#while its a Little saf its for the best

[steampunkedparm]

im not one of the visual art kids anymore. which! huh! not a bad change or a good change! just. is?

i dunno its like. i was known as this one thing for so long. and it's still something i do and love doing but its not. me anymore? its no longer "oh can i see your sketchbook" its them hoping i dont bring up my latest theatre tech adventure. and its weird??

i dont carry a sketchbook with me anymore. i barely touch my drawing tablet sometimes. i dont run out of graphite as fast or ask for a new sketchbook every month or so. and its weird!! i guess?? im tried and thinking about this too much lol but like. instead of pencils im given old radioactive lighting equipment and its.

when did that shift happen? (the lighting equipment is really cool though!!) identity crisis moment i guess? is this considered a midlife crisis? i need to go to bed and i kinda miss being one of the art kids

[dr-docktor]

Ok I have an outline for a swap au/curt falls au

I've had this SaF au rotating in my head for a hot minute and I got some details down and I want to write it all down somewhere so here! Fair warning: it’s pretty underdeveloped but as I get suggestions and stuff I hope to develop it more:-)

Quick thanks to @randeeznuts for letting me yell at him about this in Discord <3

Its a Curt Falls au where, of course, Curt is the one to fall instead of Owen. It's still Curt's banana peel, however.

After the incident, Owen retires. Mourning the fact that he and Curt never got to run off together. Instead he picks up what little he has left of that fantasy and tries to pull it together.

A tiny cottage on a lake, a hairless cat named Penelope, a vegetable garden... You get the idea.

And all things considered, he could be doing so much worse. Penelope is spoiled rotten and the vegetable garden looks gorgeous no matter the time of year. Ignore the thousands of abandoned hobbies scattered across the coffee table and carpet. Ignore how he hasn't cut his hair since he chopped most of it off in some grief-driven rage 3 years ago. Ignore how his back porch reeks of cigarettes as his smoking habit has gotten so much worse. Ignore the fact that all he can think about some days is how efficient the little pronged rake in his hand is just as efficient at tearing up weeds as it is tearing through flesh.

Admittedly, I'm not 1000% sure how or why he decides to go back into the field for this one mission. My best guess is Cynthia finds his ass and is like "Hey bestie, I need a huge favor." I will expand on that later, I swear.

I imagine the main plot points of the show continue. You got Tatiana, the casino, etc. etc. etc. (once again I will expand on specific changes later) I also imagine most of the comedy with Owen comes from him being the sort of straight-man (haha) in most situations.

Being able to bounce off of whatever insane event is happening around him with utter seriousness and sarcasm. Because he just wants to get through this and get back to his cat. (the cat-sitter doesn't even know her favorite food! Much less her routine oh how will she live happily???).

He also never clarifies to anyone if Penelope is an animal or human so people are just consistently arguing about if he's talking about a child or a cat. Tatiana and DMA keep interrupting BVN's speech to debate this. Tatiana claims that its clearly a child, that Owen's eyebags and stubble indicate a stressed-out single father while DMA firmly thinks she is a cat for reasons he will not explain.

SPEAKING OF DMA :-) I think the guy needs no further introduction. There's still a lot of gaps in development, specifically centered on why Curt would ever join Chimera. I very firmly believe that they didn't torture Owen. But given how loyal and stubborn Curt is, I don't think they'd be exactly gentle while trying to persuade him. This might change later on, who knows.

Curt's version of the DMA is so interesting to me because I think he'd be a lot more reactive than the Owen DMA if that makes sense? Like very quick to explode with anger. Like he acts all smug while insisting Penelope is, in fact, a cat and not a human child. But as soon as he's asked why he thinks this, he fires back with a "Because I can just tell, okay?!?!??!" and then awkwardly trying to redirect the conversation.

I also think Curt's DMA accent would be along the lines of New Jersey or Boston. Mainly because it's an accent he can mimic SUPER well (thanks Ms Mega!). I've always had the headcanon that Curt is really good with languages and accents which sort of contributes to this.

In terms of physical appearance I don't imagine this DMA to look like Joe Walker. But I don't really have a solid grasp on what he does look like. However, I really like the idea of him wearing these black goggles on his head that he finally puts over his eyes during the torture tango.

Just imagine the light of electricity getting reflected in these bad boys during the torture tango. While Curt's got this massive grin that, in any other context, would come off as friendly and dorky (if not a little bit smug). Scary!

Also, because it's Curt, I imagine he fidgets a lot. Maybe in the background of scenes where he's not doing things he'd be practicing tricks with a butterfly knife or cracking his joints.

Ok back to plot stuff.

I like to think Owen figures out the identity of the DMA at some point shortly before the reveal. There's a clear moment where the clues click together (Like those jigsaw puzzles sitting abandoned on his coffee table). But Owen sort of shrugs it off just out of sheer denial. He knows its true, but it's not until the reveal where he's forced to confront it.

I know realistically this would end in only one of them walking out of the staircase scene alive (I couldn't even tell you which one). But my heart really wants for there to be a happy ending. Like most of this, I'll figure it out eventually.

[ryoko-akari]

I wrote this as a drabble a few nights ago and the SaF discord server coaxed me to post it here so a little scene of my headcanon about how Chimera lovebombed Owen early on.

Owen had lost track of the time that had passed, countless surgeries followed by half-concious recoveries certainly had that affect on people, and he was no exception. *Especially not in the sorry state he was in.* But he'd been rescued from that hellhole of a holding cell the Soviets had held him in a while ago now if the steadily diminishing number of bandages on his body was any indication. Regardless though, the pain persisted. A throbbing pain that had settled deep within his bones and pulsed through him in irregular beats. Some days were certainly worse than others, and he was grateful for the lighter days.

*Today however, was not one of those days.* He hadn't even made an attempt to cover up the groan that slipped its way out as he slowly woke back up from another dreamless slumber. Gentle beeping and whirring of machines surrounding him doing nothing to soothe the throbbing deep in his skull, nor the way it pounded through his cracked ribs and thundered through his splintered spine and shattered thighs. The pain echoed through every bone in his body, but those points made their protests louder than anything he'd known prior to his fall.

"Agent Carvour? Everything alright in here?" *Oh right, the nurse.* Owen groaned again, and they rushed through the door into the odd little room he'd been kept in. "Oh dear, another bad day is it?" Owen tried to nod, he really did, but all it did was amplify the drumming in his head and he winced with a loud hiss. "I know you've been adamant about it, but if its bothering you so much let us help you."

*There's the angle.* *"No."* Owen knew how it'd go, it was well researched in his field. The way medications, especially the stronger pain medications they wanted to administer, would make anyone loose lipped faster than a torrential downpour. No, he’d kept his mouth sealed for this long, he was *not* going to risk losing control now. He still didn’t know why this, *Chimera* group had decided he was worth risking a rescue for, what they could possibly be after that he was important enough to pour countless resources into mending his every injury and wound without a single corner cut. There was too much at stake to risk giving them anything until he knew more, and his damned migraine was not helping matters in the slightest.

“I understand your apprehension.” They said it so plainly, so calmly, Owen almost missed it. But they continued regardless if he did or not. “But you’re safe here.” They smiled, Owen more so heard it than saw it, his vision still blurred behind a wall of pain, too much to process anything he saw anyways. “We can make a deal, you don't have to talk, just let me give you something, not a full dose but *something* to help tide you over. You can ask all the questions if you’d like. I will answer whatever you ask to the best of my ability and with every bit of truth I know. I swear it.”

Owen kept his expression neutral, and by neutral that meant knitting his brow in pain as he considered this. There must have been a trap. Some kind of loophole he was too delirious to find that they could exploit, throwing him further into a spiral of muddled thoughts until he was nothing more than slop they could squeeze for whatever they wanted. The Soviets had tried and failed to do it by making his injuries so much worse, barely keeping him on the living side of death's knife-thin edge. Now they would try to do it with substances he had no chance of fighting off in his current stage.

They sighed, not out of frustration, not out of annoyance, not out of confusion, and not out of impatience. They sighed out of *pity,* a remorseful tone that he hadn’t an idea where it’d come from. “So talking scares you huh? Smart, but there's no need for that fear.” Owen stayed absolutely still, waiting to see what they would do. “How about a different deal then, we’ve got a library of all kinds of literary works, pick a title, any title you can think of, and I’ll get it. Let me give you something to take the edge off your agony and I’ll read it to you, no conversation. I’ll even promise to stop you if you try to interrupt with anything.”

*“‘m not a child.”* He mumbled, his own scratchy voice grating on his ears the more he used it.

“You aren’t. I’m simply offering because trying to read anything on your own is only going to make that migraine of yours worse. I’d not even offer at all if it wasn’t important to ensure you don't have an adverse reaction to the first few doses. Don’t need you developing an allergic reaction and making things worse on yourself, after all.”

Owen stayed silent, considering their offer. It wasn’t a terrible option, it scared him to no end but, the ache in his body had grown stronger by the minute, and from their previous encounters this nurse hadn’t given him reason to believe they’d lie to him about his treatments. It unnerved him, sure, but they’d always been truthful with their statements, and kept to the promises they’d made as far as he could tell. It certainly couldn’t *hurt* to give this option a shot (if he was in a better state of mine he might have chuckled at that prospect), and it might bring him that much closer to being able to function as his own person again.

“Alright, um-” He paused, suddenly sheepish at the way his memory evaded him faster than fog at the first sign of morning light, “I seem to have forgotten your name. I’m sorry-”

“Angel.” They smiled, and Owen could just barely focus on the glint of their teeth in his circus mirror vision. “You can call me Angel, everyone does. Now, what would you like to read?”

[lizard-shifter-noms]

Still Subject to Change Chapter 30 (NEW)

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Hello everyone! i decided to repost arc 1 of SSTC

(the chapters were way too long and had a bunch of typos but hopefully this will make reading easier)

this Story contains Vore, Dont like dont read.

if there are still any grammatical errors i’m sorry.

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“If you ever feel like stuff gets too much you can come to me and I’ll try my best to make time and help you, Does that sound good to you?”

He was silent for a bit and I worried if he even heard me but before I could repeat he finally spoke.

“That- you don’t have to do that, i can- i can deal with this myself”

He was clearly apprehensive about the offer and trying to disappear in one of the folds of my pouch.

“Well yeah, I guess so, but you don’t Have to deal with this alone.

Look, I’ve lived a majority of my life alone and I can tell you that needing help isn’t a bad thing, hell I would have loved to have had help sometimes.

I know what it’s like dealing with stuff alone and I think it sucks, Nobody should have to be alone when they need help.

Besides, I’m just offering you that if you do need help you can come to me and I’ll do my best to help and make time for you.

And now that we are at the castle i doubt i’ll have much to do anyway”

I patiently waited for his response, he didn’t HAVE to answer now though, He could take as much time as he needed.

And for whatever Reason, which I was going to blame the Ardua Bracelet on, being able to protect him like this felt right.

While he was there nothing could get to him unless it got through me first, literally.

And there was no way a spider could sneak in, so he didn’t have to worry about his phobia either.

He could just, relax and let someone else do everything, maybe that’s exactly what he had needed.

“Donovan? I don’t think i have enough brainpower to think about that today, Is it okay if I answer some other time?”

“Of course, take as much time as you need, i’m not going anywhere, at least not without you”

Adding a bit of humor at the end wouldn’t hurt right?

Besides he wasn’t feeling the best right now so maybe it would cheer him up a little bit at least.

He just snuggled deeper into my pouch and i had to keep from emitting a pleased hum, man, fuck those Ardua instincts.

This was NOT about me right now!

This was to help Robin, nothing else.

I carefully positioned myself so that my Pouch was shielded from all sides by my limbs and only my back and head were exposed to the night air.

This pose did have a lot of similarities to the loaf form I had taken earlier that day.

Now nothing could get to him, not even near him without me knowing.

Though, my self control really was being tested today wasn’t it?

For whatever godforsaken reason Robin had started rubbing the inside of my pouch, likely spaced out again even if I couldn’t see him.

The sensation practically made me melt like warm butter and I had to really fight to keep from letting out a delighted hum.

I did not want to startle him with a random sound, not when he finally wasn’t trembling anymore.

Instead I just froze on the spot, not moving aside from my tail swinging from side to side.

Then he started to knead into the walls even more.

************************************************************************

Robin had been right, this was helping.

He was just lying in a soft and dim room where the only noises he could hear, aside from Donovan speaking,

were the rhythmic whooshing of the lungs that somehow reminded him of a distant breeze through trees and the steadily thumping Heart that sent blood to every part of the Arduas body.

It was strangely soothing to be surrounded by something alive that had promised to never hurt him and listen to the muted sounds his body made just by being alive.

He briefly wondered why he had two hearts if only one was doing its job already so well, but he was a hybrid so things probably didn’t have to make sense.

And for some reason he actually felt safe in here, logically he shouldn’t, He knew that, but he also knew Donovan wouldn’t hurt him.

He’d promised that back when they were still in the forest, and he doubted he’d break that promise.

He was half Fae, and Fae was bound to their promises.

Somehow he didn’t think that the Fae thing was what made him keep this promise.

And after his… outburst, his energy was sapped, The soft and warm walls didn’t help that either.

He was more comfortable than he’d been in, well, ever, and the texture of the walls was like silk, if silk was even smoother and slightly damp.

Not that he minded that, at all.

And it was so, so soft.

Robin couldn’t help leaning into them and rubbing his hands over the surroundings just to feel how his fingers went over the smooth walls.

The texture really was like the smoothest silk had ever touched, if not better, so he steadily moved his hands over it from left to right, As well as up and down.

That got a reaction, the walls around him twitched in surprise for a second.

Robin huffed and rubbed at the wall again, causing the room around him to rumble and a new sound to surround him.

Donovan was purring… That was kind of adorable.

Encouraged by that nice sound that made his bones thrum, Robin pressed his hand to the wall and started rubbing in a circular motion, now with both hands, turning Donovan’s stilted vocalization into a steady purr.

Should he mention it?

They were all new to this, maybe it was something he wanted to know?

Besides, the sound was relaxing and made his bones buzz slightly.

He liked the sound, Donovan really was like a big cat in his Ardua form.

He decided to mention it and tell him that he liked the sound.

“You are purring”

************************************************************************

“You are purring”

What? What did the little ginger mean? I wasn’t a cat, I couldn’t purr, What was he talking about?

“No im not”

But even as i said this i became aware of the fact that there was a sound that DID sound a lot like purring, and the sound was coming from me.

“Yes you are,you’re doing it right now!”

He yawned as he said this and resumed kneading his tiny hands into the walls.

Damnit.

