#those flowers were a pain in the ass but also the most rewarding thing and i love especially how the tiger lilies came out

[theshinsun]

“Your hands are quite rough for what ought to be gentle work.”

“Gentle? You’ve never had to cut long stem roses before, have you?”

“Can’t say that I have.”

Just something I threw together for my AoKuro Florist/Tattoo Artist AU Bring Me Roses that ended up taking a lot longer than expected, and revealed a part of me that kind of just...wants to design tattoos for a living? Or maybe just draw flowers all the time, it’s painstaking but weirdly calming for me.

[honey-lemonz]

From wattpad:

Xmale reader

3rd pov

Sexual Content is included move on if not comfortable with

Includes:masturbation, but plug, dildo, getting caught, slight degrading rough and passionate sex, multiple orgasms, sexual frustrated Obanai.

Request by:EMOPHASEWHENIWASAKID

(Some parts by me other by the Request..)

(if you read American boy here is your smut that I never added. Taisho era)

For almost two years the sun pillar was sent away on an expedition mission to northern Japan, the rumor of the blue spider lily was heard around. A rumor that sounded so true that Muzan may go there himself.

The pillar wasn't sent for the flower he was sent for the upper moon that could be sent or the demon lord himself.

Leaving behind his younger siblings, Tanjiro and Nezuko who was demon. He was also leaving his lover. Iguro Obanai the serpent pillar.

Obanai understood reasons they sent him. He could handle the cold and could handle the upper moon without and problems..its just..

Its been two whole years without him. That meant no one to come home to at their home. Kaburamaru had no ball of sunshine that could let him sleep in his hair. But for obanai it was worst.

Two years sexually frustrated.

Obanai has tried many things even taken suggestions from others. Nothing. 

He could get off on just memories or the kimono's he wore that were left behind. He has sent letters but most were professional ones. Not any promising any punishment or any reward when he would return. It would get to were he would put a but plug in his ass just to satisfy the itch that his lovers cock could get to.

He had to be feeling the same way? Right?

Or was someone else pleasuring him? No he couldn't, Obanai knew. Only he could satisfy his lover the best.

The serpent pillar sat on the back patio of his shared home. For the time being he had finished taking another nap. He had a dream about a fantasy about his lover returning and fucking him ruthlessly.

But a dream is only as good as you make it.

He walked back to the futon on the floor. Feeling the arousal slowly makings its way out of his tight heat. The but plug wasn't going to work anymore. He needed something fucking him, penetrating him.

Pulling the (favorite color) toy out of his hole, leaving it gaping and stretched. Obanai whined at the loss full feeling. But he got up and went into the bathroom. In a small black box were a box full of toys Obanai had even before meeting his lover.

But after meeting him..they weren't needed at all.

Obanai squatted and looked inside for the dildo he wanted. He found one that was about 5 and half inches and was a good 2 inches wide. It should do for now.

In these two years he has been a horny mess. Constantly needing something to please him and the uphill battle of his needs. He just wanted his lover back to please all those needs. 

God it was infuriating.

Obanai's own cock was still hard as when he woke up from his nap. Tip red and need of attention. It was painful but still didn't go away. He just could not finish.

Obanai sat down on the silicone dildo and moaned at the feeling. it wasn't a bratty or a desirable one just a moan of something inside him. It filled a good percent but not enough to reach his prostate. Obanai started to move up and down, bouncing on the dildo.

His white kimono slipping off his shoulders, showing his smooth skin and none marked skin. that was another whole problem he didn't like. 

Trying to get down to the hilt of the dildo to at least graze his prostate to ease the itch, he was moaning and gasping at the fullness. Maybe this time his needs would be met.

Obanai was stroking himself and teasing his nipples, the sensitive buds were being pulled at and pinched, leaving the pillar awe struck. 

Moaning his lovers name as if it was a cry or a plea. Obanai speed up his pace, moving to lye on his back and use his hands. One hand stroking himself the other using the dildo to fuck himself. He was so close, eyes becoming glossy at the feeling. 

"(M?N) FUCK~! Fuck, fuck, shit, please my love come fuck me.." he was crying for his dear lover. The dildo wasn't hitting the right spots no more, and the itch grew even more harsh. His toes curling and his head thrown back on the futon.

"Why when your obviously doing it yourself? Having a hard time getting off my cute little baby?"

Obanai froze. His eyes snap open to see his love sitting cross legged on the opposite side of the room. He was in his uniform, (favorite color) but plug in hand inspecting it. "So this is what you have been doing while I have been away. Begging me to come home and fuck you silly like the slut you are? That's quite surprising isn't it."

His words weren't hurtful just teasing. Obanai could see the large bugle growing in his pants. The sun pillar had his hair down which rested the floor. His uniform at the top was slightly unbuttoned at the showing his chest and abdomen. His eyes had bags under them. But his eyes..

Something Obanai has only seen a handful of times.

Eyes were darker and burning with a lust. His stare and hoarse voice was enough to set the tone.

Obanai felt his cock twitch and he moaned out a spur of curses. 

"Now your having dry orgasms by just my appearance? You must be a desperate little whore today aren't you?" He didn't move from his spot what so ever.

Just drinking in on his expression. It was filling and made both Obanai and (M/n) twitch.

"Please, my love its been two fucking years with out you,please fuck me.." The sun pillar chuckled. "So my cutie is begging to be fucked? That's unlike you Obanai. If you can fuck yourself can't yo get off?"

Obanai groaned at the teasing. He just wanted him to fuck him. 

The an idea came to him.

His lover looked too calm for him. He needed him to get to his level of arousal, by being a fucking brat about things. if he wanted to get fucked he needed to do more.

"No."

The eyes on the sun pillar widen. 

"Why no then cutie? I just saw you so continue."

"No. I want you to fuck me. Unless you've lost your touch." Obanai said getting a little more confident. If keep going he would get the punishment he deserved.

"If my dildo was that close than what says you? I've used them plenty since you left two years ago. SO why don't you come over here and fuck me. Or has the sun pillar found a better bottom bitch to fuck?"

That set the fuel to the flame.

Calm and collected turned to possessive and aroused.

(M/n) was possessive of Obanai, he loved him and only him. Insinuating that he found a better person to fuck made the calm pillar pissed. Obanai knew this, because his lover can get jealous and possessive he knew what he did.

And is getting what he wanted.

The sun pillar was on Obanai in less than a second.

Choking his neck tightly and pinning his hands above his head. Eyes that were usually full of love and kindness, were dark with lust and irritation. He knew his words were empty but couldn't let it up.

"Why when I have a bratty bottom slut here? You want to piss me off for a good fuck cutie? You want me to pound you, make sure you can't walk for a fucking year?"

Obanai had another dry orgasm from his words. This is what two years of a pent up sun pillar was..

Then he should be sent off more often. ( Empty threat.) He hasn't even touched him fully for him to even think like that. The red headed male unbuttoned the rest of his uniform, not having the patience to take off all of his clothes. He undid the belt, taking the hands off of Obanais wrist.

His cock sprung free.

Oh how Obanai wanted to suck him off and tease him. But now wasn't the time.

(M/n) pulled the dildo out and scowled at it.

"Such a pathetic size, this trying to please your for that long, no wonder you couldn't get off cutie..don't worry we'll fix that..

positioning him at Obana's desperate hole, he slammed into him.

"Now!"

Obanai threw his head back and scream. His cock spurted long ropes of cum. Something he couldn't do until now.

"Cumming already? We just started, you really were a desperate slut?" He slammed into him again. Ever word followed a thrust, each time hitting Obanai's prostate and making his see stars. (M/n)'s past wasn't fast or slow. Just from Obanai challenging him made him almost bust a load.

The hand around Obanai's neck tightened, pushing on certain spots to not restrict air, just to make him a little dizzy. Obanai's toes curled as his lover slammed his cock into his tight heat all while degrading him.

His reward.

(M/n) pushed his legs to his chest, making his cock go even deeper into Obanai's dripping heat. He was truly surprised, he was that pent up himself. He didn't even have time to masturbate himself on the expedition.

"Fuck, my cutie your so cute looking fucked out of your mind. Is that what you wanted? To get fucked stupid by me?"

Incoherent word mumbled back a response.

"Yes..please~ fuck..*hic* me more~" He was hiccuping from the tears. The long haired pillar nodded and made sure to aim for his prostate and to basically abuse it as best as he could. Sweat ran down his forehead, making his hair stick to it. The white shirt underneath the black on was sticking to the sides of his torso.

Obanai's eyes had tears brimming out, drool slipping from his lips. His hands held his legs to his chest, hair spread out on the futon all around him. Moans and shouts, hollers and begs came out of his mouth without a care of who heard.

That's what the larger pillar wanted. he wanted anyone and everyone hear his beloved getting fucked out of his mind.

"Such a good little slut..you want the whole village and headquarters to hear your getting a good fuck cutie? You want them to hear you getting pounded by your lover? How you begged and been a bratty  bitch with a fucking plug between your legs? You want to be seen as my slut then I will make you my slut."

He pulled out of Obanai's tight and puckered out hole, flipping him face first into the futon. Using his foot to keep him in place and rammed back into him and a faster pace. Obanai's moans and screams were blocked from the futon mat he was getting fucking into.

 His cock spurted more roped of cum even though it wasn't touched.  His lover feverishly gripping and slapping his ass for good measure.

"God fuck, i'm going to cum and fill your little whore hole kay? I need you to tell me who the fuck gets to fuck your bratty ass kay cutie?"

Mumbles came as an answer. (M/n) making and annoyed noise, pushed his foot harder on Obanai's head. "Can't hear you cutie, you don't get my cum if i can't hear you like fucking you. Again and louder.  Why can fuck this bratty ass cutie?"

"Y-you.."

"Louder cutie!" He removed his foot from his head and pushed his chest into Obanai's back, teasing his over sensitive nipples and continued slamming into him.

"LOUDER."

"FuCk~ YOU DO!" Obanai had tears all over his face, face read and a mess.

"Good now let me fill you with cum like the slut your are. Such a pretty cutie for me." As he said that another orgasm ran through Obanai. It was becoming painful a little.

Obanai's babbles were filled with begs about being his cumslut and filling him to the brink. With one final thrust, making the smaller male see stars again. His desperate prostate and hole was filled with thick and large amounts of the larger's cum.

Emptying himself out, Obanai's hole was milking him dry of the desperate need that was begging to be released. His loved pushed deeper to make sure he took all he had to offer.

He slowly pulled out of his stretched and abused hole, gaping at the loss of contact and fullness. Obanai screamed again while being filled and also came again. He could feel his lovers seed push out of his hole and onto the futon below them.

Pushing the hair out of his face, (M/n) looked at the sight his lover was him. The demon slayer below him, the feared serpent pillar of the demon slayer headquarters looked as if he had been drugged.

Well he was, off of his lovers addicting seed, smell and cock.

"You did so well cutie, such a good slut. See if you follow instructions you could get fucked like this more often instead of pissing me off kay?"

This even only made Obanai want to be even more of a brat to him.

^wattpad, kny oneshots.

[bitchiha]

i need some fluff huhu. can i have naruto with mom reader hc or imagines? thank u 😍

A/N: ive never done anything like this before but I like this idea 10/10

Also special credit / mention to @softnaruto because we talked about some of these ideas but w Iruka not a mother figure lol

✎ Being Narutos Mother Figure *sparkles but they’re on fire bc this is chaotic*

Overall, before I get into the details, I’d say this is a very chaotic task lol. You’re probably half dead after dealing w his ass for so long, but seeing this boy that you thought of as your own son grow up before your eyes is so rewarding. It’s great, so wholesome 100/10.

You and Iruka definitely co-parent

Naruto would be constantly protecting you from Jiraiya. Like he doesn’t want the man near you. Runs over to you whenever Jiraiya is nearby and starts screaming “Missus Y/N, run! Pervy Sage is here, I’m doing you a favour, believe it!” No but in all seriousness, take Narutos advice because I know Pervy Sage is tryna hit it.

You end up having to talk to Jiraiya eventually though because you need to know what’s going on with Naruto and the Akatsuki and what you can do to help. Naruto will watch over the interactions like a hawk. Will whip a chopstick at Jiraiya if he tries anything on you, “Back it up pervy Sage! I said three meters apart, there’s no excuse!” So you’d have to meet eachother in secret because you won’t be able to discuss much when the blondies around.

Also, the amount of times you’ve chased his ass around the village after he got into some major trouble is too many times to count. He’s running as fast as he can away from you because he knows you’re gonna whoop his ass lol. Probably even uses his shadow clones, but you know better than to fall for those stupid tricks. No but fr, it’s a really good workout tbh you probably ran a marathon.

You treat him to ramen whenever he comes back from a mission. Sometimes Iruka comes along as well and you both alternate who pays the bill. Naruto always challenges you to a ramen eating competition. Luckily Iruka is there to hold you two back because he knows neither of you are financially stable enough to endure that damage to your wallets.

Literally everyone; Konoha 11, kakashi, iruka, Jiraiya, Tsunade, etc... always threaten Naruto by saying that they’ll tell y/n he’s not cooperating. It works like a charm everytime. There’s no way he wants to hear you lecture him for a good 2 hours. He’d rather get rasenganed into the face than listen to your horrible attempts at being wise.

You always ruffle Narutos hair when you see him. It’s like your signature sign of affection. You also call him “kid” all the time or “youngster” even though you’re like the same age as Kakashi and therefore not old yourself.

He calls you miss. He sometimes calls you Aunty y/n. Refuses to just call you y/n because he wants to be respectful, he looks up to you as a figure of guidance no matter how much he’ll deny it. So no matter how many times you tell him not to call you miss, he will.

Lots of walks! Like you’ll wait for him with Iruka at the village gate when Narutos supposed to return from a mission. It’s like parents picking up their kid from a field trip aweeee. You’ll pack some snacks for the three of you and he fills you in on his missions. He’ll always be like, “Awe no way! Thanks Missus Y/N. You’re the best!” When you give him all the food you packed.

He always comes to you for advice or to rant to you about Sasuke, Sai, Sakura and literally all the other Konoha 11. Lol, but he will rant about you to Iruka and Jiraiya all the time, little does he know you do the same.

Would purposely set you into mama bear mode on Sai for his own amusement. Like he just gets a kick out of watching you confront Sai about calling Naruto some absurd obscenity and watch poor Sai just stand there like: (°_°) lol what do I do? Naruto is snickering behind a tree because he just made that all up. Yamato probably has to intervene when he sees it. Will have to woodstyle justu you when he realizes you’re in mama bear mode.

Hes such a troublesome rat. You love him though. He’s your troublesome rat-son.

Naruto is used to you being hot headed like Tsunade when he gets into trouble, but if you ever take the disappointed route instead, he will cry lol. Like he hates that you’re actually disappointed with him, he didn’t mean to trick you into yelling at Sai, please forgive him.

All celebrations are done with Kakashi, Iruka, Naruto and yourself. Since you all don’t really have any real family to celebrate with, you’ve made your own. It’s so chaotic tho lol.

These events are always ‘surprises for Naruto’ so the cooking is up to you and Kakashi, but Kakashi is so fast at cooking he doesn’t even let you do anything. You have to physically stop him so you could do some of the work. Meanwhile Iruka sets up decorations for the event and he’s probably singing festive songs LOOL. Plus he can’t sing so it’s an extra headache ontop of you yelling at Kakashi to let you do some work.

Then you all surprise Naruto with your half burnt food (while you were fighting the food most definitely lit on fire) and extremely cheesy decorations. Oddly Iruka even decorated the floor. Like wtf. Anyways, Naruto doesn’t really care about how bad it actually was, he was just happy to have people around him that cared enough to invite him to a celebration.

The food is inedible so you go to Ichirakus instead and somehow persuade Iruka into paying for all four of you <3 this happens every holiday so he ends up just saving his money in preparation for it.

Naruto tries to be a matchmaker for you LMFAO. He tries to get you and Iruka together which ends so awkwardly omg, then he’ll try and get you and kakashi together which was even more awkward and DONT get me started on Yamato omg.. He was so nervous he just stared at you the whole time like a googley eyed tree frog or something. Each time you catch onto Naruros little Cupid schemes you tell him to buzz off and that you’re not interested, but he doesn’t listen.

Your other holiday celebrations may be badly executed, but you actually host the best birthdays for him!! You pair up with Tsunade, Shizune, Kakashi, Iruka and Sakura to throw him really memorable birthdays. They may not make up for all the ones he missed celebrations for already, but you do your best to make these extra memorable.

At the end of the night after every birthday party, you walk him home and pat his shoulder sadly talking about how he’s growing up so fast. You probably end up crying because you're sad the little doofus is maturing somewhat. You tell him that and he laughs. Once you’re at his apartment door he’ll grin tiredly and give you a big hug. “Thanks again, aunty y/n.” You probably cry again on the way home bc he actually hugged you. That’s so sentimental omg. That is roughly about what happens every single birthday.

For your birthdays he treats you to ramen and gets you some weird kitchen gadget or something. Figures you’re an adult and they probably need these things. You don't, but you appreciate the gift anyway. 

He buys you flowers every Mother’s Day. It makes you so emotional. You definitely cry. “Awe missus y/n! Not again. You’re so emotional.” He probably starts crying too though lol.

It breaks his heart to see you cry omg. Poor baby is like a lost puppy when you cry. Like not you’re over exaggerated crying, but your said painful crying. Once, after hearing some distressing news about the Akatsuki, you just break down. Naruto has become a son to you after all and you want to protect him so badly, but how can you do that when you’re up against powerful rouge ninjas? You cried in front of him for the when you two were having your weekly dinners at your place, all the sudden you just burst out crying and it hurt him so much because he knew it was because you were so worried about him.

Honestly, he probably ruffles your hair —like you do to him — in attempt to cheer you up. “It’s okay, Aunty y/n. I’ll take care of it, everything will be okay, believe it!”

Oh yah also, speaking of weekly dinners! You guys definitely get together at least once a month or if it’s a good time, once a week to have dinner. We all know Naruto only survives on ramen, so you try and cook him healthy food, but my god he resists so hard. Then you give him that warning look and he chows down that salad so fast lol.

It would be 10/10 he's a great kid

[that-damn-girl]

(6) Bucky and The Bed

Completed

Chapter 5

Bucky and The Bed Masterlist

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x (cis)fem!reader

Words: 5700+

Summery: You and Bucky are stranded in the middle of a snowy nowhere when there is an 'electronic blackout' during your mission. With no back ups or any way to contact your team, you take refuge from the worsening weather in the only cabin you find  in miles. Not to mention, with no power, Bucky has become your personal heater and there's only one bed.

Chapter type: Soft smut. Fluff.

Chapter/Trigger warning: Smut. 18+ only please. Language.

A/N: A huge thanks to @buckeroonie323​​ for beta reading this chapter! You’re amazing! I've worked quite hard for this, so some feedback would be appreciated. Hope I've been able to deliver how well it was in my mind. Also, thank you for continuing to read this series. Hope you like this part!

Bucky Barnes had done many daring things. Being a soldier in captivity with his control laying with strangers, he had no other choice. Not that they left any. After years of torture, he knew had to do it, to break free, to end the torment, to discover himself. Being an Avenger, it was his duty.

Bucky Barnes had done many daring things in life, and this very well could have been one of them - a higher ranked one even.

It seemed as if everything had hit pause in that moment all of a sudden, in and around Bucky. Although his breathing was hitched, his heart beat fast, thumping with trepidation inside his chest, so much so he swore it bumped against his ribs. Fingers cupped your cheeks were warm as he held you, yet a cold nervous stillness settled in his arms and the rest of him, keeping him rooted. 

The rattling windows were all but a distant noise, blocked by the booming of his heart in his ears. As evident, his heart was very much active, but his brain wasn't. There were no thoughts flowing through it. All he could acknowledge were the thoughts of you, of your closeness, of the feel of skin against him, of your lips in front of him; all that was so close and yet so far.

Like the daredevil he had felt a few moments ago, all confidence and fearless courage prompting him; everything died down the minute he leaned down. 

As he got closer to you, his mind started working again, immediately pushing itself into overdrive, making him cease right before he touched your lips. A million thoughts coursed through his brain, knocking some unwanted consciousness into him. 

