#taja writes

[natashxromanovf]

Forever mine

JJ Maybank x fem!reader

WORD COUNT: 1301

WARNINGS: slight fighting (verbal, very mild), mentions of food, one swear word

REQUESTED: {x} by @arkofblake

SUMMARY: Yours and JJ’s relationship, from the day you met to the present time and what you learnt about each other throughout those years.

A/N: Thank you for requesting this babes! I loved writing it so much, I hope you enjoy reading it as well <3

You vividly remember the first time your eyes laid on JJ Maybank. It was a sunny afternoon amid September, the weather surprisingly summer-like. Walking inside a restaurant, you were supposed to meet a friend of yours for brunch but she bailed on you at the last second, leaving you standing on the street all alone. You thought about going back to your dorm but decided otherwise. You were really hungry, already here and to be honest, you could use some peace and quiet to gather your thoughts. 

“What can I get for you?” a blonde boy questions you, giving you a warm smile. As you look up at him, the breath you were about to let out hitches in your throat and the words get stuck in your mouth. A moment passes by and you finally collect yourself again, already feeling the heat creep up your neck.  

“I’m sorry,” you laugh a bit, looking down at your hands. “Could I please get some pancakes with maple syrup?” you politely ask, returning him the smile. 

“Of course, ma’am, coming right up,” the guy says as he leaves, leaving you speechless. The blonde couldn’t have been much older than you, maybe a year or two but not more. And the fact that he’s really gorgeous didn’t slip past you either, because that is one of the finest men you have ever seen in your life. 

Before you know it he comes back with your food, placing a plate in front of you. You flinch a little when the plate collides with the table, as you aren’t aware of your surroundings. You quickly snap out of your thoughts though, as he starts speaking. 

“Can I get you anything else?” 

“Oh, no thank you, I think I got everything I need,” you reply, looking up at him once again. He nods and starts to walk away, as you gather the courage to do something the girl you were a week back would never do. “Except maybe,” you start, catching his attention once again. “What’s your name?”

He smirks before answering, letting you know that he was waiting for that question. “JJ,” he answers. “JJ Maybank.”

~

“What’re you thinking about there, babe?” JJ questions as he tucks your hair behind your ear, a gesture he learned you love very much. 

“About the day we met,” you honestly answer a small smile appearing on your face. 

“Oh, you mean about the day when you were literally at a loss for words when you first saw me?” he says cockily, earning a slight smack on the arm from you. 

The two of you were currently lying down on his couch, watching your favourite TV show, trying to unwind from your morning classes. “Do you remember the day when you first kissed me?” you ask, grinning wildly as the memory flashes across your mind.

“Of course I do,” JJ replies. “We were sitting on the beach in Outer Banks. It was the first time I took you there, to meet my best friends from high school. They all left and we were watching the sunset, it was particularly beautiful that day. You were talking about how much you like them all and I just decided right then and there that I wanna spend my whole life with you,” he finishes and you turn around, pressing a deep kiss against his lips. When you part you just stare at him for a few seconds, the biggest smile on your lips. He mirrors your expression, his fingers caressing your arm, barely touching you but still erupting goosebumps all over your body. 

“I love you,” you finally say, him returning the words. After that, you give him another pack and then you stand up, grabbing some clothes from the drawer in his bedroom. You stop for a second and realise you have your drawer at his place. You don’t know when it officially became your drawer, it just sort of happened. I mean, it was just a matter of time to be fair, you’re barely at your dorm anymore.

“Where are you going?” the blonde shouts from the living room, snapping you out of your thoughts. 

“To take a shower,” you exclaim, closing the drawer. “I’m meeting with Amanda later,” you remind him, blowing a little kiss at him before closing the bathroom door. 

~ 

“What’s going on?” asks JJ as he enters the apartment, placing his keys on the cupboard near the door. 

“Bills,” you simply answer, your face still scrunched with confusion and a bit of anger. This has been a repeating problem for the past few months, something the two of you can’t get rid of. The apartment lease has gotten higher just around the time you started having money problems and the stupid landlord won’t give you a few extra days to pay for the place. “I get my pay in a couple of days,” you state as a matter of fact, more to yourself than to the man now standing next to you.

“Yeah I know but that bitch downstairs just doesn’t wanna give us a day or two more,” he almost shouts, silently praying your downstairs neighbour heard that. 

“Jesus JJ you can’t just scream like that!” you suddenly snap, catching him by surprise. He takes a slight step back, trying to figure out what the problem is right now. He has done this multiple times already and you always laugh at it. 

“Y/N,...” he starts but you shush him with your hand, taking a breath.

“I just can’t deal with this right now,” you say, grabbing your car keys and throwing the door open. Once you're outside you stop for a second, taking a deep breath of fresh air, trying to stop the tears that will inevitably come. To your surprise JJ follows you downstairs, stopping just a step or two behind you.

“Y/N what is going on?” he finally asks, stepping just a bit closer. 

“I don’t know,” you honestly reply, the first tear starting to roll down your cheek. “I don’t know, J, nothing’s wrong, everything’s wrong,” you murmur, a sob escaping your lips.

“Hey, hey, darling, shhhh,” he says as he wraps you in a tight hug, making you press your head to his chest. “We’ll figure this out, I promise,” he swears, softly caressing your back. You finally let yourself breathe, really breathe and take a moment to relieve some of the stress that has been building up in you for weeks now. 

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” you start, your voice a bit muffled by his shirt. “I had a terrible day at work today and college is just too much right now and my Mom just called me with another one of her problems and now I saw the bill and I just,” you ramble, meanwhile JJ comforts you in the best way he knows how. “I really need to take a break,” you finish, finally letting go of the blonde. As soon as you look up at him he presses a reassuring kiss to your forehead, the forgiveness for shouting at him hidden in that gesture. 

“I know Y/N, and I will make sure you get the rest you need. And remember, just because we fight doesn’t mean we won’t work things out. We’re not your parents, love,” he whispers, pulling another sob out of you but this time a sob of relief. 

“I know, J, I know. I guess I just need a reminder from time to time,” you smile up at him. He softly wipes away your tears and when he’s done, he guides your lips into a comforting kiss.

“Good. Because you’re the best thing that’s ever been mine,” he mutters, putting his hand around your shoulders, and guiding you back inside the apartment.

outer banks taglist: @hallecarey1 @lovelyjj @ilyjohnb

jj maybank: @velvetcloxds @tenaciousperfectionunknown

hope you enjoyed this! don’t forget to like, reblog and/or comment, it really helps writers with motivation <33

taglist form

[nekoannie-chan]

Languages

Pairing: Steve Rogers X Bilingual!Reader.

Word count: 286 words.

Summary: Steve can’t read a book a foreign language.

Warnings: Fluff.

A/N: This is my entry to @natashxromanovf’s 1K Followers Writing Challenge with the prompt:

" Hold on… you’re bilingual?"

"Yes?."

You can read it on Wattpad and Ao3 too.

@saiyanprincessswanie

My native language is Spanish so I wanna improve my writing skills in English if you notice any mistakes, please let me know and I will correct them.

I don’t give any kind of permission for my fics to be posted on other platforms or languages (I translate myself my work) or the use of my graphics (my dividers are included in this), I did them exclusively for my fics, please respect my work and don't steal it. There are some people here who make dividers that anyone can use, mine is not this type, please look for the other people. The only exception is the ones I gifted 'cuz now belong to someone else. If you find any of my works on a different platform and are not one of my accounts, please let me know. Reblogs and comments are always welcome.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Marvel's characters (unfortunately), except for the original characters and the story.

Add yourself to my taglist here.

My other media where I publish:  Ao3, Wattpad, ffnet, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter. 

If you like it, please vote, comment, and give me feedback to improve my skills and reblog.

