#you talk about these men as if they care. sis they don’t know you why are you giving them your time and energy!!!

[amphibiangeorgerussel]

not to sound like a child but some of y’all are so mean it makes me wonder if you are okay.

[blackleatherjacketz]

Shadow and Sin: Chapter 3

Klaus Mikaelson x Female Reader

Summary: Having just moved to New Orleans, you get intimately acquainted with both Mikaelson brothers, but don't find out who they truly are until it's too late.

This Chapter: Your brother warns you against Elijah, so you get a Tarot reading to clear things up, only to be interrupted by Klaus.

Warnings: Brotherly Warnings, Witches, Alcohol, Tarot, Compulsion, Negging, Manipulation, Holding Hands, Kissing, Biting, Blood Play

Word Count: 2.7k+

Read the rest of the story HERE

“That Elijah guy really creeps me out, you know.” Austin tells you as he haphazardly enters your apartment. He makes his way over to the middle of your living room before throwing himself down on the sofa, opening his Styrofoam container of pad Thai

“Creeps you out? You met him for like five seconds!” You juggle your to-go box and two bottles of water as you kick the refrigerator door shut, setting them both down on the coffee table next to him. Your brother always had something bad to say about the men whose company you kept, but he seemed painfully vigilant about this one. “What do you even mean?”

“I dunno, sis, there’s something off about him. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but like… who wears a three piece suit like that in New Orleans?” He shakes his head and takes a bite of his noodles as if he hadn’t eaten in days, which very may well be the case. “And an all black one, at that?”

“Maybe he’s a local,” you argue with a shrug, having noticed that particular strange detail yourself. “Maybe the heat doesn’t bother him like it bothers us?”

“No, his accent isn’t from here.” He shakes his head and takes another bite before taking his time to swallow. “Whatever it is, I don’t like it. You’re always way too trusting of people, and it’s going to get the best of you one of these days.”

“Oh, shut up, you don’t like anyone.” You roll your eyes and twist the noodles onto your fork, slightly blowing for them to cool. “Maybe he just came from a funeral… or maybe he’s a vampire, and that’s why he’s cold enough to wear all those layers.” You joke with a dramatic tone, finally taking your first bite.

“Vampires aren’t real, sis. How many times do I have to tell you that?” Despite living in the most magical city in the world, your brother remains one of the most defiantly skeptical people you’d ever known. He refuses to believe in the supernatural despite the local legends, convinced instead that Louisiana has the highest homicide rate in the country due to the fault of human beings alone.

“So, what is it this time, then, huh? The vibes are off? His handshake wasn’t as strong as you wanted it to be? He didn’t look you in the eye for the correct amount of time before looking back down at the floor?” You call him out of his chronically obsessive behavior, referencing reasons he’s given you in the past for not liking certain people. “All we did was talk about books, anyway.”

“Uh-huh.” It was his turn to roll his eyes as he chewed on his noodles. “I know that look.”

“What look?” You ask sheepishly, hoping you weren’t imagining how Elijah was staring at you in the library.

“Just be careful.”

———————————————

The city is more alive after your brother passes out on your couch, and you slip out into the heavy night air, leaving him nothing but a note that you locked up tight and would be back before morning. You know you’d never hear the end of it if you didn’t tell him where you were, even if he had never done the same for you in return. Classic Austin.

The absence of the sun does little to bring down the temperature and humidity of this place, making it feel as if a thick blanket of heat rests on your shoulders, wrapping itself around your torso and legs as you attempt to seem unaffected by it, the beads of sweat on your skin no doubt giving you away. Everyone else in the crowd around you either seems to embrace it, not to notice, or be far too inebriated to even care. You duck in between a few drunk and disorderly tourists, a splash of watermelon slushie getting spilled in your hair before you’re able to walk into the voodoo shop that most people were too scared to enter.

