#that eric had scouted the day before

[lies]

Sometimes when I’m birdwatching

[cultofdixon]

Ray of Fucking Sunshine

Negan Smith • She/Her Pronouns • Mess with the little pregnant lady, you mess with so much more • SFW/ANGST/NSFW - Implied Sex / Hickeys • TW: Pregnancy & Birth / Nausea & Vomiting / Over-Protectiveness / Injuries / Mentions of Canon Violence • Pre-Savior Arc

Requested by: Anon

“Wait. Run that back to me, darling?” Negan was confused with what his partner Y/N had just told him.

“It ain’t rocket science understanding that I’m pregnant, baby” Y/N frowns leaning against the counter to the room the two claimed when they found their new home. “This is gonna be one hell of a journey unless you want me to get rid of it. Though I can’t think of a healthy way of doing it. Think they’ve got any coat hangers still lying around?”

“Well aren’t you funny” Negan scoffs followed by a semi annoyed laugh toward her words. He lifted himself up from the bed bringing himself close to Y/N as she started to avoid his gaze. “Hey, don’t hide those gorgeous eyes from me” he gently lifts her chin so her eyes locked with his. “This is a good thing alright? I want to have this baby and if yea don’t…well, I think they’ve got them metal coat hangers around” he jokes making her laugh and bring back that smile of hers followed by his.

“We’re gonna be parents”

“Yeah we are” Negan smiles kissing her lovingly resting his hands on her hips bringing her close as she brought her arms around his neck even if he was much taller than her and had to be on her tippy toes.

When they parted, Negan couldn’t help but picture their future and that brought a sense of warmth to the man.

Their baby is the future of their new community; The Sanctuary

First Trimester

“So you’re replacing me”

“Hey, don’t put words in my mouth” Negan kept his cool when talking to his partner. “You’re pregnant. Can’t handle the heavy shit and it’ll be good to have another right hand. Plus Simon shows promise”

“Simon is a pain in the ass!”

“Alright yea only say that because the man got in your way for just a second”

“I HAD TO PEE DUMBASS. I WOULDVE FUCKING THROWN HIM IF I HAD THE STRENGTH TO” Y/N snapped noticing Negan taking it which led to tears forming in her eyes. “He better not replace me”

“Darling…no one can replace you” Negan reassures gently wiping away her tears taking note that he’ll have to get used to the mood changes.

A knock was heard before the door opened revealing the man they were talking about and Y/N immediately shifted her attention to him.

“I CANT HAVE A SECOND WITH MY PARTNER?! WHO THE FUCK LET YOU COME IN?!”

“I knocked first” Simon laughs which only enraged Y/N more as she approaches him about to say something when her face went pale. Causing his expression to fall. “Uh, you alri—-“ then the vomit instantly spilled from her mouth and onto his shoes. “Oh wow what the actual fuck”

Negan was about to check on her when she slowly stood straight wiping the puke off her mouth with the back of her hand. She suddenly flipped him off to back off before mumbling and walking out of the room leaving the two.

“The fuck just happen?”

“Morning sickness. That might happen more than yea think” Negan sat on the edge of the conference table crossing his arms. “So, about the community yea found while scouting? The Hilltop?”

The next couple days Negan stuck close in the Sanctuary when it came to Y/N and her morning sickness. She still tried to do a few things around the joint when her stomach didn’t want to hold everything. Simon has met the short end of the stick a few times when it came to her not reaching a bucket or the bathroom but he can’t say anything if he wants to get on Negan’s good side.

“Get the new group situated and for the new prisoner? Have Eric break him like he broke the last one. Need more Negans if yea get me”Negan tells Laura one of his trusted soldiers as she nods soon exiting the room letting both Simon and Y/N in. Simon came in with a mockup map made of the Hilltop community while Y/N came in for other reasons but she kept quiet so Negan can talk business first. “We are aiming at Oceanside in the next few days. Laura and David are joining me while I’m trusting you to scout out the Hilltop more to get an insight on. Take that Jared guy or at least another body. Take note on any weak points”

“You got it boss. This is the most recent mock up. Apparently, Y/N over here…snuck into the car I took and took pictures with the camera we’ve got”

“This bitch just had to be a snitch!” Y/N hissed as again, Negan stayed in their community to keep an eye on her but she of course snuck past him. “He was going to give you fucking blobs on a piece of paper! At least I—-“

“I ain’t mad darling. Next time just tell me or who knows who would have to die because of your disappearance” Negan trails his eyes onto Simon indicating he will meet his end if anything happened to his partner. “Anyway, you both did good work. Simon, if yea find their weaknesses…you’ll help with the lineup”

The man light up when he heard that while as for Y/N she only knew that brought blood shed and that didn’t sit well with her…in the physical sense. She quickly shoved Simon with an unexpected strength expelling from her causing him to fall over as they both knew why.

“I’m gonna go check on her. You better have a plan for your further scouting when I get back” Negan states heading out of the conference room to go through the entire sanctuary to reach the private rooms including his and Y/N’s.

It was all coming together if you asked the big man. Their prisoner system with psychological breaking was working, their walker yard was being perfected, their living quarters for more of the “civilian” saviors took up most of the first floor, and they’ve gotten a few things to help this place in a medical sense.

The more graphic horrors didn’t become more noticeable until later.

“Y/N?” Negan calls out pushing the door open to their living quarters finding his partner seated on the floor looking through a box. “You feelin’ better? One of the guys found a case of ginger ale that went untouched. Could get one of’em to….” He stopped rambling bringing himself to sit with her seeing the pictures she was going through that she found.

“Do you miss her?” The sadness in her tone spoke through catching Negan off guard. He doesn’t like the mood swings, or what triggers them.

“Why?” Nice.

“She was your wife…who died of cancer” Negan didn’t keep his past a secret from Y/N and Y/N only. “Now you have me and we’re about to have a baby. I just…makes me wonder if you wish you had this with her”

“Y/N. Look at me” Negan waited for her to do so before getting into it. “I’ll always love my wife and what we had. But that’s the past, and you’re my future”

Y/N wanted to say more but she couldn’t help the soft laugh that escaped her lips as she brought her hand to rest on his cheek.

“That was cheesy…but I loved it” She continues to smile warmly bringing her hand to rest on his cheek feeling the smallest scratch of his beard on her palm.

Negan remained beside her for the rest of the day and only sneaking off when nightfall came. He was quiet about it and surprised himself a tad when it came to not waking his partner. But that didn’t matter when he reached the loading docks to find the trucks ready along with Simon holding Lucille for him.

“Doesn’t she know what you do in the dark, Negan?”

“For the most part. But this? No she doesn’t” Negan brushed past Simon to get to his car. “And if you tell her anything, it’ll be your brain matter on the ground this time”

Second Trimester

“I’ll cut your fucking hand off” Y/N threatens the doctor that Simon brought from one of the communities when he tried to get a blood pressure cuff on her. “I don’t believe you when you say Negan called for you”

“When he said you were feisty. I didn’t believe him. Now I wish I was killed on that wretched day instead of who he did kill” The doc’s words didn’t get a reaction out of the woman which only surprised him slightly but given this was Negan’s partner, the surprise didn’t last. “I’m not an OBGYN. I am trained in a few things but for the most part I am not. But I do know that high blood pressure can cause complications or something even worse”

Of course scarring her was going to get her to cooperate. Even if everyone witnessed Y/N trip the doctor in the common area a couple hours later.

“Yea done with the big man’s wife or what?”

“Yes” The doc informed Simon while the confusion grew on his features. “Why do you want to know? Negan is usually the one to come and meet up with her”

“Yeah well he’s busy and I gotta ask her somethin’. Move” Simon stated pushing the doctor aside not letting him have a moment to process.

Y/N quickly brought her attention onto the man that barged in. Her immediate glare made Simon take a step back.

“You’re not here to escort me anywhere are you? Negan said it was fine for me to take a walk outside after my “appointment” like I fucking needed one”

“Boss man said you haven’t been sleepin’ and that’s mainly why you had to get checked. Plus the new ultrasound machine we got from one of our communities”

“Okay…you sound much calmer than usual when talking to me. Fucking spit it out” Y/N leaned against the exam table with her arms crossed becoming more impatient by the second even if he just got in there. It’s Simon, he annoys her just by breathing and by taking her duties as right hand.

“I need yea to distract him for the night so I can pay a visit to Gregory. Get him to put out more than we’ve been asking from the Hilltop”

“Thought Negan only wanted certain items on a monthly basis”

“Things are changing. I wanna prove to him I am much more useful as a right hand than just a messenger”

“What’s in it for me?” Y/N tilted her head curious as to what Simon is willing to do for her.

Then a few hours passed, Y/N tripped the doc in the common area on her way to her and Negan’s shared room. To her surprise he was already there waiting for her.

“Darling, how was the—-“

“Believe me when I say I’m fine next time. Don’t need that old man checking on me”

“It eases my anxiety, beautiful” Negan laughs rising from the chair to strut over to his woman bringing her into his embrace and kissing her lovingly.

But it only took a second for Y/N to bring more heat to the kiss that Negan instantly matched. He felt her tug at his shirt making him pull away to take his shirt off and before he could kiss her again, Y/N pressed her hand firmly on his chest.

“Lock the door pretty boy” Y/N smirks watching the excitement write itself on his face as he quickly went to the door while she got ready at her speed.

“Fucking love the hormones” Negan whispers to himself while locking the door.

After their fun, the two laid naked under the covers enjoying the quiet as Negan gently rubs his finger tips up and down her bicep while Y/N listens to his heartbeat lying on his chest.

“Baby?”

“Hm?”

“Simon and I were talking…”

“Damn. A full ass conversation with the man that annoys yea? Should I be worried?” Negan teases only for Y/N to side eye him.

“Don’t be funny. I’m trying to be serious here”

“Okay okay, you and Simon talked. About what?”

“What we could do to improve the Sanctuary a bit more than what we’ve already been doing and as much as I fucking hate it, Simon can take initiative” Y/N shifted a bit to get more comfortable on Negan as she brought her hand to rest on her belly. “I’ve been told I gotta take it easy. Even if I really want to check out our outposts”

“Mmm…I’ll hear Simon out, but if he don’t pitch it right—-“

“Thats on his bitchass. But it can work. Amongst other things. Like a goddamn garden would be nice” Y/N started to trail as her mind tended to do that more during the pregnancy, trail before inevitably blank. Which happened then before she remembered as she carefully sat up letting her man enjoy the naked view for a moment while she left the bed.

Negan sat up watching her go to her pile of clothes on the ground carefully crouching to grab her jeans. “Yea sure I can fully trust Simon with this?”

“Yeah. I’m sure. Trust me, baby…I would rather be your right hand and taking care of business. But things be changing. Especially with this” Y/N returned to the bed handing Negan a series of photos. The printing option in the ultrasound machine was old but it still got a few good pictures of their bean. “All that matters is that we’re safe for him”

“Him? Huh?!” Negan smiles wide before instantly wrapping his arms around his girl listening to her laugh as she tried to get comfortable. “We’re having a boy?! How can yea even tell on this damn thing?!”

His excitement eased her worries about her pregnancy as it all hit her realizing she’s about to have a baby in the apocalypse. Anything could happen.

Simon was called into the conference room the next day to discuss his plan with Negan and a few others to help his proceed with such. All while Y/N stood in an empty room close to the room she shared with Negan as she was given it to make into the nursery. It’s not Simon’s fault that Negan is busy…he’s been doing a lot for the Sanctuary. He has three communities to look after, he’s taken out the others. There’s the few outposts needing monitoring every now and then. Then of course the meet ups, the collection, and the prisoner system.

Leaving her alone to take care of getting it prepared. Amongst dealing with the mentality as the time gets closer…

Third Trimester

Simon quickly dodged the glass thrown at his head when he went to check on Y/N as a request from Negan who was currently busy.

“You’re a crazy bitch”

“And you’re a bald one. What do you want?”

“Negan asked—-“

“Nope. Get the fuck out” Y/N frowns looking away from the door knowing he’s most likely still there which led her to grabbing her canteen and tossing it in his direction. “If he asked why doesn’t—-

“I’m here! I’m here. Clearly sending Simon to yea wasn’t gonna work” Negan laughs patting Simon on the shoulder before giving him a glare for the man to leave immediately as his features relaxed turning back to his wife. “So, how are yea feeling?”

“How am I feeling? I’m stuck on bedrest and everything still hurts”

“You fell not that long ago. Makes sense that shit still hurts” Negan brought himself to her side of the bed sitting on the edge. “And you shouldn’t throw shit at Simon for checking on yea for me——“

“No! I’ll do what I want. Even if that means almost hurting the fucking moron helping the other moron for not checking on his damn wife himself.“ Y/N scoffs turning away from Negan as the later she was in the pregnancy the more prone to tears she was compared to the other way around.

“Yknow what, give me five” Negan got up leaving the room as Y/N grabbed another thing to throw at Simon if he comes in his place.

But right before Y/N could launch the book she grabbed, Negan was the one to come back with his hands up.

“Jesus Christ woman”

“Why’d you leave?!”

“To hand off my duties to fucking Simon. Just until everything is situated. Alright?” Situated meaning…til the baby is out and a few months.

It was a lot to give to Simon. Not that he minded, not that it was gonna matter.

“This room is small”

“What do you mean? It’s the biggest room in the facility?”

“Okay well I’m a huge ugly monster that takes up most the room. So if you don’t move, I will push you over”

“For the record, I think you’re beautiful” Negan smiles kissing Y/N’s cheek as she was trying to leave the room after being given the ok to walk. She smacked him in the chest in a more playful manner even with the intense force behind it. “You shouldn’t do anythin’ crazy. I’m not helicoptering around you for you to end up falling again”

“I fell without you around so whose fault is that?” Y/N suddenly stops in her tracks, blankly staring as Negan quickly moved over the bed bringing himself in front of her.

“What is it? What’s wrong? Is it the baby? Are you—-“

“Jesus” Y/N patted his cheek before continuing onto what she was doing. “Just forgot what else I was gonna say”

“Holy shit woman. You’re gonna be the death of me”

“Good!” She shouted already have left the bedroom that it just now registered to Negan that she did. He quickly—-not by much—caught up to Y/N as she continues down the hall to the next room.

“Where are yea taking me, darling?”

“To something we should’ve done together but I gave up that thought halfway through doing it. You found everything I just had to organize it” Y/N stated as she pushes open the door to the nursery moving out of her partner’s way to check the place out himself.

Negan stood there for a while, stuck in his own thought as Y/N gave him a concerned look when he hasn’t said anything.

“I uh. Missed out on too much didn’t I?” Negan questions, not being given an immediate answer as he brought himself to hold her face carefully in his hands. “I promise yea darling. I won’t miss anymore of this life we’re making”

“You better, Smith.” Y/N instantly jabbed his side making him laugh along with her as she grabs at his leather jacket pulling him down to her level kissing him. “Goddamnit” she gasped when parting from her partner as he gently lifted her chin to look at him but she instantly smacked his hand away. “Fuck me”

“Well not in here but—-“ Negan’s smirk instantly fell when Y/N pushed him back. “Okay. What’s happening??”

“I’m fucking popping” Y/N frowns as the discomfort grew on her face resulting in the panic to finally set in for her man.

“Holy SHIT. FUCK! IM GONNA BE A DAD” Negan screams pulling away to get into the hallway to yell at a Savior to get the doctor while Y/N smacks him on the back on her way past him, wobbling her way back to their room. “We should go to—-“

“I won’t make it to the fucking infirmary”

“Alright well let me carry yea—-“

“YOU TOUCH ME NOW AND I BITE YOUR FUCKING DICK OFF” Y/N snapped, obviously not wanting to be touched at the moment as she continued on her way with Negan following quickly.

This was going to be a long couple hours

Or so she thought

“You’re doing so great hun” Negan reassures brushing the hair sticking to her face from the sweat as her whole body fought against her with the contractions. Making everything hotter was one thing.

“Fuck off” Y/N groans throwing her head back against his chest as he rubs smoothly strokes up and down her arm even if she couldn’t focus on the feeling.

A fucking human was ripping her in half and that was all she focused on. Until—-

“I see the head” the doctor informed also meaning it was getting close but Y/N wasn’t having it.

“I can’t…Please I just can’t” Y/N sobbed in pain as her body shook from all the agony her body was enduring. “I can’t anymore”

“Darling…the pain will pass once our son is here. Just breathe and hold onto me” Negan reassures feeling her hands grip onto his hands on either side of her as she took a few deep breaths.

“I would be careful with the next push so you don’t tea—-“

“SHUT THE FUCK UP AND HELP GET THIS BABY OUT OF ME” Y/N hissed at the doc one last time as she felt a contraction come on leading her to finally push.

The pain will pass once our son is here

And it did.

Y/N never seen the man cry as much as he did right then and there while his son was gently placed in her arms. Oh he’s so perfect she thought as the sobs filled the room which was left to them once everything was okay again.

