#thanks for reading <3

[achromant]

AND HERE WE ARE! My project for the gw2 'zine!

Featuring Baruhn, reflecting on his life so far, the challenges, the small sparks of joy, the horrors, loss and gain.

For clarification's sake; I did in fact plan to depict every stage of Baruhn's life, but uuh. File was already too big.

Might do a series of short comics (graphic novels?) though, because i fking love storytelling.

Let's look at my idiotic level of detail a bit, eh?

[Long Text Ahead]

Baruhn's story begins in the Plains of Ashford. An unsuccessful attempt to stem the tide of Ascalonian Ghosts leads to the demise of many year-long allies. Dozens of brave soldiers gave their life for a mere week of peace until the ghosts reformed. They always do. Soldiers don't.

Shaken in his faith in the Legions, the first seeds of doubt arise.

Until finally he found someone to trust with his pain. In a tavern at the edge of the Black Citadel, he gets to know this odd fellow, who is continuosly follow by the faint smell of sulfur. Although Baruhn knew where that path led, the warmth radiating from the old veteran in front of him was not only a physical, but an emotional one.

With the Three Legions busy with their internal quarrels, fighting over an empty promise, Baruhn took the first steps down a previously thought to be dark path.

Surprisingly, die Flame Legion was welcoming, their fires offered light and guidance, the embers igniting the skies like stars. Surely this was better than the cold metal over the Black Citadel.

Baruhn took to learning first, handling the small flames with ease after years of throwing fireballs at ghostly shapes. Then, he figured out how to teach, and that is where the real magic comes from. Nurturing a flame, protecting it from harsh winds, adding a bit of kindling and coal here and there. He even taught the more elusive ways of magic that wield smoke and ash.

Baruhn knew about the war, the countless lifes lost on the other side of the fence. But those were humans, and here he was among family.

That is, until he met Molly.

After a small recon mission that was assured not to be much of a hurdle, Baruhn found himself alone in a forest. The small fires he conjured for light and warmth only drew in the nearby villagers. Those with pitchforks and torches, with crude swords and a thirst for blood. He couldn't really bring himself to hate them, this was war after all. But at what cost are these battles to be won?

Trying to escape the villagers was a futile attempt. He sank to the ground, his own hot blood dousing the little flames beneath his weary head.

For some reason - maybe hope, maybe resignation - he forced open his heavy eyes, only to discover his wounds cleaned and bandaged with fragile white cloth. A small human girl, of all things in this damned forest, tried to help. Even in his weakened state, even with just one hand, Baruhn could have easily grabbed her and cracked her skull. But the only thing he did was listen. He listened to the ramblings of the small human, going on and on about faries made of leaves and gnomes of stone. She called him "bear".

When the villagers came, they saw the girl at his side. That was all it took for them to turn on her. She was to be executed like that beast that now slowly stepped in front of her. For the first time, Baruhn spoke to the girl. "close your eyes."

Fire roared, not red, not orange. not a warm, welcoming fire. Not one that belongs in a hearth, that thrives in the arms of a family. This was so much worse. This was years of inner conflict, of doubt, of closing his eyes on the other side of the fence. For the first time in his life, this was the only thing that he wanted to do, protect the little insignificant human behind him. Fire roared, and it burned wood and it burned flesh.

Baruhn picked up the little girl, she held tight to his horns, nestled in his mane. He ran for hours, years of military training finally useful. The little girl, Molly, lost her mother years ago. She burned in the fires of a war she tried to escape. "And your father? What about your family?", he asked between deep breaths. Molly was quiet for a while, then whispered, her voice barely audible, "My father burned today."

They stayed together, for quite a while. He protected her, and she, with her head full of stories, and a book full of dreams, protected him.

Things came, things went. Baruhn rejoined the High Legions, acting as a spy for Ash, keeping an eye on Iron and Blood.

Baruhn ultimately took on his role as Novice, then Archivist, then Commander. He helped during the struggles against Scarlet. A small flame here and there, some shrouding smoke, a well timed lightning strike. It was other people that finally defeated Scarlet, but he was always in the background, with all the small things at just the right time.

Mordremoth came, but with him new allies.

It was but a small tangent in the grand scheme of things. Watching the fragile sapling while waging war on the jungle itself.

Their relation was something more than friendship, something else than love. They were there for each other when they needed to be. Be it only to keep a flame burning or to banish the voices to the back of the head again, they walked the same path for a long time.

Tarir, the Egg. Aurene. A new flame entrusted to him, his to nurture, his to raise. A gamble, again. What if that little flame would some day devour the world? But Baruhn did, what he could do best. Teach.

Darker times came. Caudecus and the White Mantle. The raid on the Mursaat's prison. Then facing the last Mursaat himself.

Balthazar came, and in his wake a new kind of fire. A war, similar to the ones Baruhn had seen before, but still different. A war without a cause, war for war's sake. War against nature, against the world, like a child lashing out when there were none to help them up. Maybe Balthazar's flames were not too different from his.

After the festering swamp that Joko was, came the mountain, Kralkatorrik. Death was not a hindrance anymore, not for the Commander and his dragon. The story went as the story goes.

When it came to face the frost, the whispers, Jormag. Everything fell apart. Jormag pried into the deepest, darkest corners of Baruhn's life, dragged every doubt, small as it may have been, into the light. In the ice, every truth was warped, encased in whispers, in lies. It suffocated any hope and planted even darker seeds than anyone thought possible.

It was the spirit of the Raven that aided Baruhn. Even the black feathers of its wings were shimmering like rainbows in the moonlight.

A small piece stayed with him, just a fragment. Nevermore.

After that, the stars themselves. Astralaria.

So many stories that make a life, so many pieces. Every encounter, every step along the way is another fragment of the whole. People are made of other people, that is what it means to be alive.

[iikisa]

part 1

so. this is part one of a red dragon!krs fic ive been building up… this first chapter doesnt really have much much interesting scenes as of right now, and I’d love love love the input from everyone on how to continue, ideas for characters, and if theres anything i should consider changing!! that doesnt mean that i’ll be changing everything according to commenters, but i’d value all opinions to help build this plot 🥲

I’ve already finished around 3 similar length chapters and recently got stuck, so think of these posts as drafts and final revisions will probably go officially on AO3. thanks everyone 🤪

———

Oh, Pitiful Dragon (1)

-

Ever since his birth, the child longed for death. If it could take away his pain and grant his freedom, he’d trade anything he had so scarce of already. And on a particularly horrible day— the day that terrible man decided he would rip out his heart and use it for evil— the little child met a god.

The God of Death.

He thought it was ironic, seeing how soon his own demise was due soon. But this God didn’t come to reap his death, rather it came to propose a deal.

And the red dragon would accept any deal to be free of this pitiful life.

-

Kim Roksoo awoke suddenly from his slumber. His vision was black and only began to adjust to his blurred version after continuous blinking. Why was it so dark? And how had he fallen asleep? He was just finishing Volume 5 of The Birth of a Hero series and now— wait, are those chains?!

His eyes blew open and his vision was finally adjusted to the pitch darkness that surrounded him. He tried to stand but winced when pain spiked all across his body. Only then did he realize just how badly injured he was. Why was he so weak? Had someone kidnapped and beat him to a pulp?! He was completely blinded by the inexplicable pain that he hadn’t realized something much more important. No— wait, pain is important! It’s definitely concerning! But… why was his whole body covered in crimson scales?

‘Oh geez, well isn’t this new.’

Shortly after he had that thought he passed out from exhaustion and shock.

-

When Kim Roksoo woke again, he was practically being strangled. He quickly gasped for air and focused in on his current situation. He was being held up tightly by a metal collar on his (very, very sore) neck by some strange man in front of him. His hair was a long, spiky mess of blond and didn’t look very well-maintained. But his eyes… they were bloodshot red and had a crazed glint to them.

‘Crazy bastard…!’

Roksoo’s breathing was beginning to strain more and more, and suddenly he felt something prick beneath his scales painfully. He looked down and saw a clear tube running from his body all the way through an open passageway not so far from him. His blood began flowing through it.

‘Blood— They’re.. taking my blood?’

His thoughts were becoming even more incoherent by the second but after securing the clear tube into the little red dragon, the crazed man dropped him to the floor.

“You’re blood is so pure and vibrant, it’s so beautiful.. just like the color of your scales! It will definitely aid our liege and his cause. Haha!”

All Roksoo could think of was how crazy this lunatic was. He was still heavily panting, because honestly when was he not at this point, but thankfully he hadn’t passed out again. Instead, he glared with all his being towards the crazy bastard standing above him. Unfortunately, it only seemed to excite the lunatic even more.

“Maybe I really should visit you more. That look in your eyes gives me chills!”

Mumbling to himself, the psycho soon left the room through the very passage his blood was being drawn towards, and Roksoo was left alone; unprotected and cold. He hated feeling this way. These people didn’t seem to want him alive for so long, considering his “luxury” treatment. He was going to miserably die at their hands sooner or later. And he was too weak to do anything about it.

His eyes suddenly flashed with memories— no, records— of his fight with the second unranked monster to plague Korea. Lee Soohyuk and Choi Jungsoo… he had let them die. It was his fault and he knew it. It was something he’d regret for the rest of his life. But… they had told him to keep living. To keep living for them. He couldn’t die. It didn’t matter how he got into this situation. He’d rather crawl in shit than die this pathetically. He’d survive his new predicament— this new life that’s been granted to him. He’d survive.

He’d definitely survive to smack these bastards in the back one day.

-

Roksoo had spent weeks in that dark hell. His blood continued to flow from his body to somewhere unknown, he was paid violent visits by that lunatic, and he got weaker and weaker because of it. But his will didn’t waver for a second. Whenever someone came in to check on him, he’d mark it in his mind every time. Soon enough, he learned their patterns and found openings. He finally had a plan to escape this hell, no matter how many holes there were.. it was a chance.

With his limited information, there was only so far he could get, but somewhere deep inside him, he knew he’d manage. So, he followed his instincts. The minute his opening came, he used all the strength he had gathered and focused.

‘Concentrate. Concentrate on that feeling you’ve been accumulating, Roksoo!’

Suddenly, Roksoo felt as if he’d achieved some sort of enlightenment like the ones described in murim stories. He felt an overwhelming warmth spread throughout his body and a rush of adrenaline pumped through his veins exponentially. This power… He didn’t know where it had suddenly manifested from, but he was sure now. He could get out of here using it. His mind and body began working beyond their limits, and eventually everything around him felt like it was moving at a snails pace.