Tags: @sinceimetyou @unnuevosoltransformalarealidad @navybrat817 @angrythingstarlight @shield-agent78 @charmed-asylum @pandaxnienke @real-fbi @smokeandnailz @white-wolf1940 @tenaciousperfectionunknown @xoxonotme @bluemusickid @leyannrae @harrysthiccthighsss @marvelatthisonee @caplanbuckybarness @sapphire-rogerss @lizzieolseniskinda @notyourtypicalrose @hallecarey1 @nana1000night @talia-rumlow @writingshae @alexxavicry @azulatodoryuga @daemonslittlebitch @chaoticcollectivenightmare @endlesstwanted @chemtrails-club  @marigoldreamer @whiskeytangofoxtrot5555 @here4thefanfics @theestorm @patzammit @kmc1989 @somegirlfromasgard

Steve was exploring an old library when, among the dusty shelves, he found a peculiar book. It had worn covers and yellowed pages, but what really caught Steve's attention was that the title and all the contents were in a language he couldn't understand.

Intrigued, Steve took the book in his hands and began to flip through its pages with a confused expression. The words were incomprehensible to him. It was then that you entered the library. Your eyes lit up when you saw Steve holding the book in his hands. You had been looking for such a book for a long time.

"Oh, that's a rare copy!" you exclaimed, approaching with a friendly smile. "Did you find it interesting?" you asked curiously.

Steve nodded, but his expression revealed his confusion.

"Yes, but I don't understand a word of it. And I wouldn't want to get in trouble; I've got enough of it."

You laughed softly and took the book from Steve's hands. "Of course, I can read it! This is one of my favorite languages."

Steve looked at you with surprise. “Hold on… you’re bilingual?” 

You nodded as you flipped through the book. "Yes? Yes, I speak several languages; do you want me to read it to you in English, or do you prefer a specific language?"

Steve smiled in relief.

"English is fine, please."

You began to read aloud, translating each word fluently. As you progressed through the story, Steve became immersed in the plot and began to enjoy the content of the book.

After a while, Steve couldn't contain his amazement. "You're amazing! How many languages do you speak?"

"Well, some more than others, but I love learning new languages." You replied modestly.

[loosesodamarble]

🎶✨when u get this, list 5 songs u like to listen to, publish. then, send this ask to 10 of your favourite followers (positivity is cool)🎶✨

WKDHYCJEVDIWNQGXIDNEHEIE! GUYS?! HELLO?! 😂

@lyranova @kalolasfantasyworld @vilandel @thoughtfullyrainynightmare

I got the same ask from 5 people before I ever got a chance to answer for one of y'all, so looks like I'm gonna throw out a playlist of 25 songs that I really like to listen to!

Shut Up and Dance by Walk the Moon

Burial Mound of Arms by Avu-chan (there is a lot missing without seeing it within the movie it comes from [Inu-Oh] and having a translation of the song, but the VIBES!)

Kaze ni Naru by Ayano Tsuji

Clear Blue Departure by STYLE FIVE

I Do Adore by Mindy Gledhill

All About Your Heart by Mindy Gledhill (what can I say, both songs are my vibe)

Haruka by YOASOBI

Shinzou Houei by Kenshi Yonezu

Suzume by RADWIMPS

Would You Be So Kind by Dodie

Click by Claris

Invisible Sensation by UNISON SQUARE GARDEN

Someone You Like by The Girl and the Dreamcatcher

A Walk by Gakuto Kajiwara (obligatory Black Clover song...)

Ashiato by the peggies

Orange by 7!!

Spot the Difference by Masaki Suda (Kenshi Yonezu's cover is also beautiful)

Life if Beautiful by ReoNa

Style. by Kana Nishino

Mephisto by QUEEN BEE

SIXTEEN by Suemitsu & the Suemith

Yoake to hotaru by n-buna

That's How You Know by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz

Tokyo Autumn Session by HoneyWorks

One Step Closer by Alan Menkin, Howard Ashman, and Glenn Slater

There is no sense of direction with these songs. But I really wanted to avoid an "oops, all Yonezu" situation because his discography is just INCREDIBLE! Still an overwhelming number of J-pop tunes though... Hm...

[milkmoomshroom]

August Language Plan (2024)

July was definitely something... Now it's time for me to peep game and lock-in y'all. My main goal for August is to strengthen and solidify my foundations in Korean. I also want to focus more heavily on listening and speaking to prepare me for holding conversations. August is the last month I'll be focusing solely on Korean. So let's make it count and build my plan! 가자!

❀𖤣𖥧𖡼⊱✿⊰𖡼𖥧𖤣❀

Overview

August is a somewhat busy month for me because I have to prepare for my tutoring job, move into my dorms, and start school. So for this month I'm going to give myself an easier base-line. If I want to do more on certain days, I can still do that too!

❀𖤣𖥧𖡼⊱✿⊰𖡼𖥧𖤣❀

Grammar

My main resource is the "Korean Grammar In Use" beginners textbook. I will use HTSK and various YouTube videos to further my understanding of the grammar points I learn from the textbook.

Baseline: Complete and understand 21 lessons within the month of August. Be sure to cross reference with supplementary resources (HTSK & YouTube). (7/21)

Activities

Grammar Drills: Practice using the new grammar by using them in sentences.

❀𖤣𖥧𖡼⊱✿⊰𖡼𖥧𖤣❀

Vocabulary

I will create my own vocabulary lists based off of themes that are related to my everyday life (school, games, music, etc). Other than that, I'll mainly pick up vocabulary from the content I interact with.

Baseline: Learn thirty new words per week. (1/4)

Activities

Anki: Use Anki flashcards to commit the word lists to memory. (ㅠㅗㅠ)

❀𖤣𖥧𖡼⊱✿⊰𖡼𖥧𖤣❀

Writing

I noticed I have some errors with spelling, so I want to work on that. I don't have any specific resources for this area.

Baseline: Write at least 10 journal entries. (1/10)

Activities

Spelling Drills: Practice writing vocabulary words. HiNative: Post sentences and get spelling corrections.

❀𖤣𖥧𖡼⊱✿⊰𖡼𖥧𖤣❀

Reading

I want to use reading to pick up on words and grammar I've already learned and new ones I could use. My main resources are StoryKorean and Hancom Taja.

Baseline: Read and annotate at least 4 pieces of Korean text (stories, song lyrics, podcast transcript, etc.). (1/4)

Activities

StoryKorean: Read and annotate a story on the website. Choi Susu: Read and annotate podcast transcript. Hancom Taja: Practice typing to recognize characters and read faster.

❀𖤣𖥧𖡼⊱✿⊰𖡼𖥧𖤣❀

Listening

This is an area I want to focus on hard. Whether I'm listening to a podcast, a song, or watching Korean content, I need to actively listen. I have some issues distinguishing sounds, so I want to focus on pronunciation and intonation.

Baseline: Actively listen and take notes on at least 8 podcast episodes. (1/8)

Activities

Korean 101 Listening Tests: Test comprehension. Choi SuSu Podcast Story Time In Korean Podcast 리아의 BPM Podcast What? Door! Korean With Jadoo

❀𖤣𖥧𖡼⊱✿⊰𖡼𖥧𖤣❀

Speaking

Now I said in my July wrap-up that I'm avoiding having conversations with native speakers because of my lack of skills. This month, I'm going to practice and prepare myself for the conversations I'll have in September. I'm shadowing everything! My music, shows, podcasts. If it's in Korean, I am copying it.

Baseline: Submit 5 audios to HiNative per week. Make at least 2 MilkMoom Moment audios for the month.

❀𖤣𖥧𖡼⊱✿⊰𖡼𖥧𖤣❀

Hopefully we all complete our goals for August! 화이팅!