She didn’t want to let go of their baby boy even when Negan argued that she carried him for nine months. She held him close and protectively until the exhaustion finally got to her, leading her to finally let her son be held by his father.

“He’s so perfect” Y/N smiles tiredly resting her eyes as Negan gently kisses her forehead letting her sleep.

Negan was still feeling every overwhelmed feeling in his chest as the tears kept falling when he looked at his son.

“I won’t let anything happen to you…ever, Max”

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Irene Dunne (The Awful Truth, Theodora Goes Wild, My Favorite Wife)— The first time I saw her in Theodora Goes Wild she struck me dumb because who is that BEAUTIFUL woman being so funny and clever??? She was primarily known as a dramatic actress (and believe you me those are muscles she can FLEX, Penny Serenade hurts my feelings) but she’s also one of the funniest screwball leading ladies I’ve ever seen. Her films with Cary Grant are especially charming, but all her characters have this knowing quality in the heart of them that’s so intriguing, and her screwball girlies have this freedom to go after what (or who) they want that is delightfully subversive. I want to be her, I want to fuck her, I want to see every movie she’s ever done, she is a brilliant actress and she is my dream woman.

Devika Rani (Achhut Kanya)—She was grandniece of Rabindranath Tagore (laureate). She was sent to boarding school in England at age nine and grew up there. After completing her schooling, she joined the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and the Royal Academy of Music to study acting and music, at a time when aristocratic women did not enter showbiz. She studied filmmaking in Berlin. It is well known that she underwent training at the UFA Studios in the art and technique of acting under Eric Pommer, and other aspects of film production including costume and set designing and make-up, under eminent directors like GW Pabst, Fritz Lang, Emil Jannings and Josef von Sternberg. She is also reported to have worked with Marlene Dietrich. She had a multi-faceted personality and took on many responsibilities of film production at Bombay Talkies, a studio that she co-founded with Himanshu Rai in Mumbai in 1934. She often took care of hair and make up, supervised set design and editing, scouted for new talent and mentored them. She was the face of Bombay Talkies, and also the reason behind the political and financial backing the studio received, at a time when even women from red light districts refused to work as actresses. She was the first recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, when it was instituted in 1970.

This is round 2 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Irene Dunne:

irene excelled in screwball comedies, musicals, melodramas...she could do it all. she often played elegant society ladies and brought sparkling charisma and poise for days to anything she did, and sang like an angel (she pursued opera before going into moves), her rendition of jerome kern's "smoke gets in your eyes" in roberta moves me to tears every time.

A fantastic star of screwball comedies Irene Dunne is an undersung hot woman in my opinion. She rose to fame in her roles alongside the likes of Cary Grant, and was usually the funniest person in her movies. And the hottest.

She's snarky, and quick, prone to rolling her eyes, and eager to trip her counterparts up. In short, she was a devilish, charming, problem of a woman in many of her films, the pinnacle of hotness.

She’s so gorgeous and funny and her way of acting is so fresh and timeless! She’s the complete package of hotness to me with her talents, humor, and, of course, hot looks. I named my left tit after her to hopefully attract even a smidgen of her beauty and charm.

Devika Rani:

Achhut Kanya (1936) is the only one of hers I've seen but hot DAMN

[herzgeist-writes]

Hey I'd love to request a knight!Lawx princess!Female!Reader if you're comfortable writing that? Your work is so amazing 😍

And NSFW if you're ok with that too!

Pairing: Knight Law x Princess fem!reader | Word count: 8.5k | Warnings: violence/gore, angst, smut in the end - praise kinkish

Synopsis: As princess of the Red line kingdoms, life is peaceful. So you thought. Neighboring empires are in desperation, threatend to be overtaken by an infamous family - the Donquixote. After the king of Flevance passed, the successor, Trafalgar Law, asks the ruler of the gate keep kingdoms for support, your father. There is no way you can trust this man, can you?

A/N: MEDIEVAL AU! - I'm glad you like my works! I must apologize for the long wait, I got too invested in this. (I was close in making a multi chapter out of this one) Hope you like my little epiphany I had here, dear Wolfe! Big thanks for the request

(Before I forget, I'm german and I was CRAVING to write Law with snippets of his apparent native tongue - because medieval screams germanic)

Dividers by cafekitsune ~

The ambience is omnious . .

Each step taken reverberates through the imperial walls of the castle, your home. The air is filled with the scent of candles, oak wood and old leather bound books, herbs and lavish silken fabrics. Ornamented in bronze and golden flowering, pillars reach up high, standing tall in the castle's halls. Every now and then, the sunlight gets caught in the shimmering metal, reflecting directly towards you, blinding and restricting your vision to the slightest.

Down the corridor, leading to the throne hall, you hear a man announcing the arrival of a person unbeknownst to you. "My king, Lord Trafalgar, the knight of heart seeks your presence!", the voice raspy and old, calls out to your father, Eric VanDoth the third, ruler of the Red line empires, who gleefully receives the arriving: "Ah, Trafalgar old friend! I am glad to see your safe return. How are matters in the north?"

Leaning against the massive door, opened to free the way to the throne, you listen to the familiar tone, chills running down your spine - how you despise him. "Your highness, I am inconsolable, the north is at it's worst state - I wasn't able to fullfil your bidding, for that I must humbly apologize."

The north - a place as cold as it's former king, so you were told. It was supposed to be ruled by this very man, kneeling before your father, lowering his head in reverance. Trafalgar Law, rightful heir of the now shattered kingdom of Flevance. To this day, he is nothing more than a wandering knight, known for his cunning and controlled fighting strategies.

"Tis a shame indeed. Do not fret, I am fully aware of your homeland's situation, so please, quiet down your concerns. Were your followers successful to cognise the countries suffering?", the king straightens, lifting himself off the throne and approaches Law, him still remained on one knee.

Nodding his head, he confirms and raises from the ground, properly facing his highness. "My scouts managed to discern my land's circumstances. It is a matter of a forced overtake from my father's bloodline.", he explains, low and audibly torn.

"My Lady?", a feeble voice tears you out of focus, an indication for you to stop your eavesdropping immedatiely. In a quick spin you turn around and your gaze falls upon a young woman, it is your chamber maid, bowing courteously. "Apologies my Lady, I do not mean to pry, but isn't it unheard of listening to the unknowing people's conversations?" - "Valeria, you scared me. But yes, it isn't exactly a very profound manner. I'll see to my father and the knight this instant."

Before you make your way to the halls, you glance over your shoulder with a soft smile: "Oh please, would you be so kind and prepare my outdoor garments and parasol? It is a beautiful day outside." Your chamber maid bows once more, her head low in respect: "Of course, Princess." - "Thank you, Valeria."

Thus you tread nearer to the two men speaking of reports and strategies to win over the north - it is then where you take a closer look at Trafalgar, the wandering knight. His armor is made out of white cold steel, the flourish ornaments on his chestplate formed into a curling heart, beginning from his sternum. The cloak swaying from his shoulders is as pitch black as his hair, white spots spread over the dark fabric here and there.

Hanging on his back appears to be the cloak's hood, it's rim sewed with fur of a white animal to protect from the cold at northern plains. To your notice, now that Law's gauntlets are off, you see letters punctured into his knuckles - saying: DEATH.

It leaves you appalled, come to think this is a highly regarded knight and the king's ambassador. Not to mention his sinister glare, freezing your blood. His face enframed by raven sideburns and a chin beard, only enhancing those storm grey eyes to your horrification. And the skin, as expected from a northerner - as pale as snow.

It is only a matter of time, until your father might consider to grade this shadow of a man as Commander of his garrison. How terrific . . purely to your misery, you already know it is bound to happen.

"What about the barriers, are there enough- ah my dearest (Y/n), Lord Trafalgar and I were merely discussing the current state of afairs in the Flevance kingdom.", the king greets you with open arms, as soon as he comes to realise your approach. All the same goes for Law, his demeanor stiff and haughty, yet still respectful.

"So I heard. Lord Trafalgar?", you give a deft curtsy to the knight, who turns to you and bows in return, greeting with a low 'your grace'. Mid movement, Law lifts his head, his stare meeting your deep e/c eyes, eliciting a skip of your heart in response. Absurd, you detest this man, so much so your skin bares in gooseflesh. Something about him tells you - he has seen and done things. Not to your kingdom's benevolence.

Your father continues: "Be that as it may, you are welcome to stay, friend. And I dearly hope you to consider my offer."

Offer? Did you overhear that part of their conversation, while talking to Valeria. Keeping your composure, standing straight, though the corsette wouldn't allow otherwise, you supress the urge to shoot a glare towards your dear father.

"You shall hear my answer the coming day, your highness.", Law reassures, saluting to the king as gesture of declaration. So the king brings his servant over to lead the knight to his chamber. "Silas will show you the way. You are free to join us at tonight's dinner, I'll look foward to more detailed matters of plans."

The tall man follows the compared to him dwarvish seeming servant, waving his thanks. To the rhythm of his metallic sabatons, the chainmail clinks against his armor with each and every step, letting your neck hair stand on end. The black cloak on his back sways from left to right from his fast paced walk.

As he vanishes, this is where your utmost worries unfold: "Father, I don't trust this man! He is dreary and cold, there is that sinister feeling about him." - "My sweet, calm down. I am aware you aren't fond of him, but he is in need of our assistance. I cannot decline an old friend's legacy. Please have faith, (Y/n)."

Exhaling deeply, you losen up and place your palm onto your father's shoulder, accepting his decision. "I truly hope you are right . . I will see you tonight." - "Yes dear.", and with those words you go ready yourself for a stroll in the castle gardens.

-_

Roses, tulips, violets . .

. . all flowers pool over the royal backyard like an ocean of colours and shapes. In midst stands a enormous fountain, adorned with a sculpture of your country's symbol, the bronze dove.

The sun's radiance warms you from within.

Sitting on an stone bench, adjoining the gravel path leading back to the castle, you flip through the pages of an newly received novel, reading "Deceitful Silhouettes".

It's prologue roils up emotions inside you, the letters weaving you in and reaching for your now alarmed instincts regarding the knight of the north.

Speaking of the devil. In the distance, Law saunters through the garden, his gaze hovering over the red and violet sea of flowers. He is headed your direction. Nervous, you stick your nose deep into the pages, not keen on meeting the king's ambassador one on one.

Although the golden orb in the sky grants you the needed warmth, the freezing cold coming from this human being deflects it without effort, to say the least.

"Your grace, still spell bound by mere black on white as always I see.", it's too late, he calls out to you, defining your weakness for literature. Peeking over the bound papers, you scoff: "I see you didn't change from the last time we met, Lord Trafalgar."

Quick to retort your remark, the tall man huffs a short 'perhaps', pulling aside the cloak to seat beside you. The last sun rays cast upon his armor, making you whince subtly from the light's sting. "I believe things haven't changed between you and me, Princess." - "How troublesome, there I thougth there was hope for the both of us.", your sarcasm throws a shadow of contrast against Law's more serious statement.

The knight's eyes land on your book's label, deciphering the name and persuming it's content. A smirk grows over his lips and he comments nonchalantly: "If you are in attempt to school yourself in deceitful doings, I suggest you to undertake the trainings somewhere your victim cannot see what you are up to."

An eery aura looms over you, staring down the man on the neighboring seat. He lifts his hands in defense: "Oh, with all due respect, your highness." - "Save your courtesy for tonight's dinner, knight of heart."

How much you despise his sarcastic mannerism, not that you are any better, yet it won't get over your head, that it actually enlightens you, a rather exciting banter given the fact how eyes mirror the truth. Nonetheless, you decide to set aside the undesirable, he is not to be trusted.

About to make your way back to the castle, you close the book with a loud snap and open the parasol, leaned against the stone bench. "I hopefully won't see you tonight, my Lord." - "You might.", as you click your tongue, you turn on your heels and carefully tread the path.

However, you hear a mused voice chuckle behind you: "I am looking foward to further intriguing discussions with you, your grace."

The gravel underneath your feet cracks and pops by the impact of your soles, quickening your step, the sound grows louder.

This man . .

Law shakes his head in disbelief, internally smiling to himself. Just when he was to get off the bench, a shadow scurrying along the forest's edge catches his attention. Squinting his dark circles enframed eyes, the feeling of unease makes a vacant appearance.

"Wie beunruhigend . .", he mutters in his native language, rubbing his neck before sighing in discontent.

(Translation: "How concerning . .")

-_

Safran pastry, wine, dried vegetables and fruit, ham and rosemary potatoes . .

. . fill the table, plates assorted over every empty surface. The loud snaps coming from the fireplace echo in the dining room.

"You are the first to arrive my Lady, shall I bring anything to drink?", Valeria leads you towards the bountiful table. Thanking your chamber maid, you ask for a goblet of wine in hopes to shorten the wait for the other's arrival.

Taking a seat by side the chimney, you watch as the flames dance and flicker, hypnotizing you to a certain extent. The smell of the delicacies lets your insides growl in hunger, impatience growing stronger each second.

Valeria returns with your beverage, a smile tugging on her lips as she hands it over to you. One sip of the red liquid is enough to make your head spin, given by an empty stomach.

Behind the closed door, you hear a well-known voice laughing and discussing vividly. "I'm sure she'll be delighted to hear- oh you're already here love!", who would have thought it to be your father, entering with none other than Trafalgar?

Didn't you politely wish for him not to attend earlier this afternoon? Must be something about his hearing. Your pout enhances your sour mood, leaving Valeria amused - smirking to the display of you practically burning holes into the king's ambassador.

"My Lady, he is quite the looker no? I heard he's much so adored amongst women.", she snickers, leaning towards you. It is only until now, that you notice Law wearing a black vest, buttons undone far too low for your taste. Is that the same symbol like the one on his armor's chest plate, tattooed on his torso?

The lines embellish his porcelain like skin, enhancing the muscles. Every breath shows over his heaving rib cage. Heat shoots up your face. You're not certain wether to blame it on your rage or . . abashment from your insolent staring.

Steel eyes catch your slip, lids falling and forming into an intrigued glint, with a hint of curiosity. Law's blown pupils avert back to the conversation he's holding with your father.

Audibley gulping, you curse inwardly for letting your guard down this way, asking Valeria for more wine to deter the matter. Your chamber maid titters.

The food is as delicious as ever. "My compliments to the chef. This is Alfred's work I assume?" - "Yes, your highness.", the king praises the culinary experience, fowarding them to Valeria, who bows deftly and begins to bring the amassing empty plates back to the kitchen.

As if prey to the predator, you avoid Trafalgar's cold glare, him fleetingly observing you by noticing your each and every move.

"(Y/n), I would like to announce rather good news!", is what you hear, coming from the other end of the table. A proud grin plasters over your father's mouth and he continues: "Lord Trafalgar will be your guard for the time being." Did your hearing just falter?

Back and forth, switching between your father and Law you gape at them in disbelief. Without a word, you sip on your golden goblet and set it onto the table - provocatively slow. "Father, I cannot accept this.", you hiss and straighten yourself, about to leave the room.

Out of patience already, the king uses his privilege of hierarchy: "This wasn't a question young lady! It is final, he will be your guard!"

Close to throwing a tantrum, you control your burst of emotion - deep breaths holding in the bitter words lingering on your tongue.

Diffusing the tension, the knight gets off his seat and approaches you, dispersing the undeclared: "Your grace, it is only for the time I stay at your castle. It won't be for long, I can assure you."

The way he stands infront of you, his head held in veneration, which you doubt is in honesty, he places his palm against his heart. Loud enough only for your ears to hear, he hushes: "I'd be honoured, if I gained a mere speck of your trust, Princess."

Discomfort is vacant on your demeanor, fidgeting and twirling your fingers - it is then, where you come to realise that Valeria was right, he is a looker. In addition, his voice brings your body to unknown territory, feeling weak to the knees out of the blue.

No! Stay strong (Y/n). He is not to be trusted. He is not to be-

"Ich stehe Euch zu Diensten, euer Hoheit.", Law hums in his native tongue, his hand asking for yours in order to demonstrate his respect - his seriousness in all this. This truly isn’t not a joke, is it?

(Translation: "I am at your service, your Highness.")

Gently, you put your trust in him, though with abiding doubts, however the lips that enticingly sought your acceptance, press onto the silken skin on the back of your hand. At that, it lasts far too long to your liking.

The gooseflesh that usually forms out of pure horrification, now bears a completely different meaning - you are flustered, roused even. "Th-That's enough Lord Trafalgar! Quit making an utter fool of yourself, I accept . ."

-_

People gather and follow the brightly lit lanters, leading to your kingsdom‘s capital. The air stings your skin - winter's first greeting this year.

Horses pull wagons, filled with wares and goods to be sold on the market, their hooves clopping over the cobble stone streets.

Passers by look at you in curiosity, for you pulled the rim of your hood a tad bit too further down your face. Annoyance growls your way, as Trafalgar mutters: "Are you trying to torture me? It's the fourth time this week we tread among civilians."

