw on us while we’re sleeping.”

You rolled your eyes as you nibbled on your granola bar. “If that happens, you can hold me personally responsible.”

Glenn gave you an almost serious look. “But you’d be dead.”

“How do you know I wouldn’t join them? Vrrrmm, vrrrrmmm!” You pulled the cord of an invisible chainsaw and waved it around frantically at Glenn.

He jumped off the log in mock horror and tossed a few squirrel bones in your general direction.

The two of you laughed a little too loud for a moment but quickly calmed yourselves down as you felt a pair of eyes on you.

“I think he really might kill you,” Glenn whispered as you caught Daryl almost glaring at you both before he averted his gaze back down to his feet as he continued sharpening his large hunting knife.

“Shut up, he’s harmless.”

“Whatever.” You playfully smacked him on the back as he headed back to his tent for the night.

You remained sitting by the fire and looked back at the archer. You had noticed Merle had snuck off somewhere so you thought you’d extend a proverbial olive branch. While you didn’t exactly get off on the wrong foot, you sure as hell didn’t get off on the right foot either. You were pretty sure you didn’t get off on any foot.

You hopped off the log and made your way over to your own tent where you began rummaging through the small stash of hazelnuts you had collected. You had been rationing them for everyone in the group, but you thought you could spare a few for the newcomer. You grabbed a handful and carefully transported them to a blue enamel camping bowl.

Once you had mentally prepared yourself for an awkward conversation, you made your way over to the archer who still focused on his knife.

“Hi, Daryl.” There was a strange lilt to your voice which you chalked up to being nervous. The man’s hard eyes lifted from his sharpening, first up to your face and then down to the bowl of nuts in your hands. A few empty moments passed as you studied his stony face. Why’s he so hard to read? you wondered. He could’ve been about to shoot you in the head with an arrow and you wouldn’t be the wiser.

You followed his gaze down to the bowl you held against your stomach. “Oh, um, these are hazelnuts. I thought I’d bring you some as a way to say thanks for the squirrel, and for killing that geek.”

He scoffed a little and turned back to his sharpening. “Why ya sayin’ thanks for the squirrel, ya didn’t eat any.”

Shit, he’s pretty observant. How am I gonna make this less awkward?

“I’m actually a vegetarian, so I guess I’m saying thanks on behalf of the group.” Good save. Kind of?

He looked back up at you and stopped his handiwork. “Vegetarian?” There was a derisive tone in his voice as he furrowed his brows. “Why’d ya ask me to hunt for ya if ya ain’t gonna eat anythin’ I bring back?”

“Well, it’s for the group.” That was true, you were thinking of the needs of the many rather than the needs of the few. You had been a vegetarian for most of your life, so it was going to be a challenge transitioning to meat. You had planned on it since any kind of food was becoming more and more scarce as the days went by, but you hadn’t felt the need to resort to meat just yet. “Besides,” you sighed, “I’m going to have to start eating meat eventually. Can only live on nuts and berries and granola bars for so long.”

Another awkward pause as Daryl began sharpening his knife again. As you watched him in silence, you knew you had finally met your match. A guy who’s worse at socializing than I am? What are the odds? You didn’t want to push his buttons too much, you knew when you weren’t wanted, but something compelled you to sit down on the canvas camping chair next to him, placing the bowl of sweet nuts by his feet.

“What are you doin’?” He narrowed his eyes at you again with a look somewhere between confusion and intrigue.

“Engaging in human interaction,” you shrugged.

“Why don’ ya interact with your boyfriend.”

Your eyes widened and you let out a small chuckle. “Boyfriend?”

He nudged his head over towards the campfire you were previously sat at. “Chinese kid.”

Oh, boy. “First of all, he’s Korean. And he’s not my boyfriend, if you must know.”

“Coulda fooled me,” he said, almost to himself.

“So what’d you and Merle do before this?” you interjected with the intent of changing the subject. The boyfriend talk made your brain feel like television static and your heart feel like going AWOL. You tended to steer clear of conversations which always ended up with you thinking about your lackluster love life. Plus, it had occurred to you that you really knew nothing about the men you’d invited to join your group on a leap of faith.

“Nothin’.”

You rolled your eyes. “That’s hard to believe.”

“Well, believe it,” he practically barked.

You lowered your eyes to your folded hands resting in your lap. Maybe you bit off more than you could chew thinking he’d open up to you.

“‘Sides,” he continued, “don’ matter what came before this. This is the world now.” He gestured around vaguely, his knife and the river rock he was using to sharpen it still in his hands.

“I disagree.” If you weren’t irritating him before, you definitely were now. “I mean, sure the world is different now, but ultimately we’re the same people.”

You must’ve triggered something, because suddenly Daryl turned before you could even take a breathe. “That’s bullshit,” he hissed, his words searing through you like a burning knife. “You think it matters what I did before all this? Well, it don’. It’s gone. Everything you were died with those geeks. Only difference is it ain’t gonna come back.”

You felt a lump forming in your throat as you searched for the words to say. Daryl seemed to recoil, realizing how much you had been affected by what he said. You wanted to say that Daryl misinterpreted you, because he did. You wanted to call him a pessimistic asshole, because he was. You wanted to say that he had hurt your feelings, because he did. He didn’t seem the kind of person to care about any of that, though, and you couldn’t get yourself to say anything without that lump in your throat threatening to burst.

You could, however, muster up a small, sad smile and a simple, “Goodnight, Daryl,” before returning to your tent a little more hopeless than before.

Daryl sighed a little as he set his knife and stone down. He had spent so much time with his brother lately that he must’ve forgotten that most people were sensitive to harsh words. He watched as you made your way to your tent, opening the flap and closing out the world for the night. For a split second, he swore he saw the moonlight reflecting off trails of pearlescent tears as they highlighted the delicate curves of the apples of your cheeks.

“You look like someone just kicked you in the balls, baby brother,” Merle’s voice intruded on the feeling that Daryl couldn’t quite place. He turned towards his older brother who had emerged from behind the brothers’ shared tent with a cigarette between his lips.

“Jus’ that girl, (Y/N)… think I made ‘er cry.” Daryl turned his attention back to your tent, still trying to figure out how you could take what he said so personally. He could see your silhouette illuminated by the lantern you kept beside your cot. You were putting your hair up as you got ready for bed.

Merle laughed as he sat down in the chair you occupied earlier. He put out his cigarette on the dirt, tossing it haphazardly towards the center of camp.

“Guess we’re gonna have to teach ya how to talk to women, dumbass.” He leaned his head back and tossed a few hazelnuts into his mouth. “They ain’t as smart, got too many emotions in their little heads. Ya gotta talk to them like they was a little kid.”

Daryl scoffed. He might not have had as much experience talking to women as Merle, but he sure as hell knew that most of them didn’t take too kindly to being treated like children. “Since when did you become an expert on talking to women?”

“Since always, baby brother.” He turned slightly more serious. “Anyway, don’ worry too much ‘bout it. You n’ me are takin’ this camp soon as we get the chance.” He gestured between himself and Daryl.

“How we gonna do that?” Merle handed Daryl their shared pack of Marlboros. He used the dying fire in front of him to light one up.

“Easy. Wait til dark one of these nights. Maybe that old man’ll be on watch, the one with the RV. When everyone’s asleep, we’ll take as much as we can get our hands on. Then it’ll just be us again, baby brother.”

“And what happens when one of ‘em wakes up?”

“Just have to take care of ‘em, shut ‘em up. Might get messy, but it’s us or them. Always has been, always will be.”

Daryl gazed towards the last of the dying embers glowing amongst the charred logs in the makeshift fire pit as he took another drag.

“We gotta get ‘em to trust us first, though,” Merle added. “Make ‘em let their guard down a bit. Shouldn’t be too hard. That girl all but begged us to join her. Rest of ‘em barely know how to hold a knife. Only thing to worry ‘bout is that cop.”

“Maybe we could just take out the cop,” Daryl suggested. “Bet he keeps the guns in his tent, we can take ‘em and then just leave. No one else’s gotta get hurt.”

Merle smirked, shaking his head. “You always were the sweet one, baby brother. But we gotta see what the others got in their tents. There’s always more than meets the eye.” He brought his index finger up to his left eye and pulled the skin below it down to show the lower half of his eyeball. “Tell ya what, we can even take Bambi with us, if ya don’t mind sharin’ ‘er.” Merle smiled lasciviously as his tongue slipped out of his mouth to lick his lips.

“Man, shut up.” Daryl tossed his cigarette in the fire and rose from his seat to begin unzipping the tent.

“So what do ya say, Daryl?” Merle turned his head back to his younger brother before he could enter the tent. “You gonna help your ole brother or not?”

Daryl’s eyes drifted over to your tent. He hadn’t noticed that you must have turned out your light while Merle revealed the little scheme he had been brewing in his head. He returned his gaze to Merle as he eagerly awaited his response.

“Got nothin’ else to do,” Daryl shrugged as he chewed on his lower lip. A sinister smile formed on Merle’s face.

“Knew ya’d come around.” Merle popped a few more hazelnuts into his mouth. “Don’t forget your nuts,” he said, handing the bowl to Daryl. He grabbed the bowl and carried it with him into the tent. Setting the bowl down by his sleeping bag, he kicked off his boots and laid himself down.

Before he could get too settled, he propped himself up to toss a handful of nuts into his mouth. Leaning back down, he stared at the ceiling of the tent as he chewed on the sweet kernels.

He had a lot to think about. He still wasn’t entirely sure if he was on board with Merle’s plan, but what could he do? Merle was his brother, the only person who had ever really given a damn about him. In a lot of ways, he felt like he owed him. Merle wasn't always a great brother, and he was objectively an asshole, but he was blood. The Dixons were raised believing that blood was law. Besides, he thought, these people were hopeless. They weren’t meant for this new world like him and Merle, so maybe they would actually be saving them from a worse fate. But then he thought about how it wasn’t fair to take away their means of survival. It would be like leaving an animal in a trap to die slowly, and that was no way for anything to die. But maybe that really was the world now.

Yes, he had a lot to think about. But as each new thought raced through his mind, as each new idea took him down a different path, he seemed to always find himself coming back to one thing: you.

~

Thanks for reading! Likes, reblogs, and comments of any kind are always appreciated!