A sliver of gap between your parted lips teased him mercilessly. As if mocking him for thinking too much, for taking so long. Challenging him to give into his temptations, to remove any distance. Prompting him to think of the reward if he leaned just a tad bit more. 

Everything in him had wanted to do just that. Every fibre of his self begged him to take some action. To touch you, to taste you, to feel you, to bask in it.

His brain had put a stillness to the moment Bucky didn't like. All the reasons why he had stalled kissing you resurfaced. No, you were right in front of him, millimetres apart. He wasn't going to pull back. He had spent too long thinking what was right and wrong. What he deserved or didn't. What he should or shouldn't. He didn't want to be responsible anymore.

Numerous things had been denied to him over the long course of his life. Some by villainous men, some by time, some by fate. 

He wasn't going to let his own mind deny him you. Not anymore.

It was your and only your denial which mattered. If you did deny him, sure, he'd be heartbroken but he would respect your wishes no matter how much it'd pain him. Luckily enough, there were no signs of such from your side.

It had only been a handful of seconds in reality, but felt no less than long dreadful hours to him. With you so close to him, any sense of reality was lost in him anyway.

Lips hovering atop your open ones a hairbreadth away, he glanced down at them and then to your closed eyes. You looked to be trusting, inviting him, summoning him to do what his heart desired the most.

Longing tugged at his heart. To feel your smooth lips against him, to clutch you in his arms and never let you go, to make you feel special and loved, to tell you the extent of feelings he harboured for you. It had to start somewhere first.

Taking your lead, Bucky closed his eyes and took the leap of faith, closing the last of the unsought gap between him and you.

With the tenderness of holding a delicate flower, Bucky's lips slowly brushed against yours as if testing the waters, barely getting a taste of your supple skin. Your hands looped around his waist, caging as much of him as you could in your loving embrace. It only left him yearning for more. 

Tilting his head, he gently grazed his lips against yours again, softly caressing your lips. Warmth flooded his nerves with every fond contact. Though it had hardly been a touch, he was already in love with the feel of your lips on him. 

Lightly, Bucky took your lower lip in between his, gently sucking on it before moving to the other. He Conveyed the adoration, the love he had for you in every delicate touch of his lips. 

Cradling your face in his warm hands, his thumb caressed your cheeks, making you warm from the inside. Your arms moved clutching the sides of his waists, bunching up the thick wool of his sweater in your fists, refusing to let go of him in case you were dreaming.

The moment so affectionate, so warm, so tender, Bucky never wanted to leave it. His heart raced with the feelings of an adolescent kissing their first love for the first time. It all felt so good, he needed to know, to be assured it was real.

Diving deep into the pool of faith, one of his arms moved down to circle your waist, pulling you impossibly closer. He pressed hard on your lips in a beat, making you gasp at the suddenness of his advancement - which was very much welcomed by the way.

The kiss was hard as his lips moved against yours, but slow enough to let him savour it, enjoy it, cherish the feel of your supple lips. Soft moans escaped you as he kissed you with passion. Bucky knew he'd never forget those sweet little sounds for the rest of his life.

None of his imaginations could compare to this, surpassing all his suppositions. Your lips were soft and warm, moving against his with such ease as if they were as if they were two conjoined pieces of a puzzle. 

Nothing had ever felt more right, more perfect than this. Bucky doubted anything ever would.

Your hands travelled gingerly from the side of his waist upto his hard chest and to his neck - but not before roaming and appreciating his expansive front. Gliding fingers through his smooth, silky hair, your hands curled around the back of his neck, gently running your nails through his scalp.

Bucky purred against you. Tightening his arm around your waist, he further leaned into you. His dark brown locks fell like a veil on the sides of his face, slightly tickling your jaw with the ends. You steadily stood on your toes for him. His hands trailed the sides of your body to your thighs, gripping onto it. Catching his message, you gladly jumped and curled your legs around his waist as he secured you in his hold.

Walking towards the bed as he kissed you dearly, he sat on the edge with you straddling his lap. One of his hands trailed along your thighs, his palm generously cupping cupping the curve of your ass in his large hand and appreciatively rubbing it, squeezing it from time to time.

Bucky tentatively licked your bottom lip, seeking your permission. Slowly, you parted your lips more, granting him all the access he needed. Instantly his tongue slid into you, grazing the tip of your tongue and moving across the rest of yours in light darting motions. 

A childlike giddiness pumped through his heart. Smiling gleefully in between the kisses, neither Bucky nor you could believe that after such a long wait, it was finally happening. Being in an embrace so loving, so caring, kissing sweetly and with passion; it felt no less than residing in heaven.

It didn't take long for the kiss to turn hot and heated. His tongue swiftly played with yours as your and his lips passionately danced together. There was more need developing in your movements with each fleeting second. All the pent up feelings from months were poured into that one kiss.

Already a little stimulated from all the activities, Bucky nearly choked when you grinded your hips on his. It was slow and light at first, but kept on increasing gradually. Feeling daring and encouraged, Bucky grabbed both your butt cheeks in his warm hold and guided your sinful motion on him. 

Eventually you felt him harden beneath you with each salacious roll of your hips. Even through all the layers, you could tell he was long with an impressive girth. Just thinking of all the fun you'd have with him, especially with him inside you made heat pool in your center, making you pulse with need. 

Reaching behind you, you brought his metal arm from your ass to your breasts. Bucky was hesitant at first, but he soon cupped it in his hand, gently squeezing it with affection. 

"Wait, Y/N," Bucky abruptly broke the kiss. Resting his forehead against yours, he and you panted heavily. You were worried you'd crossed a line, but then he said, "I don't want this to be a one time thing. I lo-"

Bucky paused, processing what he was about to say. He always knew he'd dearly liked you, much more than a just friend would. But did he…? 

He looked at you, at your mesmerizing eyes, at your beautifully swollen lips. He registered the warmth coursing through him, not only because you were with him, embracing him, kissing him; but because you were with him - whenever he needed you, as a friend and more, trusting him endlessly. All your moments spent with him flashed through his eyes, his heart brimming with feelings he couldn't describe. In that moment moment he realised the one thing he was dumb enough to see before.

He...he did love you. And he hadn't even known it. 

Because Bucky Barnes was truly a specimen of an idiot.

Your breath was hitched. As you looked into his eyes, his blue orbs assessing your face, your heart stopped beating. Was he going to say what he was going to say? Would he really mean that? Another glance at his eyes, and you knew he would. 

This sent you reeling with unsure feelings cramming your brain. You liked him. You most definitely liked him. But love? Did you love him? Your heart was telling you one thing, but your mind refused to accept that you would have fallen for Bucky without even knowing it. But you didn't want to deny it any longer. Yeah, you did love him. You had loved him all along with all your heart. 

And so were you. Two idiots in the same boat.

Glimpsing at your wide eyes, Bucky wondered if it was wise to outright say what he wanted to. He didn't want to scare you off after all. Your surprised expression gave him all the more reason not to. 

Bucky gulped before he said, "I like you, Y/N. I really like you a lot. Not as a friend. It's so much more than that. I mean, not that you're not a good friend. You're great and I'm very lucky to have you as my friend. But I want us to be something more than that, you know-"

A quick kiss to his swollen lips as you cradled his face, you pulled back, “I know, Bucky.” You giggled. It was sweeter and innocent and oh so lovely to his ears, making him put on a bashful smile.

You were a little upset upon not hearing the L-word you wanted to, but you didn’t let it drag the rest of your mood down. Perhaps it was for the best to not rush it. There was all the time in the world for you.

You softly said, “I like you too, Bucky. And this won’t be a one time thing. Not for me at least. I want this to work. I want you and me to work.”

He let out a sigh of relief, “Me too, Y/N. Me too. I can’t tell you how happy I am to hear this.” With a boyish smile gracing his face, he pulled you closer and cupped your cheek, “Be my girl, Y/N?”

Your bright eyes shone exuberantly, showing how elated you were. With a grin just as excited, you whispered, “Gladly.” 

You went back to kissing him frenziedly with over pouring passion. Hands zealously roamed each other’s bodies with soft but eager touches, committing every cranny, every nook to memory. A sense of belonging lingered in the back of your heads. To anyone else, you belonged to him and he to you. 

Desire burned through Bucky veins at the thought of calling you his. There were too many layers between him and you for his liking. He was desperate for some skin on skin contact with you. Pulling back for a second, he immediately discarded his sweater before joining your lips in another fervent kiss. 

Bucky clutched the bottom of your sweater and tugged it upwards. Breaking up the kiss, you helped take it off of you before kissing him again. One by one, the layers separating him and you were cast away until a thin shirt covered both your heated bodies. 

In an instant, Bucky rolled you over and pushed you up on the bed, climbing on top of you. Keeping some of his weight on his strong arms by your side, he pushed down onto you, covering every inch of your expanse with his. His metal arm came up and massaged your breasts. Through the thin material, your breasts were much more soft and tender. He could also make out the shape of the hard nipples, and he wasted no time in stimulating it with his thumb.

Kissing him heatedly with arms wrapped around his neck, you spread your for Bucky and curled them around his ass. Taking the hint, he started rocking his hips against yours through the sweats. His hard member rubbed against your centre, leaving you yearning for more.

His lips moved along your jaw before attacking your neck, littering your skin with short warm and eager kisses. His scruff rubbed against your cheeks in the most delicious way. "Bucky…" You moaned breathlessly when he found that spot near your ear, softly nibbling and sucking on it. The thought of him marking you with the added stimulation of his hand and hard shaft on your body was enough to shut your brain with nothing but lust clouding it.

Your hands snaked down between your bodies, fingers dipping under the waistband of his sweats to take it off. He promptly stopped you from doing so, “Are you sure about this, Y/N?”

Taking a deep breath, you nodded, “I’m sure Bucky, this is what I want.” Bucky nodded and enveloped your lips once again.

After a while when you attempted to lower his sweats, his hands stopped yours again. "You really sure, Y/N?"

"Yeah, I'm sure-" Bucky watched realization struck your face. Your expression became something akin to horror as you rushed out, "Oh my god! I am so sorry, Bucky. I should've asked if you were okay with this. I- I didn't mean to force you into something you didn't want to-"

"No, Y/N, I know. I trust you." Bucky kissed below your ear. He sat back on his knees and you followed pursuit. "It's just- It's me, not you. You're beautiful, you're sexy. I want you, I really do. I think you can already say that by, well, this." Pointing to the tent in his crotch, he gave out a nervous humourless laugh. Your cheeks flamed up.

Bucky hastily raked his hands through his hair, "I don't know how to explain this."

"You don't have to explain anything, Bucky." You softly said.

He grabbed your hand in his. Focusing solely at the joined hands as he said, "No, just listen, please. It's- It's been so long, you know. I do want to go all the way with you, if you want to. But everything- I mean, having sex right at the moment, I don't think I can jump head first into that…" 

Gently cradling his face, you made him look at you, "Thank you for sharing this with me, Bucky. We won't do anything you aren't ready for. I am sorry for assuming things earlier. Just please keep communicating with me like this, yeah?"

Sincerity was etched clear in your eyes. Bucky's heart swelled with the care you had shown him, how understanding you had been of his feelings. He nodded, burying his head in the crook of your neck, "Yeah, you too, Y/N." Slowly, he raised his lips to your ears before whispering in your ear, seduction lacing every note his voice, "But they're are other things we can do."

Goosebumps travelled down your spine at how sexy he sounded. But his comfort came before your libido. You asked, "You sure, Bucky? We don't have to do this if you don't want to."

"I want to, unless you don't-"

You kissed him fiercely, pushing his shoulders so that he laid on his back. Climbing on top of him, you straddled his waist, "Yes, Bucky. God, I want you so much!" 

You traced his neck with wet kisses as you made your way down him. Stepping on the warm rug, you went down on your knees in between his spread legs. Running your palms on his beefy thighs, your fingers inched towards his waistband, "This okay?"

"It's more than okay, Y/N." Bucky watched with blown eyes as you pulled his sweatpants down to his ankles and off of him. Your eyes went slightly wide with surprise as you took in his intimidating length. 

It was big and girthy as you had anticipated, but the veins protruding at his sides was an unexpected fortune. Taking some time, you marvelled at his impressive member. Licking your lips, you gingerly wrapped your fingers around him, careful not to put too much pressure at once. 

Bucky threw his back, enjoying the feel of someone else's hands on him other than himself after so long - especially when the someone else was you. Leaning forward, you placed a long warm and wet kiss on his head.

"Ah, Y/N," Bucky moaned lasciviously. A dollop of precum escaped his slit. Slowly and carefully, you ran your thumb over his head, sweeping the precum off him and daubed around him, only to watch more precum resurface through his slit.

You pumped him leisurely, using more of his precum as lubricant. Flicking your wrists every now and then, you studied Bucky's face. He breathed heavily above you, his lower lip clutched between his teeth. You wanted to pry his plump lip and nibble on it yourself, but you focused on the job at hand, quite literally.

Bucky leaned on his elbows to look at you playing with his pole. His pupils were blown, heavy with lust, almost looking black in the dim lighting. Glimpsing from under your eyelashes, you winked at him before diving to trail slow, soft, sensuous kisses on his shaft. From top to bottom and back up again after rounding his balls. Cherishing every inch of him you could reach.  

You couldn't wait to taste him. Sticking out your tongue, you ran it over the huge vein on his underside. Bucky visibly shuddered beneath you. He took a sharp inhale when you wrapped your mouth around him, his brain shutting down instantly. 

You started light, bobbing your head up and down only around his tip. It had been a while for you too, so you didn't want to test your limits just yet. Moreover, watching Bucky's face contorted in pleasure was too big a delight for you to hurry and get over with it hastily. You wanted to draw it out as long as you could. Watching him unfold under your hands was no less pleasurable for you either.

Determined to show Bucky the time of his life, you swallowed him deeper. Though you couldn't deep throat him, you took in as much of him as you could, your hands expertly took care of the rest of him.

Soft pants escaped Bucky as you worked on him with your mouth and hands. His senses were heightened. He couldn't transform into words how good he felt with his cock in the heat of your mouth, your lips enveloping him. The velvety touch of your tongue felt magistical around him. He was so hard it was almost painful, but the smooth slippery feel of your mouth and tongue soothed him, calming his insatiable hunger for you.

You hollowed in your cheeks, swallowing him further and increased the pace of your bobbing. "Shit, doll! Just like that!" Bucky cried and couldn't keep his weight on his arms anymore with the rush of feelings coursing through him. Dropping on his back, he tightly grasped the sheets in his grip with a desperate need to hold onto something.

Noticing it, you grabbed his hands and brought it to your head. He was uncertain at first, but with your insistence he slid his fingers in your hair and clasped it into a makeshift ponytail. He tried not to, but he couldn't help guiding your motion with tiniest but of force. It significantly increased the pace of your mouth on him, but it wasn't uncomfortable.

Knowing he was nearing his climax soon, you stepped up your game. Collecting the spit which dribbled down your mouth on him, you applied a tad bit more pressure as your palms swivelled around his erect shaft. Your wet tongue traced the veins bulging on his shaft.

"Fuck, that feels so good!" His high pitched voice said, sounding hoarse and raspy. It turned you on immensely. You wanted to bring your hands down and relieve yourself, but he was your top priority at the moment.

Your tongue swirled over his head repeatedly, picking up the precum and spreading it as your mouth went up and down on him. One of your hands streamed down to his balls, massaging the pair of them and lightly tugging at his filled sacs.

"Oh…Y/N..." He moaned and grunted helplessly above you, withering as you pleasured him. Your name fell like a worship from his lips. A raw, base urge satiate his need took a hold of him. His grip tightened on your hair. Try as he might, Bucky couldn't stop himself from bucking his hips into your mouth. 

One of your hands went under his shirt, wandering over his taut muscles and hard abs. A sheen of sweat covered his muscles which were tensed under your touch, his body urgently awaiting a release. Reaching his pectorals, you circled your fingers around his nipple. Soon you started playing with it. 

Under all your ministrations, Bucky felt overwhelmed. He couldn't delay it any longer. He stuttered, "I'm- ah, I'm so close.

Bringing both your hands back to his shaft, you put greater effort into pleasing him. Simultaneously flicking your wrists as you pumped him up and down, you moaned around him as you bobbed on his cock hastily. The added vibration edged him further.

With a few more strokes, Bucky grunted loudly, his voice extremely rough, as he released his load into your mouth. You kept stroking him through his orgasm. The sweet and tangy mixture of his cum filled you. It was viscous and delicious and much more in quantity than you had expected. You swallowed as much as you could, but some dribbled down the corner of your lips to your chins. 

After you were sure he had finished shooting his load down your throat, you pulled back and saw him lying on his back, his chest sharply rising and falling as he took deep breaths to calm himself down. His eyes were shut and his hands had fallen off your head, resting limply by his side.

Slowly Bucky opened his eyes, only to watch you muster up the cum from the corner of your mouth in your fingers and lewdly lick it until all that remained were your glistening fingers. Leaning towards you, he clasped your arms and brought you up from the floor and on top of him.

His hands tightly gripping your waist, he instantly kissed you violently, not minding the taste of his cum on your lips. Traversing down your body, he groped your ass in his palms, squeezing it appreciatively.

"That was lovely, doll. You were amazing." He breathed, his voice still raspy.

"I'm glad you liked it." You grinned, feeling proud of your skills.

He turned you over pinning you between him and the bed. He nipped at your ear, "It's my turn to make you feel good now."

"You don't have to-"

He shut you up with a bawdy kiss, his tongue silencing you. "I want to, babydoll."

"Good, because I'm horny as hell right now." You declared.

Bucky chuckled, "Don't worry, baby. You've got me now."

Climbing off of you, he threw his undershirt over his head and helped you out of yours. "So beautiful," he whispered, taking in the sight of your breasts for the first time. Kissing them briefly, he trudged down your body, leaving a trail of warm kisses in its way.

Taking his place between your knees, he pulled your sweats off of you before curling his hands around your thighs. He hauled you towards him, placing each of your thighs on his shoulders.

Bucky fixed moist kisses on your inner thighs, tardily inching towards your center. Running a finger through your slit, he bemusedly watched your juices glistening his digits and said, "You're so wet, doll."

You nodded eagerly, "All for you, Bucky."

The dark haired man in between your knees growled with hunger. His calloused finger leisurely circled around your clit, teasing you mercilessly. Your legs tightened around his shoulders, pulling him towards you, urging him to act fast.

Relenting, Bucky's calloused thumb collected some of your juices and pressed your clit to your body, massaging the sensitive tissues. Though he hadn't pleasured a woman in a long time, he did remember some of his tricks. Using them wisely, he worked his experienced fingers on you. 

He brought his other hand up to your pussy, fingers running through your slit. Finding your entrance, he inserted a single digit in you, making you gasp loudly. Your heat enveloped him at once, your walls snuggly around him. 

His finger was thicker than you'd imagined, and felt exceptionally bigger in your tight space. His thumb kept rubbing your clit as his finger pumped in and out of you slowly. You got wetter and wetter by the second, making it easier for his fingers to  work on you.

Bucky soon replaced his thumb with his mouth. Plump lips draped over your clit as his tongue played with it. You moaned obscenely under him. Sucking on your nub faintly, he used his tongue flick  over it, occasionally licking it, lapping at it like a hungry beast. 

Desire ablazed your nerves, a coil in your abdomen tightening. The warmth of his mouth on your sensitive nub, his moist tongue fiddling with it, his finger buried in your heat - it all felt exquisitely wonderful. 

Glancing down at him, you saw Bucky hard at work with your pussy. Watching him between your knees, so intimately close to you, you blushed hard, tinting cheeks red. You'd always had an image of Bucky carnally pure and innocent. It was known to you that he was not a virgin. On the contrary, as per the sources, he'd been quite a ladies man back in the day. 

With you, however, he'd been no less than a gentleman. True, you had imagined Bucky with you in situations like these countless times, but they were nothing close to the reality. You never knew you'd see this side of Bucky; this naughty, hungry, definitely not at all innocent side. To know you brought out this carnal side in him, it only turned you on more.

Mewls escaped you as he ate you like a man starved for decades, which he probably was. Your juices were sweeter than honey to him. Though it was his first time, he already loved tasting you, lapping up all you had to give him endlessly. Your sweet juices were no less than ambrosia to him.