"Why isn't that tedious? I thought you are at my service, my Lord.", is what chuckles out of you, fidgeting at your cloak. Law only clicks his tongue to your insolent and conceited behaviour, these walks to the capital not exactly being in his book.

The high pitch and grating squeals from a group of women rips the both of you out the conversation, or instead distasteful chaff. You turn to see the source of commotion and notice a green haired man seated on his charger, leading a patrol team.

Three fully grown stallions take a halt beside you two and the leader addresses you: "Up and about to visit the markets, my Lady?" - "Commander Roronoa! What a pleasant surprise! Indeed, I am headed to see the jewelery and pottery stands. And I assume you are here to keep everything under control?"

Nervous, you shuffle in place, feeling lightheaded and your heart picks up the pace by the sight of your royal guards' high chief. The red tint on your cheeks begins to glow and you give your brightest of smiles.

The king's ambassador isn't a fool, fully comprehending that you are fond of this man. Law watches you closely, realising how your demeanor changed in a sheer instant - leaving him to question 'why you nuture such hatred towards him?'

Trafalgar's attention averts to the green haired smirking bastard. His armor is shimmering onyx, adorned with a dark red cloak falling from his shoulders. Counting three golden earrings on his left ear, in addition, Law is taken aback by the long grazing scar eternalised onto Roronoa's left eye.

You practically swoon for this simple Commander. How ridiculous, the raven next to you thinks to himself. Nonetheless, why do you seem so . . approachable, loving? It goes beyond your temporary body guard's comprehesion.

Now confirming your assumption, Roronoa nods and grins over both ears. His horse's impatience shows by it's uneasy scuffs of it's hoove against the ground. Reins are getting pulled to calm the stallion, all while in the process of giving Law a long lasting stare, the Commander scoffs: "The scary dog privilege should keep you safe. Be seeing you, Princess."

"I beg your pardon?", the knight of heart tears open his eyes, shook about the term that lowly 'Soldier' Roronoa spat at him a moment ago. Yet, the occassion to counter his insolence passed it's point, as the patrolling group rides ahead to the capital.

You beckon: "Come along now, my Lord. It isn't far now." Walking the path, heavy footsteps catch up to you and the raspy voice of the man you oh so curse gives you more reason to incite. "Interesting, your highness is about to drop the hankerchief for a mere royal guard.", Law muses, not a care in the world of exposing you.

"Oh hush, this is none of your business, mere ambassador.", is what you pout, lifting your nose in arrogance. There is a feeling of success, subconsciously aware that you are victorious in this game of childish ribbing.

Admittedly, this sinister man has grown on you, given the fact he ended up as your personal guard about two months ago. Still, never would you concede to those hidden innuendos in his steel glare, looking at you in ways you wish to misinterpret from the beginning.

There is that certain . . spark.

Your body guard isn't keen on being called a 'mere ambassador'. Why, you do seem to know your way in hierarchy, (Y/n). Ignoring your insult, Trafalgar escorts you further to the village, only minutes away on foot.

-_

Merchants call out to the potential customers, roaming across the market's streets.

The smell of freshly baked bread, mead, smoked ham and all kinds of herbs fills your nostrils as you pass stalls.

Sauntering, you take in the ambience, inhaling the scents and enjoying the peace and calm the time brings.

Occupied with the opposite concept, Law worriedly lets his gaze hover over the crowd, not wholly indulging in the cheerful of this event. "My lord, you appear distant. Something the matter?" - "Just vigilant. The situation isn't as tranquil as it looks.", his concern is contagious, your question bounces off a wall of stubborn and discipline.

Suddenly, a piece of turkish delight restricts Trafalgar's vision, for you hold it up right infront of his face: "Calm your senses and taste this! I am sure you simply are too overattentive."

Eyebrows furrow, skeptical about your offer, the knight declines. "I can turn this into an order very quickly, if you won't abide.", using your hierarchy card against him, there is no use in refusing you.

The powdered sugar gathers around his chapped lips, spreading over his black chin beard. If you wouldn't know it any better, this display of your guard chewing on the sugary delight is more than appeasing to you.

There he stands. A fully armored knight, carrying around a long sword on his shoulders. A man so intimidating, people genuinley think of him to be an evil creature, the princess's scary guard dog.

The so called scary guard dog apparently is tamed by your unexpected gesture, suckling on the honey and wiping away the sugar from his chin. "This isn't very lady like to feed someone lower than you, your grace.", he utters, but his comment falls on deaf ears. So you retort: "It isn't very guard like either, to eat out of the princess's hands."

Logic is non existent in that case. Rolling his eyes, Law turns away from you and steps away from the merchant stall.

The more time you spend together like this, the more you learn about the knight of heart. All forenoon, until the sun reaches it's highest peak, teasing banters and chaffs dispersed into thin air, as if there were none to begin with . . as if Lord Trafalgar was a good friend.

Friend? Is that how you wish to call him that?

Your heart sets out a beat, considering the idea of declaring your point of view of this relationship between him and you. Law walks a few feet before you, making sure anything in front is secured, yet it is his position to be at fault in less crowded alleys you find yourself in, not noticing the following immediately.

About to speak your mind, a giant and calloused hand slams onto your mouth, to silence your muffled gasp of shock.

You can hear your blood rushing through your ears, the lungs in your ribcage tighten and push out the remaining air in panic.

"You are far too pretty to wander around these parts of the kingdom, Lady VanDoth.", sounds from the back, a nasty snarl hushes over your shoulder and the tinge of alcohol wafts around you.

Black silhouettes your vision, recognizing Trafalgar turning around, instantly unsheathing his blade: "You! Get your filthy hands off the princess!" - "Princess?" The stranger snorts in gutteral gloat and presses a dagger against your throat, responding in Law's native language.

"Habt Ihr es nicht gehört, Ritter des Todes? Der Herrscher dieses Königreichs ist tot. Diese Frau, die Ihr hier seht ist nun die Königin, Narr!", he spits in amusement, the blade gnawing on your skin, blood trickles down your gorge from it‘s puncture.

(Translation: "Didn't you hear, knight of death? The ruler of this kingdom is dead. This Woman here is now the queen, fool!")

Noticing a distinct tattoo on the masked man's hand, a grinning skull being split in half, your guard gets enraged and approaches the maniac behind you in threateningly slow motion, his sword ready to slice it's target: "Scheisse . . ich bin derjenige den Ihr sucht, räudiger Sohn einer Hündin! Lasst sie gehen! Sie hat nichts mit dem Grinsenden Schädel, weder der Donquixote Familie zu tun!"

(Translation: "Shit . . I'm the one you're looking for, son of a bitch! Let her go! She has nothing to do with the Grinning Skull, nor the Donquixote family!")

The stranger chuckles sinisterly, deftly paying no mind to Trafalgar's threats. "Did you hear that little girl? Your father is dead!", so he states, earning a whimper of distress out of you. Dread widens the windows to your now vulnerable soul, emotions forming into salty droplets flowing down your cheek. You don't trust your hearing.

Out of impulse, you aim your fist for his groin, but there is no chance you are able to reach him, his stronghold keeping you in place. "Now now, let's not get hasty, bitch. My master will be pleased upon your arrival in Flevance."

"I said hands off!", you hear the atagonizing scream coming from Law, who storms at you in full spead. The dagger fends of the longsword, though only barely and the maniac pulls you along, yelling to back off. Fingers claw into your neck, limiting your ability to breathe - already close to passing out.

The knight is tied, he cannot advance without you getting fataly hurt, thus he stays at a safe distance.

So the masked one grabs you by the wrist and makes a run for it, throwing insults and curses at you among the escape attempt. You hold out to your guard: "Law!" All is left to see, is Lord Trafalgar clenching his teeth and sprinting the opposite direction.

No . . please. This cannot end this way. Those words cloud your thoughts, bringing you to a state of overwhelming doubts and fear, your limbs becoming numb.

In terror, you see how your people get assassinated by other countless men with hoods hiding their faces, the grinning skull imprinted on either their arms, hands or necks.

Women screech out of horror, children cry and men fend off the ambush with all the power they're able to muster. It is a picture of nightmares, blood and intestines spread across the ground to those bastard's sheer pleasure, hearing them snicker as they murder one after the other.

The assassin roars at you furiously: "Run faster you whor-" Just before he gets to end his provocation, the stranger's head rolls over the cobble stone next to your feet, for a blade quick and sharp separated it from those ragged shoulders mid movement.

"Princess, we must make haste! The king has been assaulted and the castle is still under siege!", a loud voice calls out to you on the back of a horse, riling in place from the hectic. It's Commander Roronoa. His hand holds out to you, heaving you onto his stallions's back and animates it to gallop straight to the palace.

Scurrying and aimlessly running from the danger, the village folk seek shelter, dodging Roronoa's charge. In the distance you identify an archer, the bow taught and prepared to shoot it's arrow, aimed towards you.

In fret, you squeeze your eyes shut and you hear the Commander cursing under his hitched breath.

Yet, the arrow doesn't find it's target. A tall man, armored in cold steel thrusts his longsword through the enemy's stomach, shredding the archer's bellows. Boneless, the body sinks to the ground and the man saving your getaway yells: "Go secure the castle! I will hold the line here!.

Trafalgar enables your escape, covering your back and ridding anyone who dares to follow you. In the corner of your eye, you watch as he fights a group of assassins trying to come after you.

He saved your life . .

-_

Countless moons passed since the Donquixote intrusion.

Luckily, your army was prepared for such atrocious attacks. It wasn't enough to save your dearest father whatsoever.

The goodbyes were painful, the grief only grew by the fact you weren't able to protect him. Doubts about Lord Trafalgar overwhelmed you, to think it was his doing, which turned into a burden he understood will never be forgiven that easily by you.

The knight of heart, or as it came to pass, knight of death, was in fact seeking shelter for the time being, instructed as an under cover body guard of yours. Your father took him in, granting him shelter, to gather and plan the reclaim of his kingdom.

Where security was surmised, chaos induced along this man's path. You knew he wasn't to be trusted, however was he truly to blame? Eric VanDoth was a generous and peaceful man, a king to look up to, although the risk of being used for kindness - which in this world was never a good weapon to begin with - not ever was disputed.

Lord Trafalgar appreciated VanDoth's support, deeming him a honorable and trustworthy man, these words said to you in his utmost condolensces.

All this, Law explained to you through the years of renewal and acceptance of your rulership. What would have happend, if you knew these plans sooner? It is uncertain to you why they have been kept from you, but you assume it was for your own protection.

So to this day, you are the queen of the Red line empires, (Y/n) VanDoth the fourth, ruler of the gate kingdom. A great responsibility has been bestowed upon you, as the keeper of the celestial directions and seas.

And Law? It was a great announcement, one you actually were glad and overjoyed to hear - Trafalgar Law, reclaimed his place as king of Flevance, for him and his people countered the Donquixote overtake.

Life turned for the better - peace once more was restored to the northern empires, as the rightful ruler returned home.

Nevertheless, you unlikely admit that a feeling of longing filled your mind, as your thoughts spinned around the king of heart. Only letters, inscripted with the obvious interest and lovable banters, a spark, left you yearning for more - and the day of his visit was finally about to occur.

-_

"My queen, Lord Trafalgar has arrived!", Silas reports while walking towards the throne, on which you are seated.

"Bring his followers to the gathering halls and let Trafalgar enter the gardens, I'll await him there." - "Yes, your highness.", you thank your servant with a warm smile, nodding at him and straightening yourself off the throne.

Valeria follows you silently, her attention never wavering from you. You turn to face her: "Please dear, bring me my parasol." Deftly accepting your request with a low 'my queen' she makes her way to the cabins.

The sun's grace enlightens the castles halls, crystal clear windows deflecting the rays in all kinds of colours onto the bronzen embellishments. It reminds of the times you entered the throne halls, whenever he sought your father.

Today wasn't any different, for at long last you are able to see him again.

Greeted by the usual garden of red and purple, you breathe in the crisp and warm air surrounding you, reminiscing the past and looking foward to the future all the same. The parasol provides you with protection, it's shade cooling your skin.

You take a seat at the stone bench and admire the scenery before you. It hasn't changed, not at all. After all these years, it is as if time stood still, solely for this moment.

"Your grace, I think you are missing your usual literature. Shall I bring it to you?", a voice deep, makes your head spin hastily to the source of familiarity. His name hushes out of you in whisper and you cannot help but laugh at his remark.

There he stands, Trafalgar, the king of heart. Of course you haven't forgotten your courtesy and get off the bench to bow subtly as greeting.

Glimmering in the afternoon's shine, his armor reflects the heart upon his chest, which he wears in pride. It's colour has been changed to anthracite grey, the pauldrons heavy on his shoulders and every edge of noble plate is adorned with fine lines of bright gold.

Only the cloak remained the same, haging on his back elegantly, throwing off a threatening shadow beneath his feet. How you wish to pull the hood over his head and draw him in . . yet, what makes you think you are allowed to?

His hand gently holds out to yours and leads it to his lips, respecting the regards a queen of your calibre deserves to earn. "Except for your title, nothing has changed about you, my lord." - "I can say the same about you, your majesty.", knowing glints of hidden love interest is what you share, seeing the man in front of you kiss the back of your hand with utmost care.

Strolling through the royal gardens, you walk side by side of one another, speaking of your empires' new era, Flevance's reclaim and the Red line's capital restoration. Much has happend the time Lord Trafalgar saw you last - in honesty a shame, he thinks to himself, nonetheless the saving of his kingdom was inevitable.

"Have you considered entering the bond of matrimony, your grace?", Law questions you out of the blue, a shiver running down your spine in surprise. It wasn't what you ought to hear from a man of his stature, thus you answer earnestly: "Not yet, not properly. I must admit it would be of convenience."

Heavy footsteps inch your direction as the both of you come to a stand, sturdy chains clank against his sabatons in the rhythm of his approach. He lowers: "May I have the honor?"

Dumbfounded you watch him kneel down before you, embracing your tender palm: "I humbly ask for your hand in marriage." Full of expectations, his steel eyes wander up to witness your reaction.

It skipped, the beat of your heart - blood rushing through your veins in high speed, the air bearly leaving your lungs. All your nobility, all the the royal grace you have to represent melts off of you. Emotions strongly washing over, hearing his declaration.

Will you accept?

-_

He remembers it as if it was yesterday.

You, in a gown competing the beauty of nature, it's white silk embracing your delicate frame. The bells rang and people cheered in glee. It was the happiest day of his life, for he swore an oath to his loving bride, to protect her, to be her supporting hand and shelter.

This is the day, the Red line empire has been united with Flevance, emerging as a powerful kingdom over the northern seas. Bound by marriage, a king and a queen reign over the lands that once were shattered, rebuilding hope and solitude.

At that, it is a strong bond, a matrimony sought in reason of love, which is a seldom, but not uncommon case. You welcome the warm feeling of your doting husband being your pillar, your base of unwinding.

The white fabric glides off your shoulders, exposing your soft skin. A shiver runs down Law's spine, entranced by your allure. Pupils dilate due to tremendous attraction towards you and he gruadually steps closer. "Ich habe keine Worte um Eure Schönheit zu beschreiben . .", he mutters in his tongue, to that you solely manage to chuckle in reply.

(Translation: "I have no words for your beauty to describe . .")

This is where you decide to prove your ability to provide an answer in kind: "Kein Grund, so förmlich zu sein, mein König. Ich bin ganz die deine." - "Auch noch sprachbegabt? Ihr steckt voller Überraschungen." The man looks you up and down, a shaky breath escaping him, knowing too well, what is about to occur.

(Translation: "No need to be so formal, my king. I am all yours." - "Also gifted with languages?" You are full of surprises.")

Lips, that Trafalgar yearned for to taste, finally conceal his, silencing every thought in his mind. To think, that the both of you harbored such hatred for each other, love has conquered your hearts in the end, the sense behind it inexplicable.

Hands, that longed to touch you, graze your waist and neck, pulling you in nearer, as if holding on for dear life. Close, is what he needs you to be this instant, his warmth engulfing you as he tilts his head to deepen the kiss.

A voice, that whispers your name and foreign words as if chanting a spell. Not all is beknownst to you, however one sentence reverberates in your ears as he purrs: "Ihr seid das Schönste, das unter der Sonne wandelt, meine Herzdame." His sweet nothings elicits a low moan out of you, what Law deems as a melody to his senses.

(Translation: "You are the most beautiful thing that walks under the sun, my queen of hearts.")

Garments are spread across the floor. Two lovers found their way to the bed, intertwined, driven by desire. For the first time, your eyes feast upon his lean body, embellished with dark, fine lined tribal ink all across his torso.