Series Masterlist Next Chapter ➳

[sagabrielle]

Humble Home (Crosshair x Reader)

Words: 2.7K

Warning: Reader is pregnant. Spoiler alert. Proofread, but not really. It's fanfiction, Idk what to tell you—I'm sorry.

Me: I wanna write something for Tech, Also Me: *writes another Crosshair fic*

Crosshair and his wife are in a bit of a predicament, so Crosshair has to get over his emo attitude and ask for help. Boohoo.

There were many things in the galaxy that instilled a sense of dread in Crosshair. The sniper had seen many things over the course of his life, experienced tragedies, felt loss, and then lost. The war was a taxing thing, and though it raged on and he did his best to separate himself from it, it was like a bad sickness. It was everywhere and touched everything. It was his responsibility, though, to compensate for that, to be better than the Empire so that they never had the opportunity to ruin what he had.

Namely, you. You were one of his most grave concerns. The Empire sought out those who were vulnerable or valuable in the slightest, and you were both. He had been aware of the risks when he met you—a mission went awry—and yet, you were beautiful, and strangely sweet to him even though he knew he hadn't deserved your kindness. Falling in love with a civilian was a tough game to play, and while Crosshair was always up for a good challenge, you were one thing he wasn't willing to risk. That wasn't what you deserved. So he ushered you far away from any Imperial-occupied planet and kept you tucked away where he was sure you would be safe.

It worked like that just fine for a while. No one bothered you, and life was as simplistic as either of you could manage it. He struggled a bit in the beginning. Crosshair had relinquished any and all power he had previously held in any organization for you. He did not regret it, necessarily, but it was a wildly different life that took time for him to become used to. Eventually, he found a sort of rhythm and sunk his fingers into it hard and deep. Patrolling the area surrounding the home he had claimed for the two of you, keeping track of Imperial movements, the mere act of making sure you were safe. And happy. Which all things considered, was pretty easy.

The home he had chosen had been abandoned long ago, probably a bit before the Clone Wars. It was still in livable conditions, though, so he threw available resources into it and hoped it would be suitable for two humans to live in. He wasn't particularly gifted in the art of construction nor interior design, but you assured him that it was quite nice and that served to settle him for a while. Only a while, though, because as Crosshair slowly found out, things rarely go smoothly for him.

"We'll be fine," you said to him one day, "You should go. Don't worry so much, love."

"I should be telling you that."

"Well, I'm not worried, so no problem."

Crosshair didn't look convinced by this. By this time you were about eight months pregnant. Both of you had come to the consensus that you shouldn't go out in public, because on the off chance that Crosshair was being monitored, he didn't need anyone knowing that he was about to have a child with you. That would only serve to create more uneasiness and tension than there already was. He really did want to be relieved by it all, the promise of having the most normal thing he could have. And yet, he was terrified. So he kept you stashed away in the home where he could protect you, keeping an almost constant and obsessive vigil. There was little you could say to calm his tightly wound nerves.

"We've never even seen troopers in the city, why would they be holed up in a rural part of the planet?" You asked. You sat in one of the chairs by the navicomputer Crosshair had ripped from an abandoned Republic ship. It aided in keeping track of lone ships and anything that could be of concern. Could.

"It's the most obvious hiding place," he said. He was perched on a makeshift lookout that had a clear view of anyone approaching from the outside. You looked up at him with exasperation in your eyes.

"So where would be safe, Cross?"

"I don't know." There was a long pause and you knew he was arguing for the sake of it. He didn't mean to be short with you, so you tried to be patient.

"We still need supplies," you said, and with good reason, Crosshair knew. Every few months he would make a trip to the city to get food and anything else odd you requested. It would be in a few weeks that the baby would arrive, and some supplies would be vital. It wasn't up for debate, and Crosshair was aware of that. He still begrudged the idea of letting you out of his sight. He hated the other option, too.

"We could call your brothers." The other option. You had suggested it a few times, trying to gently push him back to his family. Having never met them, you were getting anxious to know the brothers of your husband. He groaned at that, as he always did. "It couldn't hurt to have more eyes. Or hands."

"Who says they will want to see me?" Crosshair said in his typical self-deprecating tone. You used to pity him when he spoke like that, but it had grown to be slightly annoying. Not that he felt bad, but that he continued to pity himself and do nothing to aid the situation. Instead, he chose to sulk, avoiding his family rather than communicating with them.

"It is worth a try." The words come out more stern sounding than you had intended, but he perked his head up and stared down at you. The final say was very rarely his, and he knew that was probably for the best. At least as of late.

Swinging down from his perch, he landed gracefully beside you, his form towering over you from the chair. Leaning down, he input something into the navicomputer you couldn’t see and a small blue light popped up almost immediately.

"They should be around there," he said, pointing between two Mid Rim planets. "Could be anywhere in there, though. It will be an almost impossible task to find them."

"Almost." You restated and leaned back in the chair, satisfied with that. The relief of knowing it might not just be the two of you—three, eventually. He hummed, an attempt to sound annoyed with you as if to prove to you that he was unhappy with the newly hatched plan. He wasn't really mad, and that was much more obvious to you.

It does take weeks to find them, and by then you were positive you were about to pop. It hurt to walk too much, or stand for too long, or lay on your back. It was difficult to do most things and so you were intensely irritable, and Crosshair had learned the hard way to let you rest.

You had begun to nest. Blankets and pillows piled upon one another to form the most comfortable bed you could manage to make. Eating had also become something of a hobby, and so the food rations had dwindled faster than usual.

The midwife droid sat gathering dust in one of the corners of the small home, waiting to be switched on and put to use. That had been your idea—knowing full well that neither you nor Crosshair were equipped for childbirth, unassisted. So he had to rummage around in the city, weeks after finding out you were pregnant, and patch the droid back together. One of the few good side effects of Tech's rants, Crosshair thought, was having absorbed the ability to fix things. The droid worked well enough, and with it, the sniper had gathered med supplies and waited patiently for the baby to make their grand entrance.

It was taking a long time, though, and you wondered if your calculations were wrong. They certainly didn't feel wrong. The midwife in town, an old Twi'lek woman, pruned with wrinkles, and her hands that were slightly too rough, had told you to be patient. Some babies quite like their accommodations and stay for a bit longer than others. Much to your chagrin.

"I've sent out the signal," Crosshair told you, eyes locked on your form as you tore into one of the last ration packs. "I might have to leave you alone, anyway."

"I told you, it's fine," you said, tone snippy. The ration consisted of mostly stale, plain food. It made you gag a bit, but it was the only option. Undoubtedly, any weird cravings you had couldn't be satiated on such a planet.

Crosshair glanced over his shoulder towards the window out of habit. Grabbing his coat, and the pistol blaster he kept on him whenever he ventured out, he resigned to leaving you. Food was too important to let it simply diminish. It was vital to both of your survival, and you were plowing through it at an almost astonishing rate.

"Stay put," he said, leaning down to press a kiss to the crown of your head. You hummed, reaching to squeeze his thin hand in an act of reassurance, though it doubtfully did much to soothe him. He left quickly, the large door locking in place behind him. It was rare to be alone, and while you were confident you would be fine, it was a bizarre and unwelcome thing all the same. It was much more preferable to have Crosshair by your side, not only to feel safe but also to make sure he was safe. It was best not to share those feelings though, because if you had, it was likely he would have something close to a meltdown and forever refuse to be without you. You didn't want nor need that.

In an attempt to distract yourself, you set about doing simple tasks. Remaking the bed you had messed up to hell and back trying to get comfortable was the simplest thing you could do. Taking the weaving tool from the ladies in the village, you sat in the newly made bed and tried very hard to understand the technique of weaving. It was supposed to be simple and calming, and yet as the thread proceeded to tangle itself, you found it was becoming a daunting task. The ladies had made it seem so easy. What was supposed to be a blanket turned into something more like another, different ball of thread.

It was in the midst of untangling the mess you had created that the low, rumbling hum of an approaching ship shook the foundations of the home. The beating of your heart hammered against ribs and lungs, and the flow of blood was audible in your ears. Of course.

It was silent as the ship was docked and presumably whoever was inside prepared to kill you and take your husband—who wasn't at home, but you thanked the Maker for that at least. Scrambling awkwardly you shut the lights off and made sure you weren't in view from the window. It was still light outside, so there was no true darkness in the house to hide in, rendering you a fairly obvious target. There was, though, a blaster stored behind the navicomputer for such emergencies, and while you fumbled around for that the sound of the ship's hangar dropping was seemingly thunderous outside. Everything seemed so loud.

Voices floated around from the opposite side of the door and you held the gun poised towards the door.

"Hey! Crosshair!" Somebody yelled. It was loud, and you were taken aback. Not only by the sheer volume of the man's voice, but the fact he knew your husband's given name. Not his number, as the Imperials had taken to calling him.

"Are you alright?" Another voice came, and it wasn't clear to tell, maybe it was hope, but it was a clone's voice. You hoped and prayed.

"Are you dying—Ow!"

It had to be. There was no way these were the voices of some stuffy Imperials. They sounded downright casual. Glancing toward the navicomputer, you had to squint but the blue light tracking his brother's ship was right on top of you. Your conscience warned you to still practice caution, but you lowered the gun and crept quietly towards the door.

"Maybe we should break the door down. I have a bomb for it."

"Is this the right place?"

"This is where the coordinates led, and the Marauder is never wrong. I made sure of it, after all."

Coordinates. The ones Cross sent, you were certain. Against better judgment, you unlocked the door and squinted into the sun as it slid open. There was a stunned silence for a moment and you took the opportunity to take their appearances in. It was initially hard to tell, but these men were clones. It was the eyes that gave it away.

"This is most certainly not Crosshair." The one who spoke wore goggles, tinted slightly orange. His accent was different, which perplexed you slightly. "Maybe he sent us the wrong coordinates."

"No, he lives here," you said, and watched the men visibly tense up. "He'll be back in a bit." You motioned inside but your eyes were locked on the various skulls that adorn their armor. His brothers were different as well, then.

Stepping inside you let them enter into the home which was really far too small to hold the group of them. The one with long hair and a tattooed face spoke quietly, as if shy, or merely just as cautious as you were.

"You two live here?" He asked, and you noted with slight amusement that all four men essentially ogled your round belly. You didn't blame them, it would be a big shock to anyone in their circumstances.

"Yes, for a few months now. It was safer to live in a rural village than the city," you said, leaning the blaster against the cool wall of the entrance hallway.