‘Instant..?’

His second ability from his past life, Instant. Time would seize and he could move freely for a short while. With a heavy cost on his body of course.

‘But this… it’s similar to instant, but it’s not completely it. I think— No, I can definitely handle this much better than what I’ve been able to before in Korea.’

His new body must’ve integrated Instant into another power. And this new power was about to help him escape. A small smirk graced his torn and bloodied face. Perfect.

Shackles that were tying his limbs down shattered beneath the little dragon’s feet in the blink of an eye, and in a literal instant he was darting across the passage with his slashed and scarred limbs.

‘Keep going. I have to keep going and get out of here!’

He was sprinting through the corridors, and if anybody had looked his way all they would’ve seen was a long, red blur. A bright light was beginning to seep in between the cracks in the ceiling of the dark man-made cave he was confined in.

‘Screw the consequences, we’re blasting through!’

With incredible speed, Roksoo was right beneath the seeping cracks of light and expanded his unused wings for the first time. His wingspan barely fit within the wide corridor as he spread them out and up, blasting off from his spot on the ground and flying like a rocket towards the ceiling. He was making it out.

Just as he impacted and the dust and debris had shot up everywhere, he spotted a few individuals standing far off in the sunlight. The most notable was a red haired main of fairly tall stature completely frozen in place by Roksoo’s sudden escapade. He wore a strange white mask over his upper face, his eyes a bright red with hints of brown. The person looked far to similar to Roksoo. His prominent crimson red and his own piercing reddish-brown eyes. They would’ve looked entirely the same if it weren’t for Roksoo’s current form.

He only locked eyes with the man for a split second, and continued shooting up into the sky. He began to hear shouts and alarms blaring within his vicinity. He had been encaged in a mountain with a large encampment stealthily surrounding it. He’d remember this exact spot.

Massive fireballs and arrows began piercing the sky in an attempt to bring Roksoo down, but he clumsily maneuvered around each and just barely grazed a few on his crimson scales. Suddenly, a blinding white spear had crossed his vision. And before he knew it, another had pierced right through his wing, tearing it open a considerable amount. Roksoo stifled the cry of pain that threatened escaping his lips, and instead gritted his teeth and continued to fly towards any kind of safety. Anything other than here will be safe, he just needs to lose these bastards first. The adrenaline rush he had originally received numbed all the pain in his body, but he knew that wouldn’t last with his current levels. He had to make use of every last bit of this power that he had in him.

He flew over an ocean and kept flying as far away as he could. Eventually he reached the mainland. The forest underneath him was dark and vast, a perfect hiding spot. He glides over the tree-line and with his remaining strength he just barely managed a suitable landing right by a flowing river. His landing was a little on the rough side and he was still so sore, but… he had finally made it out. He was successful. Now, he could truly live a slacker life! Wait— he still needs to get back at the bastards who had tortured him in the first place. Ah.. he also needs to secure enough funds for his slacker life as well.

Sigh.

Roksoo had much to do before he got to live a peaceful life.

‘But first, let’s just lay here a little while longer…’

Roksoo succumbed to his exhaustion and pain, entering a deep slumber.

———

THANKS FOR READING to the end !! please let me know ur input, things i could change, add, etc, i lack a lot in this field and value ur feedback ! 😋

[yume-fanfare]

opening night!

(1 2 3 4)

[skyward-floored]

Accidental Domestication part 5, the end.

This one is a lot better with context, so I suggest you at least read the last one I posted before reading it. It’s still funny by itself, but it’s definitely better with the others.

You can find all the other parts up on ao3 too :)

Ao3 link

————————————————————

A tall, muscled woman with fiery hair crossed her arms, eyes blazing a bit as she glared at the woman seated in front of her.

The other woman was more petite, but no less of a striking figure, hair a warm forest green. It waved slightly in the breeze curling around them, and the fiery-haired woman narrowed her eyes as the other woman smiled.

“Farore, that was the last straw. This has got to stop.”

The green haired woman blinked innocently, tilting her head in a distinctly doglike manner.

“What‘s got to stop, Din?”

Din, Goddess of Power, Force of the Flames that Created the Earth and eldest of the three Golden Goddesses, felt her hair spark in annoyance as she drew closer to her little sister.

“You know perfectly well what I’m talking about,” she growled, but Farore continued to merely sit and blink at her.

“And what would that be?” the green goddess asked in the same innocent tone, and Din had to restrain herself from going off and breaking something.

“Stop playing innocent!” she snapped, jabbing a finger at her sister’s face. “Farore you’ve got to stop sending your patron animals to get your heroes out of tight spots! They can handle it themselves!”

Farore froze, knowing she was caught, then drooped, her hair seeming to loose some of its luster.

“I’m just helping a little,” she protested, a few fading petals falling from where she sat, and Din scoffed.

“A little? Sister you literally saved the Hero of Legend and Hero of Light’s lives! That is not a ‘little’!” she snapped, flames flickering. “Not to mention how you sent an entire wolf pack to get the Hero of Time and Hero of Warriors out of a tight spot! Have you ever heard of overkill? They could have handled things!”

It was Farore’s turn to cross her arms.

“For the Hero of Light and Legend, all I did was send some assistance in order for them to get out of the fire,” she said cooly, a colder breeze rustling through the area, “I consulted Nayru and she agreed with me that it was the only feasible way they could have make it out. And you know how bad it would have been if they had died in there.”

Din sighed.

“I’m aware. If that were the only incident it would be fine, but the entire pack for the other two was entirely overkill,” she muttered. “And why did you even get the hero of Winds and hero of Hyrule to follow that mother wolf?”

Farore kicked her legs, vines twirling up her arms. “...I wanted them to get to pet her pups.”

Din pressed a hand to the bridge of her nose. “You wanted them to get to pet her pups.”

“They had never before seen puppies, Din! It was a tragedy that had to be fixed!”

“I do not care! You have to stop meddling, sister, there are rules about this!”

“But they love it when I send wolves!” she protested, green hair swaying in the breeze, “did you see how they all reacted? It was so sweet! The Hero of Twilight has been so melancholy ever since the Twilight Realm was cut off, it was perfect for him!”

Din swatted her sister irritably. “I don’t care if it was cute, and there are other ways to help your heroes! You are meddling, and that’s not allowed! Knock it off!”

Farore pouted, but nodded after a moment’s silence, crossing her arms in begrudging defeat.

“Fine. I’ll stop sending wolves.”

“Good,” Din nodded, satisfied by the repentant tone she heard in the words. Then she stared at her sister for a second, and jabbed an accusing finger at her, eyes narrowed.

“I know that look, no sending rabbits instead!”

“But Din!”

“It is forbidden!”

“But they’re even cuter! What if I just send a couple—”

“No! I’m telling Nayru!”

“You wouldn’t dare!”

“NAYRU!”

“NOOOO—”

(...)

The dream Sky had been having abruptly faded, the details falling away as he slipped into the small space between wakefulness and sleeping.

He drifted there for a moment, reluctant to move from the cushy grass where he’d flopped a few hours ago. Sunshine warmed his face, and a remlit nestled up against his neck, small and soft.

A few more small weights were scattered around him, and Sky sighed a little, happy to have company that he didn’t have to explain anything to, or fuss over him. Remlits didn’t care if he was having a bad day. They would cuddle with him regardless, and Sky welcomed them, shifting just a bit so he was more comfortable where he lay.

And then he woke up enough to remember he wasn’t on Skyloft.

Which meant whatever was sleeping on him couldn’t be remlits.

Sky froze, heart pounding as he had the realization. It could be any number of things sitting on him, dangerous things, or— Hyrule had just been telling him about creatures called skunks, what if it was one of those?!

Sky slowly opened his eyes, blinking in the bright sunlight that shone in his face. He waited for his eyes to adjust, then very carefully tilted his head up, almost agonizingly slow as he looked at his chest.

No less than a dozen rabbits were sleeping on him.

Sky stared, blinking at the furry creatures all cuddled up to him. Most of the rabbits were brown, but there were a few with white speckles, and a couple more that sported darker fur, and as he stared at all of them, he slowly began to relax again.

Bunnies were harmless (aside from Legend). He wouldn’t be getting attacked or sprayed by anything today.

But still... the meadow had been completely empty when he’d collapsed here, drained from the thoughts that had been rattling around in his head all day. He’d wanted nothing more than to be left alone and sleep, and he hadn’t expected anything to be here when he’d woken up.

And yet here he was. Covered in bunnies.

Sky studied the creatures again, looking at the sleeping bundles. He didn’t think rabbits usually came up to people like this? From what he’d gleaned from Legend and Twilight, they appeared to be rather skittish creatures, running fast and hiding when they could. But Twilight had also said they were legendary, rare and special, yet there were at least a dozen right here, all sleeping on top of him.

Did this mean something?

Sky frowned. There was a niggling feeling there was something about rabbits he’d forgotten, like maybe they’d featured in his dream somehow... but any memory of it had faded, and Sky didn’t think it was going to come back.

A rabbit woke up a little and stretched, its little paws bapping against Sky’s chin. He couldn’t help but smile at it, and it blinked at him curiously. The little creature sat up, and hopped a little closer to his face, looking down at him with clear, dark eyes.

Then it flopped right next to his chin, and Sky chuckled, raising his hand that wasn’t weighed down by rabbits to run a finger through its fur. It was just as soft as it looked, and Sky felt something ease a little in his chest.

The weight he’d fallen asleep with was still there, an ache in his stomach, heaviness in his limbs. But there was sunshine on his face, a cool breeze tousling his hair, and a bunny was snuggled up to his chin.

The weight didn’t go away, but... it didn’t feel quite as heavy.

Soft ears tickled his neck, and Sky relaxed the rest of the way, lowering his arm and closing his eyes again. The others would probably come find him soon, and startle away the little creatures, but until then, he would enjoy the strange blessing of the rabbits’ presence.

...Though, after everything that had happened over the past few weeks, he was a little surprised it wasn’t wolves that were sleeping on him.

Sky shrugged to himself, and drifted off, a small sigh escaping his lips.

And hours later, when the others found Sky still covered in sleeping bunnies, he wasn’t the only one to wonder why it hadn’t been wolves.