Tracing the imprinted ornaments, your fingers hover over them with utmost care, earning a satisifed sigh out of your spouse. "I dearly hope you are not all too appalled by-", before he can finish his sentence with hinted sarcasm, you hush him with your index, pressing those precious lips shut. So you coo: "Quit your foolery, you know I love you, all of you"

Affectionately, he lowers himself onto you, heart to heart, chests heaving against each other - nervosity evident in both of you. Peppered kisses along your ear let your back arch, leaving you in languish as he pulls away to groan huskily: "Dann gehört dies Euch, meine Königin."

(Translation: "Then this belongs to you, my queen.")

Leading your palm to his wildly beating muscle in his ribcage, he romantically offers you his heart, confessing his feelings towards you yet again, knocking the air out of your lungs.

Now one, his length penetrates your velvet walls in a painstakingly slow and passionate manner. You squirm and tremble to the rhythm of his grinds, filling you up completely. Cresent prints trail down his back, the scrapes flushing in a sarutated red.

You purr his name into the crook of his neck, sideburns tickling you in the process. Subsequently, you tug on his golden earrings, taking Law off guard, as he moans in response. Those gestures madden the former knight, bringing him to gain in volume.

Sweat trickles along his hairline, for he picks up the pace and lifts your leg by grabbing the plush of your thigh. Now deeper, the tip of his hardness hits you in spots that lets you see stars, in combination with his delightful hums of pleasure it sets your core ablaze.

A bit more forceful, his hand takes hold of your breast, squeezing it out of pure lust, watching you as your head rolls back in bliss. You are reaching your climax, lulling incomprehesive words to your lover. Gently pulling on your hardened and pink tinted bud, he cannot supress his vast impulsives, listening to your pleas: „Yes, let go for me . .“

From overstimulation, your free leg slings over his thrusting hip, drawing Law‘s frame even closer. Lips clash onto one another, muffling the enticing sounds of your high. His teeth prod against the plump and the tongue twirls along yours.

A rush of sensation washes over you - feeling animal, feral - as your orgasm spills out of you, dripping down his groin. Law is chasing, not far from his own release for the scene infront of him lures him into all out ecstasy.

Giving in the crave to make you his entirely, he pours out the love he long dreamed about indulging you in. Weakend, his whole physique stutters and quakes, overwhelmed with the idea of claiming his beloved queen.

Warm air brushes against your skin, coming from Law nuzzling your cheek, panting: „Ich liebe dich.“

(Translation: "I love you.")

[mrwavellswaps]

Gym Tradition

(Inspired by @tf-lover)

I stepped towards the shower with an excitement bubbling in my chest. I could already hear his heavy footsteps behind me. This was always my favourite part. The sound of a towel being tossed to the side was drowned out as I twisted the shower handle. Within seconds warm water was cascading down my body, relaxing me for what was to come.

My body shuddered a little as a pair of large hands slide around my waist from behind. Looking down I grinned. I already had a pretty good idea who he’d taken over for me. There wasn’t many men at the gym today with such large dark skinned hands and there was one in particular I knew he’d had his eye on.

“Is that Mike?” I muttered just as the man pressed himself against my back, his semi-hard cock already feeling huge as it rubbed against my ass and lower back.

“Mhmm” He replied simply as his hands roamed my body. “I know we’ve used him before but he just looked so damn sexy today. When I saw him getting undressed I just couldn’t help myself.”

My boyfriend Eric and I have had this little tradition for awhile now. Whenever the two of us go to the gym together, we’ll always scout out the other men at the gym. Size them up, inspect their bodies from afar, etc. Then once we’re finished, one of us will wait around in the locker room for one of those men to come through looking all hot and sweaty from his workout. And then, when nobody is looking, we’ll steal that guy’s body by jumping inside and possessing him! This time it was Eric’s turn to surprise me and he certainly didn’t disappoint.

“No need to apologise.” I smirked as I turned my head slightly and looked up to see none other than Mike, one of the local hunks that frequented the gym. “You wear his body so fuckin well.” I felt his cock twitch and harden a bit more as I said that while a cocky grin spread across his face.

The two of us shared a short but sweet kiss before he turned me back around and pressed me against the shower wall. “Oh I know. Why do you think I always get us to come to the gym on days that he’s around?” He chuckled but before I could respond he swiftly plunged his thick black cock inside me.

The shower continued to rain down on both of us though it did little mask the groans. I’m always surprised at how no other men walk in on us when we do this. I suppose they probably know better when they start hear that lewd slapping noise of heavy balls smacking against an ass. Sometimes those balls were mine like yesterday when I took over another hunk, Dane, and went to town on Eric’s ass. But now it was Eric’s turn and he wasn’t holding anything back!

‘Mike’ slammed his massive rod into me relentlessly, holding onto my hips as he did to make sure he went as deep as possible. His hungry assault didn’t let up even for a second. Only growing more furious by the moment as he slammed against my prostate again and again. I could see why he liked this body so much, it’s stamina was insane! I’d already shot my load from his pounding alone!

Despite that though I was still just as hungry as he was. Hungry for his cock. Hungry for his load. And boy did he deliver. A loud, manly roar echoed through the shower room and probably the locker rooms as well as ‘Mike’ began draining his balls. His fat cock pumping me with load after load of thick cum, filling me up to the brim.

“Fuuuuuck Eric… that was amazing…” I muttered as he wrapped his arms around me again.

“Who’s Eric?” He grinned. “The only one here is Mike” He shifted his cock around inside me causing me grunt a little. With that he leaned down against my ear and whispered. “Maybe we should find a way to make these possessions a bit more… permanent.”

[zilabee]

"I wasn't there because ahead of the Quarry Men's evening performance I'd gone home for a bite to eat. I only lived a ten minute walk away and hadn't eaten since breakfast, so after coming off the church field and putting my kit in place ready for the evening's performance I'd nipped home for my tea and in the process I missed that historic audition."

- - - Colin Hanton

"I must have nipped out to the toilet because I have no memory of the greatest meeting in rock n roll history."

- - - Rod Davis

"I noticed Paul while we were playing. He was standing with Ivan... but I don't remember him carrying a guitar."

- - - Eric Griffiths

Pre:Fab! - by Hanton and Hall.

-

History quietly shifting itself into place, while half the quarry men are looking the other way.

I just I love that some people are out there writing meaningful fantastic remembrances about Paul's eyelashes and electricity in the air, and then others are like 'I don't know, maybe he was there..?'

Colin Hanton (quarry man) consistently claims that Paul met John before the Quarry Men went on to play in the afternoon. Colin was in the scout hut, playing his drums with one of the scouts, getting ready for the afternoon performance:

"At the far end of the hut, I noticed John had returned by himself. [...] He was standing talking to another scout. It was at this moment that Ivan Vaughan walked in accompanied by this dark-haired lad whom I'd never seen before. I carried on jamming while the three of them stood talking. This carried on for about five or ten minutes, after which John, Ivy, and the stranger left the scout hut together."

Sounds completely like what a constructed memory of that event would seem like, but also sounds completely like something that might have happened too, and we'll never know.

Eric, meanwhile, believes that he was there for the 'historic meeting' in the church, but that Paul never played guitar for them at that point, no matter what Paul, John, Pete, Len and Ivan have to say. He thinks John first heard Paul play a few days later when John and Eric went round to Forthlin Road specially for the 'audition'. That's where he thinks Paul played Twenty Flight Rock for the first time.

Beatles fandom is an incredible study in the vagaries of memory. I love it. It's fantastic how little we will ever know.

As Colin Hall (biographer) writes:

Like most bands, they met a lot of new people every time they were booked to play. Often there'd be a lot of people hanging out with them before or after a performance. No wonder that, in the interim, exact memories faded, details disappeared. It would be many years after the event that the Quarry Men would be asked to describe this day in the forensic detail people now want from them. [...] They were not all present in the same places for some of the key moments. At the time it was a fun day, but of no great significance to most of them beyond the moment of their performance.

He also points out that an article published just one week after the fete, ("All the Fun of the Fair at Woolton" in the Liverpool Weekly News) which is an eye-witness report written while everything was still fresh... claimed that Colin wasn't there, and the Quarry Men played without a drummer. Something easily disproved by any photograph of the day.

Give up, surrender! Beatles reporting has been pure fiction from day nought. Nothing is knowable. Everything is mist. You can keep trying, you will get nowhere. Honestly it's all an imagination, so imagine wonderful things.

[thenexusofsouls]

A-wettin' in the Woods

Kettu had spent the prior day on four paws scouting a new area for herbs, nibbling on a bush here and there to her own delight. It had been a fairly peaceful day, with little interruption and a bit of frolicking with a family of wild hares and their wee ones. Followed by a nice cozy nap with the them too. Today, under warm skies and soft breezes, she ventured out with her basket to forage what she had found. She had a nice patch of nettles, corn mint, fennel, and a small bit of borage all filling her basket. She had seen a larger borage patch, and while harvesting from it she caught wind of some wild garlic. So she skipped her way over in the direction her nose led her, only to stop and frown. Looking over to see a tall blond man relieving himself exactly where she had intended to harvest the low growing herb along a thick bunch of brush, she heaved a sigh. “Ah! ‘Tis loike ye lads t’ jus’ piss wherever an’ no’ care 'bout what herbs ye wettin’ as ye do!” She groused at the stranger. That would have been a fantastic addition the butter for the herb and cream bread she had baked two days prior. She even had a loaf stashed in her basket to munch on when she felt peckish later. Instead she stood, pouting up at the man, rather perturbed by the now unsavory herbs, and seemingly uncaring that she was making his task awkward in the least. 

_________

It was a nice enough day, inasmuch as it was another day where Eric was alone, without his deceased wife, in the middle of a thriving forest, out in a cottage in the middle of nowhere. Some might have liked that peaceful of an existence, but Eric had been a Huntsman for far too long. Transitioning to a simple civilian was... not going all that well. He felt restless, lonely, and without purpose, but... considering his “purposes” up until now, maybe it was better a man like him didn’t have one anymore. He tried to slow down, to take life one day at a time, making Sara a grave out in front of his cottage and talking to her every day. Some days, though... he just needed to get away. That was when he usually went after poachers, lawbreakers, and ne’er-do-wells in Snow White’s forest, for lack of anything else to do.

He’d been out roaming the forest, searching for something to do or some rich, constipated lordling to hand their ass to for breaking some law or another, when... well, nature called. Not the forest, but rather his own natural functions. And so he dismounted his horse, went over to some bushes near an old elderberry tree and... did his business. Watering the plants, as it were. At least until the plants yelled at him? What the hell? No, it’s not the plants, it’s-

“Seven hells, woman!” Eric said, stuffing himself back into his trousers as quickly as he could. “Don’ ya understand th’meanin’ o’ privacy?!” His brow furrowed at her chastisement. “Th’plants’re jus’ fine, I’m sure. I don’ ‘ear ‘em complainin’.” He looked her up and down. “Who’re you? Ye’re trespassin’s what you are...” he accused her. “This ‘ere’s Snow White’s forest. What business ‘ave you ‘ere?” he asked, never having seen this particular woman around here before. That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it made him wary, for he thought he’d known the area surrounding his cottage fairly well...

[littlegodzilla]

Hi! Can you write something where Daryl and the reader secretly like each other but they don't get along which makes Daryl upset because he really likes her? Then one day he overhears people talking about him badly but the reader defends him so he takes her out on a run and he's being nice to her which she thinks is weird because they are usually mean to each other. Then he confesses that he heard her stick up for him and she tells him it's because she likes him and it ends in fluffy smut :) x x

Hi anon!

Thanks for your request!

I hope you'll enjoy it as much I did writing it!

Hate.

Daryl Dixon x Femreader.

Anon request.

Warnings: fluff. Confessions. Smut.

Words: 4000.

Taglist: @phoenixblack89 @browneyes528 @pncnsc @lilythemadqueen @darylsgarden @srhxpci @xxtinasxxblog @hail-yourselves

Daryl is nervous.

Whenever you're around he knows you'll end up arguing. You work well as a team, for when you have to protect the place you now call home, you fight with everything you have, but when you speak to each other most of the time you end up arguing.

Daryl is frustrated. He likes you, and at first he felt you had feelings for him too, but your continued bickering makes him doubt it. When they fled the CDC they found you on the road before reaching the highway where you lost Sophia and gradually the group grew stronger. Perhaps the quarrels between you were more intense since you discovered Sophia in the barn, Daryl closed himself to the group and you lashed out at him as you didn't understand why he was acting like that. Since then your clashes were constant, but you managed to live together helping each other in the prison, taking care of the sick when the flu hit the prison.

Daryl felt a strange emptiness when you were all separated by the Governor's attack. He thought he would never see you again, that you were dead, a sense of unease ran through his body at the thought that he had lost you. Of course the relief was immense when you were reunited after destroying Terminus, Daryl remembers that moment as special because you embraced. He hugged Carol with all his might because she was his best friend, because he thought he had lost her, but he didn't hold back with you either. The hug you gave each other was more reserved, awkward and shy. Daryl wrapped his arms around your body carefully, afraid to break you, like a puppy he rested his forehead on your shoulder and then pulled away shaking his head.

"It's good to see ya." It was all he could say, and he felt stupid.

Despite that your relationship didn't change much and arriving in Alexandria didn't make things better, even though the place was safe, Daryl felt like he was in a cage, he didn't fit in there, everyone seemed to accept his role in the community, but Daryl didn't know how to go about it, if he really had a role there.

That morning Daryl gets up early, like every day, he'll go out and scout around, make sure everything is in order, safe and come back, maybe hunt something along the way to keep the supplies full and go visit Aaron and Eric to find out what they have for him today.

"They're a bunch of loonies." He listens then and stops, almost recognizing the voice of one of Deanna's sons, the woman who runs the community. "And the guy with the crossbow. Always alone out there."

"Sounds to me like he's seen too many cowboy movies." Jokes another and they all laugh. Daryl clenches his jaw, he doesn't care what they might talk about him, but he's not going to let them talk bad about his people.

"And what about a shower? They have hot water at home, doesn't that guy know what a shower is?" protests another.

"It's his tough guy look, dirty and sweaty, but he sure is a coward afterwards, he's never around when he's needed, he says he's out exploring but he's sure just hanging around, crying." Again there is laughter and Daryl is about to let himself be seen and explain who is going to cry, but stops when he hears a voice.

"Are you talking about Daryl?" your voice suddenly makes his heart race and out of instinct he takes a few steps back so you can't see him.

"She knows what I'm talking about, for sure." Again, Spencer speaks up. "You're always arguing, aren't they? That guy's a fraud."

"You're talking about Daryl." You confirm to yourself and the archer frowns, there's a tone in your voice strange, even when you fight he's never heard you talk like that.

"Yeah, the guy plays the lone wolf, always with that face like he's sparing our lives and behind Rick like a lapdog." Again there's laughter, Daryl needs to watch the scene, he gets a little closer and sees that you have your fists clenched and your jaw tense. You're really pissed off.

"For starters my arguments with Daryl are none of your business, you have no idea, so don't talk about it. Even if we didn't get along, Daryl is my partner and I'm not going to let some pricks who don't know him at all talk behind his back."

"Hey, pretty girl, calm down."

"Don't call me pretty girl and I'm very calm." You pull away when one of them tries to touch you by slapping his hand. "Daryl may be, or has been, many things, but he's worth a lot more than any of you. He's loyal and faithful, he protects his people without asking for anything in return, every morning he leaves here to patrol even if it's not his duty, because that's what you guys are already there for, right? Then I don't know what you are still doing here."

"We just got back from a night patrol, you should talk more carefully, you don't know who you're talking to."

"With a little kid." You face Deanna's son, you don't care who he is, at all. "A night patrol, what a coincidence." A snicker escapes your nose and Daryl watches as they slowly get angrier.

"You're overdoing it, you should shut your mouth..."

"No. The ones who should shut their mouths are you. Next time you want to talk about Daryl, wash your mouths out with soap." You're ready to leave, but one of them holds you back by grabbing your arm. "Let go of me!"

"What's going on here?" The voice of the community leader blocks Daryl's attempt to get out to help you. The situation calms down and the archer walks away unseen.

Daryl hurriedly walks away from the discussion, he feels his chest hammering hard, he needs to regain his composure. The last thing he expected to happen that morning was for you to defend him to Spencer and the rest of his teammates. He has never cared what they think of him, he has nothing to prove to anyone, he knows what he is like, what he has lived through. However the last thing he expected was to hear your words defending him.

"Daryl." He stops when he hears Rick's voice call out to him. The latter turns and gives a forced smile, the sheriff frowns. "Is everything okay?"

"Y-yeah, I was just heading out again... Ya need anythin'?"

"No, I just thought I saw you..." He falls silent then but shakes his head. "It looks to me like she's awake too..." When Rick says your name his whole body jerks.

"Uhm, for a day she's up early..." He mumbles wanting to sound annoyed, but something tells him that Rick notices he doesn't mean it.

"Well, whatever you say, go easy." He asks the sheriff and the sheriff nods walking away again.

