#they should all retire and live in the countryside as one big family

[wing-ed-thing]

Lost Souls (Itachi x Reader)

Synopsis: Itachi takes you to see his family.

Word Count: 1.5k

Tags/Warnings: Itachi Lives—Alternate Universe, Slight World Divergence, Slight Angst, Retired MistShinobi!Reader, Retired Itachi Uchiha, Reader Prays (Religion not specified)

Notes: I tried writing this like 4 times and apparently it took a whole year to actually write it to completion. Does it have a plot? Well...

He didn’t stop you as you picked fresh flowers from the garden. You waved to him as he leaned against the kitchen window, a flurry of leaves and petals fluttering down onto your big, floppy gardening hat. As caught up in your nervousness as you were, you probably wouldn’t have understood what he was trying to communicate to you anyway. So Itachi stood, offering you a slight wave back, and he felt the subtle summer breeze flow in as he watched you put together your bouquet.

The air seemed fresher in the countryside, away from the bustle of the growing village. The two of you owned a small farm, a few chickens, and a garden that could easily feed a small army. After the chaos that had ensued over the years, Itachi was all too happy to retire quietly away from prying eyes. With the ruins your own village was left in after the war, you were all too happy to join him. 

Warm sunlight cast itself over your modest kitchen across fresh produce, the neatly kept tablecloth, and the semblance of wrinkles that had begun to appear on Itachi’s face. He was still young— you both were— but when the light hit him at just the right angle, you could see the reminisce of sleepless nights and guilt etched on his face like long, faded scars. 

And when you strutted through the back door in your gardening clothes, proudly holding up your bouquet, Itachi thought he certainly couldn’t tell you now. You held the flowers in the crux of your elbow, cradling them tenderly as you hung your hat on the hook next to the door. Itachi leaned into the gentle touch that found the side of his face as you kissed his cheek. His hand came over yours, rubbing your skin with the pad of his thumb. Itachi pressed his forehead to yours, and you stayed like that for a moment, connected as you held each other in the kitchen. 

“Thank you for sharing this with me,” you whispered, offering him another kiss, “I know how hard it is for you.” You felt a little puff of air against the skin of your lip as Itachi seemed almost to snort.

“It’s fine,” he said with a shake of his head. “It all was a long time ago. I’m over it.”

“If you’re over it, I’m sure enough time has passed that all is forgiven. I mean, they’re having us over. I’m sure everything is fine!” You brushed your nose against his as you pulled away. Itachi’s hand lingered on yours as you retreated out of reach. You tugged open a nearby drawer, pulling out a delicate ribbon to hold up to your husband. “Do you think your mother would like this color? Or should I go for something more neutral?”

Another chance to tell you. To correct your misunderstanding.

Itachi hesitated, almost laughing to himself for a moment, before stopping to take in your nervous excitement with soft eyes. With two fingers, he thumped the center of your forehead. He walked past you to prepare to leave.

“She’ll like that just fine.”

***

The recent fighting had utterly torn the land, leaving chunks of the environment devastated. But even so, nature healed quickly. You had started in the south, meandering your way around as you made your way north. You had no idea where you were going, but by god, anywhere that didn’t touch the ocean. If you were lucky, you’d make it to the desert, but for now, you would settle for the massive forest that made up the Land of Fire. 

You remembered staring at the canopy, watching the leaves sparkle as golden light trickled through the branches. The sunbeams cast themselves over bushes and wildflowers, supporting the lively bustle among the thick trunks. A great wind caused the leaves above to all rustle at one, like one giant wave— not too dissimilar to the sea you grew up with. You found yourself standing still for a moment, watching how the woods moved with the gentle power like the ocean all around you. 

A beetle pollinated a magnolia. A flock of tiny birds swooped overhead before disappearing into the trees. You followed the flock with your eyes, head feeling lighter nowadays ever since you turned in your hitai-ate. Instinctually, you brushed the back of your hand against your forehead as if checking for the symbol of the village you left behind. You wondered if you were part of the forest now, too.

You lived there for quite a few days as you traveled, eating the fruits that grew naturally and bathing in the rivers that ran through the great expanse of trees. Despite the great size of the rivers, they were, at the very least, not the ocean. 

But no matter the time you spent partaking in the forest community as you traveled, you still couldn’t say you belonged there. The answer rang somewhere deep in your chest, a shallow sorrow telling you that you didn’t belong among the trees either. 

It felt right when you left, leaving your expanse of forest behind to ruins of broken homes and shattered bridges— like saying goodbye to a friend despite having overstayed your welcome. You trudged up the incline of a tilted bridge. By some miracle, it had stayed intact when it fell, but the roadway had since warped and cracked severely. Nevertheless, it still led you to a beautiful view. 

The sun had begun to set against the dynamic horizon in the distance. Despite the thick layer of clouds, the sun still shone brightly. Tall mountain peaks shaped the sky, pushing up trees to meet the slowly sinking star, which cast orange swirls among the dark clouds above. Lightning cracked amid the swirling colors, followed by booming thunder. You didn’t leave, even as the raindrops slowly trickled down from the sky.

Undeterred by the storm that came to blanket the ruins of the village you stood in, the thunder did little more than anchor you to reality. Water quickly soaked through your clothes, streaming down your deflated hair as you stared at the cloaked sunset in the distance. A warmth dripped down your cheeks as the light finally began to fade. You traced the glow as it retreated from a patch of vines, then from a fallen tree, and over a collapsed house. It left everything, even you, shrouded in the damp darkness. 

You held out your palm, feeling as the rain poured onto your skin. You rubbed the moisture between your fingers, wondering if the water was destined to follow you everywhere. 

You remembered meeting him clearly. He had, after all, interrupted your thought. Itachi had wrapped a long cloak around himself, but not even his hood could mask the expression of a man looking to disappear. 

He stood at the other end of the modest bridge, stoic features almost giving into confusion as he didn’t expect to run into anyone. He wore a broken mismatch of shinobi gear, and for less prying eyes, perhaps he could have passed off as a civilian traveler.

You met his eye and saw another lost soul staring back at you. 

***

The forest didn’t appear as new as it did back then. 

You strolled with Itachi through the forest, brushing your hand over the bark of the tall tree that marked approximately one kilometer from your home. After more silent walking, you spotted the round bolder that marked about two kilometers. And the more you walked together, the more apparent it became that you were not headed to the village. 

Itachi moved a low-hanging branch with the back of his hand, allowing you passage to a narrow, beaten dirt path. You glanced back at Itachi, who followed you closely. He gave you a nod, and wordlessly, you gripped his hand in yours. With your fingers intertwined, you continued forward.

You trudged up a slight incline, flowers in one hand and Itachi in your other. At the top sat a single white stone on a modest pedestal. Each side had been covered in neatly etched names.

“Oh,” you couldn’t help but sigh gently at the sight of the stone in front of you. You squeezed his hand. 

Itachi didn’t look at you, facing only forward as he seemed entranced by the Uchiha Family memorial stone. 

Lost.

You slipped your hand from him, but his touch didn’t chase you. Itachi stood as you knelt, placing your bouquet gently against the stone. You spoke your prayer quietly, letting the fresh forest air blow around you. 

Itachi had never told you about his family before, and you were never one to pry. Families, especially among shinobi, tended to be a sore topic. It seemed that it was common courtesy, even in the Land of Fire, that they were never to be asked about. 

You felt him kneel behind you. The hair from the top of his head brushed your cheek as he wrapped his arms across your shoulders. 

The sky remained clear as the lost souls of the Uchiha were prayed for by two newly found ones.

Thank you to all who liked, reblogged, followed and otherwise supported. Your support means so much and is greatly appreciated.

Notes: I probably took this request over a year ago, so sorry to the Anon who’s probably forgotten about it haha I lost the original request, but you know better late than never? i also feel like Itachi could have easily taken Reader to see Sasuke but he’s just gotta be melodramatic, doesn’t he?

[i5hiez]

WARNING: mature themes ahead such as yandere!behavior, mentions of murder, violence as well as supernatural beings. I do not condone any of the actions below nor do I believe that they should be portrayed in real life

Welcome to my account! To get you started, here is a list of my OCs or original characters! I will be writing about them often in the future:>

k lets begin !~

Lukas: Yan!Killer

• probably dutch or german(haven't decided which yet) which you can definitely tell by his towering build. Lukas is a 6'7 foot man who lurks the woods near the countryside, his terrible past has led him to become who he is now, a merciless killing machine!

• unlike other serial killers, he keeps a low profile to avoid raising suspicion and definitely not because the cops are scared of him or anything!

• luckily he's got a friend who's just fit for the job :D who is definitely not...vegan is all I can say

• both made it seem like there's some type of animal that would prey on unknowing campers and that there was nothing authorities could do but to put up warning signs about an aggressive animal roaming the forest at night to prevent more deaths.

• but what could the police do when some people choose to be ignorant and go anyways? that brings us to the present. You were a sweaty mess, every part of your body was itching, all four limbs fatigued and is overall just downright exhausted.

• you were angry, so angry that tears fell down from your cheeks

• your friend who was leading the way suddenly disappeared from your sight and now you're all alone, hungry and a sobbing mess. It started to dawn on you how you walked into such a dangerous situation. but then maybe it was fate?

• suddenly you hear a twig snap and a few leaves crinkling.

• your sob turned into a wail as it got closer, this is it you're done for! you were going to die here!

• happy memories flooded your mind as you recalled when you were anywhere but here

• so imagine your surprise when you realize that instead of bringing you to your demise, you wake up to what looked like a living room, tied to a chair with a gag on your mouth.

• this "animal" that had been terrorizing the woods turned out to be human!

• "I coudn't help it schatz, you would do the same if you saw that adorable crying face of yours!" Lukas said with a thick accent. He laughs and stops for a while,

• "Again," you furrowed your brows.

• "I want to see it again."

Vlada: Mother Fursona

• standing at 5'5, for a woman in her late 40s, Vlada looked like she hasn't aged at all

• Vlada is a well known and respected woman in your community, someone who always offered help to absolutely anyone who would need it. Her aura was very motherly and she always exuded this loving and warm vibe around her, there really was nothing to hate about Vlada.

• some people say she'd lost her two kids and husband in a fire while others claim that she fled from her abusive husband but nobody really knows where she came from, all they know is that she was a social worker from Austria who decided to retire at your small town which was quite far from civilization.

• the place was pretty remote and everywhere you looked was full of trees, nonetheless it was quiet and peaceful. Everyone got along and you could understand why someone like her would decide to settle down here.

• until one night, an unfortunate event befell your town. A family of six was brutally murdered and it seemed that whoever it was that broke in was not human at all.

• immediately as if Vlada was expecting this, she ushered every single folk to rush down a very huge bunker under her home that surprisingly was big enough to fit all of the town's populace.

• everyone was there except you who had no idea of the events unfolding, you were woken up by a loud growling coming from outside, with shaking hands you carefully moved your curtains to the side to take a peek at the commotion.

• lo and behold there was Vlada facing a huge creature, back turned against you so you really couldn't see well of it's features.

• you panicked and was about to run and save her when suddenly as if a switch was flipped, the warm, loving and caring Vlada vanished and transformed into what looked like an enormous wolf!

Chico: Yan!Soldier

• don't know how tall yet but one thing's for sure, this dude is definitely buff.

• growing up and being surrounded by constant war between the people, government and rebels does something to you

• which was why Chico joined the military, there he had been taught to protect his country and fellow countrymen and also...to spy on people

• Chico is an excellent sniper, he constantly gets deported and did not have any social life because of this.

• of course he was aware of the life he had to live before enlisting but he didn't know that it was going to be this hard.

• Chico isn't one to make small talk, he didn't have anyone he could call his friends.

• sure there were his comrades but since he's got a nice reputation, some grew envious of him. sometimes he feels that his colleagues are ganging up on him.

• Chico, despite having been accustomed to being alone, had always yearned for someone, anyone that could fill the empty void in his heart.

• eventually it did come on that fated day at their base.

• you and your team were imports sent by Chico's government as medical aid for this mission, you were made aware that it was a very dangerous job but how could you say no when you were going to be generously compensated for?

• "What could go wrong?" You thought, there was going to be soldiers, best of the best, that'll be constantly around you, and it has just recently come to your knowledge that the warzone was a few hundred meters from where you were staying.

• unbeknownst to you, a certain soldier has got the hots for you and with the things he was capable of doing, he is yet to prove you wrong.

[mask131]

Mieruko-chan Ghosts analysis: chapters 24 and 25

The farmer’s ghost

We find back the Godmother in her retirement in the countryside, but even as she flees from the city she can’t escape the ghosts. But this time we have yet again another “positive” ghost, a farmer friend of hers she knew back then. He first manifests under a perfectly normal appearance, until someone points out the Godmother is speaking to empty air, at which point he reveals his ghostly nature - but not by turning into a distorted monster. Rather by just growing a white aura around him (which proves he is a “good” ghost, unlike the dark auras of the negative ghots) and by having his eyes and mouth filled with pure darkness. 

However this ghost doesn’t mind in the least being spotted - in fact he actively talks with the Godmother and seeks her help, asking her for one last favor to help his grieving family, after which he disappears. This is the first time since Miko’s father that we actually see a ghost have full, complex sentences and be able to hold a conversation with someone - and it is no surprise that those two were positive, benevolent ghosts. It seems the more ready to leave this Earth or the more benevolent the spirit is, the more they stay like their human self (unlike the monstrous, one-word repeating, corrupted evil ghosts - though this should be nuanced. As we saw with the ghost of the old lady’s husband, some ghosts can still look creepy and repeating one word over and over again, while still being benevolent spirits ready to leave this Earth. Maybe the longer a spirit stays in the world of the living the more “worn out” it becomes, resulting in the loss of speech and a degradation of the physical appearance? 