I really should ask Oakley if I could take a look at the book he mentioned.

“Go sleep already, i can tell you’re tired, and you just had kind of a bad time you should rest”

He yawned again and snuggled into one of the walls of my pouch.

“Hmmkay, i do like the purring though, its relaxing”

He did? Well, since there was no one else around I guessed I could just continue?

If the sound was calming for him maybe it’d help?

While I doubted that he was still shaken from his earlier panic, having some soothing background noise would probably be nice for him.

And I had to admit that this was actually pretty comfortable, somehow.

I was still lying on a rock outside at night while I had a living breathing human person IN my pouch.

Though while he was sleepily snuggled up in one of the folds of my pouch he was still absent mindedly running his hands over the flesh there.

Yeah, continuing to purr was not a problem like this.

Though he went slower and slower, likely falling asleep.

And somehow this was relaxing enough that I also got tired.

Well, it had been a long day, a weird one too, Now it was time for some peace and quiet, Fuck knew both of us needed that after the weird weeks we had.

I yawned and then felt Robin roll over, sleepily mumbling something and then curling up.

While I was kind of disappointed that the internal massage stopped, I was glad that he finally fell asleep, It was late and I knew he was not a morning person.

My own eyelids growing heavy, I let my head dip down to rest on the ground,

using one of my paws as a pillow and falling asleep content with the knowledge that my Friend was safe, even from his own fears.

At some point during the night I was briefly awoken by a rustling sound.

What now? I was tired, whoever this was could pester me with their bullshit tomorrow!

Still, I should probably make sure that this wasn’t a threat.

Looking over to where the sound came from I could see another silhouette stumbling over some bushes.

Oh, wait, in the dim moonlight I could actually see who it was after my eyes had adjusted.

It was Arthur, and he was stumbling his way over to me.

Man his eyes must have not adapted to the dark with how he kept bumping into things, then again it might be possible that Ardua just had better night vision.

Then he walked past me towards the cliff.

Oh fuck no.

I stood up as fast as I could while still being mindful of my worn out passenger.

I managed to snag the back of his shirt with a claw before he just walked off of the cliff.

What the fuck was wrong with him?

Then I noticed it.

His face was flushed pink, like a lot so, he must have had a few too many alcoholic beverages.

Goddamnit, I knew what I was doing when I avoided anything alcoholic.

And it was a good thing that i had been out here and woken up when i heard him.

He could be dead by now, impaled by one of the spikes or drowned in the ocean far below.

That was a very frightening thought, one I did not dare entertain further.

But fucking hell, how much did he have intus?

Well, i’d say not my problem but apparently it was now since it was clear he did not know what he was doing.

I’d better make sure he would not run off again, or worse, and potentially kill himself.

I used a claw to hook his shirt and drag him back to the spot I had been in before but he wiggled out of it with some slurred speech that I had no hope of understanding.

Well, the hard way it was then, I grabbed the back of his shirt with my teeth and dragged him like that.

I did not plan on swallowing him though, he’d only disturb Robin and that was the last thing I wanted.

Speaking of the ginger, I could feel him sleepily shifting and hoped he wouldn’t wake up.

Also he was drunk as fuck, that could be actually dangerous, for both of us as he could injure someone.

Also I doubted he’d appreciate that.

So I carried him by the scruff like a kitten and went back to settling where I was before.

I carefully set him down between my arms and made sure he could not escape, but instead of trying to get out and leave he just settled in the crook of my arm which I had previously used as a pillow.

He was just lying there but before I could ask him anything he shoved a hand against the side of my head and slurred out something barely coherent.

“No, shut up”

Well, i didn’t mind him there, but if he puked on me or disturbed Robin somehow i would put him in a tree.

But I did hope that this was it for nightly disturbances, I needed sleep too.

Settling my head on my arm again I made sure that Arthur couldn’t just get up and wander off.

I did not want him falling of the cliff in his intoxicated state, that would be horrible.

And he kind of already tried to do that sooo, this was for the better.

Checking one last time that he wouldn’t wander off and that Robin was still comfortable in my pouch I rested my head and finally went back to sleep.

And if someone else decided they would wake me in the middle of the night I would chuck them through a castle window.

Luckily I was not disturbed again and could just sleep through the night and into the morning where I got woken by a very confused Arthur who did not remember how he got there.

Yeah, this was gonna be fun.

And now I actually had friends.

Friends that did not mind me being a weird shape shifting Fae Bastard.

Though the fact that I could eat people was probably not something we would talk about, aside from Robin maybe.

But the little rusthead did end up taking my offer of helping when he had a bad brain day.

From this point onward things could only get better, and as soon as Rikaad found that stupid paperwork I could also go to the city and explore without being immediately executed.

I’d wait for a few weeks though, just to be sure that everyone got the memo.

But it was nice to finally know that things would get better, and not just for me, with Rikaad as king it would get better for everyone.

Yeah, I was looking forward to that future.

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It had been a week now since we had started living at the castle, and the protruding rock on the cliffside had quickly become one of my favorite places.

It was a nice sunspot too, as confirmed by a cat that had showed up sometime and then refused to leave.

I liked the cat, it somehow had no fear of me and even tried to groom my fur.

At some point I even followed it for an entire day as lots of people had said I looked cat like I thought I’d go and see what an actual cat did all day, That had been fun, and now I had a feline friend that sometimes showed up and tried to clean my fur.

While i had spent time with the cat Rikaad had found the papers that dictated how much taxes had to be paid by the citizens.

He was righteously angry at finding out that the wealthy people only had to pay two percent taxes while the poorer people had to pay up to ten or even more.

He immediately put it at five percent for everyone as he thought that rich people should not have to pay less than poor people who sometimes couldn’t even afford to eat, In the end he made it so that everyone had to pay the same percentage.

In his words everyone was worth the same, and that poorer people had to pay for everything while the rich just kept getting richer was not fair.

Of course some of the rich fucks complained while the rest of the citizens cheered.

He then told the rich fucks that complained that they could leave if they wanted, but they had to leave their stuff behind and were not allowed to take what was considered ‘kingdom property’ whatever the fuck that meant.

Sometime after that the funeral for the old king was held, almost nobody attended and i had stayed behind with Robin while Rikaad and Arthur went even if they didn’t really want to.

To be completely honest I really hadn’t wanted to see the corpse of the old git that was majorly responsible for a lot of Misery, and not just my own at that.

Instead I had Worked to renovate the shed for my Ardua form with Robin, that had been fun.

Another day I had helped Barsen out in the garden. 

He had asked for help in uprooting a tree that had rotted from inside out and was a safety hazard as it was near a frequently used pathway and could fall on someone.

I had ended up dragging the thing that was longer than I was tall to one of the walls where it was out of the way, maybe they’d use it as firewood sometime.

And best of all was that now that it was warm again all the flowers had come back in full bloom.

I could only applaud Barsen as the Garden looked absolutely stunning with all the colors.

And Robin made flower crowns with whatever he was allowed to pluck, which meant he befriended Barsen on the basis of talking about plants.

Barsen had even complimented Robin’s name as apparently he was named after his favorite bird which I found a funny coincidence.

While there were a lot of flowers in the garden, not a lot of them were blue simply due to the fact the old king had not liked the color, maybe because it reminded him of Maringand.

But there was one place where i had seen a speck of blue petals, Which led to where I was now.

Standing in front of the cliff near the rock and looking at the spike with the tree on it.

I could see something blue right next to it and I wanted to get it.

Not for me of course, but I wanted to get them for Robin so he could make a blue flower crown.

He said he wanted to, so I’d try and make it possible.

“Mrow?”

At the sound I looked to my right where a cream colored cat with rusty ‘boots’ and tail sat, She was looking as disapproving as a cat could.

“Don’t look at me like that, i know this is a bad idea, but i want to do something nice for my friend”

She just blinked and then walked away, clearly signifying ‘not my problem’.

Eh, whatever, it would be fine, I had practiced jumping just for this and I wanted to get to the flowers before they wilted.

I didn’t even know what kind they were so it was possible that they wouldn’t bloom for long.

Taking a few more steps back until I felt a tree behind me, I made myself ready to sprint like I had learned from the cat.

We should find her a name sometime.

Before I could start to sprint though I was interrupted by a now familiar voice.

“What are you planning to do?”

I looked over to Barsen and saw him standing there with a broken wheelbarrow on his shoulder, he really should get that replaced.

“You already know that anyway, ’m trying to get to the spike with the tree and get those blue plants”

“if you are sure you can jump that far, just make sure to be careful, and bring me a few with roots while you’re at it, i might be able to plant them somewhere safer”

I nodded at him and he carried on with whatever he was doing, hopefully finally bringing that wheelbarrow to get repaired as he had it like that since i’ve known him.

Making sure there was nothing in the way, I readied my muscles and pelted over the ground towards the abyss that was the end of the cliff and jumped at the last moment, feeling the edge crumble under me, and near flying through the air towards the spike with the tree.

I landed perfectly with all four legs on the little island right next to the tree.

The flat top of the spike itself was shaped like a malformed and bent teardrop with the tree in the larger part of it.

But now that I was finally here I could see all the blue flowers, They were bluebells, pretty big ones too.

Robin would love these, so I shifted back into my human form and plucked as many as I could, half of them with the roots still attached like Barsen had requested.

I still left a sizable patch of them so they could regrow next year.

Gathering the flowers in a bundle I went a few steps away to shift back into Ardua form.

As soon as I did that i encountered a problem though, I had brought nothing to carry the flowers, maybe the cat had been right about looking at me like that.

Well, maybe I could carry them in my mouth?

I’ve carried stuff like that before and as long as I was careful not to squish them it should be fine, right?

Welp, only one way to find out, so i put them in my mouth and went to the edge of the spike opposite from the cliff face to get as much runway as i could.

Making sure that I wouldn’t squish the flowers I ran across the limited space and jumped back to the cliff.

Landing with my forelegs on the cliff I tried to heave myself up before the rest of my body followed and failed as my hind legs tried to find purchase on nothing and almost fell down till I could put my claws into the wall of the cliff and hold on like that.

Well, that was really fucking close.

Climbing up the little distance I had slid down I was back onto solid ground.

Only to have the cat stare at me.

I just looked at her with an annoyed expression and walked past her, making sure not to step on her, she really was tiny compared to me so i had no idea why she wasn’t afraid of me.

Well, at least I didn’t have to worry about spooking her on accident with my size as long as I was careful.

Now to bring these plants where they belonged, carefully getting them out of my mouth I shrank back into human form,

sorting the flowers by which ones had roots or not.

Finding Robin was easy, There weren’t many spots he hung out and I knew for a fact that he was currently at Oakleys tower planting some herbs that he found out the winged man liked.

No idea how he managed to though.

Oakley himself wasn’t there at the moment as he was busy sorting through his old stuff in the run down hut he lived in before, throwing everything he didn’t need away and bringing the useful stuff here.

Yep, there he was, making a little space for Oakleys plants and pouring new dirt in a neatly stone enclosed patch.

“Robin! Hey! Looks good, i bet Oakley is gonna love it”

He turned his head to me and I could see a very big grin on his slightly smudged face, he probably scratched his nose with his dirt stained fingers.

“You think so? Oh wait, where did you get those?”

He had jumped up as soon as he saw the bluebells I was carrying and I held a bundle upside down in his direction which he gladly took only to sit down and immediately weave them into crowns.

Yep, as expected, and judging by the wide smile on his face he was very happy about finally having some blue ones to work with.

“Where did you find those? Did you go out and search for them?”

Of course, he HAD to ask, and now i had to tell him that i jumped over the cliff to that spike.

I couldn’t lie after all, but maybe I could omit a few things.

“I got them from that spike with the tree, but don’t worry i practiced jumping and as you can see im fine”

I would not tell him that I almost slid off when jumping back.

“If you are sure, but you don’t have to do something so dangerous for me!”

“Eh Barsen wanted some too, with roots of course, see?”

I held up the bundle that had the roots still attached.

“Oh, that’s nice, but maybe you should bring them to him before they dry out and wilt?”

Looking at the flowers he was probably right, some of them had bent a little too much while I had transported them and I had no idea which ones were good to replant and which ones weren’t.

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[wickedsrest-rp]

Name: Safiya Zidan Species: Spellcaster Occupation: Owner of Over the Garden Wall Age: 39 Years Old Played By: Fish Face Claim: May Calamawy

"Listen to the sound of the water, let it take you away. You’re safe here."

TW: Parental death

Sometimes the story of your life isn’t the one you’ve been told. Take Safiya for example. Safiya grew up in Florida with her four siblings. Samir, practically her twin, was her best friend and eternal playmate. Samir was older than her, just by nine months, basically her twin in all ways that mattered. Together they ruled over their three little siblings. Safiya was a prodigy child. She always had her nose in a book, and she was always learning. The only time she wasn’t head first in her pursuit of knowledge was when she was spending time with the family. For Safiya, it was always family first.

That was until she was fifteen. Safiya hadn’t wanted to go to the store, but their father said they had to. Safiya remembers very little about that day. She remembers being angry, Samir’s hand grasping hers tightly. She remembers anger at her dad because of a joke he made at her expense when she was already so angry. The EMTs said it was a heart attack, but something had unlocked in Saf that day. A dam had opened, and Saf was left with knowledge she did not want to admit. Those little accidents that happened around her were not accidents. There was something different about her.

There are times when a death in the family brings the family closer together. They hold each other tighter out of fear of losing another one of their loved ones. That didn’t happen for Safiya. Within the year, her mother had admitted she wasn’t even one of their biological children. The story came out in fits of angry yelling from a woman inconsolable over her husband's death. Safiya, in her thirties, would finally track down the full story. Safiya was born to Ahmed and Aya. Ahmed had been childhood best friends with the man she’d thought was her father, Tarik. Ahmed and Aya had been part of a coven full of powerful elemental witches and wizards in Florida. A few months after her birth, while Safiya had been at a playdate with Samir, the coven had been wiped from existence. All of her biological family going with it. With nowhere else to go, and because Tarik and Ahmed had always been like brothers, the Zidan family took her in. 

Dina, the matriarch of the Zidan family, had decided the admittance of Safiya into their family had been the start of all their problems, and ultimately the death of Tarik. Safiya feared Dina was right because she didn’t even know about the feeling in Safiya’s bones on the day of Tarik’s death. 

At eighteen, Safiya purchased a one-way ticket to Colorado. She’d spent the two years after Tarik’s death looking for other magic users on the internet. She was determined to meet anyone who could help her. That started the road trip of her life. The man she met in Colorado hadn’t known real magic, he was just trying to impress women on the internet. Then there had been the woman suffering from illusions of grandeur in Wyoming, then the couple who wanted to start a cult in Minnesota. Safiya was devastated. She’d left the only family she’d known, she’d taken trip after trip, worked shitty job after shitty job, and she wasn’t getting anywhere. That was until she was twenty-five and she met Maude Meaven. 