[sparrowsworkshop]

"Optimus Prime & His Feisty Little Two-Wheeler" by OneWingedSparrow

🏍️ First Draft: 2021 ⤵️

🚛🏍️ Main Tags: TFP, Arcee & Optimus Prime, Pre-Canon, Canon-Typical Violence, Mild Hurt / Comfort, Found Family Summary: A tribute to Peter Cullen for striving to always keep Optimus Prime "strong enough to be gentle," told from the perspective of TFP Arcee towards her newfound leader, when she first comes to Earth and joins Team Prime. Made for the "To Be Gentle Zine," hosted by @allsparkzines ! Please check out everyone else's stories and artwork; they're all lovely! :D Read on AO3; paired artwork here Reblogs are appreciated! ~ Arcee refused to affiliate her name with anything. The Autobot faction was her lone exception. Her former leaders left her...and, after she lost Tailgate, the only teammate who respected her for who she was...she didn’t wish to be associated with any singular bot.

Her spark was broken, and no medic fixed sparks.

But over the years...Arcee realized there was one person she could stand to fight beside. One person she could fight for. One person she could depend on, and willingly link her name to.

His name was Optimus Prime.

~

The first time his name is affixed to hers, she is jolted with shock.

“It’s the Prime’s scouts! All units, fire!” The Prime’s—the Prime’s…? Arcee trips over her own feet.

Magnus had been the one she followed. Before that, Prowl. She is a stranger to this Prime.

Sure, the moment she forsook the wastelands of Cybertron, racing Cliffjumper through Shockwave’s space bridge, she rolled straight into the ranks of Optimus Prime, who sought refuge on this rugged rock called Earth.

...but is she already counted as one of his?

Their cover exposed, Bumblebee bounds towards a farther bunker, retreating from the Decepticons’ barrage, as Optimus directed.

As Optimus directed, as Optimus ordered, as Optimus would….

Hand flipping into a gun, Arcee shakes her head and follows.

Everything she does now will be in his name.

~

The first time he delivers a speech in her earshot, she cramps her neck looking up.

Arcee knew Optimus Prime was tall, but she never stood on level ground with him. Only now does she realize how truly massive he is; the tip of the pink tiara spike atop her helmet doesn’t even reach his hip.

This mission is futile. They’ll never see optic to optic.

No one ever does, with a two-wheeler like her.

So, she gives up, dropping her gaze to the Autobot insignia emblazoned on their new base’s floor.

The same symbol embossed onto her wings. The same symbol that gleams on the grill of the Earth truck form Optimus has chosen. A Western Star, she heard the human soldiers call it. Lumbering engine, muted paint job, lackluster tires...it’s surely a far cry from his regal Cybertronian form, but he steps into the disguise humbly.

Her thoughts are wandering. She’s lost track of the speech. She forces herself to focus on her surroundings. Bumblebee, Cliffjumper, Bulkhead and Ratchet stand beside her, listening intently as Optimus continues. I’m part of the circle, she thinks, suddenly. This is new.

Will it last? She doesn’t know.

Only time will tell.

As always.

~

The first time he rolls with her, she feels her systems stall.

“Arcee,” he says. Her name lolls in the air.

She straightens her frame, flashing an urgent salute. “Sir!” “At ease, soldier.” He gets down on one knee.

This only stiffens her further; Ultra Magnus never adopted such a lax posture.

What’s more, Arcee decides, looking directly into Optimus Prime’s face is mildly frightening. Here is a Warrior who has plowed through fire and acid, shrapnel and rust, energon and terror—and captured the weight of all to carry forever. In those piercing, blazing optics, she can see the glory and the pain, the fervor and the fury, of a leader blessed by Primus….

And she knows, while she beholds, that he will brake for nothing in bringing this war to its end.

Arcee trembles under his gaze.

“I am coming with you,” he says.

Statement. Declaration. Fact.

In shame, her spark plummets to her feet. The Prime must have higher priorities than her safety. No one ever makes the effort to care. Why would he waste his time on a two-wheeler most bots look down upon?

Are you sure I’m worth it? Arcee blurts out, unheard.

Aloud, she stammers the scrap substitute:

“Sir?”

“You are in need of backup, and there is no one else to accompany you at this time. Therefore, be mindful of my presence.” Arcee wants to protest.

However, one glance at his decisive expression deactivates all argument.

You just can’t argue with Optimus Prime.

~

The first time he saves her spark, she flinches, and not from her wounds.

Bulkhead fell back. Bumblebee paused to reload.

A quick scan of the battlefield revealed only a “few” Decepticons. Her arm blades clicked from their casings. The enemy seemed distracted.

She thought she could take them all on.

Arcee speeds into the open. An ever dutiful partner, Cliffjumper attempts to provide cover fire. Dust billows in her path.

She flies, wings spread wide with the thrill of the hunt. Leap and dodge, flip and kick. Swipe and cut, scratch and slice. The Decepticons falter, unprepared for the frontal assault.

Until they get smart to her timing, and they stab her through the gut.

Her frame screams with pain. Something else roars louder.

Optimus. Her enemies freeze.

He charges, blasters smoking. Optics blazing.

They’re dead in seconds. Arcee’s lifted up, leaking energon.

Wordlessly, Optimus carries her home.

~

The first time he rebukes her, she wishes she could hide in vehicle mode.

Not hide as in “cower.” More like hide as in “transform, to then zoom away.” The best kind of hiding: speeding so no one can catch you. She’s already transformed. Engine’s running. Kickstand’s up. She’s already halfway gone.

But her wheels don’t roll.

Deep down, she knows barricading in vehicle mode while he has words to deliver would be incredibly rude, and she’s not sure she wants to disrespect him so, after he saved her tailpipe. With that, she mentally punches herself in the T-Cog, and stands up to face him.

“Arcee,” he says, so far above her, voice stern and edged. “Your judgment today was far from exemplary.”

She swallows.

“Make no further attempts to engage the enemy alone.”

“Yes, sir,” she whispers.

Those optics meet hers, once again.

“We will fight on,” Optimus says quietly. “That is a promise…

“Stay with me.”

Arcee blinks something from her vision.

If he notices, he says nothing.

~

Now, whenever he summons her, she’s alert and prepared.

“Arcee, with me.”

She nods, and falls into step beside him.

Though one step for him is many for her, they march in the same time.

His massive, towering form no longer feels as looming or daunting as it did. She’s learned to rest in his shadow, to trust he will shield her. She’s not sure why she grew so comfortable with his presence so fast, but perhaps his mannerisms influenced this transformation.

He stands tall to intimidate, but not to belittle. He bends down to her level more than anyone else. In battle, he never abandons her. He even looks back for her, when his extensive strides travel farther than her shorter limbs can reach. And when he sends her ahead to scout, hidden well in lofty places, she always finds him watching for her when she returns with a report.

Quiet things. Subtle things.

Little things a great, big Prime needn’t trouble himself with.

But he wants to.

He cares.

So, when he says “With me,” she follows...

Because the little things have shown her that he is someone worth following.

~

[robertfripp]

about

MUSIC: progressive rock, classic rock, synthpop, funk/soul, electronic/ambient, ethereal wave

ABOUT ME: pianist for fun, collector of records and CDs. music has been my main interest for decades. king crimson is my favourite band. you’ll also see a lot of genesis and pink floyd. and i’m getting into tool right now so pleaseee talk to me about them!

ABOUT THIS BLOG: not actually robert fripp. this blog is run by someone over the age of 18. mostly music, SFW. this is essentially my digital music scrapbook. expect a lot of pictures to be posted. sometimes i make gifs!

ELSEWHERE: personal and other things blog is @egebamyasiii . ask for my discord if you wanna chat!!!

[ithinkinggenshin]

Waiting.

Fandom: Genshin Impact

Characters: Rosaria

Pairings: Possessive!Rosaria x Fem!Reader

Warnings: SMUT, Possessive behavior, manipulation, dubious consent, not proof read

Word count: 1.6k

Synopsis: All the signs were there. And yet you still pushed her away. You told her to wait for you to get over everything. Couldn't she at least do that for you?

Divider from: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/yokaidisarray/691602086038732800?source=share

She frowns.

No. She can't wait.

She hates this feeling of bubbling acid in her chest. She doesn't mind the adrenaline rush, but seeing you cry and hearing Jean's name fall from your lips. A growl emits from the bottom of her throat. She'll leave no room in your mind for anyone except her.

Your tears keep falling. You tell her to leave you alone. You didn't want to leave Jean. You don't want her to hate you. You loved her! You still love her.

The acid creeps upward into her throat. Stop it.

Stop saying her name.

Stop thinking about her.

Stop crying over her.

Rosaria can't take it anymore. She storms over to you and shuts you up with a kiss. Yanking you by the front of your shirt so your lips meet hers.

Your eyes widen and for a moment you're too shocked to do anything. Two thoughts rush through your head. Get away from her. And kiss her back. You opt for the first but it's useless. Her grip is tight and pushing against her biceps only serves to make her madder. She gnashes at your lips, drawing blood with her sharp teeth. You aren't escaping her that easily. Not if she can help it.

She breaks the kiss and you gasp for air. Further disoriented when she whips you around. Almost ripping your shirt as she jerks you around till you find yourself falling backward, landing on your bed.

Rosaria leaves no room for a fight as she climbs on top of you and sits herself on top of you. Your heart beats faster. You struggle but it's futile. You know you'll ultimately lose against her. Like you always have.

She's the predator and you're her prey. She stalks you through the streets. Digs her claws in you when she's close enough, only to walk away before anyone notices. She doesn't usually play with her food, but you're a special case.

You wish you weren't.

She's practically a statue. Staring down at you from above. Like a gargoyle. Protective. Threatening. Her dull and tired eyes show a tiny spark. Perhaps it's just the sunlight reflecting off of them, but you think you've seen it before. When she ripped Kaeya away from you on the street, putting an arm around you and telling him to back off. You stared up at her and saw a glow of red in the highlight of her eyes.

Obsession?

Murderous intent?

... Love?

It couldn't be.

Whatever it was, it sent a chill down your spine and your heart raced as she stood close to you. You wanted to hide. You wanted to run. You still do. Whenever you see her. You feel the hairs on the back of your neck stick up but you're always too late. She's behind you. You're always in her sights. It was never clear what she wanted. Even now as she sits above you. You wonder if she's as conflicted about this as you are.