"Indeed," the man with a mechanical skull implant spoke, his eyes scanning curiously around the room. It was as if the men were expecting some unknown danger to emerge from the house. They were visibly on edge, and you knew it was in part due to their pending niece or nephew, but you knew little of what else it could be. It was obvious Crosshair’s relationship with them was rocky and stiff at best, but he never dwelled on all the reasons for it. You were beginning to wish that he had, because as they stood around you hardly knew what to say. There was trust, though, that much you knew, and so you leaned on that as reassurance.

“My name is (Y/N),” you said eventually, thinking it was probably awkward to stand in the home of a complete stranger who you didn’t know the name of.

“Hunter,” The long-haired clone motioned to himself, then his brothers, “this is Echo, Tech, and Wrecker.” Of course, you had heard the names before, but now there were faces to go along with them.

“It’s good to finally meet you, then. Crosshair talks about you,” you said, omitting the part where your husband complained about his siblings. It was the typical complaints of a brother, but you were still inclined to take his side in any argument. At least by the principle of marriage.

“What a shame,” drawled the voice of your love. You twirled to face him, eyes locked on his grim features. “I’ve missed the reunion.” He had dropped the new supplies onto the entrance floor and had his slender arms crossed over his chest.

"Crosshair, you look," Wrecker took a pause, "Rough."

Crosshair pulled his lips to a straight line, the lack of amusement obvious. He stepped closer to you, his eyes locked on his brothers.

"You sent coordinates?" Tech said, holding up his holopad for his brother to see. Crosshair let out a huff. They had come to their brothers' beck and call, and that had to mean something to the silver-haired man. You would have been a fool to not see that Crosshair did still long for his brother's company and approval.

"I did," he said, tone low. Annoyance passed by on his angular features. "I need your help."

[rexismycopilot]

Rex's Master List of Fics & WIPs

I've had a couple requests for a master list of fics, so hopefully this is helpful :D I've tried to organize it in a logical way, but... it's hard...

I also added the prompts/WIPs I'm working on :)

Smut

Top!Obi-Wan/Bottom!Anakin

i've been waiting for you Rating: E Summary: Anakin and Obi-Wan's relationship is relatively new and Anakin is unsure of how to ask for what he wants.

quiet the mind and the soul will speak Rating: E Summary: Anakin struggles with meditation. Obi-Wan helps him see the good in him.

a lesson learned is a lesson earned Rating: E Summary: Anakin learns a lesson and Obi-Wan learns one too.

to love is to trust Rating: E Summary: Obi-Wan and Anakin navigate their first mission together after starting a romantic relationship

no gift is more precious than trust Rating: E Summary: Obi-Wan and Anakin continue their sexual exploration

easy isn't always simple Rating: E Summary: Anakin finally gets what he's been asking for

jealousy is the path to chaos Rating: E Summary: Anakin and Obi-Wan find themselves on a diplomatic mission to Mandalore where Anakin must deal with his jealousy of Satine.

most powerful is he who controls his own power Rating: E Summary: Obi-Wan worries a little too much, but not when it comes to making sure Anakin is safe and comfortable.

choose what is right, not what is easy Rating: E Summary: Anakin doesn't use his safeword when he should have.

a true heart should never be doubted Rating: E Summary: Anakin notices all the little things Obi-Wan does for him

to seek something is to believe in its possibility Rating: E Summary: Anakin teases Obi-Wan to get what he wants. Spoiler alert: it works.

struggles often begin and end with the truth Rating: E Summary: Anakin has a backlog of mission reports. Obi-Wan helps him out.

where there's a will, there's a way (chapter 1) Rating: E Summary: Anakin can't seem to stop his mouth from running in Obi-Wan's presence. Obi-Wan is having none of it.

those who enforce the law must obey the law Rating: E Summary: Anakin tries to break Obi-Wan out of his bad mood, but his first attempt goes awry.

what can go wrong will (chapters 2,3,4,5,6) Rating: E Summary: Five times they try something new and things go (slightly) awry and one time they try something new and it goes very right.

deception: epilogue Rating: E Summary: Anakin and Obi-Wan renew the physical part of their relationship after Rako Hardeen

understanding is honoring the truth beneath the surface (chapter 1) Rating: E Summary: Anakin asks Obi-Wan to take control.

who a person truly is cannot be seen with the eye Rating: E Summary: Anakin purposely avoids doing what Obi-Wan tells him to do.

great hope can come from small sacrifices (chapter 2) Rating: E Summary: When Anakin and Obi-Wan are captured by Dooku, they must keep their relationship a secret.

fail with honor rather than succeed by fraud (chapter 1) Rating: E Summary: Anakin tries to be in charge for once, but Obi-Wan doesn't give in easily.

honesty exists beyond the most intricate truths Rating: E Summary: Obi-Wan makes Anakin's fantasies come true. Lots of aftercare ensues.

disobedience is a demand for change Rating: E Summary: Anakin acts like a brat for feeling guilty about something. Obi-Wan gives Anakin what he's looking for.

there is no heart for me like yours Rating: E Summary: Anakin wasn't even aware what he was doing, but everything Anakin did was turning Obi-Wan on like a switch. When they are finally alone, Obi-Wan makes sure he knows the effect he has on Obi-Wan.

to love is to burn, to be on fire Rating: E Summary: Anakin and Obi-Wan attend the coronation of a queen of Naboo.

faint with love Rating: E Summary: Anakin catches Obi-Wan teaching younglings and realizes how much he loves certain qualities of Obi-Wan's.

fear not for the future, weep not for the past Rating: E Summary: Anakin still feels guilty about their argument and wants to make it up to Obi-Wan.

to be loved is to be fully seen and known Rating: E Summary: Anakin tries to get alone time with his hand, but keeps getting interrupted. Eventually he succeeds, but realizes he wants a little more.

Top!Anakin/Bottom!Obi-Wan

a plan is only as good as those who see it through Rating: E Summary: Anakin tries to show Obi-Wan what he sees.

what can go wrong will (chapter 1) Rating: E Summary: Five times they try something new and things go (slightly) awry and one time they try something new and it goes very right.

fail with honor rather than succeed by fraud (chapter 2) Rating: E Summary: Anakin tries to be in charge for once, but Obi-Wan doesn't give in easily.

Hurt/Comfort

a great student is what the teacher hopes to be Rating: M Summary: Anakin has doubts about how to be a good master for Ahsoka. Obi-Wan is there to help.

arrogance diminishes wisdom Rating: T Summary: Anakin underestimates a pirate threat while on a mission. Obi-Wan and Ahsoka are there to rescue him.

accepting help is harder than offering it Rating: G Summary: When Anakin returns from a dire mission, Obi-Wan must cope with his unexpected emotions.

he who faces himself, finds himself Rating: T Summary: Anakin finally confesses to Obi-Wan the dreams he's been having.

adaptation is the key to survival Rating: T Summary: A mission goes wrong and Obi-Wan and Anakin are stranded when Anakin falls ill. And then Obi-Wan catches it too.

who we are never changes, who with think we are does Rating: M Summary: Obi-Wan shows his insecurities. Anakin helps him feel better about it.

understanding is honoring the truth beneath the surface (chapter 2) Rating: E Summary: Anakin asks Obi-Wan to take control.

where we are going always reflects where we came from Rating: G Summary: Obi-Wan struggles with bad memories from his past.

when we rescue others, we rescue ourselves Rating: G Summary: Anakin disobeys during a mission and is injured in the process.

great hope can come from small sacrifices (chapter 1) Rating: E Summary: When Anakin and Obi-Wan are captured by Dooku, they must keep their relationship a secret.

the first step to correcting a mistake is patience Rating: T Summary: Obi-Wan helps Anakin relax after a trying mission.

the wise benefit from a second opinion Rating: E Summary: Obi-Wan feels guilty when Anakin uses his safeword.

facing all that you fear will free you from yourself Rating: G Summary: Anakin begins having panic attacks. Obi-Wan tries to help.

without darkness there cannot be light Rating: G Summary: Anakin experiences sensory overload after coming home from a mission.

who you were does not define who you are Rating: M Summary: Anakin begins skipping strategy meetings and lying to Obi-Wan about it. Obi-Wan finds out.

balance is found in the one who faces his guilt Rating: T Summary: Anakin goes on a questionable personal mission for the Chancellor. The Council does not approve.

you are the first victim of your own anger Rating: T Summary: When Obi-Wan assumes Anakin is looking for trouble, Obi-Wan supplies him with the release he thinks Anakin is looking for, but things don't go quite right the first time around.

a failure in planning is a plan for failure Rating: E Summary: Anakin and Obi-Wan are interrupted by their comms just as they are getting started

Fluff

a secret shared is a trust formed Rating: T Summary: Anakin indulges a little too much and can't seem to stop talking about Obi-Wan... especially to his padawan.

every home has a heart Rating: M Summary: Every home has a heart. In Anakin's, it's the couch. Five times Anakin and Obi-Wan use the couch and one time they don't.

unfinished business Rating: G Summary: When Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Ahsoka visit a moon for a recon mission, they find out a secret fear of Obi-Wan's.

always on my mind, always in my heart Rating: G Summary: Anakin and Obi-Wan spar - Obi-Wan cares for Anakin.

TCW Arcs

deception Rating: M Summary: Obi-Wan is involved in a covert scheme to save the Chancellor, but must keep the majority of the details from Anakin.

AUs

Stay Next To Me Rating: E Summary: Obi-Wan has recently gotten out of a long-term relationship and joins Grindr with a friend's insistence. But he seems to be falling for the relentlessly teasing barista at the local coffee shop.

I'm the Satellite and You're the Sky Rating: E Summary: Ahsoka finds she is not quite as well-suited for an elective college course as she thought and hires a tutor to help her through it. Anakin quickly falls head over heels for him.