Maude was a real witch. Old and tired, she was ready to pass on her life’s work to someone new. It was by coincidence that they found each other, but old Maude would say that was just magic working in its wild ways. Maude was a water elemental witch living and working in Wicked’s Rest. She believed that magic should be used to help everyone, even those that didn’t know it existed. Because of that belief, she ran a healing hot spring. All guests were welcome to come and rest their weary bones in her healing waters. Healing waters being a misnomer, because true healing requires sacrifice, but Safiya can offer pain management, and sometimes that's all people need to give them hope. A secret shop was also set up on the land, where people who found their way there, could purchase potions, tonics, spells, and workings.

Maude was the perfect teacher. Kindness was a wave that swept around her and encompassed Safiya, giving her a safe place to learn and grow. Under Maude’s tutelage, Safiya became a master at water and potions in her own right. When Maude finally passed away, peacefully and in her bed, of old age, everything was left to Safya. Safiya became the owner of Over the Garden Wall, and the woman’s estate that was the garden over the wall.

Some people get older. They decide that family life is for them. They decide to settle down. But Safiya had always forgone her family from the moment she walked out of the Zidan household at the age of eighteen. The idea of making a new one, or reconnecting never crossed her mind. Her life was dedicated to helping people. There could be no greater privilege in life than to dedicate her life to the service of others.

Safiya would have been happy to forget her family and move on from her past. That was until she saw someone in town. Someone she hadn’t seen for nearly twenty-two years. Her brother. An old family wound ripped open in the new life that she loves so much. Times change unexpectedly. 

Character Facts:

Personality: Caring, resourceful, meticulous, nurturing, fussy, nervous, vain, timid

Safiya is the owner of Over the Garden Wall, a healing spring surrounded by a large garden. There is a magic shop hidden away at the back of the grounds, where people who wander in, may be surprised to find potions, talismans, and tonics that may help them. 

Safiya is very interested in keeping the peace. She goes out of her way to not argue, even if she knows someone is wrong. She wouldn’t lift a finger to defend herself, because she wouldn’t want to hurt anyone. 

Safiya is a community pillar in Wicked’s Rest. She is known for her bountiful charity work, always having a kind word for everyone she meets, and most of her profits are moved right back into the community with philanthropy. 

Safiya has a Lullabird familiar that is known to relax clientele of the hot spring and help chase away their fears and anxiety. 

Safiya has a photographic memory and she speaks six languages. It helps her study magic. 

Safiya collects first-edition and rare books. You never know what kind of spells you can find worked into old books. Plus, she does have a love for reading. 

Safiya claims to be a healer, but actually she’s really a magical pain management specialist. True works of major healing are works of major magic that she doesn’t have the ability for, or the want to do. They require great sacrifice at other creature’s cost. Safiya offers pain soothing, to make the natural healing process easier.

[cheeseybeans8]

The Human and the Raurgar Chapter 1

Frightful Encounter  

It was a perfect day for a walk in Siliniez Forest. The sky was clear and bright, birds were chirping in the branches high above and leaves danced in the gentle breeze. Everything was so wonderful, so peaceful.

A warm smile graced Hector’s face as he patted a nearby tree’s rough bark. He loved it here. To him, it was a quiet, calming place where he could disconnect his mind and relax. But other people weren’t so fond. While most were realistically afraid of getting lost or happening across something dangerous, others stayed away because it apparently had a foreboding atmosphere, often likening it to those spooky woodlands from grim fairytales or horror stories. Although he didn’t believe this place was sinister, he did agree that it was best not to wander too much.

For the next hour, he went on with his leisurely stroll, pausing every so often to examine any interesting plants or fungi. After taking a slight deviation to get past a branchless fallen tree, he stopped to check the time on his phone. It was quarter to twelve, a bit early for lunch, but he was starting to feel hungry and there was a vacant clearing just up ahead for him to sit in. Slipping the device back into his pocket, he headed towards his chosen location.

Crossing the treeline, he was about to sling off his backpack and retrieve his lunch, when he unexpectedly slammed into something. Yelping in shock and pain, he stumbled back, only just managing to regain his footing. He grumbled under his breath as he rubbed his sore face. He thought this clearing was supposed to be empty, what could he have possibly crashed into?! Thoroughly annoyed, he turned a scowl towards what had obstructed him. His expression melted into a look of surprise.

There, resting in the centre of the clearing, was an absolutely colossal boulder, its surface covered in a strange, lush moss. He swept his gaze over it, arching a brow as he did. That’s odd, he’d passed this area several times before and never noticed this. Did he not pay enough attention in the past to see it or had he mistaken this clearing for different one? After a little more contemplation, he just shrugged. Whatever the reason, it wasn’t something worth worrying about.

Unfortunately, thanks to boulder’s size, there wasn’t a lot of room for him to sit down and its awkward shape meant he couldn’t use it as a perch. As he debated what to do, his eyes were drawn back to the moss. He grinned. It looked so soft, he just had to touch it.

After checking there weren’t any insects crawling on it, he extended a hand and brushed his fingers across it. He couldn’t help but chuckle. It wasn’t just soft, it was also pleasantly fuzzy… and warm.

He frowned. Why was it so warm? Sure, it was a lovely sunny day, but the moss certainly shouldn’t have been this temperature.

He continued to ponder, still stroking the moss, when the surface beneath his hand suddenly twitched. He gasped and recoiled as if he’d just been burned. Did the boulder just… move? No, it couldn’t have, he must have imagined it. But then it began to shift again as a low, tired groan vibrated the air.

Hector’s blood turned to ice.

This was not an enormous moss-covered boulder. Whatever it was, it was alive and it was waking up!

For a brief moment, he just stood there, completely paralysed with shock and terror, until something within him screamed to run. Snapping out of his trance, he spun on his heel and darted back into the trees.

Overwhelmed with fear, Hector blindly ran for dear life, haphazardly dodging thick roots and tearing his way through the undergrowth. As his feet pounded against the ground, his mind roiled with questions. What was that?! Where did it come from?! How and when did it get here?! Could he have been visiting the forest with that thing lurking about?!

He furiously shook his head to rid himself of these thoughts. Now was not the time for that! Right now, he only needed to worry about getting to safety! Summoning all the resolve he could muster, he sprinted through the forest as fast as he dared.

Hector didn’t know how long he’d been running, but he didn’t care. All that mattered right now was his survival. He was laser-focused, scanning the area for any sign of the exit or the monster. Unfortunately, his destination was nowhere in sight and his physical exertion was beginning to take its toll. His body burned with agony, he was struggling to breathe and his heart felt like it was going to explode. But he refused to give up. He had to escape!

He became so distracted by his suffering that almost failed to notice the large stone barring his path.

After slamming on the brakes, he whipped around to get his bearings. It seemed that he was in another clearing, one which led to some kind of cave, blocked by the same stone he nearly broke his face on. His stomach dropped. It was a dead end! He had to go back!

He tried to leave, but his pain and fatigue were so intense that he was practically immobilised. If he wasn’t so deprived of energy, he would’ve screamed in frustration. He could hardly move in this condition! Now what was he going to do?!

It took a great deal of effort, but he managed to take a few slow, deep breaths to calm down and clear his mind. As inconvenient as it was, he needed a short rest. Hopefully, with the distance he’d put between himself and the monster, he should be harder to track down or at least have plenty of time to heal before it could find him. Not only that, but given its huge size, stealth should be exceedingly difficult. If he heard or felt anything suspicious, he’d quickly vanish.

Moving gingerly, Hector lowered himself to the ground and stretched out his legs. While he waited for the aching to dissipate, he was on high alert, straining his senses to pick up any hints of the beast’s presence. He couldn’t believe how appalling his luck was. Out of all the places he could have gone in this vast forest, how did he manage to find the one place where there was a sleeping monster?! He should have left the moment he became suspicious about where the “boulder” came from, but in all fairness, he couldn’t be too hard on himself. There was no way he could’ve predicted what it truly was.

Well, at least he could have the morbid satisfaction of knowing he was right about that clearing’s previous vacancy.

A few minutes into his hyper-vigilant recuperation, he found himself studying the barricaded cave. It was a pity there wasn’t a way to gain access to it. With the huge stone obscuring the interior and the entrance possibly being too narrow for the monster, it would’ve been a good place to take shelter. If only there was some kind of opening —

Wait, what was that on the right side of the cave?

He narrowed his eyes, zeroing in on his point of interest. There was a cluster of small rocks piled up between the stone and the cave wall. Upon closer inspection, he realised that they were wedged into a slight gap that led to the depths within. He hummed and tapped his chin. So if he wanted to, he could use this place as a safe haven. Then again, now that the opportunity had presented itself, he really questioned whether or not it was actually wise. He had no idea what was in there, for all he knew, it could be filled with potential hazards. Plus, even if it was relatively harmless, the monster could trap him inside and without a guaranteed way out, he’d be in serious danger. He couldn’t take that chance. Thankfully, since the monster wasn’t currently threatening him, he wouldn’t be tempted to risk it.

Having rested an adequate amount of time, he slowly rose back to his feet, his soreness now mostly gone. He took a deep breath, steeling himself. Now he had to resume his escape from the forest, while also evading the monster. He was not looking forward to this.

He was about to begin his daunting trek, when an unpleasant sensation suddenly crawled across his skin. He was being watched. The colour drained from his face. It was the monster! No wait, it couldn’t be, he would’ve been able to detect its approach. It was probably just some ordinary forest critter. Oh please let it be an ordinary forest critter.

Swallowing nervously, he turned around, but much to his surprise, nothing was there. He looked everywhere, yet still couldn’t find anything. But that awful feeling wouldn’t go away. He wasn’t alone, he just knew it.

Then he spied movement just at the edge of his vision. Immediately, he snapped his gaze towards the source, but he only managed to catch a brief glimpse of something before it disappeared. Something covered with… grey skin… and… moss…

Hector’s heart nearly stopped.

No… the monster… it was here… but he should have noticed it… how did it manage to evade his detection?

He… he needed to get away... he needed to do something… anything…

But before he could think of a solution, before he could move a muscle, before he could take a breath, a bestial vocalisation resonated through the area, freezing him to the core. Transfixed, he watched in absolute horror as a gigantic hand gripped the side of the tree in front of him and the monster he’d been trying so desperately to avoid emerged from its hiding place.

It took every last ounce of his willpower to keep himself from passing out.

What stepped into view looked like a hulking, grey-skinned woman, with wild green hair reaching its collarbone and that moss-like substance growing on its back, shoulders, chest, stomach and thighs. Flesh-rending claws tipped its digits and its eyes were bright orange, like a blazing fire. But by far, its scariest trait was its sheer immensity. He knew it was going to be big, but seeing it in its entirety was a completely different matter. It was gargantuan, so much so that its size was comparable to even the largest of whales.

Immeasurable dread flooded his entire being. He was done for. Making it out of this situation alive would be nothing short of a miracle.

—————————————————————————————————— Hector’s peaceful forest trip goes awry when he finds something unexpected and terrifying within the trees.  This story and the raurgar species were inspired by @redcoaster‘s “Attack on Titan” fanfiction, “Rogue”.

Next Chapter: 

[starrypawz]

[ GAZE ]  taller muse is sitting and the shorter one who is standing in front of them takes their face into their hands while they talk. 

AO3 // Tol and Smol prompts Content notes: Hurt/Comfort, Anxiety, Crying and a very minor warning for body horror imagrey

This is Nemo’s room, I’m safe here. 

He knows this. But as he sits on the sofa there’s a part of his brain that will not quiet. That part that provides knife edge judgements that have saved his life more times than he’d could count (or wants to count) it won’t be soothed, a crouched beast gnawing at the bars of a cage. 

I’m safe hare, safe here, safe here, safehere, safeheresafehere saf-

Nemo enters the room and jolts him out of his skipping CD thoughts as they quietly hand him a mug and he takes it with a nod that translates as “thanks”. Tries to use the warmth of the black mug to ground himself but it doesn’t seem to work and his hands shake so much the spoon rattles. 

He manages to steel himself enough to drink. Tries to focus on the warmth and sweetness of the tea and as he feels it trail warmth on its way down into his stomach it seems to help. “Well… at least you didn’t break in this time?” Nemo tries to chuckle but it’s strained. Gerry manages a weak snort, “Break into once and you’ll never hear the end of it,” 

He drinks more tea and wills it to fix all of his problems, and when that doesn’t quite work he closes his eyes and takes a breath. And it seems for the moment the skipping CD thoughts that seem to have stopped. 

This is Nemo’s room, I’m safe here.

He breathes out. 

“I… it’s not great back…” he nearly says the word home but stumbles over it, “There,”

“Oh,” 

There’s a silence between them that can be translated as ‘Understatement of the century’ 

“Yeah…” He pauses, “Shit’s kind of weird,” There’s a snort as he tries to play it off with his down to a science brand of cynical irreverence, “Story of my life right?” And throws in an ironic eyebrow raise for good measure.  

“Gerry,” 

That one soft Gerry cuts deep, right  through flesh and sinew and cracks through his sternum like it’s nothing and leaves him there all exposed marrow and gore. He shakily manages to place the cup of tea down on the floor and in moments Nemo’s familiar, ever chilled palms are on the side of his face. And that weird little icy lump in his chest aches and twinges with familiarity as it brings a strangely morbid comfort.

This is Nemo’s room, I’m safe here. 

I’m with Nemo, I’m safe here. 

Nemo is safe. 

I’m safe… 

Safe even as he sits there, sternum cracked open and he’s all exposed marrow and gore. No wait he’s let his sternum be cracked open so he’s all exposed marrow and gore it’s safe enough to do that here. 

And he blinks.

And blinks again. 

And he sniffs and. 

Oh

Shit

He doesn’t care that he just made a really weird noise somewhere between a snort and a hiccup. He doesn’t care that he’s already feeling his shoulders heave and he’s shaking all over again. He doesn’t care he’s going to be red eyed and more than a little snotty in a few minutes. 

“I… I’ve got you,” Nemo cradles his face in a chilled embrace as he reaches up with a shaking hand to gently grasp Nemo’s wrist as their fingers gently run through his hair, “I’ve got you,” He blinks and sniffs but the tears don’t stop (But his shoulders aren’t heaving as hard now) as Nemo gently presses a kiss to his forehead. “Can… Can you sit in my lap?” Gerry manages, voice shaky and thick, and Nemo does. The slight pressure of their body against his does something  to help ground him as Gerry wraps his still shaking arms around them and rests their chin on the top of Nemo’s forehead as they do their best to hold him. 