Checklist

Complete and understand 21 lessons within the month of August. Be sure to cross reference with supplementary resources (HTSK & YouTube).

Learn thirty new words per week.

Write at least 10 journal entries.

Read and annotate at least 4 pieces of Korean text (stories, song lyrics, podcast transcript, etc.).

Actively listen and take notes on at least 8 podcast episodes.

Submit 5 audios to HiNative per week. Make at least 2 MilkMoom Moment audios for the month.

[malusmagpie]

I have returned with thoughts,

If attachments were allowed and you just got the title of Master (l/n), Anakin would be so proud of you, all over you no matter where you were. Like you could be in the dining hall with him and he'd be gazing at you with those beautiful blue eyes, full of amazement and pride. He'd take sm pride in you and when the other jedi would notice how yall are looking at eachother, they'd be a tad jealous. The woman would wanna be you and the men would wanna be him, and when your back is turned he would shoot them a warning look like "stop while your ahead" because you told him to just ignore the looks and whispers.

It would be so adorable if you caught him once, how his face would immediately go to that look like you had just asked a child if they ate the cookies you told them nit to touch and he shakes his head no.... with cookie crumbs around his mouth. All you could do is laugh lightly and tell him to leave them alone, with a gentle gaze

UGH MY HEART ACHES FOR ANAKIN

Taja, gold medal for you.

ALSO YALL BASICALLY BE WRITING A WHOLE ONE SHOT IN MY REQUESTS AND I EAT IT UP EVERY TIME HAHA

I’m gonna melt over this

You’d come home with a shit eating grin on your face and he’d look up from whatever he was doing while you were gone with a quizzical look. He’d say “It’s too boring of a day for you to be so excited, Y/N.” and you’d immediately point your finger at him and squeal, “That’s Master Y/N.” His jaw would drop he’d speed over to you and squeeze you. He’d pick you up while you laughed about how you could barely breathe.

“I can’t believe you got to do your trials. Is that why they called you in?” He would ask and you’d nod your head with that same smile never leaving your face. He’d hold your face in his hand and kiss your forehead while telling you how proud he was of you. He’d be sad he missed them but the ways the Council worked would always elude him anyways so he didn’t pay it too much mind. “I knew you would get it soon. You’re so incredible I’m surprised it took this long.” He’d say with a gentle laugh.

THE JEALOUSY OH GOD. During the ceremony he’d be glued to your hip as all the people you both respected so highly would commend and honour you. He would feel you shivering due to nerves and his hand would immediately reach for the small of your back, rubbing slow small circles with his hand. When he’d feel somebody staring at you, all he’d have to do is look at them. They’d turn away immediately. Women would attempt to smile at him and he would roll his eyes as the look of defeat would cross their faces. You’d catch him a couple times and elbow him gently. “Play nice.” You’d whisper and he’d rebut so quick it would almost be as if he knew you’d say it. “Wouldn’t have to if you weren’t so fucking hot.”

You’d come home and both of you would be more than a few drinks in and he’d grab you by the waist as you stumbled to lock the door. He’d do it with ease and place his hand back on your body before taking a deep breath. “I want to fuck you so hard that all of Coruscant will know who you belong to.” He’d grumble and your stomach would flip knowing exactly what you were in for after he practically spent all night scaring idiotic Padawans away from you.

Thank you for this. I was truly blessed in thinking about this.

[burlveneer-music]

L'Rain - I Killed Your Dog

L’Rain is the musical project of multi-instrumentalist, composer, performer, and curator, Taja Cheek. Alongside Andrew Lappin and Ben Chapoteau-Katz, she has developed L’Rain into a shape-shifting entity that blurs the distinction between band and individual. Beginning as an abstract meditation on grief, Cheek traces the origins of L’Rain to the period which followed the dissolution of her vibrant DIY musical community in early 2010s NYC and the passing of her mother, Lorraine. The name L’Rain was conceived as both a tribute to her mother and her own gregarious alter ego L’ (lah-postrophe), and one which she subsequently tattooed onto her arm. As with Fatigue, the cast of I Killed Your Dog’s world is supremely varied – taking in theoretical physicists, subverting Baroque compositional tropes and the dad rock nostalgia of The Strokes, the words of choreographer Bill T. Jones, tricks of commercial advertising and voice note wisdoms of people she holds close. Produced alongside long-time collaborators Lappin and Chapoteau-Katz, along with L’Rain bandmates, Zachary Levine-Caleb, Justin Felton, and Timothy Angulo, I Killed Your Dog is a crystallization of L’Rain’s tactile approach to song-writing. The album is also an implicit interrogation of the electric dreams and failures of early synthesizers, toying openly with rock music tropes, the lineage of folk as Black music in America, and Cheek’s own background playing in experimental guitar bands.

[xecutivecucumber]

Something for the Tech fans (including me. I am a Tech fan)

Okay, so I know that the ship I write for isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. But there are some scenes that don’t involve the ship that I’m really proud of and I think would appeal to a wider audience. So I’m going to start posting scenes that I really like with enough context for things to make sense. 

For my regular followers and readers, this will be things that you’ve seen before.

Today’s sample!

Tech has a breakdown

The context:

In a world where Order 66 kind of happens, but Anakin doesn’t turn and starts an early rebellion with the clones, Omega is kidnapped by bounty hunters sent by the Empire in order to win Nala Se’s cooperation. The Bad Batch works with Anakin’s rebellion in the hopes of finding some clue of her whereabouts. They’ve found the bounty hunters who took Omega: Taja and Admani Desai, Togruta siblings who were lied to by Nala Se and have agreed to help the Batch find Omega. Tech especially has taken this badly, spending weeks pushing himself to his limit trying to crack the deeper Imperial codes in order to find Omega. Taja has formed a connection with Tech as they’ve worked together, empathizing with him as she has lost siblings as well. Crosshair has also never left the Batch.

That should be everything! I hope you enjoy!

Tech stared at the information on his datapad. He did not understand it. He needed to understand it. He tightened his grip on the datapad and tried to focus on each character one at a time. 

It did not help that he could hear the others talk quietly on the other end of the ship. He would not be here if Hunter had not forbidden him from finding somewhere he could do his work in peace.

It took far too long for him to realize that the pad was telling him his latest attempt at cracking the Imperial's secrets was unsuccessful.

Tech swore.

Frustration and anger like he had rarely felt before consumed his chest. What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he do this simple kriffing thing?

"Tech." 

The rage he felt at himself redirected at the interruption. 

"What is it?" Tech snapped.

"You need to take a break." Hunter said.

He and Wrecker had approached Tech.

"No." Tech said. "What I need is to succeed. I need to find a way to bypass their security."

Burning tears sprang to his eyes. He furiously dug the heel of his palm under his goggles to press them away.

"It needs to work." He mumbled. "I need it to work."

"Give me your data pad." Hunter said. 

Tech pulled away from him. 

"No." He said. "I can continue. I am fine."

"You're not." Hunter said. "You haven't slept or eaten in a rotation and you've barely gone to the fresher. Give me the data pad. That's an order." 

Tech pulled it away from him.

“Come on, Tech.” Wrecker said, reaching for the pad. “Don’t-”

“If you touch this, I will destroy Lula.” Tech said. “If you cared for Omega a fraction of how you dote on that idiotic toy, we would not have lost her!”

Wrecker drew back as if punched. Shame mingled with Tech’s anger and frustration as he saw the wounded look in Wrecker’s eyes. Crosshair, Hunter, and Echo were staring at him. He could feel their disapproval. Crosshair opened his mouth and Tech knew he could not hear the words his brother would throw at him.

Tech tucked his datapad to his chest and fled.

The sunlight of Yavin IV blinded him momentarily. He hurried across the landing area and to the main temple. Surely there would be somewhere he could hide from his brothers' anger and censure. 