The theater ghost

This ghost haunts a cinema-theater. At first Miko just thinks he is a rude man that stands in the middle of the audience as the movie begins... until long slimy tendrils pop out of his head, each one with an eyeball on top. And when he finally shows his face, it is to reveal it is warped with numerous enormous crying/slimy eyes. This ghost turns out to be an “obsessive” ghost - but not as “serious” as other ghosts we saw before. His main obsession is apparently to hunt down audience members who try to record movies illegally. He manifests at the beginning of the movie’s screening, his eyes look around for potential culprit, and when he finds someone all of his eyes are stuck on this person, repeating “FOUND YOU - If you are found recording this movie, you will be taken to hell and back” (basically mixing together the official announcement of the theater’s staff and creepy religious afterlife threats), over and over again. 

We also get to see what the ghost does to the person it “found” illegally filming the movie. At first, when it gets close to them, it manages to make their phone battery die (aka, breaking the recording device - again we see the idea of ghosts being able to mess with electricity and technology), and then it stalks the person... and just causes it a nasty headache. Nothing more than we see of.

But this is further proof that the ghosts of the Mieruko-chan world can actually influence the health of the living. We already knew they could feed off people’s bright auras and strong life-force (such as in the case of Hana), and we knew that some evil ghosts could cause weak or small lifeforms to easily fall sick or die (Zen’s mother had such a corrupting influence all the cats he brought hom die). But now we also see that an angry ghost can literally just cause you a headache by putting its hand on your shoulder or standing next to you for too long. 

As an additional point, I’d like to highlight that the eyes are a big and recurring motif in the manga. The same way there is a whole aesthetic centered around the mouth and eating when it comes to the ghosts, eyes are also very prominent. The two main “ghostly features” are twisted/broken mouths, and monstrous eyes (either bloated, blood-shot or completely missing). This ghost is the epitomy of “eye horror”, and of course it all ties up to the very concept of the manga : Miko can see ghosts, the same way the ghosts can see her, but she has to not let them understand she can see them - because actively seeing them can be a death sentence. (Plus there is also the whole thing about how normal people can’t see anything and are blind to the supernatural world ; while the “ghost-viewers” have different levels of powers, resulting in some weak mediums seeing just small ghosts while someone as strong as Miko can see ALL the ghosts). 

The two-headed ghost

Oh boy... another one of the most nightmarish entities of this world. This ghost is seen randomly walking in the street. It is a chimera-like ghost, a great mix of limbs and heads and body parts - and we know that those types of ghosts are very powerful and dangerous, as they often tend to be the fusion or amalgamation of various spirits (such as the cannibal ghost, or the ghost from the tunnel). This ghost is noticeable for having two heads, as if it was two people fused in one - one head is female, wearing a mask, the other is male. We do not get to see the male head, as it is facing backwards, and the rest of the ghost’s body seems to be female: it has an incredible number of female legs wearing high-heels, its tattered dress is covered in worn-out bras... In fact, the male head seems to be almost tied up to the woman, as we see her twisted body is wrapped up in ropes. Other disturbing parts of the ghost include her fingers, which are not really fingers but very long and very thin... things out of a Salad Fingers nightmare.

And the mask. The mask she wears. When she does remove it, it is to reveal a stretching mouth from which a grotesque baby-like creature gets out like some sort of horrible worm. Now the overall design feels a lot like the ghost of a woman stuck in something tied to female abuse or bad female relationships... I mean you’ve got a female ghost wearing symbols of feminity (high heel shoes or bras) but in a very wrong and disturbing way (the bras are worn outside a tattered dress, the shoes are on many feet that keep scrambling everywhere), while being bound to a faceless, immobile “man�� that seems to be more of a burden than anything. I am getting some strong Silent Hill vibes here, there is a disturbing eroticism, an underlying abusive comment: is it the ghost of an abused woman? The second head inside her mouth, the baby-like worm, is even more disturbing : it makes a full “family” by having a woman, a man and a baby, stuck together in one grotesque spirit... Is it a ghost born from the destruction of an entire family? Did the woman killed her husband and child and now wears them on her spirit? Or was the woman killed by an abusive husband she managed to “absorb” back in her? And the child-like spirits... it gets out of her mouth. Was she pregnant, is it the disturbed ghost of her baby? Or is it someting else entirely? Is she a prostitute with an unwanted baby and the man that forced her into selling her body, or the victim of a rape? The overall imagery is very distressing and evokes all sorts of images and ideas of family abuse, death of pregnant women, sexual abuse and other feminicide. 

Some also evoked this ghost’s similarity to the famous Kuchisake-onna, the slit-mouthed woman, as a female evil spirit, related to the beauty of women as perceived by men, embodying a male/female conflict, and hiding behind her mask an horrible mouth (the long fingers maybe even evoking the huge scissors the Kuchisake is supposed to have). Given the Kuchisake onna’s story is one of a murderous jealous husband and of an unfaithful wife, it does feed into everything I said above.

Though in-story, this terrifying ghost just appears to prove the efficacity of Romm’s magical stone, who are powerful enough to stop entirely such a massive ghost and force them to go back, as they can’t progress further.

[stepwiseimmigration01]

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[sebastianatlaw]

☕ ABOUT SEBASTIAN ÉMERI SMYTHE 💸

AGE & DATE OF BIRTH: Nov 9th

OCCUPATION: attorney specializing in foreign affairs and divorce

RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Single, but his parents are trying to marry him off to rich socialites

POSITIVE TRAITS: determined, educated, loyal

NEGATIVE TRAITS: hot headed, competitive, snarky

Open your eyes, I’m all a disguise

Everybody in my circle, Think I’m gonna be their friend But I got bad intentions, And I’m gonna have ‘em again

So why should I stop my dissin’, Or soften up my heart Tell me what good is livin’, If you can’t be who you are, yeah

Never gonna put a spell on me, Never ever gonna bring me back Never gonna make me be, Somethin’ I’m not because I’m evil

FAMILY INFORMATION

His family has always been high profile and he’s always felt like he was above other people because of the way he was raised. He got to travel between France and the US, he got to get his education at the fanciest private schools, he got to wear designer clothing and being so well-traveled meant he always sounded so sophisticated, even to himself. His intention was never to become a cocky asshole, but over time it happened anyway. After getting away with everything he did wrong and still being praised because he was charming, handsome, rich, well-connected, and popular it was hard to not get a big head. All it took was the honest truth and he always made people think he was something special, like when he told Blaine about Paris in the Lima Bean on the show. He’s always been able to talk other people into doing things and he always got his way. 

He doesn’t necessarily want to be an attorney forever and he didn’t necessarily want to become one in the first place but with his father’s side of the family being who they are, he felt there was no way around it. He didn’t really tell anyone that he wanted to dance, and he does still want to dance. His specialty as a divorce attorney began as a joke because of his open views on relationships but it has soured him a little on the reality of being with another person. There’s a fear there. Though he didn’t want to become an attorney, he does like his job. He’d just like to do something for himself too.

MOTHER: Étiennette Lilou Smythe (French, from France, not royalty but from a socialite family in politics. She ran off the normal path for her family by getting into modeling before she got married and began her own fashion line, which Sebastian modeled for when he was much younger)

FATHER: Frederick Harrison Smythe (American, from the US, similar to Russell Fabray but law centric instead of bible centric. Rich socialites go to him to clean up their messes. He’s the reason Sebastian took on law, he works with and for his own family at his dad’s family owned law firm (the Legacy Law Offices of Smythe & Smythe in NYC) that was opened two generations ago and he should be honored to have a legacy to take on, blah blah blah)

SIBLINGS/OTHER IMPORTANT FAMILY: Just his grandparents in France. He used to go see them every Christmas and every summer when he was growing up, then it narrowed to once a year when he got busier and older. They are old money, the kind of people that just feel powerful when you stand near them, but they’re retired and though they live in the city, they all meet at a large cottage in the countryside that the family owns.

CONNECTIONS

I’d be willing to potentially take on one or two connections for people his parents were/are trying to set him up with. He will not be getting with them romantically, but the situation can be used for plotting.

HUNTER CLARINGTON: Hunter is a close friend, he would definitely hide a body for the Clarington and he is pretty sure that Hunter would do the same for him if need be. Their relationship looks odd from the outside though, with Sebastian endlessly teasing the stoic Hunter (but only in ways that Hunter might secretly enjoy). Their connection is based a lot on canon info.

HEADCANONS

Everything canon is canon about him really liking being on top and being a bully. Knocking other people down means he has someone to stand on to get a little higher himself and he honestly doesn’t see it as anything serious.

He really wanted to do Not Law. He really liked performing and still dances in his free time (at a professional level now), but never on stage. Only in a private studio, when he has time. The fear that his talent is going to fade while he’s getting more and more busy with his family business has been getting harder and harder to ignore. People might not understand how his family could have so much influence on what he does as an adult, even after he moved into his own place as a teenager, this is just how it’s always been for him. They traveled back and forth, hosting and attending events, doing things to perpetuate their status financially and socially, and his parents were always his tour guides. They’ve always told him what to do, in the sense that they’ve always been there to guide him though strange, new lands. But they’re also busy people, so their attention was moderately fleeting and therefore incredibly valuable.

He has a partying habit still. It’s not something that he has had time for in years but he still does it anyway. He’s not an alcoholic, but he’s definitely a sex addict (not in the romanticized way, in the real way) and uses the attention he can get for his body to keep him going. He’s not miserable, and he’s even happy a lot of the time, but this habit still lingers and when he’s upset the very first thing he’ll think to do is go out to a club, party, and have sex. He has slipped a few times and gotten a little sloppy at an event his parents took him to, both as a teenager sneaking alcohol illegally and as a fully legal adult. It’s not enough to have been noticeable, his parents got him out quickly enough to cover it up.

[bellarkeselection]

Making a Promise

- Request from @bluntsandblondes John is dating a young reader. The pair ride out to the Dutton summer camp for the weekend and he ask her a big question while watching a sunset.

John's pov

The sun has barely risen in the sky as I sit on the porch, spinning a ring in between my fingers. Some would ask what's an old guy like me dating a younger woman instead of just retiring on my family's ranch. Well I don't give a crap what others think of me. Footsteps come up the wooden stairs making me place my hat back on my head.

“You wanted to see me, sir?” Rip voiced leaning on the railing of the porch. I’d asked him to meet me hear before waking the Bunkhouse cowboys to start their daily work.

Tipping my hat upwards I reveal a ring from my pocket. Nothing too fancy just like how Y/n would want, she enjoys the simple things in life. “I’m talking Y/n to the camp this weekend. So you’re in charge until I get back.”

Rip nods in understanding, eying the ring in my fingers. “You truly love her don’t ya?” I simply nodded.

Ever since Evelyn died years ago I never thought I’d find love again. But Y/n showed up at a Live Stock Comitionors meeting looking for a job. A spark formed between us with her love of the countryside, one that can’t be broken.

“Yes Rip, I do love her.” Today would mark three year anniversary of dating. Y/n gets along with everyone, including my grandson. So I know I don’t want to wait any long. “I want to ask for her hand. I want her to become my wife...do you think it’s too soon?”

Rip parts his lip at my question before taking a seat beside me on one of the porch chairs. “In my honest opinion...” He pauses making us turn our head towards each other. “I can’t think of a better day for it, sir.”

Y/n’s POV

Slowly opening my eyes I yawn waking up in John’s bed. The sunrise poking through the closed curtains before I see a note laying on the covers. ‘Hi, darlin’ meet me down in the barn - John’. Tossing aside the covers I throw on an orange flannel, ripped blue jeans and brown boots with a light brown jacket. Grabbing my tan cowgirl hat I head for the barn with the Yellowstone V hanging above the doorway. Standing in the doorway is John saddling up his horse and mine with supplies for something.

“What is all this?” Typically we’d go riding in the fields early in the morning while the Cowboys of the Bunkhouse worked his ranch. But by the amount of gear on both horses said that’s not the case this time. “Mornin', I thought I’d show you the Dutton summer camp this weekend.” He replied coming to wrap his arms around me for a morning hug. The cowboys, Kayce, Rip and John all spoke of this side piece of land as a vacation getaway. Even Beth spoke of its beauty, having only seen it once while her and Jamie worked in offices.

I climbed on my horse with ease, John leading the way on his. People off this ranch argue that he shouldn't own so much land. But I think he should because if they'd stop trying to sell it, they just might truly embrace the beauty. Once we're up on the top of the mountain he turns his phone off, covering my eyes once I dismount my horse. "John.." I giggled feeling his back pressured against mine, leading me somewhere. "Trust me, honey. It's a surprise." He spoke and he held his hand over my eyes for a few minutes before removing them.

Blinking my eyes I adjust to the brightness of the land. He stands off to the side with a large tent and little campsite sat up. A beautiful sunset glowed behind it. "John..it's amazing!" I awed settling on the green grass. John comes to sit beside me resting his chin ontop of my head once removing my hat. Ever since I was a teenager I'd loved watching sunsets, watching them with John is even better. It's moments like this I learn to adore since he's always busy off tending to the ranch, while I'm off helping his son Kayce who is the new livestock commissioner.

"Y/n." John breathes into my hair breaking me from watching the lovely sunset in front of us. He gently takes my hands into his, rubbing his thumbs over them with a nervous smile. It shocks me to see that look. The famous John Dutton was rarely nervous, unless you count our first few dates. He's otherwise the kind of man who won't let anything or anyone stop him from getting stuff taken care of, whatever it takes. "I love you, Y/n L/n."

He smiled when I replied back with a smile. "I love you too, John Dutton." John clears his throat before starting something that he must've been practicing for weeks. "I love you, honey. I know we've both been judged for dating one another because of our age difference. But we faught everyone cause we didn't care what others thought. You've been like a member of my crazy family with how you Interact with my grandson and everyone else on this ranch. Y/n, you put your whole heart into me and my home. So..." He reaches into his shirt pocket pulling out a small black box, revealing a simple golden ring with one pearl in the center. "Will you join my family and become a Dutton. Will you marry me?"

"John..." I felt tears slip down in happiness. "Yes, yes, yes!" John cups my face in his right hand, slipping the ring on my left hand. I'm the fiance' of John Dutton. He leans forward to softly kiss me. I kissed him back a little deeper before we broke for air.

"Y/n Dutton, has a nice ring to it don't you think?" I tilted my head up to John who wrapped his arms around me gently. "Yes it does, honey." We layed back in the grass watching the last of the sunset disappear with huge grins on our faces.