[sidshospital]

Endoscopy Unveiled: 6 Common Myths Debunked

If you’ve been told you need an endoscopy, you might feel a bit anxious. It’s natural to have concerns about any medical procedure, especially one that involves examining the inside of your body. However, many of the fears surrounding endoscopy are based on myths and misconceptions. Let’s set the record straight from the experts at SIDS Hospital, one of the best hospitals in Surat, and bust six common myths about endoscopy to help put your mind at ease.

Myth #1: Endoscopy is extremely painful

One of the most common fears about endoscopy is that it’s a painful procedure. In reality, most patients experience little to no pain during an endoscopy. Before the procedure, you’ll typically receive a sedative to help you relax. This sedation ensures that you’re comfortable throughout the process. While you might feel some pressure or mild discomfort, actual pain is rare.

Many patients report that the anticipation of the procedure is often worse than the experience itself. After the endoscopy, you might have a slightly sore throat if the procedure involved examining your upper digestive tract, but this usually subsides quickly. Choosing the best gastro hospital in Surat, such as SIDS Hospital, is advisable since their healthcare professionals are more experienced in performing such procedures.

Myth #2: You’ll be conscious and aware during the entire procedure

Another common misconception is that you’ll be fully conscious and aware during the endoscopy. In most cases, this isn’t true. While endoscopy doesn’t require general anaesthesia, you’ll usually receive what’s called “conscious sedation.” This means you’ll be in a twilight state — relaxed and drowsy, often to the point where you’ll sleep through much of the procedure.

Many patients have no memory of the endoscopy at all. If you’re particularly anxious, talk to your doctor about your sedation options. They can adjust the level of sedation to ensure you’re as comfortable as possible. Talking to other patients who have undergone the best endoscopy in Surat can also give you a general ideal of what to expect.

Myth #3: Endoscopy is only for diagnosing cancer

While it’s true that endoscopy is an important tool for detecting cancer, particularly in the digestive tract, this is far from its only use. Endoscopy is used to diagnose and sometimes treat a wide range of conditions.

For example, endoscopy can help identify the cause of symptoms like chronic heartburn, abdominal pain, or difficulty swallowing. It’s used to diagnose conditions like ulcers, inflammation, and celiac disease. In some cases, doctors can even use endoscopy to remove polyps, stop bleeding, or perform other treatments.

Myth #4: The prep for an endoscopy is worse than the procedure itself

You might have heard stories about the preparation required for an endoscopy, particularly if it’s a colonoscopy. While it’s true that you’ll need to follow some specific instructions before your procedure, it’s usually not as bad as you might fear.

For an upper endoscopy, you’ll typically just need to fast for a few hours before the procedure. For a colonoscopy, you’ll need to clean out your bowels, which involves drinking a special solution and spending some time in the bathroom. While this isn’t anyone’s idea of a fun time, modern prep solutions are much more palatable than they used to be, and there are various options available. Your doctor can help you choose the prep method that will be most comfortable for you.

Myth #5: Endoscopy is dangerous and has many risks

Like any medical procedure, endoscopy or the best laparoscopic surgery in Surat does carry some risk. However, serious complications are extremely rare. The most common side effects are minor and temporary, such as bloating, gas, or a mild sore throat.

More serious complications, such as bleeding or perforation of the digestive tract, occur in less than 1 in 1,000 cases. Your doctor is highly trained to perform the procedure safely and will carefully monitor you throughout. The benefits of endoscopy — early detection and treatment of potentially serious conditions — far outweigh the small risks for most patients.

Myth #6: Recovery from endoscopy takes a long time

Many people worry that they’ll need to take significant time off work or daily activities after an endoscopy. However, the best gastroenterologists in Surat will tell you that recovery from a routine endoscopy is usually quite quick. Most patients can go home the same day as their procedure.

You’ll need someone to drive you home due to the lingering effects of sedation, and you should plan to take it easy for the rest of the day. However, most people can return to their normal activities the following day. Your doctor will give you specific instructions based on your individual case, but extended recovery time is rarely necessary.

Final Words:

While it’s normal to feel some apprehension about having an endoscopy, understanding the truth behind these common myths can help alleviate many of your concerns. Endoscopy is a safe, relatively comfortable, and incredibly valuable diagnostic and therapeutic tool. It has helped countless patients get the answers and treatment they need to improve their health and quality of life.

If you have any remaining concerns about an upcoming endoscopy, don’t hesitate to discuss them with some of the best gastroenterologists in Surat available at SIDS hospital. They can provide you with more detailed information specific to your situation and help ensure you feel as comfortable and prepared as possible for your procedure. Remember, knowledge is power when it comes to your health, and being well-informed is the best way to approach any medical procedure.

[sleephyuns]

Mina sat back, proudly looking at her handy work in front of her. Normally, she’d be up to something different around this time. Something much more… sensual. But her hands were going to be put to a different use today, not leaving enough time to fool around.

She figured she could take a quick break for now, considering she was almost done.

It was her way of saying thanks, even if she didn’t have to. A thank you for talking things out and finally indulging her. For being impossibly sweeter to her recently. For coming home some days after hours of work and bending Mina over the counter and fucking her hard and fast and filling her up and… This baby making business was tough stuff (it wasn’t really).

But it wasn’t too often she’d come home and done that. Work had finally reached its busy peak, which Mina expected, and Momo was coming home later and later. Such would be the case until early spring. They even had to reschedule their date night two Fridays ago.

And now today… just a day shy of Valentine’s day she wasn’t home either. Though she knew it was Momo putting in extra hours and getting work done to ensure she’s only have a half day tomorrow on the actual holiday.

Mina understood. She’d picked an odd time to ask so much of Momo after all. But for some reason, Momo seemed a little put off after that Friday. They’d spent that same Saturday and Sunday together, though Momo was still getting calls and doing minor paperwork here and there.

Mina stayed by her side, knowing Momo appreciated it, but that didn’t bring her fully back to her happy self. Her poor baby.

That’s why she needed to do a little something extra for her. Something she hadn’t done in a while, but she hoped it would mean a lot.

The first homemade gift she’d ever given Momo was a knitted pair of gloves for her birthday, a few months after they’d been dating. The next year she’d given her a scarf to match.

By now, the gloves were well worn (Momo insisted on holding onto them, though) but she still wore her scarf even now.

So she thought to herself, why not make a nice sweater? And now here she was, several days later after that initial thought. She considered it her job at this point, waking up to work on it, making sure every stitch was perfect, then stopping to make dinner before her wife got home. But she loved it.

Surprising Momo with a nice gift, taking a relaxing bath, and then cuddling up with her was all she needed really. It’d be the perfect pre-Valentine’s night. She could imagine the look on her wife’s face when she opened the box. How she’d probably wrap her up in her arms, leave sweet kisses all over her face. And if Momo was up for a little additional “receiving” well… Mina didn’t mind. It’d been a hot minute since she put her mouth to use anyway.

That aside, she was just a few stitches away from finishing. She hoped Momo didn’t mind the lack of patterning, nothing more than a thick stripe of pink at the hem of the otherwise lilac sweater. She managed to finish within the hour, spurred on by her desire to bring some additional happiness to Momo when she got back.

But then an hour passed. Then another. And another. And soon it was close to being an hour before midnight. Good thing she hadn’t decided to greet Momo at the door with any surprises that day. That would’ve been embarrassing.

But putting the hypothetical aside, Mina was worried.

A bit of an understatement, Mina was extremely worried. She’d texted Momo an hour ago and gotten nothing. She should try calling this time before texting again.

But when she called, it went to voicemail. Maybe Momo was driving? Still…

Mina was stressed. So much that she was currently trying her best to hold back tears. And when she could feel that coming on, usually she’d hang around Momo to calm her down. If it ever got really bad, she’d loom closer until Momo realized she wanted to be held (yes, she was very bad at asking).

It wasn’t that bad yet, but being held meant that Momo would be back home and safe in her arms. She left another text again, praying she’d get back to her soon. Or that she’d come home.

Occupying her brain was the only thing she could think to do, so she willed herself to package the sweater into something. Sure, folding it took much longer than she needed. And sure, she walked around for minutes looking for something to put it in despite already having a box picked out and tucked away in their closet.

But she just needed anything to make the time stretch out. It was when she was fussing over what color bow to put on top of the box that she heard the sound of jingling keys.

Her breath stopped. She looked at the clock, 15 minutes before midnight, then looked to the hall once again. When the lock clicked open, she knew it had to be Momo. Suddenly, nothing else mattered. The box was thrown off to the side as she nearly ran from the living room to the front door.

When her wife saw her, clearly frazzled, white box and workbag in each hand, she jumped. Mina would’ve laughed at the little squeal that passed her lips if she wasn’t waiting for an explanation.

But Momo could barely look at her. She seemed sheepish as she kicked off her shoes. Like it was hard for her to even think of what to say.

“Ah… hi,” was the best she could come up with right then.

No kiss? No affectionate name? No asking how her day was? Maybe Momo was changing her mind about things and Mina did have a reason to cry.

“Sorry I’m late I just…” Momo cleared her throat, “I love you Mina. Really I do…,” she bit her lip before looking Mina in the eyes, “and I messed up.”

Before Mina could even let her mind race, Momo stepped forward, opening the white box in her hands to show her what she meant.

The contents inside were all smushed, but she could tell that it was a cake. Or at least was. And by the smell it was one of her favorites. One that was hard to obtain in the first place.

“What’s this?”

Momo blushed. “Well… I felt bad that I had to put off our date night last week. And that I even have to work at all tomorrow. Especially with… you know. Everything we’ve been up to lately. So I drove to that bakery we went to a while ago to get that chocolate lavender cake you like. You know the one that’s next to the pet shop.”

“But Momo, that’s a bit of a drive isn’t it?” Mina brushed some hair out of her face, but really it was an excuse to dry up some tears that nearly fell.

“It is,” Momo nodded surely, “And they almost closed too! I barely made it to get these last slices. Then I was walking back to the car and… you know for such a busy area they really should prep the sidewalks better,” she sighed.

“Um well,” she backed up, finally looking at Mina directly, “What I mean to say is I slipped on some ice walking out of the shop and I fell on it…”

Maybe with the way things had been so deeply stressing for Mina these past few hours, maybe because she so urgently needed to find humor in anything… she laughed. It started out small, but soon she was laughing louder than she intended.

And Momo let her too. She let her laugh her heart out. Like she knew Mina needed it. As if she knew that her laughing would soon turn into stressed, hot tears rolling down her face, even between the choked laughter.

Momo didn’t say a word as she hugged her wife close, stroking her back in a silent apology.

“I thought you were hurt or even something worse…” Mina warbled out. She let herself be pushed away so Momo could wiper her tears.

“I know, I’m sorry. I just got even more upset with myself and didn’t know what to do. I feel like I’ve been such a bad wife these past few weeks,” Momo looked at the crushed cake, pitifully laughing, “and well this certainly didn’t help did it!”

“Momo, momo,” Mina said soothingly, even though she was still crying a bit, “you’re doing so much already! I understand why you need to work so much so don’t stress.”

Mina grabbed her hand, leading her to the living room, letting the air dry the last of her tears. She carefully guided her wife down to the floor, then grabbed the box from Momo’s hands. “Let me get some forks so we can eat.”

Momo’s mouth dropped open. “You still want to eat it now? It’s getting late.”

“Yes. You got it for me, why wouldn’t I be excited to dig in?” She was gone for only a second as she went to get two forks and some napkins, joining Momo on the floor.

“And honestly, I forgot to make dinner for either of us… I was too worried to think of anything else…”

“Mina,” Momo looked upset yet again, “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s alright, I’m just glad you’re home safe,” she said, passing her wife a fork. There was honestly something comforting about being huddled around the box, enjoying the sweet mush of the dessert, both unstressing from the hours before.

It was mostly silence, but Mina didn’t mind. And she doubted Momo did either. It was time spent together, and that was all that mattered.

After a few minutes, though, Mina remembered what she had been doing all day. “Oh! While we’re here, I can give you your present a little early.”

She reached behind her to the box she had flipped over in her earlier haste, presenting it to Momo who watched with wide eyes and food filled cheeks.

“Happy Valentine’s Day my love.”

Momo set her fork on a napkin, then accepted the box with shaky hands, like she wasn’t worthy of being given anything in the moment.

When she opened it, Mina could feel something within her open as well, warmth flowing in her body. Momo ‘s eyes flashed with a series of emotions before landing on something that just screamed of love. “Oh honey…”

She looked between Mina and the sweater, eyes glistening in the light.

“You made this yourself I can tell…,” she lifted the sweater out of the box, inspecting it, feeling it, cuddling it, “and all I have for your right now is a crushed cake! This is too much…”

She was ever so careful with it as she sat it back down, scooting around the box to wrap Mina into a big hug, pressing kiss after kiss on her forehead, cheeks, lips, nose.

It made Mina’s heart flutter, washing away the last of whatever negative emotions still swam around in her system.

“It’s not that much,” Mina replied earnestly, “it’s still cold out so I thought you could use something nice. You can wear it on those casual Fridays you have at the office now.”

“You’re too good to me Mina. Really,” Momo pulled her in impossibly tighter, “I don’t know if my gift tomorrow will even mean half of what this means to me.”

“I’m sure it will Momo. I’m sure it will.”

As she sunk into Momo’s embrace, she thought about how it might be a little out of line to say “it’s essentially a thank you for cumming in me almost every day even when you’re tired.” So this would suffice.

[halzore]

Cody + 16??

Snippets of Time

Characters: Cody x Reader

Note: Thankyou nonny for this request, I was having a little bit of trouble of how to encapsulate the kinda vibe i wanted to go for, not sure if it landed. But i decided to do a few snippets of a little friendship with our lovely commander and a reader throughout the Clone Wars. Let me know what you think! I love when people do that! Also, fair warning, kinda gets a bit sad, but thats chill.

Prompt 16: “That you will be by my side to see me through” ~ You and I, Jacob Collier

A little bit about this song: This is some classic Jacob Collier arranging, very spooky, also uplifting and got them good jazz chords. Listen to it here

Tags: @a-lil-perspective @thegoodbatch @leias-left-hair-bun

Introductions

Cody had met Obi-wan proceeding the battle of Geonosis, easily getting along, Obi-wan’s cool quick wit complimenting Cody’s serious but loyal nature. Obi-wan and Cody got along well, but the Marshall Commander had a softer spot for his own Jedi Commander.