"Hey." You jump out of your skin when you hear Daryl bark right next to you. You turn to look at him trying to get your heart back.

"Dixon you're going to get me killed, is that what you intended?"

"Sorry..." He mumbles lowering his gaze, but then looks back at you. "What are ya doin' up so early?"

"You're not the only one who gets up early to do chores, it's kind of late anyway, what are you still doing here?" you defend yourself crossing your arms.

"I've been stalling..." He shrugs and bites his lip. "What yer gonna do?"

"What do you care?" you curse because you know you've been too abrupt, but usually your conversations don't usually last too long.

"I ain't care." Daryl tries to control himself, he knows you're on the defensive. "I wanted to know if ya wanted to come with me outside, explore and hunt something...get out of here."

You open your mouth to respond and mute at the same second, opening your eyes wide. The last thing you expected is for Daryl to ask you something like that. To get out of Alexandria, on patrol, together. Alone. Goosebumps rise on your skin and you feel your cheeks burn. You throat clears, suppressing your own reaction, and shrug.

"Why, are you going to kill me and leave me lying around?"

"Why I wanna fuckin' kill ya. It's just an invitation, are ya comin' or not?" you snort because it's being hard for him to ask you something like this, even though it's something very simple, to him it's important. Without waiting for you to answer, he turns around walking away.

"But wait for me!" You shout at him going after him. Turning his back on you, Daryl keeps smiling.

You walk a few steps behind Daryl getting lost in the trees of the forest, you leave him his space to track and at the same time you are close enough so that he doesn't lose sight of you, not for fear of losing him or losing you, but so as not to become a target by mistake.

Being honest you are still surprised at his invitation to go on patrol with him. Since you two met at camp you have never spoken to each other except to argue, over time you have learned to work as a team, but you don't usually talk too much. It's possible that your temper is because you don't really know how to talk to him, because you like him, you haven't been able to ignore your feelings for Daryl Dixon for a long time and you know it.

In his first stage you considered him a complete asshole, always influenced by his brother Merle's personality, a bad personality, but when he disappeared it seemed that little by little Daryl was also changing, somehow Rick's presence also caused changes in the redneck that made you all gradually see him differently. In prison he took care of everyone when Rick lost his mind and seeing him with Judith in his arms, seeing him smile with that shyness and emotion contained by seeing the baby made your heart melt and the day you met again at Terminus fall and he hugged you, that made your feelings for him intensify even more, you never expected the archer to hug you. Now in Alexandria you all are adapting, except Daryl, you know it's different for him, it's difficult, but you will not allow anyone to mess with him, much less without knowing his history, you don't know his past either, but you know that Daryl is nothing like what they talked about. Much less a coward.

"Hey."

Before you can look up, you bump into Daryl's back, a sharp gesture that makes you stagger for a second, but you quickly break away, frowning ready to yell at him why he stopped.

"May I ask where ya were?" he's quicker.

"I was thinking about..." about you, it almost slips out, but you bite your tongue in time. "Nothing... a thing this morning..." You rectify. "But you didn't have to stop so abruptly."

"I didn't stop..." He frowns, why don't you tell him what happened with Spencer and his buddies? "Never mind, look." He points to the ground and you walk over peeking out beside him.

There's a fresh trail, they look like footprints of some boar or deer, you don't know all those things apart yet, you're not as good as the hunter, but you're glad to see that you might be able to catch something.

"They are wild boar footprints." He says to you, biting his thumbnail.

"Do you know if it's a male?"

"No, unfortunately he ain't shuffling his balls." You hear him snap and you snort loudly.

"Asshole, I mean if there are small tracks, other than a mother with her babies." You try not to hit him but he's giving you a hard time.

"Boars go in herds." He comments but crouches down to observe them better. "But I don't see small tracks, they're all the same diameter."

"Okay... So how do we do it?"

"Ya wanna go after a herd of wild boars and try to hunt them? Yer crazy." He laughs with a snicker and you cross your arms in offense. "If they get caught or we wound one without killing it they might attack us and they're aggressive as fuck."

"But with one adult boar we'd have food for a lot of them for a while."

Daryl knows this, but it's risky, he still agrees to follow them closely and find out where they're headed. You manage to throw off a rather large boar, Daryl has found a trail of acorns and has been dropping them trying to lure one of the herd, which has proved successful. When you are far enough away from the rest that they can't run to his aid, Daryl raises his crossbow and fires. The bolt sticks in the animal's side and the boar screeches in pain, locating you instantly. You get goose bumps when you see that, despite the mortal wound, the animal turns to you both and shakes its head menacingly.

"Run." Daryl says to you, and before you can react, the archer pulls you by the hand, pulling you away from the animal running after you.

You escape through the trees, hearing the animal's screams getting closer and closer, you find it amazing what it can resist with the wound, willing to take revenge before dying, you come out of the forest in a clearing where you find an abandoned cabin. Daryl turns back to the boar, raises the crossbow again and fires once more. The two of you are trapped against the wall of the hut, a last scream is heard before the body falls with a thud to the ground, Daryl's arrow embedded in the animal's forehead. You remain a few more seconds in tension, Daryl with the crossbow raised, his whole body tense, breathing heavily, the animal's fang stuck in his leg, but it doesn't hurt now. He is more aware of you than of his wound. You have stuck to him as if he were a nail, clutching his vest with both hands, face pressed into his side, hidden under his raised arm holding the crossbow, you tremble slightly in fear of receiving the animal's attack even though everything has already passed.

Slowly he relaxes his posture and lowers his arm brushing against your head, with a gentle touch on your hair, you open your eyes as you become aware that you are still hugging him and quickly pull away clearing your throat, seeing the boar at your feet.

"I didn't think that..."

"Told ya they get aggressive, imagine a whole herd." He mutters and hangs the crossbow on his back. Then he looks up at the sky and frowns. "It's getting late..."

"How are we going to get it all the way to Alexandria?

"We'll cut it up and put it in the packs, but not today, if we get going we'll arrive at night and with the meat on our backs... it'll be dangerous."

"Let's stay here." You say looking at the hut, it's dismantled, but has a firm roof and walls in place. "We just need to make sure it's empty, we can butcher the boar outside and..." You fall silent as you then notice the wound on Daryl's leg. "You're hurt."

"I'm fine..." He grunts trying to hide it.

"We're staying here." You dictate and go straight to the house to make sure it's safe.

Daryl watches you without saying anything, your constant concern for him now confuses him, why do you have to be so complicated? You return within minutes with a smile, the house is clear, so you can spend the night there. Daryl didn't like the idea of having strayed so far from his original route, he just wanted to talk to you and maybe ask you why you had defended him that morning. He didn't expect to be there, on the steps of the house, skinning a huge boar to take the meat and try to save it until the next day you return to the community, he will reserve the guts and skin to put away from the cabin, to keep the dead from approaching. He hears a tinkling sound nearby and raises his head to look at you, you are back from securing a perimeter to prevent you from possible unexpected visitors while you are sleeping, when you see him you frown.

"What are you doing?"

"Taking out the meat, what do ya think I'm doing, trying to fucking revive him?"

"You're hurt, idiot. You should be inside, nursing your wound and trying to rest. I'll take care of that."

"Yeah, like y'know how to do that." He defends himself by continuing with his task. His leg hurts, he knows he has to heal the wound or else it will get infected and that will be a serious problem, but now he has to get it over with.

"I know how to do it, why are you so stubborn? Go inside and try to rest, I'll finish."

"No need, that's it." He continues to cut carefully and you snap angrily. You pick up the bag where the animal's useless remains are and point at him.

"Stay there, don't even think about lifting a finger. I'm going to leave this out there and I'll be right back." Daryl opens his mouth to retort and you shush him. "No. You're hurt, it's late, we're far from home. Shut up and for once listen to me." Without further ado you turn around and walk away, losing yourself in the woods.

When you return, Daryl is inside the cabin, as you had asked him to do, he has spread out the sleeping bags and prepared a fire to keep warm. It is not extremely cold, but the nights are cooler and the mild temperature is always pleasant. He hasn't even tried to wash his wound and that bothers you again. Why doesn't he ever listen to you? Sighing you walk to his side and sit down next to him picking up his boot starting to unbuckle it. Daryl grunts in pain, his leg is bothering him more than he thought it would.

"What the hell yer doin'?"

"What am I doing? What you don't, from what I can see, you haven't even bothered to look at your wound." You scold him as if he were a small child and carefully tug on the boot managing to pull it off.

"'m tellin' ya I'm fine, why ya always gotta do whatever ya want?" however he doesn't pull away letting you carefully pull his pant leg up.

"Because out of the two of us I'm the only one with any sense."

Daryl bites his tongue to avoid answering that, you get closer to inspect the wound, luckily it is not very deep, a tear but nothing to regret. You take your backpack to take out your little bag that you always carry with you, apart from the knives and bullets it is important to be able to heal a bad wound. You take out the alcohol and some bandages and get ready to clean the archer's wound. Daryl watches you closely, as you carefully wash the cut and begin to bandage the wound.

"Why did ya defend me this morning?" he says suddenly, unable to hold back any longer. Your hands stop in the bandaging process.

"What?" you look at him sideways, trying to appear normal.

"This morning, I heard Deanna's son with his friends talking about me, and ya shushed them... Why?"

"Because I like you." You say without hesitation, you don't have an excuse to defend yourself, so you'd rather tell him the truth. "They don't know you and dare to talk about you." You shrug bandaging his leg again. "They've called you a coward and maybe you've been many things, but you've never been a coward..."

Daryl doesn't look away from what you are doing. His breath catches for a few seconds in his throat when he hears you give him your explanation. You like him. You like him. Not the answer he expected you to say. Not by a long shot. He feels his heart racing and try to find the words.

"Ya like me." Daryl finally speaks and you can swear your ears are red. "Ya said ya like me..."

"Yes, that's what I said, is there a problem?" You look at him, you're embarrassed but you have your pride, if Daryl is going to make fun of you, you're going to die fighting.

"How can ya say ya like me and then this? We're always fighting."

"Because at first you were a jerk, and then you started to change...I don't know, okay? It's not something I can control just like that." You fight back, leaving the archer's wound and try to pull away, but Daryl grabs your arm and pulls you towards him.

Your first kiss is awkward, rough. Your foreheads collide, your noses clench and your teeth scrape together. You didn't expect him to do that and Daryl hasn't controlled the pull, he doesn't let you pull away, he holds you by the back of the neck and tilts your head, kissing you this time the way it should be done. You gasp against his mouth as you feel him settle you between his legs and hold you by the waist. It becomes a dominant and intense kiss, as on almost every occasion you share this becomes a fight, you too want to take the pace of the situation, but Daryl catches you, his hand is still on the back of your neck, tangled in your hair, his other hand caresses and squeezes your waist daring to go down to your ass giving a gentle squeeze. A gasp escapes you against his mouth, Daryl then slips his tongue into your mouth and your tongues play.

The kiss breaks when you need air, Daryl's grip on the back of your neck loosens, you feel him caress your neck before releasing you. Your gazes are connected, neither of you want to look away, but you don't know what to say either, it was an intense kiss, full of desire, it's obvious that you both had been waiting for it to happen for a long time and at the same time you hadn't had the courage to take the step.

"I guess the only way I had to talk to you was to argue..." You speak again. "Because when I tried to do it without fighting, I couldn't get the words out, I got very nervous and that pissed me off, plus you didn't make it easy for me either..."

"Is it my fault?" she asks you with irony.

"No, no, I'm not saying that... well maybe a little, but what I mean..." Daryl stops you with another kiss, you stare at each other and you feel him caress your cheeks with his thumbs.

"Me too..." He confesses and you need a moment to understand what he means.

Daryl kisses you again sitting you on his lap. Your hands move over each other's bodies with need. You undress each other, never stopping touching, never stopping kissing, panting against each other's mouths, desire overflowing, you've been wanting each other for so long that now all the emotions engulf you. You move your hips against his crotch, Daryl gasps and grunts holding you by the waist making the friction more intense. His cock getting harder and harder, rubbing against your pussy, rubbing the tip against your entrance. You moan loudly as he works his way inside you, holding onto his shoulders you begin to move on top of him, your hips rocking as he pushes under your body upwards entering much deeper inside you. Your bodies take on a fast and urgent rhythm, you know that neither of you can hold on for too long, the desire was stronger, the need has pushed you to let yourself go. You feel the pleasure squeeze in your stomach and explode making you arch over Daryl's body as you tighten around his cock feeling him cum inside, painting your walls white.

"Fuck..." You gasp hiding your face in his neck, Daryl holds you down trying to catch your breath.

"Fuck yes, and if you give me a few minutes, I'll fuck ya again." He assures you and you shudder. "But don't think yer getting away." He pulls you apart a little so he can look at you. "Let's talk about this, let's get our situation straight." He tells you and kisses you, you sigh against his mouth and wrap your arms around his neck.

"Alright, Dixon, we'll talk about anything you want. Now show me what you can do." You smile mischievously, Daryl snorts and holds you turning your bodies, placing you under his.

The night is going to be a long one and few words come out of your mouths other than moans and gasps. The talk will have to wait until you get to Alexandria, but that doesn't mean you don't want it as much as you want to melt into each other.

The End...

Hope you liked it!!

See you in the next story!!

[ejzah]

Since in "Glory of the Sea" we learned that for Callen's bachelor party they might be cave diving in Mexico, and we that know how eventful the last two trips to Mexico were, could you write a fan fic in that the guys get into trouble in Mexico - again?

Maybe a Strip Club Would be Safer

“Are you really sure you want to have your bachelor party in Mexico?” Deeks checked, not for the first time. He’d asked when Sam first suggested it, then again when they arrived at airport, and now, as they grabbed their bags from the rental car.

“Absolutely,” Sam said. Callen gave a less enthusiastic shrug, still not fully onboard with the idea of a bachelor party. The couple beers he’d had on the flight over had helped some though.

Behind him, Eric had just removed his own luggage, and rolled it over to stand between Callen and Deeks. He had of course made the time to participate in the festivities, flying in a couple days early to get everything settled. He’d even got them upgraded to first class (sometimes being Rick was awesome).

“I mean, it’s not like we’re here in any official capacity,” Eric reminded them with a shrug. “What could possibly go wrong?”

“Oh, I wish you hadn’t said that.” Deeks winced, throwing his head back with a sigh.

“Relax, Deeks. We’re just tourists, here to enjoy some cave diving with my man.”

“And I found some interesting clubs we can check out,” Eric added.

“Uh, I promised Anna there’d be no strippers involved during this bachelor party,” Callen spoke up.

“She had to specify?” Deeks asked, surprised that Anna would worry about Callen wanting a last night of society approved infidelity.

Callen shook his head. Nah. Anna doesn’t care, because she knows that’s not really my thing. But it’s the excuse I gave Arkady when he mentioned his plans to book an exclusive Russian strip club.”

“I believe the preferred term is “exotic dancing” or gentleman’s club,” Deeks felt the need to point out.

“As you’ve mentioned before.” Sam shot him a speculative look.

“And I’m offended that you’d think I’d suggest any place like that.” Eric actually did seem mildly offended.

“Sorry.” Sam patted his back. “Sometimes I forget that under all the luxury cars and faux leather, you’re still the same old nerd.”

“Thanks. I think.”

“Ok, I’m fine with a club or whatever, as long as it’s not too crazy. This is supposed to be relaxing.”

“No, it’s supposed to be fun,” Sam corrected him. Deeks thought he looked a little severe for someone promoting fun. “Now, lets get to the hotel before they give away our rooms.”

***

After checking into their hotel, they ate lunch at a little cafe that Eric found while scouting out local attractions. Deeks knew Kensi would be jealous that she missed out on the authentic cuisine.

They spent the the rest of the afternoon and evening exploring the area. It was interesting being a tourist for a change, with no set agenda in mind other than having fun. Fortunately, Sam and Deeks had carefully selected a part of Mexico they’d never encountered during any investigations, which turned out to be slightly challenging after all these years.

From there, Eric dragged them to one of the clubs he mentioned. There weren’t any strippers, but lots of tequila and karaoke.

***

“Why the hell did we have to get up so early?” Callen complained, glaring at Sam as he happily drove an SUV down the highway.

Sam had come knocking on Deeks’ room room at 6am. Fortunately, Deeks hadn’t drunk very much, but he needed more than three hours of sleep to function.

“Because it’s a two-hour drive to the caves, and our dive starts at 9,” Sam replied evenly.

“I guess it would be stupid to ask why you felt compelled to schedule it so early?”

“Morning is the best time to go cave diving.”

“You’re making that up.” Turning to look in the back, where Eric was happily tapping on his phone, Callen frowned. “How are you even conscious, Beale? You drank more than all of us put together.”

“Being a high-tech business man comes with some odd hours, and the need for a high tolerance,” Eric explained, taking a long drink of the strong espresso he’d picked up before they left.

“Unbelievable,” Sam said.