"Bucky…" You lewdly moaned when his fingers, glassy with fluid coating them, slithered towards your chest. Cradling both your breasts in each palm, Bucky adoringly squeezed them, loving the softness of your breath in his hold. He was sure groping you could easily be his favourite pastime.

Bucky softly kneaded your boobs in his palm, his fingers gyrating around your rock hard nipples while tongue worshipped your clit. One side hot, the other side cold. The varied temperatures ecstatic on your heated skin. 

Bucky increased his pace on your clit, your body thrumming with bliss. He drove you closer and closer to  your edge. You shut your eyes, thoroughly enjoying all the sensations coursing through you. You kept grunting and moaning, chanting his name like a prayer. 

Your sinful moans were better than luscious melodies to his ears, especially when his name toppled out of your lips so sensuously. He was already addicted to the sound of his name from your lips.

Set on showing you a good time like you had done for him, Bucky skilfully swirled your sensitive clit with his tongue. Greatly overwhelmed, you squirmed underneath him. 

He brought his hands down to your waist, keeping your wiggling form in place. Goosebumps were raised all over you as his hands left your nipples, suddenly exposing your skin to the cold air.

Gingerly putting his finger inside you again, Bucky stroked in and out of you softly and smoothly, getting you accustomed to the intrusion. His mouth never left your nub, his tongue drawing various patterns around your clit with increasing intensity.

The coil tightened further in your belly. As he passionately ate your pussy, you became a moaning mess for him. Feeling the need to grab onto something, your hands travelled down to his head out of their own accord, gripping his dark silky locks tightly in your hold.

Bucky carefully inserted a second finger in your heat, which you were more than ready to welcome. Sensing you were close to your end, he doubled in his efforts. Squelching sounds filled the room as he rocked his fingers inside you. 

Unconsciously, you bucked up your hips as you chased your nearing orgasm. So close to it, you stuttered unintelligibly in between moans, which Bucky could faintly make out as you urging him to keep going as he was. 

Your back arched as he curled his fingers inside you, successfully finding that spot after some tries. His long, slender fingers repeatedly brushed against it. Your eyes rolled back in your head with overflowing delight and your toes curled.

His mouth and fingers worked in tandem on you, driving you over the edge. You didn't even have the time to say something when white hot pleasure coursed through you as you violently came, your legs shaking around Bucky's head. 

Bucky hungrily gulped your release, not letting a single drop go to waste. When he pulled back, his chin was glistening with your fluid. Licking his lips, he wiped the residue with the back of his hand. 

As he crawled over you, your eyes were still shut and you breathed heavily. A blissful glow adored your face, a content smile playing on your lips; looking candid under the soft golden light of the fireplace. Fluttering open your eyes, you saw Bucky hovering over you with a merry grin. 

"You were great, Bucky," Bringing him down to you, you kissed his moist puffy lips. Bucky reciprocated, slowly moving to lay on his side beside you without breaking the kiss. Basking in the fulfilment you felt, you strayed from his lips to his cheeks, nose, eyelids and forehead, kissing every inch of his face.

"So good," Bucky felt your appreciation for him pouring through each kiss as you cherished him. His arm snaked around your waist, keeping you close to him - to his heart, which beat only to your rhythm. 

Your lips traversed down his neck to his left shoulder, placing soft kisses to the harsh ridges along the conjuncture bit by bit, not at all rushing in the slightest. Bucky hid his face in your shoulder, immensely grateful to know that when you said you liked him, you did mean all of him.

Soon you settled against his hard warm chest under the mountain of blankets, feeling safe, secure and loved in his arm. Fingers cosily interlacing together, your naked bodies pressed into one another without any hesitation or shame. Content and exhausted, it didn't take you long to slip into slumber in his loving embrace.

Playing with the tip of your locks, Bucky watched you sleep peacefully with a love sick smile. He still couldn't believe how the day had worked out; that you were his girl, willing to accept him with all his flaws. It felt like a dream to him, as if he'd been living in his own crafted fairy tale. 

He wanted to thank the stars and the gods above for bringing him to you. For giving him the fortune of not only being your friend but something blissfully more than that. For deeming him deserving enough of your love and trust. 

He briefly wondered if any of it was under Thor's control, if he was the one Bucky needed to express his gratitude to - or any of his unknown family members for that matter. 

Regardless, he had you in front of him at the moment and he only wanted to focus on you. Thanking you in his heart instead, he placed a gentle kiss on your forehead - a promise of his love, his loyalty to you, and closed his eyes to join you in slumber. The feel of your skin flush against his reminded him that it was indeed his reality which granted him the joy of being with you.

For now, and hopefully forever.

The divider is made by @writeyourmindaway​

Chapter 7 

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[writeblrfantasy]

excerpt from a council of golden swords: tattooed cairic king

planned this scene weeks ago, forgot about it, enjoyed writing it immensely. poor kayani, they're so in love

anyway i hope you love this as much as i loved writing it, acogs has been kicking my ass this week and this was a nice battle won

~

Asma crosses her arms. “Take off your shirt.”

Kayani chokes on their own saliva. “What?”

“I’m going to paint you. Take off your shirt.”

Kayani stares at her, open mouthed, a thousand indignities resting on their lips. Asma taps her foot, paintbrush held between two fingers, frowning impatiently. No excuse, no argument, no plea will ever sway her. She is unmovable.

Kayani stares at the floor and loosens the laces of their shirt before whipping it off. They ball it up and stand there holding it until she snatches it from them and tosses it on the sofa. “Sit on the stool,” she says, “and for Cai’s sake, stop looking so stiff. Actually look like you want to be here. You don’t even have to smile. Just look a little less queasy.”

Queasy for a different reason, Kayani thinks, but obediently sits on the wooden stool in the center of the red, blue, and gold room. The yearly trip west, spent in close quarters with almost all of the Cairic army, has driven the modesty out of them, but everything is different with Asma.

She sits on the ottoman and drags her easel closer to her, a tray of paint pools sitting beside her on the sofa. The easel legs scraping against the floor makes Kayani startle. “Relax,” she orders in a tone that’s anything but relaxing.

Kayani folds their hands and tries not to slouch. The hairs that itch when they fall into their eyes will be the least of their worries over the next few hours. Why else would Asma paint them shirtless if not just to torment them?

Once Asma has everything apparently set up to her standard, she looks up and rakes her eyes over Kayani’s torso. Her breath hitches. “You have so many tattoos. I forgot you would.” Her voice disturbs the quiet of the room, breaking a sacred peace, or however peaceful the two of them alone can get.

“Isn’t that why you wanted to paint me shirtless?” Kayani asks. “Why else would you?”

She hides her face behind the canvas and doesn’t bother with an answer. Kayani prepares for a long set of hours filled with waiting, an aching back, and keeping their walls firmly up.

After ten minutes of silence, Asma working quietly, she asks, “What does that one on your chest mean?”

Kayani resists the urge to look down and earn themself their first don’t move, idiot. They could trace the lines of the * in the darkness, in their sleep. “The death of my mother.”

She gasps. “You got tattooed when you were just a child?”

They shrug. “I’ve known some babies who got tattooed after birth because of a difficult or scary pregnancy, complications that should’ve killed them. Parents, too. We use our tattoos to cope with many things, many emotions, but prominently grief. For many people, the experience itself of sitting there for ten hours while a needle pokes into your skin—it helps.”

“By enduring pain?” Asma asks.

Kayani shrugs. “Some people find solace in pain. It’s something real they can grip onto.”

“That’s the funny thing,” Asma says, peering out from over the canvas. “It isn’t.”

Kayani’s eyes drift to the tattoo on her forearm, she follows their gaze and pulls her sleeve down. Kayani remembers it all too painfully well—her poorly stifled tears and cries while getting it, their own desire to comfort her squashed by the hatred in her eyes. It’s their fault she has it.

“What about that one?” she asks, gesturing to the wings covering their shoulders.

“Are you asking because you’re genuinely curious,” Kayani asks, “or just trying to fill the air?” They want to poke further into her reasoning, but they don’t want her to change her mind and throw them out. Alone time with Asma is bliss as much as it’s torture, and they’ll take every last bit of it.

“I got the wings one year after becoming king,” Kayani says. “To celebrate not being assassinated.”

She snorts. “Get better guards.”

“I am my own best guard besides Ajar and Samad. I didn’t want to trust anyone else. The palace guards on rotation can only do so much against an assassin hired by someone who was angry I became king and not my sister.”

Asma rolls her eyes, the soft strokes of her brush soothing to listen to against the faint chatter of birds. “And the one on your back?”

“You’re not painting that one. You can’t even see it right now.”

“Answer the question, dimwit.”

Kayani grins. As much as they love to nag Nikolai about being attracted to the ones who seemingly want nothing to do with you, they’re no less guilty. “I got the first part done after I survived the Trials.” After healing up upon their return, they went straight to the royal tattoo artist. They knew exactly what they wanted: Ajar and Samad standing side by side, blue eyes pointed to the moon.

The two of them are right outside—if Kayani’s quiet, they can hear them scratching at the door—but an ache for them runs through their chest regardless. Sometimes they’re convinced the three of them share a soul.

“I would’ve gotten the outlining done before I left for the Trials for good luck and gotten it filled in after I came back, but I didn’t want to deal with unnecessary pain. I got the second part added on after I came back from my first trip west with the army. That time, I did do it in two halves for good luck, like many of my soldiers.”

Going to get those outlines and later the full lines done with their soldiers had been one of the most rewarding experiences of their life. Sitting beside ten others in a salon, all laughing or grimacing or telling stories to work through the pain reminded them that they could still mix with normal people. Winning the Trials didn’t make them special in the soldiers’ eyes, and Kayani liked it that way.

Their second back tattoo consisted of a light brown stag leaping across the center of their back, over the dogs. “Each trip after was another add on.” They’ve since added a grassy field for the stag and the dogs to rest in, stars for the moon, flowers and sparkles in a mix of reds and browns.

“Your entire body will be covered by the time you die,” Asma says.

“That’s the goal.”

As the hours go by, Asma asks, and this? What about this? That one? What are the ones I can’t see? Kayani answers her every question, shares every story, every memory. They don’t tell her about the one on the back of their ankle, small enough to miss. A golden paintbrush.

Finally, when the sun is halfway to setting and Kayani’s lower half has gone numb, Asma announces she’s done. Kayani wobbles to their feet toward the canvas, but she picks it up before they can see it. They sigh quietly but don’t question it—until she turns around.

She’s painted them in a background more heavily red than the wallpaper behind them. It brings out the red in Kayani’s tattoos, which are obviously the star of her painting. The edges of Kayani’s muscles are blurred, but the lines of the tattoos are as clear and sharp as they are on their skin. Their eyes are halfway open, tired, and Asma captured their faint smile at something she said, maybe some memory that took them away.

The sun from the glass wall behind them drips golden light onto light brown skin, a glowing backdrop for the tattoos. Kayani sat with their left forearm up, right hand holding that wrist, but Asma painted the opposite to hide the tattoo there.

Kayani has never had the eye for beautiful artwork, nor the time to study why people devote their lives to it, but this makes them reconsider. Not because it’s them, of course, they’re not that vain. Because it’s Asma.

“I will call it ‘Tattooed Cairic King’,” Asma says. Kayani can’t take their eyes off her nonchalant expression, the casual way her fingers grip the canvas. She completed this in a day and she acts like she’s holding a piece of cheap furniture. Doesn’t she know all of her artwork will be studied meticulously after her death merely because she’s a queen?

Not just because she’s a queen, Kayani thinks. Because she’s an incredible artist. They wish they had the courage to say so, but knowing Asma, she’d make some crack about their narcissism.

“Where are you going to hang that one?” they ask. “Which guest room or dining hall or office will get the pleasure of seeing my tattoos?

She fixes them with a look. “My suite wall.”

The floor seems to swim under them.

“I thought you hated me,” they manage. “As you pointed out, last time we were together you told me to never come into your sight again.” They gesture to the canvas. “I think that violates your rule.”

For once, Asma’s silence seems to be because of her loss of words, not dramatic pause or the bother of answering a question. “It’s some of my finest work,” she settles on. “I’d like to admire it often. Let people admire it when I’m dead.” She closes her eyes and runs her finger along the top of the canvas. “Also, I’d like to do your back sometime."

“What?” Kayani sputters.

“Oh, come on. If you can survive a needle pricking your skin for ten hours, you can survive sitting still for another six.”

That’s not the problem, Kayani thinks, but only nods. Cai have mercy.

~

kayani being shook by asma's ability to Art is me @ all the talented artists here yall rock

also if you noticed the tsoa inspiration for "and this?" then props to u

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[corruptedconfessions]

Hi :D! Could I ask for yandere shinsou being walked in on (by his own darling) him putting things putting things on his shrine for darling?

As per usual im not super proud of my own writing but I hope you enjoy it none the less! Sorry again for the wait! Uni and depression has been kicking my ass loll

Also! A little warning! While this one still is gender neutral like most of my works some of the clothing mentioned is generally feminine. That’s kinda the idea I had and I ran with it! 

He had been careless. 

Normally he was ever so careful to make sure that he was behind locked closed doors before he would open his closet door, revealing the towering shrine, what was once a little shelf now turning into a full floor to ceiling display. He had everything, He had managed to get a blown up version of your school picture, lovingly framed in the middle, surrounded by flowers he changed frequently and your favorite scented candles. It had been long enough his little shrine had a wide variety of...collectibles of you.  

What had started as a discarded eraser, forgotten hairband, crumpled up paper you had thrown away had quickly grown into more...intimate things. Over the two years of your friendship with him he had managed to steal several articles of clothing, some Chapstick you used (it felt glorious against his lips, an indirect kiss that left him shuttering and hard every time), even a few strands of your hair that he had stolen from the salon when you had gotten a haircut. That one was his pride and joy, it had been hard to sweep in and steal some hair without you or the hairdresser noticing before it was swept away. 

You had been getting suspicious of so many things disappearing from your life, though. Started confiding in him with fears of a stalker, telling him about your favorite things disappearing, items like perfume and Chapstick disappearing faster than you could replace them. He had soothed your anxieties, promising you were just being forgetful, but also saying he would keep an eye out for you, promising he would tell you if he saw anything suspicious. 

The guilt of scaring you had kept him at bay for awhile. He had enough things covered in your scent, enough things your lips had touched that he was sure he could hold himself back for your sake. You two were practically glued at the hip now days anyways, and the real thing was always much better than the weak items he substituted when you insisted on going out with...others. Honestly he didn’t understand why you couldn’t just stay with him!

He had been doing so well, able to hold back the urges to swipe stuff as you looked away, smiling softly at you as he handed you whatever you had accidentally dropped instead of stowing it in his hoodie pocket before you noticed.   

But then he was tempted with a prize he couldn’t resist. 

It had been a normal evening, he had been sitting on your bed, watching you ramble and flit around the room, freaking out and chattering about something or another. Honestly he couldn’t quite remember, too mesmerized watching the way your face lit up when you grinned, or how your eyebrows would furrow together whenever your tone turned more annoyed. You were always so breath taking, always making his hands itch with the urge to reach out and just touch you. To feel your warm skin under his touch, to watch your face as you reacted to him instead of all those useless idiots you insisted on being around. 

There had been a knock at your door and much to his annoyance you had ignored his insistence to ignore it and ran off to go answer the door, stepping out into the hall and leaving him to his own stewing thoughts. 

It really wasn’t his fault! You had left him alone for so long...and you had just left them laying out, peaking out from under your bed tauntingly, like a prize you had left for him to find. Like you were asking for him to take them, to have this new souvenir of you....it had been so long. He had held himself back from taking things...

It was only logical he rewarded himself for his efforts right?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shinsou’s hands shook as he hooked his thumbs under each side of your panties, holding them up in front of him as he drank in the sight of them with a flushed face. So this is what you...

The blush that dusted across his face darkened as he shifted, making the bulge straining against his tight jeans all the more obvious and painful. Hesitant eyes shifted between your panties and his jeans, his hand twitching as he hesitated. 

He could...

No. 

Right now he had bigger things to focus on. Like finding a place to put this new important addition before you came over to meet him for dinner. It was such a shame that the guy you had originally made the reservations for had ghosted you...but he would always be there to pick up the pieces

That reminded him to make sure you didn’t look in the freezer until he had time to run to the store and get more acid...

Shaking away his distracted thoughts his eyes roamed over his shrine, still holding your panties high in the air. Perhaps he should move the flowers and lay it in front of your photo...It would make a wonderful centerpiece. 

“Shinsou! Sorry I let myself in using my key! You’d never guess what-”

The purple haired male froze when you suddenly barged into his room, freezing at the sight of him kneeling in front of his closet, holding up the panties like some sort of offering. 

“Are those my- What is...”

His hands started to shake as he watched the color drain from your face as your eyes roamed over his shrine, taking in every excruciating detail of it. 

“No- Wait, y/n , I can explain!”

He was immediately spurred into action as you took a nervous step back, shaking and dumbstruck as you took in the sight in front of you. Everything you had lost, everything Shinsou had comforted telling you you had misplaced was right there, hanging around a picture of your face in your best friends closet. 

“W-what the fuck!”

Fully prepared to turn and leave a yelp was pulled out of you as muscled arms quickly wrapped around you, restraining your arms to your sides, panties still clutched tightly in one fist. 

“This isn’t what it looks like!”

For once the calm and collected, almost apathetic hero looked panicked, eyes wide as he shook even as he restrained you easily, ignoring your thrashing as if you were nothing more than a baby bird hitting his chest. 

“Y/n!” You shook your head angrily, jerking in his touch as you hissed at him, tears burning in your eyes. 

“Don’t touch me, pervert! Let go of me!!”

A part of you warmed in pride as the male visibly flinched at the insult. Good. He deserved to feel guilty for being such a creep! You glared directly up into his gaze, unwilling to step down from this challenge even as he easily held you tight against him.

And so you watched as panic and guilt melted away into something...darker. With a deep breath even the shaking stopped, hands now easily pinning you against him as an arm moved to hold you in a chokehold, forearm pressing into your throat. 

“Shin-sou?”

Your hands darted up to claw at his wrist as he frowned down at you, somehow looking so sad despite the empty apathetic eyes that stared down into yours even as tears started streaming down your face. 

“I’m sorry...I can’t have you leave after this. Don’t worry, I’ve done this before. You’re just going to take a little nap until I can decide what to do with you...”

His voice was soft as he hushed you, whispering soft comforts, barely audible over the sounds of your own ragged breaths and choking. 

Everything faded to black. 

[purplesurveys]

1139

1 - What's your favourite TV show that was released before you were born? What is it that got you into that show in the first place? My parents introduced me to Perfect Strangers when I was 10 since they both grew up watching and enjoying the show - it came out in 1986 and ended in 1993. I love it mostly for the dynamic of Larry and Balki, which was really the whole point of the series. Then there’s also Friends, which first came out in 1994. It’s my comfort show for years to come and it’ll always be a series I’ll come back to whenever I need a pick-me-up.

2 - What is your preferred brand and flavour of ice-cream? I usually just stick to Selecta and I always get cookies and cream. Sometimes I’ll spoil myself and get Ben and Jerry’s and get whatever flavor that has cookie dough.

3 - When's the last time you got something in your eye? Can’t remember the last time I either cried or felt irritated with something in my eye.

4 - When was the last time someone got you flowers and what was the occasion? I’m not so sure. It was two or three years ago, I think. I don’t get to receive flowers or bouquets often, and especially not these days.

5 - What are your plans for tomorrow? Are these normal for that particular day of the week or are you doing something out of the ordinary? It was such a draining work week so I wanna use the free time this weekend to relax; but since I’m a bit of a workaholic I might also end up finding some time to do some work on the side just to feel productive hahah. I can’t go out either since we’re experiencing another spike in Covid cases - we’re reaching 7000 new cases a day - and stay-at-home orders and curfews are in place everywhere again, so I’ll just have to make the most of my time at home this weekend.

6 - What will you be eating for your next meal? Depends on what my mom is making for dinner, but I’m guessing another pasta dish...it’s Friday, though, and I usually allot this day to have food delivered in the evening as a reward to myself for finishing the week strong heheh. I got a spicy tuna salad and sushi again :)

7 - Who was the last person to pay you a compliment? How did you come to know that person? Andi, I think. We met at an anti-Marcos rally three years ago. They were carrying a big-ass guitar and I approached them because I liked their wrestling shirt.

