#yes! she has forgotten her past and she's terrified of losing more

[izar-tarazed]

What tarot card are you?

The Moon

(for Izar) You avoid corners and doorways - do you know why? Have you looked inwards recently? Do you understand what is happening there? Your mind is muddled and dusty, a mirror you haven’t been able to clean properly. Smudging the nervousness just leaves streaks on the glass, which makes your face harder to see, which makes you nervous. What are you nervous of, darling? What keeps you up at night? Why haven’t you confronted it? Do you know what it is? Can you answer my questions? Are they making you nervous? Am I frightening you?

The Hermit

(for Ensha)

It’s a skill, to look inside yourself, one you have mastered. The endless corridors and shifting thoughts are mapped to very carefully. This all takes time, of course. And those twisting hallways are so very difficult to map. It would be so easy to get lost. You know this space so well. Wouldn’t it be a lovely place to stay? So well-known and comforting. Why go back? How nice, how easy, to dissolve, to hide from the rest of the world and all the people in it. Why bother, when you are so good at looking inside yourself. Like enlightenment, the self. Retreating this far inwards is like retreating just as far out, into the vast ether. So comforting. The thing that was you looks at the thing that was the old woman. There is no you anymore. Goodbye.

Tagged by @rotten-pest (thank you!) Tagging whoever wants to do this!

[aonungyou-shit]

Hi!! , I just read one of your fics and absolutely loved 🥰 I’ve never requested anything before but I saw that you’re are open so here goes nothing…

A Tsu’tey x reader ( jakes younger sister) who was one of the first dream walkers who was sent ahead of her brother and went to graces school to learn along side the children of the clan who they had hoped would be seen as less of a threat and could lean more and get abetter footing in the clan for them , when the school was attacked the reader ran away scared of what the rda was capable of asking the clan for help and since she was still considered a child they took her in when jake gets to there he’s told his sister had died and instead he comes to find her alive within in the clan mated to Tsu’tey and with a family of her own but she’s terrified of her brother

Hi Hi so so terribly sorry its taken me this long to respond! That is an excellent idea and i wish to kiss your brain because the FLAVOR this has is mwah! I hope you enjoy this

Actually i quiet enjoyed this a little too much.

To Lose, To love, To be afraid

When you came here Around four years now you were fresh to the world of possibilities. You were 17 one of the youngest personal that had been selected for the avatar program. Down on your luck you reluctantly joined. You had never seen yourself live the life you currently had.

You were clumsy at your feet in your new body and new height. Young was your avatar too. Seeing as how some older avatars and Na'vi were just taller than you. Dr. Augustine had been your guide in your new life. The school had been running for 8 years successfully and you were new to said studies. Lucky for herself and you, you were quick to learn.

You were always by yourself. never really fully talking to anyone the first few months. But then Neytiri was the first one to speak to you. You spoke to her sometimes until one day where she caught you outside of school following the gentle flowing of an Atokirina

"what do here Sully?" She asked you stopping you from following any further. It wasn't until she spoke that you realized just how far you were from the RDA camp.

"oh Pardon me. I guess i just got too caught up in Pandora's beauty"

From then on you continued to talk as if you were nothing else than sisters. She has made great company while you were extremely homesick and missing your only family Jake and Tom.

then Came Sylwanin and Tsu'tey. You knew they came to school. Tsu'tey sometimes when ever given the chance and you had grown to really grow fond of them. A little circle.

Grace had been happy that you had made such progress within the year. You were shown how to hunt, what and what you shouldn't eat. You were being taught much more than grace could teach. Little by little the earth you knew as your home was now a long forgotten past.

And then tension grew. You were dining waiting for Sylwanin and Neytiri when you heard the hushed whispers of the Omatikayan

"Sky demons do not belong here, Walk in a suit of flesh and plan to take over our way of life, We must do something"

"Do not be foolish. Hush your howling and continue to eat least of all do not cause trouble"

"I just think we should speak to One of them. they continue to destroy our land, coming here not knowing what to do"

You felt guilty yes, Felt like this could all be your fault and yet you knew that it wasn't the case. You were just here lucky to be one of the people to hopefully unite humans and Na'vi people.

But the fates are cruel and unkind.

Somehow without your Knowledge Sylwanin and a few other hunters had Destroyed what Humans saw most valuable than some 'savage' lives.

In turn causing one of your friends to die. With a broken cry you yelled helping Dr. Grace to get the remaining children out alive. And with it you ran way with them too.

Your heart sank when you realized that somehow you had managed to drag Sylwanin's body back to the people. Begging Praying that somehow she could still be alive.

Heartbreakingly that would never be the case. Mo'at's cries or anguish, Eytukan's wails of rage and the silent sobs of Tsu'tey and Neytiri was all you could hear. You wanted to cry. Hell you did cry, But your crying could never be the same as them. Life is sacred. You had learned that now. So many lives were lost. You knew that sooner or later you would have to wake up from this horrible sight and awaken in your human body.

But all you did was beg and cry with the family that this was not the way it should go. You spoke that if they banished you. If they sought to kill you then you wouldn't mind. A life for a life.

However Neytiri refused. Knowing that you had done all you could to save her people's children and bringing back what was sacred to her family clan.

You were young. You were like a baby and for that reason perhaps too had Mo'at allowed you to stay.

But you could never let go of this guilt. You told them that you came here to seek peace to hopefully live united. But humans can be cruel and no doubt would never see anything wrong with killing sentient living beings.

For humans can be selfish and don't see people as people. But obstacles.

You swore that you were of the people. That you would do what you can with your human body to help the Omatikayan people. But you knew maybe not all of them trusted you. You had grown wary of what you say or that of how you speak.

When you awoken in your human body you went to console Dr. Augustine. Who in her heart break yelled and screamed that what they did was detrimental to what they were trying to accomplish.

But her status meant nothing to men with power.

Threatening her to silence.

"How are the people" she asked you sometimes when you came back from your walking with the Na'vi. And you relied what information you could. Wary of prying ears.

It was only weeks and already You had before one of the people. You would soon be able to make Your bow from home tree. Neytiri congratulating you. and begrudgery Tsu'tey as well.

He Grew to like you once before. But after the death of his promised he had grown to be avoidant of you. Heartbreak was a rather hard thing to get over. You can deny it all you want but you had lost two friends that day.

"You did well" He spoke to you.

You couldn't shake the feeling the immense guilt. The spark was brighter yes but it was anger, discomfort hatred for what you once were.

"are you well?"

"I am, You have proven yourself to be with us"

"That is not what i mean Tsu'tey"

He bit his lip. Ears flattening as he looked at you. You were once what he hated. But it never was your fault. He couldn't forgive that which was only ever filled with greed.

But you weren't to blame. and he could not be angry. For better or for worse things happen as Eywa deems it to happen. He lost someone and in turn found someone with you.

"It keeps me up at night"

"im so sorry"

"do not apologize, You were never the one to blame." he spoke hand now resting on your shoulder. " you and i are one in the same now. You are one mighty fine warrior. I am sure if you were to choose a mate then they will be lucky to hold you"

" i dont think i deserve such thing"

"why? did someone say something like that? just say the word."

You couldn't help but laugh just a little as you sat down. It would be a while before neytiri would call you to receive your paint and be celebrated as that of the people so you could only figure to kill time

"once, Back home"

"Someone said that to you?"

"Yes. But i hold no ill will no malice. Perhaps they are right"

"none sense! Y/n you are mighty and you are strong! Who ever said that is foolish"

You saddened a little. To have someone say that it was different. It felt nice to be told you were something that you never saw yourself as. "Humans are cruel"

"i know"

"Humans kill each other. they kill that of what gives life. Our mother's dead. She died a long time ago and we killed her. Tsu'tey if i am honest i dont want to return. I don't ever want to blindly follow that who brings sorrow and destruction. Tho i know i cannot leave my human body behind." You didnt know where this was coming from.

But he just sat there and listened to your troubles.

" i think it be cruel to leave my potential mate while i live with humans one moment and return the next. That is not right i know it. To be without your other at night. Its dreadful to think about"

Tsu'tey listened to that and somewhere deep in him. Something enlightened. Some crazy idea. he would bring it to mo'at once you had chosen your mate.

However somewhere inside him he began to frown. Was he angry, no he was..lost. Truly he had never held romantic feelings for anyone but Sylwanin and even then it was solely cause he had so much time to try and develop something for her.

Once he was chosen to be her's well he saw no greater honor then to burry his thoughts of choosing someone for him, and here you were disassembling everything he build up.

However now he was promised to Neytiri and while he saw her as a younger sister he had taken that role too. Eywa had her plans. But had she placed you right here in front of him? making his heart beat a little more for you than anyone else?

"Do not worry im sure something will work out"

"Ah Sully there you are" Neytiri said now looking at Tsu'tey and then at you. "good Tsu'tey can help too"

He frowned a little before sitting in front of you and Neytiri behind you.

Your eyes were down cast as you felt the two Na'vi paint you. Not wanting to think too much. There was a lot to think about but that would be all for tonight.

Tsu'tey was having trouble however. How could someone he have hated for being a demon now become someone he longed to protect too? no. You weren't a demon now.

His fingers now lingered on your lips as you stared at him. his eyes staring at where his fingers remained. Before looking at your eyes.

You were uncanny and yet not at the same time. Your eyes were just a little smaller than theirs. Your lips a little fuller than theirs. Your figure was just the tad bit more fuller. You were a dream walker yes.

"You are Omatikayan now"

you wanted to cry a little. but didnt want to ruin the paint before the ceremony.

But once you returned to your human body you didn't tell Grace. You could not tell her. Even if you trusted her. For you were going to try something absolutely insane with the help Of Tsu'tey.

-*-*-*-*-*-

"Y/n Sully is dead" Was all grace got suddenly when your lifeless body came back. Your mask hanging off your face where no doubt this planets atmosphere had killed you.

She wept of course but pushed on as to guide the new people But she mourned you as she had Sylwanin, as she mourned the many Na'vi children who caller her Sa'nok.

You were happy. You had lived 2 full years with the Omatikayan people. In your once fake body now your fully in soul and mind. In those first few months of being fully Na'vi Eywa seemed to test you. You weren't strong like these Women You had always left the fighting to your two older brothers. So you took up the role of a gatherer.

But you were mighty as Tsu'tey had said. Which caused him to seek guidance within The Tsahik and Olo'eyktan. He didn't want to dissapoint them he hadn't wished to grow to fond of you. But you had helped save many children. You adored your role now that you were of the people.

And he could not deny his feelings anymore. He wanted to have you if you would ever so much as liked to have him too.

You had been out when Neytiri had brought you back. Your basket filled with goods as you entered Tsahik's hut.

"Oel ngati kameie, Mo'at" You greeted. Setting your basket in between you and her. Her gaze was one that had looked through you a lot of times. one that before had caused a chill to run up your spine.

That time she had seen you.

She told you what Tsu'tey has asked. She had never seen him be serious like he had been in asking, pleading with her to be with you instead. She understood that Her remaining Heir did not love Tsu'tey and so with guidance from Eywa she let it be.

You would not take long to return those feelings. And it wasn't long after that of which you two had mated that you fell pregnant. Life was not as it once was for the Omatikayan people. Never had a sky demon infultrated their clan and lived along side them.

It wasn't as it once was. The threat of the RDA still rose high. And yet you had welcomed a healthy baby boy into pandora.

That had been almost six months ago and counting. Tonight you had decided to accompany Neytiri in her hunt. Tsu'tey had been reluctant of course, Having to take care of a six month old and then you with your prominent belly full of your second child.

However as night fell You watched as Neytiri pointed to a figure.

You looked from where you stood. An Avatar. It caused your body to run cold. You had not seen an Avatar in over two years. But never the less you followed Neytiri's lead.

Jake Had been told that you had lost your life due to the harsh world of Pandora. Now left alone in this cruel life. Tom and yourself lost to this world that he wanted to help conquer. He hadn't seen your body. But Dr. Augustine had been frank with him. This oxygen killed you.

The Training killed Tom. And now facing off the dangers he was going to get killed too.

Within a blink he had seen two fierce figures jump to his aid. Slaying that of which he could never understand. Before stopping to thank one.

Then They turned to look at him.

"Don't Thank, You do not Thank for this. This is sad" She spoke with vigor as she had been furious.

Jake Turned to look at you and in that instant you felt your body run cold.

"you... Jake or Tom?" you asked between a hushed tone as you looked at said Avatar.

"Y/n? but. But your dead! Dr. Augustine said you were she saw you, you were dead" he exclaimed. At that tone you instantly knew.

Marine. It was Jake and maybe that's why that sinking feeling of fear dropped to your stomach.

Jake knew your features. They were one of a kind. He knew instantly he did and yet it made no sense as to how you were here in front of him. How were you alive when you were dead? You died two years ago did you not? meaning you were now twenty one? but how could it be

how is it possibly to continue to live once you died.

"Quiet!" Neytiri spoke breaking you out of your haze as she began to ask you in Na'vi to come. To let him be lost to the forest. With fear in your heart you did. Running ahead of her and by default Jake as he tried to reach you to talk to you. Trying to get answers and thank you at the same time.

You wanted to retort back before you stopped. The great mother that had guided you here long ago now there she was. Floating gracefully down to your brother.

which he then swatted at.

"Kehe!" You yelled

"Ftang nga!" Neytiri retorted.

Jake Paused before trying to swat again.

"Rutxe. No" Neytiri said now holding his arm as she was the one closest to him. "Atokirina!"

You looked at each other in awe as more seem to go down around him. "Atokirina.."

Neytiri turned to you now. "Lolu Aungia"

Biting back the fear you felt you nodded as you helped guide Jake back. Neytiri telling him to follow.

And when Jake would wake once again in his human body he had quiet a bit to tell back.

-*-*-*-*-*-

When Dr. Augustine was welcomed back to the clan She sought you our first and foremost. She could not believe what jake had told her. It was impossible to believe. That an Avatar was no longer that but a breathing conscious body that once was human.

Moreover she could not believe when She had tried educating Jake on the roles of the people that Tsu'tey no longer was the next Olo'eyktan in line. She could not believe that you were now a mated pair

She was morbidly curious about your offspring too. So once she had gotten permission from Mo'at she went to talk to Tsu'tey.

How big he had gotten. How strong he was.

"Tsu'tey, Oel ngati kameie" She greeted him formally before he turned to look at her

"Sa'nok! Oel ngati kameie, how long its been"

She agreed and Asked him to sit down and talk. And talk they did. She asked how life had been treating him and if he was happy. And once that was all she apologized.

"Forgive me for what they done to Sylwanin"

"Don't fret. It is not your blame." He spoke reassuring her "she lives within our great mother now."

"yes i know...How, no.. is it true that you and Y/n have.."

"It is. She has bore me one strong son. And we await the arrival of our newest member of our family clan"

As if right on time you barged into your home. A babe strapped to your chest resting atop your swollen bump. and a basket resting on your hip.

"Y/n!" Grace spoke without even thinking. hugging you tight. Ever so grateful that Jake's words ran true. You were alive. You were spared.

"Grace?"

"You're alive."

You couldn't help but smile. Trying to hug her as best as you can before your son began to fuss.

"oh Shit sorry" she excused herself seeing the little tot fuss at suddenly being squashed.

"What is his name?"

"Tsaro Rongloa Tsu'tey'itan." You proudly stated Sitting down finally to let yourself rest.

Dr. Augustine stayed and spoke with you two. Far longer than you had thought you may have allowed before she had to leave. Leaving you and Tsu'tey to speak.

"Something troubles you"

"i am afraid as to Why Jake is here"

Tsu'tey rose a brow.

"you've seen first hand how the RDA are. And what greed does to them. My brother was a marine when i left and he came here armed. And i know he is family but i am afraid"

"i dont like him either. He is a threat to my family"

You smiled feeling his large hand on your growing bump. Looking down at your son.

Your fear was justified. You lost friends and people to the RDA. And if what jake told you was true about Tom. Then you had lost family too.