“Alright, who wants to play the ABC game, Mexico edition?” Deeks asked a few minutes later. He needed something to pass the time. “I should warn you, Kensi I play this all the time.”

“No,” Sam said at the same time Callen called out,

“Amor!” He pointed to a large, purple sign that advertised a club of some sort.

The game kept going for the next hour, until they came upon a quaint-looking restaurant. Sam reluctantly agreed to stop for refreshments, since they were running ahead of schedule.

A friendly young woman, named Danita, who reminded Deeks a little of Rosa might in ten or so years, served them little cups of coffee and fresh omelets. There were a few other patrons sitting at the rough wooden tables, who looked like regulars based on their conversation.

Deeks headed to the restroom, feeling full, considerably more awake, and ready for some underwater exploration than he had half an hour ago. He should have known it would be too good to be true.

As he walked back into the small dining room, Deeks saw two armed men standing over Sam, Callen, and Eric.

Yeah, they definitely weren’t getting around to cave diving today.

***

A/N: Yes, there will be a part 2. Hope this is ok.

Thanks for the prompt!

[regaliasonata]

Conner McKnight + 2, 5, 20, 21, and 22.

Character/Headcanon Ask: Conner McKnight

#2) Emotional/Moral Weak Spots

-Conner's need to flirt with girls mainly boils down to a deep feeling of having to show off some sort of assertiveness or masculinity that he feels insecure about. It actually made him ask a few fearful questions that he's been dreading whenever they appear in his mind, does he like guys? The thought of it honestly scares him to death because of all the outcomes that can occur like his parents kicking him out but talking to Kira helps, now Conner's pretty alright with his preferences.

-His parents tend to disapprove about his soccer hobbies and constantly compare him to his twin brother Eric. Even though Eric doesn't try much he's always preferred instead of Conner, at five years old Conner broke his ankle and had to work really hard to get it back in mint condition for soccer, one of the worst periods of his early years so when someone insults his skills or interests it can really cause him to shut down or lash out. Is he good enough? Can he actually live up to his dreams? Why can't his own parents actually find some ounce of love for what he does?

-He really hates having to talk about his feelings with his friends because he becomes a tearful mess and it takes a few hours to really unpack everything, can't let anyone see him as such. Even in college he struggles with opening up like this unless he's with the other rangers, he's the red ranger but the others remind him that letting your pain out is not a weakness

#5) Guilty Pleasures

-Leather jacket collecting is a big hobby for Conner overall, his closet is mostly filled with antique pieces from the 80s.

-He really loves to give and receive hugs, being the tallest amongst his teammates really gives him the advantage but in secret Conner wishes to be a bit shorter just to be on the receiving end. Whether they like each other or not Conner might hold Ethan and Trent from behind while they are doing stuff like drawing or coding, when the red rangers met up he tried doing the same but only Andros, Leo, Wes and Cole obliged. Tommy pulled Jason out the window before it happened, TJ isn't that casual, Ryan wouldn't let him go near Carter and Eric doesn't do physical contact.

-He loves boyband songs and has Devin going out of his way to find rare tapes and CDs to listen to.

-Conner really loves reading dictionaries, it's a weird hobby but just going over any type of word on a daily basis really gets his mind running. Sometimes to keep calm through the day theres an audio book installed on his phone just for this specific moment.

-Conner watches Supernatural religiously, he thinks Sam is kinds hot because they both got good looks, Hayley took him to meet the actors and he nearly fainted in Jared's presence.

#20) What-If/Alternate Timelines

-Mesogog was created via Tommy being his other half instead of Anton within this timeline, Anton is the mentor but to combat a threat that has access to ranger knowledge he augmented the Dino Gems bringing out their latent potential. However Anton doesn't know how to keep stability in the team and during a huge conflict with Mesogog the rangers powers went off causing another asteroid like impact to strike the world, it didn't cause much casualties but the energy brought back the dinosaurs. Mesogog being destroyed led to the team taking free reign of the new world, Conner being a ruler with a kingdom of meat eating dinosaurs.

-Semi medieval verse where he started off as a gymnast but became a wandering jester with his flexibility to entertain and make a hefty profit. Slowly getting shafted alongside a small band, Ethan the sorcerer, a Kira the bard, a Trent the Renaissance artist and Tommy the sellsword as they all journey the land for adventure.

-in a powerless universe he's a director after high school, he retired soccer after college despite people wanting to scout him out. Conner, Trent, Kira and Ethan live together, working on a crazy popular series of heroes. Conner being the full on director, Ethan handles animation and tech stuff, Kira does the score and soundtrack and Trent is the mangaka/comic artist who likes to take hiatuses and delay the series for laughs.

#21) Turning points in their life

-Becoming a ranger really opened Conner's eyes to a whole new world. Sure power rangers are common knowledge within his world but being a part of the adventures, supernatural and magical situation, fighting monsters and doing things that a normal human can't just makes him feel like a kid again.

#22) People who've influenced them greatly

-Hayley is like the mother Conner wishes he had, considering she's very caring and actually willing to listen to his concerns.

-Eric might get all the attention but Conner couldn't imagine his life without him, from age one to five Eric had some heart troubles and there wasn't a guarantee that he'd survive. Conner never left his side and even refused to go to school, got to the point where he had to repeat a grade or two but luckily Eric made it and the twins were able to stick together without hardships.

[dalkyeom]

TRICK OR TREAT!!

I don't do anything for Halloween, but my friend had a pokemon trainer cosplay bday party this year and I went as a Lady trainer class! the one with the white dress and hat. this friend really likes costume parties...she's hosted a Disney themed one before and I went as Prince Eric from the Little Mermaid. then for another one of her small costume parties (I forget the occasion — all the days blur together), I had just cut my hair, so I went as Sailor Saturn! but akjdjsksk ignore me 😭 I'm just spilling in your inbox

I love all of svt, but I've been particularly soft with Vernon, DK, Wonwoo, and Junhui these days!!

Aeris happy halloween! SAILOR SATURN BELOVED amg reminds me of my very last halloween party (in 5th grade bc no one did halloween parties at every neighborhood I lived in so like, I never got to experience the halloween parties they show in tv) I went as Sailor Moon bc she’s my fave. I hope I can cosplay her again, complete with the wig and 2 costumes since her princess serenity and super sailor moon fits are my two absolute favorite outfits but also dreaming of cosplaying chibiusa one of these days too. also amg— a fellow sailor scout 🥺 am holding you.

Also your friend’s costume parties sound so fun! The pokemon npcs have very interesting designs sometimes, I always remember lady trainer with the young girl ones tho (like Lass npc) I’d often avoid them like the plague bc i just want to catch pokemon.

Thank you for ringing the doorbell! You receive… a small blurb!

Seventeen as different types of Pokemon trainers; a headcanon blurb!

Personally, I can see Vernon working at a pkmn daycare with Seungkwan and the newly recruited intern, Chan. You’ll find him working outside or at the back tending to the newly hatched and toddler pokemon. He prefers the peace and quiet, and the laidback-ness of it all allows him to stay in tune in his own little world. Occasionally, he’ll be behind the counter while Seungkwan is away or is busy running 5 different errands all at once.

You’ll always find him with his bulbasaur, one of the hatchlings that imprinted on him. Fortunately, this was from the brood of a wild bulbasaur they were rehabilitating and not an egg from trainers who drop their pokemon off for boarding.

Seokmin was born for the stage. The glitz and glamour; the creativity and theatrics— it’s what gravitated him to becoming a contest coordinator. When he was younger, he dreamt of being a stage actor but after he watched a contest performance with his parents while on vacation, he took a huge interest and his parents, ever supporting, took his newfound interest into consideration when they moved to Sinnoh. He adopts the stage name, Dokyeom, and slowly rises in the ranks amongst his contemporaries.

He’s well known for fusing his love for theatre with showmanship and it shows in how graceful and entertaining his performances are. His pokemon are all trained to perform at their prime and you can swear you see sparkles the moment they start their routine; and you can swear you witnessed the audience melt when he opens his mouth and sings; his twin clefairies dancing along. (Who can blame them though, that man sings like rent is due an angel)

The quality of his performances is backed by rigorous training. Seokmin may be sunshine and rainbows, he’s definitely playful and always down for a good game of hongsam but I’m a believer of lowkey perfectionist Seokmin. He’s consistent in his preparation, especially 2 weeks before the contest date. He believes in delivering only the best because the standing ovation and happy smiles on the audience’s faces are worth it.

Bzzt…bzzt…! G-g-g-game boi! I can see Wonwoo as an heir to either a pokemon gym that specializes in dark/electric types or someone who will run those mystery houses. He can be both? You know what, he can be both. Gym leader by day and mystery house host every mwf. He needs to keep a strict schedule, only bc he’s always booked for rematches. His gym puzzles can be quite difficult and there’s no convincing him otherwise to lower the difficulty setting. Something about playing on classic mode in a fantasy rpg game. According to him, ‘it’s either you die or you pick a god and pray.’)

His gym is pretty interesting. The key to beating it is actually getting to know how his mystery-mystery shack works. They use the same mechanics but with a bit of tweaks here and there. It’s more like an escape room at most, and he thought of ways that you would need to use either a dark-type or electric-type to be able to advance through the maze and reach him.

You’ll find him hanging out with Mingyu outside of gym leader and mystery master duties. What they do? That, I don’t even know. I just know they hang out together— maybe, buying groceries or playing co-op games together, or probably fishing together.

If you ever get lost while visiting the safari, Ranger Junhui will come save the day! He’s honestly one of the sweetest rangers on the team, and probably a park favorite. Especially by the campers, bc you know… he saves their butts most of the time. He always keeps an extra bar of chocolate on him… and maybe a small bag of snacks.

Jun takes up the night shift 5 out of 7 days a week, together with Soonyoung and Minghao. He probably sleeps on the job. It’s not his fault the meadow by the lake looks so inviting, especially when it’s 10 am or mid-day and the sun is shining just right and the breeze swings by. The sweet scent of the rosalia’s blooms serenading him to close his eyes for 5 minutes… yeah, 5 minutes sounds like a good time… he’ll just close his eyes for 5 minutes…

By the time he wakes up, it’s been 30 minutes and Joshua is standing above him. His bike broke down in the middle of passing by the lake and found Jun laying by the field. He thought he was attacked and his dragonair was ready to whisk the both of them back to the ranger’s station had Jun not open his eyes in 5 seconds.

Trick o’ Treat 2022 mini event

[leela-small]

Crimson and Clover

Chapter 9

Fair warning: I know close to nothing about the American educational system, so most of the stuff you see on this chapter came from Google searches. Please let me know if anything’s wrong and I’ll fix it 🙏🏻

And a special thank you to all of you out there who voted on my poll to help me decide on the valedictorian! 💖

Continue reading on AO3 or under the cut

When you’re young, high school seems to drag on forever; just a never-ending cycle of torment consisting of boring subjects, nerve-wracking tests and assignments, annoying classmates and demanding teachers. Yet, when your senior year comes to a close and you find yourself basking in the sweet taste of freedom, you realize those four hellish years went by in the blink of an eye, and you almost feel nostalgic for the ‘good old days’. Almost .

Leo would be lying if he said he wasn't glad to be done with school, but he would also be lying if he said there hadn’t been some very considerable highlights during those four years. Sure, he had been the preferred punching bag of some students and had suffered his fair share of bullying and humiliation, but he chose to repress those memories in favor of remembering some of the best moments of his young life which just so happened to take place in that God-forsaken school: all the special moments he had spent with Kenny. Some of their most precious memories as a couple happened right there in that very building, so it was only natural that seeing their school years draw to a close felt somewhat bittersweet to the platinum blond.

The last days of high school seemed to fly by much faster than anyone expected, despite all the crucial final events and preparations. First came the dreaded SATs, which Leo managed to do quite well at. Although he couldn’t say the same about some of his classmates. The one who had taken it the worst had definitely been Clyde, whom he had caught bawling his eyes out in the bathroom the day the results came out. He had done his best to console the poor boy, reminding him that there was still a chance a football scout would spot him during the next game and offer him a scholarship. Ultimately that had been exactly what happened, but seeing the distress in which he had been had really broken Leo’s heart.

Then came the prom, which threw the entire school into a frenzy as everyone desperately tried to find a date. He and Kenny had already agreed on going together, so his biggest source of anxiety was deciding what to wear. He ultimately went with a nice pastel blue tux he found on sale the week before the big event. Kenny had donned a much simpler attire consisting of a plain white dress shirt and black slacks. He had managed to find himself a tie almost in the exact same shade as Leo’s tux, so they complemented each other quite nicely. Leo still recalled the few beats his heart had skipped when he first saw his boyfriend in his formal clothes. Truth be told, Kenny could’ve gone to prom in a burlap sack and he would have still looked better than half the people there, but it was extremely rare to see Kenny McCormick in anything other than his trademark orange parka, so he almost seemed to glow in his formalwear.

All in all, the prom had been exactly what everyone had been expecting: an exaggeratedly decorated room full of teens dancing poorly, complete with spiked punch and all sorts of bad decisions. Leo and Kenny had danced together the entire night, taking full advantage of any slow song the DJ chose to play. As much as he wanted to say the best part had been when Kenny had whisked him away to a secluded part of the school for their own private ‘celebration’, the highlight of the evening had been Tweek and Craig getting crowned Prom Kings, with the latter flipping everyone off from his spot on top the stage. Leo heard Eric muttering something about how he should’ve gotten his hands on some pig blood, but he chose to ignore him. After all, there was nothing he could’ve done to ruin such a memorable evening.

Then came the day everyone expected the most: graduation. It was the general consensus that the students couldn’t wait for the year to be over and to be freed from that hellhole, but mostly they were excited about the party that would be thrown after the ceremony. The word around the hallways was that Tolkien had convinced his parents to allow him to have the party at their house while they were away for the weekend. What teenager wouldn’t be positively stoked about going to an unsupervised rager at a weed farm?

The weeks leading up to graduation, the only other thing students talked about besides the party was who would make valedictorian that year. Normally they would never even consider giving such a topic the time of day, but this year the competition was fierce and the only two candidates were relentless: Kyle Broflovski vs Wendy Testaburger. It was a true battle of wits and the two candidates were neck-in-neck the entire year as they fought for the title. It got so intense that the other students actually started placing bets on their favorite candidate. Stan was a mess during the entire process, since he had no idea how to root for one without upsetting the other.

When the results were in, Wendy reveled in her victory. She had beaten Kyle by getting a final GPA just a smidge higher than his, but it was still a glorious win in her book. In the end they shook hands and amicably parted ways, Wendy going as far as remarking that Kyle had been a worthy adversary. Everyone agreed that the speech she delivered at the ceremony was one they would never forget. Between inspiring quotes from famous authors to happily recalling some of their best moments, it was an emotional speech that actually got some of the students and faculty tearing up. 

After receiving their diplomas and posing for some photos with their exceedingly proud relatives, the graduates all headed down to the Credigree Weed farm for the long awaited after-party. What they had expected to be a big event reached astronomical proportions once Randy Marsh overheard that his main competitor was throwing a party, and in a fit of jealousy started inviting people over to Tegridy Farms, claiming he could throw a party ten times better. In the end, the party ended up taking place at both farms consecutively, with some young adults Leo was sure he’d never seen in school showing up.

Leo maneuvered through the large gatherings of partygoers spread out across the Black family living room, careful to avoid bumping into anyone or inadvertently stepping on anyone who could be passed out on the ground. Frankly, perhaps having a graduation party at a weed farm hadn’t been the best idea, since it only encouraged bad decisions, but he wasn’t about to be a wet blanket about it. It was his first night of freedom and he would enjoy it to the fullest. Heck, he still couldn’t believe his parents had actually allowed him to go, even after knowing the location! They must’ve assumed Tolkien’s parents would be there to supervise it, and if that was the case, Leo wasn’t about to correct them. His father had dropped him off after he changed out of his graduation gown into something more casual, making a few snide comments about how reckless today’s youth was as Leo unbuckled and reached for the door handle. Good thing they had arrived before the party had become too chaotic, or else he was sure his father would’ve made a U-turn and taken him right back home.

Leo had been at Credigree for about an hour, purposely avoiding the areas in and around the property where the partygoers were acting the rowdiest. He had been sitting on the living room couch for the past half hour, nursing a cup of ginger ale and shaking his head to the music blaring from the speakers as he watched some people dancing and others passionately making out. The second he brought the plastic cup back up to his lips, he got a text from Kenny stating he had just arrived and was waiting for him on the front porch. His boyfriend had to run home right after the ceremony to sort out some stuff, promising he would meet him at the party later. It was in times like these that Leo was glad he had given Kenny a new phone for his birthday, or else they would’ve never been able to find each other in the massive sea of intoxicated graduates.