8 - When is the last time the weather changed your plans? What were your plans and what did you end up doing instead? That would be last November, when we were in the middle of a bad typhoon and I had to file an emergency leave because we had a village-wide power outage and it kept me from being readily available for work. I made plans to a nearby mall to get wi-fi, but our village was seriously flooded so there was no way out. I had no choice but to begrudgingly file the leave even though I really wanted to attend work lol.

9 - What's your favourite kind of liquor? Do you prefer it "plain", flavoured or in a mixer? Tequila. Preferably as straight shots, because I like having a good time lmao.

10 - Who was the last person you spoke to via video call? Did you speak to this person via video before the pandemic hit? My workplace doesn’t really make it a norm to turn on our videos unless we’re pitching to or speaking with clients who prefer video calls. But I did just come from a Google Meet (albeit just using audio) this afternoon to present a deck and that call was with my co-workers and the clients we were presenting to. And no, I wasn’t even employed before the pandemic so other than Bea, I’ve never met any of the people in the call in person.

11 - Are you someone who prefers routine or spontaneity? I thrive on routine, but I also like it spiked with the occasional spontaneity.

12 - What streaming services (if any) are you subscribed to? Do you think they're good value for money? Just Netflix and Spotify. Yeah, I’d say both are good deals, especially Spotify.

13 - When was the last time you struggled to get to sleep? What did you do to help things? I’m not so sure, actually. I have no problem passing out these days lol. If I do have trouble falling asleep, I usually remedy it by watching YouTube videos or take a survey until my eyes feel tired.

14 - How often do you get your five a day? What was the last fruit or veggie that you ate? I’ve never heard of that concept...anyway, I looked it up and it has something to do with having a good amount of fruits and veggies per day. In any case, I had eggplants in my dinner tonight.

15 - How do you take your coffee? 3-in-1, so that it’s already made and blended well for me lmaaaaao. If I’m ordering at a coffee shop, I like sweeter flavors; I never take mine black.

16 - Is there anything that you're currently putting off? When do you think you'll finally get round to doing it? Getting new frames for my eyeglasses and an updated prescription along with it. Idk man, it just seems pointless to book  an appointment for the meantime since I’m never out and I can manage during my workdays without glasses anyway. With another strict lockdown order in place, idk when I’ll ever get around to setting an appointment.

17 - When was the last time you watched a Disney film? Which one was it and is it one of your favourites? I have no idea, it’s definitely been a while.

18 - What was the last household chore you completed? Is this something you do regularly? Just cleaned out the tray underneath Cooper’s playpen since it had some food crumbs and some of his fur. Yeah, I do it every night.

19 - Who were you with the last time you went out for a meal? Angela, Hans, Pia, Kyelle, Al, Gab, and Sam.

20 - Have you had your COVID vaccine yet? If not, are you going to accept it when you're offered? No, not yet. My workplace booked a bulk order for one of the vaccines - though I can’t remember which one - and we should be getting it in a few months or so.

21 - Do you have any pets and how many? If not, would you like to have one someday? I have two dogs. I’ve always wanted dogs, so I’m okay for now.

22 - What's the most unusual meat you've ever eaten? Did you like it? Carabao meat. It was fine, not horrid-tasting or anything, but I wouldn’t have it again. The one I had felt very hastily made, apart from smelling and tasting very farm-y.

23 - Do you prefer still or sparkling water and why? Still. I don’t like carbonated stuff period, so I doubt I’d enjoy sparkling water.

24 - Do you own a car? If so, could you live your current lifestyle without one? If you don't have one, would having one change your life in any way? My parents technically own it because they bought it, but it was designated for me. I mean I’d obviously survive without a car, but I’d find it very inconvenient. Booking a Grab every time would be so costly, and I’m not willing to try out our public transport anyway because they’ve been constantly terrible with disinfection and sanitation protocols throughout the pandemic.

25 - Who was the last person you made plans with and what are you going to do? Andi; we made plans to have our thesis printed and bound so that we can finally put a close to our college life hahaha. We just have to figure out a date and I also have to remove Gabie from my acknowledgments.

26 - What's the worst kind of physical pain you've ever experienced? Is this a one-off or is it something you experience regularly? Accidentally ripping my earring off my piercing was a fucking thrill I’d never want to go through again.

27 - What's your favourite length for a survey to be? Do you get put off if surveys are longer or shorter than you like? Anywhere between 35-80 questions is fine. Anything else would be too short or long. I’ll occasionally give long surveys a pass since it’s easy to take breaks in between, but I ignore short ones altogether.

28 - What colours are you wearing at the moment? Are any of those colours your favourite? I have a multi-colored striped top on and a scarlet pair of shorts. And no, I’m not wearing any pink rn.

29 - Once you've found a TV show you like, do you tend to watch it over and over again? What was the last TV programme you watched for the second or third time? Not with all shows - like I haven’t revisited BoJack Horseman after completing it the first time. I’ve been like this with Friends and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, though.

30 - When was the last time you cried and what was the reason for it? Do you feel better now? No idea when but it was probably from a heartwarming video.

[atths--twice]

Well … here it is, the last chapter to this story. I can’t believe it’s come to the end already, but here we are.

This story, as I said at the beginning, was like a piece of me. It was begging to come out and be told. I’ve spent time in my own little world while I’ve written it. I’ve lived in the Unremarkable House with Mulder, traveled with Maggie to her destinations, and spent time at Scully’s apartment and smart house. I’ve had the chance to walk around their places and their lives and it has been an absolute pleasure. I feel like when I watch the episodes now or see clips and gifs of scenes, that something just before or just after happens as I imagined it, and that makes me happy. I know it’s what I personally imagined, but that doesn’t make it any less of a possibility now, does it? 😊

I hope you enjoy this last chapter and look forward to hearing what you all think.

Chapter Forty Five 

Epilogue

Life carries on, things change, but love remains. It may be quiet for a while, biding it’s time, but when it’s ready, it can bring down the heavens.  

April 2018

The spring air smelled of pine trees, flowers that were beginning to awaken, and the lake around him. Mulder stood on the back porch and looked at the view in front of him as he took a deep breath. The last time they were there it had been for Mrs. Scully’s funeral. That day had been excruciatingly painful, but the reason for the most recent visit was a happy one.

They deserved a happier memory to replace that sad one.

He turned around and looked at Scully through the window. She was in the kitchen, slicing up vegetables for their dinner. She smiled as she did, causing him to wonder if their baby was moving within her. Or perhaps she was thinking of the sex they had that morning. Either way, she was glowing. He shook his head at the realization that they were going to be parents.

Again. In their fifties.

Standing next to her a month ago as they went to her first OB appointment, he watched as the jelly stuff was placed on her stomach and the wand rolled across it. His heart remained in his throat as he watched Dr. Reynolds work the ultrasound. Noting his anxiety, Scully had reached for his hand and gripped it tightly.

When he heard the fast heartbeat whooshing through the small room, he pitched forward and fell to his knees, crying quietly as Scully caressed his hair and murmured to him. He cried for so many things, but mostly for the second chance they had been given. For each other, for Jackson, and for this new life they created.

As Scully got cleaned up and her clothes rearranged, Dr. Reynolds handed him a printout of their baby, and he thanked her as he tried to make sense of it. She laughed and showed him where the baby was and how to read the printout. He stared at it for the longest time, thinking of Scully going through this on her own last time. How she must have felt holding proof of a miracle in her hands. A miracle just like this one.

Scully’s hand on his arm broke his gaze from the paper. Looking up at her, she smiled at him, tears in her eyes as she too looked down at the sonogram photos. She squeezed his arm and took a deep breath.

“Mulder,” she said quietly and looked up at him again. He nodded, knowing what she was thinking.

“So small,” he breathed, touching the pictures. “A little bean.” Scully laughed softly and then sniffled as she nodded.

They left the doctors office and went to get something to eat. Scully was famished, but he could not stop looking at the photos. At the little bean that was created the night they came back to each other and began their journey home. He or she was the testament of patience, love, and faith. They had never given up and this was their reward.

“Mulder, are you going to look at those the entire time we’re eating?” Scully teased, smiling at him, her eyes so happy.

“I am,” he said, propping the photos up against the napkin holder and picking up his fork. She laughed and squeezed his hand before resuming her meal. He winked at her and shoved a huge bite in his mouth, making her laugh and shake her head.

Louise called a couple of weeks after the appointment, to see how Scully was doing. She called every so often, checking in and bringing news of her family, especially tales of Pip and the fun he had with Annie’s and also Marcus’s children.

“Dana, I don’t know if you’re busy working now or not, but I wanted to extend the use of the lake house to you anytime you would like to go,” Louise said, before saying goodbye. “It sits there empty a majority of the year, so I wanted to let you know you’re welcome to it.”

Scully hung up and looked at Mulder, telling him of the offer for the house. He raised his eyebrows and looked at her with a smile. She called Louise back and asked if they could use the house that weekend.

“Stay for a week,” she said happily and told them that the hidden key was located inside the small decorative frog in the garden. She was not sure of its precise location since they moved it each time, but she described what it looked like and Scully assured her that they would find it.

They packed up and headed out two days later, the windows down, letting the early spring air whip through the car. Mulder reached for her hand and she smiled, her other hand on her belly, lovingly stroking the small bump that was growing every day. He loved watching her close her eyes and sigh happily. Lifting their joined hands, he kissed the back of hers, and she hummed.

Stopping at the only store close to the lake, they bought groceries for the week and headed to the house. Upon arriving, they put the items away and then checked the place out. Scully had been there before, but not since she was a teenager. They found the master bedroom, and Mulder flopped down on the bed, patting the spot next to him and wiggling his eyebrows at her.

“No green face mask this time,” he said as Scully came toward the bed. Instead of laying down though, she straddled him, and his hands rested on her hips.

“If I had actually joined you that night, would it really have mattered?” she asked, rocking against him, making them both moan.

“If you had joined me like this, oh hell no,” he said, his fingers creeping under the hem of her shirt, digging into her flesh, causing her to hiss. “But really, if you had gotten onto the bed … I’m not sure how I would have reacted. Spontaneous human combustion does really happen, right?” His hands moved to her ass and she arched into him.

“It’s been documented. But wouldn’t it have been worth it to try?” she asked, wiggling her hips and then leaning down for a kiss.

“In case you forgot,” he said against her mouth, before kissing her again, his tongue stroking along hers. “I invited you to come to bed.”

“Mmmm, I know,” she said kissing his chin, cheeks, down his neck. “And it was an almost immediate regret when you left the room.” She murmured against his skin.

“Almost?” he shakily asked, her mouth and kiss making him feel dizzy with desire.

“Well yeah, I had to get that mask off before I could get off,” she breathed in his ear before biting the lobe. He yelped and arched up into her, his fingers gripping tightly.

“You … you … ” he sputtered, and she bit his earlobe again.

“Mmm, indeed I did. And I thought of you the whole time. How your hands would feel on me, how your lips would taste, your skin." She punctuated her words with kisses, making him pant and then groan. “I wanted you so badly and had to settle for my own fantasies.” Pushing on his chest, she sat more fully across his groin. She lifted her shirt off and threw it next to her.

Oh dear God, he thought as he saw her bra. Black lace with pink ribbon interwoven in it. Christ, she was going to be the death of him. She smirked at him, seeing his wide eyes, before taking his hands and placing them over her breasts.

“Mmmm, the reality is so much better than the fantasy,” she breathed before she was silenced by his kiss.

Clothes were scattered and hands and lips began to worship the flesh that was revealed. She showed him what she fantasized that night in that lonely bedroom in California. Astride him, their hands locked together above his head, she took what she wanted. Her cries of pleasure were heard not long after, the feeling and her own memories seeming to spur on her release.

“God, Mulder,” she panted, falling against his chest, her body convulsing around him. “That was … God … mmmmm.” She worked at catching her breath, his hands releasing hers and running up and down her slick back. She was exquisite and he planned to show her exactly how much he loved her.

She raised her head and smiled at him, the sated one he loved. But they were not finished and she knew it. “You good?” he asked and she hummed.

“I could be better,” she said, squeezing her internal muscles and he flipped them so quickly she yelped.

He pulled out and thrust back in, making her moan and grip his shoulders tightly, her nails then scratching down his back. He kissed her as he continued pounding into her, chasing his release and knowing this would bring her close to the edge again. His tongue swirled in her mouth as he pushed inside her and stopped.

He sucked her tongue and then bit her lip before looking at her as he began moving again. Her arms wrapped around his neck as her legs wrapped around his waist. Looking into her eyes as he began to move again, while he did not vocalize them, the words were shared between them.

I love you.

You were my touchstone.

And you are mine.

I love you.

He crashed over the edge, spilling inside her and she tightened around him, crying out and holding him tightly. He fell onto her as he continued to empty into her. She hummed in pleasure and happiness, her feet running slowly along his ass and thighs.

Her hands moved to his hair, her fingers scratching at the back of his neck, running in his hair. Placing kisses on her neck, he tried to slow his breathing. “Better?” he murmured, kissing under her chin.

“Hmmmm. Better, much better,” she hummed and he laughed.

That night had seemed to open a floodgate. Since the doppelgänger case, they had been having sex more frequently, but that night and the past four days, had been like an awakening. They had sex in every room of the lake house, and every time was better than the last.

Shaking his head, he looked inside the house again and saw Scully was still preparing their dinner. Maybe he could persuade her to take a little break. No matter that she had dropped to her knees and taken him in her mouth before he carefully lifted her against the shower wall just a couple of hours ago, he was feeling the need to be inside her again.

He walked into the house and she turned to him with a smile. “Should be ready in about thirty minutes,” she said, putting the chicken and vegetable meal into the oven. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pushing into her, letting her feel his desire.

“Again?” she asked with a smile, closing the oven door and setting the timer. “I would have thought the shower would have worn you out.” Turning around in his arms, he pushed them toward the counter, pinning her against it, before kissing her deeply.

Her hand moved down to palm him through the thin track pants he was wearing. She grasped and caressed him before sliding her hand inside and holding him firmly.

“God,” he moaned as he pushed into her hand, his head falling to her shoulder, craving her touch. She stroked him, her hand twisting as she knew he liked and he made an incoherent sound.

“Lift me onto the counter, Mulder,” she whispered. “God, you make me so horny. So wet.” He raised his head to look at her and her eyes flashed with desire. She squeezed him and he made the noise again. Laughing she took her hand out of his pants, his protests not taken into consideration.

She was wearing a blue silky robe with light silver flowers on it that she had found hanging on the back of a door. When she untied the belt, he discovered she was completely naked underneath. She stared at him with lust filled eyes, and he shook his head at her beauty.

Her breasts were perfect, her skin so soft and freckled in the most adorable spots. The swell of her belly with their growing child inside, made her even more beautiful to him. His hands splayed across the bump and then around to her hips to lift her onto the counter like she asked.

She was open to him and he needed to taste her. Pulling her forward to the edge of the counter, he opened her legs wider before bending and kissing her center, finding her wet, just as she had said she was. He sucked her clit into his mouth and she cried out, pushing his head to her pelvis. He slid two fingers into her and crooked them, as he continued licking and sucking at her.

“Mulder, God,” she cried out, her legs shaking and her toes digging into his shoulders. “Do that again. All of it.”

And he did, over and over, until she broke around him, his name repeatedly falling from her lips, her fingers wound tightly in his hair. He kissed her inner thighs, her belly, and up to breasts, sucking and licking her nipples.

He kissed her mouth, her right arm holding tight to his neck, her left hand trying to push his pants down. Laughing into her mouth, he helped her get his pants down enough to slide inside of her. Her legs wrapped around him and she nudged her heels into him, spurring him on.

Chuckling, he started moving. Her grip on his neck remained tight, her legs around him, and he knew she wanted it faster and harder. Happy to oblige, he pulled her closer to him and began to pump into her faster.

“Yes, Mulder,” she said, her breasts bouncing as he went faster. “God, you feel so good. Harder. Oh, yesssss.” Throwing her head back, her hand held onto his neck as he pounded into her hard. He moved his right hand and put his thumb on her clit, rubbing it as he began to reach his peak.

“Oh, Jesus,” she said, her nails scratching at his neck. “Don’t stop. Mmmmulder...” She cried as she came, arching back and held in place by his body pushing into hers and an arm around her waist.

A few more hard thrusts, her body shaking under him, he came hard and fast, staying deep inside her as he did. His fingers gripped her waist tightly and he moved his other hand to join its mate.

Her legs remained tight around him as he caught his breath. Lifting his head, he looked at her splayed out, her robe open and sliding off her shoulders. Goddess in the flesh, he thought. She raised her head and looked into his eyes.

“How do you do that?” she asked incredulously, a huge smile on her face. “Make me want you so badly? Only you, Mulder. Only you.” She sighed and wrapped both arms around his neck, pulling him down for a kiss, his thumbs caressing her hip bones and giving her the chills.

Foreheads touching, he laughed and she smiled. “Only you, Scully. Only you,” he said quietly, and then a buzzing sound was heard. She laughed and pulled her head back, her eyes dancing.

“Dinner’s ready,” she laughed and he joined her before sliding from inside her and pulling up his pants. He turned off the timer and took the food from the oven. Turning back to her, he grinned at the sight of her- disheveled and happy, her robe still open.

He stepped toward her and helped her down, holding her tightly as she got her balance. “Be right back,” she said, kissing him and heading to the bathroom. He grinned at the sight of her and then saw about getting dinner on the table.

___________

Two days later, they were spending the last day walking around the lake hand-in-hand, skipping stones, and enjoying the atmosphere of the area. They came to the log they sat on after her mother’s funeral and for a second Scully faltered in her steps. He put a hand on the small of her back and waited until she was ready before they proceeded.

They sat on the log, neither saying anything, just listening to the quiet around them. Sitting for a few minutes, her head dropped to his shoulder, and he rested his head on hers.

“I said before that she had it all planned out, Mom, I mean. Not just the letters and all that, but us. She was there to help you, and she was in my corner over my decisions of the past. She listened, led, but didn’t push. That was her, even when we were little. She guided, but it was always our decision,” she lifted her head and looked at him, gesturing between them. “This was our decision, Mulder, but she absolutely was guiding us toward this path. She loved you so much, loved us together, I know it broke her heart when we weren’t.” She looked at him with sad eyes before she smiled. “She would be so happy to see us here, to know she had done what she set out to do.”

Mulder chuckled and reached for her hand. “I think you’re right. She was a force to be reckoned with, that’s for sure. All you Scully women- stubborn and opinionated, but every one of you was exactly who I needed.” He looked at her and grinned, while she narrowed her eyes at him before smiling.

They fell silent again until he stood up, as the sun began to set. He reached for her hand and pulled her to her feet, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close.

“I love you, Scully,” he whispered into her hair.

“I love you too, Mulder,” she answered. He let her go and took her hand, walking back toward the house. He had a surprise for her, and he was looking forward to giving it to her.

He told her to sit on one of the chairs by the water and to wait for him. She frowned but did as he asked, sitting in the chair and waiting. He walked into the house and went to fetch the items he found on one of his few solo trips to town. Grabbing them, a marker and the lighter, he went back outside.

“So, I saw these at the store and thought it might be a nice way to close out the week here, a place we know your mom liked to visit,” he said rejoining her at the chairs. She looked up expectantly and saw he was holding two floating paper lanterns. He sat down and handed her hers.

“Mulder,” she breathed. “This is wonderful. Thank you so much.” She looked at him and smiled.

“If you want to write something, I have a pen. Then we light them and let them float out to sea. Or lake, as it were,” he said with a smile. He handed her the pen and she held it, as if contemplating what to write.

“I think, I’d rather just think it as we let them go,” she told him, and he nodded, feeling the same way.

He put the small tea lights in that came with the lantern and then used the lighter to light them. When they began to glow, he helped her from her chair and they walked to the water's edge. He handed her her lantern and looked at her. Tears in her eyes, she closed them, and he did the same.

He thought of Mrs. Scully and all she had done, not just the past couple of years, but since he met her. She was always his champion, his protector, and he never deserved it from her. He was her daughter’s work partner and her friend, nothing more, but she had taken him in and cared for him.

Fox Mulder, that’s an outright lie and you know it. You were never just her partner and friend.