“You shouldn’t be here, baby. It’s dangerous after dark.” The old lady behind the counter tells you, looking up from her ancient spell book. The wrinkles on her face tell the story of decades of magic, of life in the quarter that your brother would never even pretend to believe as the power within her vibrates the air around you, reminding you of what drew you to this city to begin with.

“The sign out front says that you do tarot readings.” You pull a twenty dollar bill out of your pocket and gently place it on the counter, pushing it toward her. “Would you be willing to do one for me?”

“You sure you want that?” Her voice is cautious as she looks you over, her eyes whitened with age as they peer into your very soul.

“I’m sure.” You’ve been dying to have your cards read so that you might know what to expect, to see if the fates can prove your brother wrong about his misconceptions about the man in the library.

“Alright, baby.” She smiles and shuffles the deck, slowly singing a song to herself in the process as three cards slowly fall out onto the counter in front of you. “Let’s see, here.”

She turns the first one over slowly before looking up at you, almost as if to make sure you’re paying attention. “The Moon. You’re going to have to choose between two paths, although it may not be clear which one is good and which one is bad. You can rely on the light of the moon to guide you, though, child. Don’t forget that.” She wags a finger in your face and turns the next card over. “The Emperor, a strong masculine figure will enter your life. He is rigid on control and order, but he’s also one who will serve you well. Don’t dismiss him too quickly, now.” She smiles at you before her hand hovers over the last card for what seems like forever, shaking a little before flipping it upright.

“The King of Swords… reversed.” She gives you a wary look, inhaling deeply before lifting her palm up to face you, as if that will help ease your mind somehow. “Don’t you worry now…”

“Don’t worry? You look worried!” Your eyes widen as your heart begins to race, wondering what could be so damn scary about this card that could frighten this old woman to the point of shaking.

Before she can answer you, the bell jingling above the door breaks your train of thought. The woman’s face suddenly drops as if she’d just seen a ghost, her expression far worse than when she saw your third card. She pats your hand affectionately as if to tell you that she’s all done with you, that you can go now, before letting go of your fingers. Without a word, she hurriedly collects your cards, making sure to shuffle them evenly back into the deck before taking a deep breath and glancing up at the new customer.

“What have we here? A little midnight tarot reading, is it?” You’d recognize that voice anywhere as it resonates deep within your bones, his very presence prickling your skin into an uneven pattern of excitable gooseflesh. “Consulting the fates before deciding to give me a call, love?”

“No harm in that, is there?” The woman answers for you, plastering a more believable smile onto her face as your benefactor slowly approaches the both of you.

“I suppose not.” He looks at you with a dark grin before addressing her again. “And what did the cards tell you this time, Marie? Anything you’d like to share with the class?”

“You know I can’t tell you that. The reading’s for her, and her alone.” She continues to shuffle the deck, making sure to lose your cards along the way. “Although I’d be happy to read your cards if you’d like.”

“Oh, I don’t think that will be necessary.” He smirks, standing right next to you as he leans against the counter. “I’ve had them read more than enough times in my lifetime.”

God, he smells good.

“What can I do for you this time, wolf?” Marie asks him with a pained familiarity.

“Wolf?” You repeat, trying to make sense of the growing knot tying into your stomach.

Klaus laughs nervously, turning that angelic face of his toward you. “That’s just a little term of endearment Marie uses for me.” He pauses and waits for her to agree with a silent nod. “Wolf, baby, love, darling… you’ve heard one, you’ve heard them all, isn’t that right, love?”

“That’s right, ‘love’,” she corrects herself.

You can tell that Marie’s afraid of him. You can see it in her eyes, plain as day, but for some reason, as soon as Klaus looks at you, you hear a voice in your head telling you not to fear him. It calms your nerves and reassures you that her trepidation is unfounded, telling you that you can trust him with your life. It’s a new, very odd feeling that makes the knot in your stomach seem to unravel and disappear entirely without much of an explanation at all.