He remembered the time that Obi-wan had brought you with him for the first time, a strong senior Padawan, who had already lost one master, but still seemed jovial and effervescent. He watched with skepticism as you gazed at the vastness of the the hangar bay of the Negotiator, looking around as if you had never been outside the temple. Obi-wan was quick and cool, but you seemed different, somewhat of a mystery to the Clone.

In the beginning, Cody stayed out of your way. After all what would a Jedi want with the likes of him. Plus he had a quarter of an army to run, but your paths crossed every now and then, each time more of the mystery of your character unfogging.

The light of the holo-table cast a blue hue over your stern features. Cody could see the stern lines deepen as the council outlined the battle strategy. Cody did not much like it, the plan was too risky, but he let it go. This was not his time to speak. Master Mundi finished speaking, opening the up the floor for questions. There was a slight pause as the heads, both real and holographic panned around the room. You took the slightest step forward.

“This plan, while it would achieve our goal is irresponsible” You voice was matter-of-fact, leaving no room for doubt.

“Is that so?” Master Windu turned to you, dissatisfaction clear. “And why would that be?”

“Too many lives lost, lives we have a duty to protect.” You put it simply

“But the civilians would be saf—“

“Clone lives” you clarified.

The silence spreading throughout the briefing room was deafening. Obi-Wan took a deep breath and pinched his nose, the council members looked at each other in irritation, their nonchalance being called out. Cody smiled inwardly. A Jedi commander who would go to bat for his boys. Maybe you were something he could get behind.

Medical Mischief

He was beaten, he was bruised. Yet he limped with resolve to the one place he could hurt in comfort: His quarters. One foot in front of the other, the commander’s attempt to look uninjured was laughable. He heard giggling from behind him and the Marshall Commander turned back to see you, hand over mouth, trying to cover you snickering. Cody groaned.

“What’re you laughing at?”

You tried to regain your composure. “You.”

“No shit.” Cody was not impressed, bothered at the interuption to his escape plans.

“You see the boys had mentioned something,” You began to stroll over casually, mischief in your eye. “You know, I didn’t believe them when they told me, I always thought you were such a good example for your men.” You had Cody’s undivided attention now, “They said you hated the medbay, never go when you’re supposed to. And I thought to myself, ‘Hmmm not on my watch.’”

Cody hadn’t noticed that you had slipped an arm around his and had began to shepherd him in the direction of his favourite place on the ship.

“Hey, stop! Let go!” He tried to wriggle out of your grip, but you ploughed on, resolute in your gait, easily overcoming the poor limping man.

“No can do Commander, you have an image to uphold.”

Interlude

Time went on, the war continued to wage in the furthest corners of the galaxy and you and Cody found your rhythm. You became an inseparable team on and off the battlefield. Both leading from the front, you managed to get the 501st through some of the most risky of assaults.

You balanced each other out.

You learnt a lot from Cody over the years. How to punch a droid sucessfully, how to patch up a bruise after you had punched a droid. He showed you how to be a good leader and helped you grow in your confidence as a Commander. But you, in turn, showed him things.

He always made sure that you were okay after a campaign, and so you developed a little ritual. You taught Cody how to meditate. You would bring him into your quarters and practice your deep breathing together, centring yourself in the moment. It became a staple in both of your routines and it was the way you both aired out your grievances and let them go to the universe.

You grew close, everyone could see it.

You were like family to Cody, and maker help the galaxy if anything ever happened to you.

Knighting

He wasn’t allowed to go to the ceremony. It was for Jedi only. You had been so nervous leading up to your trials. He knew you could do it, and he was not surprised in the slightest when you came bounding into his quarters, barreling him over in a bear hug, screaming that you’d passed.

But he couldn’t go to the ceremony.

He sat staring at his boring grey walls, wondering what was going on. Was Obi-Wan there? What were you thinking about right now? What things happened in a Jedi Knighting ceremony? His contemplation on these questions was half-baked at best, his mind wandering to the future.

The war was at a critical point, the senate’s order for new clones was ready, Cody knew they needed more Jedi Generals, and none came with better credentials than you. You would be a credit to any battalion, they would be lucky troopers. But they were not Cody’s troopers.

He didn’t hear his door open.

“Cody?” Your face cast in shadow as you were outlined by the glow of the ship light. You voiced pulled Cody from his questionings.

“Hmm?” He looked up. “Ah, how did it go?”

“Good,” You walked into his room and sat down next to him on his bed. “I have something to say to you.”

“I know.”

“I’m gonna miss you.” The emotion cracking the edges of your voice. Cody  wrapped an arm around you. “You’ll never be too far away.” Cody managed to give you a bit of a half-smile. You sat there together taking in each other’s presence for what you knew would be for the last time for a long time.

“I have something for you.” You broke the silence by reaching back around to grab at something. It was a small wooden box. You shoved it at the Marshall Commander and he opened it.

“Your padawan braid?” Cody looked at you, a mixture of confusion and awe.

“Something to remember me by, you’ll always have a little piece of me with you no matter how many light years apart we are.”

Cody smiled, and pulled you into a hug.

Aftermath.

You couldn’t remember the name of the planet you were on when you felt it. It was like all the energy in your body being forcibly pushed out of you. Your ears rang with the screams and it was almost as if the ground began to lilt under you feet.

Something was wrong, but you didn’t know what.

You hadn’t clued to the first signs, comms going unanswered, whispers around the native colonies. It was when you saw the Holonet report of the Jedi betraying the Republic when you knew you were in trouble.

At first it wasn’t so bad, you kept a low profile and no one really bothered you, you looked like any other traveller passing through. But then the troopers started to show up, but not in the armour you were used to. Similar enough to go unnoticed by most people, but strange enough to send your survival instincts into overdrive.

But it wasn’t safe.

Especially on the day you saw your picture, a smiling Jedi Knight, plastered on the wall of an unassuming business, labelling you as a traitor and offering a reward.

That’s when you began your new life, with a new appearance, a new name, never staying in one place for more than a few weeks. It was tiring, but it was what needed to be done.

….

You had been watching the holo waves weeks now. Imperial propaganda rife. Disgust had made its home in the back of your throat as you looked upon the force fed narratives on the web. But everyday you checked it religiously, looking for information about what happened at the end of the clone wars, why you were being hunted down.

Talk of a legendary clone wars commander coming to your planet to recruit piqued you interest.

It was dangerous, if it was the man you thought it would be, if the empire found out you were there. But you had to go.

You kept your distance from him. But you knew, without a doubt it was him, his scar, his gait. But the warmth was gone from his eyes. You tailed him, following him away from the carnival and back to his room before you confronted him.

“Cody.”

His shoulders stiffened. He slowly turned around to see who was in the door.

“CC-2224 now” His voice was proper, like when he gave an order. You brow furrowed in confusion, you didn’t quite know what has happening.

“Cody, what’s happening?” You were desperate and confused, in front of the one person who could help you make send of the mess. You moved to hug him around the middle as you dissolved into tears.

You didn’t register it in time.

The hard barrel of Cody’s pistol pressing into you side. You felt the heat of the blaster bolt and looked up at your Best friend, your brother, with pathetically wide eyes.

“I’m sorry Y/N, but good soldiers follow orders.” There was no remorse in his voice, almost the slightest hint of pleasure.

It was the last thing you heard, before your vision frayed, the pounding in your ears became too much and your world faded to black.

[stereksecretsanta]

Merry Christmas, yorit1!

For @yorit1. I hope you enjoy this little Christmas gift.

I made a playlist to accompany the fic: listen here

Read On AO3

*****

Make the Yule-tide Gay

"We should get a tree.”

Stiles blinks down at his half-eaten sandwich, unsure if he heard that right, before looking up at his father. The sheriff, clad in his uniform, sits opposite him by the breakfast table with his eyes firmly in the newspaper. It’s an innocent statement on its own, but Stiles knows it’s not. They haven’t had a tree in six years. There’s less than a week until Christmas Day and there’s not even an errant bauble to be found in the Stilinski household.

“Seriously?” Stiles asks.

“Seriously,” his dad confirms. “It’s time. I’ll dig out your mom’s decorations from the attic later.”

There’s a thick lump in Stiles’s throat and he swallows around it, forces his next words through it.

“You have an early shift Friday, right? Maybe we could go pick one up after school.”

His dad looks up from his newspaper then and his smile is as wobbly as Stiles's.

“Sounds great, kid.”

---

The parking lot in front of the Christmas tree sale is absolutely crowded. The sheriff finds an empty spot to squeeze the cruiser into at the edge of the lot and Stiles has to shimmy out from the passenger seat not to scratch the car next to them. While he had approached this day with careful anticipation, he could feel the excitement surge with every step closer to the trees. His dad seems to notice as much, because he chuckles and throws an arm over Stiles’s shoulders, squeezing him lightly.

It feels like reclaiming something once lost.

The fresh scent of the trees is nearly overwhelming. There must be hundreds of them, ranging from tabletop trees to some that Stiles would estimate are more than twice his own height. People mill through the trees, chatting and surveying the supply. A couple of excited kids nearly run both Stiles and the sheriff down in their game of chase through the trees.

“Alright, remember, no taller than 7 feet or so or we'll have to saw a hole through the ceiling,” his dad says and Stiles nods.

“Yeah, yeah, I know.”

They’re just about to make their way into the trees when someone calls out for the sheriff. They both turn in time to see Deputy Parrish make their way towards them. At any other time, Stiles would be over the moon for a chance to make googly eyes at Deputy Parrish, but right now he feels like he’ll vibrate out of his own skin at any second. His dad squeezes his shoulder again before letting go.

“Go pick out a good one,” he says, smiling. “I’ll join you in a sec.”

Stiles shoots his dad a blinding grin before saluting a rather puzzled Parrish and darting into the trees.

There’s a loudspeaker system set up across the lot that’s currently blasting out Tony Bennett’s Winter Wonderland. While Stiles has never seen snow in real life, the afternoon is uncharacteristically chilly for December in California and it adds to the atmosphere. He can nearly imagine the cold biting his cheeks.

He makes his way down the rows of trees, letting his fingers skim across the needles, occasionally feeling them prick at this skin. He stops in front of an impressively sized balsam fir, lips falling open in awe as he tilts his head back to look it up and down. It’s far too big for their living room, but if he was a wealthy oil magnate with a mansion, this would one hundred percent be the tree for him. Stiles is so enamoured by the tree that he doesn’t notice someone approaching until they speak.

“Do you need any help?”

Stiles will never admit to yelping, but in  reality that is his reaction. As if appearing out of nothing, like an angelic Christmas spirit, there’s Derek Hale. Senior, captain of the basketball team, prom king Derek Hale. In a green vest and Santa hat. Stiles doesn’t know when he fell into a portal leading to another dimension where Derek Hale works at a Christmas tree sale, but here he is.

Derek squints at him and Stiles realises he’s been staring.

“Oh, uh, yeah! Do you have like… this tree, but in a more pleb size? Ya know, for the commoners.”

Derek’s lips twitch ever so slightly in what could be amusement and Stiles feels such an immense sense of accomplishment that he nearly goes lightheaded.

“We’ve got a couple of smaller balsam firs in another section,” Derek replies and nods to the left. “Follow me.”

Winter Wonderland has turned into Ella Fitzgerald’s Sleigh Ride and Stiles’s legs have turned to jelly. They stumble over themselves in their hurry to follow Derek through the next three rows. He thinks this might be the longest time he’s ever spent in High School King Hale’s presence and it’s thrilling and daunting all at once.

“You go to Beacon Hills High, right?” Derek asks and Stiles jumps to attention at his side.

“Uh yeah. I’m a sophomore.”

“Thought I recognized you. Aren’t you on the lacrosse team?”

Stiles squirms, hand flying up to scratch at the back of his neck.

“ Technically, I guess. I’m more of a bench warmer,” he admits, a splotchy blush creeping up his cheeks. He’s far from the physical wonder that is Derek Hale. It looks like Derek’s pectorals are trying their very best to bust out of that hideous green vest.

“Why? You look fit enough,” Derek replies, his eyes flicking down Stiles’s gangly limbs and Stiles would take it for a joke, he really would, if Derek’s face didn’t show anything but complete seriousness. He stops so suddenly that Stiles nearly bounces off his thick bicep.

“Complete lack of coordination, as you clearly can see,” Stiles says, hiding his embarrassment behind a grin.

The hand Derek places on his shoulder, to steady him, is so warm it seeps through his jacket immediately. Jelly legs once more, even though Derek removes his hand quickly.

“This row has pleb-sized balsam firs,” he explains and gestures down the row. “Want help picking one out?”

“Yes!” Stiles exclaims, too quickly and too loudly considering the concerned looks thrown their way by an elderly couple passing by. “I mean, you’re a professional, and we haven’t had a tree for years, so it needs to be a good one.”

Derek’s lips twitch again and this time Stiles is sure it’s with amusement. It makes Stiles’s heart flutter.

“Alright then. Do you prefer a long one or a girthy one?” Derek replies and that makes Stiles’s heart race instead and judging by the face Derek makes, he’s completely aware of it.

“Are those two mutually exclusive?” Stiles replies before his brain has the time to catch up with him and Derek grins, blindingly, beautifully, absolutely devastatingly.

“I’m sure we’ll find something to satisfy your needs,” Derek replies and it sounds like a promise.

---

Somewhere between Let It Snow and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas , between Stiles dubbing a particularly thick tree as pure quali-tree and Derek breaking into laughter, Stiles finds himself between a solid brick wall and another solid brick wall called Derek’s chest. He’s grateful for it too, considering that the hot, soft press of Derek’s lips against his own has brought on the return of the jelly legs. He’s not sure that he would be able to stand up on his own, not without his arms wrapped around the back of Derek’s neck for stability. Derek’s hands, so warm and steady, are placed on his hips. His pinky, clearly a weapon of mass destruction, has found its way beneath layers of flannel to rub against Stiles’s sensitive skin and it feels like he’s being branded.

“Make the Yule-tide gay, fuck, Judy Garland really knew what Christmas is all about,” Stiles gasps while Derek trails kisses down his cheek and neck, stays there when laughter bubbles almost involuntarily from his lips.

His shoulders shake with it and Stiles clings to him tighter still, breathless and giggling too. They’re hidden away behind a majestic Colorado Blue Spruce, as secluded as it could possibly be at a Christmas tree sale.

“I’m Stiles, by the way,” Stiles adds, as an afterthought and it makes Derek pull up from his hiding space by Stiles’s neck. He immediately misses the feel of Derek’s warm breath against his skin.

Derek’s Santa hat is lopsided now and Stiles reaches up to right it.