WIPs/Prompts (in no particular order)

Anakin uses his safe word, but Obi-Wan doesn't hear it

Child of the force

Obi-Wan needs affection (5+1)

Satine's death

Zygerria

Anakin has a panic attack during battle

Quinlan returns to the temple for a mission

Jedi Obi-Wan/Sith Anakin

Sith Obi-Wan

"Stay Next To Me" Anakin POV

Personal trainer AU

Anakin has a panic attack during a Council meeting and storms off

Post Shadow Warrior Arc

Obi-Wan drinks alone

Anakin's arm

Anakin or Obi-Wan uses their safeword in a battle

Anakin & Obi-Wan fight (really bad) & angry fuck then soft fuck

Anakin & Obi rough fuck

Anakin questions if Obi-Wan likes their relationship

[kaydeefalls]

Random, but sometimes you finally watch something, hyperfixate on it, and realize you want to know what your favorite multi-fannish author thinks of it: how do you feel about Mike Faist as Riff in the 2021 West Side Story, and how strongly do you feel the potential OT3 with Bernardo and Anita?

I love that you brought this to me completely at random even though I'm not sure if I've reblogged a single thing about that movie

but yes I DO have strong feelings about his absolutely flawless performance as Riff, how lean and angry and fucking HUNGRY he is, how you can absolutely understand how this scrawny punk can lead a street gang. he's desperately trying to claw back anything that has ever belonged to him (spoiler alert: none of it EVER belonged to him, he's never managed to grasp anything for himself except maybe Tony and goddamn did that ever slip through his fingers anyway), and he's going about it all the wrong way and being manipulated by adults who should fucking know better that to give this stupid kid a gun, but that's what Riff is, he's a loose cannon and they're gonna fill his head with racist trash and aim him right at the non-white enemies du jour.

it is really hard for me to wrap my head around shipping him with Anita and Bernardo, though, just because of the depth of deprogramming you'd have to do on that little fucker before I'd be willing to let him anywhere near them. he is a feral racist manchild who genuinely did have the potential to be better - he is SMART as fuck in his own way - but was never given a single goddamn chance to do so. like i can theoretically picture that OT3 and absolutely see the potential - there has always been a strong hatesex subtext to Riff&Nardo, let's be real, the Rumble is all that repressed sexual tension gone badly badly awry - but oof, someone else needs to put in the effort to straighten out Riff's head first, and it's not gonna be them. (I don't think Riff is the most vitriolically racist of the Jets - far from it, you can see it being goaded out of him, it's not his default state of being - but it's still toxic as fuck, and I REALLY like that this version of WSS didn't shy away from it or that aspect of his character.)

I will say that Mike Faist was so freaking good in this role that it really, BADLY exposed how useless Ansel Elgort was as Tony. Like. Goddamn you really couldn't find a single actor for your freaking leading man, Spielberg, what the fuck?

(Obvs Anita and Bernardo were flawless as well, the whole supporting cast of this movie was amazeballs once you got around the sucking black hole vortex of Tony, IMO.)

[potter-loves-malfoy]

hi, do you have any drarry ficrecs which are between 50k and 150k?

I sure do! and uh this list kinda got away from me,, there's.. a lot.

What We Pretend We Can't See by gyzym –– 131k

Seven years out from the war, Harry learns the hard truth of old history: it’s never quite as far behind you as you thought.

Every Me and Every You by bixgirl1 –– 69k

Harry liked his life just fine, thankyouverymuch — so it was bad enough when a sly fairy cursed him to leap into alternate realities. But seeing Malfoy in all of them? Definitely way too much. And worse yet: needing the bastard's help to figure out how to get out of of it.

It was a disaster waiting to happen, really.

Well... probably.

Reparations by Saras_Girl –– 87k (note: this is part one of a series that makes it well over 150k)

Harry is about to discover that the steepest learning curve comes after Healer training, and that second chances can be found in unexpected places.

Helix by Saras_Girl –– 92k

Seven months after the end of the war, Harry is feeling lost. Fortunately, he is about to be offered an unexpected and sparkling chance to find himself again. [2014 advent fic]

Running on Air by eleventy7 –– 74k

Draco Malfoy has been missing for three years. Harry is assigned the cold case and finds himself slowly falling in love with the memories he collects.

The Printed Press by Soupy_George –– 119k

Draco Malfoy was still slightly amazed that he was standing on the doorstep of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. He never would have thought that Harry Potter's very public and very ... sweary, emotional explosion would have led to him offering Draco, of all people, a job.

Right Hand Red by lq_traintracks (lumosed_quill) –– 73k

Harry felt Malfoy's breath on his lips as they came together over the bottle, hands firmly planted on the floor as though they each needed their familiar soil, refusing to cross into enemy territory.

Except that Malfoy no longer felt like his enemy.

Malfoy felt inevitable.

At Your Service by Faith Wood (faithwood) –– 95k

Hogwarts students are in danger; Harry is determined to save them all. There's only one thing he knows for certain: Draco Malfoy is somehow involved.

Stately Homes of Wiltshire by waspabi –– 57k

Malfoy Manor has mould, dry rot and an infestation of unusually historical poltergeists. Harry Potter is on the case.

Written on the Heart by who_la_hoop –– 113k

Harry doesn’t mind that so many Slytherins from his year have returned to finish their NEWTs, really he doesn’t. It’s just – do they have to be so friendly? He’s not prejudiced, really he’s not. It’s just – they’ve got to be up to something, right? Unnerved by the attention he’s attracting from everyone – the Slytherins are the least of it, to be fair – and struggling with a raft of changes to Hogwarts itself, Harry wishes he could be happy that one constant remains: Draco Malfoy really fucking hates him.

When he’s hit by an illegal love-spell though, Harry finds he has more to worry about than whether or not Blaise Zabini actually wants to be his friend. For if everyone affected has been blessed – or cursed, by the look on Malfoy’s face – with a magical tattoo revealing the name of their soulmate, what does it mean that Harry’s skin remains completely bare?

It actually hurts by parkkate –– 51k

For years, Draco has tried to avoid Harry Potter. He just knows he’ll make a fool out of himself if they spent more than five minutes in a room together. Unfortunately, Potter suddenly seems intent on becoming Draco’s friend, but neither of them are prepared for the inevitable consequences...

Lessons in Humility by playout –– 86k

After the dissolution of his marriage and a good bit of soul-searching, Harry returns to Hogwarts as the new Defense teacher. Go figure, it happens to be the same year Draco takes over the role of Potions Master. Neither man is happy about this turn of events. Will they be able to set aside their differences and learn a thing or two about trust and humility on the way? (Spoiler Alert: Yes. Very much so.)

A Lick and a Promise by tackytiger –– 55k

Something sinister stirs in Hogwarts!

When magical creatures and students at the school are hit with a debilitating blood curse, Minerva McGonagall approaches the Ministry for help.

Star Auror Harry Potter seems to be the obvious choice to go undercover—as DADA Professor, naturally. He’s going to need the help of the Ministry’s foremost expert in blood magic to get to the bottom of the mystery, though, and he’s not entirely convinced that going back to Hogwarts with Draco Malfoy is a good idea.

Things are complicated between them—what’s new?—but they know they have to learn to work together (and keep their hands off each other in the corridors) in order to solve this case. Luckily for them, Hogwarts itself wants to lend a hand.

A tale of love, lessons, and learning to really live.

Azoth by zeitgeistic (faire_weather) –– 88k

Now that Harry is back at Hogwarts with Hermione for eighth year, he realises that something’s missing from his life, and it either has to do with Ron, his boggart, Snape, or Malfoy. Furthermore, what, exactly, does it mean when one’s life is defined by the desire to simultaneously impress and annoy a portrait? Harry has no idea; he’s too busy trying not to be in love with Malfoy to care.

Balance, Imperfect by bixgirl1 ––88k

When Harry sustains an injury in the line of work, he no longer knows how to navigate the life he loved, and finds help and solace from the most unexpected source.

Burn The Witch by lettersbyelise –– 95k

When Harry Potter is sent in to investigate Draco Malfoy’s successful potions company, posing as Draco’s bodyguard, he doesn’t know the case will launch a series of events that will change his life — and Draco’s. A story about choices, scars, Chopin piano pieces, and finding all kinds of love in the most unexpected places.

Chaos Theory by Tessa Crowley (tessacrowley) –– 102k

Chaos: when the present determines the future, but the approximate present does not approximately determine the future. One gene varies, one neuron fires, one butterfly flaps its wings, and Draco Malfoy's life is completely different. Draco has always found a certain comfort in chaos. Perhaps he shouldn't.

Harry Potter and the elusive day off by pleasebekidding –– 71k

Auror Potter needs a fucking break. He is wiped. He is exhausted. He probably didn't intend to put himself into a magical coma but these things happen. And who cares, really? He is comfortable in a house where he has hidden away all the shit he can't deal with.

Guaritore Christopher Black is an exceptional psychiatrist with a specialisation in sleep disorders. He is also Draco Malfoy in a Glamour.

Minister Hermione Granger knows the dangers and the complications, but she needs her best friend back.

Light up the Night by Saras_Girl –– 98k

This year, despite his better judgement, Harry’s love life is going off with a bang. Advent fic 2019.

All Life is Yours to Miss by Saras_Girl –– 114k

Professor Malfoy's world is contained, controlled, and as solitary as he can make it, but when an act of petty revenge goes horribly awry, he and his trusty six-legged friend are thrown into Hogwarts life at the deep end and must learn to live, love and let go.

All Our Secrets Laid Bare by firethesound –– 149k

Over the six years Draco Malfoy has been an Auror, four of his partners have turned up dead. Harry Potter is assigned as his newest partner to investigate just what is going on.

The Light More Beautiful by firethesound –– 81k

Thirteen years after Draco accepts Potter's help escaping the horror of his sixth year, he returns to England where he makes the unfortunate discovery that Potter is still as obnoxious as ever. And worse, more than a decade overseas hasn't been enough to dim Draco's obsession with him.

Thine Enemy is Sweet by XxTheDarkLordxX –– 52k

“The ex-boyfriend of my ex-fiance is my partner in crime."

A story featuring a ragtag team of morons, bickering enemies that can't agree on anything, a heist that surely won't end well and a connection that neither Harry or Draco can deny.

[ashdoesfandomarchieved]

Star Trek Lower Decks Fic Recs

(most of these are by the same rotating five writers bc our fandom is That Small. Still, all of these are absolute gems and worth your time. Please DM me if I forgot to put a fic on here of y'alls or if a link doesn't work <3)

you wanna kiss me so bad it makes you look stupid by InsideMyBrain

shipwide crises are a lot more enjoyable when you have someone to make fun of. unless you’re the person being made fun of.

Everything Is Fine by UncreativeIndividual

After several months serving together, Tendi begins to realize that she feels for Mariner as more than just a friend. This is not ideal for her.