————————————————

“I was right about you, wasn’t I? You’re a believer.” Klaus glances over at you knowingly as you lead him through the quarter toward your apartment. Although his tone is light and flirty, his eyes are very serious.

“A believer? What happened to me being morbidly disturbed?” You vaguely remember the three cards Marie had given you, but decide not to focus on them for now. Instead you decide to focus on how closely his hand brushes against yours with each stride, how electric it makes you feel as he walks beside you.

“I don’t see why the two can’t coexist within that beautiful body of yours.” He raises an eyebrow as his pinky finger hooks in between your thumb and forefinger, sending a jolt of warmth up your spine. “As your benefactor and mentor, I find it my duty to inform you of the dangers that lurk in the darkest corners of this city, witches being one of them.”

“Witchcraft is real?” You ask point blank, cutting through any witty banter you might otherwise throw his way.

“Oh, I’m afraid so, love. Every story you’ve ever heard hushed whispers of, every suspicious tradition carried on by the locals, every legend of lore uttered by a tour guide…they’re all true. It’s a way of hiding in plain sight. They get to practice their way of life while the tourists are none the wiser. It’s a pretty convenient arrangement, really.”

“And you know all this, how?” Your heart skips a beat as he speaks so plainly about the supernatural presence in this city, giving you hope that you’ve found a like-minded person. You’ve always suspected that the stories were true, but never talked about it with anyone this openly.

“Oh, I’ve lived here for centuries,” he exaggerates with a cocky glare. “But it won’t take you that long to notice all the magic that’s in this city, to see just how dangerous it can be for someone like you.”

“Someone like me? What does that mean? Every city is dangerous, Klaus.” You take his warning with a grain of salt, but you still heed it, keeping his words in the back of your head and saving them for later. “And what do you mean, my mentor?” You allow him to take hold of your hand completely, wrapping his fingers around it with a squeeze.

“Did I fail to mention that I’m a painter, as well?” He laughs as you turn a corner on the sidewalk, your apartment building just a few doors down now. “It must have slipped my mind the moment I saw you and your work.” He gives you a beguiling smirk, his lips flushing a light rosy hue. “You were both so enchanting.”

“Really?” You smile at his confession, blushing at his compliment. “What do you paint?” That smirk of his suggests that he feels the growing warmth that’s spreading all over your chest and neck as it slowly makes its way into your core, that maybe he’s been feeling it all along.

“I tend to focus a bit more on abstract ideas, landscapes, skylines, things like that. Painting for me is a way to… clear my head when I need to escape, but it’s nothing as political or bold as your work.” He pauses, rubbing your knuckles with his thumb. “That being said, with the right funding and guidance, I think yours could be astoundingly better.”

“Better?” You try not to sound offended, but his words cut like a knife as you arrive at your doorstep, steeping in the awkward silence before he speaks again.

Does he even like your artwork at all?

“Oh, don’t be cross with me, love.” He releases your hand and slowly turns toward you, plating both palms over your hair to better look into your eyes. “The things I could show you if only you’d let me into your mind, into your creative process, in here,” he presses his middle and forefinger against your chest, pointing at your heart as he brings his face closer to yours. “I could help you discover so many new things, teach you techniques you haven’t even dreamed of, make you see stars brighter than the hottest summer’s day.”

Is he still talking about art?

His words fan that warmth inside you into a spark, unable to stop your body’s chemical reaction to his touch or the hypnotic sound of his velvety voice. You know deep down that something that burns this hot can’t possibly keep you alight for very long, but like a moth to the flame, you can’t help but be drawn to the fire within him. It’s been so long since you’ve allowed yourself to be consumed by anyone else’s madness, to be engulfed by their passion, but if this is what burns you down to mere embers, then so be it.

“I can do that.” You nod, eyelids fluttering as his lips feather over yours, parting ever so slightly before you decide to stand on your tiptoes and kiss him.