[givemethatgold]

Fix’er Upper - Part Twelve

Pairing: Frankie Morales x F!Reader Warnings: Mentions of sex, swearing, mentions of drug use, fluff, smidge of angst? Length: 1.7k Notes: Managed to whip up this bad boy during a quiet moment today and should probably make y’all wait for it but I don’t really do posting schedules (as you’ve noticed) so enjoy. Not beta’d, not proof read, I’ll die on this messy hill.

Series Masterlist

Surprisingly, life didn't change too much after that night. Frankie continued to run his acreage and oversee the making of this year's cider. With some encouragement and support from you, he was starting to expand the business and already had a few pubs in the closest city clamouring to have his product on tap.

Meanwhile, the improvements on the house were nearing an end, for the indoors list anyways. The first thing Frankie had helped you do was to install your new soaker tub, immediately followed by christening it by making soft, slow love to you inside of it.

There hadn't even been any water, your impatience to be close to each other wouldn't allow for that. You had just stripped out of your coveralls, convenient work-wear for people who fucked like rabbits you had to admit, and sat in his lap with your arms and legs wrapped around him. His hands guiding your hips in a slow rocking motion, breathing each other's air as your open mouths hovered in a not-quite kiss, only breaking eye contact when you threw your head back as you came.

Autumn passed quickly and Winter had gripped Vermont, cloaking the countryside in a heavy blanket of white. Christmas was a cozy affair, you and Frankie had been asked to join Jacquie and Mark in their family's merriment. It had stirred something inside of you, watching a functional family laugh, sing, argue, eat, and love with such abandon. 

It was everything you'd dreamt, initially, for your future with Brad. Now? Now you were starting to picture that future with Frankie's face as the patriarch, you just haven't built up the nerve to broach the subject yet. 

You'd started working at the bakery, enjoying the early mornings surrounded by rising dough and sculling back coffees with the adorable older ladies who ran the place. You'd also begun doing the books for Morales Acres and Catfish Brewery. Frankie was a veritable genius but he claimed he had no patience for keeping receipts and tracking numbers.

You had a sneaking suspicion he was playing dumb in an effort to give you more time together but you really didn't mind. Your break-of-dawn mornings at the bakery had you tired, but after a full day of renovating or bookkeeping, you were downright exhausted and ready for bed by eight pm. This, mixed with Frankie monitoring the brewing, bottling, and distribution of his cider and networking at bars and pubs throughout the state meant the two of you rarely saw each other.

All of your hard work in your own house had made you a popular friend to call when someone needed decorating advice, or a helping hand once they realized they couldn't tile their kitchen backsplash solo. You never charged for your time, although payment had initially been offered until work had got around that you preferred a good meal and conversation over money. I mean, sure, you could use the cash but it just didn't seem right. And you loved helping people and making deeper connections with the town you now truly felt you belonged in.

Tuesday evenings had become an unofficial date night for the two of you. The bakery was closed on Wednesdays and bar owners tended to be less interested in business halfway through the week, something to do with the rush of the previous weekend having worn off and the worry of setting up for another one starting to grow.

This meant you could stay up late, enjoy a proper homemade dinner, maybe even watch a movie or share a bottle of wine while soaking in your big ass tub. It usually ended as a sleepover, your house being the preferred location; Frankie's loft was perfectly fine but it did lack a certain homey appeal.

This pattern, this life, that you'd created for yourself was making you happier than you'd ever been in your entire life. You weren't one hundred percent content, not yet anyway, but the path to getting there was on a direct trajectory. You still wanted to finish your college degree, maybe switch it over to horticulture. Building a greenhouse and selling flowers was still a pipe dream but something your heart truly longed for, something that Frankie was constantly encouraging you to do.

"Look, hun," he had called out to you a few weeks ago while supposedly researching the new line of bottles. "There's an auction next county over and they have all this confiscated stuff from a grow op that got busted!"

"What?" You'd made a face and laughed at the absurdity of it all. "What on earth would you use from a pot farm?"

He just gave you a salacious wink as an answer.

Frankie had been open about his past drug abuse and while some recovering addicts may want all mention of it banned from a conversation, Frankie found levity in treating the topic like any other person would.

It had taken you a couple of hours to realize why he'd brought up the auction. It had hit you with a jolt, knowing that he’d remembered your rambling from on top of the Ferris wheel. You didn't realize he'd been listening when you'd told him about your idea of taking over the flower stand at the market once the current couple retired.

Your heart had swelled and there was a concerted effort to prevent the sudden onset of tears from running down your face. God, you loved this man, maybe one of these days you should tell him...

This particular routine was working well for the two of you. It gave each of you your own space to relax, destress, enjoy the shitty tv shows you were too embarrassed to watch in front of another living person. It also forced the two of you to take your relationship slowly, communication being a constant learning curve. You were both really good and telling each other when you needed time alone, when you were feeling stressed or sad. You each had learned the tells for when the other was angry or just hungry, if it was hormones or if there was something that was actually pissing you off.

The thing you each seemed to struggle with was expressing the softer side of the relationship. Neither of you appeared to have the Words of Affirmation love language skill, yet you both craved to hear it. You showed how much you cared for Frankie with your acts of service; helping him with the boring side of the business, baking, deep cleaning the loft, even scrubbing out the massive fermenter in the Catfish Cider warehouse.

Frankie, on the other hand, showed his love through physical touch. At first, you had assumed it was a staking-his-claim kind of thing but then you noticed how he'd do it all the time. A hand on your lower back while walking, caressing your hand with his thumb when driving in the truck, carding his fingers through your hair while you watched tv.

This week's date night found you at his place, relaxing in the loft after a busy workday. You were making dinner while he 'helped' by sneaking bites of the prepped ingredients, arm slung around you with a hand in your back pocket.

"What're you looking for?" He asked, taking advantage of your distracted searching through his cupboards to sneak a few more pinches of grated cheese.

"A can opener!" You replied, exasperation raising your voice an octave. "I could have sworn I saw a white one around here somewhere..."

“No, pretty sure that one's yours. I don't think I have one?"

"Frankie," you deadpanned "how did you survive as a bachelor without canned food?"

"I ate a lot of take-out?" He looked indignant at your laughter, "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. Can you stop judging me long enough to eat some burritos?"

Smoothing his playful scowl with a kiss, you sat down at the counter and enjoyed your first meal together of the week.

An idea was formulating in the back of your mind, though, and you barely tasted anything. As the evening progressed, the idea grew and you were liking it more and more. The final straw was you not having a toothbrush in his bathroom anymore, having forgotten that it had fallen off the counter and into the trashcan the last time you'd spent the night.

Using his, with a strange mixture of distaste and nonchalance, before making your way over to the bed, you began to plan how the conversation could go:

Hey Frankie, so you know how I have a big house all to myself? Yeah... And it had everything we need in it? Yeah... And there's more than enough room for two adults to store all of their things? Yeah... And I wouldn't have to use your toothbrush ever again? Yea- wait what? I think you should move in with me.

It wasn't very romantic but it was the most likely, considering your dynamic. Just as you were crawling into bed and snuggling under the arm he'd raised to allow you to get closer, his cell phone rang.

"Hello? - This is he. - Yeah, biological. - Oh god, when?"

The immediate change in his tone from questioning to horrified caught your attention, sitting up to face him you grabbed his free hand, silently letting him know you were there for support.

His eyes were out of focus and a panicked expression was slowly morphing his face as the conversation went on, but he gave your hand a squeeze back in acknowledgement.

"Yes, in Vermont. Do you have my address? - Okay, good, good...okay - When? - I'll have something ready. Umm... does she... does she remember me? - Oh. Okay, thank you."

Slowly lowering the phone from his ear, Frankie sat staring into nothingness for what felt like hours. His side of the conversation and the way he was reacting had you rattled. You could guess as to what was happening but weren't sure if now was the right time to pry.

"Babe? Is, is everything okay?"

Silence.

Gripping his hand tighter and rubbing his back you sat with him for a few more minutes before trying again. You didn’t want to push him but your heart was constricting in your chest from nervousness and concern for him.

"Can I get you anything? What do you need?"

His hand was now completely dead in yours; eventually, he turned his head towards you, eyes never fully focusing, and shook his head.

"I- she- fuck... I think you should go.”

Part Thirteen

[detroit-smash-my-ass]

Yandere Alphabet: Toshinori Yagi

Masterlist

Oh shit this blog is actually getting attention now uh--

Okay, okay. I know what you’re thinking. “Why the hell would he be one of the scariest yanderes in MHA?” Two words: 100% Approval. (well technically three but tomayto tomahto) Even if you managed to get ahold of someone and tell them he’s holding you hostage, they’d probably dismiss it as a prank. If you ever got free, you bet your ass he would use his vast influence to get you back. Hell, even some of the villains admire him and could do the dirty work for him. Easily tied with AFO, no question.

I’m using OFA!All Might here, not after he loses it. Just FYI.

Affection: How do they show their love and affection? How intense would it get?

He’s so incredibly gentle with you it would be sweet if this were any other situation. All Might is keenly aware of his own strength and size and would never forgive himself if he did something horrible to you, even accidentally. He’s one of the sweeter, softer yanderes; although he’s no pushover, he wants you to trust and appreciate him and as such will not touch you unless it’s something gentle like a headpat or running his fingers through your hair, or even a light hug.

Blood: How messy are they willing to get when it comes to their darling?

He’s the Number One, so of course he has moral dilemmas he has to abide by, but if a morally-questionable fellow were to mess with you he wouldn’t think twice about being rougher with them. Generally he tries not to cause a fuss due to the public backlash he would receive. (He doesn’t even need to, anyway; given his admirers on both sides of the fence, it’s likely an adoring villain would track down his competition and kill them themself.)

Cruelty: How would they treat their darling once abducted? Would they mock them?

As stated above, he’s incredibly gentle with you. He tries to keep up a happy façade whenever he’s around you to try and keep you calm, and he wouldn’t dare mock or be mean to you. Even if you yell and scream and fight back, the most anger you’ll see is just disappointment in you (and damn if that doesn’t hurt worse than anger coming from someone like him).

Darling: Aside from abduction, would they do anything against their darling’s will?

No. Never. Not in a million years. He’s madly, obsessively in love, not a complete monster. He still has a moral compass that he struggles with; just kidnapping you would make him feel incredibly guilty. Violating you against your will, however good it would feel in the moment, he could never forgive himself for.

Exposed: How much of their heart do they bare to their darling? How vulnerable are they when it comes to their darling?

He tells you whatever you want to know. Of course there are some things he can’t tell you, but other than that he’s fairly open about most things. He still struggles in telling you about his mentor Nana, though.

Fight: How would they feel if their darling fought back?

He’d feel disappointed, if not a bit sad. After all he’s done to try and soothe your anxiety, you still fight him? He easily holds you there, careful of your Quirk, and pleads for you to calm down and think rationally about this.

Game: Is this a game to them? How much would they enjoy watching their darling try to escape?

Your heart is never a game to win, just like you aren’t meant to be won to him. All Toshinori wants is for you to love him as deeply as he loves you (well, maybe minus the obsession). If you did try to escape he would sigh and give you that disappointed frown as he does more to prevent another one before chastising you and hugging you afterwards.

Hell: What would be their darling’s worst experience with them?

Honestly? His disappointment over you being stubborn and fighting back/trying to escape. There are seldom few emotions besides calm happiness that you see on his face, and just the sight of his stare of disappointment is enough to make you squirm uncomfortably and feel guilty over what you did.

Ideals: What kind of future do they have in mind for/with their darling?

He just wants a life with you at his side, free from the stress and worry of AFO trying to kill him. Once he finally defeats his old enemy for good, he wants to retire somewhere far away with you, maybe in the countryside, where the two of you (and perhaps a few children, should you wish) can live in peace.

Jealousy: Do they get jealous? Do they lash out or find a way to cope?

He doesn’t get jealous that easily. He knows it’s silly to lash out over petty feelings like that. He just gets slightly irritated, but quickly pushes that feeling down and goes over to interact with you, hopefully to steer your attention back to him.

Kisses: How do they act around or with their darling?

He looks like a man in the honeymoon phase. He always looks over at you with a small smile. Sometimes he might headpat you or hug you gently. If he did kiss you, it would be the faintest of pecks on your forehead.

Love letters: How would they go about courting or approaching their darling?

He doesn’t need to do much. All he has to do is save you from the monster of the week, and when you ask to return the favor he offers to go to his favorite cafe with you. You’re so starstruck that you agree, and from then on he acts like a total gentleman, ensuring that you fall head over heels quickly if you hadn’t already.

Mask: Are their true colors drastically different from the way they act around everyone else?

Not really. True, he does wear a grin all the time as part of his persona, but even in private he doesn’t really frown much. He’s a little more cynical about life when away from the general public, but he still acts like the hero he is.

Naughty: How would they punish their darling?

He would lock you in a room with just a bed in it, totally isolating you from the outside world, for at least a day. It has a bathroom connected to it, so you don’t have to worry about that, but by the time he comes to bring you breakfast in the morning you’re willing to apologize and talk to him again to stave off boredom.

Oppression: How many rights would they take away from their darling?

He doesn’t want you to feel trapped (although that kinda fails anyway), so he’s willing to let you have monitored contact with your family as if things were normal. He allows you to have a few of your old hobbies to keep yourself happy, and internet access is totally monitored 24/7. But even if you could somehow post that you were being held against your will by All Might, who would believe you?

Patience: How patient are they with their darling?

His patience knows no bounds. He knows that his devotion isn’t exactly the healthiest and tries to rein in his own urges a lot of the time, and is quite sympathetic and understanding if you freak out or have anxiety about it. He never raises his voice at you and tries not to show anger around you so that you aren’t more afraid of him.

Quit: If their darling dies, leaves, or successfully escapes, would they ever be able to move on?

No. Actually, your departure would greatly impact his own mental health. If you died, he would disappear from the hero world, quietly retiring somewhere far away. If you disappeared, he would search nonstop for you to try and apologize before abruptly retiring, his guilt interfering with his hero duties.

Regret: Would they ever feel guilty about abducting their darling? Would they ever let their darling go?