The Mariner Protocol by bauchle

AKA: Beckett Mariner's Guide to Scoring With Hot Space Babes

When she learns that Rutherford is crushing hard on Tendi, Mariner selflessly takes it upon herself to coach him in the fine arts of court ship. She even drafts Boimler to help her out, though for some reason he's less than enthusiastic about the whole project.

Cue movie nights, flirting "workshops", and 400-year-old mixtapes - not to mention melees, arguments, and maybe a minor shipwide crisis. This is definitely going to end well.

im standing guard (im falling apart) by @lastoneout

“Dude Barb is way out of anyone’s league, trust me. She’s so perfect it’s freaky.” Beckett continues, “I don’t know if you noticed but it did nearly drive me insane.”

Brad falls silent for a moment, giving her a weird look that she wilts under.

“Is that why you haven’t been sleeping?”

It's Going Great, Why Do You Ask? by UncreativeIndividual

The sequel to Everything Is Fine.

Mariner and Tendi have been dating in secret for a few months. It's going well, though the former does wish to keep the relationship a secret despite the latter's wishes.

Then, Mariner's mom, Carol Freeman, starts to suspect something is up with her daughter. T'Ana gets stuck in the middle as the only one aware of the relationship, and Boimler & Rutherford are just confused as to what's happening. You can probably s ee where this is going.

are you lonely looking for yourself out there? by @lastoneout

He knew listening to her message would only make him feel worse, but he reached over and pushed the play button, waiting for Mariner’s angry voice to fill the room, reminding him of what a jerk he was.

“Boimler?” Instead of angry, her voice was quiet and groggy, like she’d just woken up, and Brad froze, quickly realizing two things. He must have hit the call button on accident, and he was totally, completely fucked.

- or -

After having a shitty day on the hell ship that is the Titan, Boimler gets drunk and accidentally calls Mariner.

i loved you then and i love you now by @punk-rock-yuppie

Seven years after the end of their friendship, Beckett and Brad meet again.

Enjoy, Endure, Survive (a surprise) by @punk-rock-yuppie

Five times Boimler surprises Mariner with something, and one time she beats him to the punch.

Letting the Days Go By by @punk-rock-yuppie

It’s been three years since Bradward Boimler left his three closest friends on the Cerritos to take an ill-fated stint on the Titan.

It’s been two years since he came back from the Titan with his head hung and his metaphorical tail between his legs.

It’s been a year and a half since Mariner cornered him and told him, drunk and hushed, that she missed him so much it felt like a missing limb.

No Time Like The Present by @lastoneout

If there’s one thing Beckett has learned about Brad Boimler in all the years they’ve been friends, it’s that he has an intense—and frankly worrying—flair for the dramatic. So she isn’t exactly shocked when he decides to confess that he loves her in the middle of a fucking red alert, but that doesn’t mean she’s happy about it.

Love Your Fate (which is in fact your life) by @punk-rock-yuppie

Five out-of-this-world shenanigans that try to get Beckett and Mariner to confront their feelings for each other, and one time these two idiots finally do something about it.

a collapsing star with tunnel vision (but only for you) by @punk-rock-yuppie

The night before Brad transfers to the Titan, he and Beckett have a one night stand.

Of course, everything gets a lot more complicated after that.

Terminal Infatuations by ProdigySorcerer

A collection for my Rutherford/Tendi fics, will have multiple stories, AU, etc.

Future Nostalgia by sprucetree

Various oneshots about Mariner and Boimler.

Chapter 1: Fletcher spills a secret about Boimler. Chapter 2: A Titan mission gone wrong leaves Mariner worried. Chapter 3: Mariner and Boimler prepare for their wedding with all of their friends and family in attendance. What could go wrong?

Who Says You Can't Go Home? by @punk-rock-yuppie

Brad knows how his reunion with Mariner will go: not well.

Spoiler alert: Brad is wrong.

Delicate by sprucetree

Various oneshots about Tendi and Rutherford.

Chapter 1: Tendi and Rutherford both work well as friends, sure. But are either of them ready to make the jump to being a couple? Chapter 2: After the accident, Rutherford wakes up.

Maybe, Perhaps, Almost by @punk-rock-yuppie

It's a tragedy, the way our story goes: maybe, perhaps, almost.

Mindless in a Worthwhile Way by @punk-rock-yuppie

Beckett and Brad's first date on Earth goes a little awry.

____

I'm also here to shamelessly promo my own fics.

[caescloud]

How about some shiggy fluff with a reader that has an emotion reading quirk and she just sees how broken he is and wants to help him and he’s just like ???? What’s this? Human decency? Tomura.exe has stopped working

Anon, I almost leapt out of my chair when I got your ask because not only is your brain huge, you made me think of my oc who has pathokinesis for a quirk! So thank you for an awesome prompt, I’ll do my best to explore this topic! There are some liberties I’m taking so let me know if this is slightly out of the scope of what you wanted the power to be portrayed as, I can adjust it. And I went with two routes for this one, hope that’s alright! Also, spoilers for the content covered up until about chapter 246!

Emotion/Empathy Quirk!Reader x Shigaraki, Fluff Hcs

As someone with a quirk that allows you to literally emphasize with other people, it’s hard to ignore those who are in distress. As a member of the League, you regularly are among companions whose more negative emotions you pick up on. Shigaraki is no exception to this. For all he does to mask his feelings, be it out of repressing his deepest memories or simply not willing to let himself feel the more somber emotions, Shigaraki has his days.

Approaching Shigaraki when you sense this emotional shift in him may play out depending on how close you two are. I feel that either way, he will be wary of someone who can instantly know the extent of what he’s feeling without knowing the context- it’s this perception he has of being “seen” and vulnerable, but not on his own terms. For this reason I wouldn’t recommend opening anything major; start small,  a simple “I noticed you’ve been off, I’m here to listen if you need it.” (The second set of hcs are more fluffy than the first, I swear! )

If you’re not as close yet:

“Your vibes are off my guy” /j 

You likely noticed his mood around when you first met him, the childish glee at the prospect of carrying out villainous schemes, the apathy felt for society, the frustration when things went awry, and this...undercurrent of intensely negative energy.

Your intentions are truly straightforward when you discover him

Had you not had the quirk you had, you likely would have missed the sudden “peak” of distress one night. Shigaraki experienced a rather nasty nightmare that sent him for a bit of an inner spiral. The LOV base was small enough that you could sense him despite being in separate rooms, the feelings of fright and melancholy were too palpable for you to ignore. You could sense when emotional activity subsides when people are asleep but Shigaraki didn’t seem to fall back asleep that night. You had difficulty yourself and made a note to confront him in the morning, when he’d likely be moving around while the others wouldn’t.

Shigaraki is aware of your quirk and how it works; he is the leader who is responsible for knowing key information regarding subordinates. What he didn’t expect, and may have subconsciously hoped you wouldn’t do, is “pry” into him after an episode. 

SO in addition to that plus being in a sour mood that following morning, he may be more snappy and curt when you approach him. He doesn’t feel it’s your business nor something you should be spending energy on. He’s not really in a headspace to discuss what he dreamt about or exactly know how to put it into words; he’d likely tell you to move on because that’s what he’s doing. 

Ball is in your court at this point; sticking around him may not be the best move unless you’re going to be quiet while he soothes his thoughts on his own; having anyone around him may be more of irritation/distraction than a comforting presence. If you do try to get him to keep talking, he’s gonna flat out leave the bar in a bit of a huff to blow off steam. If you leave yourself, best not to do so in a way that makes it seem like you’re mad at him? It’s not that he’s really concerned with how you’re feeling per se, this is more of a long-term behavior. Calmly letting him know you will respect his boundaries and telling him you’ll be around let’s him know that you’re a mature enough individual which is pretty big for him. Even if he doesn’t remark on it then and there; he’s all about those little details when it comes to people. 

Even if at this moment he doesn’t especially appreciate “someone nosing around” in his head, he can’t completely ignore your intentions. You’re not on thin ice, but he’s gonna maintain a bit of a guard around you until there’s more trust solidified. After all, he can’t be scaring off competent allies like you when he needs ‘em this early on. 

If there is trust/a relationship between you two:

You two have a much better rapport with each other this time around. Between fighting alongside each other, going through shared struggles and trials, those rare late-night chats you’ve had, Tomura and you are far closer now than ever before. 

You are a valuable ally of his and someone who he lowered his walls down ever so slightly more for. As mentioned above, the fact you respected his boundaries early on while maintaining your welcoming presence has served you well in this area. If it’s you asking him about his troubles, that’s okay. You’ve seen him at some pretty harsh lows and still stayed by him and everyone. 

Heck, even prior to this, you’ve already begun to notice a change in Tomura and how he’s been acting since the Kamino incident. Showing his face and apparent care for the LOV will also likely factor into him feeling more comfortable around you as well. After losing AFO and Kurogiri, this point stands even stronger. The league is his family, you’re a part of that too of course. But out of everyone, there’s a unique bond between the two of you. 

So when you approach him as a result of the impossible to ignore feelings of turmoil, not that he’s outwardly showing this, you do so with the same, genuine concern you held the first time this happened. This is someone who you’ve gotten to understand hasn’t had much of a break when it comes to basic human kindness in most of his life. And he is also someone you truly care for, no strings attached. (Hard not to when you’ve been exposed to his innermost feelings after all.) 

He’s clearly trying to hold himself together in the aftermath of Kamino; he seems to be clutching desperately onto himself as a way to ground. The loss of AFO and Kurogiri is taking its mental toll and while the others have opted to give him space, you chose to go to him; hopeful of any comfort you could give in order to soothe the ferocious panic and frustration sweeping over his mind.

Once again you offer him your ear, a shoulder, your words if he’d rather listen to someone else talk instead to take his mind off. He doesn’t brush you off this time but also doesn’t say too much. He stares very intensely at you, searching for a trace of judgement or gratuitous pity and finding none. Despite everything, you two fall into a comfortable silence, that hand you’ve placed on his shoulder acting as an anchor.

The next time this happens is after the battle with the MLA

The base you’re in is more lavish, fitted with more space and rooms for it’s members to reside in. However, you’re still able to sense Tomura’s emotions go completely haywire. The intense loneliness, fright, anger, and sadness crash into you and pull you under.