Your fears were Tsu'tey's but you felt safe within his embrace, unbeknownst to you however Jake would be what would bring you peace one day.

======================

please excuse if my ages make no sense. I really couldnt see how to mathmatically make it make sense so im sorry if it troubles anyone.

EITHERWAY i do hope you enjoyed it

[hereforthefanficsandromance]

The Way He Looks at You Series II:II

Act II: The Way You Look at Him Chapter 2: The Way You Resist Him

Read on AO3 Read on Blogger Read on Tumblr Story Master List: The Way He Looks at You Series

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Chapter Summary

You lose all your privacy after facing a ghost from your past. Rating: 18+ Words: 2.9K

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The Inquisitor offers you his large hand, the prospect of touching him disgusts you forcing you away. He withdraws his hand slowly, and you tip your head back as another sad expression crosses his face. You feel guilt for his response, but you try to remind yourself that the man before you does not have the capacity for kindness. This is surely an act to get to Theo.

The Inquisitor said that Theo unfortunately lives, meaning he must have tried to kill him previously. You feel a deep sense of dread that your boyfriend is being directly hunted by the Thirteenth Brother. Your ex-boyfriend your remind yourself, still not believing the words.

Surely the Inquisitor is tricking you to eliminate more Jedi from the galaxy. What other motivation would an Inquisitor have to hold you hostage? He said you’re pregnant with his child, but Fifth Brother said that you were pregnant with Theo’s child. So which is it? Which Inquisitor is telling the truth?

You can’t fret over the possibility of being pregnant right now. Not when Theo’s location is unknown, and you are stuck with the Thirteenth Brother for the next six weeks. You only agreed to the time frame for intelligence on the Empire and bring it back to the Rebellion. Or at least that is the reason you are telling yourself.

You refuse to face how your heart ached when this man shed tears. Perhaps it’s a testament to your character; that you can feel empathy for the enemy. Maybe it has nothing to do with the way your heart reacted but how your body reacted to his dark expression. The way he looked at you.

You shake your head once to clear the traitorous thoughts before standing. As you move towards the exit, the Inquisitor wraps his long fingers around your upper arm. You glare up at him and try to pull away, but he does not relent.

“Considering you just tried to kill me, I’m afraid that I can’t trust you to walk on your own.” He says.

You huff in response and allow him to guide you off the ship and onto the windy catwalk. Your cloak whips violently around your body, but the hood stays in place, like magic. You are grateful for the privacy offered by the thick material.

Large battered doors slide open to allow you both inside. The room is cold, large tiles make up the floor, the Inquisitor’s boots echo noisily. Your head rotates, trying to take in any useful information until the sound of another pair of boots draws your attention.

The Inquisitor adjusts his grip to push you behind his body, blocking your view of the unannounced visitor. You try to peek around him, but you feel the familiar sensation of being Force held in place.

“Thirteenth. This must be the woman I’ve heard so much about. She seems well after the accident.” A familiar yet terrifying voice sounds.

A lump forms in your throat as you bite back tears, having never forgotten this cruel voice. Adrenaline surges, urging your body to flee the monster of your past, the Grand Inquisitor.

“Yes, she woke less than an hour ago and I’m afraid she is not the best company at the moment. I would like to get her back to my quarters to rest.” The Thirteenth Brother says.

“Of course, I understand. We are all at her service. Lord Vader is quite excited for two Force-sensitive children to be born into the dark side. If we train them young, they may become the most powerful Sith Lords the galaxy has ever seen.”

A lot of information is hitting you and your mind disassociates to protect itself. The rest of the conversation becomes white noise as dizziness and nausea overtake you. You become lightheaded and have to rest your forehead against the Inquisitor’s back.

He notices immediately and ends the conversation as he turns to scoop your limp body into his arms. You want to protest, but you are not physically able as the world is spinning around you. You close your eyes and breathe deeply through your nose as the Inquisitor carries you through the long corridors, then through two sets of doors.

You mentally scold yourself for missing hugely important parts of the journey that could benefit the Rebellion. But your body overheats, bringing you back to your breath. Before you fully lose consciousness, you sink into a soft mattress as the Inquisitor frees you of your cloak, boots, and woolen socks.

Your body finally cools and you feel better, the room no longer spinning. After laying still with your eyes closed, you risk opening them. The Inquisitor sits at the edge of the bed, his forehead wrinkled with worry. You look around the plain room, accented with boring black furniture.

You move to sit up, realizing how odd it feels to be laying in an Inquisitor’s bed. The man leans forward to press you back down and you shoot him a terrified look as the blood drains out of your face.

“Do not move too quickly. You shouldn’t have left the hospital yet in your condition.” He says. “I’ll have a physician come here to check on you in the morning.”

You feel your face heat at the infuriating way he is treating you. Surely, this is all a ploy to keep and use you for information. There is no chance you are pregnant with an Inquisitor’s child, let alone two children.

“My condition! What condition is that exactly, pregnant? I don’t believe you!” You yell, daring him to lie.

“You think I’m lying to you?” He asks before settling his face from the confusion and smirking. “You don’t have to believe me, as your pregnancy will become obvious soon enough.”

You scoff, and he narrows his eyes, sending a wave of butterflies through your stomach. The desire to maintain eye contact wanes as you feel shy when looking into his fierce expression. He notices your change in demeanor and lets out a small chuckle.

“Tonight, you may shower if you’d like and then have dinner.” The Thirteenth Brother says.

“I’d like to shower.” You say, excited at the prospect of time away from this cocky man.

He only nods before turning to offer his hand again. You reject the gesture and stand to prove your independence, but the victory is short-lived as you see stars and stumble. The man catches you against his firm chest and holds your shoulders to steady you. Your face burns in shame, and you don’t dare look up at the cocky expression on his face.

He guides you into the beautiful bathroom; the sight halts your steps as you take in the oasis in this lifeless tower. The Inquisitor does not push you to continue forward, instead allowing you to decide.

You turn to look at him; he has a small smile on his face. You take a step away from him and reach for the door. His boot prevents the door from closing, and you narrow your eyes.

“You can leave. I’ve got it from here.”

He shakes his head and darkens his eyes, causing your stomach to flip again. He takes a step forward and you mirror him by stepping backwards. You complete this dance a couple more times and, to your horror; he closes the bathroom door, locking you both inside.

“Absolutely not! I am not showering with you in here.”

“I’m afraid your inability to stand on your own requires my presence for safety.”

“Then I won’t shower.” You cross your arms.

“Fine. Don’t shower.” He replies, a smirk teasing his lips.

You glance at the beautiful shower and desperately want to clean your dirty hair from the weeks without care.

You exhale. “Fine. I’ll shower, but you can’t watch me.”

He tilts his head. “I will keep my eyes on yours only, but I will watch you shower. You are a hazard to yourself.”

“No, you said you won’t make me do anything I don’t want to do!”

“Precisely. I won’t make you do anything you don’t want to do. However, there are stipulations for each action. I will not force you to shower. If you choose to shower, I will watch you to ensure your safety.”

Your mouth drops open and your eyebrows pinch together as you shake your head.

“Worry not. I’ve seen you naked before, and it is always a pleasure.”

Your heart palpitates at his words and you feel moisture between your thighs. You look down and walk towards the shower to figure out how to activate the hot water. The Inquisitor leans against the bathroom counter as steam fills the room. He doesn’t break eye contact as he removes his armor, placing it on the counter behind him. You nervously glance between him and his growing pile of discarded outerwear.

“I am only trying to find comfort from the rising temperature. I will not be joining you.”

He quirks an eyebrow. “Unless you would prefer it.”

“Never!”

He only shrugs and busies himself by removing the rest of the dark-colored armor. You stand there awkwardly, knowing that you need to remove the revealing dress to shower. Frozen by indecision, you watch as he disrobes.

The Inquisitor reaches behind his neck to reveal a fitted black sleeveless shirt under his long-sleeved one. Your lips part as you take in his muscular arms. The pale skin contrast against the black fabric he wears. You feel a longing to run your fingers across those toned arms.

The handsome man looks up into your wide eyes in amusement. You turn away and try to convince yourself to untie the dress. The possibility of turning away enters your mind, but then you wouldn’t be able to ensure he keeps his word.

You don’t want his eyes roaming your body, so you take a slow breath and meet his eye. He stares right back, making no move to look elsewhere. You reach up behind your neck and untie the chords that hold most of the dress together. You allow the fabric to fall, catching on your hips.

The Inquisitor keeps his gaze locked on your eyes, despite your now naked upper half. You find it hard to breathe, but continue on, pushing the elastic of the waistband down, exposing yourself completely.

You step into the gorgeous shower, trying to find some way to hide your naked body. Obviously, clear water won’t do much, but it eases your discomfort. The hot water feels nice and you almost close your eyes to enjoy it. If you were not being watched by an Inquisitor, you would find solace in this peaceful bathroom.

You break eye contact to locate soaps as you clean yourself, noticing his eye contact is becoming less distressing. You imagine that same fierce expression in a more intimate setting. His attractive face hovering inches from yours, looking into your soul as he pumps into your-

You look away, closing your eyes for a moment, trying to shake the thought. The realization that he can now look over your body forces your eyes open again. To your surprise, his intense stare stays fixated on your face, though, he his head is now tilted.

As you wash, you pause while cleaning the area between your legs. A look of horror briefly overtaking your face, before trying to hide the expression. You swear that the Inquisitor’s mouth twitched upwards in response. The entire area is slick, and you curse your body for its betrayal before attempting to wash away the evidence of any attraction to this man.

But he seems privy to your reaction and shifts his weight, his hands gripping the edge of the counter, flexing his biceps. Your eyes travel down the exposed skin to his fingers, long and slender. Perfect to slide inside your aching-

You rip your eyes away from the seductive digits and return to the staring contest. He looks pleased, and it infuriates you.

“Do you need anything else for your cleanliness? You’ve been in there so long I can’t help but wonder if you enjoy being watched.”

You scowl and turn off the hot water, reaching for a fluffy towel to dry yourself. You feel better being covered by the fabric and wrap your hair as well.

“Are there clothes for me? Or do I have to wear that again?”

The Inquisitor guides you to a door at the back of the bathroom, opening into a large walk-in closet. One side of the closet is endless rows of black clothing.

The other side has a small array of dark colors; black, burgundy, deep plum, sapphire, emerald, and magenta. The fabrics are all beautiful, a variety or silk, satin, velvet, and cottons. You’re taken aback by the clothing options that you have available. You whip around to see the man’s face, suspicious of his closet.

“Why do you have so many clothes for women?”

He almost smiles, but settles his expression. “I bought them for you while you were in the hospital. I wanted you to have more than one dress.”

You narrow your eyes but turn back to walk along the selection of clothes, noting that nothing will cover you completely. Each piece revealing some part of your body to the world.

“Is there anything modest in here?” You ask, your tone short.

“You are welcome to wear my clothes. I’d quite like to see you in them.”

You grimace and don’t move towards his side of the closet. There is no way you would give him the satisfaction of wearing his clothes. Instead, you search for something comfortable that you could sleep in.

Finally settling on an emerald cotton crop top with a deep v neckline and long sleeves. You try desperately to find pants to wear with it, but discover they are only available on the Thirteenth Brother’s side. Your pride keeps you firmly on your side and you huff before selecting a too short black skirt.

“Is there underwear?” You ask.

“I don’t see the need. It gets in the way.” He says.

“What if I get my period? I’m supposed to just bleed?”

“You’re pregnant. If you’re still here after the pregnancy, I’ll buy you what you require.”

All you can do is continue to glare at the infuriating man. He allows you to finish your silent temper-tantrum. You drop the towel on the floor as a last act of disobedience and slip into the revealing clothes. The Inquisitor never allows his eyes to drop to examine your body.

“If you won’t look at my body, why have me wear these clothes?” You say and stomp out of the bathroom to finish getting ready.

He stands nearby, making eye contact with you through the large mirror as you work. “Because at some point, you will ask me to look at you. When you do, I’d like to ensure I see your body exactly the way I want.”

Your mouth hangs open, and you stare at him in shock. “I will never ask you to look at me.”

He smirks and reaches to unbuckle his pants. The panic in your eyes calms when you see the black sweats sitting on the counter. You hadn’t noticed him grab them earlier.

Unlike him, you don’t avert your eyes, and watch as he undresses. It’s no surprise that his underwear is black and your gaze accidentally drifts across the bulge at the center. You try to look elsewhere and instead take in his muscular thighs.

He changes slowly, allowing you to get a good look before he slips on the sweatpants. His boots and pants discarded on the bathroom floor.

“Are you hungry?” He asks.

“What?” You ask. Horrified at his question after your longing gaze at his lower half.

“Are you hungry? You haven’t eaten solid food in weeks.” He asks again, clarifying.

“Oh! Um, yes, I’m hungry.” You say, now timid.

He leads you through his quarters and into his kitchen. You stand there looking lost as he pulls out food to make your meal.

“You may sit and rest while I prepare the food. However, you may not leave my sight for the time being.” He says, his focus now on the ingredients before him.

You nod and turn to look around the room. There is a couch that is within eye-shot and you move towards it. Not wanting to make any further intimate eye contact with the Inquisitor, you turn to look out the window while he works.

Your thoughts drift to Theo, trying to make sense of your experienced timeline with the timeline that the Thirteenth Brother provided you. Before you have pieced together much of anything, you hear plates being placed on the kitchen table.

You walk over to sit at the table, across from the man who claims to love you. He nods once and you find yourself unable to resist the siren song of the meal. You eat quickly and grow sleepy from the fullness in your belly. The Inquisitor notices as he cleans up the mess.

“You will sleep in my bed,” He says.

You shoot him a weary look.

“I will not sleep in the bed with you without your consent.” He says as he finishes cleaning.

You nod and allow him to guide you back to the bedroom. You climb into the bed and curl up under the covers. He sits in the nearby chair, placing his lightsaber on the side table nearest him.

“You’re going to watch me sleep?” You ask.

“I cannot let you out of my sight for now.” He explains.

“Whatever.” You say and turn your back on the intruding man.

There is quiet for a while as you drift off. The last thing you hear is a short mumbled poem. “Goodnight, sleep tight, my little Light.”

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Next Chapter: The Way You Don't Belong to Him

[the-era-of-shadow]

Maria's First Encounter

Written by Ash Rose

Content Warnings:

None that I can think of

Summary:

Hard at work on Project Shadow as always, Gerald Robotnik hadn't noticed when his granddaughter, Maria, had entered his laboratory in order to wish him a happy birthday. What's the problem with such a minor oversight, you might ask? Well, this was also one of the days that Gerald was being visited by the alien overlord Black Doom, whose involvement in the project was a secret Gerald was hiding from everyone on the ARK, including Maria. But now Black Doom and Maria are face to face with one another. Will this be the end of Gerald's career? Or has Gerald underestimated Maria's kind heart?

Notes:

Another old story! This one had been uploaded in the past, but I took it down during the rewrite circuit to preserve the reading order or whatever, but since this falls under Origins, I don't really care about that anymore, so here you go! I edited it a tiny bit, but this is mainly just the original in all its glory!

Another day of working on Project Shadow had just begun, and today was one of those days where the leader of the Black Arms, Black Doom, came to visit.

This used to be an event that happened only occasionally, Doom would come in and check up on Shadow's progress, and then take his leave, he's quite busy, after all. But quickly into the project, Doom's visits became more and more frequent. It was clear that they were still here to see Shadow, but he seemed to bond quite a bit with the still developing ultimate life form.

It was no surprise to Professor Gerald, really. The reason why Doom was there in the first place was because they gave Gerald a sample of his blood to use within Shadow, which benefited both of them. It benefited Gerald because Doom's blood acted as a stabilizer for Shadow, and it benefited Doom because it made Shadow something akin to a child to him, which is something that Doom had wanted for a while now.