Oh you know he’s struggling with that part long before he actually does. His moral compass is still strong as ever despite his obsession, and that’s the biggest thing he questions about himself. The last thing he wants is to drive you away when you’ve proven you like him more than just being All Might. If he knew it caused you too much irreversible distress however, eventually, he might consider letting you go.

Stigma: What brought about this side of them (childhood, curiosity, etc)?

He never really thought of loving someone else until he met you. He forced himself not to get attached to anyone considering AFO’s determination to kill him, seeing anyone else as a target too big. But he’s still incredibly lonely, and when you proved that you liked Toshi, not just All Might, he started to reconsider his no-attachments rule and wanted you to continue to love him.

Tears: How do they feel about seeing their darling scream, cry, and/or isolate themselves?

It kills him inside to see you upset. He does whatever he has to do to comfort you and get you to calm down, even if it means leaving you alone for a while at your request. if you try to isolate himself, he visits you often, trying to talk to you and cheer you up.

Unique: Would they do anything different from the classic yandere?

He’s not into violence. At all, actually. He much prefers to take things slow and peaceful. Even if he had a rival, all he would have to do is forcefully separate you two or let one of his fans dig up dirt on them to get them to stay away from you. He would never consider manipulating or hurt you either.

Vice: What weakness can their darling exploit in order to escape?

There’s not much you can exploit, honestly. Toshinori knows that for a long time you’d do anything if it meant getting away, but as things go on and you seem to warm up to him, if you don’t end up getting Stockholm you could manipulate his love for you into letting him give you a little too much freedom. Warning that this only works once, and if you fail that’s it.

Wit’s end: Would they ever hurt their darling?

Never. Not physically or mentally. He’s not into gaslighting or manipulation, and he sure as hell wouldn’t dare lay a hand on you. He won’t even touch you if you don’t want him to.

Xoanon: How much would they revere or worship their darling? To what length would they go to win their darling over?

He reveres you as if you were a divine being. He’s so gentle with all of you and wants you to feel loved and safe. He doesn’t mind wooing you first with sweet gestures and kindness if it means he can see the adoration in your eyes.

Yearn: How long do they pine after their darling before they snap?

Honestly, he could go on forever. Toshinori is a master at playing the long con, and he considers you very much worth it. Hell he would willfully disappear from your life if you even got injured because of him. It’s unlikely he would stoop to kidnapping you; you’d probably end up moving in on your own.

Zenith: Would they ever break their darling?

He would rather let you go.

[idrellegames]

In a modern au what would the componions do

Im the perso who sent that unfinished ask, i hit sent accidentally :( i wanted to ask in a modern au what kind of jobs the companions would work at? I can see felix being a chemist or an engineer 

Oh no worries! 

Hmm... I’m not sure? I always struggle with Modern AUs since setting defines so much of my characters’ characterization and they’re not really the same person if you remove them from the world they inhabit, if that makes sense? (I’m sorry if this sounds like I’m being a grumpy stickler, I’m just not a huge fan of modern AUs!). 

But if they did live in a modern world, it’d probably go something like this:

Alexia - History graduate student who ends up on a reality TV fashion competition show. I don’t think she’d win, but she’d get to like third or second place.

Ren - Professional parkour athlete. Probably works with a group of friends who have a YouTube channel; he’s clearly the most talented of the bunch but he has 0 screen presence so he’s just hanging out in the back and does an incredible move, unprompted, that’s only half in frame

Calla - Inherited millions from her shitty family and is slowly donating it away to different charitable funds. Her instagram has 10 million followers and she only has 3 posts, all of which involve showing off her muscles and practicing martial arts. 

Mel - An artistic director for a mid-range theatre company that produces experimental new work. He’s highly respected in his field, but also puts the fear of god into other theatre companies because he knows exactly which ones are breaking union laws and he will inform IATSE/CAEA when he knows someone is pulling bullshit with their employees. (And apparently he lives in Canada because those are the Canadian theatre unions)

Aeran - Has an upper position that pays the bills and a little extra on top, but is trapped in the retail cycle and can’t get out. Hates his job. Lives for his hobbies. 

Nelani - In local politics. Probably a personal assistant to her party’s leader. It’s probably the Green party. (Apparently she is also in Canada). 

Felix - Just wanted to do research but the university thing didn’t pan out because he hates teaching and now he’s a chemical researcher for a large oil company or Big Pharma and hating every moment of it. 

Bonus Masters:

Cenric - Tired professor who fervently believes post-secondary education should be free and is getting increasingly annoyed at rising tuition costs. Gives 0 fucks, will retire within the year by doing a public demonstration at noon in the middle of campus, and then disappears to the countryside and deletes all his social media. 

Varyn - Highly sought-after defense lawyer. Established and runs her own firm. Strong Miranda Priestly vibes the older she gets.  

Sero - Cirque du Soleil performer who has been with the company off-and-on since the beginning. 

[ambiguoslyambitious]

Chapter One: A Second Chance to Live A Life Worth Living

Author: ambiguoslyambitious (me!)

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 2,402

Summary: Getting a job at Joja Corporation was supposed to be Bela Rivers' big break in the business world. Anyone who wanted to be successful in Stardew Valley dreamed at working in one of their corporate offices. However, life inside a cubicle is not what it's all cracked up to be, and the company that she is working for is harboring some deep secrets. A mysterious envelope gifted to Bela by her recently deceased grandfather might hold the key to a second chance to live a life worth living.

“M-Ms. Rivers? Hello?” a desperately cheery voice called out, a twinge of annoyance hiding just below the surface.

Bela pulled her eyes away from the harsh white light of the computer monitor in front of her to meet the even harsher glare of her supervisor, Mary Boerhen. Mary was a miserable woman cloaked in grey, both in personality and attire.

“Apologies, Ms. Boerhen,” Bela forced a smile to hide her hatred for pleasantries. “What can I do for you?”

Bela had just spent the past three hours aimlessly staring at her monitor, dreading spending yet another day updating spreadsheets. Every once in a while she glanced up at the menacing green light signaling that she was unfortunately still on the clock. The words, Join us. Thrive, seemed to be mocking her every day she was forced to sit in her corporate-issued personal hell. Bela had once held excitement for her job inputting data for Joja Corporation, the nation’s leading industry in just about everything. Everyone knew that if you wanted to make a solid living in Zuzu City, you just had to get a job with Joja.

However, that excitement soon faded once she had been squeezed into a tiny cubicle, condemned to spend her entire nine-to-five repeatedly going over numbers, day in and day out. She had thought that her recent degree in business administration, paired with her relation to the governor of Stardew Valley, would’ve given her the upper hand amongst her peers for a more “hands on” job opportunity within the company.

Unfortunately, she was still stuck crunching numbers like the rest of them, an insignificant cog in the corporate machine.

“Well, Ms. Rivers,” the woman sneered, “you could actually do the job you were hired to do.” Ms. Boerhen pursed her lips and turned away sharply, presumably to bark at anyone else who appeared to be slacking off.

Bela let out a small sigh, her fingers gravitating towards her desk drawer where a letter from her grandfather was resting. Once again, Bela felt her thoughts wander as she sadly remembered her last visit to him.

It had been ten years since Bela had last been to Pelican Town, a quaint little farming community located in the heart of Stardew Valley. As a child, Bela remembered spending each summer frolicking in the fields of Riverland Farm, a massive expanse of farmland spread out on a vast variety of small islands. However, her last visit wasn't so happy.

Bela remembered being thirteen years old watching from the train window, the city fading into the countryside. Harsh lights were replaced with the glow of fireflies and cement gave way to worn-down dirt paths. Her parents were tense the entire train ride, her father especially. She remembered the way his jaw was clenched and the tight grip he maintained with her mother's hand. Unbeknownst to Bela, this was going to be the last time that she was going to see her grandfather alive.

Walking into the farmhouse, Bela remembered how frail her grandfather looked in his cot. He lifted his head and offered her a weak smile.

"My dear, Bela," his voice was barely above a whisper. Bela desperately tried to prevent any tears from escaping, but seeing the ghost of a man she remembered as being vibrant broke her young heart. Before she could break down, her father's voice boomed angrily.

"Why didn't you say anything sooner?!" Her father's voice shook slightly, though Bela could not tell if it was from rage or sadness.

"What difference," the old man responded coolly, "would that have made?"

Bela's mother placed a hand on her father's shoulder, a desperate attempt to calm him down.

"I do not wish to argue, Jacob," Bela's grandfather said, meeting his son's furious gaze. "I know that I've made mistakes. I just wanted to tell you goodbye and give you the chance to say the same." Suddenly, he bent over in a violent fit of coughing, forcing Bela's father's gaze to cool into concern.

“...and for you, my special granddaughter, I want you to have this,” he managed to choke out, handing Bela an envelope enclosed by a vibrant purple seal, bearing the Rivers family crest, a pair of swans facing each other with the phrase, a flumine perduraverit, written between them.

Before she had a chance to open it, Bela’s grandfather blurted out, “No, no, don’t open it yet...Have patience, my dear.”

Her grandfather smiled weakly before continuing on, “Now, listen close...There will come a day where you feel crushed by the burden of modern life, and your bright spirit will fade before a growing emptiness. When that happens, my child, then you will be ready for this gift. Now, let grandpa rest...”

A few weeks went by before her grandfather finally passed. Bela's father quietly had him buried on the property without a funeral and refused to go back. Or at least, until now.

While Bela sat at her desk bored, her parents were currently boarding a train to Pelican Town in order to find the proper documents to sell Riverland Farms. They planned to use the money to fund their retirement and help Bela get her own apartment.

I wonder what’s in the letter that Grandpa left me, Bela mused, swirling a pencil between her fingers. She let out an exasperated sigh and decided that it was finally time to begin her work. Not even five minutes into crunching numbers the phone on her desk began to ring.

“Good afternoon from Joja Corporations, this is Bela. How can I be of assistance?” Bela answered perkily, rolling her eyes at the spiel she was taught to spit.

“Bela Rivers,” a serious voice responded, “you are wanted in Mr. Jameson’s office.”

Bela immediately straightened up in her seat and her heart rate quickened as she realized that she was being summoned to her superior’s office.

Damn it, she cursed to herself. Ms. Boerhen ratted me out to the big boss.

Bela took a quick breath before replying calmly, “Of course, I’ll be right there.”

She quickly placed the phone back on the receiver and stood up, mentally preparing herself for a scolding for her less than desirable performance. As she walked down the hallway to Mr. Jameson's office, she silently began to berate herself for wasting such a golden opportunity. Her heels clicked loudly like the hands of a clock, counting down the seconds until she was out of a job.

As she stood outside of Mr. Jameson’s door, Bela closed her eyes briefly and knocked raptly.

“Ms. Rivers, you may come in.”

Bela pushed the door gently, surprised to see the amount of people in the office. At the giant desk made entirely of glass, sat Mr. Jameson, a stocky man dressed in a sharp, yet dull grey suit that matched his seemingly lifeless expression. Next to him, sat a meek looking woman in a similarly bland pantsuit who avoided looking in Bela’s direction. Across from them sat two men wearing long black coats over simple business casual wear. When she entered the room, the older of the two gentlemen stood up, clutching a gold badge in his right hand.

“Hello Ms. Rivers, my name is Detective Hanlon,” the man then gestured to his more youthful companion, “and my partner Detective Gaumond.”

“Detectives?” Bela questioned, wondering why the hell the police were getting involved with her lack of productivity. You can’t be arrested for being lazy, right?

“Yes, unfortunately Ms. Rivers, there seems to have been an accident on the tracks near The Mountain.”

Bela’s heart skipped a beat. She couldn’t believe what the detective was saying. “W-what? What happened?”

The younger detective briefly made eye contact with Bela, a genuine sadness in his eyes before he ducked his head.

“I’m afraid that your parents, Mr. Jacob and Mrs. Kiera Rivers, were both killed in the rockslide on their way to Pelican Town.”

The young detective stood up and gave her a pitying look, “I’m deeply sorry for your loss, Ms. Rivers. This has been an unfortunate accident. These types of natural disasters are completely unpredictable.”

It was as if Bela had been sucker punched right in the chest. She stood there in complete disbelief until a faint whisper of a memory tickled the back of her mind.

“Wait,” Bela said coldly, moving her eyes over to the two behind the desk who refused to meet her gaze, “hasn’t Joja been mining in The Mountain?”

Mr. Jameson quickly looked over at the woman to his side, a bead of sweat trailing down his temple. The woman sheepishly looked up, desperately trying to avoid Bela’s cool glare.

“Yes, they have,” she admitted, glancing over at the two detectives, “However, it is too early to say whether Joja’s mining directly contributed to the rockslide, seeing as that is a natural disa-”

“Bullshit!” Bela interrupted, her voice steadily raising in anger. “You KNOW that you killed my parents!”

“Settle down, Bela,” Mr. Jameson snapped, “This was just an unfortunate accident. You can take the week off to settle your affairs.”

“Take a week off?” Bela’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Is that all my parents’ lives were worth? That’s all I get? Not even an apology?”

“Ms. Rivers,” the woman quipped, “Joja Corporation is not liable for natural disasters. And as a Joja employee, you should remember that your contract states that you are not allowed to speak negatively about the company in any way.”

“I-Is that a threat?” Bela retorted, in shock at the audacity of this woman. “Are you threatening to sue me for telling the truth? That YOU killed my parents?!”

She shook her head angrily, not able to process the barrage of emotions hitting through her at that moment.

“You know what?” Bela spat, “I quit.” Bela turned on her heel, storming back to her cubicle.

Once there, she began grabbing all her personal items and shoved them into a cardboard box. When she finally got to the desk drawer that held her grandfather’s letter, she hesitated for a second before tearing the envelope open. Inside were two pieces of paper, the top one decorated with her late grandfather’s handwriting, saying:

Dear Bela,

If you are reading this, you must be in dire need of a change.

The same thing happened to my grandfather, long ago. He had lost sight of what mattered most in life; real connections with other people and nature. So, he decided to drop everything and move to the place where he felt like he truly belonged.