You don’t realize you’re moving until you’re outside his door, softly calling his name, sensing he’s alert and awake now. You almost feel this will play out as it did nearly a year ago until the door slowly creaked open, a single red eye gazing right through you. You’re about to speak when he reaches for you and pulls you in.

Huh. This is the first time he’s literally reached out for you, a fleeting thought. It’s dark and you’re unable to see him, but you feel the slight tremor wracking his frame and grip. You’re thankful it’s as dark as it is because you don’t want him to see your tears; whenever someone is feeling as badly as he is at the moment, your quirk can have the impact of flooding your emotions, especially if your control is not at its peak.

“Tomura, I’m here for you. I’m ready to help, tell me what I can do,” you muster in your most soothing and level voice, masking your outward emotions well. He is still wordless but moves you and him over to where his bed is, guiding you both down onto the mattress. A low sigh leaves his lungs as he tries to compose himself, grip still around your wrist. You feel your way over to the hand that’s holding you, carefully maneuvering the fingers off and transferring his hand properly into both of yours. You work mindless patterns and pressures over the appendage, further trying to physically calm him.

It starts with an utterance of the words “bad dream, family, my sister-”. He doesn’t go into very descriptive detail but with the way he’s feeling and how he’s speaking, you know it’s nothing pleasant. “They’re gone, it’s done. So why do I still...have these ridiculous visions of them?”

Your heart has ached hearing the way he talks; whether he realizes the extent of his words, when he talks about others and himself or his past, you feel compelled to be open with him.

What happens next almost shatters your heart because he asks you not to go. He’s done talking about his dreams and the past, his fingers are itching to go at this neck, and he’s just tired. When you pull him into your embrace, him mindful of where his hands fall, he surprisingly accepts it. 

You’ve got him and you’re not letting go, gently smoothing over his hair to further placate him. He’s definitely feeling better than when you’ve found him. You only begin to drift off when you feel him truly calm down and go limp in your arms. No one dares to say anything the next morning when the future king has skipped out on a meeting.

He’s not going to say this out loud but he is truly grateful you treated his emotions with the care he didn’t realize they needed from someone like you.

[tenacioussurrender]

Hey. I was wondering what your writing process is like. I have been looking for new things to try because my old system hasn't been working for me this year. Thanks!

Hey!!

My writing process always starts with me having one single scene in mind. So for [SPOILER ALERT IF ANYONE HASN'T READ MY FICS AND WANT TO] Faded, I only knew the twist of what happened to Five in the apocalypse, I don't think I even knew how much Diego would be involved in the story at that point. In Disillusionment, I only knew that Five would betray Diego, that's it. So, generally, when it comes to the scenes my brain gifts me, they're usually the climax of the story.

Soooo to start off I use a dry erase board and I write the titles "first chapter", "climax", and "final chapter" leaving lots of space in between. I fill out the climax because it's all I know at this point and then I start asking myself "why did this happen" and "how can I lead up to this point" and slowly work backwards from the climax to the beginning (making sure if it's a twist like these two climaxes were, that I'm leaving behind hints in earlier chapters).

By now, I usually have a general list of what happens between the beginning and the climax, and if I already have an ending figured out, I have some in-between there as well.

I then make a folder in Google drive and I start making files with just a bunch of chapter names (including climax and end), doesn't matter if I end up using all of them or not and I start taking the list I wrote down on my dry erase and I split it up into tidbits of what I feel is reasonable for each chapter. In addition to this, I keep a list in Google docs of information, like if I have plot twists planned and I also will write down the motivations of the characters.

When it comes to the hardest part, the actual writing, the first chapter and climax always seem to come easiest to me. I've found that going ahead and writing a general draft for the climax really helps because I can piece together what happened to get to that point and what might happen after.

Despite the general timeline that I keep and despite the plans I have, often times they go awry for multiple reasons. For one, I rely A LOT on comments. I try to give readers time to comment because I can then kinda base what to keep going with according to their comments and sometimes I even change trajectories entirely if it seems like they're hoping for something specific. For example, when I was writing Faded and was a couple chapters in, I'd really planned on focusing entirely on Five and Diego and was gonna leave the other siblings out of the picture. That is, until I got questions on when the others would come in, because that showed me that the readers wanted that so I decided to add them.

In the same vein as that, when it comes to writing "filler" chapters I just let my writing take me where it wants to. For me, I find writing anything that isn't action-y or twisty takes so much more out of me, which unfortunately is a lot of the writing process. So for those chapters that are more on the boring side for me, I have to FORCE myself to write them. I will sit there and just write whatever comes to mind and I'll just keep writing until I feel I reach a natural end for a chapter and I've gotten atleast a little closer to the goal, the climax. Sometimes when I do this, the chapter ends up being trash but while writing it, I've brainstormed maybe a conversation or an action that I really like and then will base my rewrite of that chapter on making sure that happens.

After I feel the chapter is keeping the story headed in the right direction and it just generally feels right, I go through and edit it in the Google docs. I try to act out my writing as much as possible because I find that helps me to attempt to make conversations and actions feel more natural or realistic. After I've edited in Google, I then take it over to archive and do the preview and reread and edit again. After each edit process, I do a reread to try to catch anything I might have missed. Then lastly I upload it and do one final reread just in case I still happened to miss something.

After I've uploaded the chapter and it's still fresh in my mind, I try to take a look at the general idea I have planned for the next chapter and go ahead and write the beginning(maybe even just one sentence) so that when I come back to it, I can immediately start where I left off.

I don't know if this will help at all, I really hope it does!!! I've been writing since before I can remember (been writing fanfiction since I was like 12, so around 10 years) and Faded was the first multichapter fiction I've ever finished. So I have definitely struggled with the writing process and I think the most important thing I've found (and yet the hardest) is to just force myself to push through and write. ESPECIALLY if I have no idea where I'm going and especially if it seems like trash, because that trash is usually what ends up sparking an idea.

[queerbra-rian]

REVIEW; THE GRAVITY OF US - PHIL STAMPER

-- ⚠ Trigger Warning : Just kidding. It's actually my first book review w/o a trigger warning. There are, however, some spoilers. Enjoy !

Genre: YA, Contemporary, realistic fiction, LGBT, MLM Pages: 314 Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 --

As a successful social media journalist with half a million followers, seventeen-year-old Cal is used to sharing his life online. But when his pilot father is selected for a highly publicized NASA mission to Mars, Cal and his family relocate from Brooklyn to Houston and are thrust into a media circus. Amidst the chaos, Cal meets sensitive and mysterious Leon, another “Astrokid,” and finds himself falling head over heels—fast. As the frenzy around the mission grows, so does their connection. But when secrets about the program are uncovered, Cal must find a way to reveal the truth without hurting the people who have become most important to him.

-- REVIEW:

Okay guys. Let's be brutally honest. For all that matter, I was really looking forward to reading this book. Like really, really. And I was right about the hype it gave me. Once you begin this book, you really don't want to stop. Like I could have ditched work and all the rest to finish it ASAP kind of read. (Spoiler alert, I didn't) The Gravity of Us is a very cute read, like a fan-person level of cute read, and I definitely enjoyed it a lot. Mixing science and LGBT rep is definitely an awesome idea, I'd say, but it's my personal opinion based on things I love and believe.

What led me to read The Gravity of Us in the first place was reading As Far As You'll Take Me (and not finishing it, oops) while searching for Phil Stamper's bookography. This book was fascinating and I didn't even have it in my hands yet – general nerdiness around space travel and the race to colonise Mars is one of the major things I like to brag about IRL and I'm a queer review blog, so (okay no, really I did enjoy MLM story too); Once the book was in my hands, I could even wait to start reading it.

That is, the concept of ‘The Gravity of Us’ had me from the first line of the book. It was unique writing, and that's what got me hooked. And not so the love story inside it, which is too close for comfort, I must say. I crave for relationship that are build up through the book then become a thing. I did fell in love with this book, from the cover to the inside to the story, which uncover the struggles that the families of the astronauts face. It was also interesting when Cal started interviewing people and we got real information about spacey stuff (congrats on Phil for the research, I mean, wow. Kinda impressed here, it's not all writers that goes deep into their stuff). And am already hoping for a sequel. (Because i'm crazy like that yeah I guess, but you could also say Cal and Leon are actually my confort characters and I did want to know what happen between the time their parents are up in space)

As far as I am craving a complicated and intriguing borderline angsty love story (*cought* *cought*), Cal and Leon got me HOOKED. I feel like they both draw you in so easily into their story in its purest form. Was it fast? YES, definitely, but it's the kind of fast that is going somewhere instead of just crashing into pieces. If that does make sense, yeah, I would have loved to see some more tensions, more debate about whether or not they should get together and yada yada, but I think it's what makes it a perfect soft read at the beach or some sort of quiet retreat.

** spoiler ahead*

With them being famous and constantly under the spotlight of their astronaut parents, they kind of found each other despite all this mess, and that's what we call perfect unity.

Among all the different themes Stamper weaves into TGoU, by far my least favourite, is a debate about meaningful content versus reality TV. The media circus circling the crew and the mission is not focused on the science behind the mission; it’s focused on the personal lives of the astronauts. Cal, upon arriving in Clear Lake, takes it upon himself to show the world and his followers all of the real behind the scenes, being all "hired" subtly by NASA by proxy (spoiler sorry). I mean, picture this. A teenager from NY both got his dad into a national astronaut program (SPOILER: because you know, some folks at NASA saw his fizzle mizzle, I forgot the name, account and instantly knew it was a genius idea to bring him there, and not because his father was good for the job, soon to be astronaut duh) AND saved that program from shutting down when things went awry. It's literary fiction, and it's kind of okay, I guess, since it's a fiction book, but it bugs me. That's why I gave my review 4 stars.

Notable Quote; “If you want to kiss me, kiss me because you like me. Not because you think it will make you happy. You can't just kiss away all the bad feelings I have. You can't kiss me and make me better.”

[rakuraiwielder]

at the eleventh hour (don’t you dare knock)

Even through her hazy deliriousness Shinobu is sure of one thing. She cannot let Tomioka Giyuu die. // When Shinobu wakes in the aftermath of a mission, she knows she is dying.

Giyushino. Where both are fatally injured in different ways.

A Kimetsu no Yaiba Fic / Allusions to manga spoilers. 