You can't find your voice. When you do, it's so small even you can barely hear it.

"What do you want?"

"You."

She descends upon you and feasts on your flesh. She bites you till you turn pink and then more so you turn purple. Bruises dot your neck. She tugs your shirt up and you lift your arms. You give her what she wants. You let her have her way.

You're not thinking.

Only watching.

Like a spectator.

You watch as she nips at your nipples and suckles like a baby. You hear a sound. A moan. Did it come from you?

Your hand rises and your fingers become tangled in her hair. If she's bothered by it, she doesn't give any indication. She switches to the other side. Her claws dig into your waist and this time you squeal.

Is this pain?

Pleasure?

You can't tell.

You don't care. You just want more.

She's surprisingly addictive.

She turns around. Her round ass in your face. Her face moves lower. You feel like you’re in a doctor’s office. With a nurse who’s too happy to be giving you shots. She drags her tongue, prepping your skin, wet and exposed, cooled by the air, then a pinch from her teeth. A red welt left behind. Blood surging to the surface. You squeak with each one. She teases and baits you. Not consistent. Soft sucking to her rolling tongue and then a shocking bite. You stop looking for fear of seeing your blood paint her lips. 

She shoves down your pants, and your eyes shoot open. You look down at her. She just stares at your soaked panties and licks her lips. Oh god. 

She’s going to eat you alive.

Rosaria’s always had amazing restraint. Only doing what’s necessary and moving on beyond that. But when she feels threatened, she’s thorough in tracking down and cutting it off at the source. When she sees your clothed pussy, she knows she’s found it. The source of her envy, jealousy, greed. Her need for you. She rips the barrier off of you and dives in deep. Her sharp teeth lightly prick at your fat lips and her long tongue delves inside of you. Your head hits the mattress when you throw it back. You didn’t expect her to be so vigorous. So intense. You didn’t expect it, but you should have. Rosaria is always intense. 

She’s relentless. Her tongue forcing its way inside of you. Deeper than you thought a tongue could. Her talons dig into your thighs. You’re positive that she’s drawn blood. You feel yourself dripping. Blood, sweat, tears. The red head between your legs isn’t helping. Making you drip from your cunt as she hungrily, feasts on you. Your thighs squeeze her head. Your grip tightens on the roots of her hair. She– somehow– dives deeper. 

You’re already on the brink. She brings you to the edge. She feels your soft walls close in on her and pulse with your heartbeat in your cunt. Rosaria’s always had amazing restraint. She pulls away. Even her cold hands leaving your thighs. You buck and whine but her weight on you keeps you grounded. You can’t fight her. You always lose.

“You don’t deserve to get off so easily. Do you know how long you made me wait? You’ll make me cum first, and maybe I’ll consider letting you cum.”

You whine. She’s punishing you. You didn’t know! You didn’t mean to! Teasing her during this game of cat and mouse. A game you didn’t even know you were playing. You always thought you were the hunted, the victim of this cruel scenario. But to Rosaria, you were the assailant, piercing and jabbing at her frozen heart. 

She turns back around and hikes her dress up. You didn’t want to acknowledge it before, but you could feel the heat of her exposed cunt against your skin. You stare up at her porcelain and pristine mound. She’s clean shaved and glistening from her own wetness. You get a good look as it descends upon you, covering your mouth and nose. You flail.

You can’t breathe!

It’s her turn to dig her nails into the roots of your hair. Yanking you even farthing into her. 

“Lick.’’

Is all she says. 

You’re no longer a spectator. You’re very much present as you part your lips. Are you really doing this? You lick a long stripe. 

“More.’’

You do it again. Along the grain, through her folds. You like the taste. 

“Fuck.”

You like the sounds she’s making. You keep going. Long fat stripes. Small kitten licks. Tongue prodding at her entrance. She grinds down on you, smearing your face with her essence. You shove your tongue inside of her and she lets out a restrained moan. You want to hear her. Your arms come up and grip her thighs, pulling her down onto you. 

You can’t breathe.

You’re lightheaded. 

You lick and suck and fuck her with your tongue. Your vision is failing. Your mind reels. She feels further away. And yet there’s no relief. 

Rosaria knows what she’s doing. She doesn’t plan on letting you pass out, but you can last a few more seconds. She scoffs. It’s barely been more than a minute. Pathetic. Really. She’s always wondered how she found you threatening. And yet she did. She still does. She won’t be done with you until she tears you down and makes sure you’ll never know power over her again. 

She lifts herself off your face. You gasp for air not quite sure what’s going on. Only knowing that you miss her scent. Your grip loosened and eventually went limp a few seconds prior. 

Rosaria grabs your wrist and molds your hand so that two fingers stick out and the rest are tucked in. She lines them up with her cunt and eases them inside. You stiffen. You’re wide awake now. Her walls are so soft around your fingers. The rest of her body is cold to the touch but inside, she's warm. Your two fingers straighten and her breath hitches. You must’ve brushed one of her sweet spots. She uses your arm to fuck herself. Holding your wrist as she lifts herself up and down on your fingers. You manage to tear your gaze away from the sight of your fingers being swallowed and sucked in by her cunt and look up, only to be petrified and overwhelmed by her gaze. That terrifying spark has taken over. She’s warped by her intense lust and needs to dominate you. To tear you to pieces and devour you whole. Beneath her, begging for more. Begging for her. 

Only her.

No room for anyone else. 

She’s not waiting anymore. 

You’ll never push her away again. 

[the-dream-team]

"Lily Evans liked girls. Well, she liked boys, too. Bisexual. That was the term she’d settled on." After 22 years spent in the closet, Lily is excited to finally start dating girls. In fact, she's quite determined to make up for a lifetime of relationships with mediocre men, and the messy-haired boy who works at the art museum isn't going to change her plans anytime soon. Definitely not.

Chapter 16: It's All About to Change

“Who are you textiiinnnngggg?”

Lily glared up at Dorcas through her fringe. “You already know who.”

“Is it James?” asked Marlene, handing Dorcas a bag of chocolate-covered pretzels before plopping down next to her on the couch. 

It was still a little strange seeing Marlene at their flat, her feet lovingly tucked under Dorcas’s leg. She had to admit, they made a good couple. It was clear how well they fed off each other; a constant stream of jokes and compliments paired with endless hours of healthy debate over everything from the best Capri Sun flavours to the most effective way to kill houseplants. No, the strange part was how well Marlene fit into their apartment dynamic, how normal it felt to have her there, as though she’d been a regular staple for years, like Reg. 

Lily angled her glare toward Marlene, though the malice left her eyes. She may have been fine with Dorcas and Marlene being together, it was even nice having Marlene around as a friend, but was she ready to discuss whatever was happening between her and James with the girl she’d briefly dated? A pit of guilt settled in the back of Lily’s throat over the entire situation, but Marlene had already been briefed on Lily’s current romantic struggles (and she’d guessed a good chunk of it on her own).

“Okay Kubrick Stare,” said Dorcas, “enough with the eyes and tell us what he said!”

Read on AO3

[stardustkrishnaverse]

hey bros/sakhis/sakhas

so usually when my friends have misunderstandings between themselves that don't involve me I stay sort of neutral... like when i know or trust that ppl are genuinely good and it's a misunderstanding/clash of personalities I stay neutral... but it's so hard to navigate or to not feel snakey about it!!

my friends are all so lovely and usually say they trust that I am not being snakey but it's that like internal feeling of guilt...I feel like it's even more snakey to take sides...idk I just feel bad haha:( I wish I could sort peoples problems out by literally being a mediator... even tho ik it's not my responsibility...I just always try to see both sides yk... like if the person is truly being malicious or horrible then obviously I take the hurt/good persons side.

but my worry is that who am I to decide who's good or bad with my limited understanding? most of the time I feel like i can genuinely sense when ppl have a good heart and naturally drift away from those that are insincere, all of my friends are extremely sweet. and i know just cos ppl have a good heart they can still make mistakes cos everyone does, and be mean, have differences etc, and its not that i excuse them...but when it doesn't directly involve me what more can I do than be neutral...I'm not peoples parents that can force ppl to create an understanding between them...

[justlightlysedated]

let this night invade my lungs, you're all i want to breathe

six pictures taken before the world came crashing down, and one time that it didn't

[read on AO3]

one.

Alex is sprawled across Michael, breaths fanning across Michael's chest, a warm, heavy weight that should be uncomfortable but isn't. 

Michael stares down at him, at the top of his head and the round of his shoulder and the length of his body.

It's an image that he wants to burn into his retinas and keep forever. It's almost like serendipity when he looks away from Alex momentarily and finds the polaroid camera set on the back of the couch and leaning against the wall.

He reaches up and grabs it, and Alex just grumbles a little as the motion almost dislodges him from Michael's chest, shifting a little as though he's going to move.

Michael wraps one arm around him to encourage him to stay, and angles the camera with his other hand, using his chin to keep it steady. 

The angle of the picture is pretty bad, but it's worth it to see the face that Alex makes when the flash goes off and he realizes what Michael is doing.

The camera falls from the precarious position, but Michael manages to pull the picture out from the slot before it does, clattering on the floor alarmingly, but nothing crunches in a way that suggests that it's broken.

Alex doesn't move away from Michael but he does change his position, setting his chin on Michael's sternum to look at him properly. He stares at him and smiles softly, and Michael has to look away from the look on his face.

His eyes fall to the polaroid which is still in the process of developing. He watches as the shadows turn into a picture.

The angle is predictably bad, but it's pretty much perfect. 

Most of the picture is taken up by Michael's chest, but he's concentrating on what he can see of Alex. The top of his head, his messy dark hair, and the curve of his nose and the slope of his shoulder, with Michael's hand pressing against his skin. The edges of him are sort of blurry, like he'd already started moving when Michael had taken the picture.

Michael looks away from the picture to Alex, who is still staring at him, a look on his face so soft and fond that Michael feels the air catch in his lungs.

Alex looks a little startled at getting caught staring.

Michael just smiles back at him, "I'm keeping this."

And he's not sure if he's talking about the picture or Alex, lying down on top of him.

Alex just stares at him for a moment, before he moves again, straddling Michael's thighs and putting his hands on either side of Michael's head. He pushes himself up and leans down. 