I’ve enclosed the deed to that place, my pride and joy: Riverland Farm. It’s located on the southern coast of Stardew Valley, between Ridgeside Village and Pelican Town. It’s the perfect place to start your new life.

This was my most precious gift of all, and now it is yours. I know that you will honor the family name, my child.

Good luck.

Love, Grandpa

P.S. If Lewis is still alive, say hi to the old guy for me, will ya?

Bela’s eyes welled up with tears as she glanced at the second paper, the deed of Riverland Farm. She rushed to gather the rest of her belongings and walked out of the corporate office for the last time.

Before Bela knew it, she was gazing out the window of the bus she was on, heading to her new home. The trees blurred together in a sea of green as Bela allowed herself to get lost in her thoughts.

Maybe, Bela sighed, this fresh start is just what I need.

The bus slowed down to a stop at a small crossroads. Once Bela exited the bus, she was approached by a cheerful redhead.

“Hello! You must be Bela,” she smiled warmly. “I’m Robin, the local carpenter. I don't know if you remember me, since it's been a few years since you've last visited, but I'm Sebastian and Maru's mom.”

Bela smiled back hesitantly, before memories of an awkward, spiky-haired emo wannabe flittered into her head. “Hi, Robin, it’s nice to see you again, though I was expecting Mr. Meyer.”

“Oh, Mayor Lewis sent me here to fetch you and show you the way to your new home. He’s tidying things up for your arrival.” Robin turned, and began walking down the dirt path, gesturing for Bela to follow. “The farm’s right over here, if you’ll follow me.”

Bela listened intently as Robin began to relay different stories of some of her most difficult jobs. After a few moments they approached the dilapidated Riverland Farm. Bela was astounded at how unkempt the land was, littered with overgrown patches of grass and rotting crops.

“Yeah,” Robin shyly rubbed the back of head, “this farm has definitely seen better days. However, there is still good soil underneath.”

Suddenly, the farmhouse door opened, and a kind older man stepped out with a head full of grey hair and a matching moustache.

“Ah, our newest farmer!” he chuckled lightly, “Welcome back, Bela! In case you've forgotten, I’m Lewis, the mayor of Pelican Town.”

His eyes twinkled mischievously, “You know, everyone’s been asking about you. It’s not every day that someone new moves in. And it's even rarer when someone comes back. It’s quite a big deal!”

Robin nodded in agreement. “With the increased taxes, more people have been leaving Pelican Town than staying.”

Mayor Lewis shot Robin a warning glance before continuing his welcome speech, “So, you’re moving into your grandfather’s old cottage.” He sighed deeply; eyes lost in thought as he remembered his old friend.

Bela offered him a gentle smile, “He mentioned that the two of you were old friends.”

Lewis returned the smile, “Yes, we were. Well, you've inherited a good house...very ‘rustic’.”

Robin chuckled, “Well, that’s one way to put it.”

“Oh, don’t be rude,” Lewis shook his head, “Don’t listen to her, Bela. Robin just wants you to hire her for upgrades.” Robin rolled her eyes playfully in response.

“Well,” Lewis directed his attention back to Bela. “You must be tired from your long journey. You should get some rest. Tomorrow, you ought to explore the Town Square and reintroduce yourself to some folks. The townspeople would appreciate that.”

With that, both Robin and Lewis took their leave of Riverland Farm.

Now, Bela thought, gazing at the acres of overgrown land. What the FUCK am I going to with all of this?

[fleurlibelle]

𝕸𝖊𝖊𝖙  𝕵𝖔𝖊𝖑 𝕸𝖈𝕭𝖗𝖎𝖉𝖊

@geeky-simz | Bachelorette Challenge

Hey Meg,

I’m Joel McBride. By profession, I’m the Chief Master Sergeant of the Airforce (CMSAF) in Windenburg, originally I’m from Scotland, and I grew up in the countryside. Just sending this quickly ahead, I have no issues moving to the air force base at Magnolia Promenade.  Well, what should I say about me? I’m a very ambitious man and achieved at a very young age the highest rank in the Airforce. Career is set in stone. Yes, I have a bucket list, and the next goal is to claim my lady. I’m a family man because I grew up in a big family. McBride’s are very fertile, twins are highly possible. I don’t have a twin for myself, sadly [or not “smirks”], but I have two brothers Owen and Declan, who are twins, and my sisters Addison and Pippa. I’m the oldest and a unique bean in the fam, I guess. [chuckles]. Did I mention that I’m the most handsome one in my fam? Fact.

It’s hard to copy me, you know. Of course, I know I’m handsome. Listen, I work hard for my looks: Swimming, cycling, hiking, and fitness, in general, is my thing. At some point, I also want to explore Japanese culture. Mount Komorebi is on my bucket list, too. I love to travel. Don’t worry if you can’t cook, I can cook up and bake something nice. So if you can’t make a good Ramen, how about we replace it with fresh Sushi? I’m better at Gourmet Cooking. Photography is an another passion of mine. 

Some call me cocky or arrogant, but hey, I just know my value and the lady next to me? If she’s a smart bean, she will appreciate what I have to give. I call it, let's say: self-confidence. Aaah, and look, I don’t feel embarrassed at any time. This is an overrated feeling. I don’t have time to waste on such nonsense emotions. Maybe you would like me to mention that I’ve been told to be a great kisser? [smirks] But you can judge yourself, whenever you are ready. 

Why Bachelorette? I’m ready to settle down, and I’m a very loyal soul once I have the lady next to me who is spontaneous and loves to explore the world a bit. Even with kids, my parents did that with us too. They are my role-model. Chicks out there are still not really willing to settle, but I am. Many judge me by my cover and say that I would be a player. I’m not that type of man. It’s not efficient and a waste of time to deal with too many flat characters. So I’m here, and I want to see how far I can get? 

What do you think? Can I get a step closer to my dream and start maybe a fam with you, beautiful Meg? 

If you are self-confident and if you know how to fire back? I’m in, I love that when women are confident enough to show off proud their man. Simply because I love to be proud of showing off my lady. If that feeling is mutual? I’m all yours, hun.

Oh, did I mention that I love to wear a kilt? Well, it’s a tradition in my country where I’m from. Don’t worry, babe! I’m a true man. Just wondering if you will be able to handle my confidence. As I’m blunt and honest, too. I don’t like lies. If something bothers you? Spill the beans into my face, and we will see if we can rock it together, okay?

Meg, Imagine me taking shots of you in your garden, amongst flowers, only to capture you as the most beautiful flower.

You like video games and sports? Damn lady, this is hot. Too bad, I have no clue about video games, but you can teach me, right? Trust me, in no time, I will beat you [laughs]. Are you up for a challenge? Now you know who you're dealing with. Can you tame and handle my manhood? Ready for the best time of your life? If yes, join me. *winks. And if we don’t make it? That’s life and we keep on moving, right?

Basics and personality-related must-know about Joel can be found undercut.

BASICS

age:32 | Gemini height: 6′3 Nationality: Scottish Parents: Mother: “Lauren McBride”, 50 yrs | Father: “Calum McBride”, 54 yrs. Both scottish. raised hometown: Windenburg current hometown: Windenburg Profession:  Chief Master Sergeant of the Airforce

PERSONALITY

Traits: Ambitious, Self-Confident and Athletic Skills: Charisma 10 | Photography 5 | Fitness 9 | Baking 7 | Groumet Food 5 | Aspiration: Big Family Hidden Traits: Shameless | Gymrat |  Observant | Morning Sim |Great Kisser | Fertile. Dreams: Having a big happy family like his parents. Retire soon and starting his own business as soon he earns 1 Billion Simoleons. What he wants to do? Well maybe a Photo-Studio? He saved already half a million, a hard workin’ man! Communication: Blunt, upfront, can be easily viewed as cocky and arrogant. Shameless, nope he won’t feel any embarrassment. “Whatever” that’s what he thinks and he moves on.

Loves

“Nature is wonderful, I love to inhale the air.”

“Nothing is better than fresh Orange Juice for breakfast, period”

“I love all sorts of music”

“Give me Sushi, Buffalo Chicken or Pizza and I’m a happy man [chuckles]

“In my free time, I’m mostly casual, yet I like it elegant.”

“Everything that is considered as masculine, I’m in”. I’m not gonna carry your bag, sorry, not sorry babe. [raises eyebrow]”

After I retire I would not mind to get some piercings. Lips? Eyebrows? Don’t know yet but because of my profession I can’t do this right now.

“I love to be the Alpha but don’t mind if my women is able to tame me at times [smiles]” You should be quick-witted, I’m not boring at all.

“I live by the quote “Treat yourself the way you want others to treat you.”

Dislikes

“Oh prejudices, I don’t like to judge and be judged by the cover, simple as that.”

“Small-Minded People, aren’t they horrible?”

“ Raising voice when arguing. If you’re mad, talk to me, be furious, or angry but don’t raise your voice or use insults as a weapon and form of communication. I hate drama, and I will shut down and not talk to you until you realize this is not the right way of communication. I don’t need it. I understand if there is a conflict. Let’s find a solution to how we can solve it that we are both happy again. Or long-term, it won’t work with us. I was raised to respect and be respected. That’s what you really need to keep in mind if you want to argue with me [winks]” 

I don’t smoke if you do, you better stop poisoning your lunges” I need a healthy lady.

Swimming poses are by wonderful @katverse Thank you so much! They are really cool. Other poses are by MOC.

Private Download, if chosen

[fairymadnessyeah]

BNHA Ship to Finish the Year

FuyuSei (Todoroki Fuyumi x Iida Tensei)

Canon

I think that they would either meet by Shouto and Tenya or at the hospital.

If it was at the hospital, it would be a chance meeting. Fuyumi is visiting her mom, and Tensei is going to physical therapy. They meet in the lobby and start talking.

Present Mic and Nemuri are the ones who encourage him to ask her out. -PS: None of them knows she is the daughter of Enji yet.- After he does and they date for a few weeks, he shows them a picture, and the two almost have a heart attack. They don't know how to tell him, until Shouta comes along and says it.

If they meet by Shouto and Tenya, it probably would be at a Sport Festival or Cultural Festival. They would start talking, and Nemuri would ask Fuyumi out for him. She says yes, and they exchange numbers.

Imagine if Natsuo is there: "I got the snacks. What's that?" "Oh, a phone number. I have a date this Saturday," "I- I left for five minutes!"

I feel like he would stop by her school every time he can and her students know him as wheelchair boyfriend.

And speaking of wheelchairs, Tensei sometimes feels like he is not enough for Fuyumi. He can't take her dancing or ice-skating.

Fuyumi doesn't care about it. He loves Tensei for who he is, and that is enough for her.

On her birthday, he takes her to see the Winter Illumination events, and even takes her to see ice-sculptors at a festival.

He likes to carry her on his lap and then accelerate with his quirk. He especially does it when the sakura trees are blooming, so it's more romantic. 

Also, she sits on his lap when it's hot, since she is always cold.

I don't want to break anybody's bubble but these two one hell of an age gap.

Like Tensei is 31 and Fuyumi is 23.

He is eight years older than her. That's more than Shigaraki and Toga have on each other.

Am I the first one to notice this?

I feel like it should be a big deal. Like when Tensei was eighteen, Fuyumi was ten. 

I feel like his parents would make fun of him for that. Calling him a creepy old man.

I also feel, since Tensei appeared in vigilantes, that he has a lot of vigilante friends, and one time, they all meet Fuyumi.

I feel like they would like her more than her boyfriend.

Also, he likes her cooking much more than anything else he has ever eaten before. But don't tell his mom.

Family

There is only one rule that all Todoroki men share and respect: Fuyumi needs to be protected. They don't give a crap if the guy is a retired hero, or the brother of a friend, or in a wheelchair, they won't let him hurt Fuyumi.

The first months of dating, Tensei doesn't feel safe. Like someone is staring at his back with murderous intent. He can't pin-point which Todoroki is, but his money is on Endeavour.

Actually it's all of them. They take turns keeping watch. One time, they all ended doing it at the same time. It was awkward at first, but they found a way to make it work and not kill each other.

Every single Todoroki has threatened him.

Dabi, with the help of Toga, cornered him in an alley and placed him on the floor and stepped on him.

"If you hurt sister, I'm going to finish what Stain couldn't do..."

Natsuo did it during a family dinner. He smiled and at first appeared very polite, but when Fuyumi wasn't there, the smile was gone.

"I am a doctor, you think I don't know how to get rid of you and make it look like it happened naturally?"

Enji went to meet him at his apartment. He knocked on the door asked him a few question. Tensei went along, answering everything politely, and then got the message by the last question.

"How much heat will it take for that wheelchair to melt with you in it?"

Shouto was more surprising. He called Tensei with his brother's phone and only said one thing before he hung up.

"I don't care if you are Tenya's brother's, if you don't make my sister happy, I will end you," 

I feel like Rei wouldn't be okay with the idea until she sees that Tensei is defensless in a wheelchair. 

I know it's a bad thought, and Rei knows so, but after everything she went through, you can't blame the woman for it. Her daughter is with a HERO. At least, if he is in a wheelchair, she can do better to survive.

Tenya loves his new sister. He hasn't seen his brother so happy since the accident, and he always wanted a sister. 

The Iida's love her.

She is an angel in their eyes. Their son is in such good hands.

I feel like they would have two kids. First a girl Iida Fubuki, a girl, and then Iida Kaen, a boy.

Fubuki has blue hair with white highlights. Her name means blizzard in Japanese and her quirk is that she has engine pipes on her wrist that shoot dry ice.

Kaen has blue hair with red highlights. His name means Flame Thrower in Japanese and his quirk is that he has engine pipes on his ankles that shoot flames.

Neither of them become heroes. I feel like both families give them enough reasons not to follow that career.

Fubuki becomes an ice skater, using her quirk for presentations and speed.

Kaen becomes a musician. A hard, metal punk rocker and uses his quirk for shows. He was closer to Dabi than his sister. 

AU - Fantasy AU 

So, Fuyumi is a princess. Because, of course, she is. 

Tensei is a knight, and he comes from a long line of knights.

One day, her life is threatened by a new rogue called Stain, who is killing off noble families and royals.

Tensei is tasked with protecting the princess at all cost. But it's a harder task than he originally thought.