Also on A03

Foreword:

i am that one friend at parties that get the prompt ‘nsfw’ and immediately think of gore instead of spice- in that vein, this could be considered a very late submission for giyushino week’s bonus prompt

Shinobu wakes to a sharp flare of pain and the light of an approaching dawn. Her head aches all over, buzzes with a numbness she was only vaguely aware of. The feeling only grows heavier as she attempts to sit up, hazy eyes blinking sluggishly as she struggles to gather her bearings. Strange, she thinks as she sways against the rapid beats of her pulse, that it should hurt to breathe.

They had been fighting a demon; her partner and her, her partner- 

Shinobu snaps her head up and flinches, feels bits and pieces of her memory return in the form of painful stabs to her abdomen. Giyuu had been with her; the two of them fighting off a demon classified to be on par with that of a Lower Moon. It should have been easy, it should have been easy and yet... 

They had been taken wholly by surprise; the mission had gone awry, and she had remembered nothing else but the shattering of bones amid a demon’s dying scream as she fell, fell and fell and-

The choked noise that leaves her mouth spittles into a croak; Shinobu feels her whole body threaten to lurch, trembling as she tries to focus her sight on battered flooring and broken rice paper doors. They had cornered the monster in an old deteriorating shack both to mitigate the damage and draw as little attention as possible from the surrounding village. It had been a smart move then, but she was beginning to think it had backfired now. No one would find them here if they were rendered incapitiated. No one would come, and for the first time she feels trepidation as the pain that courses through her flares sharply again.

From behind, a hand curls over the cloth of her haori, tugs her back weakly, and Shinobu feels herself fall against something warm and decidingly not flat. A hiss of pain catches in her throat even as her head lolls back, resting against the crook of...of something. Slowly she becomes aware of the low rise and fall behind her back, the pair of legs that encompasses her sprawled body, the hand that she now sees clenching the bloodied ends of her sleeve.

“Tomioka san..?”

Ah, she was just wondering where he had gone.

Relief rises in wisps through the receding numbness, bringing with it the rising awareness of more pain, of the slow stirring in her gut that alerted her to something being very wrong. Shinobu tilts her head, squints at the sliver of faint light that streamed through the quiet trees and splintered wood. She wonders just when had she closed her eyes. Sluggishly she turns around a little more, feels her stomach pang and throb as she tries to find the presence behind her. Every motion brings her pain; another slow shift, digging the backs of her ankles into the grainy wooden floor, poised to lift-

Pain, white hot, blinds her vision, forces her mouth open into a rattling cry. The hand on her haori spasms, and Shinobu feels pressure on her other side, foreign fingers curling gingerly over the disheveled redness of her soiled clothi-

Shinobu screams, flinches away from his touch and curls in on herself as her pulse skyrockets and her ears ring. It hurts. For a few moments thereafter she cannot hear anything but the rapid pounding of her own heart. The scale of its intensity scares her; makes her mind race for answers through the numbness. It must be more than just a few broken ribs. Appendicitis? She thinks back to that one moment of snapping bone as her body collided with the ceiling; the taste of bile and blood tingeing her tongue as the demon had lunge for her. It wouldn’t be unlikely for the broken bone to puncture an organ from the impact then or after she fell. If she even fell. There were no bruises and cuts to show for it.

She cannot remember now, but the thought of having a ruptured stomach or bleeding innards here scares her enough to break through the haze. Clarity returns to her in between sets of delirious pain. Her head swims, but still she struggles, tries to turn around again. The hands that held her had retracted, but as she moves they return to her sides, fisting into the ends of her haori and forcing her still.

“Don’t.” A raspy whisper from behind her. Giyuu breathes, heavy and ragged, and Shinobu feels the last of her reassurance burn into ashes. 

“Don’t.” He says again, before she can open her mouth, clutches the fabric of her clothes tighter as he heaves. “You are hurt, Kochou.”

Why hadn’t she realised it earlier? The erratic rise and fall of his chest. The signs of struggle in every clench of his hands. Most of all, why he remained unmoving in a place like this after the slaying of a demon. The Water Pillar may be a man of few words, but even she knew him enough to know he would never want to linger on the deathbed of death and decay.

“So are you. What’s... wrong?” It hurts to speak, and she has to focus on each word as she slurs them out. Shakily she lifts one hand, raises and drops it on his leg. The movement makes him tense; he gasps, soft and unnoticed as she pokes weakly at his knee. “Come now, let me turn around.”

Shinobu does not wait for him to protest, shifting her buzzing legs to the right as she attempts once again to search his face. She makes it halfway before the pain starts to take over, a warning flare that brings tears to her eyes. This time the wave leaves her floundering, coils tight over her heart as she sways. Giyuu reaches for her shoulders before she can collapse again, fingers curling against the expanse of her arm and guiding her closer as she slumps tiredly, this time sideways against his firm chest. He wavers for a moment before touching her, and Shinobu knows, even through the ache, that he did not want her to cry out again.

It was so like him to blame himself for it, though it was more her fault than his. She would scold him for it, but as it were she could barely focus on the ground before her. Slowly she tilts her head again, blinking through the haze to squint up. Giyuu can barely meet her gaze, his ragged breaths borderlining wheezing as he pants in uneven tempo. 

One look at him and she knows he has been poisoned.

No wonder they had been unable to leave.

You look awful, she wants to say. But all that leaves her mouth is another pained whimper. The poison had spread, turned his skin pale and clammy, highlighted the bulging veins that circled his temple and eye as he attempted to maintain total concentration breathing. Shinobu wonders when the demon even had the chance to inflict the deadly deed. But then she remembers the dust-like spores that had encircled the shack’s perimeter before, and thinks she understands. 

For now, she must start on administering the antidote. As far as she could see, he had not coughed up any blood. Perhaps the poison worked in different ways, and he wasn’t in immediate danger. She can only hope so. Her hands shake as she turns back into herself, struggles to get them past the layer of bloodied haori into her inner pockets to reach the pouch that held her syringes. A careless brush against her chest makes her see stars; Shinobu cannot tell if she made a noise, but when she comes back down the hand over her shoulder was quivering, Giyuu’s other fist clenched tightly over butterfly winged cloth. 

He had pushed away from the wall, head lowered and face buried into her hair; she can feel him shudder with every heavy exhale. It makes her heart clench, though it could have been just from the pain. He was not himself.

“Tomioka...san..?”

“I’m.. I’m alright…” Another deep breath before his fingers loosen their hold, dropping off her shoulder. “It’s... not what you think.”

He was turning incoherent, and Shinobu tries to shake the anxious drumming of her pulse as she reaches for her haori and tries again. The poison’s effect was escalating; it could have been one that takes away lucidity, has the victim experience confusion and hallucinations. It was not nearly enough to work on, but Shinobu notes it down anyway, finally grasping the pouch out from her uniform and fumbling it open with numb fingers. She needs him to keep talking, if only to reassure her, if only to let her have something to anchor herself onto besides the unbearable pain.

“Our...crows?”

“Gone at first light. The Kakushi will be here soon.”

But how soon is soon enough? It was a traitorous thought that she quickly stamps away. She can cure him before anything happens. She must. She cannot consider herself the Insect Pillar if she fails doing this one simple thing that was under her expertise otherwise.

The medical kit drops from her shaky hands, hits the wooden floor with a metal clang that rings painfully in her ears. Giyuu picks it up before she even notices, presses it back against her trembling fingers. It takes her too long to grip it properly so he can let go, longer still to push her head off his chest so she can face him. Giyuu makes a soft noise but pulls back. His eyes were glazed, fixed unseeingly at a point on her mouth. She wonders if she really was slurring her words that badly.

“Tomioka san (c’mon, work with me here), I need to-” Another wave of pain from her abdomen. She can barely curl her arms around it, fearing that touching the wound would only agitate it more. More bile rises up her throat. “I need to...check your symptoms if you want me to help you.”

“I-” The Water Pillar hesitates, unable to meet her stare as a slow flush of red crept over his ears, neck. Fever..?

Shinobu would interrogate him more, but then his fingers were on her cheeks, swiping at the water under her eye. His gaze was soft, softer than she expected, the pad of his thumb gentle and lingering as it presses into the corner of her lips. It barely lasted a couple of moments, but as soon as she thought to comprehend it he snatches his hand back, cheeks tinting pink. His mouth parts uncertainly, seemingly at a loss for words. 

The ghost of his touch dissipates from her skin, fleeting like the forgotten words on the tip of her tongue. Later, she is sure it would confound her more than anything if she remembers.

“I recognise the effects.” He says almost shamefully, breathing strained. 

Shinobu nods, blinks slowly as her head swirls and she struggles to keep her balance.

“...It’s acting like an aphrodisiac.”

Shinobu feels her brain shock circuit.

Silence, as it takes her too long to put the pieces together, during which Giyuu turns increasingly more embarrassed. His palms clench into rigid fists as he rests them by his side, but he makes no other moves to touch her. She thinks she owed to be grateful, but somehow like this it feels harder to stop her back from collapsing in on itself. It was easier to keep steady, knowing that his hands were there if she ever needed the support.

...How strange her thoughts were. The internal bleeding must be getting to her.

“...Is that it..? No wonder you are acting strange.” She smiles then, a jittery, feeble thing as she untenses. The gravity of his words had hit their mark with its somber weight, but still Shinobu wants to laugh at the irony of the situation. As it were another flare from her abdomen shoots down her legs, and her smile trembles, fades into a thin line. “That makes things easier...” 

“Can you..?”

“Who do you think you are talking to?” This time she does laugh amidst the pain, breathy and stuttered as she folds into herself. She regrets it immediately, feels something shudder and shift wrongly inside her. Something brushes the edge of her covered elbow, tugs hesitantly at the sleeve; it takes her mind off the pain a little, even as she struggles to ground herself, knuckles turning white as her grip on the medical kit becomes bruising. “I will have you better in no time.”

“You need help too.”

Only the look of sheer disbelief on his face and the need for propriety gives her pause when she teeters dangerously close to slumping against his chest again. She doesn’t want to agitate him, doesn’t want to agitate herself.

“...Yes.” She says, not liking the helpless look he was showing her. “But that can wait after you.” Help you to help me and all that. Another pained smile. “It won’t do you any good for anyone to see you like this, no..?” 

She wants to tease, but another shock runs through his body, turns his eyes dark and hazy. Giyuu growls lowly as he returns, the restraint in his eyes razor thin as he stares fixated at a point she cannot see. Shinobu has no time to wonder before the cloth of his haori was dragging across hers, his arms encircling the space of her small frame. They stop, barely touching the side of her body as he looms before her.