At this point, Doom was checking up on Shadow almost every day. Gerald wondered who was running the Black Comet in Doom's absence, but that curiosity was overshadowed by the concern of them crossing paths with his granddaughter, Maria. Maria, being the young girl she is, was quite unpredictable. What if Maria told the other scientists working with Gerald about Doom's presence? What if that caused GUN to find out? At best, Gerald would lose his funding, at worst…

"Hi Grandfather! Happy Birthday!!" Maria said suddenly, entering the laboratory with a tray of various breakfast foods, a bright smile on her face, and her portable IV cord that dragged closely behind her.

It was Gerald's birthday? Gerald himself must have completely forgotten in the haze of his work. But forgetting his birthday was the least of Gerald's concerns at the moment. Maria's sudden intrusion put her face to face with Black Doom. He expected her to scream, or at least look nervous, but to both his and Doom's surprise, Maria looked completely unafraid, in fact, she looked excited.

"Oh, hello there! Are you a friend of my grandfather?" She said to Doom.

He looked back at the girl, dumbfounded. The way she looked at them with a complete lack of fear, it stunned him. Most other humans that had encountered Doom ran from him in fear, and even Gerald radiated an aura of uneasiness whenever he was with them, but Maria wasn't like that at all. In some ways, that comforted Doom, that feeling of being loved certainly felt nice. But in other ways, it felt strange, surreal even. This young girl, so innocent looking, wasn't afraid of a being so often seen as terrifying and evil? But why? … He tried to not think much of it, for his own sake.

After a long stretch of silence, Doom finally responded to Maria's question.

"In a way, yes. I assist him with Shadow here." He said while motioning to the pod holding the in-progress hedgehog.

"Oh! I see! Did you know that it's my grandfather's birthday today?" Maria replied.

"I did not… Thank you for informing me." Doom responded, looking surprised.

"No problem!! Are you going to stick around and celebrate?" Maria then asked.

"Ah- Maria! Y-You must understand, he's quite busy-!" Gerald interrupted nervously, but was stopped by Doom.

"I don't see why not…" They answered. Maria rejoiced excitedly, thanking Doom for agreeing to stay.

"By the way, what's your name, mister?" Maria asked.

"I am Black Doom." Doom responded with a tinge of pride.

"Woah!! That's such a cool name! I don't think I've ever met someone with that kind of name before!" Maria's excitement gave Doom a sense of nostalgia, in a way. It wasn't the first time someone said such things about his name, afterall.

Gerald decided to intervene at that moment, gently tugging on Maria's hand, thanking her for the food and suggesting to her that she should make sure everyone else knows of his birthday.

"Oh, and one more thing." Gerald said.

"Hm? What is it, grandfather?" Maria asked.

"Don't tell anyone else about what happened here, okay? The others don't know about Doom being here, so you better not tell them!" He explained to her, being stern in his tone.

"Okay! I promise I won't tell!"

Gerald noticed that Doom's eyes followed Maria as she left the room, seemingly fixated on the girl.

"That… went better than I expected it to." Gerald said, breaking the brief silence.

"Quite so..! That girl of yours is incredibly fearless…." Doom responded, still looking at Maria as they did.

"Yes… I hope she keeps our promise… If the other scientists, if the government were to find out that I've formed an allyship between myself and the leader of a… of a-"

"A nation of terroristic, genocidal maniacs, hellbent on spreading chaos wherever they go?" Doom said, completing Gerald's sentence.

"Y-Yes, according to the others, anyway-"

"Me and my people take pride in being called such things! We are the harbingers of chaos, destruction and all things of such a corruptive nature!! To be known across the universe by those things is an HONOR!" Doom asserted to Gerald, loudly enough to get his point across, but still quiet enough to go undetected.

"O-of course!" Gerald quickly responded, not used to Doom speaking in a way outside of their usual quiet and calm nature. "I… I still have a lot to learn about your culture."

"Indeed…" Doom said back, his voice going back to the near-whisper that Gerald is used to hearing from him. Upon further inspection from Gerald, they seemed to still be staring off in the direction of his sweet Maria, despite the conversation the two just had. "The way she asserts herself around me reminds me quite a lot of my soldiers, actually… Perhaps I could-"

"If you see it that way, then s-sure! But she is still m-my granddaughter!" Gerald replied skittishly, cutting Doom off before he could begin to speculate on things that Gerald feared happening.

"Maria… Her name is Maria… Correct..?" Doom asked, still not taking his gaze off of Maria, not even for a second.

"Yes…"

"I see…." Doom chuckled slightly. "What a lovely name… I sense great potential in her…"

A chill went down Gerald's spine, but he took a deep breath, and returned to his work.

[picnokinesis]

I loved the last chapter of Campervan especially because we have arrived at the Doctors POV. The one Thing that stood out, to me, in that chapter, is how her relationship with the/her Name John changed throughout the Story. Where in Part 1 she told O about it along the lines of "If I would have made different decisions at that time." Kinda fondly looking back at it, like an old friend. To Part 5, where she kinda wished maybe it would have been the easier decision, (1/2)

(2/2) instead of going by The Doctor. But not looking at either Name with regret. To now, in Part 6, where she alienates herself from the Name John. Its not like a welcome memory, or even a innocent or jovial "What would have happened if..." But more like a stranger, something that she wants to distance herself from. And that change over the course of the Story is something that is heartbreaking to see and also a punch in the gut, as I realised that it happened.

YES OH MY DAYS DUDE that is exactly it, and I'm so delighted that you picked up on it! There's a VERY good reason why that has begun to happen, and you basically worded it perfectly here - that memory, that name, is like a stranger to her. It represents not just her lost memories but also the person she was in the past that she's forgotten. And as the fic goes on, you'll see that a lot of the Doctor's emotional arc in part 6 is the conflict between wanting her memories and wanting to understand who she was back then, but also being afraid of CHANGING once she gets those memories - of becoming that person who kind of scares her, and losing who she is now. At the very start of the series, her lost memories where just things she didn't know that had happened to her. Now, the Doctor has begun to conceptualise the person she was before her amnesia as a separate person to who she is now. It's one of the key things that I reaaaally wanted to dig into in this story, because so much of it is centred around identity and where that identity comes from - and if who you were as a person was BUILT AROUND a set of memories that you then lost......then who are you? And that's the fic.

And yeah, it IS sad - because for a long time, she had no issue with the name John. But now, it's a stand-in for everything she's terrified of, because it's the one scrap of information that she has - the one thread that she can hang onto that connects her back to the past that she's lost.

[ren-c-leyn]

Happy STS, Ren!

Is there a piece of your story or a character in a certain scene that you are incredible proud of? If yes why?

Hey, Leia, happy sts to you too ^^

This is a tough one. I've got a lot of scenes and characters I'm really proud of. I'm going to tag @writingonesdreams in this, because I think many of these moments will be of interest to you.

I think the stand out moments and characters for me, though, are these:

* The end of Forgotten Gods book 1. That entire section of the story is just chaotic, and tense, and the characters are all having these different experiences even though they're going through the same things. Reuven is horrified that Silver is willing to sacrifice not only herself but Kitan to do what needs to be done, and he's scared for both of them. Kitan is scared but excited, he's finally doing it, finally doing some great that is helping and worthy of a champion. Silver is furious, completely coming apart. Everything she's ever suppressed is rising up in her while she's just tearing through everything that needs to be done because she is NOT losing another home to this world. Fuck the Gods, fuck her past, she's just internally screaming fuck everything, and in her fury she does what she was always terrified to do - Stand up for herself.

Speaking of, I'm rather proud of Silver's arc in Forgotten Gods. She starts off uncertain and closed off, holding the world at a distance and not caring about anything or anyone but herself first and foremost, but as she settles into the tower and Kitan and Reuven start making themselves at home in her life and Eternity starts leaning on her she starts slowly coming out of her shell a little bit. She doesn't become a social butterfly or what I'd call a 'good' person, but she does start learning to trust them, start learning to speak her mind a little more, she makes progress but she doesn't entirely change, and I love that about her arc. She gets a little braver, a little more sure of herself, and she makes friends, but she is still Silver.

The Time Keeper's Office scene in The Shackles of Time. Still hands down my favorite. The setting, the emotion, the way that their shared bond humanizes both The Time Keeper and Frostblade Wyndulin, the foreboding foreshadowing, and it only hits harder and harder the further I get in the series.

Speaking of Shackles of Time, I'm very proud of of all of those characters. They are all so much more than I had even hoped they'd be. Including the side characters. I'm attached to all of them like a toddler to their favorite stuffed animals and blankets. Take them away from me and I will cry and probably bite someone, lol.

The Firewalker has a short scene where Valerian gets the first hug he's had since he was a kid. It's sweet and angsty and he has no idea what to do and Thistle is crying, and I just love it so, so much. <3

In The Plight of a Sparrow book 2 there's a scene where Claude takes Sparrow out into the city and lets her sit on his shoulders to look up at the runes in the magic lanterns that line the streets of Sunflower so she can see what their predecessors did with magic and show her what she could do with magic someday, and it was very sweet and a hopeful note to an otherwise bleak magic system.

Those are the stand out moments that are coming to my mind at this moment.

Thanks for stopping by~! I hope you have a lovely day/evening

[rezzyromance]

Idk if this is how you request things or if it's just asking, BUT-

How would the Lords react to an S/O that's usually the chillest person that you will ever meet (not to be confused with a pushover because they are not), they've never seen them even mildly annoyed when something bad happens. But then something happens and, turns out, the S/O is utterly TERRIFYING when they're mad.

Hope this makes sense!

Aw man I'm gonna feel awful scaring Moreau and Donna :(

Alcina

You're relaxing on a beautiful morning. The sun is shining through the window just enough to warm the room but not hurt your eyes. You hadn't even changed out of your sleep wear. "How are you feeling, my dear?", a sweet voice rang from the doorway. You were sitting in your favorite chair near the window. You turn and smile at her. She walks over and rubs your face in her large hand before leaning down and giving you a soft kiss. "I'm feeling amazing. And you?", you grab her hand before she pulls it away and you place a kiss on her knuckles. "I'm feeling alright. There's a new maid here. She's a bit slow. I'm giving her until tonight to finish dusting the entire castle or else she won't see another sunrise." It was almost comedic how dark her words were as you both stared out the window and gazed at the beautiful scenery. "Come on Alcina.", you stand up and place your hands on hers, trying to hold them despite the size difference. "Give the girl a break. It's a huge castle AND it's her first day.", you knew your words would probably change nothing. Alcina was rather cruel, but you looked past it. You tried your best to make the nervous maids comfortable whenever they arrive.

"We'll see how she does." She gives you one more kiss before leaving the room. You sit back down in your chair, enjoying the warmth of the sun for a little while longer. You lose track of time, minutes maybe even hours go by. Suddenly, there's a crash not far from the door. You jump and stand up, no longer comfortable after being startled. "What in the name of Mother Miranda?!", you leave the room and look down the hallway. The new maid stood there with a terrified look on her face. In front of her was one of the paintings Alcina had on her walls, now with a broken frame and a hole punctured. Your blood began to boil. It was a painting of you, her, and the girls all together. It was your favorite. "How in the hell did you manage to do that?!", you begin to stomp towards her. She cowers and struggles to find her words. "I-I-I was just dusting! It fell and I-I didn't mean t-", you cut her off. "How the fuck did you knock such a large painting over just by dusting?! DO YOU THINK YOU'RE ALLOWED TO MAKE SUCH STUPID MISTAKES HERE?!", you unravel. "I-I didn't mean to! I'm sorry!", she almost begins to weep. "SORRY ISN'T GONNA SAVE YOUR ASS!"

"MISS DIMITRESCU PLEASE HELP!", she cries out. You freeze, realizing that the lady herself is right behind you. You turn to face her. Her eyes are wide with shock. She has never seen you like this before and never even knew you had this type of side to you. She was impressed as much as she was terrified. "(Y/N)? Are you alright my love?" She had no idea what to do as your seething slowed down. "Why don't you go back to the room, yes? Settle down a little and deal with her later.", she places a hand on your back helps walk with you back to the room. Once you're there, she bends down to whisper in your ear. "I don't know where this side of you has been this whole time, but I am so amazed by you. And also a little frightened."

Donna

The Beneviento house was usually a calm place despite its creepy aura. You and Donna are both quiet and chill people. Never once have you fought or even raised your voices at each other. It was pleasant.

You had planned a nice dinner for the both of you. You wanted to try out a new recipe and surprise her, so you made your way to the kitchen to get started. "Okay, what first? I guess I'll need a pot.", you go rummaging through the kitchen and you find the pots stacked within each other inside one of the top cabinets. You groan and stand up on your toes, grazing the pots with your fingers. It didn't take much to cause them to tumble down, crashing on top of you with a loud sound that followed. "Aw shit.", you sighed and picked up the knocked over pots. A small but annoying pain began to throb in your head from where it made contact with a pot. What you didn't notice was you forgot to pick one of the pots up. It remained unnoticed. "It's fine.", you say to yourself as you maintain your composure. Next, a cutting board and knife. You turn around and begin to walk forward to find the cutting board, but you slam your toe into counter. You wince in pain and grab your foot. "SON OF A BITCH!", you yell.

You calm yourself, still wanting to have a pleasant meal with Donna. "Alright. Everything's fine." You step forward and kick the pot that you had forgotten to pick up. It caused your freshly kicked toe to ache even more. "OH COME ON! GOD FUCKING DAMMIT!", you scream and swear as you throw your arms up in pure rage and shock.

"...(Y/N)?", a gentle voice whispered from the doorway, causing you to whip your head in that direction. It was Donna. She looked absolutely horrified and almost looked like she could cry. "Is.. is everything... are you alright?", she worried. "Yes. I'm sorry. Just got a little pissed off.", you took a deep breath to calm yourself down, feeling bad for scaring the poor girl.

Moreau

You were sitting on the dock together, looking into the water as your feet swung back and forth above it. It was a sunny day and you two decided to spend it outside. Your hand slowly made its way over to his. His feet stopped swinging for a second as you entangled your fingers. "I don't know what I'd do without you, (Y/N)." his words were bitter sweet as a gentle smile formed from his lips. "Oh, Sal. You don't have to think like that. I'll always be here for you.", you kiss his cheek and continue to relax as you sway your legs.

"There it is! There's the beast!", a voice yelled from not so far away. You both look in the direction of the voice and see a few young village boys. Possibly between the ages of 13 and 16. Moreau had become some what of a scary story for the villagers. A tale that kids spread on school court yard and bring up during dares. But, you've never seen a kid brave enough to actually make it far enough into the reservoir to actually see Moreau. Now, there were about 3. All of them stood and pointed, shocked and terrified.

"Hey beast! Come get me!", one kid teases. You glare at the kids as a newfound rage begins to boil inside you. "Let's go back inside.", Moreau says before standing up from the doc. The sadness in his voice was heartbreaking. Suddenly, one of the children gathers the guts to pick up a rock and throw it as hard as he could. His aim was off, but not by much. It slammed into the wood near Moreau's feet, startling him. "Take that you devil!", he laughs. "THAT'S IT YOU LITTLE SHIT!", you begin sprinting in the direction of the immature brats. Two of them run from the direction they came from while the one who threw the rock was frozen in fear. You took the opportunity to grab him by the collar of his shirt. "Listen here you little waste of space. I'm gonna give you 3 seconds to turn around and run for your goddamn life. If you or any of your little snot-nosed friends come around here again, they'll be goddamn fish food. Do you understand?" The kid was too scared to speak and instead began to nod rapidly. You let him go and watched as he ran as fast as he could, screaming the whole way.

You walk back to the shack and find Moreau standing in the same place he was when you took off. His mouth was agape and he looked almost as scared as the kids. "You alright Sal? I made sure those little shits won't be coming around here anymore." "Yeah... I didn't know you could be so... scary", he says. "I'm sorry. But those kids were being cruel. I had to do something.", you say. "Well... it was awesome!", he smiled. "But also very scary!" You laugh which helps sooth him a little.

Heisenberg

"Screw driver.", is all Karl said with an outstretched palm. He was working on some type of mechanical heart for his experiments. He wanted you to lend a "helping hand" even though he could easily do it all by himself. He did this because he wanted to be around you, he was just too stubborn with too big of an ego to simply say it. So here you were, handing him every little tool he asks for.