His job was to stick by the princess side as much as he could, but on his second day, he lost her. 

He found her later on a hut on the countryside, teaching young girls how to read and write and other basic knowledge. She wears a disguise, so others don't recognize her. With a tattered dress and a spell to make her hair black, she is unrecognizable.

Tensei doesn't stop her from doing it when he finds out and instead helps her sneak out and helps with the angry sexist man that come around.

It all goes well until Stain attacks.

He ambushes them on the road, and the only reason that they survive is that Fuyu shows Stain she is not like other royals.

As Tensei was trying to protect her and getting in the way, the rogue was going to kill him. But before he can, Fuyumi gets in the way, pleading that he lets Tensei live.

Stain leaves and Tensei and Fuyumi are alright.

When they return to the castle though, Tensei is looked down with dishonour by the rest of the court. He is fired from his job as a knight with the princess, but Fuyumi then hires him back again. 

The two continue to spend time together, and all seems happy. But then, Fuyumi is betrothed.

Tensei tries to handle it with dignity since he is only a knight and knew in the back of his mind, that Fuyumi would get married one day. But he is a jealous mess when the fiance arrives.

He follows them around, stops them whenever they get too close and intervenes whenever the man makes a move on her.

Fuyumi, though grateful, has to ask him to stop. Because even if she would prefer it was him, she is marrying, if he angers her fiance, they are going to behead him.

They don't have to worry about it though, because, before the wedding, the lost prince Touya returns and takes the throne. 

However, even if Dabi, now the new king, breaks her marriage off with her betrothed, Fuyumi doesn't like how much he is ruling.

The two get in a fight, and Dabi tells her that if she doesn't like it, then she can leave. He won't stop her.

The next day, Fuyumi starts packing. She tells Tensei that he can stay if he wants, he doesn't have to follow her.

Tensei confesses his feelings for her and then starts packing. 

They leave a week after and they settle on a farming land where Fuyumi opens a school for girls and Tensei hunts and collects stuff to sell.

Fanon Oponion

So, again, I can't see these two having sex.

I just can't.

I don't know why. And AO3 seems to agree with me since I found 3 where they have sex, and it's not just mentioned. 

One was a Fuyubowl, the other was a crackfic, and the last one traumatized me.

For the most part, they are a background couple.

And not in the way Hagakure and Ojiro are a couple where you might find more than 10 fics about them, but as 'we don't want Fuyumi to be alone, so in this fic she is with Tensei.'

I feel like they are underappreciated, especially Fuyumi.

Girl is still holding on after the shitty situation she is in. She is the only sane Todoroki in here. 

And poor Tensei. He didn't deserve what happened to him. Stain didn't have a very clear objective.

There's also the fact that not much is known about them.

Like Tensei has not been mentioned since the stain arc.

They are just there...

But people love making next-gen kids with them.

[adoredontour]

all the fics i read and loved this month, in order from longest to shortest!

For As Long As I Can Remember (It’s Been December) by green_feelings @greenfeelings 128k

After recovering from a severe accident that causes Harry to lose his memory of three years, he moves to London to start his life over as a star chef. Little does he know that when he falls in love with Louis at first sight, it’s not the first time they meet.

Featuring an unintentional game of hot and cold, Harry chasing memories that won’t come back, Louis burying himself in work to try and forget what he can’t forget, Liam being torn between two of his best friends, Zayn as a moral compass and Niall saving the day with good music and brutal honesty.

got the sunshine on my shoulders by hattalove 124k

five years ago, harry styles left his tiny home town to make it big as a recording artist. he didn't have much regard for what he left behind - a life, a family, and a husband, who woke up one morning to find him gone.

now, harry has everything he could possibly want: he's rich, famous, and adored by everyone he meets, including his boyfriend. but when said boyfriend proposes to him, he's forced to face the uncomfortable facts of his past - and louis, who's spent the last five years returning every set of divorce papers harry sent him.

(or, an au based on the movie sweet home alabama.)

Tired Tired Sea by MediaWhore 113k

As a B&B owner on the most remote of all the British Isles, Louis Tomlinson is used to spending the coldest half of the year in complete isolation, with his dog and the sea as sole companions. Until, one day, a mysterious stranger on a quest to rebuild himself rents a room for the winter.

nothing worsens, nothing grows by soldouthaz @soldouthaz 102k

and he sits there quietly with harry’s headphones in his ears while his eyes begin to close, totally unaware that he’s listening to the soundtrack of harry falling in love with him.

or, another roadtrip au featuring harry as the misunderstood hipster, louis as the bitter psych major, liam as the one with the secret boyfriend, and niall as the one who just wants everyone to be happy.

& more under the cut!

Follow Your Arrow by bitter_leaf @bitter-leaf 78k

Harry was the golden child, blessed in every way; Niall was the charming miscreant, a bad boy; Liam was the future-son-in-law parents of daughters dreamt of, and Zayn was the kid parents wished was their son. But Louis, Harry thought, Louis was the special one.

It's senior year and everything is about to change.

somethin’ bout you by missandrogyny @missandrogyny 59k

Of all the government agents in the world, Louis had to go and land the most charming one.

The Recklessness in Water by LarryOn @larryonsimon 50k

Louis Tomlinson is miserable. He's stuck on a family vacation at a lake cabin in New Hampshire when all he wants to do is bemoan his sorry existence and wallow in his sweatpants. As if the humidity and mosquitos weren't bad enough, he becomes the singular target of an obnoxious lifeguard named Harry.

Missed Connection by littlelouishiccups @littlelouishiccups 39k

Soulmate AU where your soulmate’s first words to you are tattooed on your skin.

With a boring and generic soul mark like Hi, Harry is pessimistic he’ll ever find his soulmate or that he’ll realize it when he meets them. But he could always have it worse, like his new friend Louis who had a drunken one night stand with his soulmate a few years ago and woke up the next morning alone.

before we knew by falsegoodnight @risthebrave 39k

“C’mon Lou,” says Zayn after a moment, He sounds even more exasperated than before. Louis sort of has a knack for exasperating people, especially people like Zayn who aren’t usually bothered by his brattiness. “Can’t you give this guy a chance? Harry Styles? Aren’t you curious about him at all?”

Despite his best efforts, Louis still flinches at the name. He really shouldn’t be so affected after all these years. He’s seen the name printed down the curve of his waist in obnoxiously and uncommonly large loopy letters every single day since his sixteenth birthday eight years ago. He’s very familiar with the name Harry Styles.

It sounds pretentious and Louis hates it.

He hates everything about his supposed soulmate.

He hates his large handwriting that stands out like a claim on his skin whenever he’s walking around shirtless. He hates his pretentious name. And now he hates his supposed curls and green eyes and dimples.

-

Or Louis has been skeptical of soulmates for years so it seems like fate when he finally bumps into the owner of the obnoxiously large signature printed into his skin since age sixteen: Harry Styles, a human rights attorney who is firmly against soulmates.

what’s mine is yours to make your own by soldouthaz @soldouthaz 39k

sometimes, the closest harry ever feels to home is louis. it's their shared hotel rooms on tour, their shoes toed off in the doorway next to each other, jackets hung on the same post.

it's everything he doesn't notice until it's been taken away from him.

And Touch Me Like You Never by runaway_train @runaway-train-works 35k

“Lets move back a bit yeah?” Harry clutches at his waist with a free hand and tugs him to move through the crowd until they are almost at the back of the group and settles them both beside the far wall. “There. That better?”

Louis looks up at him, as if he’s a tad dazed. “Uh, yeah, thanks. Can’t really see much from back here either though.”

Harry lifts a shoulder and grins at him, placing a hand on the wall behind Louis to pen him in. “We’ll just have to create our own fireworks then, won’t we?” He says it jokingly with a wink, and Louis laughs but he seems nervous. He must know that Harry is harmlessly flirting. Harry flirts with everyone after all, including Louis.

“Do you think this is a good idea Haz?” Louis asks quietly, almost too quietly in the clamour of the room, his head bowed as he scuffs his shoe on the carpet.

“Stop over thinking it Lou, it’s one kiss. What’s the worst that could happen?”

Or

The one where Harry and Louis agree to be each other's New Year's kiss and it ends up being a lot more than they bargained for.

last blues for bloody knuckles by creamcoffeelou @2ofusmp4

Styles was a name everyone knew. It had evolved into something of a fairy tale, a far away problem that normal people didn’t have to deal with. Louis never thought he’d find himself falling in love with him. When he finds himself pregnant with Harry’s child, he knows he has to leave the life, and Harry, behind. For her sake.

He never expected Harry to show back up on his doorstep five years later.

A mob au.

like it’s a game by soldouthaz @soldouthaz 32k

there is little harry hates more than truth or dare.

and louis.

gathered on wings by Brooklyn_Babylon @twopoppies 32k

As Harry lay by Louis’ side, covered in sweat and come, he knew he should feel ugly, messy, ruined, like the life he’d left behind. But something about the way Louis looked at him, the way his eyes stared at him with want and awe, made Harry wonder if he’d ever feel this beautiful again.

Harry rolled his eyes at himself for his momentary romantic dreaminess. As good as this was, he knew it was nothing more than sex. He literally couldn’t afford to fall for just anyone, no matter how fit they were.

-----

What Harry Styles wanted was to be taken seriously as an artist. What he needed was a new sugar daddy to pave the way. Louis Tomlinson is an artist who isn’t what Harry is looking for. Somehow he still manages to turn Harry's world upside down.

let’s make a thing of cream and stars by missandrogyny @missandrogyny 24k

It doesn't explain why he's lying on the floor, with Harry Styles, of all people, planking on top of him.

As in, seventeenth most influential person in London, pop-star-turned-rock-star Harry Styles. The same Harry Styles who has had countless model girlfriends, left, right and centre. Also the same Harry Styles who has been the subject of Louis' wet dreams since he was about eighteen.

(Or: Louis is a Radio 1 DJ and Harry is a pop-star he interviews.)

Strong Enough by jacaranda_bloom @jacaranda-bloom 21k

The biggest obstacle is still in place, firmly ensconced as a roadblock, cemented in their path and preventing them from moving forward. The thing is, it’s not actually Harry that’s the problem. Harry, for all his faults, for whatever decisions he’s made to lead to him to where he is in his life right now, would move heaven and earth and all that’s in between to help Liam, to support him. No. It’s Louis. He’s the one that has to reach out. He’s the one that has to let go and get the fuck over himself. It’s been five years for Christ's sake. It’s time to move on and suck it up.

“So…” Liam starts, and Louis instantly knows where this is going. He’s actually glad that it’s Liam that drags the subject out from the shadows and into the world. Louis turns to face him, mirroring his position on the couch and nods, ready for him to continue. “Have you spoken to Harry recently?”

Five years after Vertigo goes on hiatus, the band comes back together for a benefit concert. Can Louis and Harry work through their complicated past, or are some wounds too deep to be healed?

you flower, you feast by stylinsoncity @aliensingucci 18k

He's King of the Underworld, but don't assume Louis has it all. He could stand for some excitement in his monotonous, eternal life and maybe, even.....a soulmate.

(Despite not having a soul.)

And along came "Harry".

The Orchards of Jessop by jaerie @jaerie 15k

At age 40, there isn’t much excitement in widower Louis Tomlinson’s life, but wasn’t that the reason he’d moved to Jessop Island in the first place? Back then he hadn’t thought retiring before he reached 30 and moving to the countryside would mean that he’d be doing it alone. Now, just to fill the space, he welcomes lodgers into his home that pass through working as temporary labourers at the orchards just up the road. They’ve all been young adults eager to start lives of their own after one last summer of freedom.

All of them have been much the same, coming and going from Louis’ house with just enough social interaction to keep the house from feeling so empty. But when a global pandemic shuts down the world, being quarantined with a quiet twenty year old who keeps to himself might turn out to be an awkward arrangement. By the time the restrictions have been lifted, their relationship has developed into something Louis isn’t quite ready to give up. With their twenty year age difference, Louis has to be prepared for the inevitable outcome when the reality shatters the private world they’ve been living in. He’s not sure he’ll be able to let it go.

if i had the chance, the things i would do to you by missandrogyny @missandrogyny 14k

Niall sighs. He leans forward, pushing his mug of tea carefully to the side, before bracing his elbows on the table, chin in his hands. It makes him look like some sort of bottle-blonde cherub. "You have quite the fanbase, Harry. I'm not denying that. And you've done a good job of popping out every once in a while in the past two years, just to make sure you're still talked about. But that's all you've done, and I'm not satisfied. I want more." He blinks at Harry. "Don't you want more?"

(Or: AU where Harry and Louis compete in the Lip Sync Battle)

One Way Road To Something Better by femstyles @femstyles 12k

Four years ago when Louis and Harry moved in together, Louis promised Anne that he’d take care of Harry no matter what. But things don’t always go as planned, and sometimes risky choices have to be made.

Inspired by Don't Let It Break Your Heart

baby look what you’ve done to me by ballsdeepinjesus 9k

The next day kind of turns everything upside down, though. Louis gets another lingerie catalogue addressed to Harry. He’s about to toss it when he sees a personalized note stuck to the front; it thanks Harry for his previous purchases and offers him a complimentary six-month subscription to their magazine free of charge. It’s a unisex lingerie catalogue. Lingerie specifically designed to allow for the existence of penises, apparently, judging from the bulging cocks covered in lace that he sees as he flips through the pages. His breath catches in his throat at the thought of a faceless Harry -- mysterious, odd Harry -- dressed up in his purchases, whatever they may be.

He thinks he needs a lie down, to be honest.

[louis moves into harry's old flat. harry gets a lot of mail.]

golden hearts (light their way back down) by fairytalelights @lookslikefairytale 4k

“..So, top or bottom?” Louis asks when Harry tunes back in. And... what? Harry knew he should have been paying more attention but he has no idea how in the hell Louis explaining camp rules to him could have led to discussing sexual preferences this quickly. He must have smiled and nodded at the wrong place one too many times.

or, the one where Harry’s first day as a summer camp counsellor doesn’t go quite as planned.