He found himself in a cold, dark stone room. There was nothing in it save a few containers of spare equipment. Good. He could be alone here.

Tech held out his datapad with trembling hands. He still felt a pang when he saw the negative result there. He took a deep breath. He could do this. He had to.

The next six attempts were failures.

He was a failure.

Tech hurled the datapad at the wall. The crunch of the screen breaking made no dent in his miasma of emotions. 

It wasn't working and he had hurt Wrecker and Omega was still out of reach-

The words ran over and over in his head, interrupted only by thoughts of worthless and failure. 

Tech fell to his knees and curled in on himself. Shameful tears stung his eyes. For the first time since Omega was taken, for the first time since he was a child, Tech cried. He dug his fingernails into his arms as he sobbed. The pain was welcome. 

The door opened and Tech cringed away from the light. There was no one that he wished to be the one to find him. The regs would be cruel and even worse, his brothers would attempt to help him.

He waited for the questions, the demands.

What are you doing?

Why are you in here?

Are you crying?

Come out of there.

 None came. The door closed again, leaving Tech in the soothing darkness. There was no silhouette joining him in the room when he looked up. 

Tech curled up again on the floor, trying to keep his mind away from what had pushed him to this state. He let it go blank, and the world seemed to disappear from around him.

Voices jolted Tech back to reality. He sat up, unsure of where he was. To his surprise, a blanket fell off of his shoulders. He looked around and slowly the memory of his breakdown came back to him. 

But then- where did the blanket come from? If his brothers had found him, they would have taken him back to the Marauder. Tech became more confused as he picked up a ration bar and a canteen that had not been there before. He would have thought it was Omega if she were not gone. It was something she would do.

The voices outside sounded again and this time Tech could distinguish the words.

"Ma'am, I need you to stand aside now." 

That was a trooper's voice.

"I'm under orders from Clone Force 99." A familiar, melodic voice said. "No one is to enter this room."

Taja?

Tech got to his feet. He hesitated, and then picked up his broken data pad from the floor.

"Uh huh." The trooper said. "Why don't I just comm Sergeant Hunter and see if that's true."

"That won't be necessary." Tech said, opening the door. 

His ears had not deceived him. It was Taja standing as if on guard duty outside the closet door. 

"She was doing me a favor. I needed some quiet for my research." Tech was surprised with how steady his voice was.

The clone trooper looked between the two of them before shrugging and moving on.

Tech wanted to speak the moment the guard was out of earshot, but found himself unable. The shame of the moment seemed to seep in. She had seen him at his lowest. Words seemed inconsequential in the wake of it.

The long moments dragged before he finally managed to speak.

"How did you know?" He asked.

He did not understand. She should have left him alone. Tech was sure that most of the individuals at the base would have done so, or, if they cared to, have gotten his brothers.

Taja's pale green eyes met his and he averted his gaze. 

"My sister would have similar episodes." She said. "I assumed you did not need more stimulation.

Tech didn't know quite how to reply. He merely pressed his broken datapad to his chest.

"Thank you." He finally mumbled. 

"I am glad to help." Taja replied. 

Tech cleared his throat.

"I was unaware you and your brother had returned." He said.

Taja nodded.

"We have been in contact with some of the leaders of the Rebellion, concerning the increasing number of slavers in the galaxy." She said. "We have come to discuss the possibility of raiding a slave camp near here."

"And by some of the leaders, you mean General Skywalker." Tech said.

Taja smiled.

"Too clever by half." She said.

For the first time since Omega was taken, Tech felt a faint urge to smile.

That urge fled when a loud voice cracked through the air.

"Tech!"

Wrecker was barreling towards them. Taja took a step back as he drew near. He skidded to a stop in front of them, looking between them with his brow creased with worry. He lifted his hands, as if he wanted to grab Tech in a hug, which he probably did. Tech was glad that he abstained.

"You okay?" Wrecker asked. "It's been hours and we couldn't find you."

Tech felt some of his guilt return at Wrecker's concerned tone.

"I apologize." He muttered. "I did not intend-"

"It’s okay!" Wrecker said quickly. "I’m not mad, you know. Just worried."

He paused. 

"We're all worried, Tech." 

Tech looked down at the ground. His wretchedness that he had forgotten for a moment returned in full force. 

"I do not understand." He finally said. "Omega is gone. How can you stand not doing anything?"

Wrecker looked again as if Tech had hit him and more guilt piled onto Tech. 

"Cause I can't do anything." Wrecker said. He sounded close to tears. "I'm not smart like you. If I could help Omega by blowin' things up, or taking apart a bomb, or punching something, I would. But I can't."

"Then you understand that my work is of the utmost importance." Tech said. "I am the only one who can find her."

"Maybe." Wrecker said. "The Rebellion still might find somethin' out. But Tech, what would Omega say if she saw you doing this yourself?"

Tech knew exactly how she would react. Her eyes would go wide. He could hear her voice.

"Tech!" She would say. 

And it would be all she needed to say.

"I miss her." Tech said.

"Me too." Wrecker said. 

Tech became aware of Taja looking between them. 

"If I may," She said. "I understand what you are going through. You hurt, you are angry. You feel that the hole in your heart will never be filled."

Tech blinked at her astute description of how he was feeling. Taja looked at him. 

"It will not be this painful forever." She said. "But regardless, your sister is alive. There is hope."

"Yeah!" Wrecker said. "We're gonna find her and we're gonna bring her home, okay?"

Tech looked between Taja and Wrecker. For once, he felt no urge to contradict Wrecker or point out the probability.

"Okay." He said.

"I must go." Taja said. "Admani and I have our meeting."

Tech nodded to her. She smiled back. He liked it when she smiled. 

"So, is she your girlfriend?" Wrecker whispered as Taja disappeared around a corner.

Tech frowned.

"That is not the nature of our relationship." He said.

Wrecker grinned in a way that Tech was not fond of. 

"Uh huh." Wrecker said.

Tech shook his head. 

Romance and partners were never something that Tech had considered. They were clones bred to fight a war. The things that other beings considered natural were not options for them. Even now, Tech had far more pressing matters than whether or not he had a partner. It was even difficult for him to conceptualize.

Though, when it came to potential mates, he could do far worse. She was pleasing to the eye, even with her disfigurement. Perhaps more so because of it. She stood with pride, as if challenging others to mention it. 

He found her coloring aesthetically pleasing and her eyes striking. She was intelligent, worked well with him, and also seemed to understand how Tech's mind worked. And she cared about him, for whatever reason.

No, he doubted he could do better when it came to a possible partner.

He doubted she felt the same way. It was one thing to help him with his troubles and to be a good mission partner. It was quite another to consider Tech in a romantic light. Tech had no data on how partners he found attractive reacted to him. But he had a feeling that any testing would not end with the results he wanted.

[dcwnrisen-aa]

to do list;

re do taja's bio. write 'tachi and shoto's bio. find a fc for bear's sister.

[pumpkinnspicelatte]

hi! i created this blog very very recently but i have been a part of studyblr community for quite a while i just didn’t have a whole blog dedicated to it :) feel free to send me any questions or just stop by my inbox to say hi, i don’t bite <33 i would also love to make some studyblr mutuals so if you’re interested you should follow me and i’ll check your blog out

some basic things about me:

• my name is taja (pronounced like taya)

• i’m still in high school

• i’m currently learning spanish and upgrading my english cause there’s a lot of room for improvement

• i like reading, listening to music, stargazing, dark academia, writing, coffee,... i also love volleyball and i am currently going to practices :)

• i’m a slytherin (slytherclaw if we’re more specific)

• my “main” blog is @natashxromanovf where i post my writing but mostly just shit post and stuff like that

frequently used tags:

#wish queue were here - for queued posts

#studyingwithcoffee - my original studyblr posts

#studyspo - studyblr posts from others

#lifestyle - any and all aesthetics

[newsmutproject]

But I also really appreciate beauty because, for me, beauty and pleasure are freedom rituals. Sexual and sensual self-expression is a part of it, but taking my body and telling my own story with it, especially inside of a state, a nation that is concerned with writing my histories and writing my body as legible in certain kinds of ways or illegible in certain kinds of ways, it’s powerful. I get so much joy from doing it. And I’ve actually made more space for just doing straight-up burlesque in my work because I like doing it.