“I know,” Derek replies, brushing his nose against Stiles’s.

“You know?” Stiles exclaims in disbelief, eyes widening, but his lips seeking Derek’s like a moth to a flame.

“‘Course. The cutest benchwarmer Beacon Hills High has to offer.”

Stiles didn’t know that he was capable of blushing harder than he already was, but apparently he could.

“I know who you are too,” he says, in lieu of anything else, since the idea of prom king Derek knowing who he is is so ludicrous.

Derek shrugs.

“Everyone knows who I am.”

It’s so arrogant, so conceited and so absolutely true that Stiles has to push on his rock hard chest in protest.

“Oh my god, you did not just say that,” Stiles says, but he’s laughing and so is Derek when he stumbles back a step. “Asshole.”

“Dick,” Derek replies and it sounds like a term of affection.

“Yeah, but you’re into it,” Stiles bites back and Derek looks as if he’ll reply, but they’re interrupted by the sheriff’s voice.

“Stiles? Are you here?”

Immediately on high alert, Stiles pushes on Derek’s chest until they both stumble out from behind the spruce tree. Stiles notices that he has needles stuck in his hair. The sheriff stops, eyes narrowing at the sight of them both, flushed and panting.

“Did you find a tree?” He asks, despite looking like he wants to ask something else entirely.

“Uh, yeah! Derek here uh, helped.”

“Mm, I’m sure he did.”

“It’s a balsam fir,” Derek supplies.

“Yeah, a balsam fir, very… girthy,” Stiles adds, because if there’s something he excels in, it’s digging his own grave deeper.

The sheriff rolls his eyes so hard Stiles fears he might suffer permanent damage.

“Let’s just pay and go home,” he says and pulls his wallet out of his jacket.

---

Stiles’s dad pays and Derek helps them carry the netted balsam fir across the parking lot to the corner spot they had parked the cruiser in. Once the tree is safely tied to the roof, Derek turns to Stiles and the sheriff pretends valiantly to busy himself with inspecting the tied rope.

“Give me your phone,” Derek commands and Stiles hands it over readily. Derek taps on it for maybe half a minute before returning it, his fingers lingering against Stiles’s. “Text me next time you’re warming the bench.”

Stiles can’t do anything but nod eagerly as Derek backs away. It’s not until he’s halfway across the parking lot that Stiles finds the words he’s looking for.

“You have a tree-mendous Christmas!” He yells.

Derek’s shaking shoulders is reward enough.

“Alright, Romeo,” the sheriff sighs good-naturedly. “Let’s go home.”

Stiles can’t stop his silly smile as he climbs into the cruiser, clutching his cellphone tight in his hand. The sheriff turns the key and puts the cruiser in reverse. The radio plays It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas and Stiles can’t help but agree.

[coletteuwu]

helllo hello hellooooooo~

today i have decided to rank my favourite starkid+tbc musicals :)

now please keep in mind that these are based on my opinions & you have every right to agree/disagree, just don't be a dick to anyone and enjoy

(i havent seen ani, starship nor mamd, so these wont be included here)

#10 The Trail To Oregon!

nothing wrong with it, just not my cup of tea

good idea tho

your wagon is on fiREEE is iconic

humour was inconsistent and overall a bit too childish for my taste

boring

#9 Twisted

this is really controversial, but i practically fell asleep while watching it (maybe because i didnt grow up as a disney fan in a post-communist country)

dylan saunders did an amazing job and i love his singing and he kinda was carrying the whole show (yikes)

costume design was on point tho

also "no one remembers achmed" is one of my fave starkid songs

#8 Holy Musical B@man!

i actually dont have any criticism for hmb, because i think its very well executed and jokes are... good... i guess...

a pretty neutral one, bc the songs were kinda mediocre and so was the humour but i really liked joe walker as batman and nick lang as robin

batman has a cool plane

#7 Black Friday

the new style of the lang brothers is very cool and exciting

the plot was very well written, but it felt a bit,,, rushed?

like they were trying to cram tons of information into one play and for that reason i dont really come back to watch it

and at the same time the pace was a little too slow for my liking?

idk it felt a little off

but characters were iconic, acting was 12/10 (especially joey, lauren and dylan)

#6 Solve It Squad

ACTING ON POINT

comedy was well timed and relevant

brosenthal's scene where he plays all the hotel staff just left me like this -> :o

one of joey's best roles

lauren too

#5 AVPSY

the thing is, initially i wanted to put all the avp parts together but that would have been hard to catch so i guess we're doing this

t h e s o n g s (❤️❤️❤️❤️)

AJ delivers such a good lockhart

joey's sidekick is just mwah

the songs are just so fcking good ahh

they got the real luna!

really emotional

the best ending to the trilogy

in the middle i kinda skipped some scenes bc i got a little carried away

but the ending is just so GOOD

everything has an end.... (i cried a lot guys)

jeff's spider was i m m a c u l a t e

both brians & joe walker 😳❤️

i didnt like the scripts for the first 10 seconds but then after that i didnt even notice them

#4 AVPS

one of the best intros in starkid (if we cannot move forward, why shouldn't we move back? gives me chills everytime)

lucius malfoy is so hot and terrifying at the same time idk if im scared or turned on

story was a little inconsistent and i missed quirrell and the lack of brian rosenthal, but thats okay i can settle for a seamus finnigan

JOE WALKER IN A DRESS. THATS IT THATS THE TWEET.

ron is canonically bicurious????

comedy on point

the best soundtracks in starkid, come @ me im not scared to fight

like for real who wrote the music i just wanna hug them and give them every penny i got to work with them

#3 The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals

lets get the criticism out of the way first

i see that they tried to write the music in the same theme, but some songs were repetitive and jeff's falsetto screaming kinda got boring

not your seed is not that good of a song

corey got me in the fEELS

joey's homeless man was iconic

first i didnt like paul's acting but it grew on me and now i love it

LET IT OUT IS THE BEST SONG OF THE PLAY. PERIODT.

the best written starkid show :)

comedy was, again, relevant and well timed

overall, i loved the simplicity of the design

prof. hidgens = hips™

#2 AVPM

i may be biased bc of nostalgia and bc it was the first starkid musical i ever saw but idc

not that well written, but its just so damn entertaining

QUIRRELMORT

different as can be is just chef's kiss

the chemistry between brian and joe is so good

I CAME HOME

*soft boi brian in a jail dress with a fist in his mouth*

everything just started from there

red vines

snape <3

STARKID POTTER, MOONSHOES POTTER

a gift that is lauren lopez as malfoy

the funniest starkid show idcidc

i was a huge potterhead growing up and hp is so important to my life -> thats why the avp trilogy means so much to me

#1 Spies Are Forever

i saw it recently and im mad i didnt watch it earlier

joey is so hot with a british accent

the history behind all of the show just makes it so good, 1950-60 was the scariest time to be gay and it portrays everything about living in the shadows of the cold war perfectly

choreo on point (thank you lauren)

mary kate as tatiana is very dangerous for my weak bi heart

good music

VERY WELL WRITTEN (PROPS TO BRIAN, COREY AND JOEY)

i really like spy movies so

the whole ordeal that is baron von nazi played by brian rosenthal, a jew

wizz waffle fries

glitter waka waka

i just really love brian rosenthal

the ending :'((((((

torture tango and one step ahead = thats some good shit

joe walker as deadliest man alive oh boy oh boy let me tell you about how much of a latte hottay he is in saf

i LOVE that tati and curt are in a platonic relationship, it just throws the stereotypes out of the window

the whole scene where joey and curt fight

[ryvswb]

RYvsWB PSA:

Corvid-19

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

*RvB guitar jingle plays as the screen fades into Ruby and Simmons, standing in Valhalla*

Ruby: Hiiii! I'm Ruby Rose, from the popular web series RWBY!

Simmons: And I'm Dick Simmons from the same sho-wait a minute...

Ruby: Today, we are here to deliver a very important public service announcement, about Corvid-19...the horrible pandemic that causes all those infected to be hunted down by a murder of 19 crows!

Simmons: Indeed! And we are here to- wait hold on! What was that about crows??? I'm pretty sure thats not how the Corvid-19 virus works Ruby.

Ruby: Yes it is! Its called "Corvid"! Thats the fancy scientific name for crows Simmons! DUH.

Simmons, as the cawing of multiple crows can be heard in the distance: Ruby that doesn't make any fucking sens-HOLY SHIT!

Simmons, running away as he is attacked by crows: AHHHHHH HELP I AM BEING ATTACKED BY A MURDER OF 19 CROWS AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!

Ruby, watching Simmons run away: Huh. Guess he was infected.

*BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP*

*WE ARE HAVING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES PLEASE STAND BY*

*BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP*

Ruby: Hi! I'm Ruby Rose from the popular web series RWBY!

Washington, as Simmons can be seen screaming while still running away from the murder of crows in the background: And I'm Agent Washington from the popular web series Red vs Blue!

Ruby: And we are here today to give you 5 steps to survive the Corvid-19 epidemic!

Washington, as a picture of a man washing his hands appear next to him: The first and honestly most important step is...hygiene!

Ruby: Obviously you don't want to catch the virus. And if you already have it, you gotta make sure you don't infect other people!

Washington: Wash your hands, use hand sanitizer and wear a mask if possible! All those things will prevent you from catching or spreading those nasty germs!

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

*Jumpcut to Grif walking out of the bathroom, the sound of a toilet flushing can be heard*

Carolina, the barrel of her gun right in Grif's face, speaking through gritted teeth: I didn't hear you wash your hands Grif.

Grif, walking backwards back into the bathroom without a word:...

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

Washington: Step 2: Stay. Calm.

Ruby: Panicking will only make everything worst!

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

*Jumpcut to a city, where is everyone running around in panic as countless crows fly all over the place*

Jaune, running in circle while holding his head: PANIC! PANIC! WE'RE ALL GONNA DIIIIIIIIIIIIE!

Sarge, knocking Jaune aside with the butt of his shotgun: OUT OF THE WAY SCUMBAG!

Sarge, shooting in random directions: ALL MAN FOR HIMSELF! ONLY THE STRONGEST MAY SURVIVE!

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

Ruby: Step 3! Social distancing!

Washington: Thats to make sure the virus doesn't spread. Stay in your homes as much as possible. And avoid large gatherings.

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

Donut, walking towards Blue base: Heya blues! I ran out of almond milk for my afternoon latte! Do you guys have any?

Donut, as a bullet flies past his head: HOLY JESUS!

Church, from the top of Blue base: STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM MY BASE REDS!

Donut: Oooooooh riiiiiight, I forgot. Gotta practice social distancing because of the pandemic! Thanks Chur-HEY wait a darn minute! You're an AI! Why would you be afraid of the Corvid virus?

Church: Virus? Pandemic??? What are you on about? I don't need a pandemic to have a reason to keep your dumb asses away from me.

Church, as he shoots at Donut again, causing the latter to run away screaming like a girl: Now fuck. OFF.

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

Washington: Step 4: Since you'll be in your house for a long time, you'll have to make provisions.

Ruby: But remember to not get greedy! Think about the other people who might need food and hygiene products more than you do!

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

Blake, talking to the cashier in a grocery store, her shopping cart full of tuna cans: What. Do you MEAN "ONLY TWO OF EACH PER CUSTOMERS"!?!?

Cashier, shaking like a leaf: B-but mam thats the rule I can't make exceptions...EEP!

Blake, grabbing the cashier by the collar: You don't understand. I. NEED. My. Tuna.

Cashier, straight up panicking: M-mam you're holding the line!

Blake: I WANT TO TALK TO YOUR MANAGER!

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

Washington: And finally, step 5: Be there for each other.

Ruby: These are hard times we're going through and some of your loved ones might be taking it harder then you would. So make sure you support them in their time of need.

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

Caboose, standing on the edge of a building: OH MY GOD! THESE ARE HARD TIMES WE'RE GOING THROUGH! AND I'M TAKING IT HARDER THEN OTHERS WOULD! IF ONLY SOMEONE COULD SUPPORT ME IN MY TIME OF NEED!

Tucker, at the bottom of the building with Weiss, absolutely freaked out: CABOOSE GET THE FUCK DOWN FROM THERE!

Weiss, pleading: PLEASE TELL US WHATS WRONG!

Caboose, shouting towards the sky: THE GROCERY STORE! RAN OUT! OF OREOS!!!

Tucker, annoyed: You gotta be fucking kidding me.

Weiss, running her hands down her face: Bloody hell...

Tucker: WE'LL GET YOU DOUBLE STUF NOW GET. THE FUCK. DOWN.

Caboose:...

Caboose: Can we get a family pack?

Tucker, dismissively: Yeah sure.

Weiss, at Tucker: WHAT!? No! He'll just eat the whole thing within an hour and throw up!

Caboose, shouting towards the sky again: OH MY GOD! HOW WILL I SURVIVE WITHOUT MY OREOS! WOE IS ME!?!?

Weiss: OKAY FINE YOU'LL GET YOUR SODDING OREOS!

Caboose: YAY! THIS IS THE BEST DAY! EVER!

Caboose, jumping off the building: Ok coming down.

Tucker and Weiss, at the same time: CABOOSE!!!!

Caboose, landing safely with his jetpack: Yes thats my name, you sure love yelling it.

Weiss, wheezing and clutching at her chest: You...you had a jetpack.......this......this ENTIRE TIME?

Caboose, casually: Yeah? How did you think I got up there in the first place?

Tucker, at a loss for words: We thought you were....what were you......we though you were going to commit suicide!

Caboose: Nah I don't like Swiss cheese. I just wanted to send a complaint to little Jesus about the store running out of Oreos, but everytime I try calling heaven on the phone I always get answered by some weird lady and then Church gets really mad at me...

Tucker, walking away: What is my life.

Caboose, as Weiss passes out: Weiss? Weiss its not nap time yet silly! The big burning ball in the sky means it dayyyytiiiiiiime. Weiss?

Caboose, crouching next to an unconsious Weiss as the camera zooms out: HELLO? Weiss? Can I get my Oreos now??? WEIIIIIIIIIIIIISS?

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

Washington: And thats all the time we got! We hope out tips and advices helped you.

Ruby, as a familiar hand taps her on the shoulder: And remember to stay saf-Oh? OH UNCLE!

Ruby, hugging Qrow: Were have you beeeeeeeeeeen!

Qrow, as Ruby breaks the hug: Hey squirt! I'd love to catch up buuuuut...

Ruby: Buuuuut?

Qrow, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck: I'm...sorry to be the one to break it to you, but your friend over here caught Corvid-19...