"Do you want the big one or the little one?", you say with a hint of boredom in your tone. "Aw c'mon don't sound like that! Isn't this exciting? It's like you're working on it with me! Also, hand me the big one.", you do as he says and hand him the big screw driver. "I just don't get it. You literally have powers. You can easily do this by yourself and have been for so long. Why do you need me to help?" He pauses for a second and looks over towards you, his brow slightly furrowed. "I don't NEED you to help. I just thought it would be nice for you to help out. Plus, you're the one always bitching about me constantly working. Well, here you are! Helping me work! So, either suck it up or you can leave." His harshness had no real ill will in it. He was just confused and a bit too ignorant to consider his words. But, he was testing your patience. He continued to use the screwdriver until handing it to you without saying a word.

"Hand me a screw.", he demanded with his hand facing palm up again. "Which size?" "They're all the same sizes, dumbass." You feel your blood begin to boil. "They're different fucking sizes! This one is smaller than this one!", you hold up two screws that are obviously different sizes. This makes Karl angry. Not because you were right, but because you seemed upset over something that seemed so insignificant.

"If you came here just to yap in my ear, then I don't think I need your assistance.", he huffed. You put the selection of tools and supplies he was making you hold on the table he is working on and ball your fists. "You're the one who told me to do this in the first place!", you yell. "Yeah, because you won't stop bitching! Non-stop you're always compla-" you cut him off before he can finish. "SHUT UP!", you yell. The room goes silent. "YOU SAY I'M BITCHING? HAVE YOU HEARD YOURSELF? JESUS FUCKING CHRIST KARL YOU BITCH AND MOAN ALL THE TIME! I'M DONE TAKING SHIT FROM YOU!" He wanted to be angry, but he couldn't. He felt something much more overwhelming. Was he.. intimidated? He didn't move from his seat. All he could do was look up at you with a confused expression. What now? What is there to do? If he pushes you further, what would happen? He was actually too scared to find out.

You take a deep breath to calm down before speaking. "Now, if you want me to help with your shit, I'll stay as long as you keep your mouth shut. Can you possibly manage to do that?" He gulps nervously. "Yes ma'am."

[ilalos]

Worth it (Anthony Bridgerton x reader) Part 2/2

Summary: Your arranged marriage to Anthony seems fine, until it doesn’t.

Warnings: marriage, implied sex, angst-ish, fluff, pregnancy, crying, if you notice anything else let me know :)

Word count: 2.5k

The season passed in a blur with countless flowers and conversations that filled you with expectations about your marriage to the Viscount, you truly felt like love was around the corner for both of you and it was a matter of time for that corner to be turned. He was everything you had expected and more, you could tell he was wary about letting you in but didn’t want to push him so you let him open himself to you at his own pace. The had been some stolen looks, kisses on your knuckles that had lasted a little longer than they should and hand a bit lower than what was acceptable when you danced. To say the courting had been successful was the understatement of the season in your opinion, by the time the wedding day came you were counting down the minutes before you finally became Lady (y/n) Bridgeton.

Your wedding ceremony was short and the carriage ride to Anthony’s bachelor townhouse was even shorter. The wedding night had come with a surprisingly low amount of events, your virginity had been taken the sweetest of ways, with many kisses and whispered promises of pleasure that came true. By the end of the day, you were as happy as can be, laying on your husband's chest, feeling his heartbeat slowing down and smelling the sweet vanilla scent of his skin.

When you woke up the next morning the bed was empty and he had already left to work in his study back in the main Bridgerton home. He didn’t return until late in the evening and you were waiting for him so you could have dinner together.

“Thank you for waiting for me,” he said while taking a sip of his wine.

“It’s nothing, I like that we are finally spending some time together”

Anthony just nodded and continued eating in silence.

“How was your day?” You pushed for conversation, you had been alone all day and could really use some conversation with someone different than your maid, who was terrified of speaking freely.

“It was busy” he answered simply “how was your day?” He asked after seeing the face you made at his short answer.

“It was also very busy, I reorganized the books in the library, had the kitchen staff do an inventory on the pantry, and send the maids to the market to get some flowers for the table tops” you narrated proudly, hoping he might appreciate the way you ran the home.

“Good to see you’re settling in, darling” his small praise made you smile a little.

“You don’t mind that I changed some things?” You asked somewhat concerned by his silence.

“It is your home, you’re free to do whatever you please with it,” he said dismissively.

“It’s our home, Anthony, I want to make it perfect for you too”

After dinner, he walked you to the bedroom and after a couple of heated kisses you fell in his arms once again, the pleasure he gave you was addictive. Despite his cold attitude towards you in other aspects of your life, it was in the bedroom where you felt hopeful for a future where you both might learn to truly love each other, and then he would sneak out every morning making you feel like a worthless whore.

And so your days continued like this, every night was filled with passion and every day was lonely. You couldn’t even go to the Bridgerton home, you had been taught that a married lady was not to go out without her husband, so your heart slowly filled with sadness as you spent day after day alone in the townhouse. Anthony was none the wiser because he simply thought you enjoyed being by yourself, so it never occurred to him to invite you to his family’s home or anywhere else.

A month into your marriage you found out you were with child. You were extremely happy and Anthony had shown himself to be happy as well, but then that night he didn’t come home for dinner and didn’t make an appearance in your bedroom. He was more and more distant until four months had passed and he disappeared for two full weeks before you saw him again.

It was on the day of your birthday, and he had only gone to your room because the butler told him you had been very sick that day. When he entered the room he found you seating on the bed hugging your knees close to your chest, your eyes puffy from crying and silent tears still streaming down your face. You weren’t upset he had forgotten your birthday, you had never celebrated it so it didn’t matter he didn’t remember it.

“What happened? Is everything well? Is the baby-“

“Your child is quite well, Lord Bridgerton” you interrupted in the coldest tone he had ever heard from you “to what do I owe this joyous visit?”

“I apologize for my absence, I have been very busy” he answered measly.

“I figured out that much, husband” the word was said with venom.

“Are you upset with me?” He asked offended, you had never treated him so coldly.

“I am upset with myself” you started with a pained chuckle “I don’t need you to try and comfort me because you did nothing wrong, that is the reason for my anger” a small sob escaped your lips “I was taught to be a good wife, that my only job was to give my husband heirs and to keep the house running and I understood that and I didn’t fight it because at least I would have children to fill my life with love and a husband who at the very least would acknowledge me and my efforts”

“I-“

“I don’t want you to feel like you should change or apologize, this is not your fault, I feel miserable because I filled my heart with hopes and dreams of love but that’s just not how life is, at least not mine” you harshly wiped your eyes before finishing “I understand my place now, I’m nothing but a child-bearer for you and that’s fine because you didn’t even pick me in the first place” you got up from bed and opened the door for him “please leave me alone, I will be fine”

“I can’t just leave you here alone, have you even eaten today? In your condition-“

“Your child is perfectly well, my lord” your tone had turned icy once again “please go, I am tired and want to rest”

Unable to do anything else, Anthony left the room and went back to his family’s home. His mother had insisted for him to take you there that night, but seeing your state he didn’t even bother asking if you wanted to go. When he got there he was surprised to see the dining room fully decorated, his whole family dressed in their best clothes, even Daphne and Simon had paid a visit.

“Where is (y/n)?” Asked Violet.

“She’s not feeling very well” answered Anthony looking at the table that was filled with all his wife’s favorite food “What is happening? Why are you all here dressed as if you are attending a ball?”

“Anthony, please for the love of God almighty, tell me you didn’t forget your wife’s birthday!” Violet couldn’t keep his composure, how could Anthony be so clueless.

“I-I’ve been so busy lately supervising the building of the new house, it didn’t even occur to me that it was her birthday” Anthony felt terrible, as he should.

“It’s bad enough she doesn’t like us, son” Violet sighed, seating on the table “And now she thinks we don’t care for her birthday”

“Where did you get that idea, mother?” Daphne couldn’t help but ask “When she writes to us she says wonderful things about our family”

“Then why hasn’t she visited since the wedding?” This time it was Colin asking “Mother sent a tea invitation shortly after they got married and she never showed up, sent a poor letter apologizing but did not explain why she didn’t show”

“I might have an explanation for that” Simon spoke up “My aunt was a terribly strict mother, taught her that a wife was nothing more than a child-bearer and had no liberties like men do, for example: going out unaccompanied”

“Has she been out of the house since you married, brother?” asked Eloise, turning to face Anthony who was still frozen at the doorstep.

“I don’t believe so” he entered the room and sat defeated “I just thought she enjoyed being at home by herself, god!” he rubbed his hands down his face.

“I can’t believe it, the poor thing” lamented Violet.

“She hasn’t left the house in almost half a year” concluded Benedict.

“And here we were, refusing to visit thinking she had rejected mother,” said Colin.

“I would like to clarify, I never agreed with losing contact with her over one missed invitation” added Eloise, gaining the glares of everyone present.

“It matters not what we thought nor does it matter what has happened in the past” began Violet “right now I want you to go pick her up and bring her here, she deserves to be celebrated, especially after everything we put her through,” she told her eldest child, pushing him to stand and go to the door.

Anthony mounted the carriage and urged the coachman to hurry home and as soon as he got there he ran up the stairs to your room and burst through the door, jolting you awake.

“I am so sorry, love,” ha said kneeling on your bedside “I never knew you didn’t leave the house because you thought you couldn’t, you are free to do as you please, darling” he grabbed your hand and kissed your knuckles “I didn’t mean to make you feel trapped in your own home, and I am sorry if you felt like I abandoned you” he caressed your face and wiped some tears that had fallen without your notice.

“You did abandon us,” you said, trying to pull your hand from his grasp with your other hand protecting your belly.

“I was merely supervising the building of our new home, I was hoping I could surprise you before the baby arrived” he explained, now seating by your side “I can’t possibly ask my family to leave their home but I know how much you love that house, and so I chose to build a similar one not too far from here”

“You are building me a house?” You asked incredulously, hardly anything could justify his absence but this was in fact a reasonable explanation.

“Yes, love” he once again caressed your face “A home for our family” at that your eyes filled with tears, this time from happiness.

You sat up and wrapped your arms around his neck, crying with your face buried in his shirt. He wrapped his arms around you, kissing the top of your head and shushing you softly to calm down your cries. You spent a while holding each other until he suddenly broke you two apart, remembering his family that was still waiting for you both to show up.

“My beautiful wife, I must take you out of the comforts of your bed” he began, apologetic “My family is expecting you in their home to celebrate your birthday with a lavish dinner”

“Heavens! You should’ve started with that” you ran to your door and called out for your maid “I don’t think I have a dress for such occasion, non that would fit me now, that’s certain”

You opened your trunk and began taking out your chemise and all other items you had to wear under your dress in such cold weather. You took off your nightgown not caring Anthony was there, he had seen it all before, after you had put on your chemise your maid ran in and help you put on the rest of your garments and helped you squeeze your small baby bump in the dress you had worn for one of the first balls you attended when Anthony was courting you. She put your hair in a quick updo and even managed to coerce Anthony into putting on your stockings and your shoes while she did your hair. With all that rush and hard work, you managed to be ready in under an hour and still made it to the dinner at a reasonable hour (half past 9 is reasonable, right?).

At the Bridgerton home, you were welcomed with warm embraces and merry wishes on your special day. You all sat around the table and ate the feast that had sadly grown cold. Colin didn’t seem to mind as he devoured everything in sight, prompting Violet to chastise him softly. You, however, ate small bites because the pregnancy had caused your stomach to be upset easily and you didn’t wish to offend anyone by running out of the room to empty your stomach. Anthony watched you eat and held your hand atop the table, smiling as he watched you laugh and converse with his family.

“Is the food not good enough?” Asked Violet seeing your plate almost full.

“It is just perfect, my stomach has just been iffy since the start of the pregnancy” you answered smiling apologetically, Anthony choked on his wine because he realized at that very moment that he had forgotten to tell his family about your condition.

“You’re with child? Those are wonderful news!” Exclaimed Violet with a large smile “When did you found out?”

“Four months ago” you turned to glare at Anthony “I assumed your son had told you”

“How could you conceal such joyous information from your mother?” Violet then noticed her eldest daughter had become quiet, as well as her husband “Did you know, Daphne?”

“I was aware of it, yes” Daphne admitted ashamed “I too assumed Anthony had told you”

“You assumed my eldest son had told me about his wife’s pregnancy and I had decided not to mention any of it in our letters?”

“I-I’m, yes?” Benedict and Colin snorted with laughter hearing their sister’s answer.

Violet only shook her head with a small smile, her children were truly a wonder. Anthony was nervous that you’d get mad at him for not telling them, but one look at your laughing face told him he didn’t need to worry.

Later that evening you both laid in bed after yet another passion-filled encounter, your breathing slow and even making Anthony think you were asleep. He was caressing your naked back with feather-like touches, kissing your sweaty forehead every few minutes.

“I love you” you sighed, kissing his chest “You need not feel the same, I just want you to know how I feel”

He took a shaky breath before answering.

“I also am in love with you, darling” he placed a finger under your chin and tilted your head so you’d look at him “sometimes I’m scared of just how much I love you” he kissed you slow and deep, pouring all his love into the action.

The kiss was unlike any other you had shared before, this one was full of promise and hope. It filled you with love and certainty, you were now sure that no matter how difficult the road to Anthony’s heart had been, even if you didn’t want it at first, it had all been worth it.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Hi! Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed it. If you like it let me know.

Tag list:

@alaizaaa02

@awesomebooklover17

[rubysunnday]

Favourite brother - Part 2

A/N: well, part one went down surprisingly well! 

“So, Daphne is now a duchess...”

Y/N raised her eyebrows expectantly at her brother, waiting for him to finish his comment. She looked back down at her embroidery and poked the needle through the fabric. “And?”

Colin leant forward in his chair. “Perhaps, now, the ton will be watching you.”

Y/N let out a unladylike snort. “Oh, please. As long as Miss Thompson is around and as long as Daphne and Simon are in their ‘newlywed’ bliss, I will always be the wallflower of the family.”

Colin eyed his sister with a sad gaze. He didn’t miss the way she stabbed her needle through the fabric a little harder than necessary nor the way she practically glowered at Anthony (probably hoping he would spontaneously combust). 

“Colin, I can feel you staring at me,” Y/N said, looking up from her embroidery to give her brother a level stare. “What is it?” “You truly don’t believe you are worth anything, do you?”

Y/N paused, needle halfway through the fabric. She slowly pushed it through, trying to ignore the burning in her eyes.

Colin was right. She didn’t see herself as worthy of anything. Compared to Daphne who’d captured the eye of the ton and then a duke and a prince, she’d had nothing. Her three older brothers had always been swarmed with suitors and Y/N had truly believed that, maybe, one day, it would’ve been like that for her.

But apart from an almost marriage to Nigel Berbrooke that was out of spite to her brother and sister and was unwanted by her, she had had no proposals and no suitors.

A fact she wanted to blame Anthony for but that Y/N knew was down to nothing more than bad luck. 

If she’d made her debut a year later it would’ve been the same story. Everyone would’ve been captivated by Eloise and she would’ve been forgotten. Or everyone would’ve been terrified of Eloise and been forced to look at Y/N.

Either or.

When you were a twin of someone who excelled in everything you didn’t, it was easy to be overlooked and forgotten - especially in a family of nine. 

But up until she and Daphne came of age, she hadn’t felt overlooked. She’d felt loved and seen as an equal to her brothers. Anthony hadn’t been so protective (He'd always been protective of them all. But compared to how Benedict was when someone upset or threatened his family, Anthony was a saint.). 

Everyone fawned over Daphne when she began courting Simon - and rightfully so. But Y/N’s prospects and potential suitors had become nothing more than polite conversation between her and her ladies maid. 

“Y/N?”

Y/N inhaled sharply and jumped slightly at Colin’s voice. She looked over at him and gave him a somewhat unconvincing smile. “I’m fine. I just feel somewhat underwhelming compared to my sister,” she replied, turning her eyes back to her embroidery. 