Michael's eyes fall shut right before Alex kisses him, a light brush of lips that leaves his skin tingling. He pulls away and looks down at him, eyes tracking down his neck before he leans down and presses a kiss to right above the hollow of Michael's collarbone. 

Michael shudders, breathing shakily as his eyes fall shut. 

Alex presses another kiss, higher up on his throat, this one harder than the last.

Michael drops the photo and presses his fingers to Alex's face, pulling him up and back to his mouth.

Alex falls into the kiss, dropping his weight on Michael once again, before framing Michael's head between his arms.

He parts their mouths just barely, gasping quietly, before tilting his head and kissing him again, mouth open.

Every single coherent thought vanishes from Michael's head, and all he can think is Alex, and more, and yes, and please.

Michael slid his hands down from Alex's face to his back and lower until his fingers were playing with the waistband of his boxers. Alex moans into his mouth and then pulls away, sitting up in Michael's lap, knees pressing against Michael's hips.

Michael lets his hands fall to the more safe region of Alex's thighs and waits to see what Alex will do next. His heart is racing and he feels too warm even though he’s not wearing any clothes.

Alex breaths, like his heart is racing as fast as Michael’s, lips spit slick and pink.

Michael itched with the urge to drag him back down, but he kept his hands where they're at.

Alex licks his lips and shuts his eyes briefly before he lets out a breath and looks at Michael again, a little ruefully.

"Maybe we should get dressed," he suggests in a tone that seems nonnegotiable.

Michael doesn't really want to, but he knows that they can't just stay naked in this tool shed for the rest of their lives, no matter how much he wants to.

two.

Alex sits on the edge of the tailgate of Michael's truck, staring as Michael dances around in celebration after successfully starting a fire.

Alex still has the polaroid camera in his hand from when he'd taken it away from Michael to stop him from wasting the rest of his film on random candids of Alex, which he lifts in front of his face.

He takes the picture of Michael and it's quiet enough that the click and whir of the camera catches Michael's attention immediately.

He lowers the camera, taking the polaroid out from the front of the camera and shaking it slightly.

Michael stalks forward with swagger, hips first, chin tilted up. 

Alex sets the camera and picture down and leans back on his hands, parting his knees even more to make space for Michael as he keeps walking forward.

Michael sets his hands on either side of Alex's thighs, carefully leaning more on his right hand as he moves in close, smirking.

"You taking pictures of me, Manes?" He asks, smirk softening slightly, like he can't help it, eyes bright and soft.

"Maybe," Alex says, smiling back.

"I thought no more pictures were allowed," he says, eyes dropping from Alex's eyes to his mouth and back again.

"No, you're not allowed to take any more pictures," Alex says, turning to see where he'd set down the camera. "Me on the other hand-"

Michael doesn't let him actually move anywhere, wrapping his arms around Alex's waist, keeping him still and leaning in even closer.

Alex lets Michael pull him close and wraps his arms around his shoulders, tilting his head to the side and leaning into the kiss that Michael presses to his mouth, eyes falling shut.

Michael nips against his lips and kisses Alex soft and chaste, over and over, lifting one hand to the side of Alex's face to slide his fingers across Alex's jaw and into his hair.

Alex doesn't let him move too far, unwrapping his arms from Michael's shoulders and pressing his hands to Michael's face, keeping him there.

Alex’s mind goes blank as he pulls himself closer to Michael, and leans into every kiss, until Michael pushes his other hand against Alex's back and hisses in pain, moving to pull away from him.

Michael's eyes are wet, and he's not looking at Alex in the eyes as he breathes through the pain.

Alex doesn't say anything about it anymore, about Michael's hand. Summer is almost over and everything is going to be different after. Alex doesn't want it to be, but he doesn't know how to fix it.

So he just keeps his hands on Michael's face, and waits until his breathing is less labored, before he leans in.

He stops right before their lips touch, and waits for Michael to look into his eyes. 

Alex licks his lips and opens his mouth to say something, anything, but instead of using words, he kisses him, like it might be the last time that he gets to do it, because it just might be, keeping his hands on Michael's face and licking into his mouth.

When he pulls away, Michael's eyes are shut, and he blinks them open and stares at Alex for a second, eyes bright like stars, and then he tugs against the sheet that Alex had been using to stave off the chill of the night air.

"How about we continue that closer to the fire?" he asks suggestively, taking the sheet with him as he walks backwards.

Alex smiles and drops from the tailgate. His hands brush against the polaroid, and he picks it up and stares at the photo of Michael. His arms are up in the air, and he's smiling like he just won the lottery, and it makes Alex's heart clench.

He rarely sees Michael that happy.

He tucks the picture away in the pocket of his jacket, and joins Michael near the fire, dropping to his knees right beside him.

Michael turns to look at him, mouth open like he's about to speak, but he stays silent as he looks at Alex, brow furrowed. 

Alex's eyes dart all over Michael's face, and he feels a sense of urgency he hasn't felt all summer. 

"Michael," he starts. "I l-"

Michael pushes up to his knees before Alex can finish, making him stop talking in surprise, and he shakes his head.

Alex licks his lips and stares at Michael for another long moment before he leans in close and kisses him, once and then again, and again, until Michael lifts one hand to the side of Alex's face and keeps him close, deepening the kiss.

Alex pushes into the kiss, and Michael leans back, lowering himself on the sheet and Alex follows him down.

three.

Michael sits on his bed and stares at Alex. There isn't much space in the trailer for much distance, but when he'd woken up a couple of minutes ago, Alex was as far away as he could be while still being inside of the airstream.

Alex is either pretending not to notice, or doesn't realize that Michael is awake as he continues to look at the pictures that Michael has hung up in rows with twine and clothespins.

There are a couple of Max and Isobel and even Sanders, but most of the pictures are of Alex.

Michael watches him watch the photos, a look on his face that Michael can't quite recognize, but he likes the way it makes something warm fizzle in the pit of Michael's stomach.

It's what makes him move, as carefully as he can so that he doesn't startle Alex into moving, towards the polaroid camera that he has resting on top of the counter.

He lifts the camera to his face, and focuses on Alex, holding his breath as he puts his finger over the button and takes the picture.

Michael lowers the camera and looks over to Alex who is staring back at him with a slightly exasperated look, but he can't hide the smile trying to break through.

"What?" Michael asks, sounding as innocent as he can. "Gotta take as many pictures as I can while you're still around."

He hadn't meant for it to sound accusing, but the way that Alex frowns as soon as he finishes speaking tells him that that's exactly how it came across.

"Guerin," Alex says with a sigh, taking a step closer to him, but stopping. "You know that I-"

Michael doesn't really want to hear this explanation. He's never wanted to hear it. There is a small part of him that understands why Alex has to do this, even though it feels like there is something being torn out of him every time that Alex leaves. He knows Alex, better than he thinks that Alex knows himself.

But still, he doesn't want to hear whatever excuse Alex is going to come up with this time, so instead of listening to the rest of what he has to say, Michael lifts the camera again and snaps another picture cutting Alex off mid sentence.

Alex blinks in surprise, and Michael just pulls the polaroid out and takes another picture, and another, and another.

Alex gets closer with each picture, and through the viewscreen Michael can see how the look on his face goes from exasperated to determined.

Michael takes two more pictures before Alex is there, standing close enough to touch and Michael loses interest in taking pictures.

He pulls the camera out of Michael's hand and sets it aside, and Michael puts his hands on Alex's face, walking his fingers along Alex's jaw and to the back of his neck, pulling him in.

Alex wraps his hands around Michael's wrists, pulling him in even closer. Michael had intended on kissing him, but instead Alex pressed his forehead to Michael's, squeezing his fingers around Michael's wrists.

Michael breathes in a shaky breath as Alex just sighs, eyes falling shut.

Michael just stares at him, at the way his lashes look endless, and how his cheeks are a rosy pink color, and the arch of his nose and the curve of his mouth below.

"We'll be okay," Alex says in a low whisper, the words brushing across Michael's mouth, making his lips part.

"Always," Michael answers without meaning to.

Alex's eyes open and he doesn't pull away as he looks at Michael, from too close, eyes too big and dark. 

Michael inhales sharply and feels the air catch in his lungs.

Everything goes still, and for a moment, Michael feels like they're the only two people in the entire universe.

Michael breathes out as Alex breathes in and there's this thing caught in Michael's throat, a phrase, a trio of words that have the power to break him completely.

He swallows hard, and Alex just squeezes Michael's wrists once again before tilting his head to the side, noses just barely brushing against each other as he presses a kiss to Michael's mouth.

It starts off slow and chaste, lips brushing together, and then Alex licks against his mouth and Michael gasps.

He pulls his hands out of Alex's grasp and wraps his arms around Alex's waist, tugging him in.

Alex climbs on to the bed, knees on either side of Michael's thighs.

He pulls away with the new position, and Michael whines, pressing his hands down on the bare strip of skin at Alex's back where his shirt has risen up, and chasing after his lips.

Alex just pushes Michael back slightly, hands on Michael's shoulders.

He leans away and grabs something, which Michael just barely notices that it's the camera. 

He does something to the camera, and it makes a low beeping sound, before he sets it down on the counter, facing them.

The flash goes off taking a picture when Alex kisses him again, hands pressed to either side of Michael's face.

Michael barely notices as Alex drags his hands into his hair and licks into his mouth, and he doesn't notice the camera going off two more times until it clicks on empty signaling that the film is done.

four.

Alex pretends to be asleep when Michael moves again. He knows that Michael probably doesn't buy it, but he doesn't say anything as he slips out of the bed, crawling over Alex to get out and makes his way towards the corner where the bathroom is separated from the rest of the trailer with a thick plastic curtain.

Alex waits until the water starts running before he sits up, letting the thin sheet fall off his body.

He feels slightly restless, like he needs to leave, but he stuffs the feeling down, because he really doesn't want to leave.

It's been years since the last time that he saw Michael, and he doesn't want to cut their time short because of his anxiety.

The one thing that Alex has been afraid of since he joined the Air Force was that he'd be too different, too changed to be the same person that Michael had fallen in love with all those years ago.

And while he's definitely gone through changes, in more ways than just physically, being with Michael still feels like it did the first time.

He hopes that he can hold on to the feeling. Especially with the fact that ever since he’d come back, his father has been paying more attention to him than usual.

He looks around the airstream, desperate for a distraction from his increasingly negative thoughts, and smiles when he spots the Polaroid camera, before frowning when he realizes that the pictures aren't hanging up anymore.