-Taja Lindley, “Adornment and Burlesque” in Pleasure Activism

[natashxromanovf]

taja’s 202 4 THE PLOT sleepover ও

stupid name, i know but please bare with me, i suck at titles :) as i said in my previous post, this is an event to help me push myself back into writing!!

rules:

- check the fandoms i will write for in my navigation

- check request guidelines before requesting

- only sfw asks

✵ bad decisions ~ send me a song and i will write a fic based on it

✵ parties ~ send me a prompt (and preferably also a scenario but not necessarily) and i will write a fic

✵ new lovers ~ send me a fic of yours and i will reblog it and tell you my fav parts about it! (also only applies for the fandoms i write for)

tagging some of my moots: @pregnant-piggy @sheraayasher @sarahisslytherin @velvetcloxds @arkofblake @jackys-stuff-blog @sexysirius @asahisluvr @missheartbreakamericana @spring-picnics @leossmoonn @oliverwoodmarrymepls @f4irydaydreams @kimoralov3 @griffxnnage @cauliflowertree @milkiane @yoongisbiwife

[nekoannie-chan]

I'm sorry

Pairing: Brock Rumlow X Double agent!Reader.

Word count: 618 words.

Summary: A conversation the night before HYDRA’s uprising.

Warnings: Fluff, angst, feelings of regret.

A/N: This my entry to @natashxromanovf’s 1K Followers Writing Challenge with the prompt:

"I love you, okay? And I can't stay in your life when I'm just ruining it."

"You can't just say that, and don't wait for me to answer."

You can read it on Wattpad and Ao3 too.

@saiyanprincessswanie

My native language is Spanish so I wanna improve my writing skills in English if you notice any mistakes, please let me know and I will correct them.

I don’t give any kind of permission that my fics to be posted on other platforms or languages (I translate myself my work) or the use of my graphics (my dividers are included in this), I did them exclusively for my fics, please respect my work and don't steal it. There are some people here who make dividers that anyone can use, mine is not this type, please look for the other's people. The only exception is the ones I gifted 'cuz now belong to someone else. If you find any of my works on a different platform and are not one of my accounts, please let me know. Reblogs and comments are always welcome.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Marvel's characters (unfortunately), except for the original characters and the story.

Add yourself to my taglist here.

My other media where I publish:  Ao3, Wattpad, ffnet, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter. 

If you like it, please vote, comment, and give me feedback to improve my skills and reblog.

Tags: @sinceimetyou @unnuevosoltransformalarealidad @navybrat817 @angrythingstarlight @shield-agent78 @charmed-asylum @pandaxnienke @real-fbi @smokeandnailz @white-wolf1940 @tenaciousperfectionunknown @xoxonotme @bluemusickid @leyannrae @harrysthiccthighsss @marvelatthisonee @caplanbuckybarness @sapphire-rogerss @lizzieolseniskinda @notyourtypicalrose @hallecarey1 @nana1000night @talia-rumlow @writingshae @alexxavicry @azulatodoryuga @daemonslittlebitch @chaoticcollectivenightmare @endlesstwanted @chemtrails-club  @marigoldreamer @whiskeytangofoxtrot5555 @here4thefanfics @theestorm @patzammit @kmc1989

Night was falling as tense air hung in the air in one of HYDRA's secret headquarters. Inside a dimly lit room, Brock Rumlow was standing by the window. The look in his eyes contrasted with concern, while still trying to look as if nothing was bothering him. At that moment, the door to the living room opened softly, and you stepped inside.

You closed the door, and your eyes met Brock's. In that tense silence, you both knew that the next day would mark the end of many things, including perhaps how you felt about each other. They didn't need words to express the fear and uncertainty they felt; their looks said it all.

Finally, Brock broke the silence, his voice filling the room.

"Y/N, I need you to understand something. This thing we're doing, what I'm about to do—there's no turning back. HYDRA is about to reveal itself and its consequences. Brock was silent for a moment and then continued. "I love you, okay? And I can't stay in your life when I'm just ruining it." After saying that, he looked like he was going to leave the room.

"You can't just say that, and don't wait for me to answer." You stared at him, your jaw clenched. "Brock, seriously, you can't just show up here, tell me you love me, and then expect me to accept your goodbye like it's nothing. I can't ignore how I feel about you. I can't just turn my back on what we've shared."

Brock looked down for a moment. He knew you were right—he couldn't expect you to just let it go and forget everything they'd been through from the moment they'd met on their first mission after leaving the academy.

"Y/N, I love you," he finally said. "But I can't let you put me in danger. No one at S.H.I.E.L.D. can suspect you."

You moved closer to him, placing a hand gently on his cheek.

"Brock, I love you too, but you can't do it alone; we're a team, and we need as many members as possible."

Brock kissed you softly; his lips found yours in a kiss full of passion and desperation. His arms wrapped around you tightly, as if he wanted time to stop at that moment and stay forever like that.

After a moment, Brock slowly pulled away, never taking his eyes off you. "I can't promise you that everything will be alright, Y/N. But I promise that I will do everything in my power to protect you. You know what you must do in case I get caught; don't try to stay with me at that moment in case it happens. Remember, you must get to safety first, and then, if possible, you can look for me and help me escape."

You shook your head, holding her face in your hands. "You can't ask me to leave you, Brock. We're in this together, no matter what. I can't just let you face this alone."

He grabbed your hand, squeezing it tightly.

"You know this could happen since we entered the academy; we were told so many, many times; we were both at the top of our classes; now it's time for us to put the plan we talked about so many times into action; anyway, I'll keep an eye on the intercom in case you need my help. Remember, whatever happens, don't let them catch you."

Nodding, you walked over to him and hugged him tightly.

It was time. A few seconds earlier, Brock had gotten the message that he was to catch Rogers. You gave each other one last kiss as you clung to each other in the darkness of the night.

[loosesodamarble]

A Union Made in Shadows

Summary: At long last, Nacht and Josele have made the decision to finally be married. Though nothing grand is planned for their union, the most important people are gathered for the occasion. The beginning is based on a scene from Laura's fic Embers of Sun and Flame: Before We Have It. Genre: romance Word count: ~4500 Content notes: Solara is @thoughtfullyrainynightmare's oc. Heinrich and Ida are @marune2's ocs. Discordia and Harmonia are @lyranova's ocs. Acylla is @faewraithsworld's oc.

..........

Weddings, a celebration of love and the union that was called marriage. There was always a warmth and brightness to such an occasion.

It was especially true in the case of the wedding Nacht currently attended, that of the union between Solara Equinox and Fuegoleon Vermillion. It could’ve been said that their wedding was more than their marriage. It was a symbol of victory over the devils. A sign of new beginnings for Clover and Thea. The grand fulfillment of hopes and dreams.

But, to the happy couple, it was simply their wedding. As it should’ve been.

The invitation to the wedding for Nacht and Josele came as a surprise. Nacht wondered if it was a formality on account of the events in Spade. But when Josele said that they’d be supporting the couple as friends, Nacht let go of his doubts and agreed to the notion.