Which was beginning to look less and less like a violet and more like an oddly shaped duck. 

Colin, sensing his sister wasn’t in the mood to be proved wrong, left the conversation there. He also didn’t want to end up with a sewing needle in his eye - the chances of which were becoming increasingly likely the more he poked and prodded. 

It was a beautiful ballroom.

There were candles in every window and garlands of flowers draped across the walls with petals dashed across the floor. 

The garden was a lit with numerous furnaces and torches that blazed in the summer night and the fountain set in the centre of the sprawling, immaculate hedges and flowers trickled away.

None of the beauty, however, was making Y/N feel any better about being left out of yet another ball.

She’d been standing on the sidelines watching ever since she’d arrived. Benedict had offered to dance with her but Y/N hadn’t wanted to be mentioned in Lady Whistledown for dancing with no one but her own brothers so had declined the invitation.

Instead she chose to stand and watch the beautiful couples dance around the room as she sulked and drank yet another glass of lemonade. 

“Why are you skulking back here?” Anthony asked, approaching his sister with a confused, concerned and curious expression.

Y/N swallowed the rather large gulp of lemonade she’d taken and tried not to give her brother a glare. “No one’s asked me to dance.”

“I’m sure Colin -”

“That is not the point, Anthony!” Y/N exclaimed, cutting him off. “I’ve had no one to dance with apart from my brother’s and Simon, who is now my brother too!” She almost growled but remembered that half the ton were around and forced herself to calm down. “Daphne has been the centre of everyone’s attention and had the suitors falling at het feet. I thought that now she’s married, they’d look to me - but apparently no one settles for second best.” 

Anthony stared at his sister. “Y/N, you’re not second best to anyone.”

Y/N scoffed. She set her empty lemonade glass down, slightly worried she was going to through it at her brother’s head. “Then why haven’t you looked at me twice all season, Anthony? You walked off at my very first ball, leaving me to flounder. You never escorted me - not even tonight! You have, so far, not cared about who comes calling for me - which was no one, by the way - and you don’t care that I have had no suitors, no callers and no proposals!”

She was breathing fast and could feel her heart pounding in her chest. She was angry. She was so angry and even though most of the anger was at the ton for being so vain, she couldn’t very well direct it at a ballroom full of people.

Instead she directed it at her older brother, the one who should’ve looked out for her and guided her through her first season in society but didn’t.

Anthony, for once, had the decency to look hurt by his sister’s accusations. He had a broken look on his face as he realised she was right and that he’d ignored  her. He was stunned into silence.

But Y/N hadn’t want pitiful silence, she’d wanted an argument - for Anthony to get angry at her and prove her wrong but also right.

“Say something!” Y/N snapped, glaring at Anthony. 

 Benedict and Colin had noticed the, somewhat heated argument, and were trying to weave their way through the crowd to intervene before one of them snapped and punched the other.

Anthony opened his mouth and closed it again. He was speechless - a rare feat, indeed.

Y/N scoffed and shook her head. “Fine.”

She turned on her heel and disappeared through the crowd, heading towards the door to the garden. 

Benedict and Colin made it to Anthony’s side and frowned.

“What was that all about?” Benedict asked, looking at Anthony expectantly. 

Anthony swallowed and forced himself to look at his brother. “She hates me.”

Colin, who had sensed the argument was coming, put a hand on Anthony’s arm. “No, she doesn’t. She’s angry at the world and the expectations society place on her shoulders. All she really wants, Anthony, is you.”

“I’ve ignored her almost this entire season,” Anthony said, staring at Colin. “How...”

“There’s still a few weeks left of the season, though,” Colin reminded him. He gestured to the door that Y/N had fled through. “Go on.”

Anthony didn’t need anymore encouragement, he brushed past his brother’s and all but marched through the crowd towards the door. 

Y/N had disappeared out onto the fire lit terrace of the house and was leaning on the stone bannister, trying to calm down. 

She loved her brother. Truly, she did. She also knew that he would never do anything to ruin her prospects intentionally.

That didn’t, however, stop her from wanting to throttle him. 

“Y/N?”

Y/N closed her eyes and inhaled. She could feel Anthony watching her and heard his footsteps approaching closer as he walked up to her. 

“Are you alright?” 

There was concern - genuine concern - in his voice. Y/N was usually good at keeping her emotions together and not breaking down until she was either with her mother or on her own.

But all it took was Anthony’s concerned question and a gentle hand on her shoulder for her to lose any control she’d had.

Y/N felt the tears drip down her face and turned to Anthony, practically throwing her arms around him and clinging on to him as if he was the only thing keeping her afloat. 

Slightly surprised by her sudden change in emotion, it took Anthony a moment to catch-up with the fact his sister was sobbing in to his arms and needed, not Lord Bridgerton, but her big brother. 

Anthony wrapped his arms around her and held her as she sobbed, waiting for her to speak.

Y/N eventually managed to get control of her emotions again and she stepped away from Anthony, wiping her eyes as delicately as she could to avoid ruining her make-up.

“Sorry.”

“Never apologise for being human,” Anthony said softly, sitting next to her on a bench. 

Y/N sighed. “I’m just... compared to Daphne I am nothing. No one has even looked twice at me this entire season. I’m her sister and nothing more.”

Anthony put a hand on her knee. “Do you truly believe that?” He asked, looking her in the eye.

“I don’t know. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. All I wish is for someone, anyone, to look at me and call on me because they like me. Not because they wanted an easy way to my sister or to you or to Eloise or to anyone who isn’t me!” 

“Y/N, you are a wonderful young lady and if those men can’t see it -”

“Then they’re not worth my time, I know,” she said, shooting Anthony an amused smile. “You sound like Benedict.”

“I believe you meant that Benedict sounds like me, he did come second after all,” Anthony quipped.

Y/N smacked her brother on the arm. She shook her head with a smiles she tried not to laugh. 

“Come on,” Anthony said, standing up and holding a hand out to her. “Will you do me the honour of a dance, Miss Bridgerton?”

Y/N took his hand and let him pull her to her feet. “Of course, Lord Bridgerton.” 

“Excuse me, Miss Bridgerton?” Y/N turned around. A young man, Lord Durrell if she remembered correctly, was standing in front of her looking slightly anxious.

“Yes, Lord Durrell?” Anthony asked, raising his eyebrows in his trademark brooding, older brother way.

“I was wondering if you would do me the honour of a dance this evening?” Durrell asked, looking directly at Y/N.

Y/N smiled and held out the arm that her dance card was on. “Of course, Lord Durrell. After I’ve dance with my brother, of course.”

Lord Durrell smiled and wrote his name on her card. “I look forward to it,” he said, bowing down.

Y/N curtsied slightly in response and watched as he left. She waited a few seconds and then squealed and jumped up and down. 

Anthony chuckled, stepping back to avoid being hit by a flailing limb. “See, I told you.”

“No, you didn't, actually,” Y/N said, taking her brother’s arm. “You just repeated what Benedict said and gave me a hug.”

“Which is just as important.”

“Naturally.”

Anthony led Y/N to the dance floor and the two took up their positions. 

“I don’t say this often enough,” Y/N said as they danced around the room, “but I’m so glad you’re my brother, Anthony.”

Anthony managed to concel his surprise by twirling Y/N around and using the brief moment she wasn’t looking to show his surprise before hiding it again. 

“I’m incredibly lucky to have you in my life,” she continued, oblivious. “I just wanted you to know that.”

Anthony nodded and smiled, twirling her around again. 

Later on, however, when he was in his own lodgings away from prying eyes, Anthony looked back on the moment and had to hide his tears in a bottle of whiskey and the mountain of paperwork he had to fulfil. 

[thelazyhermits]

I finally got around to reading that Obey Me fic that had been recommended to me a while back, which y’all can find here if you’re interested. I had honestly completely forgotten about it for over a year cause I like to wait for fics to be a little longer before I start them and at the time there were just like two chapters. Now, there are 32 lol

Anyway, for those of y’all who like Obey Me and found family, you definitely should check it out since it really is a fun fic. I really love the OC insert and how well everyone is written. Also, the chapters are pretty long like how a lot of mine turn out so my readers should feel right at home 😂

Even though I haven’t really been into Obey Me as of late and am way behind with the story, I found myself wanting to read the fic regardless, and I’m glad I did cause nothing beats high quality found family fluff 💕 Plus, it helps that it only covers season 1 which is the only season I’ve finished lol

However, there is one downside to reading it. Now, I can’t stop thinking of Fortune in Obey Me. I just can’t stop myself from creating TABF AUs 😂

Gonna put the rest under the cut. 

Rather than the version we’ve talked about in the past where TABF Fortune gets hit by a Quirk that sends her to the OM verse, I’ve been thinking of an entirely separate AU where Fortune ends up in the place of the MC during the events of season 1.

She’d have a background similar to what she has in JWTN, ergo she lives with her negligent/abusive cousins but like a half year or maybe even a full year before her 18th birthday she gets summoned to the Devildom to be a part of the transfer program. The only difference from JWTN I’d make is I think I’d be nice enough to make her old enough to remember her parents before she loses them, so she’s like 7 when it happens.

So, basically, her mindset/disposition would be a lot like it was at the start of JWTN, which admittedly wouldn’t be a very good thing in an environment like the Devildom lol 

However, I feel like she could handle herself better than one might expect since, in her eyes, no one’s more terrifying than Mumei, so she wouldn’t be as afraid of the demons as a normal human would be.

Hell, I’d say she’d take a liking to them just thanks to Diavolo alone cause he has such a good smile and is nicer to her during that first meeting than any human has ever been to her since her parents died.

All in all, considering what the last ten years were like, I think Fortune would be fine in the Devildom. There’d be some fear at first, but more than anything, she’d just be relieved to be far from Mumei’s reach once she fully realizes that he can’t harm her there.

I feel like Fortune would do a good job at helping the brothers out, considering, as an anon once previously pointed out, she does have some qualities in common with the MC like being nosy and very kind. And I honestly just think she’d get along well with the brothers, just some more than others since I think she’d become really good friends with Beel, considering how much he loves food and how much she enjoys seeing people enjoying her cooking.

The only thing is I don’t really like the idea of completely following the OM season 1 script for this AU. I just kinda wanna do something more original like say have Belphegor’s situation be different.

That’s mostly cause, while Fortune is nosy, I think she’s too obedient to disobey Lucifer’s orders to stay away from the attic. Sure, she’d wanna help if she thought someone was in trouble, but I just feel like things wouldn’t turn out like in canon cause Fortune would be so desperate to avoid doing anything that might get her sent back to the human world. Yes, she has a kind heart, but she’s also absolutely terrified of going back to the human world and finding out what Mumei will do to her as punishment for disappearing.

Plus, I just thought Lucifer’s idea was a bad one anyway cause locking Belphegor in the attic only made him more pissed. It did nothing to solve the problem at hand lol

That’s why I like the idea of Belphegor’s punishment being a lot different than canon. Like, instead of Lucifer taking things into his own hands to protect his brother, Diavolo gets involved before that can happen by coming up with a solution that will provide Belphegor a means of atoning and also hopefully help him get past his hatred of humans.

What I had in mind was basically Belphegor gets taken away from the House of Lamentation and put in a deep sleep. The only way he’ll wake up from that magic-induced slumber is when his heart changes for the better.

As far as how that happens, Diavolo sets things up so that Fortune & Belphegor are able to communicate when she’s dreaming via a magical artifact that is put in her room ahead of time, which will connect to the one that’s with Belphegor.

Diavolo’s line of thinking is that Belphegor needs a human’s help but in a situation where he can bring no harm to said human which is how this plan came about since Belphegor can’t do anything to Fortune while they’re in dreamland. 

So, basically, the Belphegor plotline would consist of a lot of forced dream playdates that he grudgingly starts to hate less and less as time goes by lol It would obviously take a while, but I think, if given enough time, that he’d end up in a better headspace.

Sure, he’d be pissed about the situation to a certain degree, even though a part of him can’t deny that getting to take a possibly year long nap isn’t really a bad idea to him lol But considering how Fortune is, I think she’d be able to help him out, especially when he sees just how much she adores Beel and hears how well she gets along with him. After all, anyone who loves Beel that much shouldn’t be someone he hates enough to wanna kill lol

As far as what the brothers all think about this, only Lucifer knows the whole story, which he decides to keep a secret, figuring Beel and the others might riot if they find out what happened to Belphegor. Plus, he doesn’t want to risk them possibly influencing Diavolo’s test which Diavolo said that can only involve Fortune & Belphegor. This would actually be Fortune’s big assignment during her year stay rather than a bunch of other separate tasks like Diavolo had originally planned before things went off the rail with Belphegor. 

So, like in canon, the other five brothers just think that Belphegor got sent to the human world for the transfer program. They have no idea that he’s actually in Diavolo’s castle fast asleep.

That’s about the only thing that’s the same, though, so as a result, there would be a lot of other changes, like Fortune not needing to get the TSL record or her needing to find out more info about Belphegor since that would be provided to her by Diavolo/Lucifer, but honestly, I can’t say I mind this since I just like the idea of going off script since I’d hate to risk rehashing canon events or copying other brilliant fic renditions of the season 1 plot.

As far as the pacts are concerned, I honestly still see them happening, just not cause Fortune asked for them or needed them. It’d be cause these guys are eventually like, “Someone needs to watch out for her and protect her cause she’s a literal walking trouble magnet.” lol

And for the record, Fortune’s relationships would be entirely platonic cause, as you all well know, found family is my jam. Plus, these guys are just so much older than Fortune, who either technically starts off as a minor or possibly remains a minor for the whole year, so I’d rather just give her a lot of protective demon big brothers than a harem haha

[raineydays411]

So warm and tender

Tony Stark x Daughter!reader

A/n: Hello! finally the last part of Ember. I hope you guys like it and sorry for making y’all wait so long for the confrontation lol)

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

Y/n’s POV

“Aunt Pam?!” you say in shock as you stop struggling against the vine wrapped around your body.

“Y/n, is it really you?” your aunt said as the vine loosened its grip and gently lowered you on the ground. “ Where have you been? Everyone has been going crazy looking for you”

You don’t answer as you look at your aunt. You didn’t realise you missed her as much as you did but now all you want to do is throw yourself in her arms. So you did.Pam, sensing you needed comfort rather than an interrogation, wrapped her arms around you. “I missed so much my Petal.” 

With those five words, all the hurt and pain you bottled up came out. and you cried.

As you cried, your aunt looked at the girl she hasn’t seen in eight years, and wondered what she’s been going through and if she did the right thing by giving you to your father all those years ago.

“Petal, I think you need to explain what’s going on”

You look up and sniff, “ Yeah, i think an explanation is well in order.” and you tell her everything. From the years of being ignored by your father, your last argument, the two weeks you spent in captivity, and your new powers. 

“ And that’s when I found you.” You finish looking at the grim faces of Pam and the other woman, who now that you think about it looks really familiar. 

“Oh, you poor puddin’!” you found your face being squished between two ands and then you were comically pressed against a body in a tight hug. 

“Don’tcha worry bout a thing, me and Pammy will take care of everything, you just sit here and---”  This seems familiar...

“ Harley, I don’t think she can breathe.” “Oh right, now you remember, it the blonde woman who used to sneak into the apartment”. You think to yourself as you struggle to get loose from her grip. You hear someone snicker and see Danny looking at the commotion. 

“ Shut up Danny, where have you been?” You say, forgetting that you’re the only one who can see him. 

“Exploring, do you thing she could hug me like that too?” 

“ If you weren’t already dead, I’m sure they would kill you for that comment”

Pam and Harley look at each other in concern as it seems like you’re talking to yourself. 

“ Hey kid, if you’re gonna talk to yourself, try an’ do it when other people can’t see you, like me.”  The blonde says as if someone talking to themselves was a daily occurrence for her.  You explain that with your powers, you were basically dead and can speak and see other dead people. Hearing that, Pam’s expression darkened

“He let you die?” she said in a grim tone. All the vines and plants in the room started whipping around angrily as if they were looking for the person who wronged you. It was then when you realized it wasn’t your Auntie Pam who taught you how to plant petunias you were looking at, this was Poison Ivy. 