And of course I was your protector. That’s what family does, Fox. It shows up and keeps us safe.

He opened his eyes, practically hearing her voice speaking to him, and he smiled despite his tears. She would be right. She was exactly who she needed him to be, his protector, confidant, and friend. But more than that, she was his mother when his own had left this earth. He would try every day to be the person she saw in him.

“You ready?” Scully asked him quietly. He nodded and she smiled softly. They both took off their shoes and stepped into the water far enough to push their lanterns out to catch the small current.

They floated out slowly as Mulder put his arm around Scully. Her arms went around his waist, and they stood watching the lanterns float close to them and then drift further out. The candles inside them glowed brightly as they stood together, their feet in the water.

“Do … do you hear that, Mulder?” she asked, dropping her arms from his waist and looking around. “Tell me you hear that.”

“I don’t hear anything, Scully,” he said perplexedly, looking around with her, but hearing only silence. “Wait, does it sound like trumpets? Because I heard that before when we-“

“No, it’s not … it’s not trumpets,” she said slowly, stepping back and out of the water, still looking around. “It’s … music. A song. It’s … Beyond the Sea. That was my parents’ song. My mom told me years ago that … that it was playing when my father came back from the Cuban blockade. He walked off the boat, right up to her, and proposed as that song was playing and it became their song. Mulder, please tell me you can hear it?” She looked at him imploringly and he shook his head.

“Scully,” he said, stepping from the water and joining her. “I really don’t hear it. Maybe … maybe it’s meant for only you to hear.” He smiled at her with a tilt of his head and her eyes filled with tears as she nodded at him.

They put their shoes on and walked to the porch of the house. Turning around, they watched the now tiny lanterns sitting in the water, occasionally bumping away from each other, but then floating back and staying together. Mulder smiled as he watched them.

“Somewhere, beyond the sea,” Scully began to sing softly. “Somewhere waiting for me, my lover stands on golden sands, and watches the ships, that go sailing. We'll meet beyond the shore, we’ll kiss just as before, happy we'll be beyond the sea, and never again, I'll go sailing.” She put her arm around him and leaned her head on his shoulder, sighing as they stood watching the lanterns get further and further away.

She squeezed his side and then looked up at him. “Let’s go to bed, Mulder,” she said with a happy smile that he answered with his own. They went inside, arms wrapped around each other, and closed the door, turning out the lights and heading to bed.

The two lanterns continued to shine on the water, while on the dock, a light seemed to appear that could not be explained. Inside it, unseen by anyone, Maggie and Bill danced and held each other, their invisible presence creating a peace.

“We can’t stay much longer, Maggie Girl,” Bill said in her ear, and Maggie nodded against his chest.

“I know. I just wanted to see them. With their eyes on the lanterns, I thought they wouldn’t notice our presence, but our girl continues to surprise me,” she said with a chuckle. Bill laughed with her as the music surrounding them reverberated through his laugh.

“That she does, Maggie. That she does,” Bill pulled back and looked at her. She stared in his eyes and nodded with a smile.

“They’re happy. They found their way back to each other, just where they were always meant to be. And a baby, Bill. A little girl. ” She smiled, shaking her head with tears in her eyes, as she took his hand, ready to go now that she had seen them. The light on the dock glowed brightly and then disappeared, leaving the night dark and quiet.

The lanterns in the water glowed brightly simultaneously once more and then extinguished. Crickets began to chirp, a frog croaked, and an owl hooted, the night peaceful.

Inside the lake house, Mulder and Scully lay entwined, flesh to flesh, each with a hand resting on the swell of life growing and changing inside of her. They sighed simultaneously, their fingers locking together before closing their eyes and sleeping.

Their dreams were peaceful, the darkness ceding to the light and restoring harmony in their lives. Their path was clear, the road smooth. Yes, there would still be times of struggle as this new journey began, but they were ready. It had taken four years to repair their broken hearts, and they were not going to let them break again.

They found their way back to one another, with the help of a guiding hand. One who loved them and championed for them. Who saw the love between them and directed them to the correct path. Behind them, gently pushing, guiding, and making sure there was no longer the rocky terrain of the past to stumble upon, the path clear.

True soulmates would always return to one another, and once rejoined, they could not be torn apart again.

Some souls just need a guiding hand to help the journey along, to be a marker in the road, and the light illuminating the path ...

It's far beyond a star It's near beyond the moon I know beyond a doubt My heart will lead me there soon

______________________________________________________

So, now we truly have reached the end. What a journey it has been. They were broken, possibly forever, but Maggie would hear none of that. She nurtured and guided until those two dummies could figure it out on their own. She loved them both so much, no chance would she give up on them. ❤️

Thank you all for reading this and taking this journey with me. I wrote it last year and it was a half a year of hardcore writing for me. Seeing everyone’s reactions every day has made me so happy. I love reading your comments, they just make me smile and they plant little seeds of loveliness in my thankfulness garden. I think of them throughout the day and I just smile.

And now, their story continues in the series Family Life: The Story Beyond the Series on Archive of Our Own, if you are interested in hopping over there. This story is a part of the series, the beginning as it were. You can read it there: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1407691 but I am also going to begin posting them here as well. I hope you enjoy the continuation of their lives in real time- through the pregnancy and beyond.

Thank you all for reading. 

[forgottenvoice]

I have finally finished finals this semester and will now try and do some more writing. To all of my new followers because of the HASO story, like I said before that was a one off story, however I think I am going to do a rewrite of it because I am not entirely satisfied with the state and flow of it at current.

Quick context for this one, I am/was an army brat and so this is half personal experience half an amalgamation of the experiences of all my friends. Dont necessarily take this as exactly what it's like for everyone as experiences may vary.

Also if any of you like a specific part of this story let me know. I can write at least this much on any subsection of this story alone. So if something catches your eye I am more than happy to write on it.

..........

I sit in a pool of memories slowly drifting from thought to thought. Moving time is upon us and in preperation it's time to purge all unnecessary items from the house. I flash back to when I was younger, my mom is holding up a cheap drive-thru toy. She looks at me expectantly waiting for a response to a silent question.

"Let go," I say as she drops the item in a box bound for good will only to hold up another object of mine.

In years past this process of sorting through all of my belongings was a team effort between my parents and I, but now since I am older and my younger brother needs the help, I am left to my own to sift through my possessions.

I tip over a box of assorted things and wonder through my past lives. Each object acts as a mile marker through my life and each move a save point. Any thing that I have kept until now, my 10th move in 16 years, has, if not clearly designed for enjoyment or play, held some significance to me. Almost nothing out of this box is discarded because as the years go on the importance of these objects only increases.

Not only is this process a reminder for me of all my past appearances, it serves a highly functional purpose. The first is that the government will only pay for so much to be moved and we typically own more than they are willing to pay for, so we cut back. The second reason is in acknowledgment of a harsher reality of the world, people don't care about kids stuff. Unless one takes great care to prepackaged or show that the objects in a child's room are fragile, everything from toys to trophies will all be haphazardly thrown into a random box.

I move on carefully looking over my display case looking for anything that could easily break if not properly stored. My eyes come to rest on a fake flower made out of fabric by my mom. The pain of high school love torn apart bites at my mind. This flower was the partner to the corsage that I gave to my date to prom. I remember being so excited to go with her because I am homeschooled and never thought I would get anything like a prom. But it doesn't matter now, her family moved in the opposite direction that we were going about 4 weeks ago. I almost leave the flower there, resolving to let fate decide if it is valuable, but as I am turning a away my hand reaches out on seemingly its own and drops the fake plant into an old cigar box for protection. I guess I will control fate this time

.......

The house is empty and clean. Everyone is doing one last walk through of this place to make sure nothing is left behind even though something always is. As I look for anything I also remember everything making sure to not leave a single memory trapped in the walls of this temporary home of mine. As I tramp down the stairs, in my head I am gliding gracefully on a piece of a box after moving in. Mom insisted on being safe and I can now almost see the pile of stuffed animals and pillows that my brothers and I had piled at the end of the make shift ramp to satisfy her worry. As I jump into the nonexistent pile, I drop into the living room, where, despite all the cleaning we did, I can still see the spots on the carpet from the feet of the sofa, a sofa my mom was confined to for the better part of our time here while she was busy kicking cancer's ass. A darkness sets at the edge of my vision slowly consuming all I can see as my head is bombarded by negative memories from those days. As I hit the door, the light from outside shatters the dark over my mind like a hammer through glass. As we pull away I want nothing to do with that house again, not even looking back one last time.

....

I lay piled under the stiff covers of the hotel. It is the night before we leave for the airport and I start to unpack the last few days. They have gone by like a blur but I know I will remember them for years to come. First there was my eagle scout ceremony where I reaped the reward of all my hard work over specifically the last few months but really the past 6 years. It was the last time I will see most of those people given that none of them were military and I plan on never ending up back here. Then there was chapel. The last service at this place where I tried to just act like everything was normal, just a regular Christmas sunday. I showed up 2 hours early just like every week, where I then took my place in the sound booth mixing the best sound that the chapel had in years or so I have been told. It all went wrong though when the preacher leaned his head into the booth telling me to turn on his mic for one quick last announcement, where I was called up on stage for a farewell. However, the one "last time" that I really will miss happened earlier in the day when I hung out with my friends for the last time. The group had shrunk considerably by that time due to a huge fallout between members and others were taken by the army but what remained was solid. As I left them I said seeya because you never know when the army will bring friends back together. Well for that reason and one other. In the days leading up to the move you see everyone at different random times and so you never really know when you will see them for the last time. It is always easier to say a casual goodbye everytime and never actually have a formal one than to treat every farewell like the last one and live the pain multiple times. However, less pain doesn't mean no pain. I blank my mind for the rest of the night gathering all emotions and putting them in a cardboard box to unpack later in more healthy time.

.....

On the plane something magical happens. You see noone but a select few get to rewrite their lives every few years. During transition, when the body and mind are free of the last place, a morph occurs. This change is unseen by all because your family already knows the real you. However you get to change yourself completely before landing at the new place. You get to change what information you share with everyone and by selecting how you act and what you reveal you can choose who you are to everyone. The best part is there is noone from your old life to mess it up and break the illusion and throw a wrench into the act. You can become whomever you want to be. It takes skill to execute properly, it requires that you craft a mask so intricate and durable that noone questions its authenticity and no shock can damage it, but I have had a life times worth of practice. Who will I become only I know and who I was is only stored in the memories of objects in boxes and the minds of people thousands of miles away.

....

It's been almost 4 years since that move yet it still sticks out in my head. I did not know it at the time but it was the last move I ever made with my family. My plans changed and I started my life before i had originally planned and now moves like that are a thing of the past, a memory held in objects. Unfortunately with growing up requires one last mask switch, this one more permanent. Hopefully my experience beyond my years set my up better than my peers at finding the correct one. Who knows what it will look like when it is finished. I have been working on this one for the longest time of any, nearly 2 years now, much longer than a single plane flight. It won't be done for at least another 2 but we will see. I can only hope I will be happy with this one because unlike the cyclic replacement of masks in my youth, when I decide to put this one on who knows when it will come off.

[three-of-swords]

Animal Crossing Countdown

I didn’t find this post until today, so I have to do a LOT of questions in a very short span of time, namely for my own amusement and the two people who care. But I’m gonna put it under a read more because no one needs to see a post this long in the actual ACNH tag.

1: Do you prefer making up a new name for your villager, or using your own name?

I tend to use my nickname, because I share my name with one of my favourite villagers, so it gets confusing and annoying.

2: Do you use the first map you’re given, or do you reset for layouts?

I reset for layouts, but I’m not terribly picky. I reset more because of fruit than layout.

3: Do you use the face you’re given, or do you wait for guides and choose your favourite?

Guides. Me not knowing that your face is dependent on some arbitrary questions was the cause of me immediately restarting my first town.

4: Favourite town/island name?/Have you a name picked out for your town/island?

I’ve only ever played New Leaf, and my town’s name was Wishfall. I’m not sure what I’ll name the island yet, but Wishfall is definitely one of the options.

5: Will you be sharing with friends/family, or is your island going to be all your own?

No. Mine. Though I will be inviting people over, no one will have a house but me.

6: What’s a new feature you’re excited about?

Redirecting rivers. Terraforming. Placing villager houses. Anything that will help me maintain and mold the island into what I want it to be.

7: Favourite fruit?

Apples. Second favourite are cherries, but only for looks.

8: Least favourite fruit?

Probably pears, which is funny, since Wishfall’s town specialty were pears. I don’t like how they look, and I’m also allergic. Second least favourite would be oranges.

9: Favourite area? (Beach, campground, shopping district etc, from any entry in the series.)

The museum.

10: Where do you like to like to put your house? Do you like that level of customization, or do you prefer to have some things decided, like in older entries?

I don’t have experience with the older entries, but I know I’d prefer to make a choice on where my house goes. I like it to be a little away from other villagers, usually backed up against a cliff.

11: Favourite grass pattern?

Triangle.

12: Least favourite grass pattern?

Circle, but it’s not that I don’t like it. I just prefer it less.

13: Favourite villager/s?

Whitney. Julian. Pashmina. Drago. Merengue. Bam. Merry. Apollo.

14: Least favourite villager/s?

Jambette. Cobb. Chops. Frita.

15: Did you like doing Tom Nook’s chores, or did you find those to be a pain?

I mean. I like tasks. But having only played ACNL, I can’t say I HAD any chores besides “Pay your loan!”

16: Favourite NPC/s?

Kicks. Blathers. Crazy Redd. Katrina. Isabelle, obviously.

17: Least favourite NPC/s?

Zipper. Chip. Pave.

18: Do you use paths? Are you excited about the new path tool?

Yes, and fuck yes.

19: Favourite feature from an older entry?

I would have liked to see what the Celeste constellation thing was about. I’ve heard about it, but I don’t know any details. But I like the idea.

20: What was your first Animal Crossing game?

New Leaf was the first game I played in depth and actually owned, but I did play a little of a game on a DS when I was in high school. Probably Wild World. I really only remember shaking trees.

21: Favourite activity (fishing, bug catching, fossil hunting, other)?

Collecting museum donations.

22: Least favourite activity?

The arbitrary rules for the bug or fish tournaments, or the randomization of rewards given in any events at all. The events themselves would be fine, if they made any damn sense.

23: Favourite bug?

Emperor Butterfly. Birdwing Butterfly. Orchid Mantis. Oak Silk Moth. Walking Leaf.

24: Least favourite bug?

Fucking Mole Crickets. Not a fan of the House Centipede or Tarantula either.

25: A quarter of the way there! How’s the wait?

Impatience. So much impatience.

26: Favourite fish?

Goldfish. Sea Butterfly.

27: Least favourite fish?

Giant Trevally. That thing is fucking ugly. Napoleonfish, too.

28: Favourite fossil?

Fern Fossils or any skulls, but I actually don’t have any strong feelings one way or another.

29: Least favourite fossil?

Coprolite. ...Why.

30: Favourite furniture series?

Don’t really have one, though I’m partial to the Regal and Exotic series.

31: Least favourite furniture series?

Lovely. Don’t like it. Don’t like Kiddie much, either, though it’s cute for certain villagers like Kitt or Stitches.

32: Favourite soundtrack? (Gamecube, DS/Wii, etc)

New Leaf, since it’s my only experience.

33: Least favourite soundtrack?

None.

34: Favourite wallpaper?

Lunar Horizon. The Forest Wall, too.

35: Do you have a nice memory of the games/community etc you’d like to share?

When Pashmina moved in next to me, I was irritated. I’d specifically placed my house next to Re-Tail, but not too close, and she moved in between the two buildings. ...But now she’s my favourite goat, my favourite uchi villager, and honestly, I love her to bits. First impressions apparently don’t always matter too much.

36: Least favourite wallpaper?

Industrial, probably.

37: Favourite carpet?

Palace Tile, I suppose? Though it doesn’t go with everything.

38: Least favourite carpet?

Closed Road, probably.

39: Favourite furniture item?

Whichever grasshopper it is that goes in a cute little bamboo cage.

40: Will you be buying a Switch for Animal Crossing, or do you already have one?

I have one already, sadly. I’m sending it out for repairs, though.

41: Least favourite furniture item?

There are some uuuugly ass furniture items, but it’s impossible to remember them, so I don’t.

42: Favourite flower?

Black or pink lilies, blue and purple violets, and blue and purple roses.

43: Least favourite flower?

Meh. I like them all okay. If I had to choose, I’d say I’m not overly fond of the Cosmos.

44: Favourite hybrid?

See above.

45: Least favourite hybrid?

I don’t care much for the orange pansies.

46: Favourite shirt?

Night-Sky Tee.

47: Favourite dress?

I don’t wear them.

48: Favourite accessory?

Feathers.

49: Favourite hat/helmet?

FEATHERS.

50: Halfway there! How’s the wait going?

IMPATIENCE.

51: Favourite shop?

Kicks, I guess. Even though I don’t go in there. I love him. And the sign squeaks.

52: Do you collect amiibo cards/figures? Would you like to see them used in the new game?

I have a good amount of cards, both real and fake. Some figures, too. I wouldn’t say I collect them, but I try to have them just in case. I’d like them in the new game.

53: Fishing Tourney or Bug-Off?

Fucking neither, but if I HAD to choose, Fishing Tourney. At least in New Leaf. I like catching bugs more, but it seems totally random if they’re lackluster or not. I don’t prefer fishing, but at least all you need is the damn size to tell you if it’s a good fish or not.

54: Do you like making your own clothing patterns?

Nope.

55: Did you streetpass with many other ACNL players, or is it a feature you didn’t get much use of?

I streetpassed a bit but eventually turned it off after getting too more undesirable villagers from other people. Frita and Chops will always be two of my most despised villagers for this reason.

56: Favourite villager species?

Wolves.

57: Least favourite villager species?

Gorillas.

58: Favourite nickname from a villager?

Darling, but I liked that Merry called me Pop Star. It was charming coming from her.

59: Least favourite nickname from a villager?

Big Y. Indeed. Big why.

60: Do you try to collect everything in the game, or just try to get your favourite bits and pieces?

I try to collect everything eventually but I’m not insane about it. I like to fill my catalog.

61: Favourite villager personality?

Smug. But it looks better on some villagers than others. Cute on Julian or Lopez, AWFUL on Chops.

62: Least favourite villager personality?

Jock, but again, while it’s cute on Bam, I loathe it on Cobb. It really depends on the villager, somehow.

63: Do you “plot reset” for villager house placement, or do you let them move in wherever they want?

I plot reset a bit, but only if they moved somewhere particularly undesirable.

64: Are you excited to wear any of the new accessories (like the bags etc shown in the E3 trailer)?

Of course I am!

65: What season are you most looking forward to seeing in New Horizons?

Fall. The mushrooooooms.

66: What’s your favourite season?

Fall, though I loved how the cherry blossoms were carried on the river in spring.

67: Least favourite season?

Probably winter, just because it starts to look uninteresting after awhile.

68: Which game’s events/holidays do you like the most?

I’m partial to Halloween. Also, I have to cheat during April Fool’s Day, but the villagers’ reactions to Blanca are cute. I also begrudgingly like Bunny Day, but I can’t say I love it because Zipper creeps me out. I love collecting the eggs from all over the place, but he gives you totally random items, so. Eh.

69: Which game’s events/holidays do you like least?

Love feathers. Hate Pave. Seriously. Can’t stand him. He’s super annoying to me. I like the feather-catching portion and that is IT. I also believe I’ve already expressed my dislike for tournaments.

70: Do you have another nice AC related memory you’d like to share (in-game, of the community, etc)?

Weirdly, this is related to Pashmina again, but once I visited her after I got my face destroyed by bees, and she gave me medicine. I know now that uchi villagers in particular are likely to do this, but I’d never seen it happen before, and I was touched.

71: Do you prefer the “live” versions of K.K. Slider’s Songs, or the airchecks?

Yes.

72: An NPC you’d like to see more of?

Kicks. Sable. Katrina.

73: An NPC you��d like to see less of?

Chip.

74: If you could have any piece of AC merchandise, which would it be?

I dunno. A big comfy hoodie, maybe? A mug? I’m not particularly materialistic. I like useful things.

75: Only 25 days left to go! How’s the wait?