Washington: WHAT!? How would you even know that!? I've been standing out here this whole time and not a single crow as attacked me.

Qrow, whispering at Ruby: Are you going to tell him?

Ruby, whispering back: What!? No you tell him!

Washington, loosing his patience: What!? Tell me WHAT!?

Qrow: I know because my name is Qrow.

Washington:...You're kidding me right?

Qrow, relunctantly drawing Arbinger as 18 other iterations of himself gather behind him: I wish I was...

Washington:...

Washington, taking a deep breath trough his nose before speaking: Oh boy.

*The RvB guitar jingle starts playing, jumpcut to an overview of Valhalla, Washington screaming as he is being chased by 19 Qrows*

Washington, his voice echoing from afar as the screen fades to black: WHY IS YOUR NAME SPELLED WITH A Q!?!? OW OW OOOOOOOOWWWW!!!

[just-some-sad-bitch]

Back Home

The return from the battlefield was tough, the few that remained alive went back to their respecting villages leaving only a couple of hundred shinobis from the leaf returning together in a mass. The more critically injured set the peace going all the way on the front with units still able to fight just in case defend was needed, in the middle section the groups that were still standing, in the last group the strongest defended de mass, which was why Sasuke had been wondering. Why the heck was he all the way in the back? He literally had one arm blown to pieces a couple of days ago. Not to say he couldn’t stand, of course he could, more than that in fact, if needed he would have been able to fight, with less strength and less precision, but fighting was still kicking and punching as far as he was aware. But if he was honest, he knew why he was in the back. In case he decided to attack, he was surrounded by shinobis in way better form than he was. It was basically a big escort, just for him. Not that they were stronger than him of course, its just that at the moment, he was weaker than them.

Still, his condition was extremely debilitating to him and the trip back was infinitely uncomfortable, the looks most people gave him were full of hatred and disdain, he couldn’t blame them really, he was a missing nin, a criminal and he was fine with the looks. He would endure every look, every murmur, every degrading word they sent his way, his resolution had already been made, he would pay for his sins whatever way the Kages deem acceptable. After all, if that was the price to pay to stay with him, he was ok.

“How´s the arm?” A sweet voice pulled him out of his thought. Right next to him was Sakura. Her pink hair had grown out since the last time he saw her the day he left the village, wait, no, there were a couple of times after that. The day she and the rest found him in Orochimaru´s hideout, and once more after that, oh yes, the time he tried to kill her, right after she tried to kill him. Some friends they were.

The smile she was offering was honest but wary, like trying to convince a stray cat to come closer but still fearing the claws. They were still afraid of him, how could they not, after everything he had done.

“It´s fine” he responded dryly, he was by no means trying to be rude at all but after so many years he had no idea how to talk to her, to anyone, actually. Except for him apparently.

“Once we get back we can treat it better, I promise… There are a lot of injured but, I´ll make sure to help you” She was so kind it was actually hard to not come off as rude to her, still he tried his best.

“There’s no need for that”

“oh… ok” he´d done it, he came off as an asshole, he tried, god knows he wasn’t trying to drive her away, but he didn’t know how to talk to her. So, he resorted to the only topic he knew they shared.

“Is he… still making his rounds?” He knew the answer was yes, and of course there was no need to say his name out loud. Her look once she realized he was starting a conversation was tender and happy, finally, he did something good in regards of Sakura.

“Yeah, he is trying to check up on everyone around, you know how he is, Mr. sunshine worried for everyone except for himself. I told him a thousand times to stay still or the wound WILL eventually open but he doesn’t listen. Ugh its so hard to heal a hyperactive hero” The way she went off about him made him feel like old times, they really didn’t change after all, team 7 was still a couple of orphans and a whiny girl lead by a perverted teacher. He might have been weak at the moment, but he was not so weak to admit he had missed them, out loud ate least.

“Well, like you said, once we are back you can tie him to a hospital bed” She laughed, maybe too hard and too loud, it wasn´t funny but he appreciated the effort she made to make it seem like it was.

“Yeah sure, like he´s not going to jump right into rebuilding the village, or helping the others, or just training. He´ll do anything to avoid a hospital bed”

“Rebuilding the village? When was it- “Oh, right as the sentence left his mouth he remembered. Akatsuki’s leader, Nagato, had destroyed the entirely of Konoha. Surely that was a bitter memory for Sakura, a point he might have rather not touch at all. “Sorry I- “

“No, it´s ok… you weren’t there” A heavy silence fell between them, the implication of her words meant more that just his absence in battle that day, he knew it.

They kept moving, after a couple of hours they saw the gate of the village. A cold shiver went down Sasuke´s spine. A sudden realization that his resolution was to become real, he was about to be either locked for life, exiled from the country of fire or just plain death sentence. He stood frozen in his place, he wasn’t exactly afraid, he wasn’t a coward. The feeling was closer to that of nausea, he had hated the village for so long he didn’t have any other feeling for it up until that moment.

“Sasuke?” Sakura had noticed the moment he stopped moving. She was kind enough to stay by his side in silence.

They stood a couple of minutes right when he took a heavy sigh and started moving again. Whatever was going to happen was out of his control, trying to fix something that was yet to happen was meaningless, so he just kept moving.

The rest of the way they kept silent. It was heavy but not uncomfortable exactly. It was like having a peak into the future and then coming back, it was a feeling similar to knowing you had already lost, that you had failed at everything but you were not there yet, so the only thing left to do was reach that point and have the weight of your defeat be dumped on top of you. But even with  all that he didn’t feel bad, he knew he still had, at the very least, two teammates that had gone to the end of the world and back for him, they were not about to give up on him just yet, he knew he wasn’t alone. But he felt that way despite having that knowledge.

The gate grew larger each step he took, imponent and inescapable.

The entrance back was organized as followed; The first group of more delicate soldiers were to reach the hospital immediately. Once the shinobis in need of medical attention were in the hospital, the third group would stay stationed near the entrance acting like a filter, deciding who, from the second group, was fit to go home and who had to take a break, who would be able to help the injured and who would be designated to keep building facilities if needed. It would have been a disaster, had it not been for a blond head screaming to the top of his longs encouraging everyone and organizing the entry through the gates.

Sakura and Sasuke sat near a tree waiting for the first group to go through. Sakura was getting ready to enter when a particular gray head was approaching them from the sea of people. His sensei no longer had a sharingan but the scar adorning his left eye was visible to everyone now. Sasuke would lie if he said he wasn’t uncomfortable near his teacher. Was there even one single person in this village that had not tried to assassinate him or the other way around?

“Sakura you can’t go inside yet” Kakashi said, almost ignoring Sasuke had it not been for a polite nod he gave him after talking to Sakura.

“What do you mean? I´m a medic nin, I am supposed to head directly to the hospital once the first group is through”

“Just trust me, no one is expecting you right now, but after you cross that gate, head to the hospital… just wait a little longer until people scatter, which, could take a while” he then directed his gaze to Sasuke. “You as well, until the area is cleared please stay here for a while. I need to head back but trust me”

Seating by the tree was agonizing, he was so close, and yet, here he was, about 20 meters away from the gate, “talking” with the girl next to him. Their talks consisted mainly on Sakura making some kind of comment and Sasuke agreeing to it with a small “hn” or the every so spicy “yeah”. That was until Sakura said something out of the ordinary, something he had wished never to discuss with her at all.

“You know… I really thought I loved you for a very long time” She said in a very monotone voice, calm, with almost no feeling behind it. “I had convinced myself that I loved you and the only reason you didn’t like me was because I was weak…”

Sasuke didn’t know what to say, he remained in silence fearing what was to come. He expected anger, a series of questions of “why didn’t you love me back?”, “what was I lacking?”, and possibly the worst one; “What can I do for you to love me back?”.

“I’m sorry, for how I acted for so long” That… took him by surprise. “It must have been uncomfortable to you… I should have been a friend to you and instead I was a virus. Always clinging to you despite you not wanting me there I am so sorry”

“Sakura you- “

“But what I really want to apologize for is … for the night you left the village. I compared the worst thing that ever happened to you to… you leaving me alone. I didn’t know, I am truly sorry. No wonder you didn’t stay, what kind of comparison was that? I was so selfish and mean without thinking about how you felt. I only cared about my feelings and my crush on you that I never really stopped myself to ask… did you even like me at all?” She had been calm all through her declaration, no tears, no cracking in her voice, she had obviously thought about this for a very long time. “I’m sorry I wasn’t a friend to you”

Her words meant more to him than wanted to admit. He stared at her and for the first time he thought of her as a comrade. He gave her a small smile and looked down. Then looked up again at the gates, even if he wanted to try, once he went through those gates, everything was over. As if Sakura could read his mind, she placed a hand in his shoulder. Strangely enough that was the first time in a long time they touch without an ill intent.

“Don’t worry about what is going to happen, he is going to make sure you are safe. Even when you were away, he had always looked after you, now that you are finally here, he won’t allow anyone to touch you” Him again, the only constant in his life. Sasuke felt warm, and from that moment on, talking to Sakura was easier and honestly, more enjoyable, they talked about current events mainly, about how much the crowd of people had disappeared and how many of the members of Konoha´s eleven were helping. That spiral into her new Chunin rank and even a little joke about how Sasuke was still a Gennin.

“Ok kids, are you ready to enter?” Kakashi interrupted their memory of D Rank missions and the catching of many felines in their days. “There are only few of us who need to go inside so let’s go”

Approaching the gate was somber to say the least. He had reassurance again and again about how everything was going to be ok, people still thinking he was afraid of Konoha when in reality, he felt nothing for the village, its people, and their history. They hadn’t deserved his forgiveness then so why now? People think he was afraid for what they would to him, they were wrong, he was afraid of what he was capable of doing to the village. Once he had drowned in hatred and disdain for this peace of land, so being back again had awaked terrible feelings.

He was mere steps from entering. He remembered his team, his brother, the day he left, the day he killed Itachi, the day he swore vengeance against the leaf, but most importantly, his resolution. He remembered the pain in his arm, the warm blood leaving his body and every other aching part of his body. But he also remembered the golden hair beside him, his words filled with heartache, and promises, and so much devotion. At that moment Sasuke swore to himself “I´ll never let anyone hurt you… I won’t run from you again; I won’t make life difficult for you again. From here on out, I´ll make sure you don’t suffer because of the likes of me”. The reason he was truly there.

“STOP!” and so he did, he was a few steps form the gate, he turned back and saw him running up to them. One arm waving them, pleading to reman where they were.

“What are you waiting for you idiot?” Sakura asked him once he had reached the entrance. “What is the big idea?”  

“Just let him do his thing Sakura, he has been waiting for this moment for over 4 years” Kakashi approached them. In front of them stood the most annoying, untalented, loud-mouth idiot ever. And the three of them waited and listened to whatever he had to say.

“Almost five years ago, in this same gate I made a promise to you Sakura” So this is where he was going. “I promised you I would bring back Sasuke” he looked at the black-haired boy with a smile. “It took me five years, fighting a war, fighting a GOD, and one arm, but finally… Sakura, here I fulfill my promise, I have brought back Uchiha Sasuke!” his hand motioned to him.

Sakura looked like a mess, tears leaving her face in heavy cascades. She ran up to hug him, calling him an idiot and thanking her for everything. The most charming, trusted, and beloved idiot had never gave up on him. Kakashi stood close to him.

“He had been planning this since we were near the gate”

“I assume this is why you stopped us from entering” His teacher only smiled ate him. Sometimes he wandered how was his teacher able to demonstrate his emotions when literally half his face was covered.

Sasuke looked back at Naruto, he and Sakura were now looking at him, waiting for him to cross the gate, finally.

“Naruto…” Sasuke stared at him “aren’t you going to say it?” he smiled smugly.

“Say what?” Naruto looked at Sakura and Kakashi, has he missed something? Oh, right. “Oh right… just remember you asked for it.” He stepped away from Sakura, approached Sasuke until he was a few meters away from him, Naruto took a big breath and screamed from the bottom of his lungs.

“UCHIHA SASUKE, WELCOME HOME!!!” his scream was loud, so loud in fact that the few people around stared back at the four dumbasses in the gate. Kakashi and Sakura stared at him fully embarrassed of being near the blond idiot, that was until.

“UZUMAKI NARUTO!” They looked back at Sasuke, the most out of character for him to that point was screaming the other boys name at the top of his lungs. “IM HOME!” He finished finally.

Naruto ran up to him, embracing awkwardly with one arm and almost loosing balance, ugly crying and laughs were coming out of Naruto while Sasuke embraced Naruto with a smile. This was his home, afraid of the village? Afraid of the future? How could he fear anything when this beautiful person was right beside him? Sakura and Kakashi leaned into the hug even more awkwardly than it had been before. If people had seen them, most of them would be confused and thrown off. To the people that knew, well, they just knew.

Uchiha Sasuke was home.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So yeah, this is the first, sorry for the grammar

[safrona-shadowsun]

Loose Ends

It was an unbelievably relieving sign to see the habit of emergency requests fade from her chatterstone. Azeroth's finest had fought back against the odds somehow amidst a meltdown between the Factions, and the excess of N'zoth's corruption was finally under control with the Old God's proverbial and literal gates closed.

Safrona poured a drink tonight to The Earthspeaker, Magni Bronzebeard, who many owed their lives, minds, their very souls to. Had the glorified man-diamond not organized Azeroth from it's own impending wars, she could only have assumed there would be many more absorbed from reality, the face of Azeroth irriversibly changed forever. Diamonds were truly a girl's best friend.

The act itself of pouring a drink was comforting as ever, pulling her mind away from the truth of the sheer amount of existential disaster Azeroth had managed to survive from one year to the next. It was often best not to dwell on the scars left on the body, or the burdens created of what had been seen on the mind. The taste of the vintages provided livened the tongue, and some burned down the throat, reminding the body to be here, in the moment, while some helped to relinquish the soul of what weighed them down to better move on to the next day. Considered a lobbying point for the funerary home her fiance tended in the daytime, most came in the night to The Elysian Sojourn to confess, and mourn losses the rest of the world could not relieve them of. A good few came to talk in safety, away from the discerning eye of their own home cities.

It had been a wise choice to convince Saraj to abdicate the lounge from Silvermoon, where it had been a small wine bar with even smaller freedoms. As it came together with the Consortium's financing, the Sojourn could be whatever she wished to make it, and the thought was carefreely invigorating in a way nothing had been since the turn of the New Year.

Tonight, she did not think on the damage the Mindraker Nessex had made of her a time ago, or the possible dizzying insights the Void had tried to thrust upon her in her sleep.