Still, Somehow, You’re Perfect Now  by FallingLikeThis @fallinglikethis 3k

Harry Styles is Captain of the footie team and all-around popular dude-bro-pal to the entire senior class. He’s kind to everyone from what Louis Tomlinson can tell, and kinder still when he thinks no one is looking. Of course, Louis has been looking. Ever since he transferred schools at the beginning of the year and noticed Harry for the first time, it’s been hard to look away.

All My Friends Are Here by abrighteryellow 

He is about to decline, though. If he has to sit through forced merriment, the least he can do is avoid participation at all costs. He is about to, but then the guy with the microphone is looking out into the crowd. He’s saying things, too — about rules and prizes and team names. At least, Louis assumes so. He can’t really hear him over the ringing in his ears.

“Alright, mate. I’ll play.”

A pub quiz has invaded Louis’s favorite dive. Fortunately, it comes with a charming host.

Front porch and one more kiss by Femstyles @femstyles <1k

A goodnight kiss on a front porch

BONUS: (rereads)

Unbelievers by isthatyoularry @isthatyoularry 136k

It’s Louis’ senior year, and he’s dead set on doing it right. However, along with his pair of cleats, a healthy dose of sarcasm and his ridiculous best friend, he’s also got a complicated family, a terrifyingly uncertain future, and a mortal enemy making his life just that much worse. Mortal enemies “with benefits” was not exactly the plan.

Or: The one where Louis and Harry definitely aren’t friends, and football is everything.

Close to Nowhere by angelichl @angelichl 34k

“I will kill you in your sleep,” Louis threatened as he quickly stepped out of his jeans.

“I don’t think that would work very well baby, seeing as you talk to dead people all the time.”

“I’ll kill you in your sleep and ignore your ghost. And don’t call me that.”

Louis and Harry are psychics who kind of hate each other. They go to Tennessee to investigate a haunting.

led by your beating heart by missandrogyny @missandrogyny 24k

Nick leans over. "Oh," he says, his voice smug. "Who is that?"

Harry just blinks at his phone. "Um," he manages to stammer out.

"Who's that, Harry?" Nick asks again, but this time he raises his eyebrows and smirks. Harry knows Nick is just teasing, and that he's not really looking for new Harry Styles gossip, but, um. He might have found something. Accidentally.

Harry opens his mouth to speak, but all that comes out is another 'um'. He really needs to work on translating his thoughts into words. But then it probably wouldn't be any helpful right now, would it? His mind is as blank as a newly erased etch-a-sketch.

"Oh," Nick says again, this time gleefully, seemingly having picked up on Harry's distress. "Looks like we've got a story here! Are you going to call or delete her number?"

Her number. So Nick thinks it's a girl. Well, Harry can't blame him: 'Lou' is kind of an androgynous nickname. His stylist's name is Lou.

But this Lou, well, Louis, he's kind of, really, really not a girl. He's really pretty though, which, is something.

(Or: AU where Harry's in One Direction, Louis isn't, and they reconnect over a game of 'Call or Delete'.)

[sxveme-2]

strawberry pancakes // bucky barnes

MASTERLIST

SEQUEL TO BLUEBERRY PANCAKES

DESCRIPTION: Lily Osborne and Bucky Barnes were never blessed with an easy relationship. Whether it be emotional trauma, or Lily's parents trying to be evil scientists. But they somehow made it work, after coming together once again after the birth of Lily's nephew. They were smooth sailing for a while. He proposed, they got engaged, but have yet to marry. While also juggling raising a teenager together as Hunter reaches the age of 16 now. All the while struggling with adjusting to their new lives in Long Island, balancing careers. Meanwhile, Lily struggles with the new found fame of being the fiancé of The White Wolf; and handling the tabloids critiques on her life and gossip columns digging up any information they can on her. While trying to maintain a low profile; and handle her life as it is. And becoming parents. Lily for the second time, while Bucky, well, this is his first attempt at a biological child. All the while a new threat from their past rises up once again, blind siding the family. Bringing forward old hatchets that had been buried, and putting their relationship at risk once more.

DISCLAIMER:  I do not own any original Marvel characters! All canon plots and canon characters belong to Marvel Comics and Marvel Studios. This is an original work. You may not publish it anywhere else

STATUS: Unedited

NOTES: Takes place after endgame. I have elected to ignore Tony's death and Steve's leaving. Did not happen. Quick Reminder! My works are only published here, AO3 and on Wattpad, thank you.

Chapter Two: The One With The Dinner

Warnings: N/A

Word Count: 2241

    “Who does that woman think she is?” Lily exclaimed as she burst into the Barnes residence, “Telling me I need to calm down. She called my fiance a terrorist.” The blonde fumed, storming into the kitchen to start making dinner.

“Doll what’re you doing?” Bucky sighed as he set Stella down, following the woman into the kitchen, “We have the conference tonight. Remember?”

Lily dropped her hand from the cupboard, placing her face into her hands. She had forgotten that Bucky and she had an Avengers conference dinner that they had to attend. The dress she wore was sitting in their room, calling for her to go put it on. She could feel the pressure laying on her shoulders from the level above her. The blonde turned her head, meeting Bucky’s eyes. He looked sorrowful and sympathetic, knowing that Lily wanted to stay home more than ever.

“Is that tonight?” Hunter asked as he joined the others in the kitchen, “Did we agree that Stella and I were coming?”

“Yeah, why don’t you start getting ready,” Bucky began, “Take Stella with you to her room. I’m just gonna talk to mom quickly.”

Hunter nodded and took his little sister from Bucky’s arms, glancing back at his mother as he walked up the stairs to the second floor of the house. Lily leaned back against the counters of the kitchen, her face still resting carefully in her hands as she attempted to calm herself down. The entire day had been something out of a nightmare for Lily, especially when she learned about what happened at Hunter’s school. The anxiety in her skyrocketed, and she wondered what everyone around them thought of the two’s relationship. About Bucky raising two children. Marrying an “all-American girl”, or so the tabloids had been saying over the last few years when the public got a hold of their relationship and Lily’s story.

“I know you hate these, baby,” Bucky whispered, walking towards the blonde and placing his hands on her shoulders, “I know. I’m sorry.”

“It’s been a very, very long day,” Lily whispered, removing her hands from her face and staring up at the man, “Don’t apologize. Let’s just...let’s just go get ready.”

“Wait wait,” Bucky sighed, taking Lily’s hands and pulling her closer to his chest, hand moving to the side of her face.

“What’re you doing?” She sighed, tilting her head into his hand.

“Jus’ lookin’ at ya,” he purred, Brooklyn accent pushing through, “My beautiful, beautiful, fiance.” The brunette cooed, bending down and pressing a gentle and barely-there kiss to Lily’s lips.

Laughing softly at his words, Lily squirmed from Bucky’s grip, “Sam’s right. You have a staring problem.” She teased, poking her fingers into the brunette’s stomach before turning towards the stairs.

-----

Lily sighed as she readjusted her black peacoat. Her hands dusted off the satin material of her dark green dress that had a black lace pattern along the entirety of it. After readjusting herself, Lily bent down to Stella’s height, smiling softly at her beaming daughter. The four-year-old wore a white dress with a baby blue floral pattern along the entirety of it, white tights on her legs, with bright white ballet flats as well. Her dark brown locks pulled into a bun, a baby blue flower pinned onto it.

“You do love dressing up, don’t you?” Lily cooed, pressing a kiss to her daughter’s cheek before standing up, running her hand through her curled blonde hair, “Shall we?”

“That makes one of us,” Hunter muttered as he readjusted the white dress shirt he wore, glaring over at the crowd gathered in front of the building, “I feel like a clown right now.”

Lily chuckled softly at her son and ruffled his tousled blonde hair, before picking up the four-year-old girl. The dinner was being held in Gotham Hall, a beautiful place where the Avengers were gathering to recognize a few that were retiring, and welcoming more who were joining in on the initiative. It was a televised event, and each Avenger was individually introduced to the hall, including the families. Meaning Lily, Hunter, and Stella were being introduced alongside the White Wolf, aka Bucky Barnes.

“Did we remember to tell Tony to have the chef make Stella chicken fingers? She won’t eat what’s on the menu.” Lily sighed, following Bucky as they walked towards the entrance, smiling at a few of the paparazzi and fans.

“I told him, as did Steve. Mostly because we had to ensure that Leo also got chicken fingers.” Bucky chuckled, hand resting on the small of Lily’s back, other arm slung around Hunter’s shoulder.

The family waved and smiled as they walked down the sidewalk, shielding Stella’s eyes from the bright lights. Friday night in New York was already an insane time, and with an Avengers event, it only grew more hectic. Which is not always the best for a four-year-old who was not the biggest fan of large crowds. Hence why she thrived in the countryside in Long Island, enjoying her time alone or with a few of her close friends. It sometimes freaked Lily out just how much the girl was like her father. But warmed her heart at the same time.

“Let’s go find our seats,” Bucky whispered in the blonde’s ear as the four walked into the hall, making their way through the halls towards the dining area, finding their seats with Sam and Steve.

“Well look who decided to show up,” Sam chuckled as he embraced Bucky, kissing Lily on the cheek, “You lot clean up well, hm?”

“Your girlfriend cleans up better than you,” Bucky teased as he embraced Rose, kissing his fiances sister on the cheek as well before taking a seat next to Lily, “Even Leo looks better than you.” He teased, winking at the five-year-old boy across the table.

“He was being nice Buck, c’mon,” Steve chuckled, clapping the man on the shoulder before smiling as Natasha joined the table, “Now the whole families together again.”

“Oh don’t go pestering cyborg, I looked at the playlist Tony made,” Sam chuckled, sitting at his seat, “He’s got Marvin Gaye on there. Might be the thing that sends robocop over the edge.”

Lily chuckled and shook her head, pouring a glass of water for Stella and placing a straw that was on the table in it. She loved hearing the banter between the three and laughing at Rose and Nat’s interjections. Lily herself was not the best at bantering back and forth with them all, but apparently, a few of her quips were some of the funniest things said. Hunter as well. Neither of them were big talkers, which is why the two never really enjoyed the events that they had to attend.

“When are they doing introductions? Just to prepare Stella for the camera that comes zooming around,” Lily hummed, catching Bucky’s attention, “You know she freezes when they come by.”

“We’re up first,” Steve commented, sipping his whiskey, “So it’ll be done and over with quickly.” The blonde chuckled, pinching his goddaughter’s cheeks gently, “But they may be doing interviews. Tony sent an email.”

Lily glanced to her side, watching Bucky turn his head away from her gaze and focus on the whiskey he himself had. The blonde shook her head, focusing her mind on the water in her own glass. Hunter seemed to go a bit pale as well, most likely worrying he’d have to speak. Lily nudged Bucky’s arm, nodding towards Hunter. The brunette nodded, turning to the boy and whispering to him. Lily sighed softly, watching Hunter relax at his words.

Time went on and Lily felt herself relax a bit. But when the camera crew entered, her anxiety skyrocketed once again. Bucky’s hand rested on her thigh, the coolness of the metal seeping through her satin dress, causing goosebumps to pop up along her skin. Stella was busy on Lily’s phone, too distracted to really see the cameras entering and everyone setting themselves up. Lily pursed her lips and turned to Bucky, looking up at him through her lashes. The older man bent down and pressed a kiss to the woman’s forehead, soothing her nerves. Or at least trying to, as the cameras made their way over.

“Welcome everyone to the annual Avengers Dinner!” The announcer chuckled, her voice radiating through the speakers around the room, “Let’s start this legendary night with the star of the show, Captain America!” She grinned, “Or, should I say. Captain Americas.”

Lily sighed softly as she watched Stella lift her head, dropping Lily’s phone into her lap. The blonde rested her hand on her daughter’s shoulder, squeezing gently as the cameras made their way towards the table. The announcer plastered on an obviously fake smile that made Lily want to leave the room, but she stayed silent as she came closer.

“Look at this lovely group,” she chuckled, “Steve Rogers, always an honour to see you here. Alongside the ever ravishing Black Widow, aka, Natasha Romanoff. And who do we have here? Sam Wilson, aka Captain America, and fashion designer Rose Osborne! With her little one.” The redhead grinned, gesturing to the group before turning her attention to the family of four, “And last, but not least, the Barnes. James Barnes, the now-retired White Wolf, with his stunning fiance, Lily Barnes. Have you two tied the knot officially yet?” She asked, lowering the mic to Lily.

The blonde flushed a deep red, chuckling softly, if not awkwardly, “Not yet.” She stated simply, readjusting in her seat.

“What’s the holdup? We’re all dying to know!”

“Just been busy.” Lily hummed, glancing over at Stella, who was staring down at her lap.

“How could I forget! You two have your own kid,” she hummed, glancing over at Hunter, “Kids, sorry. Stella and Hunter correct? How do you two feel about the announcement tonight?”

Bucky jumped in, taking over as he saw Lily’s confused face, “Walker has had a past. But I’m sure he’ll do great. Especially with some reinforced supervision.”

-----

“Walker!?” Lily whisper yelled, pushing open the front door, “What the hell is Tony thinking?” She muttered, dropping her purse as she cradled Stella’s head on her shoulder.

“We tried to talk him out of it.” Bucky sighed, nodding up the stairs for Hunter to head up to bed.

“It’s ridiculous,” Lily sighed, following her son up the stairs, Bucky following close behind, “Was what happened nothing to him? He decapitated a man in a town square.” The blonde continued, walking into Stella’s room, slowly stirring her, “Darling wake up, gotta get you into PJ’s.”

“He redeemed himself near the end of it all,” Bucky sighed, pulling pyjamas out of his daughter’s dresser, “Maybe that counts for something in Tony’s books.”

Lily had her own personal reasons to resent the man. Whenever there was a function where he attended, he was always a bit friendly with the blonde. Bucky mostly stepped in before it got too far, but still, it made Lily uncomfortable regardless. But above all of that, the events that happened with the Flagsmashers was something that Lily couldn’t get past. Bucky had gone to help with the entirety of the ordeal but ensured to keep in constant contact with Lily, who was sitting at home, pregnant as can be.

She remembered the day he came home like it was yesterday.