You know, I’m really glad I spent the last few months hyped for games that came out over time. It’s been bite-size chunks of releases that were only a little ways away. Fire Emblem: Three Houses. Concrete Genie. Pokemon Sword. The Cindered Shadows DLC. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon. I can’t imagine this having been the only game I was looking forward to, or I would have died by now.

76: Will you be downloading the game, or getting a physical copy?

Physical copy. As much as I’d love to play it right at midnight, I like not having to wait for download time, or take up a lot of space in storage. I’m hoping my GameStop does a midnight release, but I’m not counting on it.

[reddielibrary]

Help Me Remember

Prompt: you’re trying to remember who you made out with at that party last night and asking me for help but it was me who you made out with and I don’t want to tell you in case you’re disappointed AU

Written by: Monse | @jem-carstairs-is-perfection

Word Count: 3138

*click title to read on AO3

“I have an announcement to make!”

Groans and sighs were heard all over the room, as well as a thump when Stan threw what was closest to him, someone’s shoe, in Richie’s general direction, failing miserably before it landed on the floor.

“Beep fucking beep, Richie.” He said, shoving his head under his arms trying to block out his friend.

“I will not be silenced, Stanley!” Richie replied, climbing the sofa in which Bev was trying to sleep. “I need to share my news with the world!”

Thump!

“Ow, fuck Bev!”

“Jesus Christ, Richie you just kicked me in the chest!”

“It was Bev, she knocked me off the couch, Big Bill.”

“Why’re you standing on the couch to begin with?”

“Have you not been listening, Ben? I have an announcement.” Richie repeated, bouncing up from the floor.

“Can’t you make your announcement when we’re not hungover and barely awake?” Mike asked from the further end of the room. Somehow he had ended up curled around one of Mrs. Denbrough’s flower pots the night before.

“No, Mikey, this is far too important.”

“Can you at least tone it down a bit? I feel like you’re shouting right into my ear, Richie.” Eddie said, eyebrows knitted in a frown. It was all you could see of him, he was wearing Richie’s hoodie and it engulfed him completely, the collar coming up all the way to his nose.

“But I am excited, Eds! I get loud when I’m excited! I’m sure your mom has told you that.” Richie said, waggling his eyebrows and earning various grunts from his friends and a middle finger from Eddie.

“Well, I’m tired and I get murderous when I’m tired so unless you want to die without sharing your news, you better tell us what the fuck this is about so I can go back to sleep.” Bev said, voice calm and far more terrifying than any scream.

Richie cleared his throat dramatically. “Last night,” he said, pausing to create suspense and continuing only when Bill kicked him lightly on the shin. “I,” another pause, this time interrupted by a shove from Ben. “Met the love of my life.”

“And here we go again.” Stan said, voice muffled under his arms, which he had wrapped around his head, hoping to alleviate the pounding he felt.

Every once in a while, Richie would claim to have met his soulmate, his future husband or wife, the one. Most of those times he was drunk when he did and that person turned out to be some random girl who handed him a beer with a friendly smile or a guy who let him cut in in the line for the crowded bathroom. And every time Richie would make a fuss before realizing that they were in fact not the person he was going to spend the rest of his life with, only to do it all over again.

They should’ve expected Richie’s announcement would have to do with this, but somehow they never learned.

“Who was it this time?” Bill asked, and the eye roll could be heard in his voice. “Did someone hold the door for you when you went out for a smoke?”

“Or was it someone who complimented your shirt?” Bev added with a smirk.

“Guys, I’m fucking serious this time.” Richie said, annoyed that he was being shrugged off.

“That’s what you always say.”

“You don’t understand, this guy -I’m pretty sure it was a guy, the details are a bit blurry. This guy and I we had a connection, okay? He didn’t just smile at me or hand me something, we talked and we kissed.”

The admission sparked some interest in his Richie’s friends. Bev even gave up on her attempt to fall back asleep.

“You kissed, huh?” She asked, smirking.

Richie nodded intently. “And it was magical. There were fucking fireworks, I’m telling you.”

“Do you remember what he looked like?” Ben asked, curious.

“Other than beautiful, nah.”

“What about his name?”

“Nope.”

“What you guys talked about?”

“Nada.” Richie said, shaking his head. “You know I tend to forget things on my best days, Staniel, you can’t expect me to recall what happens when I’m drunk.”

“What are you going to do then? If you don’t remember anything about him.”

“Well, Billiam, that is what I have you all for.” Richie said, nudging his friend’s leg with his feet. Said friend was lying starfished on the floor, staring at the ceiling with a focused expression. “I was hoping you’d tell me if you saw me with anyone.”

“I don’t remember anything after we did tequila shots, Rich, sorry.” Bill told him and at the mention of tequila he scrunched up his nose. Between Richie and him they had finished more than half a bottle. Bill didn’t know how he made it through the night after that.

“I didn’t see you again after our drunk rendition of Dirty Dancing,” Bev said.

“Mike and I were dragged to a game of beer pong in the backyard.” Stan said. His pained expression and the fact that Mike was drooling on the carpet after falling asleep again told the others they hadn’t won the game. “When we came back inside you were already passed out in the armchair.”

Richie sighed, turning around to face Ben. He didn’t tend to drink much and Richie could swear he had seen him around several times last night. “What about you, Haystack?”

“I- uh. I was put in charge of the music and lost track of you after that. Sorry, Richie.” Ben said, after carefully thinking his answer.

Richie groaned, dropping to the floor between Stan and Bill. “You’re all useless!”

Stan snorted. “You’re the one who got so drunk you can’t remember who you made out with.”

“Shut up, Stan.”

“Wait. Eddie!”

Now it was Richie’s turn to snort. “Come on, Bev, I did not make out with Eddie last night.”

“I meant, Eddie was with you most of the night. I know because he complained about having to watch over your drunk ass.” Bev explained. “He must have seen you and your mystery guy.”

Richie clapped his hands together. “Brilliant, Bev.” He said, sitting up.

“Speaking of which, where is Eddie?” Bill wondered, angling his head towards the place where Eddie had spent the night.

He wasn’t there and none of them had noticed he slipped out of the room at some point.

He walked in from the kitchen a moment later, munching on a pop tart and stopping mid-step when he felt everyone’s eyes land on him.

“What?”

“Really, Eds, I’m trying to find the love of my life and instead of helping you run off to get food?”

Eddie shrugged. “I was hungry and you being dramatic is hardly a novelty.” He said, making his friends laugh. “Besides I don’t see how helpful I can be.”

“Bev said you were with me the entire night.” Richie pouted.

“Bev was also drunk off her ass.” Eddie said, slightly defensive, Bev scoffed, offended. “I was with you, yeah but then you left to get a beer and never returned.”

Richie sighed, flopping on the couch on top of Bev.

“Maybe you should give up, Richie.” Bill said, patting his ankle in comfort.

“Never! Someone must have seen him, whoever he was.”

“Unless he isn’t real.”

“Shut up, Stanley, he is!” Richie said, exasperated. “He was real and he was perfect. And I’ll figure out who he is, just you wait.” He added, making his friends sigh and groan, except for Eddie who kept his head down, not wanting his friends to see the worried expression on his face.

“Ben, wait.”

“Oh, sorry Eddie. I didn’t know you were going to order something else.” Ben said, slowing down so that Eddie could catch up with him. They were eating at the local diner, the seven of them and Ben had just excused himself to get another drink.

“I’m not but if I hear Richie mention his mystery guy one more time I might throw my milkshake at him.”

Ben chuckled. “I thought he would’ve let it go by now. It’s been what? A week already?”

“Yeah, but this is Richie we’re talking about, I’m not entirely sure he still isn’t looking for his old dog that ran away ten years ago.” Eddie said, rolling his eyes.

“Right. I’m surprised he didn’t put up a sign, offering a reward in exchange for information on this guy.”

Eddie snorted. “I wouldn’t put it past him so don’t mention that in front of him.”

“Noted.” Ben said with a laugh, he ordered his drink and they moved aside to wait for it to be ready. They did so in silence and were able to hear Richie talking their friends’ ears off.

Eddie rolled his eyes so hard, Ben thought it might give him a headache.

“I’m gonna murder him, I swear.” He said. “I wish I could just make him stop talking about it.”

“You can.”

Eddie snorted. “Never thought you would approve of violence, Ben.”

Ben chuckled, shaking his head. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what? Because the only way he will stop is if he figures out who this guy is.”

“Then tell him who he is.”

Eddie frowned, looking at Ben, confused and a little worried. “I don’t know who he is, Ben.”

Ben sighed, he had tried to keep quiet, he really did, after all, this was none of his business but it was painful to watch. “Eddie I know it was you, the guy Richie kissed. I saw the two of you at the party.”

Eddie drew in a sharp breath, head whipping in Ben’s direction. His eyes were wide and panicked and Ben felt a little bad for springing this upon him.

“I- what- Ben that’s- You don’t know what you saw, you were drunk.”

Ben shook his head. “I had nothing to drink that night.”

“You said you lost track of Richie, that you didn’t see him with anyone.”

“I lied, just like you did when you said you weren’t with him the whole night.”

“I-”

“Eddie.”

“Fuck.” Eddie muttered, his expression had dropped completely and Ben felt bad for his friend, he placed a warm hand on his arm. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

“It’s okay.”

“I thought- I figured that if no one saw then I wouldn’t have to say anything and I just could pretend nothing happened.”

“You don’t have to say anything,” Ben said. “It’s not like I’m gonna tell, not if you don’t want me to.”

“You won’t?”

Ben shook his head, he wasn’t the best at keeping secrets so he could understand Eddie’s apprehension but he would make an inhuman effort not to spill this particular secret, it wasn’t his place.

Eddie sighed, relieved.

“I have to ask though, why won’t don’t you want to tell him?”

“I think you know why.”

“I don’t, not really. You know I’m not the most observant person.”

Eddie chuckled lightly before his expression turned serious again. “I’m not the mystery guy Richie wants.”

“According to who?”

“Himself. You heard him the day after the party when he thought Bev was suggesting that I was the guy. I don’t want to tell him it was me only for him to be disappointed.”

“I doubt he would be disappointed. Richie is always talking about how much he wants to kiss you.”

Eddie rolled his eyes. “That’s just Richie being Richie. And knowing him he would only play it off as a joke or something.”

“And that’s not what the kiss was to you, is it?”

Eddie sighed, shaking his head without looking at Ben.

“I still think you should tell him.”

“I- What if he gets mad at me?”

“Look, Eddie, I won’t claim to know what goes on inside Richie Tozier’s head but I think that if he found out it was you who he kissed the only thing that would make him angry is the fact that he doesn’t remember it.”

Eddie snorted, but Ben was happy to see that some of the tension had left his shoulders and his expression was more relaxed. He even seemed to be considering it.

“I’ll think about it.” He said, just as the girl behind the counter called Ben’s name, his drink ready.

“You do that. And then you tell me all about it.” Ben said, winking at Eddie as they made their way back to the table.

Eddie didn’t lie to Ben, he did think about it but the more he did, the less he wanted to tell Richie. The thought alone made him feel terrified and whenever the chance presented itself when it was just the two of them, he would chicken out. The worst part was that he wanted to tell him, he was tired of sitting on this big ass secret (not just the kiss but the entire reason why it was such a big deal to him in the first place) and part of him wondered if Ben’s words had some truth to it. The other part was still convinced that Richie would be disappointed to find out Eddie was the mystery guy or in the worst case scenario, angry about it and that part was the one who usually won but today Eddie refused to let it win again. Today he would tell Richie and deal with the consequences or at least that’s what he had been telling himself for the past half an hour.

“Eds, you might want to open up a window, there’s steam coming out of your head.” Richie said, nudging Eddie’s leg with his foot. They were supposed to be doing homework in Eddie’s house, but Eddie hadn’t been able to focus on anything other than the fact that it was just the two of them in his room. “What’s got you so worked up?”

Eddie opened his mouth, ready to spew out some lie about just being a little distracted or homework being harder than usual but what came out was, “Do you remember your mystery guy?”

Richie frowned, clearly not expecting that to be brought up. They had banned the subject after two weeks of Richie talking about just that and whenever he tried to bring it up he would get several ‘Beep beep Richie’ in response and one or two objects were thrown at him. “Of course I do. I mean, I wish I could remember him but that bit it’s still a big chunk of nothing. Why?”

“I lied to you.”

“Eds, you’re giving me fucking whiplash with this random bit of information.”

“It’s not random, I- I lied to you about your mystery guy. I know who he is.”

Richie’s eyes widened comically and he gaped at Eddie like a fish. “You what?”

“I know who he is, I was with you the entire night, Bev was right.”

“But why- why didn’t you tell me?” Richie asked, genuinely confused. “Do you hate him? Do I hate him? Is he an asshole or something?”

Eddie shook his head, he refused to look at Richie, focusing on a loose thread on his comforter.

“Who is he?”

Eddie gulped, his throat felt dry and the words weighted heavily on his mouth, but he forced himself to speak, even if it was with a small, wavery voice. “Me.”

“Huh?”

“It’s me. The mystery guy. The one you made out with.” Eddie said, finally locking eyes with Richie. “It’s me.”

If Richie had been gaping before it was nothing compared to what he was doing now. He opened and closed his mouth repeatedly but no words came out, other than that his expression was unreadable and it made worry pool on Eddie’s stomach. That worry turned into dread when Richie burst out laughing.

“Nice one, Eds. You nearly got me there.” Richie said, laughing.

“What?”

“Who put you up to this? Was it Bev?”

“No one put me up to this, Richie what are you talking about?”

“You came up with this on your own then?”

Eddie groaned. “Fuck you, Richie, this isn’t a joke!” He said, angry and hurt, he had expected Richie’s mocking tone but not how it would make him feel.

“Oh my God, you’re fucking serious.”

“Yes you asshole, because unlike you not everything is a joke to me.”

“Woah woah Eds. This isn’t- it’s not a joke. I just thought- Forgive me for not buying the idea that I kissed you.”

Eddie rolled his eyes. “Because you would never do it? Because the idea is just so ridiculous?”

“Yes! I mean, no! It is ridiculous but only because never in my wildest dreams I would’ve thought I would ever get to kiss you!”

Eddie’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline, “Oh.”

Richie snorted, his lips curling into a smile, “Yeah, oh.”

“So you’re not- disappointed?”

“Disappointed? Disappointed?!”

“Yeah, you know that it was me.” Eddie shrugged. “When Bev suggested it the other day, you just brushed it off.”

“Well, yeah because I didn’t even consider the idea that it could be you! Because good things like making out with Eddie Kaspbrak don’t happen to idiots like Richie Tozier.”

Eddie snorted. “Well, it did.”

“Apparently,” Richie said, then he frowned. “Shit, I can’t believe my most awaited dream came true and I can’t even remember it.”

“Most awaited dream?”

“Eds I’ve been dreaming about kissing you since we were in middle school.”

Eddie smiled, pleased with how everything was turning out. “You have, huh?”

“I’m not even embarrassed to say, that yes, I have. And now that I finally did I just forgot about it! Of course, that would happen to me.”

“Well,” Eddie said, smirking slightly at Richie. “You can always do it again.”

Richie grinned back at Eddie in an almost predatory way. “Are you asking me to kiss you, Eddie?”

Eddie pursed his lips in thought. “I’m offering to help you remember.”

“Well, I accept your help. Richie said and Eddie had the chance to smile at him before Richie leaned down and captured his lips in a sweet kiss.

The details of their first kiss were blurry in Eddie’s mind but the press of Richie’s mouth against his brought everything he felt that night back to the surface and he grabbed Richie’s face in his hand and pressed himself harder against him. They broke apart and Eddie was met with Richie’s dumb grin and the most adoring eyes staring back at him.

“Anything?” Eddie asked, moving his hands so that they rested on Richie’s chest.

“I think it’s coming back you know, but I might need a little more help to remember completely.” Richie said, failing to keep the smile off his face.

Eddie rolled his eyes, but leaned in, closer to Richie. “Always happy to help."

[disregardcanon]

end of year writing meme

Total Stories Written: 27

Total Words Written: 147413 Average Words Per Story: if you do the mean, then it’s 5,459 Shortest Story: the aftermath of rebirth at 338 words Longest: Paint a New Horizon at 23,673 words

Looking back, did you write more fic than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you’d predicted?

I wrote fewer stories than I expected, but they were far longer than I expected. I wrote a lot of 11k fics. 

What pairing/genre/fandom did you write most?

pairing: Sansa/Margaery (throwback to 2015 omg) 

genre: I don’t feel like I had a certain genre I wrote a lot of tbh. 

fandom: A Song of Ice and Fire

What pairing/genre/fandom did you write that you would never have predicted in January?

THE POKEMON GAMES! Like, oh my god. I wrote fanfiction about soul silver. I wrote fanfiction about POKEMON WHITE. what. the fuck. Like, technically the first fic i ever wrote was about pokemon but i never expected to do it again. 

Did you take any writing risks this year?

I wrote 2 very long asoiaf fics about difficult subject matter. Combined, they add up to more than 40 thousand words of fic. 

Do you have any fanfic or general writing goals for the new year?

Fanfiction wise, I would like to finish up some of my wips and try to improve. 

In general, I would like to figure out more what I want my writing to look like moving forward and how to go about that. I’m experiencing some growing pains, so I need to reassess my style and strategy and see what I need to readjust moving forward. 

From the past year of writing, what was your…

Best story of this year: Paint a New Horizon

This feels like a bit of a cop out since it’s the longest, but I am very firmly the most proud of this fic out of anything I wrote this year. I feel like the emotional bits were satisfying, the romance worked nicely, and the action kept me interested in a way that almost never does. I was able to commit to TWENTY THREE THOUSAND WORDS and put my ALL INTO IT! that is. monumental for me. I’ve written long fics in the past, but those were chaptered and frankly, not as good as this one was or as much work. 

I love this verse so well that I might actually go back and write more in it later when I have time. I have the beginnings of a sequel ruminating around in my drats. 

Most popular story of this year: normally I split this up into multiple categories, but by hits, kudos, OR comment threads The Times They Are a Changin’ comes out on top. The mcu fandom really went nuts over Carol and Maria, didn’t they? 

Personal favorite:

Washing Machine Heart is a fic that I hold close to my heart. 1. I wrote this one when I was on a study abroad in Latin America, which is the coolest thing that I have ever done 2. it’s just. really well done. I’ve never written something quite so messy and unpleasant in a realistic way before. It’s ugly in the way that Steven Universe: Future is ugly right now. In exactly the way that “Washing Machine Heart” should imply 3. oh god was it cathartic 

Most under-appreciated:

Maternal, Paternal at 71 kudos, I know I shouldn’t call this one “under-appreciated”, but it’s in a few VERY happening tags, in a very happening fandom with a VERY popular set of characters. I’d think that people would be more interested in reading “Endeavor is an asshole and eventually Dabi kills him” but like. it’s whateves I guess XD

Most fun to write:

We Could Be Heroes both semesters that I had during 2019 were. super fucking stressful. the only times that I’ve had that were productive for fic was January break, summer vacation, and December break. 

Last April on my birthday, though, I rewarded myself and after I got home from hanging with some friends I just sat down at my laptop and didn’t think about literally anything. I just wrote. I took a format that I knew I liked and didn’t have to think about (talk show format with an OC I already made for a different story) and then 3 characters I was very interested in then (Melissa Shield, Monica Rambeau, and Tahani Al-Jamil) and then I just. ran with it. I wrote and wrote and wrote and it was amazing. I didn’t think about it being good or about my homework or literally anything other than this talk show lady talking to these three cool characters. 

It was wonderful. 10/10 would do it again. 

Story with the single sexiest moment: 

Familiarity. It is literally the only thing I wrote this year with ANY sex in it, so it’s automatically the sexiest. Way to go Margaery you did it. 

Most “holy crap, that’s wrong, even for you” story:

Um. Just Souring Grapes in general. 

Most challenging to write:

Biggest disappointment:

Shouto Todoroki Joins the Supervillain Dads Club I hoped to finish this fic last year in January. It’s currently December and I haven’t been able to look at the thing since. 

I think it’s mainly because I just lost the drive, but it’s also kind of because wips stress me the fuck out. And also I had 2 stressful semesters so that doesn’t help.  Favorite character to write: my favorite characters to write this year were both Todorokis! Dabi and Fuyumi are both a joy to write, I swear

Favorite opening lines: 

Serena falls down at the kitchen table feeling as cold and distant as the room does. The harsh lines and open floor plan were supposed to show a minimalism only possible with wealth, but to Serena it's always felt empty.