It was quite a challenge to squeeze through all the people bumping and grinding to the rhythm of the music and stepping over some who had already had too much to drink or smoke, but once he found himself outside, Leo couldn’t help release a deep, relieved sigh. The music was much more silent and the air a bit easier to breathe. There were a lot less people out on the porch; just a random couple making out against the wall and some guy he had never seen before smoking a joint on the steps. From where he was standing, Leo could see just how much the party had progressed since he had arrived: he could hear loud music coming from inside Stan’s house and some graduates were mingling on the Tegridy porch. Some people were spread out along the dirt roads that lead up to each of the properties, either holding a red solo cup or a lit blunt. Leo could already tell this would be a party that would be talked about for years to come.

To his left, Kenny sat on one of the porch’s patio chairs, suckling on the straw of a Burger King cup with his eyes fixed on his phone, scrolling through what Leo assumed was his social media feed. He took a moment to admire his boyfriend, enjoying how great he looked under the moonlight. He wasn’t wearing his usual orange parka, donning instead a simple pale gray button-down with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and the same black slacks he had worn to prom. Leo sighed through his nose, his lips curling into a smile as he stared adoringly at his boyfriend. He should really wear button-downs more often; they made him look elegant and even more dashing than usual.

As he began walking across the porch in his direction, Kenny noticed the movement in his peripherals and turned to glance in his direction. A wide smile spread across his face and the corners of his eyes crinkled in that adorable way that always had Leo’s heart rate pick up speed inside his chest.

“Hello there, Mr. High School Graduate.” Kenny greeted him in a flirtatious tone as he pocketed his phone.

“Hello yourself, Mr. High School Graduate.” Leo replied, barely managing to hold back his giggles as he took a seat on the chair’s armrest. “Whatcha got there?”

“A smoothie. Karen wanted to treat me to something sweet as my graduation present.” Kenny said as he lifted the smoothie cup, shaking it to show that it was nearly empty.

“Aww, how sweet of her!” he gushed, giggling at his own pun.

“Yeah… I could tell she was trying her hardest not to cry in front of me.” Kenny sniggered. “She’ll never admit it, but she’s really proud of her big bro.”

“Of course, why wouldn’t she be? She’s got the best brother in the whole world.” he said as he inched closer, nestling up to his boyfriend. “With everything you’ve done for her, how could she not be proud of you? I know I am!”

“Well, you’re my boyfriend, so you’re legally required to be proud of me.” Kenny teased, winking at the platinum blond.

“‘Legally’, huh?” Leo played along, crossing his arms over his chest and giving him a defying glare. “I may just have to see a lawyer about that.”

“It’s true, it’s the newest amendment in the Constitution! It says so right there at the bottom, ‘All members of a couple are obligated to display the utmost pride and devotion for one another’.”

That statement, along with Kenny’s faux-serious delivery, broke Leo and sent him into a laughing fit. He nearly doubled over as he guffawed, his arms now wrapped around himself and tears welling up in the corner of his eyes. Kenny joined him in his laughter, the two being so loud that some of the other people at the party stopped to look at them. Leo could genuinely say he had never laughed so hard before.

“You’re lucky you’re cute and have a great sense of humor.” Leo giggled as he wiped his eyes and did his best to steady his breath. “I’ll miss that.”

“Don’t know why, I don’t plan on losing my comedic chops anytime soon.” Kenny replied as he absentmindedly swirled his smoothie around. “Nor my good looks, hopefully.”

“I know, but… It’s just that…” Leo had to pause and sigh, knowing he would have to address the one topic that weighed heavily on his heart. “After I leave for college, I won’t see you again for a long time. I’m really gonna miss you…”

This was the only thing that Leo hated the most about graduating. In his haste to free himself from his overbearing parents, he had applied for the furthest colleges he could find with the most appealing curriculum. He still had no clue what he wanted to study, but he did know he wanted to do so far, far away from his parents’ iron grip. He was fortunate to have been accepted into a very nice college in California, and had been over the moon when he got the letter in the mail. But once he told Kenny about it, the guilt set in. His boyfriend never really talked about his plans after graduation, but Leo knew his top priority was to take care of Karen, so he suspected he would be staying in South Park with her while everyone else moved on with their lives. He couldn’t bear to be away from him, and he had always heard long distance relationships were doomed to fail, so the topic of his departure was one that filled him with dread.

“Yes, that is quite unfortunate, indeed.” Kenny mused, speaking in an oddly indifferent tone as he stared at the plastic cup in his hand.

Leo cocked a brow at his reaction, extremely confused by his boyfriend’s impassiveness. This sort of attitude was so unlike him, it led him to believe that there was something else going through his mind. Could he be plotting something? He really hoped that was the case; the last thing he wanted to believe was that Kenny was acting genuinely aloof towards the fact that they wouldn’t be seeing each other for the greater part of the following four or more years.

“Or it would be, if it weren't for…”

Kenny set the smoothie on his lap and dug into his pocket, fishing around for God-knows-what with a highly concentrated look on his face for a good couple of seconds.

“...this!” he exclaimed as he pulled out a crumpled paper ball, smoothing it out as best as he could before handing it to Leo, smirking proudly.

As he took the wrinkled paper in his hands, the first thing Leo’s gaze was drawn to was the large logo at the top of the page, which he instantly recognized as the logo of the college he would be attending come fall. His heart immediately picked up speed, his breathing halting momentarily as he scanned the information written on the page. There was quite a lot of text, but he didn’t bother to read through it all once his eyes focused on the first two lines:

Dear Mr. McCormick,

Congratulations! We are pleased to announce that your application has been accepted.

As he reread those lines over and over, Leo’s head spun in what could only be described as a rollercoaster of emotions. He was thrilled that Kenny had been accepted into the same college as him, ticked off about him not saying anything sooner, and just a tad guilty for doubting his intentions for even a second. His gaze drifted from the letter in his hands to Kenny’s face repeatedly as he tried to process what he had just read and decide which emotion to go with. He ultimately opted for the most logical option: joy.

“Ken… Oh my goodness, this is amazing!” he exclaimed almost breathlessly as he threw his arms around Kenny’s neck and pulled him in for a hug. “Why didn’t you tell me about this sooner?”

“I wanted to surprise you, which apparently worked like a charm.” Kenny chuckled as he returned the embrace. “You should’ve seen your face. You looked like you'd seen a ghost.”

“How could I not? I really wasn’t expectin’ this.” Leo replied as he pulled away, handing Kenny back his acceptance letter. “Do you know what you’ll be majorin’ in?”

“I still have to consider my options, but I was thinking either physics or engineering. Maybe both!” he replied as he shoved the letter back in his pocket. “I want to do something that matters. Plus I really like that kind of stuff.”

“I just know you’ll do great! Oh, I’m so happy we’ll be goin’ to college together!” Leo almost squealed in pure joy, but his smile faltered as he recalled one very important detail. “How are you plannin’ to deal with the expenses? I mean, you can always get a part-time job, but the tuition alone is awful expensive. I can help out with whatever you need, honest!”

“That’s sweet of you, but I won’t be needing it.” Kenny replied before loudly slurping up the remainder of his smoothie. “They offered me a full ride scholarship, so I’ve got that all covered.”

Leo was thoroughly taken aback by that statement, his jaw literally dropping. Kenny very rarely talked about his grades, but Leo knew he was quite smart; much smarter than anyone imagined, actually. Still, learning that his boyfriend had managed to lend a scholarship that would cover all of his expenses throughout the next four years took him by surprise.

“There’s that face again.” Kenny chuckled.

“Well, can you blame me? You can’t drop such big news and expect a fella to just take it!” Leo retorted, playfully swatting at Kenny’s shoulder before reaching down to grasp his hand. “I’m so proud of you, Ken!”

“Thanks, Buttercup.” Kenny beamed, moving his hand to intertwine their fingers. “I’ve already looked up some cheap apartments to rent online and found a really nice, affordable one. I was  hoping we could go see it together over the summer. Y’know, just to make sure I don’t fall prey to some sort of real estate catfishing scheme.”

“Sure, I’ll go with you. But I honestly thought you’d be livin’ in a dorm.”

“I was supposed to, but then I got to thinking and realized there wouldn’t be enough room for the both of us.”

For what felt like the millionth time that evening, Leo’s smile fell and a shocked expression took over his features. He’d had his fair share of bombshells dropped on him in the last hour, but that one had to be the one to befuddle him the most. Kenny was smiling up at him, his gaze filled with adoration and hope, clearly eager to hear his response.

“You… You want us to move in together?” he stammered with some difficulty, as if voice was struggling to come out after having heard the sudden proposition.

“I do. I really do. It’s something I’ve actually been thinking about for a while.” he grinned sheepishly, running a hand through his messy honey blond locks as a light blush spread across his cheeks. “I even considered asking you to move into my place at some point, but that shithole can hardly house five people, let alone six. So I figured this would be the perfect opportunity. If all goes well, I could even get Karen to live with us. I think she could really thrive in California. Well, anywhere other than this bumfuck town, really. Is that OK?”

“Of course! I love your sister, and I know she likes me a whole lot, too.” he shot him a reassuring smile, which quickly vanished as his insecurities took over his brain. “But are you sure about this? Don’t take me wrong, I’m not sayin’ no! It’s just… It’s an awful big step. And I wouldn’t want you to get sick of me…”

“Why would I ever get sick of you?” Kenny asked, sounding almost genuinely outraged as he leaned forward and took both of Leo’s hands in his, looking deep into his eyes with the most dead-serious expression Leo had ever seen on him. “How many times do I have to tell you that you’re the most important person in my life? Because I’ll gladly repeat it as many times as it takes for you to believe me. Leo, I love you more than you could possibly imagine, and I don’t want to lose you anytime soon. I honestly can’t imagine a life without you by my side. I may not know what the future holds for me, but I do know that I want you to be a part of it.”

Leo could already feel himself tear up at his boyfriend’s words. Kenny was not one to speak all that much, but when he did, he was always left at awe of how much sincerity and emotion he could convey. And when his words were directed at him, he would always be reduced to a flushed, teary-eyed mess and never manage to find the right thing to say in return. It never failed.

Opting to forego any verbal response — since it would be a while before he could form anything close to a coherent thought — Leo answered the love-filled declaration by leaning in and pressing his lips against Kenny’s in the most passionate way possible. He immediately felt him kissing him back, squeezing his hands in a way that indicated that he understood what he was trying to tell him.

“I love you so much.” the platinum blond whispered after pulling away, his head still a bit fuzzy from both Kenny’s words and the fervent smooch they had just shared. “So very much. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. And I can’t wait to see our new home.”

“I take it that’s a yes to us moving in together, then?” Kenny asked in a teasing way.

“Of course it is, you big dummy!” Leo laughed, swatting his boyfriend’s shoulder again.

“Hey, if this letter is anything to go by, I’m anything but a dummy!” he declared between chuckles, patting his pocket. “Just you wait! Someday you might even have to start calling me ‘Dr. McCormick’.”

Leo just laughed some more and hugged his boyfriend as tight as possible. The two of them laughed together for what could’ve easily been hours, ignoring the weird gazes from random passersby. No one else mattered in that moment but each other as they contemplated the years to come, basking in the knowledge that they would be together a lot longer than they anticipated.

As he held Kenny close, Leo was certain that he could take anything the future might throw at him. As long as he had Kenny by his side, they would be unstoppable.

Guys… the next chapter will be the last :’c

[pcttrailsidereader]

Pastor Mary Dodges the Mosquito Fire

Mary Davison, who completed the Triple Crown a few years back and at 81 has been chipping away at the American Discovery Trail, is truly a force of nature. Pastor Mary, as she is known on the trail, started long distance hiking late in life and hasn't stopped. In our anthology of PCT stories published as Crossing Paths: A Pacific Crest Trailside Reader (Mountaineers, 2022) we included a contribution from Pastor Mary based upon some of her first experiences hiking on the PCT in southern Washington. That glimpse into Pastor Mary on the trail is both humorous and inspiring.

This is an article that appeared in SF Gate back in late September.

Mary Davison in the Tushar Mountains of southern Utah, part of Fishlake National Forest. (Bob Palin)

Amanda Bartlett, SFGATE

When Mary Davison smelled smoke as she approached Palisades Tahoe on the American Discovery Trail earlier this month, she instantly knew something was wrong.

The 81-year-old hiker had already logged at least 4,000 miles on the westbound route of the nation’s only coast-to-coast trail, which stretches from Cape Henlopen State Park, Delaware, to Point Reyes National Seashore in California. Davison kicked off her journey in 2015, and has been working to complete the trail in 300- to 400-mile sections twice a year since then. She had hoped to finish the final leg of her trek in Nevada before heading to California, when her friend and travel companion, Kathy, texted her. 

“I think there’s a fire in Foresthill,” the message read.

Sure enough, it was the Mosquito Fire, which had consumed more than 41,000 acres at the time and was rapidly spreading north, causing the United States Forest Service to issue a closure order that shut down a large portion of the trail until the end of the year, as Hiking America first reported. As of Thursday, the fire has burned 76,539 acres with 60% containment and is California's largest of the year.

Davison was the only American Discovery Trail hiker immediately affected by the blaze, Bob Palin, Utah trail coordinator for the American Discovery Trail Society, told SFGATE. She had no choice but to turn around as the fire raged about 45 miles away and a thick layer of smoke shrouded the hills around her. Even so, she said the circumstances could have been much worse.

“If it hadn’t been for the heat wave, I would have already been down [on Foresthill road],” she told SFGATE by phone, noting that she had adjusted her route so she would be closer to Washoe Lake, where the temperatures were slightly cooler. She would have met up with Kathy at Robinson Flat, which turned out to be in the evacuation zone. “If I was coming there after three days of backpacking, and I had no food and water, and a fire separating me from everything, I wouldn’t have been able to get out.”

In spite of the mounting obstacles further derailing Davison’s trip — her travel companion’s van where she sometimes sleeps also recently broke down when they were driving through Truckee — she feels fortunate.

Trees burn during the Mosquito Fire on Sept. 14, 2022, in Foresthill. The Mosquito Fire has become California's largest wildfire of the year. (Eric Thayer/Getty Images)

A retired pastor, physical therapist and grandmother of 10 who grew up in Puyallup, Washington, Davison always loved the outdoors — a passion that began when she became a Girl Scout in fifth grade. 

“The rest of my life was immaterial and irrelevant to me,” she said, chuckling. “I just wanted to go to Girl Scout camp again.” 

As an adult, Davison became a member of the Mountaineers and learned how to climb snow glaciers, eventually conquering Mount Saint Helena and Mount Baker. From there, she went on backpacking trips and day hikes just about whenever she could, but it wasn’t until she was 60 years old that she decided to pursue long distance hiking. 

“When I retired, I picked a number out of the air. I thought 400 miles sounded like a good hike, so I could make the trek but go home and have the rest of my lunch, too,” she said.

Since then, she’s earned the Triple Crown of Hiking for traversing the entirety of the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, and the Continental Divide Trail, chronicling her expedition in two books — “Old Lady on the Trail” and “Aren’t You Afraid?” (It's a question she’s asked rather frequently, be it about bears or other dangers a hiker might encounter on the trails.)

She isn’t — and still hopes to check the American Discovery Trail off her list.

“When you see that you’ve ticked off states as they go, and you only have two left, you think, I ought to be able to do that,” Davison said. “I’m probably only going to get 150 miles this year, and that means if I want to finish next year they would have to be longer hikes than I would have anticipated.”

But ultimately, the decision she made to turn back was an invaluable one, and she hopes other hikers heed that advice, too. 

“You do have to be flexible on long trails because things can happen. We all know the West has been burning, and if you’re on any long trail, you have to take into account there’s going to be a fire,” she said. “You have to make the call if you value your life.”

Davison acknowledged that there can be a pressure for thru-hikers to complete a trail from start to finish without stopping. But learning to pursue longer hikes later in life taught her to be patient with herself — she hikes 13 miles a day, sometimes less for elevation gains, and makes sure to limit the weight of her backpack to 20 pounds or less. 

“You have to know what you can do with the age that you are and the physical condition that you have. I have two knee and shoulder replacements, but I can still do stuff. I can’t do it fast, but that doesn’t mean I can’t do them,” she said. “You have to arrange your hiking plans to fit your ability.”

At this point, Davison is uncertain whether she’ll be able to finish the trail at all, or how long the journey ahead of her could be. Trail coordinator Palin helped her find an alternative form of transportation to Utah so she could attempt to continue her hike from there while the van underwent repairs, but floods and mudslides from the recent downpour upended those plans, too. Fortunately, she was able to meet up with Kathy and the van again, and their next course of action is to drive to Baker, Nevada, and see if she can venture west from Cave Lake State Park. 

“I’m an upbeat person so I’ll deal with whatever I have to deal with. I didn’t come by that easily,” Davison said. “There’s things in life you can’t change. … I can’t make the fire not happen. Sometimes, it’s a matter of realizing you’re not in control of the world. It’s about enjoying the time you have.”