Nacht watched the ceremony. Even with the distance between himself in the crowd of guests and the couple at the altar, Nacht saw with perfect clarity the joy and love Fuegoleon and Solara felt. Because they were getting married. It truly was a beautiful, special day.

And all of a sudden, Nacht’s chest felt tight.

He didn’t dare look in her direction but Nacht became all the more aware of Josele’s presence right next to him…

During the reception, Nacht shied away from others. He needed to be alone. To work through the thoughts swirling like a storm in his mind. And to keep his dour mood from the joyful atmosphere everyone else enjoyed.

Marriage… And Josele…

Once upon a time, Josele and Morgen intended to intertwine their lives as one. To wed and live happily ever after would’ve been one of their greatest joys, Nacht was sure. But Morgen died. And the ending that should’ve been was torn from existence.

Now, Nacht was the one to hold Josele’s hand and to whisper his adoration to her. They were boyfriend and girlfriend. But not a wedded couple. Because…

Was he deserving of a bond so sacred as marriage?

Could Nacht provide Josele with the happiness and stability necessary for a union?

Did Josele even want to get married? If she didn’t have that closure with Morgen, was it okay for Nacht to take the title of her husband?

And if they had children, what if Nacht failed as a father?

There was no way Nacht could ask Josele to marry him in his current state.

Nacht wanted to love Josele. He wished to give her every kind of joy. Despite his inadequate self, he wanted more for Josele.

He raised his eyes and spied Josele on the other side of the room, peacefully chatting away with the day’s bride and a circle of friends. Josele smiled and lived with an open heart. She made the most of her life after all the pain she suffered. Her life wasn’t perfect but it was one that made Josele happy.

And that life included Nacht. He made her happy.

If I reached out to Josele, Nacht thought while looking at his palm. A smile crossed his face. She would surely take my hand.

Nacht had his resolve.

When Josele placed herself in the back of the crowd for the bouquet toss, Nacht decided that was the moment to approach. He rose up from the shadows beside Josele.

“Josele?” Nacht extended his hand toward her. “I’ve been thinking abou—” Suddenly, he felt a weight. “Hm?”

In his hands was Solara’s bouquet.

There was a shout for a retoss only for Yami to insist that Nacht keep the bouquet. It was Solara’s gentle coaxing that got the crowd to leave things as they were and disperse. A few amongst the women muttered and grumbled but no one made a scene of themselves.

Nacht watched Solara as she left her position at the front for elsewhere, likely to be with Fuegoleon. She was a relaxed and thoughtful person to be sure, Nacht thought while mentally thanking her.

“Good catch,” Josele remarked with a teasing smile and put a hand on Nacht’s arm.

“I… suppose…” Nacht stared at the bouquet, at the beautiful bloom and their loving arrangement. “Actually I…” His heart started to race. But he pushed the words out, “was thinking about something like this…”

“For what?” Josele asked with a giggle. Her head tilted to the side, giving away her slight confusion.

Nacht glanced around them. The people. Too many eyes and ears.

Josele, seeing Nacht’s watchful gaze and sensing his hesitation, asked, “You were saying something?”

“Yes…”

Nacht took another glance around the room. There were a couple of dirty looks from some women, but overall, he and Josele were being overlooked. Nacht gripped the bouquet in one hand and took Josele’s in his other, then guided her out onto the balcony.

Nacht closed the balcony door behind him and even set up Shadow Veil to further hide himself and Josele.

“So what’s on your mind?” Josele asked as the two of them took a few more steps away from the door.

“I have a question for you,” Nacht stated without hesitation. He took Josele’s hand once more then bent down on one knee. Josele’s eyes went wide.

“Josele, for as long as we’ve known each other, I’ve done a poor job in showing my love for you. I hid my feelings from you, tried to avoid them for years, and dragged my feet even when we became a couple. All because I felt unworthy of you. But I’ve realized that I was being a fool. You’ve shown love and patience, granted me forgiveness, and taught me how to heal.”

Nacht felt himself choke up and tear up. He kept his eyes on Josele, who looked to be close to tears too, and tightened his grip on her hand to ground himself.

“Everything that you are, everything you’ve given me, I love it all. I want to declare that with confidence and clarity.”

Nacht raised the bouquet in his other hand, offering it in place of a ring.

“And so I ask you, my darling star, will you marry me?”

Josele seemed to glow as she beamed at Nacht and whispered ever so sweetly, “Yes, I will.”

.....

Knk knk knk.

“Enter right in, please!” a cheery voice called to Nacht.

Nacht stepped into the room. Candles set up at various points throughout the room dimly lit the space. Heinrich sat in an armchair with a book in one hand, a pen in the other, and a notepad on his lap.

“Good afternoon, Grandson,” Heinrich greeted with a smile and wave.

“Yes, hello… G-grandfather…” The familiar word felt strange on Nacht’s tongue but it would’ve also felt awkward to deny his and Heinrich’s connection. “Are you busy with something?”

Heinrich chuckled, “I am familiarizing myself with modern medicine practices, that is all. Time and knowledge certainly has changed.”

“I see…”

“Now, what is the nature of your visitation, child?” Heinrich set aside his book and notes to his desk.

Nacht glanced back at the door.

“I… Have a favor to ask,” Nacht muttered, feeling his heart shake. “I know that there’s still much that you and I have to learn about each other but this is a matter of the family and…”

“If it concerns the family’s history, I fear I cannot be of aid,” Heinrich remarked with a serious look. “I started the Faust tradition of devil worship but I had no say in its direction, as I was locked in the Underworld.”

“Wha—? No no no!” Nacht exclaimed and waved his arms. He pinched the bridge of his nose. “It’s not…” He shook his head then looked at Heinrich again. “It’s not about that.”

Heinrich quirked a brow upwards.

“Josele and I… plan on getting married,” Nacht stated simply. “And we would be honored if you could bear witness.”

Silently, Heinrich’s eyes widened and his lips parted in a look of surprise. After a moment, Heinrich smiled in a way tinged by sadness.

“You know, I never got a chance to see my son grow and marry,” Heinrich whispered, his voice soft and wistful. He rose from his seat and approached Nacht with a hug. “It’s not the same but… I’d love to attend.”

“Grandfather…” Nacht hesitated before returning the gesture. “… Thank you.”

.....

“Stupid weeds,” Ida hissed as she used her magic to dig into the garden’s soil. Charmy’s vegetable garden had been taken over by dandelions and it had been left to Ida and Josele to remove them. “Why are the roots so deep?!”

“Because the plant doesn’t want to move,” Josele answered while she added another fully uprooted plant to her bucket. “Just keep at it. We’ll have nice dandelion greens to eat later once we’re done.”

Ida shook her head at Josele and said, “I’m not eating weeds, Josy.” She maintained her magic only to pause when Josele crouched beside her. “Hm? Am I doing it wrong?”

“No, no,” Josele said quietly. “Just keep going. I wanna say something.” Ida nodded and let Josele continue. “I remember when Morgen and I were engaged. You were so excited, going on and on about how I was gonna be your big sister.”

Ida flushed. Josele was the closest thing she had to a sister, or even a mother at times. Even before the engagement, Ida called her “big sister,” to Josele’s embarrassment. And when it was so close to becoming real, Josele officially being her sister-in-law, of course Ida was happy. She practically clung to Josele whenever she wasn’t with Morgen.

“L-look, I was a kid…”

“It was cute,” Josele assured as she put a hand on Ida’s shoulder. “And I hope you’re just as excited this time. Only now, I’m going to marry Nacht.”

“Huh?!” Ida snapped her head in Josele’s direction. “Holy shit! You and Nacht—! Did he finally get a fucking clue?!”

“Mhm! Nacht proposed.” Josele then put a finger to her lips and whispered, “But we need to keep it secret. For now, it’ll just be a family affair, okay?”