He tastes just as good as he smells, the faint flavor of whiskey and copper parting your lips as you breathe in his citrusy scent, committing it to memory. You moan as his tongue clashes against yours, exciting every neuron in your body as your hands end up in his dirty blonde curls, tugging and pulling him in even closer to you. You can feel his breath quicken as his chest rises and falls against yours, his hands mapping out every inch of your neck and shoulders as he greedily sucks your bottom lip between his teeth. Step by step, he walks you backward against the wall, his hips needily pinning you in place as his kiss greedily deepens to the point of breaking your skin.

You gasp as he pulls back just enough for you to notice your blood on his lip, his eyes seeming to darken with desire before he languidly licks it off, looking you in the eye to see how you’ll react.

Your eyes widen, uncertain if you’re actually witnessing what you think you are. Did he just bite down hard enough to draw blood and then… lick it?

He holds onto you with that wanton stare, watching the wheels turn inside your head as you try to register what’s happening. He tilts his head to the side to see if fear or disgust will override your carnal desire for him before he gently brushes his thumb across your bottom lip, collecting the rest of your blood. The salt of his skin stings your exposed tissue as he tugs it downward before bringing it up to his own mouth to taste.

“Klaus,” you start, the pain in your lip barely outweighing your need to keep kissing him.

The sight of your blood on his lips somehow triggers something deep within you, something he already knew was there from the very second he laid eyes on you. Like some kind of dark and twisted Manchurian Candidate, he knew exactly how to draw it out of you, how to give you just enough to make you want a little bit more. How did he know something about you that you didn’t even know about yourself?

He merely grins in response, sucking his bloodstained thumb as he keeps those enchanting eyes of his locked onto yours. “I look forward to mentoring you, love.”

[arc-misadventures]

Full Metal Plate

Winter: So, are you all packed, and ready to go… l-little sister…?

Jeanne: D-Did you just try to call me, ‘little sister?’

Winter: Is that alright? I mean, we’ve only know each other for a little while, and I’m still not sure that you’re… Huw?!

Jeanne rushed over to, Winter, and wrapped her arms around her for a tender loving embrace.

Jeanne: It’s okay, you can call me your little sister all you want, big sister~!

Winter eyes teared up before wrapping her arms around her in kind. They stayed that way for a while before breaking away.

Winter: Thank you, Jeanne. I… I needed that.

Jeanne: Any time sis. And, as for packing, I’m all ready to go. Well, bar my armour, well, my planned armour that is. I’m still a growing lady, I mean, look at these~!

Jeanne provocatively gestures to her sizeable chest.

Winter: Looks like… Double D-Cup’s?

Jeanne: They used to be A’s.

Winter: And, you’re fifteen?

Jeanne: Yep! Meaning these gals are still growing~!

Winter looks down at, Jeanne’s chest before looking down at her, C-Cup chest.

Winter: Well… good for you~!

Jeanne: You absolutely seething with jealousy, aren’t you?

Winter: Oh absolutely. Seriously, how are all, Arc woman so well endowed?!

Jeanne: Don’t forget about the men too!

Winter: …

Winter: I did not need to know that.

Jeanne: Yet~!

Winter: So you don’t have any armour at all, excluding your shield?

Jeanne: Oh I do have some armour! Give me - moment, and I’ll show you!