He doesn't have to get off the bed to reach the camera, which is a good thing since he's not sure he'd be able to make it off the bed without his crutch which is by the door.

The camera is a little dusty, which makes Alex frown even more, but he dusts it off and checks to make sure that there is film.

He sets the camera down on his lap at the same moment that he hears the water shut off.

He turns towards the sound, and spots Michael coming out of the shower, using his one towel to rub his hair dry, dripping water from everywhere else.

Alex tracks several water droplets down Michael's chest and lower and lower, until he hears a snort, and his eyes jump up to Michael's face to see him smirking.

Alex doesn't roll his eyes since he obviously got caught ogling, but he can feel the heat rising in his cheeks, which is what makes him lift the camera in the air. Anything to avoid talking about his embarrassment.

"What happened to all of the pictures? You got tired of having them up?"

"Um, no," Michael says as he walks forward, wrapping the towel around his hips. "There was a really bad storm a couple of years ago, and they were damaged in the aftermath."

He walks over to where he keeps his clothes, starting to get dressed, and Alex looks back down at the camera in his lap.

He feels something bittersweet in the pit of his stomach at the thought that Michael doesn't have those pictures anymore.

He lifts the camera up and takes a picture of Michael who had been in the process of putting his shirt on after slipping up a pair of boxers.

Michael gives him an incredulous look, and Alex bites down on his smile, pulling the picture out of the camera.

"Come here," Alex says, throwing the picture aside on the counter, and patting the space beside him.

Michael smooths his shirt over his stomach and looks at Alex a little suspiciously, but he still makes his way over to the small bed, dropping down to sit beside Alex.

Alex goes along with the motion, and leans into Michael's side, lifting the camera up to take a selfie.

He presses his face to Michael's and smiles before he says, "Say cheese."

Michael doesn't say anything, but Alex takes the picture anyway, pressing the button and blinking his eyes a little afterwards when the flash makes him see spots for a second.

He pulls the picture out of the camera and smiles as it develops, seeing that while Michael isn't smiling as big as Alex is, there is still a curl there on the edges of his mouth.

He turns to Michael and grins, "There. We can just start the collection all over again."

Michael stares at him for a long moment, and Alex thinks that maybe he made a mistake, that maybe Michael doesn't want to start all over again.

And then before Alex can spiral too far, Michael surges forward, dragging his fingers into Alex's hair and pulling him into a kiss.

Alex gasps and lets the camera and picture fall as he pushes into the kiss and wraps his arms around Michael's shoulders.

Michael licks into his mouth and kisses him deep and wet and all consuming, and then he pulls back, lips parted like he’s about to speak.

Alex pulls himself closer, shaking his head and kisses him again which makes Michael laugh as he drags his hands down to Alex's shoulders and pushes him backwards.

"Wait," he says, voice amused. "I just want to say something."

Alex stops pouting and slides his hands down Michael's shoulders and back up to cup around his neck, "It can't wait?"

Alex leans a little bit forward, eyes on Michael's mouth, and Michael just freezes for a moment before he shakes his head, "It can, but-"

"Then tell me later," Alex whispers, pressing a kiss to Michael's mouth.

"But I-"

Alex kisses him again, and again when Michael tries to say something else, and then he just stops trying to speak and kisses Alex back.

As Michael kisses him softly, with hands pressed against his face, Alex hopes once again that he’ll get to keep this.

five.

Michael is taking pictures from every angle of the car to show its owner how it looked before he fixed it, when he pulls out the latest picture from the camera and sees Alex in the background.

He looks up, and Alex is still standing in the same spot, looking like he doesn't want to interrupt him, but once Michael looks at him he starts walking closer.

"Hey," he says, holding out the folder in his hands towards Michael. "This is the information you asked me for, about the suspicious disappearances that Project Shepherd covered up?"

"Yeah," he says, setting the camera aside, and walking towards Alex, one hand extended. "Thanks."

Alex smiles as he surrenders the file, and sticks his hands into the pockets of his jacket. "Anytime."

Michael smiles back, and slaps the folder against his free hand. They stand staring at each other for a couple of awkward seconds before Alex laughs a little self-conscious, as though he can’t help it.

“Sorry,” he says, swaying back and forth, eyes darting everywhere else as though he’s looking for something to talk about.

Michael just shakes his head, and signals towards the airstream with the folder in his hand.

"Do you want to stay for lunch? I'm going to be making some tacos for me and Sanders. You're more than welcome to stay."

Alex looks a little perplexed at the offer, pulling his lower lip into his mouth as his eyes drop to Michael's mouth briefly before looking up again, managing to somehow look guilty, "Sorry, but I can't. I promised Maria to help her with something today."

At the mention of Maria, Michael suddenly realizes just how close he and Alex are standing to each other, and he takes a step back, clearing his throat.

"Right," he says, not knowing what else to say.

Alex nods his head and takes his hands out of the pocket of his jacket, looking everywhere but at Michael. "Yeah, but maybe some other time?"

He asks as though he's not sure if he'd be welcome, which Michael finds to be a fair question considering the last couple of weeks.

"Anytime," he says with the same intonation that Alex did when he'd said the word earlier.

Alex smiles as he does and his eyes finally find Michael's again, before he lifts his hand and waves.

"See you around, Guerin."

Michael nods his head in acknowledgement, and Alex turns and heads back towards his car.

Michael watches him as he goes, keeping his eyes on him as he gets in the car and then drives away, until he can't see his car anymore.

Only then does he breathe out and shake his head, smiling to himself as he turns back towards the Airstream, grabbing the camera on his way.

Might as well get started with lunch.

six.

Alex finds Michael sitting on the fence right along the edge of Foster's Ranch, almost missing him in the darkness, if it wasn't for the reflective lights at the back of the truck.

He parks his car right in front of the truck, and tries not to second guess himself as he turns the car off and gets out, patting his left pocket to make sure that the necklace he'd found with his uncle's things a couple of days ago was still inside.

He'd planned to give it to Michael after his performance at the Pony, but Michael had disappeared not long before Alex had even finished singing.

He tried not to let the obvious rejection affect him too much, after all, it wasn't as though Michael hadn't spent the last couple of months in a committed relationship with someone else.

He was leaving in the morning, taking the bus out of town since a solo road trip would be more of a pain than he could bear, and he'd wanted to let Michael know instead of letting him find out from someone else.

He hadn't been expecting to find Michael here, but maybe this was better than going to the junkyard and risking an interruption.

Michael doesn't move, almost like he hadn't heard Alex drive and park up next to him, which is slightly concerning, but Alex doesn't do anything to announce his presence, content to lean back against the truck to watch Michael.

He was sitting almost artfully on top of the fence, in a way that had to be getting uncomfortable, looking up at the stars, almost looking as though he were starring in a moody break up song.

Alex is pulling his phone out of his pocket without a second thought, and pulling up the camera feature.

He takes the picture and the flash lights up the space around them, bright and obvious.

Alex doesn't pay attention as Michael startles in response and the sound of him jumping down to the ground is heard. Instead he goes to the gallery to look at the picture, smiling as he saves it to his folder of photos he wants to print out eventually.

He looks up as he feels Michael walking closer, and there's something about him that seems soft as he stands in front of Alex in the darkness.

"Alex," Michael says, surprised and a little out of breath. "What are you doing here?"

Alex pushes away from the truck and motions towards his car.

"I was just passing by and saw the truck, thought I'd stop to make sure that you're okay."

"I'm fine," Michael says immediately. "Just waiting."

He bites down on his lip as though he hadn't meant to say that, but Alex still prods at him.

"Waiting for what?"

Michael stares at him for a long moment, before looking away without saying anything, eyes back on the sky.

He doesn't speak, and Alex doesn't really expect him to say anything.

He just lifts his phone again, and goes back to the camera and takes another picture of Michael.

Michael looks exasperated as he lowers his phone and Alex just smiles as he adds the picture to the folder as well.

"You done?" Michael asks, and Alex gives him a look before lifting the phone once again.

Michael reaches for the phone and Alex steps out of reach, laughing as he stuffs his phone into his pocket and leaning back against the truck, looking up to the stars as well. 

The silence that falls between them isn't uncomfortable, so Alex just stays quiet, enjoying the company while he still can.

"Growing up in foster care meant that there weren't a lot of opportunities to have my picture taken," Michael says suddenly, breaking the silence. "Until you, no one ever really took my photo, unless it was for school."

The necklace in his pocket suddenly felt heavy. He sits up and puts his hand in his left pocket, wrapping his fingers around the locket. But he doesn't take it out of his pocket, turning back to Michael, who is looking down at his hand with a thoughtful look on his face.

"I'd always hoped that my family would find me some day, and that they'd have albums full of pictures, like the type those happy families have on TV. But that was always a hopeless dream."

Alex breathes in carefully, swallowing hard as he pulls his hand out of his pocket.

"I know there's nothing I can do or say that will make it better or bring her back, but I know that if she could, she'd have dozens of pictures of you spread all over her spaceship."

Michael gives a half smile, but doesn't look at Alex, until Alex turns to face him, sliding a bit closer to him.

"I found something," he says when Michael's eyes find his as he turns to face Alex. "It probably fell out of my uncle's pocket or something, but I think it was your mother's."

He holds his hand out, the locket and chain growing warm in the palm of his closed fist. Michael holds his own hand out, and Alex opens his hand, letting the necklace fall from his hand to Michael's.

Michael inhales sharply as the necklace falls into his hand, and he lifts it to his face, turning a little towards the light so that he can see it properly.

Alex waits patiently while Michael studies the necklace and finds the latch to the locket. He opens it, and Alex holds his breath as Michael breathes out suddenly, like the air was punched out of his lungs.

Alex doesn't have to look to know what he's seeing. On one side of the locket there was a picture of Michael's mother, smiling brightly at whoever is taking her picture, eyes bright and happy, looking so much like Michael that Alex had felt his heart ache when he'd first seen the picture, but not as much as it did when he saw the second picture in the locket. It was of Michael, looking to be at least five years old, smiling at the camera with his two front teeth missing.

After a long moment, Michael closes the locket and wraps his fist around the pendant, swallowing hard as he turns back to Alex.

"Thank you," he says in a choked voice.

Alex just nods his head, smiling slightly.

Michael puts the necklace on, and slips it beneath his shirt, pressing his fingers against the locket over his shirt.