-----

Lily watched the TV with relief in her eyes. She watched Sam’s speech with pride, her heart swelling at his words. She had always admired Sam, and watching him officially take up the mantle was something Lily would remember for decades to come. Her hands rested on her swollen stomach, counting down the minutes before she could see her boyfriend walk through the door of the Manhattan home they still lived in.

Lily made her way to bed, laying uncomfortably in it. She didn’t remember how she was able to sleep when pregnant with Hunter, but the baby currently growing inside of her was making her want to turn back the time and keep Bucky at bay that night she was positive was the day the fetus was conceived. Though she knew deep down, she would want to relive that night time and time, and time again. As she tossed and turned, the blonde wondered if Bucky was still directly in the middle of the city.

When the door opened, she felt herself almost float up from the bed. Turning her head, the blonde jumped from the bed and walked towards the man, not hesitating to kiss him deeply as his hands found her cheeks. When they broke apart, he dropped to his knees and pressed his lips to Lily’s seven-month pregnant belly.

“Please tell me the arrested walker,” she whispered, running her hands through Bucky’s brown hair, “Please.”

“They didn’t...I’m sorry my love.” He whispered, standing to his feet, “We don’t know what’s going to happen with him.”

-----

Three years later, they figured out just what would happen to Walker. He’d be given the same privileges as people who had saved the world countless times, including that of Lily’s fiance. It sat heavily on Lily’s shoulders as she undid Stella’s hair, placing the elastic to the side and running her nimble fingers through the dark tresses as Bucky helped the young girl get changed into her pyjamas.

After the two tucked their daughter into bed and undressed into pyjamas themselves, and climbed into bed, Lily let out a heavy sigh. Not only was the Walker situation heavy on Lily’s mind, but the announcer’s comments on the state of their engagement did also as well. She never really thought about it. The two had been busy, there was no time for them to really sit down and properly plan a wedding. But then again...Steve and Nat had been able to. Their own rehearsal dinner was in a week. They had gotten engaged about six months ago. Lily and Bucky...they had been engaged for two years.

Yet legally, they weren’t married. And it worried her.

“Why haven’t we gotten married yet?”

[astudyinimagination]

So... I was inspired to write a Sherbeth fake-dating-for-Christmas fic and @wellmanneredthief and @lost-without-my-detective were my enablers. :D I don’t know how often I’m going to be able to post and this is going to be way more ramble-y and fluffy than I usually do but here it goes.

Also playing a bit fast and loose with SH22 canon; if you know the show, you’ll know it when you see it. ;)

And sorry for the horribly unoriginal title. If I come up with a better one, I will change it!

Holmes for the Holidays

1. White the Fading Forests Grow

“I still don’t understand why we’re doing this, Inspector.”

Beth Lestrade sighed but didn’t look away from the road, gripping the steering wheel of her rental as she turned north onto U.S.-31 from the South Bend International Airport. “Watson, what’s not to understand? My family wants me to be set up with some nice guy, so I’m giving them that. For this Christmas, anyway.”

She felt rather than saw Sherlock’s look of amusement. “And next Christmas?”

“I will cross that bridge when I come to it. Live in the moment!”

“Yes, please do.”

“Relax.” Beth signaled and moved left to pass a semi truck. “This isn’t as bad as New London.”

“Yes, but it’s on the ground. I would have thought this city was big enough to warrant air traffic.”

“Nope, that’s just the big cities and their urban sprawls, and South Bend is still too small and too far outside of Chicago. You’ve just spent too much time in New London, that’s all. Relax.”

“I will when we’re clear of the urban traffic.”

She risked a quick glance at Sherlock Holmes — he was clutching his armrests. “It’s the side of the road throwing you off, isn’t it.”

“...it might be.”

“Okay, it’s okay. We’ll be in the countryside soon, all right?”

“But, Inspector,” Watson piped from the backseat, “the most direct route is to take this freeway straight up to South Haven.”

“Yes, the most direct route, but not the prettiest. I’m taking you guys the scenic route, just as soon as I can hit a Michigan road I know. And then Sherlock can relax, too.”

“Too kind.” His tone was bone-dry.

“Relaaaax. Traffic is thinning out already and also we’re in Michigan now.”

“I’m still not sure why we didn’t use a Michigan airport,” said Watson. “There are two closer to your parents than South Bend is.”

“Mm, a little bit closer but not as direct. The flight to South Bend was the shortest and most direct, and now we have a little time to kill to enjoy the scenery.”

“I must say, the scenery is already quite pretty.”

Beth smiled. The scenery was pretty. Most of the land surrounding U.S.-31 in Southwest Michigan was either farmland or woodland, and it was all liberally coated with snow. The snow wasn’t necessarily a given for seven days before Christmas, and Beth was grateful for it.

“Okay,” she said aloud after a few minutes, “here we go.” She turned off the freeway and headed northeast. “We’re hooking up with M-139, and that’ll take us basically all the way to St. Joe, turn on to M-63, and then take that north until it meets with the Blue Star Highway and that rides us all the way up to South Haven.” She glanced at Sherlock. “You’ll get to see the lake along the way.”

He arched an eyebrow. “Saint Joe?”

She sighed. “That river we just passed? The Saint Joseph River. Look, a lot of Catholics settled in this area.”

“Irish, Germans, and Poles, from what I’ve read, followed by African and Latin Americans.”

She raised both eyebrows at him. “You researched the area?”

He shrugged. “I was curious.”

She shook her head. “Just look out your window and let me know if you spot any deer.”

“Is that a danger?” Watson sounded concerned.

“Eh, a little bit. Not as much now as in the fall, but I do remember I almost wrecked on time on a little gaggle of does on a country road.”

“Perhaps the freeway would have been safer,” Sherlock muttered.

Beth sighed. “Just wait till we get to the lake. I promise you it’ll be worth it.”

❄️❄️❄️

Less than an hour and no deer later, Holmes had to admit that Lake Michigan was worth the detour. Beth’s own hometown was also on the shoreline, but he could understand her impatience to show off her Great Lake. The water was green-grey beneath a pale grey sky, and the waves were choppy enough that for a moment, he felt disoriented, thinking that he should have been able to smell salt in the air. But there was no salt in this particular inland body of water, no tang to the air above it, just the bite of winter.

“Beth, it’s magnificent,” he murmured. “I’ve never seen anything like it.” Although it did remind him achingly of the English Channel, and his little cottage on the South Downs.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her beaming. “Isn’t it great? Technically, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are a single body of water, and as such, they’re the biggest body of freshwater in the world, and on its own, it’s still the fifth-biggest.”

“It’s very impressive, Inspector.” Watson had a camera out, and was snapping pictures. “I imagine it’s calmer during the summer?”

“It depends. While you guys are here, though, you should definitely see a Great Lakes sunset if the sun shows. It’s beautiful.” Beth’s eyes were distant, her smile dreamy, and the wind off the lake whipping her hair around her, and Holmes realized he had never seen her looking quite like this. What are we doing, performing this little charade? It had seemed an innocent-enough idea at the time...

“Yes, well…” He cleared his throat and turned away from the view. “I imagine your parents are wondering what became of us.”

Beth waved a dismissive hand. “I told them I was gonna do a little sight-seeing with you guys. It’ll be fine.”

They both blinked the next moment as a light flashed, and Watson smiled innocently at them, his camera pointed in their direction. “Sorry.”

❄️❄️❄️

The drive northwest to the lakeside had been mostly fields, quiet and white, the very image of “a picture print by Currier and Ives.” The drive north along the lake was more wooded and less peaceful, the road often running close to the shoreline. “A hundred years ago, the lake was further back,” Beth explained, “but erosion has always been a problem and, early 21st century, it was helped along by climate change. A lot of homes were lost — their foundations crumbled right out from underneath them.”

“That’s horrifying.” Watson sounded aghast.

Beth nodded. “No matter how far we advance, we can never manage to control nature.”

“And that’s probably just as well,” Sherlock said quietly.

Soon enough, they were entering South Haven, and Beth was always hit with a wave of nostalgia as she returned to her hometown. She had eventually adjusted to living and working in New London, but at heart she was still a small town girl, and she was pretty sure she would come home when she retired.

“What a charming little town,” Watson remarked.

Beth smiled. “It is pretty, isn’t it?”

“Festive,” was Sherlock’s comment. “Not as overdone as some parts of New London I could name.”

“I actually like the huge displays.”

“Of course you do. You put up an artificial tree in my sitting room in the middle of November — of course you like the ostentatious light shows.”

“Oh, c’mon, you like the tree, you know you do.” She glanced over at him, and he was trying not to smile. “Ha.”

“Your parents aren’t in town, Inspector?” Watson asked as they drove further from the downtown area.

“Nope, they’re on the other side of the highway, in the country. Just a few more minutes.”

❄️❄️❄️

The Lestrades’ home ended up being a few miles east of the highway, sitting a respectable distance from the road: a renovated old farmhouse, pale yellow with white trim and surrounded by trees. Old… but Holmes had a notion that the house had been built decades after he’d been born. At least the place looked homely. An enormous Christmas wreath graced the front door, and smaller ones decorated the windows.

This scheme is insane.

But it was far too late to back out now. As Beth parked the car, a woman in her fifties emerged from the house, her hair dark, her skin pale olive… but those brilliant blue eyes were Beth’s.

Beth grinned and sprang out of the car, hurrying towards the woman. “Mom!”

Definitely no backing out now.

[sebastianatlaw]

☕ ABOUT SEBASTIAN ÉMERI SMYTHE 💸

Open your eyes, I'm all a disguise

Everybody in my circle, Think I'm gonna be their friend But I got bad intentions, And I'm gonna have 'em again

So why should I stop my dissin', Or soften up my heart Tell me what good is livin', If you can't be who you are, yeah

Never gonna put a spell on me, Never ever gonna bring me back Never gonna make me be, Somethin' I'm not because I'm evil

AGE & DATE OF BIRTH: 32 – Nov 9th

OCCUPATION: attorney specializing in foreign affairs and divorce

RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Single, but his parents are trying to marry him off to rich socialites

POSITIVE TRAITS: determined, educated, loyal

NEGATIVE TRAITS: hot headed, competitive, snarky

FAMILY INFORMATION

His family has always been high profile and he’s always felt like he was above other people because of the way he was raised. He got to travel between France and the US, he got to get his education at the fanciest private schools, he got to wear designer clothing and being so well-traveled meant he always sounded so sophisticated, even to himself. His intention was never to become a cocky asshole, but over time it happened anyway. After getting away with everything he did wrong and still being praised because he was charming, handsome, rich, well-connected, and popular it was hard to not get a big head. All it took was the honest truth and he always made people think he was something special, like when he told Blaine about Paris in the Lima Bean. He’s always been able to talk other people into doing things and he always got his way. His time at Dalton taught him humility, which was unexpected but very needed. But he is still snarky, he just uses it for good now. He does still have a quick temper, but he’s doing his best to be a better person. 

He doesn’t necessarily want to be an attorney forever and he didn’t necessarily want to become one in the first place but with his father’s side of the family being who they are, he felt there was no way around it. He didn’t really tell anyone that he wanted to dance, and he does still want to dance. His specialty as a divorce attorney began as a joke because of his open views on relationships but it has soured him a little on the reality of being with another person. There’s a fear there. Though he didn’t want to become an attorney, he does like his job. He’d just like to do something for himself too.

MOTHER: Étiennette Lilou Smythe (French, from France, not royalty but from a socialite family in politics. She ran off the normal path for her family by getting into modeling before she got married and began her own fashion line, which Sebastian modeled for when he was much younger) 

FATHER: Frederick Harrison Smythe (American, from the US, similar to Russell Fabray but law centric instead of bible centric. Rich socialites go to him to clean up their messes. He’s the reason Sebastian took on law, he works with and for his own family at his dad’s family owned law firm (the Legacy Law Offices of Smythe & Smythe in NYC) that was opened two generations ago and he should be honored to have a legacy to take on, blah blah blah)

SIBLINGS/OTHER IMPORTANT FAMILY: Just his grandparents in France. He used to go see them every Christmas and every summer when he was growing up, then it narrowed to once a year when he got busier and older. They are old money, the kind of people that just feel powerful when you stand near them, but they’re retired and though they live in the city, they all meet at a large cottage in the countryside that the family owns.

CONNECTIONS

I’d be willing to potentially take on one or two connections for people his parents were/are trying to set him up with. He will not be getting with them romantically, but the situation can be used for plotting. 

HUNTER CLARINGTON: Hunter is a close friend, he would definitely hide a body for the Clarington and he is pretty sure that Hunter would do the same for him if need be. Their relationship looks odd from the outside though, with Sebastian endlessly teasing the stoic Hunter (but only in ways that Hunter might secretly enjoy). Their connection is based a lot on canon info. 

HEADCANONS

Everything canon is canon about him really liking being on top and being a bully. Knocking other people down means he has someone to stand on to get a little higher himself and he honestly doesn’t see it as anything serious. 

He really wanted to do Not Law. He really liked performing and still dances in his free time (at a professional level now), but never on stage. Only in a private studio, when he has time. The fear that his talent is going to fade while he’s getting more and more busy with his family business has been getting harder and harder to ignore. People might not understand how his family could have so much influence on what he does as an adult, even after he moved into his own place as a teenager, this is just how it’s always been for him. They traveled back and forth, hosting and attending events, doing things to perpetuate their status financially and socially, and his parents were always his tour guides. They’ve always told him what to do, in the sense that they’ve always been there to guide him though strange, new lands. But they’re also busy people, so their attention was moderately fleeting and therefore incredibly valuable.

He has a partying habit still. It’s not something that he has had time for in years but he still does it anyway. He’s not an alcoholic, but he’s definitely a sex addict (not in the romanticized way, in the real way) and uses the attention he can get for his body to keep him going. He’s not miserable, and he’s even happy a lot of the time, but this habit still lingers and when he’s upset the very first thing he’ll think to do is go out to a club, party, and have sex. He has slipped a few times and gotten a little sloppy at an event his parents took him to, both as a teenager sneaking alcohol illegally and as a fully legal adult. It’s not enough to have been noticeable, his parents got him out quickly enough to cover it up.