“ Men, you can never trust em’. Well, whadda say little flower, ya up for a little premeditated murder?” and that was the infamous Harley Quinn. 

“ It would’ve been nice to know that you’re related to scary criminals y/n....” Danny said in a fearful voice. And if you were being honest you just found out that your aunt Pam was also the Poison Ivy but to be fair you haven’t seen her since you were like eight. 

“I don’t want to kill him” you finally say. “ I don’t want anything to do with him. Nor his precious Spiderling.” The plants calm down as Ivy calmed down and was your aunt Pam again. “ What do you want to do?” she asks.

You think to yourself and say,” I want him to know how he made me feel, and then I want to stay with you.”  Your aunt and Harley froze when you said that. 

“Petal, there is nothing I want more than for you to stay with me again,” She started, “ But it isn’t safe for you to stay.” Your eyes started to water

“But I-I have powers now, I can defend myself! I won’t be any trouble, it’ll be like I’m not even here” At this point, anything was better than going back to being invisible. “Please...I don’t want to go back...” 

Hearing the desperation in your voice broke Pams, Harleys, and Danny's heart. Pam because this was the daughter of her closest friend. She vowed to protect you from anything the day you came to her after losing your mother. Seeing you like this just reminded her how she, in her mind, has failed you. Seeing you so desperate to get away from the man who broke your heart reminded Harley of herself. The nights she would sneak into the tiny apartment you shared with Pammy, in hopes of escape only to get drawn back with empty promises. So yeah, she had a small soft spot for you. And Danny, you were the only person who saw him after months of being invisible. He felt like he needed to help you in your mission to get your father regret ignoring you.

“Hey Pammy...maybe we should call him...” Harley started to suggest. 

“NO, I’d rather drink weed killer than go to that...orphan collector for help.” the red head spat. “ No. We’ll figure it out but she can stay here for now.”

Hearing that you had a place to call home now, gave you the motivation to go and confront your father. Not only for ignoring you, but for leaving you in that..cell for two weeks. He didn’t even attempt to look for you as far as you knew. You’d have thought at least one of the other Avengers would have came to save you. But no one came. After all those years, no one came.

“Y/n.. your eyes” Danny whispered, his cold hand touching your arm snapped you out of your mind. The neon glow of your eyes faded to your normal e/c. 

“ Aunt Pam, Harley is there any way you guys can get me to New York and back?” You ask, finally ready to confront your father. 