Michael stares at him for a moment, and then he inhales, like he's about to say something else, so Alex speaks up again, interrupting him.

"I'm leaving," he blurts out, feeling a pang in his chest as Michael freezes.

"I'm not sure when I'm going to be coming back," he continues. "But I will be coming back."

Michael exhales a sound more like a scoff than a sigh, and shakes his head.

"Maybe I won't be waiting for you this time."

Alex takes a step closer to Michael, shaking his head, but stops when Michael takes a matching step backwards.

"I'm not asking you to," Alex says, because while he still cares about Michael a lot, he's recently become resigned to the fact that things between them will never be any more than this. "I just wanted you to know."

Michael just shakes his head, and starts to walk away. 

Alex follows after him, but Michael turns around suddenly, making him take a step back to press into the truck.

"Why are you even here?" Michael demands. "Shouldn't you be spending this time with your boyfriend."

Alex doesn't answer the jab since Michael has no leg to stand on when it comes to dating other people, and just shakes his head. "I don't know. For some stupid reason, I wanted to spend my last night in Roswell with you. My mistake."

He turns to leave, walking towards his car. He should've expected this conversation to be a mistake. He should've just mailed the necklace to him and let him figure it out on his own that Alex wasn't in town anymore.

He should've just-

"Alex, wait," Michael says, stopping Alex from getting any further, making his thoughts go silent as Michael pulls him around to face him with a hand on his shoulder.

Alex turns to look at him, and Michael opens and closes his mouth several times before he shakes his head and pulls him closer, wrapping his arms around Alex's shoulders and collapsing against him, pressing his head against the side of Alex's.

Alex breathes in shakily, and wraps his arms around Michael's waist, pressing his hands against his back.

"I'm sorry," Michael whispers. "I'm glad that you're here. I'm glad that you're gonna come back. I-"

He stops speaking and presses his mouth to Alex's shoulder, lips moving soundlessly, saying something quiet enough that Alex can't hear what he's saying. But he thinks he can get the gist of it.

He pushes his head against Michael's harder, wrapping his arms around him tighter, and closes his eyes, breathing out, wishing that he could keep this, but knowing that it was impossible.

plus one.

They haven't been on the road long when Michael sees the flash of the camera out of the corner of his eye and hears the whir as it spits out the polaroid.

"Already?" Michael asks, but he can't help the smile that spreads across his face.

"Gotta keep a well documented honeymoon," Alex says as seriously as he can.

Michael's eyes dart over to Alex, who grins happily at him before he pulls the picture out of the camera and opens the album that Isobel had given them after the wedding.

Michael looks back to the road, and then back to Alex who is tucking the picture into one of the open spaces towards the back of the album.

He notices him looking at one of the pictures with a small, soft smile on his face. Michael tempts fate for one second and leans a little bit further to see that the picture he's looking at is the one that was taken of their kiss after they said their vows.

Michael doesn't really think about it as he straightens up and turns the wheel sharply, pulling the car over on the side of the road and switching the gears to park before he unbuckles his seatbelt and turns to Alex.

Alex looks at him startled, mouth open like he's about to ask Michael what's wrong, but before he can say anything, Michael is sliding across the seat and into Alex's space, putting his hands on Alex's face and pulling him into a kiss.

Alex falls into the kiss like he's one hundred percent sure that Michael will catch him, leaning into him and wrapping his hands around Michael's wrists.

He squeezes his fingers around Michael's wrists, as though he's telling him to keep his hands there, and then slides his fingers up Michael's arms and around his neck, sliding his fingers into Michael's hair and slipping his tongue into Michael's mouth when Michael gasps.

Michael tightens his fingers against Alex's jaw, pulls him in even closer, stretching his seat belt as far as it can go as Alex kisses him deep and wet, like he's trying to map the inside of Michael's mouth with his tongue.

It's the type of kiss that used to taste of desperation, but now all Michael can feel is anticipation, for the moment when he and Alex are somewhere private where no one will bother them.

He surrenders to the kiss, rubbing his fingers along Alex's nape as Alex drags his fingers through Michael's hair almost restlessly and bites down on his bottom lip.

Michael pulls away with a gasp only when he begins to feel dizzy, but Alex just keeps kissing him, dragging his lips down Michael's chin and down his neck.

Michael swallows hard trying to speak.

"Maybe-maybe we should-" Michael's words are cut off with a groan when Alex bites down on the skin of his throat and sucks.

Michael digs his fingers into the back of Alex's head and pulls him in close, before pulling away, sliding backwards a little and out of reach.

Alex makes a mulish face as the seat belt stops him from sliding closer.

Michael takes a couple of deep breaths and rubs a hand through his hair.

"Mr. Guerin,” he starts and stops at the way that Alex’s eyes go dark as he speaks. “Don’t you think that maybe we should wait to continue this until we get to the hotel?" 

It comes out sounding more like a question than a statement.

"Maybe," Alex says, voice sounding rough as he nods his head, and then there is the sound of the seat belt unclicking, a noise that gets Michael's heart racing.

"Or maybe," he continues, sliding closer, and putting one hand high up on Michael's thigh. "We can just take the edge off right here, right now, Mr. Guerin."

He slips his hand up higher on Michael's thigh and Michael inhales sharply trying to weigh out the pros and cons, and then Alex bites on his lower lip.

Michael lunges across the small space between them and wraps his hands around the back of Alex's head and pulls him back to his mouth.

Alex laughs as Michael tries to kiss him, and it's the sweetest sound that Michael has ever heard, and he gets to keep it for the rest of his life.

[10pm-cafe-lattes]

star rail theory! robin?

spoilers for penacony 2.0! since 2.1 is on the way i kinda figured i'd share my thoughts on a theory floating around

the original theory is that robin is actually firefly. so there's two versions of firefly- the one working with sam (whole other theory on its own which is i THINK all but confirmed), and the one we meet. evidence:

robin's song playing at firefly's hideout

robin's injury being at the same place firefly was stabbed

complimentary colour schemes

robin's voice being 'off' and firefly's entropy loss syndrome

robin's caged-bird imagery and firefly's lines about how the dreamscape lets you be whoever you want to be

firefly apologising just before she's stabbed when she has no real reason to at this point in the story

the specific inclusion of being able to change your form in the dreamscape

timelines.

firefly introducing herself as an artist from the iris family when we first meet her & her being highly comfortable/familiar with penacony despite saying she's a stowaway

nothing in firefly's voicelines really directly contradicts that idea??

i think this would actually kinda make sense, i'm here for it- something about the 2.2 marketing seems a little weird to me, since we have an entirely new character in boothill and someone who only has implied relevance to the plot so far in robin. i'd have expected sam/firefly to be honest (which i think most people did), but robin? who we saw in real life with a wound that had dream bubbles surrounding it?

robin's imagery surrounding light and stars would also match well to firefly's hideout- and i think it would fit what we know of robin as a perfectionist so far, especially if the theory is true and robin has entropy loss syndrome; it could explain why she moved back to penacony, as well as why her voice isn't at 100%.

thematically penacony's also pushing deception and appearance//reality really hard, as well as possibly surveillance, so...

what other theories does everyone have :O or any ideas in general about penacony and star rail?

[normally-o-a-k]

Hey look a fanfiction

Scam/Jodie

Friends to lovers, multi chapter, no beta we die like Glenn, idk what to tag this I’ve never written fic before lmao, spoilers kinda? I’m gonna genuinely miss writing this.

Rating: Teen

Chap 8/8 (this is it folks)

Previous chapter:

After the first month of earnest whispered ‘I love you’s from Scam, it became an obvious game.

Another month full of portals opening at various points in the week. Scam leaning casually over the edge of them to smile and wink and tell him he loves him, all perfectly timed to continually burn up whatever Jodie had been holding at the moment.

Jodie hadn’t been counting everything he’d lost to this game, but he was relieved that the times it had be reports, he’d always been heading to the shredder anyway. In its own way Scam’s game had been working, the intensity of the flames had lessened recently but it was still a fairly large inconvenience.

So when Scam opens a portal next to him while he’s brushing his teeth, leaning on it like it’s a windowsill, he’s no longer surprised.

“Hello again handsome~! Did you miss me? You know I’ve missed you ~<3” Scam rests his hand on his cheek. “We fought some guys yesterday and one of them had a ruby that was the same color as your eyes, and I couldn’t help but think of you~”

Jodie smiles, rinsing his mouth and putting the toothbrush which he was sure Scam was hoping to watch him melt, down on the sink. “Of course I missed you…”

“How much~?” Scam smiles “I need to know~ it’s very much a competition”

He laughs softly “hm, enough to want to pull you through that portal and smother you with kisses”

“What a delicious way to die! I think I’m ready! I’m a willing sacrifice if that’s my method of expiry~!” Scam laughs, rolling over so he can play dead, dramatically hanging half out of the portal. He opens one eye to see if Jodie has picked up his toothbrush again.

Jodie laughs and picks it up. “Go ahead”

“Oooh? You’re giving me permission~?” He turns back over and grins

“Does that take the fun out of it?” He laughs “Sorry, I’m just glad I get to see you so often…and I like hearing you say it…”

“I love you~”

Jodie blushes but notably does not catch on fire, which surprises even him.

“Finally~!” Scam grins and climbs out of the inky black void of the portal to pull him into a kiss. Jodie leans in, tossing his toothbrush back behind him towards the sink so both his his hands are free to try and pull Scam closer, stumbling forward until Scam’s back hits the wall.

Scam breaks the kiss grin stretching ear to ear. He peppers his face with kisses, punctuating each one with an ‘I love you’, thrilled that he could without getting burned.

Jodie smiles and pulls him closer, resting his head against Scams chest, confident in how he’d been feeling he decides it’s time to finally say it… “Scam… I love you too”

Scam freezes, all three eyes widening, his tail flicking back and forth. “Jodie~” his face completely magenta from how hard he was blushing. “How off the table is spending the night?~”

“I’m still not ready for anything like-“

“Just sleeping~ I mean the just sleeping sort of spending the night~” he could wait as long as Jodie needed for anything else.

“That sounds nice…” he nods and pulls back from the embrace to lead him out of the bathroom and into his bedroom.

“You’ve never let me in your bedroom before~” Scam grins “Maybe I’ll ask to stay every night~”

“You’re saying that like I would tell you no…” he climbs into bed already in a tshirt and flannel pj pants. He was starting to feel a little nervous.