A Woman’s Place

Surprisingly, Theon’s life does not change much either way after Maron is taken to the Greenlands. Balon does not magically start paying attention to him, even though he’d prayed every night to the Drowned God that he would. 

Pretty Little Thrall 

The Twins are a grand fortress spanning the width of the Green Fork. A great stone tower stands on each side of the river, with a greater bridge running in between. The Frey stable boys have taken their horses, and Jeyne walks as close to the river as she dares as they make their way to the tower. She watches the river rush beside her in awe. She’s never seen a river run so wild before. It seems like the very waters rushing beside her want to rise up and drown her themselves.

Good Family

Favorite closing lines:

That's what she gave up fighting the Kree for, and Carol will do everything that she can to bring them back. She's stopped fighting for some things, but she'll never stop fighting for this. If the times don't change on this one, she'll make them. She'll rip that gaudy fucking glove off of that bastard's grape crush colored hand and shove it up his ass if that's what it takes to get her family back.

The Times They Are a Changin’

"Alright, then. Let’s do this together,” you say, “as a team.” You think that you really like this "being friends" thing. Maybe after you beat Red, you and Silver can go to Hoenn- or Sinnoh. Unova even. Somewhere new and exciting with new people to beat. It’s nice to have a partner who’s not a Pokemon, for once. You think that, together, you could be the best trainers that ever lived.

Maybe the best friends too.

no silver medals (when you get the gold together) 

The stars spread out above you- the universe expanding outwards onwards and upwards, excelsior.

Excelsior

Other favorite lines:

What does a grape do under pressure? Grapes tend to shrivel in the sunlight. Turn to raisins, actually. She doesn’t remember what poem that was from, but she remembers reading something like that in English class once. Some poem that she didn’t understand really, and might not have gotten even if it were in Japanese. She doesn’t think that’s what she’s doing.

Does it ferment, like wine? Her father always joked about her mother aging like a fine wine, growing more beautiful every year, growing stronger. But Miné isn't gaining strength, not really. Not right now. Maybe she’s just souring, getting more and more bitter about things that she can't have. Maybe she's just souring grapes.

Souring Grapes

“The authorities confirmed that Endeavor was not even in the state during the accident, and Shouto’s doctors confirmed that the burns were consistent with boiling liquid, not an open flame.” Superman looks visibly relieved to hear that.

“But that does not mean that I trust him,” Batman says, “I would prefer to keep an eye on him.”

“Why would you want to keep an eye on him, he’s a superhero ,” Captain Marvel says, with none of The Wisdom of Solomon but all of The Innocence of a Ten Year Old, “that means that he’s a good guy, right?”

Shouto Todoroki Joins the Supervillain Dads Club

The thought stabs into his brain like a needle, like the scent of pine, like the memories he’s never wanted back. Robb was the one person who ever cared about him, and Theon betrayed him to parade around as a prince and become Ramsay Bolton’s broken little toy. He swore himself to the little boy who took him by the hand when he came to Winterfell as a scared little boy and never let go. And then Theon betrayed him.

“Theon,” the trees whisper,” Theon.” The crows in the branches take flight, cawing his name, and he feels something else take flight too. His heart, beating somewhere deep inside his chest.

“Theon,” it throbs, “Theon, Theon.”

He wants to do something, something reckless, something brave. Something that makes him redeemable.

He can’t save Robb, but he can save someone . He can save Robb’s fake sister. Theon can save Jeyne from some of her pain.

If You Believe in Me (I’ll Still Believe)

She dared a glance forward and met Margaery’s eyes- a deep, chocolate brown. They were warm and inviting and Margaery’s little curly bangs framed her face like a heart. Margaery’s head went over the back of the booth and it seemed to almost be floating against the flowery wallpaper. It looked like Margaery was lying out in a field of flowers- the Maiden gazing up at the clouds and trying to make shapes of them.

She could imagine Margaery telling her that this one is a flower, like Tyrell, and this one’s a deer, like Baratheon, and this one’s a dick, like Joffrey. She giggled nervously again and felt her cheeks flush. She’d never felt this giddy and unsteady in her whole life.

“Are you alright, Sansa?” Margaery asked cautiously. She reached across the table and laid a hand over Sansa’s own. The touch was warm and tender, and Sansa felt the blush from her toes to the tip of her head.

“I’m perfect!” Sansa nearly screeched. Margaery laughed at that, but her look was kind.

“Yes, darling,” she said with a smile that was wide and fond, “I think that you are.”

Lesbian. The word wasn’t supposed to fill her with such a warm, hopeful feeling, was it? She wiggled awkwardly in her chair, trying to get situated and stop feeling so silly and excited and vulnerable, but it didn’t fix anything. She felt Margaery’s leg brush against hers under the table. It sent a jolt through her.

Lesbian.

Sansa took a shaky breath. She thought to herself that there might be something to that.

Paint a New Horizon 

[an-oger-in-the-wild]

Children Shouldn’t Play with Undead Things

So here’s a fun little team-building exercise I threw at three of my PCs who met a couple in-game days before the official start of the campaign / meeting of the rest of the PCs. The summary? Three unlikely people meet on a coastal beach and end up hanging out in a coastal town’s tavern, chatting the night away, until they - along with the other patrons of the tavern - start getting attacked by an unknown and unseen source: a poltergeist. The three PCs in question consisted of an aasimar warlock, a half-orc cleric, and a wood-elf druid, so some really cool and interesting social and debuff spells (like Detect Evil and Good, Faerie Fire, and Message to name a few) were available for use that didn’t have to be damage-focused, teaching the group early that you don’t necessarily have to only have combat spells equipped in order to overcome obstacles or solve problems.

If you’d like to use this encounter for your 1st, 2nd, or even 3rd level (like my group was) party, you’ll want to be sure to lay a good foundation of visual descriptions - little things that are actually Easter eggs for the party to remember later, realizing that they were actually clues.

QUEST LEAD:  This encounter takes place in a small tavern called Bottles & Drafts.  You can read this little block of text to introduce your characters to the first NPC in this encounter; or, alternatively, you can use your own tavern or NPC if you already have a place in mind:

You see, as you enter, a pleasantly-lit tavern, complete with a small hearth, two long tables, three smaller round tables, and a neatly-kept bar with stools. Looking around, you notice that the dining area is rather saddlery-themed with things like horseshoes, halters, and old bridles hung on the wall for décor, befitting of the inn’s adjoining stables out back.  Near an entryway to a hall at the far end of the room, you see a physically imposing grayish/green-skinned woman - about 6' 1" - with short, chipped tusks protruding from her lips.  She wears a brown tank top with olive-colored cotton pants, and her light-brown hair is kept short on top and shaved close on the sides.  She's standing on a small ladder, hanging a new item on the wall: a black leather horse whip (or some might call it a crop).  She's mounting it to the wall as best she can, but it keeps falling off the wall each time she gets off the ladder, making her visibly frustrated as she repeats the process three times in the time it takes you to find a seat.

This is Jacoba, a half-orc (use stat block of berserker) - she owns the inn, Bottles & Drafts (named thus as your adventurers can both purchase a night’s stay there or take a trip around back to its stables to purchase a mount, such as a draft or riding horse). Today, your party happens to walk in on her hanging a whip...little do they know that this is the item to which the poltergeist has attached itself. 

Part 1: a Start to an Exciting Evening

Be sure the party knows they are not the only ones in the tavern!  Three other patrons sit in different areas of the inn (each to themselves):

Roberick Zemony, male human (looks visibly intoxicated)

Tawnel Ostoro, male half-elf (dressed in the uniform of the local guards)

Baerla Flaskbraids, female dwarf (has a small rabbit familiar with her)

While the party sits around conversing - probably around a meal or a few drinks - have some strange things happen as the evening approaches:

Random drinks sitting in front of patrons at the bar tip over onto their laps, soaking them.

Patrons go to sit in their chairs...but right before they sit down, the chair is just a little too far from them and they fall to the floor on their asses.

The whip will continue to fall off the wall, usually AT Jacoba as she walks by with a plate of food or a platter filled with drinks.  

She will eventually give up on trying to mount it and will make a scene as her barbarian temper gets the better of her: describe her as being close to raging mad over the “stupid whip,” picking it up (perhaps putting the strap in her mouth and gnawing at it for a moment) then violently whipping a vacant spot at the bar with it a few times before throwing the whip down the hallway and heading back behind the bar.

If the party tries to interact with Jacoba or ask her about the whip, she can explain that the décor is a collection of old pieces that have either been found by patrons who frequent the tavern or are left behind after a rental horse or carriage is returned.  This most recent piece was actually given to her earlier today by a tradesman who came through for a drink (while nothing more has to come of this mention, you could always develop this out into an extended quest).

With a good enough Charisma check, Jacoba may also tell the party what she knows about the other three patrons left in the tavern if they get inquisitive:

Roberick Zemony, male Human (nightly patron; commoner, middle-aged; "dad bod," thinning hair; lazy-sounding drunken voice)

Tawnel Ostoro, male half-elf guard (off-duty but still in his regalities; just got off his guard duty shift and likes to come up for a quick sip or two before he returns to the barracks for the evening; condescending)

Baerla Flaskbraids, female dwarf (a scout passing through on her way back to her guildhall north of here; just finished clearing out a pesky infestation of stirges and is staying the night before heading back in the morning)

Part 2: It Begins

Once it’s officially evening, the party sees Roberick get up to go to "water the flowers" (at which Jacoba threatens to kill him if he does).

As he stands to leave, the flames in the wall sconces all extinguish at once and the sound of Roberick screaming in pain and then moaning fills the room.          

          (HE DEAD, Y'ALL.)

Jacoba will quickly try to relight the sconces if no one casts a spell before this is done.

Once there is light, everyone will be able to see Roberick's dead body on the floor, a knife stuck in his chest.

If no one revives him, proceed to Part 3.

If someone casts Revivify or Speak with Dead, he won't know what hit him or killed him.

Part 3: a Murder Mystery

Before Tawnel (the half-elf guard) allows anyone to move, he will swiftly walk over to the door (the only exit) and bar it shut, stating that "no one will be leaving here until I find out who killed this man."

Investigation checks can begin to be made against the dead body (DC: 13).

On a success, they can tell from the angle of impact and the blood splatter that the attack had to have come from the direction of the bar and that the knife had to have been flung at him from a distance.

If investigating for magic, use the same DC for an Arcana check; however, no magical aura is detected around the body or the knife.

If spells like Detect Magic or Detect Evil and Good are cast, assume that the poltergeist will not be within the 30 foot radius in this one instance; after the party has made some good detective work headway though, feel free to reward smart casting by allowing the undead creature to “light up” as it were.  Those spells last 10 minutes unless dropped, so you can toy with them by having the poltergeist move in and out of the range of the spell occasionally.

Insight checks can be made against the NPCs for added intrigue if the characters are suspicious or on-edge:

Tawnel (the half-elf guard): this is probably the most exciting thing he's ever seen as a guard of a relatively uninteresting city, so he's hoping that getting to the bottom of this murder will help him climb the ladder of success

Alibi: he's "one of the good guys" and just wants to figure out what happened…he was sitting in the corner reading smut (but he won't want anyone to know that this is what he was reading).

Motive: everyone - including Tawnel - knows Roberick…he's the town drunk and tends to get into trouble when he drinks: Tawnel has arrested him on a couple occasions for indecency in front of children and found him no better than the dirt beneath his boots - Jacoba has heard him say before that “it would be a better world without Roberick in it.”

Baerla (the dwarf scout): has only been seen thus far to be talking to her rabbit...plus she has a longbow on her back and a sword at her side - seems strange enough to draw some attention, right?

Alibi: she knows no one here - why would she kill someone?...she was busy scrolling a message to send with her animal messenger (a rabbit) back to her guildhall to inform them of the completion of her job; her rabbit is "gone now though."

Motive: Roberick was being loud and obnoxious and (per Baerla) was making fun of her height earlier that evening.

Jacoba (the half-orc tavern owner / berserker): normal day, just got a new shipment of food today as well as a few new bridle materials, some new tankards, that kind of thing; a tradesman bartered with her for a new item for her tavern - the whip.  

Alibi: she was serving drinks when the lights went out and Roberick dropped dead.

Motive: Roberick was behind on his tab by several months - Tawnel knows that this has really been bothering Jacoba lately.

Part 4: Further Bloodshed

The poltergeist will become enraged by any light-based spells or by radiant damage (clerics and paladins BEWARE!).

It will also get increasingly angry if the whip is in any way touched or damaged.  If someone moves within 30 feet of the poltergeist’s area, it will become aggressive and throw things using its Telekinetic Thrust (+4 to hit, 2d4 bludgeoning or piercing damage, depending on the item); if they get reeeeally close, it will use its Forceful Slam attack (+4 to hit, reach 5 feet, 3d6 force damage).

NOTE: If you really want to freak the party out, try throwing them around with its Telekinetic Thrust by rolling a contested Strength (the PC) versus Charisma (the poltergeist) check to see if the undead creature can “hurl the target up to 30 feet in any direction, including upward,” causing 1d6 damage per 10 feet moved - I wouldn’t recommend this unless your group can handle these amounts of damage though - always playtest before playing!

Part 5: Reclaiming Serenity

There are a couple of ways this can go:

If you have a party who loves to get stuff done by way of combat, you can certainly take the most direct route by allowing them to work through the difficulties of waging war with a creature who never turns visible. As mentioned in my opening paragraph, debuff spells like Detect Evil and Good, Faerie Fire, or See Invisibility are great uses of spellcasting while in combat with an invisible creature.  Additionally, you may have a party member who thinks outside the box and has the idea to try to destroy the item to which the spirit is attached - this is a great idea! A low-level encounter like this is a nice way to condition your party for battles that cannot simply be won by hacking and slashing.

If you have a party or party member who wants to make the world a better place with a more passive approach, you could delve deeper into the backstory of the poltergeist, giving it a history that shaped it into a malevolent spirit. Use the whip as inspiration: did the whip belong to the spirit in its previous life? Was it sentimental? Does it need returned to someone in order for the spirit to find peace? Alternatively, does the whip have a darker connotation - was it a weapon used against the spirit in its former life? Is the spirit seeking an unattainable revenge on innocent victims?  Ponder these things and come up with a flexible and easily improved story in case you have a tenderhearted sorcerer or a righteous paladin with high charisma who want to try to reason with the undead creature.  Allow a series of Persuasion checks to convince the poltergeist that they don’t need to act violently or to help the undead creature to pass on into the next life: this can make for a really memorable role-playing moment that will change the normally black and white outlook most parties have on undead creatures.

Thanks for reading, guys!  If you like this post and would like to get more encounter idea inspiration like this one, let me know by asking to be included on my Enticing Encounters taglist!

[mentalmimosa]

in the foreseeable future

Prompt: Previously undiscovered island.

“Well,” Tony said, squinting into the bright summer air, “it could be worse.”

They were sitting on a stretch of beach that meandered nearly to the horizon. The sun was high in a lilac sky and the sand was the color of crush lapis and the water beyond was green, iridescent, that moved in lazy waves towards the shore. If Steve’s ears hadn’t still been ringing, if he couldn’t still smell the burning wreckage, if he hadn’t seen that trail of blood oozing from the crack in Tony’s head, it might have almost seemed peaceful. Almost.

“Nothing’s trying to eat us,” Steve said. “And nobody’s shooting at us. Is that what you mean?”

Tony turned and gave him a tight, sunny smile. There was a gash on his cheek and he had a hell of a shiner. “What do you know?” he said. “For once, we’re on the same page, Cap.”

And then he fainted.

***

The planet they were stranded on, so far as Steve and the last of the nav computers could tell, wasn’t on any map.

“Of course it’s fucking not,” Tony managed once he woke up. “Otherwise, we couldn’t have crashed into it.”

Steve rolled his eyes and waved the raggedy holo away. “My point being,” he said, “that even if we could send a signal back to Earth, we have no way of telling them where to look.”

“And that’s supposed to make me feel better?”

“No.”

Tony lay back down gingerly, wincing as his head hit the field jacket Steve had reworked as a pillow. “Good. Because your bedside manner sucks.”

Steve stood up too fast; his head caught the top of the tent. “I’m not here to hold your hand, Stark. But I did spent the last three days making sure you didn’t bleed to death.”

“La di fucking da.” Tony closed his eyes. “I’m sure you’ll get a medal for that, too: saving a comrade in the line of duty or some shit.”

“Is that what you think this is about? You think I’m looking for some reward here?” Steve could feel his blood boiling. “I’m just trying to give us a shot at staying alive!”

“Don’t worry,” Tony said, fainter but no less barbed. “The powers that be won’t let their favorite soldier malinger out here too long. The cavalry's coming for you, Steve, every ship in this man’s army. You’ll see.”

Steve stepped out into the night air and breathed in, let it back out. Ten years he’d been in the force, out here sailing around on the front lines, and no one had ever pissed him off as routinely as Tony goddamn Stark. He was a terrific pilot, sure; made every ship he flew, even the creakiest, feel nimble in the spacelanes. His brain was able and sharp. The fellas loved him, too, and so did the ladies; word on the base was that his cot was never cold. He was charming, they said, like the best sort of salesman, but with Steve, from day one, he’d been only a pain in the ass.

He questioned orders, always, even the most basic and routine, peppered Steve with what he believed were much better ideas. When they were alone, just them and the stars, he was a smart ass, sharp and caustic, and Steve to his shame found himself responding in kind. Once, when they couldn’t agree on the best path through an asteroid belt, they’d come real close to settling things with their fists, and days like today, injured or not, Steve would have paid to get back there and give into that instinct, to see what it was like to punch the man square in the jaw.

But now he didn’t have a choice, did he? He couldn’t survive here alone and neither could Tony. They’d have to stick together, somehow, if they were gonna make it. He shook his head, laughed at little at the fucked-up of the universe. Gods help them, they’d find a way.

***

After a week, Tony was up on his feet again; after two, he was well enough to help Steve with the shelter he was building out of the slim, supple trees that lay an easy reach from the beach.

“We should be building this closer to the water,” he grumbled for the 90th time. “It’s gonna be a bitch running back and forth all the time.”

Steve yanked the freshly cut plank from Tony’s hands and gritted his teeth, stepped back up on the stump he was using a ladder. “Tch. We don’t know how high the tides will come up in the rainy season.”

“If there is one. That’s purely a guess on your part.”

“We’re in a tropical area, Tony. I think that’s a pretty reasonable guess.”

“I didn’t know you were kosher with those, that’s all.”

Steve fought with the plank; it was warped just enough not to want to slide home. “Kosher with--?”

Tony snorted and stretched up, held the wood in place long enough for Steve to drive the first nail home. “Guesses, Cap,” Tony said. “A reach of the imagination. I wasn’t aware they let officers have one of those.”

When Steve looked down, the man was actually smiling, a little curve of the lips between the dark lines of his beard. It was so unexpected, so startling, he found himself grinning back.

“Ah,” Tony said, “nice to see you’ve got one of those, too.”

Later, as they ate roasted fish over a fire, Steve found his eyes drifting to Tony’s mouth, red and wet in the firelight as Tony expounded on his plans for tomorrow, for some elaborate fishing trap he wanted to make.

“I could use your help with the roof,” Steve said when Tony stopped to take a breath. “We work on it together and in another day, it’ll be done.”

Tony shook his head. His dark hair, neatly streaked with gray, was already growing past regulation; freed from its high and tight it was, Steve noticed, sneaking towards curly. “You don’t need my help,” he said. “But you do need to eat. This one fish-at-a-time shit isn’t going to work much longer. We need to start setting up stores in case the weather gets bad.”

“Oh,” Steve said, the word sweet vinegar. “Are you actually admitting I’m right?”

“I said, in case . And who knows what bad weather looks like here. It might be a lotta rain. It might be none. You don’t know any more than I do here, Cap.”

“You’re right. I don’t. But I appreciate your willingness to err on the side of what if.”

Tony stood up and stretched, his fading t-shirt pulling up to his ribs, the skin beneath paler than the tanned lines of his arms. “Sir,” he said with a smirk. “Thank you, sir.”