Tonight she did not think about the implications of Sylvanas abandoning the Horde, or the angry transformation of Tyrande and her Night Warriors, though many confessors that swallowed their shots of whiskey confessed their hate, confusion, or dissolution with it all.

Tonight, Safrona basked in an accomplishment. She had landed a few assitant couriers in the week, and had the time to herself she always should have, even if her restlessness would speak for her otherwise. The Elysian Sojourn sprawled out before her on its 7th opening night, and it was truly hers, a marvel. Moreover that enough felt well enough about the lounge to find it. Something for once belonged to the identity of the Courier, Safrona Shadowsun, something she could be proud of wholly.

The curtain of the confession booth parted, another patron come to confess, and Safrona straightened to bid the new face welcome. Another sister of the void peered back at her, young of face, petite of form. A smile beamed to almost comical proportions on the visitor's lips, a barely contained excitement suffusing the undecisive face as it decided on what her first words may be. Safrona had to chuckle as the elf tried to compose herself. "Well come on then and sit, I won't bite you."

"Sister, I'm just so glad I found you!" A petite, manicured hand grabbed for her own. Caught off guard, Safrona allowed for the touch, where she may have normally evaded it. It was served with a uncertain pat, though she maintained her little smile. The young woman made her feel like a celebrity that didn't want to be there.

"Well, "Sister", I would normally insist on the formality of "Courier", but I'm no courier here. So, Saf will have to do."

The reply seemed to slowly drain the excitement from the young void elf's face, like a candle flitting out, complexion shadowing over. "You...no. Who is Saf? Come on Tes. It's Winny. Me." She tried another bright smile, her eyes liquid as they teared over. Hand moved, reaching toward Safrona's long, red braid. "What did you do your hair? This is something silly I would do, you know."

The reaching became much too awkward, breaching the composed smile as Safrona veered back from the touch. "I think you have the wrong pers--"

Sudden as a flame, ‘Winny” exploded, her voice a shriek between tears. "NO! You don't get to DO that! You've done that to EVERYONE! You're not going to do that to me, Tesrael. We thought you were DEAD! It's been years...what is WRONG with you?! I'm your gods-damned SISTER! WHY are you playing these games?!"

Stunned into silence, Safrona watched the girl's face contort between anger, frustration and hurt before she darted away, fleeing to the portal exit. Many of the patrons turned to look upon the scene as well, a union of awkward silences.

Dread, a different sort of dread than anything N'zoth could throw at her sent Safrona's stomach plummeting as the name "Tesrael" settled on her. Hair rose in mnemonic recognition.

Instinctively, she pulled the curtain closed and shakily uncorked a bottle of bourbon. The confession booth was now reserved for one tonight: herself.

[fxkthatdairy]

PANIC ROOM CHAPTER FOUR: DUSK TILL DAWN ~Grayson Dolan

Overview: Overview- In the year 2020, to solve the problem of overpopulation. Selected few are thrown into the PANIC ROOM simulation. If the person finds their soulmate in the simulator and manages to survive, they are able to rejoin the rest of the population. If they fail they will become a victim of the PANIC ROOM. What happens when (Y/N) gets thrown in the PANIC ROOM? Will she survive? Or will she fall victim to the simulation?

Warnings: severe angst, violence (epilepsy warning for the photo ⚠️) Heavy language, slight mentions of almost rape

I was running, running like my life depended on it. Grayson was behind me, but I still don’t know why I was running. My heart pounded inside my chest and fear was filled throughout my whole body. Whatever we were running from was definitely life-threatening.

“(Y/N) Turn to the cave! We’ll be safe there!” Grayson yelled as he spotted a cave up ahead. I took a hard right running deep into the cave before stopping. I placed my hand against the wall and attempted to catch my breath. Grayson walked in and slumped against the cave walls as well to try and catch his breath. He walked over and placed his hands on my shoulder to center me.

“I think we’re saf-“ he didn’t even get to finish his sentence when a knife penetrated through his heart. Blood began pouring everywhere, his body went limp and fell to the floor. Whatever or whoever did this was long gone now. I fell to the floor holding him, the tears were flowing from my eyes as I tried to stop the blood from flowing. My hands became stained with blood and his eyes and skin began to lose their color and life.

“ No no no no, this is not how it’s supposed to be Gray, please come back, don’t die on me, I fucking love you, we have so much to do please Gray please come back,” I said through sobs as he took his final breath. I let out a loud sob and threw myself over his body.

I shot straight up from my sleep. My body was sweating, tears were flooding down from my eyes, and I was shaking badly. I couldn’t seem to catch my breath because I was hyperventilating.

“Hey, hey (Y/n) I’m here, calm down. It was probably just a bad dream.” Grayson crawled over and wrapped me in his strong arms. He was here, he was alive, it was all a dream. He didn’t die but I still felt the emotions of as he were dead.

“Gray, don’t leave me, please. Don’t die, I can’t lose you, God I need you Gray, Please don’t die.” I said through silent sobs. I held onto him tightly not wanting him to slip away. I needed to know he was safe and alive.

“(Y/N) I’m not going anywhere. I’m here with you now. You’ve got me for life. I promise you we are going to get the hell out of here alive. Nobody is dying on my watch. I’ll never fucking leave you (y/n/n).” He said and held me tightly knowing I needed the reassurance at this moment in time. He smelt like teakwood with hints of woodsy smells. I never realized how good he smelt until now or how warm his body was or how strong he truly was. The more I took every part of him in, the calmer I seemed to get. My body stopped shaking, the tears slowly began to stop, my breathing returned back to normal and my body seemed to relax and feel tired.

“Gray, please lay with me and hold me. I need you to physically be with me so I know you’re safe while I sleep please.” I said and buried my face into his shoulder.

“(Y/N) I have to be on guard.” He said and held me even tighter.

“I know Gray, just hold me until I fall asleep. You can still keep guard, I just need you with me right now.” I said. He nodded and laid me down. He wrapped his arms tightly around me and pulled me into his side. He stroked my side gently. I could hear his steady heartbeat which sounded like a natural lullaby and it slowly helped me go to sleep. My body totally relaxed and I was able to sleep knowing the man I truly love was alive next to me.

When I woke up, it was barely light outside. Grayson was sitting by the tent door gazing at me. He had drifted to sleep while watching me, I didn’t blame him, this was truly exhausting. My muscles were aching, my head was pounding, and I honestly still felt tired. Nobody has found our hideout yet thank god. But to be honest we picked a very secluded area nobody would think to go. It was honestly a little chilly in the tent so I decided to crawl over to Grayson. He barely opened his eyes long enough to raise his arm so that I could snuggle into his side to try and retain his body heat. I watched the sunrise through the tent. If one) it wasn’t artificial and two) the start of a new hellish day, the sun actually caused a beautiful glow.

“You know, you look beautiful in the glow of the sun,” Grayson mumbled with his eyes slightly opened. He had one of his signature smirks on his face.

“Thank you Gray, but how would you know your eyes are closed,” I said and I let out a small laugh.

“One) I don’t have to see you know your beautiful and two) I opened my eyes for a little bit .” He said now fully opening his eyes and stretching out. He stood up, bent over and began getting things ready. We got everything and stood outside of the tent. Grayson put all of the hiding shit back on it and right around then my stomach let out a loud growl.

“Let’s go get us some food. We’re going to have to catch something from the river and cook it up.” He said as we a few miles down to the river. I sat on a rock and watched as he was watching the fish swim by, waiting for the perfect moment to throw the knife and catch the fish. He looked absolutely beautiful like an angel God had sent down from heaven. His brown hair was slightly ruffled from the way he was sleeping, his clothes fit tightly around his body in the best of ways, his tanned skin glowed in the sunlight, his angel wing earring was dangling as he kept moving his head, and that damn silver chain that hung around his neck looked sexy as hell on him.

“You know if you take a picture it lasts longer sweet cheeks.” He said with a smirk as he came back with two fairly large fish.

“If you haven’t noticed chunky butt, I don’t have anything to snap a photo with so get used to me staring at you,” I said with a laugh as I saw him try and start a tiny fire to cook the food with.

“Chunky Butt, really than your Snuggle Butt because I swear you like to cuddle and I’m not complaining. Plus I wouldn’t mind you staring at me as long as I can stare back.” He said looking at me as he sat by the small fire cooking the fish and making sure the smoke didn’t get too bad and attract attention.

“I wouldn’t mind that either as long as I still get all the cuddles in the world,” I said with a slight laugh.

“I would never deny you a cuddle, sweetcheeks. That is not in my vocabulary when it comes to you.” He said with his award-winning smile. He finished cooking the fish and cut it and brought it to me.

“Bon Appetite.” He said and dug in. I ate mines and I suddenly had more energy. It’s funny how much energy you can get from just eating.

“Thank you, Grayson, for the food. It was really good.” I said smiling.

“No problem sweet cheeks, as soon as we get out of here I’m going to show you my true culinary skills. I’m quite the chief when I have the correct equipment.” He said with a smirk and used some water to completely put out the fire. We were a few miles from our base so we decided to pack up our stuff and walk up to the base. As Grayson was packing up and making sure everything was good, I decided to go walking around to search for some more packages. That was one of the stupidest mistakes I ever made when I felt two arms grab me. One covered my mouth so that I couldn’t scream and the other pushed the barrel of a pistol into the side of my head.

“Now what is a sweet thang like you doing out here all by yourself.” The sick twisted voice spoke into my ear and I immediately knew who it was: Thomas. By now I’m pretty sure a few tears had started falling down my face and my body was shaking.

“Don’t be scare sweet thang, do what I say and I won’t hurt you maybe.” He said as he still kept the gun to my head and took his hand off my mouth.

“If you scream, I’ll kill you right here and now, if you run I’ll kill you right here and now, if you don’t listen to me I’ll kill you right here and now, do you understand me.” He said seriously and I nodded. The fear overtook my body and I prayed to God Grayson came looking for me and found me before this psychopath killed me.

“Now you’re going to be a good girl and take your shirt off for me. And then you’re going to slip off those pants off nice and slow yeah.” He said with a cruel smirk. I felt my insides cringe as my body wanted to throw up its contents. This fucking psychopath was going to use me and then kill me. The tears fell down my face as I slowly began taking my shirt off, cringing as this man was staring at my chest hidden behind my sports bra as he still had the gun pointed at me. I bent down to slowly pull my pants off leaving me in my black sports bra and black underwear. As I stood up I saw Grayson sneaking up with his gun out. Thank God, I made sure not to make any hints that Grayson was here. The tears still kept falling as my body shook. Thomas kept staring with a maniac laugh and psychopath smile. He was so distracted by my body he didn’t hear Grayson’s gun click. Grayson worded at me to dodge and the next thing I knew Thomas’s gun dropped to the ground and blood began to pull at his mouth. Life left his eyes as I kicked his gun away from him. His blood splattered all over my bare body. I let out a broken sob and almost collapsed to the ground but before I could hit the ground Grayson caught me. He picked me up as well as the rest of our stuff and walked us up to our base so that anyone who heard the noise would find Thomas and assumed he killed himself.

Another casualty: Thomas Biggerstaff the announcer spoke. My body still was covered in Thomas’s dried blood as we reached our base. I was in such a state of shock my body didn’t move, I made no facial expressions. I had finally stopped crying but I felt so empty inside. I was almost raped and murdered within the past hour and I didn’t know how to process everything. Grayson sat me down real quick so that he could drop the stuff off in the tent and then picked me right back up. He walked down to the part of the river right beside our base and sat me on another rock as he stripped down to his boxers. He picked me up and brought me into the river.

“Hey (Y/N) I know you’re scared shitless right now but I swear to god I’m going to take care or you and he’s never going to be around to hurt you again. No one will ever force you like that ever again. I’m not leaving your side from now on. I swear to god I’m going to protect you. I failed earlier but I swear I’m going to make up for it. I’m so sorry that asshole made you do those things. I’m going to wash you off now and get that bastard blood off of you. I know you don’t want to speak so please just no so I know this isn’t going past your comfort zone.” He said softly as he stroked my hair. I nodded and he began washing me off with a little body of body wash he found in my bag. He was extremely careful with every move he made so that he didn’t startle me. He made sure to get every spot of blood off of my body. I could see his self-guilt on his face. I could tell he was blaming himself for everything that happened and it killed me. I was the one who wondered off and almost got killed it’s not his fault.

“Gray, it’s not your fault. Please don’t let this eat you up. I’m here now, you saved me from that monster. I’m forever grateful for you please don’t beat yourself up over this.” I said softly but I knew he could hear me.

“I’ll try for you. I just wish I followed you. I know now I’m going to stay by your side forever.” He said as he rinsed the last area of blood off of my body. By now the sun was starting to set, so he pulled me out and dried me off.

“So I’m going to turn around but in order to keep you from getting sick overnight. I’m going to need you to take your undergarments off so they can dry. Just throw on your clothes I brought.” He said and handed me my clothes and turned away out of respect. I faced away from him knowing he needed to change as well. I stripped quickly and slipped into the clothes that Grayson handed me. When I turned around Grayson had his sweats and shirt on. He took our undergarment and hung them to dry beside our tent and made sure they were hidden. He helped me get back in the tent and I felt the exhaustion hit my body.

“Do you want me to hold you tonight?” He asked gently and pulled out covers back. I nodded my head and crawled under the blanket, Grayson following behind me. He pulled me tightly into his side and stroked my hair, face, and side gently trying to lull me to sleep. It worked as well as his calming heartbeat and comforting smell. His body heat kept my body from freezing as I drifted to sleep. When he saw that I was completely asleep he kissed the side of my head.

“I promise (Y/N), I’ll protect you for the rest of my life.” He said and stroked the side of her head. When he saw her standing there half-naked, trembling in fear, and crying with that psychopathic, cowardly excuse of a man his blood boiled. If (Y/N) wasn’t standing in the direct line of shot, he would’ve shot first and shot multiple times until the bastard was covered in bullet holes. Though he was extremely pissed, (Y/N) managed to keep him balanced. He killed the bastard simply due to the fact that the love of his life was there and he didn’t want to scare her. He loved her more than life itself. He would kill for her and he proved that. He would die for her and if she would’ve died he surely would’ve killed himself. He could never see himself living in a world without her. He began to truly believe she was his soulmate; his one and only. He fell into a light sleep so that he could still hear everything and protect his girl but he could also get some rest at the same time.

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Part four is done! I hope you guys enjoy this series as much as I enjoy writing it. Feel free to let me know your thoughts on how the series is going so far. As always let me know if you have any requests, concepts, or blurbs. Part five will probably be up in the next few days. Part seven of The Principals Office should be up within the next couple of days as well. Love you guys 🥺😊💛

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