[drahtphotography]

Look at this! Eric has some words to share! Draht Photography

New Post has been published on https://www.drahtphotography.com/the-westside-wedding-sampler/

The Westside Wedding Sampler

September 17th was a bright and sunny day after a week of rain, and that’s a good thing – we had constant sunshine on this beautiful day. This wedding takes place out on Westside Road, which is one of my favourite spots in the whole Okanagan to shoot. You’ll see why soon enough!

We start out, of course, with the details. And we’ve got a lot. Flowers by Vernon Flowers, and the arrangement was just stunning!

The eagle-eyed viewers will start to nice a westside theme.

This is a backyard wedding, which are quickly becoming my favourite weddings. Instead of hotel rooms, we had huge houses surrounded by thick forest today.

And before long, this fella was ready for his first look.

Over at the girls, we just just finishing up.

We had a first look at Fintry Park. In the huge field with the sun shining through, it was such a moment.

After the first look, we walked into an overgrown shed I had scouted out, which looked a lot better than it sounds.

Back at the house, many of the guests had already arrived. Ring security was on the job, keeping everyone in line.

The ceremony was so much fun. The vows, the expressions, and the guests made it such a memorable time. The sun sank lower, giving the whole scene this unreal backlit glow.

I’m getting really good at group photos.

After the ceremony, we took off to get a few photos before dinner. The sun was low, which makes for angular light. That’s something we’re always look for with photos. The shade makes the images pop, and it’s generally the most flattering light you can get.

We finished up, and headed to the hall. A little known fact is that my favourite two places for receptions is old church basements (I’m not kidding, they’re so photogenic!) and halls with really high roofs. This hall had this incredible old school vibe.

Unfortunately, this is where I’ll have to leave you. This is a just a sneak peek of the festivities we enjoyed yesterday. This sunny day in the heavy forests of westside.

This is quite a large sneak peek, at 62 images in total, but there’s more coming! In about three weeks. If you’d like to be notified when the album is ready, click here to be added to the list.

If you’d like to keep up with my work, feel free to give me a follow on instagram or facebook. Thanks for reading this far, and we’ll see you for the next sneak peek in a few weeks!

[sketchy-sketches]

chapter 5:

Mercenaries

Paul rolled out of his hotel bed, slowly walking to the hotels kitchen. He poured the day old coffee into a mug and sipped the cold bitter brew. With that he made a new, fresh pot of coffee. He stepped out of the kitchen and sat on his bed. He looked over at the other hotel bed, Amanda sleeping quietly. He turned on the tv and let the news quietly play in the background.

Pauls phone buzzed on the desk. He stood and leaned to grab the phone. The screen read Udesky, Paul quickly flipped his phone open and answered the call.

“This is Paul.”

“Hello Mr. Kirby, this is Mark Udesky, the lead mercenary you hired. We would love to set up a meeting for today, and we can ship out tomorrow at first light.” His voice sounded scratchy and rugged. Paul looked over at Amanda, sleeping peacefully. He checked his watch, seven fifteen am. Paul knew Amanda got up at eight thirty every morning without fail. Maybe he could go alone? Not disturb Amanda or bother her with any more stress.

“Yeah, i think we can do that, where are we meeting?”

“We will meet at the private airport near tres rios, at around o’nine hundred. Does that work for you?”

”yes i believe that will work fine.”

“Great i will send you the full address.” Paul heard other people talking in the background.

“Sounds good, see you soon.” Paul hung up the phone, and put it back on the dresser and went to go get dressed. He ran the names of the mercs through his head. Mark Udesky, Danial Nash, Thomas Cooper. He was sacrificing so much to do this. His reputation, his business, and his money, were only part of it. But it was all worth it, for Eric, for closure if he is gone and if he is still alive… then he would have his son back. He missed Eric, more than he ever thought he would. He needed his son, he felt like nothing without him. But now he had a chance to have his son in his arms again. He buckled his belt. What could be on that island that Eric could have wanted to see so badly? The only thing that would intrigue that boy to go anywhere was dinosaurs, or food. Hell the only reason his mother was able to get Eric to go to boy scouts or gymnastics was bribing him with sweets after every trip. Paul shook his head as he buttoned his shirt and adjusted his collar. Grabbing his phone, he put it in his shirt pocket and took one last look at Amanda, still sleeping undisturbed. He decided to write her a note for when she woke up. Paul walked to the kitchen and grabbed a pen and an empty envelope. He wrote on the back, had to go to a meeting with the people we hired to help find Eric, there is fresh coffee in the pot and plenty of eggs and bacon to make for food. He left the note on the dresser. Paul grabbed his keys from the hook on the wall. As he walked out, he whistled his store tune.

Paul pulled out of the hotel parking lot and drove down the road. He felt his shirt begin to buzz on his chest, and without taking his eyes off the road he grabbed the phone from his pocket and answered. “Hello?” Paul said flatly.

“Mr Kirby, it is me again, Mark Udesky, I would simply like to inform you before your arrival that I have hired some more help. Five extra people to be exact, you will meet them today along with the rest of us. This was all at no expense to you, I simply thought we would need some extra help.”

“Good, that’s wonderful. I am on my way to the airport now.”

“Excellent, see you shortly Mr. Kirby.”

Paul turned into the airport parking area, and pulled up next to an olive green jeep. Stepping out of the car, a deafening sound went off nearby. Paul ducked behind his car door for a split second. Slowly standing up, Paul walked to the nearby building and opened the glass door. Another bang. Paul stepped towards the counter.

“Hello?” Paul called across the counter. Was he in the wrong place? He double checked he was on the map. Another bang. Paul walked to the glass door that lead to the runway, and looked out. Three men all sitting behind a steel box, one of the holding something on and crouched further than the others. Paul looked closer and saw that he was holding a large rifle. Another bang, the barrel of the rifle flashed brightly. Another bang, this time directly after an even louder one followed, Paul caught himself on the counter by the door. All of the men outside were all laughing and celebrating. Paul sighed and pushed open the door, and called out to them. One of the men took off the headphones they were wearing.

“Ah, Mr Kirby! Welcome. My name is Mark Udesky.” He extended his hand. Paul shook his hand and looked at the flaming plane down range of the rifle. Paul pointed silently. “Yea, that would be Cooper's handy work. It was a dead plane anyway, we already took what we could use from it, and cooper had the idea to test his new ‘toy.’”

The man holding the rifle raised his hand while still aiming down the sight.

“So, where is the rest of the team that you hired?”

“On their way, in the meantime I'll introduce you to the ones here. First off, is cooper, who you have already been acquainted with, And Nash.

“Good morning Mr Kirby.” Nash stepped forward, he was significantly taller than Mr. Udesky, and more muscular than him too. Paul shook his hand.

“Nice to meet all of you, I’m thankful you all agreed to help me find my son.”

“No need to thank us, Mr Kirby. It's our pleasure. Plus we haven’t had much to do lately.” Udesky said, patting Paul on the shoulder. “ I’m going to go get us some breakfast to discuss everything over.” Udesky walked off towards the building. Paul walked towards Cooper, and sat in the chair next to him.

“What kind of rifle is that?” Cooper looked at him through his sunglasses.

“It’s a Barret M82, bought two weeks ago, never had a chance to use it until now. Currently trying to sight it in.” Paul looked at the large weapon. It looked like it was used to hunt elephants, it was so massive. The bullets were as long as his hand.

“Put these on. It’s extremely loud and you don’t want to damage your ears.”

Cooper slid a pair of headphones across the table towards Paul. He picked them up, and put them on his head. As the world went nearly silent, Cooper aimed down the sight, and fired the rifle. The sound was far quieter, but still startled Paul. Cooper tapped Paul on the shoulder and motioned to take his headphones off. “Fully sighted, works like a charm.”

“Do you mind if I fire it?” Paul asked. Cooper looked down at his rifle, then back at Paul.

“Have you fired a gun before?”

“Yes, I went hunting with my dad growing up.”

“Well this isn’t your typical hunting rifle.” He passed Paul the rifle and helped him adjust the stock. Putting on the headphones, Paul then shouldered the rifle, aiming down at the targets down range. “If you want an extra flash of fun, aim for the propane tanks next to the target.” He set the crosshair on the center of the target. He pulled the trigger and the weapon fired. Wincing, Paul rotated his arm, and groaned.

“She’s a strong one.” They both laughed. He looked through the scope again. He was too high.

“Oh, right, I set my scope so the perfect aim is right above the crosshair, I hate that it gets in the way.” Paul set the weapon again, before he felt a tap on his shoulder. He looks back, it was Nash.

“Mr. Kirby, can I get you to help me move some supplies quickly?”

“Sure thing.” Paul stood up and walked with Nash over to a nearby plane.

“These are the boxes we need to load into the plane, they are necessary supplies for our expedition to find your son.”

“Sounds good, i'll pass them to you, and you put them where they go in the plane.” Paul lifted the first box, straining at first, but corrected himself.

“The boxes are quite heavy, i can do it myself if its too much for you-“

“No, no its fine.” Paul cut him off. He handed the box to Nash. “So…” Paul lifted another box, this one surprisingly light. “Where are you from”

“I grew up in Nigeria, and moved to America when I was fourteen. Then I lived in Nevada for many years.” He took the box from Paul and set it down next to the other.

“What branch did you serve in?”

“Navy, I was a mechanic. I worked on planes and boats. If it has an engine I can fix it.”

“So I guess you are the one who works on planes here?”

“Correct, Udesky is too busy, and Cooper is ignorant when it comes to these things.”

Paul handed him the last box, and Nash put it in the plane. Nash took out a water bottle, and drank. After he did, he held out the bottle to Paul. Paul drank from the bottle and tossed it back to Nash.

“If you were so good in the military, why are you a merc now?” Paul asked. Nash sighed.

“One day, a plane went out for a flight, that one of our commanders was piloting. Something went wrong and it crashed in the ocean, and the pilot died. The platoon assumed I did it because I was black and hated the white commander. So they discharged me, since they couldn’t have me arrested for something they couldn’t prove I did.”

“Jesus. I’m sorry Nash, hopefully this is a decent substitute for you.”

“I enjoy what i do now far more. So no apology necessary.” Paul held out his hand and Nash shook it. He smiled at Paul and closed the plane door.

Both men returned to the entrance area of the airport and met with cooper.

“How did it go?” Cooper asked.

“The supplies are loaded, the plane is fueled, and no issues are found with the plane.”

“Perfect, now we just gotta wait for Udesky to get back, and we ship out at this time tomorrow.”

“I should really head back to the hotel soon, Amanda is probably waiting for me.”

“Nonsense Mr. Kirby, we still have breakfast to eat when udesky gets back, and the rest of the team should be here any moment.” Nash chuckled. Paul checked his watch, ten forty eight am. He had to admit he was hungry, and Amanda was well enough on her own. Just then udesky walked out of the glass door of the building and towards the men, and several people followed him and a large German Shepherd, carrying trays of coffee and bags of what he assumed was food.

“Mr. Kirby! Meet the rest of the team, Sara wrights, Rosa Rodriguez, Liana Simmons, and Beck Olson, and Robert Mckinly.”

“Nice to meet all of you, my name is Paul Kirby, thank you all for helping me in finding my son.”

“Let’s not just stand here, let's go to the lounge and eat.” Udesky waved his arm for them all to follow, cooper stood murmuring under his breath, and all of the rest began to follow. While walking, he stood next to a woman in a tan jacket and camouflage pants, who was walking with the dog by her side.

“What’s his name?” She turned her head sharply, and looked at Paul. “The dog, what’s his name?” Paul asked again.

“Oh, yes, his name is Charlie, he’s my search and rescue K9. Specially trained for finding people like your son.” Paul rubbed Charlie’s head, he felt a huge sense of relief knowing that a dog was there to help, he could sniff out where his son was.

“Is he good at what he does?”

“The best Mr. Kirby” Rosa said, smiling. “He has found kids trapped under ten feet of rubble after landslides, tracked kids for miles, and saved over twenty lives just last year alone.”

“So we got a little hero on our hands, he’s a good boy isn’t he.”

“Very.”

Udesky opened the door to the lounge and inside was a large table and a vending machine. Together, everyone sat at the round table and passed around coffee and egg sandwiches. Once everyone started eating Paul felt better about the people helping him. He felt lucky to have such willing people, like they actually cared about finding his son rather than this being just another job. He felt like at least Udesky and Nash did at least, and that was decent enough for him. He looked around at the faces surrounding him, Udesky and the bits of egg stuck in his mustache, Nash eating his food like he’s never eaten before, and Cooper, only sipping his coffee. He wasn’t sure of the others' names quite yet. A man with a stubble beard and cowboy hat was also drinking his coffee, but he was taking gulps at a time. He supposed that was Mckinly, and the man next to him was Olson. Paul shook his head, he shouldn’t judge these people just on how they look, or make assumptions about them. They were here to find his son.

Paul finished his meal, and through away his cup and the wrapper from his sandwich.

“Well, i got to go now, it was great to meet all of you. I will contact the experts I’m bringing, and we will ship out at eleven am tomorrow, and be to the island by one thirty pm.”

“Sounds good Mr. Kirby, we will see you tomorrow.”

[ahungeringknife]

What is your Guardian's Living Space like?

Guardians live incredibly busy lives, but everyone needs a place they can come home to, a place they can chill and relax and find their center away from the turbulent world.

What's yours like?

Tagging: open tag! Tag me if you wanna do these I'd love to see them.

Tagged by: @consifs

I'll just do Eric and Wolf since they're the ones we really see XD

Wolf

Until very recently Wolf lived in a New Light apartment in the Wall. Like a 400 sq ft apartment or smaller. These apartments are supposed to be temporary (or for Guardians who primarily don't spend time in the Tower) and that's why they're so fucking small. A New Light is supposed to get one and spend a few weeks/months getting their new life and existence sorted out before they apply for a standard sized apartment. Wolf just... never did. She didn't even know it was an option. She was boots on the ground since she was Risen and until she had a boyfriend to spend time with she never really stayed in her apartment other than to sleep.

Despite the size these apartments have a full kitchen and bathroom with laundry. But most of the space is dedicated to the sleeping area with minimal living space to encourage New Lights to get out and go DO stuff and meet Guardians.

Now she's got one of the biggest apartments a Guardian can have in the Wall. Guardian apartments are all open floor plan loft style apartments because they're meant to house one (maybe two) Guardians. Guardians who want multiple rooms or bigger spaces than allocated usually rent or buy apartments in the City below the Tower. But Wolf's new apartment has a walled off bedroom. It's effectively a one bedroom house and she had a close friend decorate it because she was o.o about what to even do???? How does one interior decorate?? Sounds scary! The most important parts is she has all her weird shit and weapons she never uses hung up on the walls or on shelves to show off all the things she's collected over the years from all the places she's been and things she's killed. The other important part, according to Ghost, is that there's a kitchen table. Overall the aesthetic is rustic and wood because that's what Shin is most into and Wolf is ??? and didn't have much of an opinion other than color. So her walls are also painted nice colors and the paintings and things on the wall are all pleasing colors. It's a very soothing and relaxing place to come after a long day shooting aliens.

It's a very novel space to Wolf still and it's cool having a couch she can curl up on and watch anime when not shooting the minions of the Witness when she can't sleep and not disturb her boyfriend.

Eric

Until about a 150ish years ago Eric had a standard sized Guardian apartment. Then she joined the Scouting Legion. As a member of the Legion a perk you get is a bigger apartment for joining such a dangerous gang on behalf of the Vanguard. She's been in the same Legion apartment since then.

It's gone through dozens of redesigns over the years but the most recent was was put up for Eric and her Hive son Gup to live together more comfortably. She's put up some partitions and Gup's space is more or less a bunch stacked boxes he can crawl around in and sleep in. Big hamster tunnel energy. Eric keeps her apartment well ordered because she's got a messy child in the house. Gup has boxes and bins for his toys and stuffed animals and Eric is constantly at war with keeping the place clean from art supplies and things for Gup to do. Since Gup can't leave the apartment she's constantly trying to find new things to keep him engaged and not bored that isn't just watching the TV.

Eric's stuff is kept in the living room part of the apartment for the most part. She keeps her guns in a rack on the wall when not in the Vault and has plenty of storage space for the stuff she's accumulated over the decades. She's got a special locked box on one of her shelves with some books of Toland's she's stolen from his library over the years.

Eric's core aesthetic is 'cozy'. As a perpetual Big Sleepy Bitch Eric has pillows and blankies on most pieces of her furniture. Colors are muted and cool tones but not desaturated. Eric loves dressing loud (hard to downplay the perwinkle skin) but her living situation is way more 'rainy day nap' aesthetic.

Eric's fridge is full of premade ice coffee, food kids likes (hot dogs, corn dogs, taco stuff, chicken nuggies, etc), and then also meal prep by Savant. Savant loves to cook and is APPALLED by Eric's eating habits (she used to exist on coffee and crackers) so he cooks all her meals now and they get put in the fridge for her to eat whenever. This has been going on for like a 180 years.