Winter: Alright, take your time.

~~~

Jeanne: And, done! What do you think?

Winter: Not bad. It really shows off your figure. Seems light, and easy to move in. You are a fast fighter, this must suit you quite well. And, it does look like it will accommodate for any future growth spurts.

Jeanne: Yep! I can really move around in this. But, after I reach the peak of my growth spirt, I’m going to switch to wearing some more full plate armour. This is just a stop gap until then.

Winter: Oh? Why do you desire to do that? Light armour seems to best suit your fighting style. Wouldn’t full plate armour slow you down?

Jeanne: Depends on how the armour is designed. If it’s thick, and made from heavy metals, its going to be damn heavy. But, if the armour is dense, and made with thin armour plates, it can be quite light, and easy to run around in. Hell, I can even do a backflip while wearing heavy plate armour.

Winter: But, you don’t have heavy armour?

Jeanne: I… I could do a backflip in full plate armour!

Winter: Alright.

Jeanne: Whatever, just know this: when I get my full plate armour, you going to be amazed with what I can do with it. And, more importantly; I’ll look damn good in it too~!

Winter: Oh really? My grandfather may have worn full plate armour, but he didn’t look that good in it.

Jeanne: That just means he didn’t have any style, just like the rest of you snobbish, Atlasians!

Winter: Like anyone can look good in full plate armour.

Jeanne: Wanna bet? Hey, Jaune!

Jaune: Yeah?

Jeanne: Put your armour on, I wanna win a bet with, Winter!

Jaune: Am I playing any other part in this bet?

Jeanne: Nope!

Jaune: …

Jaune: Ha… fine… I’ll be out there in a moment.

Jeanne: Thank you~! Ha! Just you wait, Winter, I’m gonna make you eat your words!

Winter: Oh I highly doubt that.

~~~

Jeanne: You done, Jaune?

Jaune: Yeah, I coming down.

Jeanne: Get ready to lose, and question your sexual preferences, Winter!

Winter: I doubt…? Wait, what was that bit about, ‘sexual preferences?’

Jaune: Okay… Care to tell me why I’m doing this?

Jeanne: Oh yeah… Momma likey~! So, Winter, what do you think?

Winter: …

Winter: Okay… You win, Jeanne. You can look sexy in full plate armour.

Jeanne: Hell yeah, I wi…?! Wait, did you say ‘sexy?’

Winter: No! No I didn’t! I-I’m leaving! I-I-I still need to pack!

Jeanne: You think your little brother is sexy you brocon~!

Winter: I AM NOT A BROCON?!!

Jeanne: Don’t be upset, Winter; we can still share him!

Winter: What the hell are you talking about?!

Jaune watched as the pair left, their voices slowly drifting off into the distance with only one thought upon his mind.

Jaune: …

Jaune: I got to get out of here. I have got to get the hell out of here!

[anothercrisis]

could we possibly get some more civilians au hcs? i read through all of them and now i’m invested

Wake up! I’m alive and still brainrotting about the civvie au!

What I would like to talk about today is the way I managed to include the callsigns and ranks :)

-

During their childhood in the foster care system, Johnny and Kyle didn’t have many constants, apart from each other. Every situation was different, every home had a different set of rules. In some, they weren’t allowed to watch television, which was one of the rules they hated to discover the most. Stories were oftentimes the only times they got a break from the reality they lived in. And their abilities to read were still developing at this time, so turning to books didn’t always work.

Johnny learned to read before Gaz, who struggled then explained to Johnny that the words never stayed in the right order when he was trying to read them, so Johnny took to reading out-loud so his brother could enjoy the stories too.

They often read the same book, one that Johnny lifted from a particularly horrible man who’d had custody of them for a grand total of six hours (which was six hours too long in Johnny’s opinion, which is why he quickly evacuated Kyle and himself from the property) and that he’s kept with him ever since. It was a collection of military stories that told of brave men fighting hard battles and overcoming difficult situations. The book had been in the children’s room Johnny and Kyle had been locked in, on the small shelf stocked with similar books for the foster children to read. Johnny had impulsively shoved it into his bag before climbing out the window simply because of the way the cover made him feel brave.

Those stories allowed Johnny and Kyle to adopt the mindsets of soldiers, helped them cope and make sense of their difficult situation.

“Kyle is a soldier and I’m his Captain. ‘Tis ma job to look after ‘im and I can’t do that when this fucked system keeps separatin’ us.”