Ida rolled her eyes but nodded regardless. With a smile, Josele went back to digging up weeds elsewhere. By gods, it’s really happening… Ida glanced over her shoulder. You sure kept me waiting, Josy. Smiling to herself, she got back to work. But I guess Nacht made you wait too.

.....

In the quiet of a large study, Queen Discordia of Lumi Kingdom wrote her signature on another document. Bureaucracy wasn’t fun but it was what she signed up for when she married Moros.

It could be worse, Discordia thought to herself while setting aside her quill. At least I have company these days. She looked to her right and smiled at Harmonia, her daughter, sitting in a high chair and clinging to a small plush. “Hello, little angel.”

“Ma!” Harmonia babbled and giggled.

Discordia laughed then poked Harmonia’s cheek. The princess laughed more. The servants could’ve watched Harmonia, but Discordia preferred having her baby close to her. Because it meant she could have moments like that with her daughter.

All of a sudden, Discordia sensed negative mana in the room. A devil’s presence.

Discordia stood and picked up Harmonia. She forged a knife from her Blood Magic as her gaze flicked across the room, searching for where the intruder would appear. Her eyes fell to the floor, to her shadow at her feet. Discordia gripped her blood knife more tightly.

She was no fighter but if she needed to—

Gimodelo’s round head popped out.

“Her Gracious Majesty Discordia!” the devil exclaimed as he floated up. “I bring to you a letter of great importance from Master Nacht!” He held out an envelope.

Discordia, after dismissing her spell and setting Harmonia down, took the letter. Even after they reconnected, Nacht didn’t contact her often. And now a letter… What did Nacht have to tell her that he couldn’t simply travel over to say himself or have his devil explain directly?

[Dear Discordia,]

[Greetings to you, Moros, and Harmonia. I hope all is well and I presume as such given yours and the king’s active role in Spade’s reconstruction. Thank you once again for—]

“Oh by the gods Nacht, get to the point!” Discordia groaned. Shaking her head, she skimmed the letter until she stepped on the word “invite.” She went to the start of that particular sentence.

[I understand that, as Queen and a mother, you are busy but I wish to invite you to Clover for a special occasion: mine and Josele’s wedding. It’ll be small, only the signing of legal papers and a dinner thereafter, but it’s still our wedding. I can arrange to transport you so you don’t need to be away from Lumi longer than necessary. Please answer promptly as the date of the union is in two week’s time. Whether or not you can attend, it fills me with joy to tell you this news.]

[Sincerely, Nacht]

Discordia blinked. She read the letter. Blinked again. Read again.

“If you need time to consi—Eep!” Gimodelo yelped when Discordia grabbed his body out of the air. “Your Graci—”

“Tell my cousin I have every intention of attending,” she stated, enunciating each syllable with purpose. “Would you please?”

“Y-yes, your Majesty!”

Discordia released Gimodelo and the little devil dove headfirst into her shadow.

“Nacht and Josele…” Discordia looked out the window at Lumi’s gloomy sky. “Morgen… You’re happy for them, yes? I’m sure you are but… You’re probably a little jealous too.”

She imagined the look on Morgen’s face, a wide grin where he closed his eyes to hide the tears in his eyes. Discordia shook away the thought. It didn’t matter. Josele and Morgen were married in spirit as far as anyone was concerned. And now, it was Nacht and Josele’s turn to be united.

“A wedding, hm?” Discordia turned to Harmonia, who cooed and reached for her. “Looks like we’ll need to get you a new dress!”

.....

The special day was soon at hand.

Josele received a communication from the Crimson Lion Kings’ base and she hurried there. When she arrived, Solara wasn’t the only one waiting for her but Fuegoleon as well. Josele didn’t say anything but there was confusion on her face as she approached.

“I can’t keep a secret from my husband,” Solara sheepishly explained.

Josele gave a faint “Ah, okay” before accepting the parcel Solara had for her. She turned to Fuegoleon. “Thank you again for the invitation. I hope you two are making each other happy.”

“We are indeed,” Fuegoleon answered, smiling. “You and Nacht, we wish you well also.”

“May the fates be kind to you both,” said Solara.

The women shared a quick hug. Fuegoleon saw Josele off with a firm handshake. As Fuegoleon and Solara watched Josele leave, Solara glanced at her husband.

“Is something the matter?”

“… I never expected to start a friendship with her after…” He didn’t finish his sentence, as there was no need. “But I suppose we can never truly expect what bonds will form between people.”

“It certainly seems to be the case.” Solara bumped Fuegoleon with her shoulder. “Next thing you know, our child will be courting theirs.”

Wife and husband shared a laugh as they returned inside.

.....

Acylla whistled when she saw the final product as Nacht displayed it to her.

I might go into the jewelry business if I ever retire from the Bulls, Acylla mused. Then, she said, “Looks like you got them straight from the night sky, dang!”

“Thanks in great part to you,” Nacht stated with an uncharacteristically warm grin.

“Oh! Well, you know…” Acylla flicked some hair over her shoulder and smirked. “It’s for Jojo after all.” She waited for a second. “Right, you’re getting married too.”

Nacht snorted, “Ah, thank you for reminding me. I was wondering why I’d gotten these in the first place.” He closed the box and stored it away in his shadow.

Fighting back her laughter, Acylla smacked Nacht’s arm.

“If you joked like that more, the rest of the squad would like you too!” Acylla then placed her hand on Nacht’s shoulder. “Be good to Josele, okay?”

“Wha—? But aren’t I—?”

“Be better then. Wait no!” Acylla jabbed Nacht’s chest with a single finger. “You need to be the best to Jojo! Got that?”

Nacht stared at Acylla for a moment. She stared him in the eyes with a serious look, but he didn’t feel any danger from her. With a warm sensation in his chest, Nacht pulled Acylla into a hug.

“Got it.”

.....

Josele stood in the foyer of Faust Manor with Ida and Heinrich. The only people missing were Nacht and Discordia, as the Shadow Mage had left to retrieve his cousin for the ceremony.

“How does it feel to finally become ‘Mrs. Josele Faust’?” Ida asked while patting her soon-to-be sister-in-law’s shoulder.

“I don’t think I can wait much longer,” Josele answered. “Not after having to wait more than ten years…”

“Shouldn’t be much longer now,” Heinriched whispered, smiling casually.

Barely second after Heinrich had spoken, Nacht and Discordia rose from the shadows. Nacht carried something over his shoulder while Discordia held up Harmonia.

“You made it!” Josele exclaimed and approached Discordia. The women embraced each other, mindful of Harmonia between them. “And it’s good to see—Oh gosh!” Josele squealed while shaking Harmonia’s hands. “Don’t you look precious!”

Discordia beamed as Josele fawned over Harmonia in her frilly, blush pink dress and matching headband.

“Well we couldn’t come to a wedding underdressed,” Discordia remarked and adjusted her hold on Harmonia. “Speaking of…” She gave Josele a once over, finally noticing that Josele was in her regular attire, squad robe included. “Will you need help with your dress?”

“Oh.” Josele gave a half-hearted laugh. “Actually, Nacht and I weren’t dressing up. Since there’s no fancy ceremony…”

Slack-jawed, Discordia looked at Ida and Heinrich, both of whom awkwardly shrugged. She then turned to Nacht who nodded silently. She took a deep breath.

“No. Absolutely not,” Discordia declared, raising her head high. “I refuse to let you marry in such a drab manner.”

“Drab?” Josele squawked.

Discordia’s grimoire rose to her side and two tendrils of blood took what Nacht had been carrying, a pair of garment bags. A third tendril pushed him next to Josele.

“I suppose my gifts will see use sooner than I expected…”

“I told you gifts weren't necessary,” Nacht groaned.