“ Well....” Harley say as with a smirk

~~~~~~~~~one terrifying ride on a stolen batplane later~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Upon arriving to New York you made Pam and Harley wait a few blocks away from the tower, as you really didn’t want the Avengers to find out your aunt was a wanted criminal. You “went ghost” as Danny like to call it and snuck into the Tower with ease. You then snuck into your room, seeing everything covered in a layer of dust as no one has been in there for over two weeks. You packed a bag and filled it with some clothes, books and a picture of you and your mother. You took that bag and walked to the door, looking around at the room that was both you prison and safe space. It was decorated with multiple trophies, medals, and ribbons all from the multiple sports and clubs you joined to impress your father. Not like that ever happened. Danny wander around looking at the multiple teams photos you had hung up.

“ You’re a volleyball girl?” he said, “ Huh. I’d never have had guessed.” 

You rolled your eyes as you finished packing. “ Hey I have a job for you.” you say turning to him. “ I need you to go to the control room and turn off the power for thirty minutes. Then turn it back on and come find me in the common room.”

“ Yes ma’am” Danny says, saluting and disappearing through the wall before he comes back. “Ummm, wheres the control room?” 

You roll your eyes and explain how to get to the control room and wait. When the lights go out and you’ll make your move. Your father would have to pass through the common room to get to the control room from his lab, which you assume he’ll be. There you’ll be waiting for him. 

The lights go out. It’s showtime.

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

Tony's POV

The team spent three more days searching for you. They followed every lead and half of the team even flew out to the building that collapsed an hour ago. Tony, Steve, and Natasha stood behind to look at more clues. It was a little past midnight, and both Steve and Natasha went to bed leaving Tony to tinker in his lab. Tony was making improvements to a certain spider suit as he thought about what his daughter said to him before she went missing.

“Sir, there seems to be someone in Y/--” FRIDAY started to say when the power cut out.

“FRIDAY??” Tony questioned as he walked out to check the control room, making sure to get his nano bracelet just incase. As he walked down the hallway he thought about waking up Steve and if he was brave enough to wake Natasha when he heard it.

“Hi daddy.”

Tony stopped dead in his tracks as he looked up in disbelief. The lights turned back on to reveal his daughter. Wearing a black halter top, spandex leggings, grey boots with elbow length gloves. She looked skinny, as if she hadn’t had a proper meal in the weeks she was gone. And for some reason the air was cold in the room. But there she stood.

‘Y/n” Tony said breathlessly. 

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

Y/n pov

As you wait for Tony to walk in,you look around the common room and reminisce. You think about the time when you first moved in, and you got lost trying to find the bathroom and accidently walked into Natashas room. YOu thought she was going to kill you but ended up walking you to the restroom and back to your room. Or when you made the volleyball team way back in eighth grade, and you ran home to tell your dad but ended up telling the whole team, who were rarely all together, and they all took you out to get ice cream, minus Tony. You had to admit, even though your dad didn’t pay attention to you, Nat and Steve did. As well as the whole team, but those two really became the parental figures in your life. That’s why it hurt when not even they came for you. Even they had forgotten you.

“Hi daddy” you said in a mocking voice. Your father stopped dead in his tracks, as he looked you over in disbelief.

“Y/n”, he said in a breathless voice. 

“Oh, you remember my name?” You say in an sarcastic tone. “ Didn’t seem like you did when you left me in a hydra cell for two weeks.” 

Hearing that you were a prisoner of Hydra made Tony’s blood freeze. 

“Hydra? Oh Y/N are you okay? What did they do to you?” He asked frantically as he walk towards you with the intent of checking if you were injured. You jerk away from him, avoiding his touch and say

“ Oh, I’m wonderful. Just so fucking fantastic. I was just experimented on and injected with various liquids that caused excruciating pain. No big deal” 

“ Y/n..we spent days trying to look for you. Me and the team--”

“You and the team what Tony? I was there for two weeks. TWO WEEKS I WAS POKED AND PRODDED. I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE.” You scream, anger filling your heart as you remember the agony you went through. You think about the scratches on the wall of the cells, the taunts from the guards, and screams of the undead.

“ You have no idea what I went through. What I’m going through.” You say, feeling your body grow colder as you lose control and start to shift. “ You don’t care about me. If I were Parker, you would have saved mem within SECONDS.”

“That's not true. Y/N you have no idea how much I love you.” Tony tries to say. He’s filled with the need to tell you everything he didn’t tell you before. “I know I haven’t always been the best father. Trust me I know that now. But if you give me a chance, I want to make everything right. Please.” 

You didn’t think it would go like this. In fact you were not at all prepared for Tony to say this. You expected to walk in on him continuing his life as normal, tinkering in his lab and such. You had always yearned to hear him say those words to you. But now, they just fill you with anger.

“You think you could just tell me what I want to hear and what? I’ll just act like nothing happened?? I know you’re not that stupid.” You spit, the room growing colder as you get angrier. “ It’s too late for all that Tony. I’m not the same girl i was two weeks ago.i won;t take it any longer.” 

“Y/n..your eyes” Tony says as he slowly starts to put his gauntlet bracelet on, realising that you are becoming a threat. 

“ Oh do you like them?”, You ask “ This is what happened when they injected me. I can also do this.” You shift, shades of blue taking over brown skin. Tony stared at you in awe and a bit of fear. 

“ Y/n this isn’t you. I know you’re angry but--” “ Isn’t me?” You interrupt.” You don’t know me. You don’t know what I’m like. And even if you did the old me died in that cell. Literally I died” You and Tony stared at each other. and that's when you heard the doors open. Two sets of footsteps started rushing to the commotion. 

“Y/N some red head and beefy blonde are on their way” You hear Danny say as you realize you had to wrap it up. If anyone can convince you to stay, it’s Steve and Nat.

“ It doesn’t matter anymore Tony.” you say as you start walking to the window. “ I can’t stay here anymore. There’s nothing for me. You win. Peter can be the child you always wanted cause from now on, consider me dead.” and with that, you phase threw the window and let yourself fall, knowing that you won’t actually fall as you can fly. 

Tony freaks out and calls for his suit, only to see a blue blur shoot up and across the sky. Then he just sits there and stares. The footsteps reach the common room and he hears someone ask 

“ Stark..what was all the yelling. What's going on?” 

“she's gone” He says, and that's when he truly realizes his mistake. He became what he never wanted to become. He became his father. And now you were gone.

Taglist: @vxidsti1es @big-galaxy-chaos

[wienerbarnes]

A Certain Romance (2/6)

Pairing: Bucky x Reader

Word Count: 1,685

Warnings: not rlly anything

A/N: a lil bit of a deeper dive for these two’s relationship👀... enjoy!

MAIN MASTERLIST | A CERTAIN ROMANCE MASTERLIST

Your apartment is nice. Very you.

Sam invited him out to some restaurant, but after the last one he suggested, he decided to pass. And when Sam asked him what he was doing instead, if he was seeing you, Bucky lied and said yes. It made Sam happy and got him out of going to another ridiculous restaurant, so he saw it as a win-win.

Once Sam left, though, his thoughts did drift to what you were doing.

You two exchanged numbers at the pizza place after your date, but you two haven’t texted much. He texted you making sure you got home safe, which you did, and a day or so after, you texted him a picture of some advertisement with an awfully cheesy pick-up line written on it, which even he agreed was awful.

But that’s about it. So, he texts you.

Hey. What are u doing?

About to make dinner. Y?

Told Sam I was seeing u. Wanna hang out?

Come over.

Simple enough, he thinks.

You two haven’t had the most meaningful text conversations, clearly, but it’s still nice. No flirting, no typing and retyping messages in order to hook, line, and sinker, no ghosting. No relationship texting.

It was a dream for him. To have a new friend. He’s made plenty of friends, both in New York and in Wakanda. But it’s all under the same… umbrella. Always an agent, a fighter, an analyst of some sort. Someone to train with, to fight with, to fight for. Never someone like you. Someone that works a mundane job and lives in a mundane part of New York where her weekends are filled with going on mundane blind dates or otherwise cooking dinner for one.

It’s a breath of fresh air to not talk about fighting or missions or press or media or anything else he has to hear about at work. The only connection you have with Sam is that you met in a coffee shop a few years ago that has since closed down. He was one of your first friends here.

You could care less about Captain America, too. Which hurts Sam’s ego, and in turn, makes Bucky smile.

So, he goes over to yours.

He’s not sure what you’re making, but he brings a bottle of red wine as a courtesy. You are making dinner after all. Besides, women love wine, right?

Your apartment is nice. Very you.

Enough going on to show that someone does indeed live here, but also enough to show that you’re not exactly swimming in riches, like most people that live in this city.

The place smells like garlic and basil, and he’s glad that he brought the wine.

Shoes discarded at the door, he helps chop up the rest of the ingredients while you put a pot of water to boil. He chops up mushrooms, onion, pancetta, eyeing the bottle of vodka out on the table and tube of tomato paste next to his hand.

It's an understatement to say he’s excited. Most of the pasta he makes is from a bag of precooked noodles and a jar of tomato sauce.

Basic small talk floats through the air as the two of you dance around one another in the kitchen. Even though you’re “dating”, you don’t know much about each other. This isn’t too uncommon from how dating was for Bucky when he was a teenager; you’d marry women knowing very little about them.

Your favorite color is orange. You played violin in grade school. You had a childhood dog named Chowder. Bucky tells you his favorite color is green. He played a little bit of piano when he was younger, but did boxing in his late teens and early twenties before the war. You poke fun at him when he can’t remember the name of his own childhood dog.

“He’s probably rolling over in dog-heaven.”

“Good boy; he’d deserve a treat.”

You laugh.

Easy conversation continues on the couch as bowl after bowl of pasta is eaten and replenished. As fun and seemingly simple questions are asked, like each of your favorite movies or whether or not you pour the milk before the cereal, the room that’s left is used for deeper questions.

“What’s your most embarrassing moment?” You ask him.

He thinks for a moment before opening his mouth, only to close it again. “One time when Princess Shuri was fixing my arm it wasn’t secure completely, so it flew off while I was playing with some of the children.”

“That’s not your most embarrassing moment. I know it’s not, now you have to tell me what it really is.” You tease him.

He’s never been the best liar.

“You’re right, it’s not my most embarrassing moment. My actual most embarrassing moment is just kind of… sad. And I didn’t want to ruin the mood or anything.” He explains, hoping you’ll accept that but instead you give him an encouraging smile to hopefully give him some comfort that whatever it is he wants to tell you is safe in your apartment.

“Okay, uhm. So, in the 40’s, after I was rescued by Steve, but before we shipped out again where I was recaptured for the second and final time. We were all holed up in this little dance club, all the soldiers and their gals. And in walks Peggy Carter in a pretty red dress,” He begins, only glancing at your eyes periodically as if to make sure you’re still there.

“I know she’s Steve’s gal, he told me all about her. I wasn’t flirting with her because I wanted her, I was flirting with her… to make sure I still could. I mean, after being held in that… place… they injected me with stuff, told me things that weren’t true, I mean Steve told me I was repeating my number over and over again when he found me, I didn’t even remember doing that. I felt… violated, used, not like myself. I felt like I wasn’t me anymore.

“So, when Peggy walked in, I thought about how everyone always called me a ladies man, how good I was with women, I mean, I’d take girls out about every damn weekend, you know? I wanted to feel normal, so I flirted with her, tried to get her to dance with me. And she completely ignored me. She never even took her eyes off of Steve. It’s like I was invisible. And it just sort of felt like the nail in the coffin for whoever James Barnes was before the war. It was a realization that I’m never going to be that person again. And it was embarrassing for me.” He explains.

He hasn’t looked up at you again, but he heard your fork stop moving around your bowl a minute or so ago. He feels a lump in his throat thinking about that time, how he knew he’d never get back the man he was, even before knowing what was in store for him after falling off that train. How he used to be this man that wanted a long, happy marriage, six or seven kids running around a big backyard, a white picket fence surrounding a big two-story house in a neighborhood of identical homes. He wanted the cheesy life, at one point. But the same man that wanted that life died falling off a train many years ago.

All of that’s forgotten, though, when you open your mouth, and seem to say the perfect thing to make him feel better.

“One time in the third grade, this girl pulled my skirt down in front of my crush, and I wasn’t wearing any undies.”

A snort escapes his throat as you, somehow, after he’s shared something so deeply personal, something he never even told Steve or Sam about, still found a way to make him laugh. Which is what he wanted, he realizes. The comfort of moving on from that confession and not having to wallow in it like other people would try to. His hand leaves his fork to cover his face as tears threaten to leak out from how hard he’s laughing.

He took that secret to the grave, even if it wasn’t his own. He told himself he’d never tell Steve about how he felt in that situation, and he never did. He never told Steve that he didn’t enlist, either. He couldn’t imagine how Steve would’ve felt knowing that the army would’ve rather taken men that didn’t want to go to war, men who were terrified to go to war, had too much to lose and wanted to be selfish and stay home, than men like Steve who would do anything to enlist. Including lying on the damn enlistment form.

He wonders if Steve is looking at him now. Watching over him as he shares something that he never did with his best friend, with you, a girl he’s met barely a week ago, on your couch over bowls of pasta while he points out leftover sauce on the corner of your lip.

“What’s your greatest fear?” He asks you next.

“Dying alone. Actually, no. Getting kidnapped, probably.”

“Oh, mine’s spiders.” He shares.

It’s so easy to laugh with you, he finds. He jokes with Sam a lot, all the bickering and teasing all in good fun at the end of the day, and it’s mostly pretty funny. But laughing with you. He feels like a teenager again. Somehow, everything is funny; he doesn’t remember the last time he’s laughed so much, especially about things that aren’t even that funny.

It’s raining at the end of the night. Early morning, rather.

“You can take the couch, if you’d like.”

“Nah, I don't mind a little rain, and I like the ride home.” He fed Alpine before he left, but he imagines his cat misses him, even if she’s probably busy licking herself to even notice he’s left.

“Suit yourself.”

You don’t push him. A simple pleasure that’s more of a luxury for him. There’s no pushing or convincing or Are you sure’s with you.

Certainly a luxury, you are.

[medusinestories]

Onwards to the episode in which we get to see Flint and Silver each having a very bad day (as well as two literal dicks that nobody had asked to see).

Black Sails VII (s1 ep07)

- We open on Pastor Lambrick's sweaty face as he intensely rehearses the Easter sermon and he’s obviously eaten up by what he did with Miranda. His sermon, unsurprisingly, focuses on sin, keeping sin hidden, and the hell that awaits the sinner. Which leads us nicely onto Flint, who’s distracted (by his own sin? by thoughts of Miranda? both?) during a meeting with Eleanor. Eleanor is pissed that Miranda let Richard Guthrie send a message to the Andromache and then waltz into town to close up his business; Flint tries to take the heat off Miranda, once again protecting her (at this point, he may not know the contents of the letter).

- During this meeting, Flint is startled when Silver first speaks up to say that the mob in the street was bad - clearly Silver is a sort of intruder in this meeting. But Eleanor, after Silver reminds her by unsubtly clearing his throat, tells Flint that he’s not to harm Silver because he was instrumental in setting up the Consortium. Silver looks so pleased with himself in these scenes, and Flint quite defeated when he tells Silver to follow him back to their camp. I love it.

- To parallel Flint/Miranda’s Sulky Sex scene from ep4, we have Anne/Rackham’s frustrating/disconnected sex scene. It shows us a few things about them mainly that Anne wants to keep a lot of control over what happens, hence Rackham being tied up (though of course this might also be his kink), her wearing a shirt that covers up most of her body, and the reverse cowgirl position that means that she’s both in control of what happens and completely avoids eye contact. The position reminds us of the Flint/Miranda scene, where Miranda was also on top, but their scene involved more eye contact (yes glaring counts, he’s still intensely focused on Miranda), gentle touching (on Miranda’s side) and her being naked and open to him. Another parallel is that both Flint and Rackham aren’t in the right frame of mind for sex, Flint being angry and Rackham lost in a sea of worries (and probably also somewhat angry/disappointed at Anne for forcing him into the plot to kill their crewmates). The difference between Flint and Rackham is that while Flint doesn’t seem to have any trouble performing, Rackham is miles away and doesn’t even notice that he’s lost his erection - again. Anne is frustrated by this, and apparently knows him well enough that she offers to put something up his arse, but he’s clearly not in the mood, and she leaves in a huff, abandoning him all tied up as a sort of revenge for his performance problems. Whatever the problem is between them isn’t put into words (because Anne can’t yet, for starters), unlike the one between Flint and Miranda. The intimacy between Rackham and Anne, so often described as close partners, seems much more distant to me than the one shown between Flint and Miranda. I’m not sure whether it’s because of anyone’s sexual orientation, or just the fact that they’re fucking but they’ve never discussed the big important things, such as Anne’s identity/feelings/etc.

- In this episode, Dufresne gains a lot of power: with a freshly (and badly) shaved head and a new tattoo, he’s been promoted to Quartermaster on the Walrus in Billy’s place. And very quickly he has a problem to deal with: Randall revealing that Silver stole the page. Gates had actually already told this to Dufresne, as is revealed at the end of the episode, which might explain why Dufresne is relatively calm during the whole conversation, while DeGroot wants Silver and Flint hanged and Howell is surprisingly ruthless: he brings up the idea that it may be better to kill off Randall in order to get to the treasure, if they can’t make sure he’ll keep quiet about Silver being the thief. Dufresne is actually quite kind towards Silver in the scene where he puts Silver’s memory to the test - a test that could result in his death if he fails it and that Silver constantly grumbles against (I love his grumbling!). Basically, at this point Dufresne remains quite a sympathetic character, which will change a lot as the show goes on, especially after Jannes Eiselen had to leave the show (such a sad story, RIP Jannes).

- In the meantime, the Flint and Gates relationship is crumbling. It's sad to see, especially since they're shown sharing chuckles as they talk about Dufresne's appointment in the beginning of the episode. But then Gates brings up the subject of Miranda and demands explanations about the letter Billy found. We're not shown exactly what Flint answers, but it's clear that he's actually trying his best to give him an explanation without incriminating Miranda too badly. The sad thing is that Flint is actually telling the truth: he actually wasn't involved in any betrayal of his crew and and can only guess at Miranda's motivations. But the fact that he's lied time and again in previous situations, including on the Maria Aleyne where he claimed Lord Alfred drew a weapon on him (and Gates secretly verified that this was a lie), and used men as pawns to advance his and Miranda's plans, is now catching up to him. Flint seems truly hurt when Gates accuses him of using the men for his own purposes, and turns spiteful, telling Gates that he should have been "a better father" to Billy and helped him "understand the world he was living in" (suggesting that such a forthright character as Billy can't really survive in a world of pirates who are all ready to stab each other in the back). After that slap in the face, Gates says he's exhausted from Flint and threatens to take it to the crew. Somehow, this pushes Flint to bare all: he tells Gates about his plan to keep a part of the treasure and use it to build up Nassau, depicting himself as a sort of saviour, doing it for the men's good: they'd rather be rich men in a safe place than dead thieves hanging from a noose. Gates sees this as delusions of grandeur, and tells him that while he'll see the Urca plot through, after that they're done. I actually think he sees Flint’s point, since he doesn’t just throw him to the crew, but won’t admit that out loud. The whole of this scene hurts bad, because you can tell that Flint is desperate and sad to be losing his closest ally and friend, and that Gates is hurting from the loss of Billy and exhausted from the toxic relationship he has with Flint, where he's played enabler to his manipulations for years.

- While Flint and Gates’ alliance is breaking, Silver has to forge one with Randall or die. Randall finds out in the beginning of the episode that he’s been voted out of the crew. This is apparently due to DeGroot’s fears that Randall could be a fire hazard, which the crew took disproportionately to heart. Randall is furious with Silver, who smugly tells him that in these situations, a setback often comes with a new or unexpected opportunity. He’s right, but at this point he doesn’t know that he is the opportunity Randall’s going to latch on. Randall reveals that Silver is a thief, and Silver denies it, saying that Randall is both a halfwit and was in a haze of opium when he heard what he thought he heard; he even tries to convince Randall that he was mistaken (this, my friends, is gaslighting). However, by revealing that Silver was the thief, Randall sets a chain of events into motion which could either end with his death (if Howell has his way, since Randall is an inconvenient witness) or Silver’s (if DeGroot tips the balance, not trusting Silver to remember the coordinates and not wanting to sacrifice Randall for nothing). Silver figures out that these are the outcomes, and tries to talk sense into Randall by making a deal with him: he’ll care for Randall and make sure he can stay on the ship. But it’s only when Silver finally admits that he is the thief and that Randall was right, that Randall accepts the deal. Later, Silver realises that Randall might have orchestrated the whole thing: he’s now got Silver to serve him, doesn’t have to take any risks on the ship, and gets to remain with the crew. Silver wonders if Randall is a genius rather than a halfwit (a word thrown about a lot to describe him). And it seems quite obvious, considering what happened, that Randall still has strong survival skills (an amputee with impaired cognitive skills doesn’t stand a chance of survival outside a crew and he must be aware of it), that he still has a good memory and an ability to pick out useful information and that he’s aware enough of what’s going on to be upset by the crew’s rejection and Silver’s attempt to gaslight him. I think it’s important to recognise that Randall is more than a comic relief or a grotesque character: he’s a disabled man who's lost parts of his cognitive ability and is struggling to survive.

- This episode focuses on Vane facing his past. He seeks out the island where he grew up and its master, Albinus. I’d forgotten or never really registered that Albinus was a pirate and that the men who work for him were mostly his crew - and likely slaves (or children, hence Vane?) that he managed to capture/press into service. He’s retired from pirating and set up a system where his men cut down trees for timber all day, without wages. It’s not clear exactly how he holds so much power over these men, although it seems that everyone is terrified of him. He’s extremely strong physically, seems shrewd, speaks rather well, and his tattoos suggest that maybe he’s involved in some kind of ritual (truly religious or just for show?) which would make him all the more scary to superstitious people. Vane is clearly still frightened: he barely makes eye contact and practically stutters when he first tries to make the deal with Albinus, which is that he’ll take some of Albinus’ men as crew and send Albinus part of their earnings as tribute. It says a lot about Albinus that Vane, after years of having run away, is still so scares that he’s willing to pay him a tribute. But he changes his mind as he stares at a boy bearing the same brand as he does: he tries to persuade the men that Nassau is a pace of pleasures rather than hard labour, and confronts Albinus. The fight is brutal and ends with Vane buried naked, just after Albinus tells him that he’s proud of him. But of course Vane wouldn’t be Vane if he didn’t rise from the dead at the last minute and kill Albinus, goaded on by his inner Eleanor voice.