***

Once a month had passed, Steve had resigned himself to it: their rescue, if it came, wouldn’t be easy or quick; for the foreseeable future, they were on their own.

He’d also come to terms with the turn in Tony’s behavior, with the slide from constant snark to something slipperier. It wasn’t as if they were friends now, or that they no longer disagreed, but their arguments felt more purposeful, less pointed. It was odd, mostly. But it was also good.

Their shelter was finished. Tony’s fish trap was, too, and he’d moved on to a small dam project that he hoped would put the water they drank from and cooked with closer in reach. They’d stripped every last usable inch of the ship and buried the rest in the forest, in a circle of those slim reddish trees.

“If they have the sensors going and they’re close enough,” Tony said as they rested, makeshift shovels in hand, “they’ll be able to sense the Vibranium through this soil, no problem. It’s not dense enough to make any difference.”

“I know,” Steve said.

He felt Tony’s eyes on him. “I know you know,” Tony said. “I just needed to hear it, that’s all. I’m reassuring myself over here. Not all of us all tall, blond, and stoic, Steve.”

They sat in silence for a moment, the only noise that of the leaves high above them shifting in the warm afternoon breeze.

Steve said, at last: “That’s the first time you’ve ever called me that.”

“What?”

He chuckled. “Steve. Not sir or Captain or Cap.”

“Is it?” Tony tilted his head. “Huh. Would you rather I stick with the formalities?”

“No.” He grinned, watched its twin bloom on Tony’s face. “Steve’s good.”

When the work was done, the last of the ship hidden beneath the soft earth, they ran down to the water and peeled off their clothes, desperate for relief from the heat.

“Oh, gods,” Tony groaned when he was waist deep in the waves. “That feels so fucking good. Shit.”

His chest was brown now and so were his shoulders, his back. He moved easily in the water, no trace of the limp from those first days. He looked happy, Steve thought suddenly, more relaxed than Steve had ever seen him; no more attitude, no more artifice, only strength and a smile and a constant echo of contentment. This Tony, the one beside him in the water of an unknown world, he looked like a whole different man.

“What?” Tony said. He’d ducked his head in; his hair was clinging to his neck, glistening.

“Hmmm?”

“You’re staring.” He reached up and rubbed at his face. “There a leech in my beard or something?”

Steve’s face went hot red and he turned away, looked out towards the horizon. “No,” he said, his tongue stumbling. “Nothing like that.”

That night, as Tony slept, Steve blinked at the roof they’d built with their own hands and saw Tony’s face there, dripping with water; the lines of his body sun hot and wet. His fingers itched and it was like before, when he’d dreamt of his fist in Tony’s face. But this time, the thought of his hand on Tony’s face--not punching, touching; a slide of his thumb over Tony’s reddened, damp mouth--made his stomach flutter, made the blood in his body slip between his hips and pool in the stunned swell of his cock. His name in Tony’s mouth: Steve, his tongue on Steve’s fingers, his teeth.

He hadn’t touched himself in weeks, hadn’t dared to; they lived so close, day in and day out, hand and glove. That’s all it was, the only reason he was hard in his shorts. It was hot even with the sun down and the moons out and he was lonely on this beautiful, godsforsaken world. It had nothing to do with Tony.

Steve bit his lip and listened to Tony snore and touched himself, furtive, rolled his hips into his big, shaking hand and when he came, he cupped a hand around the head and whimpered as he felt his spend fill up his palm, grateful that the rich smell of the night-blooming flowers was enough to cover the hot scent of his sex.

“Steve?” Tony’s voice was heavy with sleep. “You all right? Thought I heard something.”

“It’s fine,” Steve said, shaky, still trembling. “It was nothing. Just the, ah. Just the wind in the trees.”

Tony’s mat creaked as he rolled over, the shadows playing over his back. “‘K. Night, Cap.”

“Yeah, Tony.” Steve closed his eyes and scrubbed his hand against his shorts, heat in his head now, a rush of embarrassment. “Good night.”

[deafchild2000]

I Never Really Liked Rikki

Alright before y'all go on and say I'm "shitposting" or degrading your favorite mermaid, just let me let it out!

Rikki Chadwick is one of the 5 mermaids (yes, counting Bella and Charlotte) on H2O: Just Add Water. When she she became a mermaid, she got heating powers, essentially leading to actual fire and lightning powers in Season 2.

On the Wikia, she's described as: Rikki is quite rebellious, independent, sarcastic and carefree, making the two argue often.Rikki frequently speaks her mind without euphemism or without care that her opinions might hurt other people's feelings. She has a hard time sympathizing with people who are in pain, as seen in "Dangerous Waters." She can be very stubborn and has a short temper. Rikki has a strong adventurous streak and is the first to fully embrace the possibilities of the girls' new powers. Despite their arguments, Rikki and Emma do get along a lot of the times, and Rikki genuinely cares for her friends. This is demonstrated when she takes Emma and Cleo out on a shopping spree with her new money in "Dangerous Waters." To make up for her previous blunder in the same episode, she also does her best to buy Cleo the perfect new fish (as thanks, Cleo dubs the fish "Hot Stuff," in honor of Rikki). Rikki also shows her care for Emma when Rikki prods Byron to apologize to her friend in "Sink or Swim," revealing that Emma is not as tough and thick-skinned as she lets on.

Not only does Rikki shows her rebellious nature freely, but she encourage it in her friends as well. In "Pressure Cooker", Rikki encouraged Cleo and Emma to rebel against Charlotte Watsford and her mother, Annette Watsford who were invited by Don Sertori to stay over for dinner. Thinking that Don is getting remarried and that Charlotte will become Cleo's step sister, Rikki encouraged the others to use their powers to ruin the food, not knowing that Annette was only invited as a business partner. Despite her carefree nature, Rikki is capable of displaying a sense of responsibility especially when it comes to money. In the episode "Hook, Line and Sinker", Rikki attempted to look for some financial security for her family by attending Harrison Bennett's seminar, only to find it to be a scam. In "In Over Our Heads", Rikki attempted to help her father by trying to find a lost treasure for the reward money because her family was struggling with the bills. During her stay as café manager in season three, she was able to show her ability in running a business successful. When Rikki left after breaking up with Zane, the café started to struggle despite Sophie replacing her as manager, showing her organizational and monetary abilities.

But the things is, I never connected to her. Actually, I could never relate to any of the trio, but Rikki at most (ironically it's Charlotte and Bella that has my favor.).

See, by technically, I should like her because I'm sarcastic, independent, rebellious, stubborn, easily vengeful, unapologetically blunt at times and savvy business-wise (side hustle - jobs- for money). Plus I've been borderline homeless and raised by a single parent.

But for myself and others, I had needed to be more than that. Where I'm sarcastic, I am concerned and loyal when it needs to be regardless of circumstances. Where I'm independent, even I have to admit defeat and ask for help because I accept I don't know everything. When I'm stubborn, while admitting for fighting in what I believe in, I do my best to set it aside when need be or else Karma would be on my ass. For my rebelliousness, I have to know when I draw the line and go too far. Same goes for being vengeful, but I at least have someone (mom and uncle) on my corner to steer me away and even get a good laugh out of it while I can still reverse it. I'm legit working on being blunt since past experiences taught me sugarcoating isny always the best option, but I do have basic understanding why people do it. Sometimes the bandaid does need gently peeling to get the job done - especially if it's for the sake of a child.

So in comparison, between me and Rikki, felt that aside from a few glimpses of her realizing her mistakes and vulnerability, in those 3 years of being a mermaid, she never really took on the lessons she learned and developed Empathy. Empathy is all about understanding someone and their feelings, especially if their in a place you've been before. And considering that Rikki had a bunch of friends to pull her from the dark side of her personality, no one really bothered to do that when her personality took a turn for the worse in Season 2. Season 3 was when she nearly reached the point of No Return if Will hadn't intervene to stop her from borderline killing Ryan in the moon pool.

Then, I've talked to friends about this and perhaps it originally stemmed from the mermaid aspect of her life. Yes, H2O is just a tv show, and it aired years before I entered my own teenhood, but people are drawn to it because they can relate to the girls in the show. So, when it came to being a mermaid, I believed that it was because all teenagers struggled with being different and that what usually (or generally) sets them apart from their peers.

Now, I live in the US, and I'm an African-American female who's smart (book and street-wise) and has an internal, physical disability: I'm deaf in my right ear. Add in a potential fact that I might have Aspergers (a form of Autism), I never really stood a chance growing up. I knew how to be apart of a group (most of the time), but I was essentially a wall flower in it. There was/are time when I had to dive into things trending for pre/teens just so I had to understand what the big fuss was about. (Plus watching people deal with unnecessary teen drama has always been a turnoff for me.)

Thus leading me to believe Rikki never really had to fight for anything. Yeah, she was pure but not poor enough to live in a single house of multiple strangers (which was my life in 5th grade). She didn't have to struggle to fit in, whether or not that was the case, since she basically had her own little niche of mermaid sisters and (a) boyfriend. In my case, that's more than anyone could ever get in high school- minus the mermaid aspect. But if you add that in, Rikki literally had a whole separate life all to herself where she could get away and in my case, I never had that. Reading and writing was the only escape I had from reality and there were times even that wasn't enough.

So, during that time, if I was one, being a mermaid, like Rikki, would be embeaced but with the rightful amount of shock of the situation would also be there as well.

And maybe I would be prone to abuse my powers, who wouldn't? Having a supernatural ability, using it as I see fit to work for me or against others? I actually thing having something no one else has tend to make anyone else selfish, whether they are all alone or in a small group of those like them. It's Human Nature to be like that. Besides, look when the trio had done so on multiple occasions, yet were hypocrites in regard to Charlotte when she did so to Nate. (Which I will happily point out all the times Rikki did just that, like when she found out she was a part of a fish scheme and all the other times she blantatly almost killed someone with her powers.)

However, I also knew that "With Great Power, Comes Great Repsonibility" is true, regardless of fictional or realistic obligations. If I did want to just pranks someone, I would do it so obviously- with potentially witnesses- and then make it a recurring gag.

(To be honest, if I did and did it so often to a sibling like Kim Sertori, well, let's just say I'd accept responsibility If I got found out because I had it coming for doing said pranks in the first place.)

If I had wanted to use my powers like a weapon to harm someone, I knew I better have a damn good reason to do so, especially if said powers were as dangerous as Rikki's. And then question if that said person was a threat or just someone I really didn't like. And add in the fact if it was on purpose or a genuine accident (like, for example, how I'd like to believe Emma was traumatized after realizing ahe had frozen Miriam alive. Sure the girls saved her in time, but still, that should have been a hint to the girls to not only expand the knowledge of their powers, but become increasingly aware of how dangerous they are. So if they hadn't saved Miriam or Rikki ended up killing her....)

Basically summarizing above, Rikki was shown on more than one regard just how careless and irresponsible she is with her powers and then had the nerve to be self-righteous and hypocritical when someone else does it, and it's someone she doesn't like.

However, while I admit to giving her cudos on some of her ocean adventure - definitely as she's a career diver as an adult- I don't think she really took into account just how much of an advantage she had as a mermaid. While she wasn't a full-on superhero, she probably spent more time in the ocean more than anyone else since getting her tail. Meaning you'd finished being more awareness to the issues on the ocean such as trash and oil spills, taking in for granted having a rich boyfriend could technically help achieve resources to do so. Yeah, they shouldn't be drawing attention to themselves, like at all, but if the ocean is your second home, you can't tell me you'd wouldn't try to help keep that home alive and healthy.

So maybe the producers didn't show it or it just never occurred to them (or in Rikki's case, until her job profession), but if I had mermaid powers and a tail, Lord knows I would have been kept busy for all my teen years cleaning the beaches and pulling up trash after trash to at least somebody caught onto it and started taking action themselves. Not starting a trend, but a chain reaction. And it wouldn't be a seasonal thing either. Basically, if you had the ability to be a live like a fish, you use your human life to bring awareness to sustain that life. We caught maybe a few glimpses btwn H2O and Mako Mermaids, but that would have been a great way for Rikki to express just how much she clearly cared about being a mermaid. But thus she didn't, so I have no reason to believe she did or had a basic understanding of what oppertunities she had offered to her as a mermaid.

I would see it before anyone told me.

And sensing that I'm going off topic, I'll just steer myself back to the point: All other reasons aside, here are my main reasons I never liked her:

Rikki never really grew to have Empathy, or understand when someone is in a place where she once was. She stayed mentally the same as she grew up and it wasn't until she was an adult and found herself back where she started, that she finally developed it.

She actually had more than any other teenage girl can want and more. A roof over her head to call her own, friends and a chance for a significant other? Plus an amazing double life you had to see to believe? For someone like me, who has to fight through obstacles everyday between my race and disability, everything about that spells something worth taking for granted.

She never really took responsibility for her powers or learned from the trouble she caused. Maybe at the time, things seemed necessary, but overall, she was extremely careless and selfish in regards for it. And then some, in regards for using her powers in public and nearly exposed herself, especially when nearly seriously hurting someone, but then had the nerve to berate someone who did just that when she'd done the exact same or worse (adding in potentially murdering someone in the midst of her anger). Season 2 was the so best example of how bad that got and frankly, turned me against her completely to be honest. And Season 3 was basically like Season 1, only Cleo was in Emma's place plus a crazed obsession with protection the moon pool. (Which proven right considered how many damn people found it in the show's history, but still!)

While debatable, she never shown and consideration to the environment ( the Ocean) until it fit her needs. I can name a hundred of ways she could have shown concern and and helped environmental impacts and sea animals affected by it, and do it anonymously, especially considering her future job as a diver.

Like all stories, the 2000s H2O trio is supposed to be 3-dimensial characters who change throughout the story - or in this case, a show - where Emma was a responsible girl who learned to enjoy life, Cleo was a kind girl who learned to grow a backbone and Rikki was a loner who got friends.

As a child, it's easy to see it that way. And considering how Rikki is viewed as someone you'd want to grow up into -Strong, opinionated, stand firm in what's right - who wouldn't idolize that. Anyone, even young girls, should be like that because, in the real world, values like that are rarer than your led to believe.

But when you take into to account of whether or not Rikki is the type of role model you should look up to, then that's why I labeled and the things she's done under:

Static Character.

Rikki started and ended H2O as a mermaid with a rebellious streak. But though she's made mistakes and apologized, she never changed who she was and truly learned from her mistakes, leading me to believe she just kept getting things without any real consequences, thus no character developement.

As I'm ending this, I will acknowledge that I know this sounds like a rant degrading Rikki - and someone will chew me out defending her for it- but after watching all the seasons and how taken Rikki into consideration I came to see if she was real, we'd never get along. So while I'm not going "I hate her so much!" or "She's so ugly!", I'm simply stating why that I don't believe Rikki deserves all the fanfare she's got over the years.

[mintystrawberriestars]

Wither and Decay

It was Cassandra’s destiny. She knew nothing of her past. Having been given up at birth, she was lucky enough to grow up in the palace, so she had pretty much everything handed to her. She wasn’t royalty, but she was rich and that was enough. Being the daughter of the castle guards captain, she held power over the other castle servants. Granted, she didn’t use that power. She spent her time growing up as a maid, and training to join the guards on the side. And she got that. The King and Queen allowed her to be the first woman to join the guards, and even being given the title of captain when her father stepped aside.

Cassandra remembers the day Princess Rapunzel was kidnapped from her bassinet. She was about five at the time, and had freedom to roam as long as she behaved. She had seen the queen carrying her to their room after she had been healed by the magic flower. The princess was just as beautiful as the queen. With fair skin, huge green eyes, and gorgeous golden locks, she would be treasured forever. Cassandra hoped to become friends with the princess one day, and went to bed with hopes to interact with the baby tomorrow. She awoke that night to yelling, screaming, agonized cries. Ignoring the demands, she ran to the source. The princess had been kidnapped. For years, the castle searched for her. She counted each day, and attended every lantern festival. But even soon, she began to lose hope the princess would ever return.

Things changed. Days after she was named captain of the guards, the Princess returned- with a terribly short brown pixie cut. Originally, Flynn Rider was going to be put to death. He was a thief and had taken too much from the kingdom. But he somehow escaped, and returned better than ever with none other than Rapunzel. The king and queen owed him a great debt, and due to his changed ways and Rapunzel’s love for him, his life was spared.

Cassandra was assigned to be the princess’s lady in waiting and her personal guard.  It was an offer bigger than she could ever imagine, and she took it with great pride. She had not been able to speak to Rapunzel at the kingdom’s celebration, as she had been too busy with training and preparing things for her return. When Rapunzel came to her room that had been set up, that is where Cassandra finally got an up close look at the girl. And as she had been years ago- she was beautiful. Rapunzel stood before her in purple and pink gown, green eyes glowing bright, brunette hair short and frizzy, and freckles sprinkled across her flushed cheeks. Cassandra fell in love immediately.

To her delight, they grew close. Closer than most staff had with the royals. Rapunzel was eager to have a friend, and she opened up about her stress of her new life. She did not think she was fit to be a princess, and her overprotective father did not help her wild soul. Eager, Cassandra advised her to take a break and go against her father. However, the girl refused. When the first official dinner since her return was held, Cassandra was put in charge of seating. Of course, Rapunzel sat with her parents. She kept watch over Pascal, and Eugene was put at the children’s table. She hoped she would have the slightest chance of gaining the princess’s trust- more trust than she gave to Eugene. And when Eugene proposed, things went downhill. Rapunzel fled, terrified by the future put before her. Without hesitation, she ran after her, providing her the comfort.

“Don’t think too much of it.” she had said when she caught up with her. “No one said your future is written for you. You’re the one who creates it. Live a little.” she smiled, taking her hand. She was rewarded a thankful smile and hug in return, leaving her heart pounding her throat. She longed to kiss those lips that were inches away, but she couldn’t. So she returned the hug, and that was enough.

Rapunzel was a wild spirit that even Cassandra struggled to keep up with. She was fast, adventurous and outgoing, and wasn’t a stranger when it came to looking in the eyes of danger. Nonetheless, she followed the princess everywhere, determined to keep her safe. She was there when Rapunzel gained her beautiful golden locks back. She had taken Rapunzel to the same place the golden flower that saved the Queen’s life had been found. Yet it was guarded by sharp, pointy spikes that no one dared mess with. Due to the fact they could shatter the best handcrafted swords, nobody was brave enough to try and go around them. Everyone had assumed the spikes had grown when Rapunzel's hair had been cut, due to the fact she possessed the magic of the last known golden flower. However, the spikes seemed to grow out of control the second Rapunzel approached them. The most shocking thing was they also seemed to grow back her hair. That was perhaps one of the most shocking things.

But Cassandra fell even more in love with the golden haired princess. Her bravery was beyond imaginable, and she didn’t back down from a fight. The same fight in which Cassandra got her ass kicked by none other than the Princess of Corona, and watched her take out men three times her size with twenty pounds of hair behind her. She begged Rapunzel for her validation and respect, and Rapunzel asked for her friendship in return. For her, friendship was enough. Even if she couldn’t have the love, she could handle being friends. And even then, Cassandra knew she could not have the princess. She was bound to marry Eugene Fitzherbert, and after that, Cassandra would not be needed as much.

Later, she fell in love with her haunting voice. Sure, she had heard the girl sing before. But it had normally been when she was healing an injured guard, or singing just to sing. Hearing her sing the Hurt incantation was amazing, despite her hand getting destroyed (and later healed) in process. They continued their adventures, and on their quest to gain the Moonstone opal, she made a decision. If she couldn’t have Rapunzel, no one could. She watched as the girl she loved slowly walked forward, reaching out towards the opal before snatching it from her.

“Cassandra?” Rapunzel questioned, being tugged into Eugene’s arms immediately.

“Rapunzel, I’m sorry.” she closed her eyes. “But you and I? We weren’t meant to have the same destiny. And right now, I’m fulfilling mine.” as she clutched the opal to her chest, she regretted everything immediately. Pain racked her body, and she knew there was no going back now. As her body transformed, so did her heart. And when everything was clear again, and when she looked the princess in the eyes, the love was no longer there. Instead, she feasted off the emotions displayed in those green eyes. Confusion, hurt, betrayal.

“Remember Rapunzel.” Cassandra clenched her fists and approached. “Be careful who you trust.”