“Quiet,” Discordia snapped back. “Nacht and Joey, as your cousin first and Queen of Lumi Kingdom second, I present these to you. May they be the first of many gifts and luxuries you enjoy in marriage.”

The blood tendrils opened the garment bags. The first held a full suit: all black save for the dress shirt, with golden buttons and hem detailing on the vest and jacket. The second had a knee-length dress inside: black with a ruffled, off-the-shoulder neckline and a purple ribbon tied into a bow at the waist. The fabric and sewing technique gave away the high quality.

“Dia, they’re lovely,” Josele whispered as she stroked the dress’s fabric.

“And you’ll wear them today, won’t you?”

“Since you went out of your way to bring them, we couldn’t possibly refuse.” Josele then looked to Nacht. “Right, honey?”

Nacht sighed but smiled. “I suppose we’ll be wearing them eventually…”

“Excellent!” Discordia cheered and clapped her hands, albeit a bit awkwardly with Harmonia in her arms. “Let’s get you looking like a bride, Joey!”

…..

“Uh… Aren’t those…?”

The priest officiating the wedding pointed to Gimodelo, Plumede, Slotos, and Walgner as they stood alongside the members of House Faust, watching the proceedings. The clerk awkwardly kept her eyes down on the paperwork that would be signed.

“Devils? Yes they are,” Nacht answered while avoiding the priest’s gaze. “Please don’t mind.”

The priest took a deep breath and nodded. With that, he began his speech. Words regarding marriage and the sacredness of it were spoken. When prompted, Josele and Nacht each gave their “I do”s. Then, the priest indicated that it was time to share the vows.

Nacht went first.

“Josele, my guiding star, my guardian angel. They say ‘if you love someone, let them go. And if they return, they are meant to be yours.’ We’ve lived through that saying, and now I’ll hold onto you for eternity. I love everything about you, from your smile to your kindness to the sight of you asleep. Though I struggled to show it in the past, my love for you is real. It’s stronger than any devil and will last forevermore. Nothing will keep us apart from now on. If devils from the depths of the Underworld were to come and wish you harm, I'd be there to protect you. I know it from the depths of my soul. I don't ask for all of your heart, but however much of it you offer, I wish to protect it with all that I am.”

Then it was Josele’s turn.

“Nacht, my darling prince who guards me from the shadows. You are half my world, half of my heart. I love your earnest efforts, steadfast devotion, and how you find a way to show your love, even if it takes some time. It’s worth the wait though, you’re worth the wait. All the joys and pains we've experienced together affirm my undying love for you. Should you ever find yourself lost in grief or threatened by mortal pain, I’ll be there beside you, saving you as you saved me. I would walk through Hell to find you and guide you home and then to Heaven's gates. I love you for who you once were, the man you've grown to become, and who you will be in the future.”

Where their audience was seated, there was a range of reactions. The Bremen devils were openly weeping over the words shared. Heinrich fanned his face with fervor and tears visible in his eyes. Ida wore a poker face but the tears streaming down her face told another story. As for Discordia, she smiled as she dabbed the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief.

The exchange of non-rings came next.

Though not traditional, the necklace and earrings that were exchanged were given as tokens of Josele and Nacht’s love, their bond. Each in their own way reminded the couple of darknesses in their pasts, but also made way for brighter, more beautiful futures.

“Nacht,” Josele whispered once he wore the earrings. “Do I look…?” She tilted her head to the side, causing the light to reflect differently, as if to frame Josele’s beauty in the glow.

“Absolutely breathtaking…”

Josele let out a squeak and turned her suddenly red face away.

“Ugh, get a room!” Ida called from her seat.

“Shush! Really now?” scolded Heinrich.

“We know they’re going to fuck later so I don’t—”

“With the exchange done!” the priest yelled over Ida. His outburst got everyone’s attention back on track. He cleared his throat and resumed. “With the exchange of jewels complete, by the authority invested in me by God, I now pronounce you husband and wife.” He turned to Nacht. “You may kiss the bride.”

As both beamed brighter than the sun, Nacht and Josele kissed one another.

Happy. Eager. Warm. Fulfilled. Those emotions and many more were wrapped in a single kiss.

It was a moment that was built upon years of longing and heartache. On hidden feelings of love and overwhelming fears. Uncertain confessions led to hesitating embraces which grew in confidence each time they touched. Until eventually, Josele and Nacht were able to profess their love plainly, as their affection for one another was a fact of life to them.

There was no shedding the guilt and pain they’d felt over the years. Not entirely. But their love made the heavy memories an easier burden. One made even lighter by the fact that it was theirs to share.

Josele was the first to pull from the kiss. Just enough to look at Nacht through teary eyes. Nacht gave Josele a second kiss, a fleeting peck, before their guests, their family, rushed up to them.

“Congratulations!” Heinrich proclaimed. “What a handsome pair you make!”

“Let’s get a better look at those jewels, shall we?” giggled Discordia “My my my! How exquisite!”

“What the hell, you two? Did you have to go and make me cry?” Ida said as she slapped Nacht on the back. “You're so fucking mushy, it's gross…”

There were smiles, tears, and laughter as the joy of Nacht and Josele's marriage filled each person's heart.

…..

Later, after the paperwork was signed making the union as official as it could be, the family returned to Faust Manor for dinner.

“Your cooking is absolutely lovely,” Discordia remarked before taking a sip of wine. “But why not get something catered on your special day?”

“Mm, we just felt like doing it ourselves,” Josele replied. She turned her attention to Harmonia, who she had bouncing on her knee. “Plus, all that work makes holding this little cutie pa-tootie all the more rewarding! Yes you are, Harmonia! You’re just the cutest little thing in the world! Such a sweet little baby!” She lifted up Harmonia and blew a raspberry into the baby’s cheek, making her squeal in delight.

Ida snickered, “Oh-ho boy! Hope you’re ready for a work out, Nacht. Something tells me that your wife wants to be a mom real soon.” She wiggled her eyebrows playfully before taking another bite of food.

Nacht, pink in the face, scowled but gave Ida no reply. Giggling softly, Josele leaned over and kissed Nacht’s cheek, making his blush grow deeper but also breaking his frown.

“No need to rush having kids,” Heinrich said with a blithe grin. “They’ll happen when they happen.”

“But you’ll have kids eventually, right?” Discordia questioned. “You’d be wonderful parents. But also, I would love for Harmonia to have cousins.”

“We’ve discussed it,” Josele started to say while letting Harmonia grasp her hand. “We’ll have kids.”

“But not right now,” Nacht said, finishing Josele’s statement. He held Josele’s free hand, rubbing the back of it with his thumb.

Josele and Nacht knew they would have kids. But that was a thought for later on in the future.

At least for the time being, they would settle for being married, as it was only one of many milestones paving their future life. They’d linger on the joy of calling each other “husband” and “wife.” Though the words would be sweetly whispered, like a secret, for a short while. Others would be told of Nacht and Josele’s marriage, eventually.

Until then, the small circle of their family and the shadows were witnesses to their union.

[sheraayasher]

Source

@mjoubertt-1 @queen-asteria04 @sarahisslytherin @dreamcxtcherr @cupids-crystals @heloisedaphnebrightmore @tara-learns-to-write @natashxromanovf

[malusmagpie]

I ALSO USE HALLOWEEN DECOR TO DECORATE, omg i love the way you write, your mind needs to be studied

taja, if they study my brain i will be lobotomized. this is a promise

also, we would be bffs irl i just know it

[mirclealignr]

i was today years old when i learned that you're also in criminal minds fandom.

now i can ramble to you about spencer.

LMAO yeah i’m on like season 7 ????

literally can’t decide who on the team i’m more in love with. Spencer? Hotch? Emily? Garcia? JJ? Derek? will we ever know? absolutely not.

but yes ramble about spencer i love him