- In the meantime, Mr Scott returns to Eleanor, apologising for what he did, telling her he betrayed her out of love. However he also reminds her of his slave status: technically, he belongs to her. The argument upsets her, and he quite cleverly uses this moment to ask her to free the slaves who were on the Andromache. And it works: by the end of the episode, she’s made arrangements for the men to work on ships and has bought the women’s freedom and found them jobs in her tavern. But Mr Scott has still decided to leave Eleanor to join Hornigold’s crew, to refrain from meddling with Eleanor’s affairs, since he disagrees with her so strongly re: the Urca. Hornigold approached him earlier in the episode, and the introduction to that scene is quite interesting: Hornigold says to Mr Scott “I’ll need to know your secret” and Mr Scott looks startled and frightened. It seems that he’s startled because he’d been giving food to the slaves, but in light of S3, it could be a much greater secret that’s being referred to. Mr Scott is relieved when he realises that Hornigold is simply talking about tolerating Eleanor, who he clearly can’t stand.

- Flint’s bad day continues, of course, with the big confrontation he has with Miranda. He’s furious about the letter (of which he now knows the contents thanks to Gates), telling her that it could have got him killed, or destroyed the plans they’d made and asking her whether she was trying to embarrass him. This sounds so weirdly petty, and yet it also sounds exactly like the kind of argument that would come up in a bickering couple. Miranda answers that she was trying to help him out of that life, because she wants to move on. This is where Miranda utters the famous “there is no life here, there is no joy here, there is no love here”. I noticed that, covered by Flint yelling at her, and distorted because her voice has gone very shrill, Miranda says another line, which sounds like “you used to love, then”. If that really is what she says, it’s extra-extra-extra heartbreaking to hear (if someone wants to check it for me, it’s around 35:40). It’s obvious that Flint and Miranda’s views on life are very different, and I can’t help but think back to the fact that, as a carpenter’s son from the country, Flint has had to struggle all his life to become who he is. So when he says that you can’t get a life without having a war, and Miranda tells him he’s wrong, she’s speaking entirely from the point of view of her privilege. She’s never needed to fight as hard as he has to be happy, because she got extremely lucky in marrying Thomas. And when she says that Thomas would agree with her, I’m certain she’s right. But life has never been like that for Flint, and there’s no way he’ll ever entirely agree with their point of view. Rewatching this scene is tough, btw, because they both have great points, they’re both hurting so much, and there’s so much to take in between the body language, the facial expressions, the tones of voice and the actual words that it’s a whole whirlwind. And it feels very, very real.

- It’s absolutely hilarious to see Rackham get robbed by the whores taking advantage of his lack of knowledge (and research). He should absolutely have done a better job and has no clue how to run a brothel. He’s lucky Max takes things in hand after having heard from Idelle that the girls were taking advantage.

- Then we have the beautiful Drunk Flint scene. Eleanor notices him feeling very sorry for himself after Gates has pretty much broken up with him and he’s still reeling from fighting with by Miranda. I think Flint feels very misunderstood here. He thought that he was doing something good, to save Nassau and avenge Thomas, and doesn’t understand why they can’t see it, why they only see the terrible methods he uses to reach his goals. So he’s full of doubt, clearly wondering if he’s the villain of the story, and puts the question to Eleanor: is their plan worth it? Eleanor is the only person who still believes in him, which leads us to the only scene that I would ever call straight-baiting. Flint hovers near Eleanor, breathing heavily, and a variety of emotions play over her face during this moment of tension, as she seems to think this is leading to a kiss. It does, he gives her a chaste little forehead kiss and leaves. All the elements are in place to make your average viewer start shipping these two. I actually find it hilarious that the ship barely exists in the fandom (though I wasn’t there in the beginning of the fandom and I guess the viewership changed a lot between S1 and S4).

- The scene with Flint and Gates glaring at each other from their respective ships and Parson’s Farewell playing in the background... epic! We know this is the beginning of a big struggle between them, especially since we find out that Gates has pretty much decided that he’ll hand Flint over to the crew once they get the money. But nnnnggh that scene! The ships leaving on their hunt! Awesome and heartbreaking!

[repnvrbeenworse]

The real reason why Edmund Corcoran was murdered.

"tell me who did this to you?"

Henry was not surprised when soft knocks on his apartment door interrupted his midnight reading, he set the book aside next to the ashtray, which had a burning cigarette, on the small yet elegant coffee table. He rose slowly and was halfway through the hallway when he heard her silvery voice.

“Henry? Are you home?”

It was very common for her to come uninvited to his house in the middle of the night, to be honest, there wasn’t a day she was not invited to Henry´s house. He could be in the middle of any important activity and he would just stop to pay attention to anything related to her. He felt his heart pump faster, as if were to beat out of his chest, Henry knew why she was in his door step.

Edmund Corcoran has never been a bad boyfriend but something inside him had changed in the past two to three weeks, he would heat up very easily with no apparent motive and who was there to take the blow? his poor girlfriend.

What Henry found funny was that Bunny knew about his feeling towards his very own girlfriend, “Don’t you think I see how you look at her uh? It’s so bloody obvious.” He´d say, but what would he truly think if he saw her in this particular moment, outside of his best mate’s door, probably drenched from the pouring rain asking if he was home.

Henry finally opened the door to find her slowly walking down the stairs, her wet silk dress tight around her body made him stare for a little longer.

“(Y/N)?” He asked softly.

She turned around and finally looked at him through her lashes, dark circles were prominent under her eyes, he didn’t really know if it was some makeup or from the lack of sleep. Henry chose to think it was the first option.

“Oh dear, you scared me” she said touching her chest slightly “I thought you weren’t home, I was about to leave, I’m sorry for waking you up Henry.”

“Don’t worry, I was doing my late-night reading, in fact I made some coffee. I could make more if you were to join me.” Henry was aware of her shyness, when it was just her, not with Francis, not Camilla and especially not with Bunny. So, he tried to make it a little bit easier for her to feel comfortable around him, something Henry was not used to doing with anyone.

Henry moved aside motioning calmly for her to come in his apartment, so she did. The atmosphere was very cozy and welcoming, a couple of candles were burning at the end of the corridor and the lamp was on in the small living room that had a big glass window next to the armchair where he had previously been reading.

“Excuse me if it sounds rude, but what are you doing here so late at night?” He paused, “are you alright?”.

“Yes, of course I’m alright Henry, just wanted to pay you a visit.” She said rather fast shaking her hand carelessly. That’s when he noticed. Her right wrist was a yellowish purple shade, it was a print, a hand print.

“What is that?” Henry hissed getting close to her for (Y/N) to take a step backwards. Henry stopped right in his tracks. Had it been somebody else he would have loved the effect of fear he had just inflicted on her, but it was (Y/N).

“I’m just going to ask once, tell me who did this to you?” she could bear to look him in the eye, she was focused on his ridiculous slippers, he was most definitely pulling off with the black bathrobe.

“It was an accident, its nothing… he was just angry, don’t wor-“ “He?,who?” He interrupted her. “I need a name right now” He took a deep breath.

“It was Bun, but really Henry you have nothing to worry about, it was not like last time he was just drunk and-“

“It was not like last time? Last time? Oh lord, since when has this been going on?”

“I can’t remember.” She spoke quietly, she was terrified. “Fuck” Henry rarely cursed, it was vulgar he used to say, so it came as a surprise when he did, under his breath.

“And he thinks he can get away with this uh?” He started to approach her slowly again.

“Come on Henry, there is nothing I can do against someone as big as Bunny, you know that.”

“Yes I know, but I could help you, I just cant let him treat you this way-“It was her turn to interrupt him.

“I’m terrified, okay?” He was looking at her intensely. “Not of Bunny, but, what if this is all I’m going to have for the rest of my life, this kind of sick joke love story that I deserve after what happened.” She was referring to the `deer´, the had `run over´.

She said starting to walk towards the living room and sat down in Henry´s only armchair. It was funny, Henry only had one armchair, one place to sit down in his living room as to say that he never liked company. She slowly motioned toward the cigarette in the ashtray asking for permission, he was leaning against the frame of the door, he nodded.

“So, I murder someone, we kept it a secret and Bunny has every right to hit you anytime he wishes, just because?” He was very mad, not at her obviously, at Bunny but most at himself. For not realizing the clear cries of help.

“Just because.” She puffed the smoke out, her lips trembling slightly.

“Well, this cannot continue any further, I’ll have a word with him first thing tomorrow morning.”

“Are you crazy? he already thinks we are hooking up; he will lose his mind.” He nodded. “Did you know? That Bun thinks we have this secret affair going on.”

“Yes, as a matter of fact I was aware of it, he came to me a couple of ago. He said and I quote “Don’t look at her like that, she is mine, you try something and I will myself chop your balls off.”” He stated cringing at the last part.

“Why did you keep this from me?” She said standing up and facing Henry with her arms crossed, cigarette now forgotten in the ash tray.

“Why do you think? It’s embarrassing! To get caught looking at your mate’s girlfriend who happens to be a close friend.” He said sarcastically slowly straightening his back as he was leaning on the door frame.

“Well to be completely honest, I have also been looking in your direction, you are a very handsome sight.” She admitted slowly but certainly approaching him. “Very, very good-looking, hot...”

“Stop, we can’t do this, as much as I would love to, as much as I have dreamt about this moment, it’s just not right.” He said frustratedly while running his fingers through his hair.

“Since when do you, Henry Winter, care about what is right and what is not-” She whispered slowly opening his robe.

“-True.” Henry interrupted her.

---

Check out:

Just us...

[sepublic]

God I hope Grimes did permanent damage to Andrias's ankles, I hope him trying to squash Polly broke his hand, I especially hope Anne fucking broke something in him, I hope the motherfucker is on bed for weeks and each time pain flares up he remembers he got his kicked by a toad that comes up to his ankles, a tadpole who just grew legs, and a feral gem powered teenage girl

           Years from now, Grime is going to lie in his bed awake, in the middle of the night. He’s going to stare up at the ceiling, and think to himself, over and over, for the rest of his life;

           “I should’ve smashed that newt’s head in when I had the chance.”

           BUT YES, I agree with you 100% anon! Let Andrias suffer physical scars and wounds… Let him be forced back to that memory of every little loss, every bit of pain he went through, from people he thought beneath him. Let him relive every little bit of humiliation, for a long while, if not for the rest of his life (and here’s hoping THAT will be rather short)… I want Andrias to try and ignore that, to focus on his victory, but his own body aches and hurts in protest, constantly forcing him to remember. To dwell, to agonize no matter how hard he concentrates…

           Let it debilitate him! Let it haunt and SCAR him, the way Sasha was scarred… The way MARCY was scarred, the poor girl; The way he scarred and inflicted bodily trauma on her that might last for the rest of her life! I want Andrias to suffer. I want him to understand what it’s like to have his own body fail on him, to have it marred by someone else, to have to deal with physical pain for the rest of his miserable existence… Let his pain be outward as well!

            I want Andrias’ long, long life to be interrupted by this physical agony that for centuries he went without… I want that to be irrevocably stolen away from him, like he stole so much from others; And I want him to remember THAT scar, the x-shaped one, in his side… And I want that pain to remind him of that scar, to haunt and terrify him, to make him dread the possibility of it sticking with him for the REST of his pathetic life…

           …Assuming the rest of his life doesn’t last long; If it does, then I want it plagued by humiliation, by agony, by trauma and pain, with the full knowledge that his enemies, that MARCY, they all get to live on, move past that, and be happy with one another… Happy to the point they can forget their scars, if they even have physical ones! I want Andrias to be left out… If he really was a Heart who felt betrayed, WELL, my pity for him stopped long ago when he committed child murder, on a kid he manipulated, gaslighted, and killed. 

          And if Barrel WAS the Toad who was his friend… Well, that just makes it extra peachy, doesn’t it- To feel the physical pain of his friend’s posthumous betrayal in a sense, to be haunted by his old friend’s hammer, like he’s being ‘betrayed’, over and over again; So that even in death, Barrel continues to inflict scars upon him! Let Andrias be haunted by that ghost, and many others, until HE is a ghost… A lone, forgotten one.

           Imagine… Every strike from that hammer reminds Andrias of Barrel fighting him; Imagine if Barrel HAD struck Andrias with that hammer, well! Like his old trauma and pain is being reopened, that ancient wound, over and over, like he never moved past it… Because Andrias never DID move past that ‘betrayal’, I wager. So each swing by Grime causes Andrias to see Barrel in his place, and panic, because it’s happening again; He’s reliving that moment of betrayal each time, and Grime is adding to it, extending that moment, over and over again!

           Not just Barrel, either; I want Andrias to remember that GRIME wounded him. That in a one-on-one battle, it was Grime who surprised him; It was Grime who DEFEATED him, had Andrias at his utter mercy, and then imprisoned him within his own dungeon! It was Grime who came closest to defeating him, to foiling his centuries-long plan… And it was only because of Anne and the others that Andrias won! 

          Andrias had to rely on OTHERS to survive, there was nothing of his own action he could do, he lost agency in that moment and had to be the one rescued. And now, all of those people whom his victory is owed towards, THEY’RE against him, Grime is out there, and Grime now has even more reason to swing that hammer in without mercy, the next time Andrias is beaten down.

           And I want Andrias to feel shame and humiliation, to feel the anger of an entitled someone who has something stolen from them, when he remembers Anne’s power! If it’s true that he was a Heart, then perhaps he sees Anne as using the power that should be HIS, but against him! To have his own power turned against Andrias, to have it ‘betray’ him in a sense… 

          I want Andrias to realize that Anne has taken that from him, it’s the least she deserves considering what he took from her; And I want Andrias to realize that even after seemingly losing all of his trusted friends, he still has more to lose. That even the things he thought he could hold onto or get back; They’re leaving, and never returning. He’s never getting it back, no matter HOW much he yearns for it; Unlike for others, who will get things, he will heal and recover and move on...

           If Polly is the descendant of his other friend, even better! To be reminded of how his small friend’s little size and maneuverability was used against him, used to steal the music box and ruin his life… And like Barrel’s ghost, it seems his frog friend has reincarnated, literally or metaphorically, in the form of this little tadpole who will give him hell! 

          And she’s out there, growing, she escaped him, she LEFT that humiliation and earned that victory, and she’s out being happy and alive and being loved by HER friends and family who will never leave her… I want Andrias to wallow in not just bitter loss, but bitter envy, realizing that others he despises, that the descendant of his friend he loathes, will have what the Heart always yearns for.

[mintaka14]

Locked Out

A Miraculous Ladybug fanfiction

By Mintaka14

Chapter Two - Unlocked

 The knock came again, and Luka sighed, dropping the towel that he’d been rubbing over his damp hair around his shoulders. He padded out of the bathroom and over to the front door, yanking it open.

“Jules, if you’ve forgotten your keys again, I swear –“ the words died as he met the insanely blue eyes that he’d been dreaming about ever since he’d first seen them. Her gaze slid over the towel around his shoulders, and dropped to the towel around his waist, and then jerked back up to his face again, which he was pretty sure was turning all sorts of red.

“Here!” she squeaked. “For you. If you want them, the box, I mean. Not the underwear. That’s Juleka’s, obviously, not that she can’t have what’s in the box too. Because I made enough for both of you, and oh God I’m going to just stop talking now.”

With a strangled sound, she shoved a pair of silk and lace underpants at him, and a box with them. He caught box and underwear by reflex.

Unfortunately, the movement dislodged his towel, and he could feel it sliding. There was a confused moment when he grabbed for it, bobbled the box, and heard Marinette squeak. Through the dim mists of his awareness, it occurred to him that she’d probably automatically tried to catch the towel before it could go too far south. That was not, however, where her hands ended up.

There was a frozen moment when Luka became very conscious of small, warm hands on his bare skin, the towel caught and scarcely preserving his modesty as her palms pressed into the dip under his abdominal muscles. Wide blue eyes lifted to stare up at him in horror. Luka drew in a slow, calming breath and let it out, desperately trying to think unsexy thoughts. Those gorgeous blue eyes of hers were not making that easy.

“Out here? Really?” his sister’s voice drawled. “Are you trying to get us kicked out of the building for public indecency?”

Yep. That would do it. Luka looked up to find Juleka in the hallway, her hands full of shopping bags. Marinette squeaked again, and snatched her hands back, and somehow Luka managed to catch at the towel, the box and the underpants still perched on top without losing any of them. He ended up wedged awkwardly against the doorframe with the towel trapped between the wall and his hips, and the box wobbling precariously as he tried to tuck the towel more firmly into place, while his sister stalked towards him and Marinette turned a brilliant shade of red.

“Oh, hey, Marinette,” Juleka said casually. “You’ve met my idiot brother, right?”

She edged past them both, plucking the pair of underpants off the box in Luka’s hand as she went past. He felt a hand on his back, and a sudden shove, and then there was the sound of the door closing and Juleka’s evil cackle on the other side.

“Jules! I’m going to kill you,” he growled. His sister laughed harder.

Luka knew, even before he put his hand on the door handle, that it would be locked. It didn’t stop him from frantically jerking at the handle while Marinette watched with wide eyes. Finally, he accepted the inevitable, and turned back to his dream girl with a sigh.

“If I strangle my sister, will you testify that it was justifiable homicide at my trial?” he asked. Marinette gave a choke of laughter.

“For the right offer, I’ll help you hide the body.”

“What would you consider the right offer?” His worldly goods. His songs. His heart… she could have all of it.

That beautiful smile turned a little mischievous. “I’m sure I can think of something.”

One of the neighbours emerged from their door and threw them a scandalised look, and Luka remembered that he was still a little less than fully attired as the neighbour scurried away. He glanced back at Juleka’s door, which was still firmly closed. He sighed.

“In the meantime, I guess I’m stuck out here until Jules decides to take pity on me.”

Marinette held up a finger in the sign for wait.

“Give me a minute,” she told him, and before he could say anything, she’d disappeared down the hall and up the staircase to the next floor.

About the point when he realised that it was rather chilly in the corridor in nothing but a towel that was feeling smaller all the time, it occurred to him that he was actually standing around in the corridor in nothing but a damp towel at the request of a woman he’d only met twice under odd circumstances. That didn’t bother him as much as it probably should have.

He was still holding the box Marinette had shoved at him.

It did cross his mind that maybe he’d been the victim of some weird practical joke. Before he had a chance to get really worried, however, he heard the sound of returning footsteps on the stairs, and Marinette rounded the corner. She was focused on the black case in her hands and whatever she was pulling out of it, an adorable frown on her face, and as she got closer he saw the light catch on something metal. It looked like a peculiar ring of keys.

Marinette walked past him and bent down to the door handle. Luka lifted his eyes to the ceiling. The curve of her ass in those jeans was not something he wanted to be thinking about in the middle of the very public hallway, particularly while he was in a state of undress. He shuffled uncomfortably in his towel, listening to her muttering under her breath.

“I always wanted to try this,” she said, and he realised she was talking to him. “It turns out there are locksmithing courses you can do, and if I’d had my kit with me the other day I might not have had to climb up the balcony, but then we wouldn’t have met, which would have been a shame.”

Yes! he agreed with silent fervour.

“Still, at least it means I can try it out now, and …” Finally, there was a click, and Marinette straightened. “Tadah!”

She beamed at him, and reached out to turn the handle, swinging the door wide open.

“I knew that would come in handy one day,” she told him triumphantly as she slid the tool back into its case.

Luka came to a realisation that he was making a strange whining noise when she tilted her head quizzically.

“Marry me,” Luka said, and the words only caught up with him when he saw her eyes go wide. He scrubbed one hand over his face. “Oh, God.”

“Luka?”

“I’ve been trying to work out a way to ask you out that didn’t make me sound like a complete creep,” he admitted ruefully. “This was not what I had in mind. I don’t suppose there’s any chance of talking you into going out to dinner with me after this, is there?”

Her eyes flicked down and back up, so fast that he wasn’t sure he’d seen it.

And then she bit her lip. The look she gave him from under the sweep of her dark lashes with those devastating eyes of hers left him wondering if he was having an out of body experience.

“Oh, I don’t know.” The purr he could hear in her voice fried whatever functional brain cells he had left. “You might be able to persuade me. It might be a good idea to put some pants on first.”

“Pants. Yes. Right.” He looked around vaguely as if they might magically appear, and Marinette giggled, one hand going to her mouth. “Pants before dinner. Tonight?” he asked hopefully.

Words.

Would be useful.

Marinette smiled at him like the breaking dawn. “Tonight would be good. Juleka has my phone number.” She was walking backwards slowly towards the staircase, her eyes still on him and her smile bright.

“Call me,” she said shyly, and pivoted on her heel, running lightly up the stairs before Luka could collect his wits enough to respond.

Luka had no idea how he managed to walk inside, or get clothes on, but he was sitting on the couch in jeans and a tshirt and staring into space when Juleka came out of the bathroom and did a double take.

“How on earth did you get in? I locked that,” she said, and eyed the wide open front door. She kicked Luka’s bare foot a few times until he blinked and focused.

“Marinette,” he said blissfully, and Juleka’s eyes narrowed. “Did you know she can pick locks?”

There was a long moment while his sister stared down at him. He opened Marinette’s box which had somehow ended up intact. It was full of macarons, and he absently ate one. It was amazing.

“She’s incredible,” he sighed, and Juleka rolled her eyes, reaching for the macarons. Luka glared at her, and snatched the box away.

“You locked me out. You don’t get Marinette’s macarons.” He took another one and stared at it thoughtfully. “ Macaron. That’s pretty. Maybe we could name our first child Macaron.”

“What the hell did she do to your brain?” Juleka said incredulously. “You might want to wait at least a few months before you start planning the wedding and a family, though.”

“Oh, I already proposed,” Luka said vaguely. “She thought we should get dinner first.”

There was an even longer silence this time, then… “You what?”

He had a feeling that there was something he was supposed to remember.

Dinner. Marinette.

Tonight!

She’d said yes. She’d said yes!

He looked down, and he was definitely wearing pants. Marinette had said that that was important.

“Can I have Marinette’s phone number?” he asked Juleka.

She blinked. “So… you proposed to her… but you don’t have her phone number,” she said slowly. “That makes sense. Seriously, I’m a little terrified right now of what might happen if you two do get married and have kids together.”

Luka felt a goofy smile spread across his face at the thought. Juleka shook her head, and, in spite of his protest, swiped a macaron from the box he was guarding.

“Damn, that’s good,” she mumbled around a mouthful, and pulled out her phone with her other hand. “I’d ask if she knows what she’s getting herself into, but honestly, she’s even more bonkers than you are. You’re a perfect pair.”

“I certainly hope so,” Luka agreed happily, and wandered away with the box full of macarons to call Marinette.