“I suppose I need to actually wear Pajamas from now on then~” With a snap of his fingers he was dressed in a silk pajama set. He lifts the blanket and climbs under the covers, His four arms wrap around Jodie’s waist, pulling him close.

Scam was in no way ready for how intensely the bed would smell like Jodie, now completely surrounded by the smell of cinnamon and leather. He hadn’t prepared himself for how warm it would be with Jodie nestled against his neck, His fingers tracing circles on Scam’s back as he starts to relax. It was comforting and he knew he wasn’t going to want to leave in the morning.

“Glenn and Nicky are coming home tomorrow… They’ll be here for breakfast” Jodie yawns.

“Oh.” He’d have to be gone then, fairly early too since Jodie was a morning person…He gently runs his fingers through Jodie’s hair. “Don’t worry~ I’ll leave before they get here~ Nicky won’t-“

“Scam I want you to join us… I think It’s probably time to tell Nicky that we’re seeing eachother”

“You’re sure?~”

“Yes…he’s probably got a pretty good idea something’s up anyway. “ he smiles and leans up to kiss his cheek. “Goodnight Scam… I love you”

“I love you too~”

———

Of all the people to show up for the Close-Foster family meals, Nicky had not expected Scam. He eyes him suspiciously through the doorway but doesn’t yet say anything about it. “Is mom coming?”

“Not today, she’ll be here tomorrow though, she misses you too” Jodie pulls him in for a hug. Morgan wasn’t an uncommon guest in hell, they’d remained friends after the separation and if Jodie was right there was interest growing between her and Glenn so she was going to be in his life for the long haul.

Glenn raises an eyebrow when he sees Scam standing as awkwardly as he feels by the breakfast table in the next room. He walks over and pats him hard on the back “I was wondering where you got off to last night”

“Don’t expect me to sleep at camp ever again~ Jodie is just so deliciously comfortable, I’m intent on breaking him out of his habit of being an early riser~” he smirks.

“…gross. Look, if you two are getting more serious about each other that’s great, but I know you like to say stuff that’s not exactly kid friendly…just remember Jodie is Nicky’s dad so when you say weird shit it’s going to effect him”

“oh no worries Glenn~ I wouldn’t dream of upsetting my future step son~”

“Oh I really really don’t like that. Scam, listen, Nicky’s approval is a big deal, don’t fuck this up.” He pats him on the back again “if you do, you can just toss any future you’ve got in you head out the window. The kid matters more than you, comprende?”

He actually hadn’t considered how important this breakfast could be before right now. “Even if he loves me~?”

“It won’t matter if Nicky wants you gone”

He stands up a bit straighter. “Well I certainly don’t want that~ I suppose I should actually say hello now~” he steps away from where Glenn cornered him, walking as casually as he can up to Jodie and Nicky. “Good morning Nicky~ I hope you slept well? Yesterday sure was fun wasn’t it~?”

Nicky makes a face “we had to kill like three guys yesterday… so I mean … yeah I guess?” He looks to Jodie “Dad… why is he here?”

Jodie pats Nicky’s shoulder “let’s all go eat and we can talk about it?”

Nicky, having not gotten the answer he wanted, looks at Glenn. He finger tuts ‘what’s going on?’

Jodie catches the movement out of the corner of his eye and glares at Glenn mouthing ‘don’t you dare’

Glenn looks between the two “He’ll tell you, just wait…”

Nicky grumbles but heads to the table regardless, sitting in his usual spot.

Jodie relaxes, waiting for everyone to sit down infront of their pancakes. “So, how was your week?”

Glenn just shrugs and starts digging in “still net zero info.”

Nicky doesn’t touch his pancakes yet. “My week was fine.” It was a terse response. He didn’t like that Jodie was hiding something from him.

Scam was nervous now, how do you impress children? Surely if he hadn’t made a positive impression with all his jokes and japes over the last year or so, there wasn’t going to be much more he could do? He absolutely has to get Nicky’s approval…Sweets maybe? He reaches over, hand outstretched, various types of unwrapped candy oozing from his palm and dropping onto Nicky’s pancakes.

Nicky tries not to gag and pushes his plate away, looking at Jodie with urgency. “DAD.”

Glenn cracks up “holy shit”

Scam hesitates and then slides his uneaten plate of pancakes towards Nicky. “Apologies~ I just thought you’d like sweets~ don’t all children wish they could have candy for breakfast?”

Jodie just buries his face in his hands “Scam what are you doing?”

“Was that the wrong move?~” Scam takes the plate covered in candy and unhinges his jaw, pouring the contents of the dish into his mouth. “There, it’s gone~!”

Nicky frowns. “Dad. Why is Scam here?”

Jodie sighs “yeah okay…I was kind of hoping this would go a bit smoother…”

Scam fidgets with a fork, he’d fucked up. It’d been only a few minutes into the breakfast and he’d blown it.

“You know how your Mom and I haven’t been together for a while? Well… Scam and I really like each other and-“

“What?!” Nicky wasn’t sure what exactly he was feeling besides pure unadulterated shock.

“We love each other” Jodie looks as nervous as Scam is. “So he’s going to be around a lot…”

He wanted his dad to be happy but… this was the weirdest possible choice. “Am…I going to have to call him ‘dad’?”

“No, of course not…” Jodie relaxes and reaches out for Scam’s hand, still looking at Nicky “Are you… okay with it?”

“I mean he’s really weird Dad…but yeah…just… how long have you guys… been dating?”

Scam grins “The week after next is our three month anniversary~! I’ve never been so excited about the passing of time~<3”

Jodie blushes “you’ve been keeping track?”

“Of course I have~ Every minute I get to spend as your lover means so much to me~ ” he leans on the table, resting his chin on his hands, his grin widening, absolutely smitten with Jodie.

“Oh god, please don’t call my dad your ‘lover’… just say boyfriend….” The reality of it was starting to hit Nicky. Scam was part of his dads life, potentially forever judging by how sweetly they were staring at each other.

Glenn pats Nicky on the back “they’re kinda grossly sweet together huh? You should be happy for your dad”

“Yeah I am…but…. If Scam hurts him I’ll kill him myself”

Glenn laughs “you’re a good kid.”

Jodie smiles and holds Scams hand across the table. Nicky being on board meant they were free to be open about how they felt for each other now.

Scam was relieved, He’d been accepted, albeit begrudgingly, but still accepted none the less. This meant he was part of the family now didn’t it? How wonderful! His grin widens and with a lilt of curiosity asks “How long until we consider Marriage?~”

Jodie instantly ignites.

[frekkicreative]

Once upon a time I complained to a friend/player in my D&D game about how burnt out I was feeling over hosting. So they offered to host. Great! Except to them hosting simply meant a place to have people over. They still expected me to handle all of the planning, scheduling, organizing, game, food, etc. Literally all they offered was a space and got offended when I declined, because hosting a D&D game is more than just the space. That was the one thing I didn't need help with. Moving all the books, mats, minis, etc needed for the game would have been even more of a burden to put on me. Not to mention that I would have added 20-30 minutes to the already hour long drive half the table was committing to.

This person then had the fucking audacity to tell me it was my own fault I was feeling burnt out. I finally told them if they wanted to host, they could host. But they didn't. Because I didn't make the effort to make it happen, and they sure as hell didn't try.

Needless to say, one of us is still playing D&D with friends and the other is stuck on the opposite side of a burnt up bridge.

[sparrowsworkshop]

"Tailgated" by OneWingedSparrow

Fic Summary: A mid-TFP exploration of Arcee's thoughts towards Tailgate, who died long ago, and her current status. Though the light of a spark may have long been extinguished, the embers of memory never truly turn cold.

Main Tags: Arcee & Tailgate, Arcee & Optimus Prime, Major Character Death, Grief, Loss, Rhyming Poetry Read on AO3 Reblogs are appreciated! ~

Tailgated

Headlights on my six, so much higher than the road; With might to stun the stars, they beam far beyond my own Long as I'm in this lane, I know that I cannot escape you... No way I can evade the grill that's filling up my rearview Those humans have a word that's strangely like your name I froze first time I heard; it hurts, you know…

Tailgate:

It means to tag along, you see, and far too near for comfort— A ghost drifting the track with ease, no hurt, no fear, an expert Shaving off the seconds, tearing up the competition Braving all the wreckage of a fateful Premonition... I lose my breath, afraid...to rush would be to fail; I cannot let your presence push me over the guardrail... To speed will be unwise; no sense in feeding stressing pressure To brake is a mistake; an aching, high-stakes fender bender To slow would be ideal… But I am so weary of dealing... Oh, how healing is disguised as a pain most unappealing. All I can do is what He said: Keep my optics on the road, And let the highway guide me till the moonlight leads me home. I know I'll see you soon...and catch the ghost that passed me by... For now, my lap’s still on; I’m still far from that finish line. He told me something once that transformed the way I drive... The longer we remain alert, The longer we Remain alive.

~

[allmoshnobrain]

Hot bitches be like: omgg i love heartbreaker so much i'm so excited for the next episode! I wonder if Nore will choose James or Dave??

But also hot bitches be like: What will Nore do when Cliff dies?

thank you so much love, i'm glad you're excited 💖 i don't want to spoil anything but all these questions will be answered eventually, pinky promise!

[unwelcomeoutside]

Silly little thing I want to say about Magic Asks

AKA, asks where the characters are changed for a few asks or so. I want to define big M!Asks and small M!Asks, so if your magic ask is pushed back a bit, you'd know why! Small asks are things that change one or two characters. These will stay for a small number of asks, and it's something fun for y'all. Example, Wally's eyes have been Neon pink for a while. Which was hilarious to me. Big asks are things that change more than a few characters, or even affect the whole neighborhood. These will be treated as silly little events. Example- Them all being humans for a little bit. Small asks can happen at any time, but big asks will have to wait a week after the last big ask ended. Just so we don't get the style changed too often and that new people coming in will hopefully understand that this is a puppet blog. Hope that makes sense! (Also wanted to add, if you ask has never been answered, it might've been deleted. Sorry in advance for anyone's ask whose been deleted. It's nothing on you, but if I don't want to do it or if it bothers me a tad too much, I'm afraid I won't always force myself too. And, for those of you who have been asking Frank and Eddie to kiss, be patient. >:))