By this time, Johnny was building himself quite the reputation. The social workers started to refer to him as “Soap” because of how efficient he was at slipping himself out and then in to homes whenever he was separated from Kyle and how he never left a trail behind him to follow if he didn’t want to. Johnny accepted the nickname with pride. From then on, whenever a social worker said, with a deep sigh, that Soap was back into their hands after another failed placement, he would grin and say, “Tha’s Captain Soap to ye.”.

Shortly after, Johnny decided Kyle needed to have a nickname too; he wanted them to sound like the package deal they were and the nicknames would further connect them. So Kyle decided on “Gaz”. He didn’t want anything elaborate or goofy like “Soap”. And Johnny doesn’t know it, but Gaz is what Kyle’s little brother had called him before the accident. And then, since Johnny was the one looking after Kyle and therefore the one of higher rank, they decided Kyle was to be Sergeant Gaz.

Maybe it’s silly and stupid, maybe they don’t outgrow it as soon as they ought, but it quickly became the best and most effective way they have ever found to cope. It becomes something like a mantra, a prayer: we are soldiers, we are brave, and we will handle whatever is thrown at us with strength and courage.

A few years later, Johnny meets Simon. Simon, the boy who walks so lightly that his footsteps can’t be heard even by Johnny who long ago trained his ears to hear footsteps. Simon, the boy who starts to show up on Johnny’s doorstep unannounced, pale, and quiet, simply looking for better company. Simon, who becomes “Ghost” when Johnny accidentally points this behavior out to him.

“Nothin’ to be sorry ‘bout, Si. I happen to like the Ghost too. He’s a good listener, and ya know how I run ma mouth.”

In further attempts to comfort, Johnny decides Simon might also need the absurd bit of comfort that comes with pretending to be a soldier. Because if you can pretend you’re brave for long enough, maybe it will come true. So Soap decides Simon will be Lieutenant Ghost. (When Kyle asks why Simon has a higher rank than him, the answer is because Simon is older, has fought harder battles for longer, and because Johnny will need his skills to keep them all safe.)

Once Johnny and Kyle’s coping method has been brought to the attention of the group, they all insist on getting callsigns and ranks too. Johnny, as the captain and therefore the man in charge, comes up with both for their other two friends. Alex Keller, their next door neighbor, and Gary Sanderson, Alex’s school friend who lives a few minutes away by bicycle that immediately got adopted into the group, are both dubbed sergeants too. Johnny had secretly filed away nickname options for both boys because he was hoping for an opportunity like this. They come to the decision that Gary will be “Roach”, for the way he can be relied upon to be in the kitchen cooking or snacking and for the way he likes to sit on the tops of surfaces, and that Alex will be “Echo”, for the way he is always repeating Gary’s sentences for him because he speaks so softly that Alex, who has years of training, is usually the only one who hears him enough to decipher the words.

They take to using the nicknames pretty quickly, enjoying the bond it represents between them all. But the ranks are understood to be more of a joke until the anniversary of Kyle’s brother’s death comes around and he shuts himself up in his room. Johnny simply explains to their friends that “Sergeant Gaz is on leave for the time being,” and they easily understand that to mean Kyle is battling something and isn’t ready to share it with them. No more further explanation is needed, easy as that. So, from then on, whenever one of them is struggling with something, simple phrases like that alert the others without the pressure of having to explain if they don’t want to or aren’t sure how. It’s a code among them, a slow developing language that allows them to express themselves and their struggles to each other when they aren’t capable of using plain language.

And maybe others would think it juvenile, this coping method and way of communicating, but that doesn’t matter to them. Life has tossed them around in ways no one should have to be tossed around and these boys create a safe space for themselves in the ways they find work best for them. It just so happens that their biggest comfort comes in the shape of their military personas and one another.