“I’m sorry Kochou.” He slurs, eyes flickering with turmoil as he grapples to stay his hand. Shinobu feels it fist tighter into her haori anyway, his arm brushing the small of her back as she starts to sway. A whimper leaves her throat, unrestrained as the motion rocks the pain back into focus, and she sees Giyuu freeze for a bare moment even as he bends, pressing his face into the exposed skin of her nape. 

His touch sends shockwaves through her body, makes her jerk and tense as he starts to nuzzle, warmth breath tickling the curve of her neck as he pants. A voice in the back of her mind begins to drone about unspoken boundaries and the splintering cracks of their established dynamic, digging into her heart the bolder he becomes. Shinobu pushes it all away, hitches with stuttered gasps at the reverent way he cups a palm over her waist.

She would wonder, if she wasn’t so aware of the precious time slipping through her fingers. Black spots darken her vision, but the weight of his chest was enough to ground her back as she fumbles at the metal case in her hands.

“I’m sorry.” He shudders again, mouth pressing the words into her neck. It makes her shiver and lean into his grasp. 

“Oh Tomioka san… If nothing else, I would say that your self control was admirable to this point.” 

“Don’t.” He makes a choked noise, and Shinobu feels him pull back a little. “Don't joke about that. I, I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Ahah...don’t be ridiculous. Like I would die to something like this.” She says, thinks it a lie as her vision starts to blur. How frustrating, that all the effort and preparation she put herself under was going to be rendered obsolete because of one off-the-trails mission. All these years of slaying and training for the one fight she was going to stake her life on cut short due to bad compatibility and a bleeding inside. She would grit her teeth if she wasn’t feeling so weak. 

She cannot die here. She cannot die until she fulfills the vow she made to herself.

“You are trembling. Kochou?”

And yet...

Even through her hazy deliriousness Shinobu is sure of one thing. She cannot let Tomioka Giyuu die. She will administer the antidote on him if it is the last thing she does, on her honour and pride as the Insect Pillar. She won’t take him down with her. She won’t. It was all she could do now.

“-chou? Kochou, say something pl-”

“I’m here.” She coughs, runs shaking fingers over fastened needles and surgical knives when she finally pries the medical kit open.

She must have blacked out, because she barely remembers prepping the antidote together, her body on autopilot as she stumbles in and out of clarity. Aphrodisiac effects were not fatal as long as they could be flushed out of the system, though that was clearly out of the question now. What she had on hand would only work as a temporary neutraliser to restore awareness and basic motor functions to the victim for a short period of time. It would be enough, she knows even as she mixes the concoction and spills precious drops down her haori, if it was Giyuu with his boundless self control, Giyuu; who fought and trained and compensated for more than any other Pillar, it would be enough.  

The uncapped syringe was in her hands when she feels her stomach churn unnaturally, bile sour and unpleasant as something inside her twists. Her body spasms in unbearable waves, and with widened eyes she pushes out of his grip, heaving a silent cry as she throws up mouthfuls of her own blood. 

Shinobu heaves over and over again, dry heaves some more even when there was nothing left to throw up. She was scarcely aware of the man beside her, of the spreading pool of blood that blankets their feet, could only register the clotted fluid as black and sweet smelling. Ah, she thinks through her dizziness, hopes against hope that he does not recognise the scent of wisteria.

She didn’t think she could explain it to him anyhow, with the way they are now.

Soft cloth wipes at her lips when she slumps back, and she opens heavy eyes to see Giyuu brush the sleeve of his haori across her mouth. Apprehension dances in his eyes, fades in and out like a blurry canvas as she forces herself to focus on the antidote in her hands. Or maybe that was just her, and she was about to black out again. It only further stirs the restless anxiety that laid exhausted within her bones.

It takes longer than she would have liked to reach for him and position the syringe over his wrist. Giyuu has to hold her hand to steady her grip, help guide the needle into his skin. Black spots dance at the corner of her eyes again; Shinobu resists, wills herself to watch every last drop of antidote sink into his veins. With the rest of her dwindling strength she pulls the needle out cleanly, hears the clanking of metal and glass as the syringe drops to the ground.

The sound echoes oddly in her ears, as though faraway. She blinks, feels her eyes droop as she looks at her frozen fingers. Giyuu was speaking to her, but she cannot pick apart his words, can barely recognise the odd puffing sound she could hear come from her mouth as darkness took her back into its embrace.

Oh, since when had her skin become so ice cold?

The black out feels longer this time, but still she fights, claws her way out of the endless dream with pained gasps and tired wheezing. It cannot end like this, not until she was sure the Water Pillar could move. When she wakes again her head was resting in the crook of a familiar neck, her body swaying in the rhythmic motion of being held in a person’s arms. The pain in her abdomen was still present, ebbing and flowing with very breath she takes. She takes comfort in that. It means she was still alive.

Gentle warmth and birdsong caresses her face, strokes the deep sleep from her eyes as she opens them slowly. Small beams of morning light stream down the canopy of leaves, halos their wounds and disheveled clothing with every step down the forested path. Shinobu takes this all in, tilts her head up just in time to feel Giyuu stumble as he moves.

The sudden jerk sends a sharper pang through her chest, and with a hard swallow she coughs, curls deeper into the grip of his arms. She can hear him mumbling a mantra, words soft and trembling as he struggles with every step. Please, please please please.

“Don’t die on me, Kochou.”

He sounded almost afraid, the raw vulnerability making her heart clench again. She doesn’t like this new side of him, doesn’t want herself to be the cause of Giyuu’s uncertainty. Giyuu, who never wavers, who refuses to play along with her antics, who allowed her to see glimpses of the person he used to be. Giyuu, who was the one solid constant in her life she trusts more than anything. Her partner. Her head lolls to the side, wheezing softly from her lungs as she struggles to keep her consciousness. It hurts to speak, but she can do it. For him.

“Oh..?” She croaks, feels him tense at the sound of her voice, as though he had not expected her to answer. Had he been speaking to her all this time? “You...won’t let me..?”

“Never.” He bites out, uncharacteristically fierce and taking her by surprise.

She wants to laugh, but she lacks the energy to even try, the taste of blood bitter in her mouth. Instead she grounds her head into his shoulder and focuses on her breathing. 

(Shinobu, her sister sings into her ears, the most important thing to total concentration breathing is to relax and brace-)

“Then, I will be in your care…”

(Kanae, she thinks as her vision darkens, I might be selfish for this. But I don’t want to see you just yet. Not today. Not until I have no more regrets.)

Shinobu closes her eyes, oblivious to the quiet panic of the man carrying her, and drifts off to his calls of her name.

Kochou Kochou Kochou Kochou pleas e

 Shinobu..!

 x

  When Shinobu wakes, she knows she is not dead. The room she was in looked strikingly similar to those of the Butterfly estate, and there was an aching numbness all over her body, throbbing with an insistence that felt too much like material pain. She could barely feel because of it, hardly think of anything past the numbing emptiness in her head.

She has no idea what Heaven could be like, but she was sure it wouldn’t be like this; a direct continuation of her torment from before. But ah, she could be in Hell for all she knew, and that was a thought sobering enough to have her close her eyes and try to sink deeper into sleep.

A slight sensation envelopes her hand and breaks her from that notion. 

Slowly her eyes flutter open, turn to stare at the face looking down on her. Gentle recognition pierces through the veil of comprehension, and Shinobu cracks a smile even as her limp muscles protest. Giyuu blinks back, looking worse for wear; dark circles hanging under his eyes of his too pale face, but the relief was palpable in his expression, and to her that was enough.

“You kept your promise.”

“I had to.” His face contorts and falls at that. “I almost-”

He cuts himself off then, narrows his eyes unseeingly at a corner of her bed. He was falling back into old habits, one that Shinobu doesn’t see the point of. It was misplaced; all of it. If anyone was to blame it should be her. Because she was the weak one.

But the haze was blowing the thought away before she could think it further, turning her musings to mush. A convenient distraction, she thinks in a daze, something she wishes she was quick witted enough to use on the Water Pillar now.

“Ah.. you haven’t been listening to the doctor’s orders, have you?” It takes more effort than she wants to get the words out. But Giyuu turns to look at her, so she can consider it a success. “You look tired.”

His answer comes in the form of his head hitting her pillow. The soft thump snaps her out of her reverie, and Shinobu stares at him with wide eyes as he moves closer until their heads touch. Giyuu turns his nose into her hair, sighs in exhaustion as he breathes her in, that for a moment she fears the poison’s effects had yet to leave his system.

The fear fades when he shifts some more, this time until their foreheads touch, until Shinobu can see clearly the silent desperation in the depths of his eyes and how they threaten to drown him in. Here, in the quiet lull separated by four walls and a single wooden door, he allows himself to loosen the facade he always wears, lets her catch glimpses of the person he used to be.

You are a very kind person aren’t you, Tomioka san? She should be flattered; that he would feel so for her, and yet all she can feel is a sense of painful emptiness. She supposes this is what near death situations does to you; make you connect with fellow survivors in a twisted, tragic kind of way. So lost in thought she was, that Shinobu does not notice the ache of her own heart through the medicinal numbness that locked her body still.

Giyuu makes a soft noise, and she closes her eyes, equally tired.

“Go to bed, Tomioka san.”

“I can rest here.” He says back, burrows his nose into the pillow as he exhales raggedly. “Shinobu.” 

Another shock, milder than the last, as weariness starts to take its toll. Shinobu would stare, but as it were she could barely open her eyes.

“I thought I lost you. Shinobu.” He says her name again, on the cusp of an invisible boundary, but in that moment all she could think about was the kind of face he had made, and how she never wanted to be the subject of it ever again. 

“I’m here, Giyuu san.” She whispers, knows full well they were both breaching something unsaid and untouched.

As her consciousness slips away she squeezes the sensation over her fingers she now knows as his hand, hopes to convey what she cannot find the strength to say. He grips her tighter, burying his head into her matted curls, and joins her in sleep.

x

A/N

i had a lot of fun making the title and synopsis as clickbaity as possible aHAh

i think Shinobu would be both flattered and anguished if she ever has the chance to see Giyuu grieve for her. it’s an unbearable feeling i don’t think she will be able to take, knowing how important she was to him