[raindrop-21]

Scarred Love - Chapter Seven: Sun And Moon

a/n: finally got some motivation and finished it, enjoy <3

Word count: 1,516

Cw: Ghoap x f!reader, soulmates, talk about scars, tiny mention if kidnapping[in a joking way] (Tell me if I missed any)

Ch1, Ch2, Ch3, Ch4, Ch5, Ch6, Ch7, Ch8~ Masterlist

Soulmates. You have them. They’re yours. All yours. How is this real? The happiness flowing throughout your body has made you energetic. The boys have taken you to a café to celebrate. Your entire body is still except for your mind and your leg that won't stop bouncing with adrenaline. You still can’t believe it’s real.

Johnny must be able to feel how the adrenaline is pulsing throughout your body with the way his hand is placed on your knee. You can tell he’s feeling the same way by the giddy smile on his face. Simon gets up to get your drinks once they’re ready, and when he’s back, he places your latte in front of you and Johnny’s mocha frappé in front of the two of you.

“I don’t think the two of you need any more serotonin in your systems.” He says with a huff as he places his own drink down; Earl Grey tea.

“We’re jus’ happy, ye’ big oaf.” You laugh at Johnny’s words.

The three of you spend a bit talking about small, mundane things before the topic of family is brought up. Oh no, you forgot that you had to meet their families… And they have to meet yours. Your family isn’t a big fan of them. All your family knows (thinks) is that your soulmate(s) didn’t give two shits about you and caused you a bunch of pain. That’s half true, they didn’t care about you because they didn’t know you were hurting with them, they didn’t know you existed. 

You can see it now; your mother red in the face, on verge of tears, a mix of joy and a mix of resentment, your father sitting on the couch acting like they don’t exist, keeping himself from yelling at them, your older sister looking at them with a look of jealousy and trying to figure out a way to steal them from you even though her soulmate is right next to her, the poor girl is so sweet, your younger brother wondering if the same will happen to him, but with two women, for the rest of the family; you can only imagine.

“Lass? Lass?” You’re pulled out of your train of thought by Johnny tapping your shoulder and calling for you. “Lass, you okay?”

“Yea… Just worried about the two of you meeting my family is all.” Johnny notices the truth behind your words by the sigh you let out and wraps an arm around you.

“Don’t worry Lass, me and Si can handle ourselves, right Si?”

“Right.” He huffs out.

You let out a sigh, “I believe you guys can handle yourselves, I do. It’s just that my family doesn’t exactly have… Nice opinions of the two of you…”

“Not nice opinions like how?” Simon says with a cocked eyebrow.

“Well…. They think you’re self-centered assholes who don’t give two shits about your soulmate and want to cause as much harm as possible to them.” The boys let out low whistles in response.

“Tha's no good…” Johnny mutters under his breath. “Could ye elaborate, Lass?”

You take in a deep breath, “I'm gonna say their hatred towards the two of you stem from the fact that not only was I born with a couple of scars, I continued getting small ones while I was little,” You hear Simon say something under his breath, you think he might've said “Curse that old bastard.”, “And between the ages of eight and now is when the scars and physical pain increased. I was badly bedridden for quite a bit.”

You can see the gears turning in both Johnny and Simon's head. What are they thinking about?

“Luvie, how old are you?” 

You look at Simon as he speaks to you, realizing you've never told either of them your age, and vice versa.

“I'm twenty-one, why, how old are the two of you?” Your curiosity is peaked, how old are the two men you're supposed to spend the rest of forever with?

Johnny sighs, “I'm twenty-six and Si's thirty-one.”

“Oh, that’s not that bad, only a 5 and ten year difference.” You say with a giggle.

“Yer still a kid.” Simon huffs out, which you take offense to, “I am not a kid. I can drink, drive, smoke, and vote, thank you.” You say, the attitude heavily present in your voice.

“A kid can do all that with a fake ID.” He counters, “Yer brain won’t fully develop ‘til yer twenty-five.”

You dramatically gasp at his response. The audacity of this man, “Then by that logic, Johnny’s brain just recently fully developed.” You snap back.

“Johnny’s a doofus, but the horrors of war matured him.” Johnny takes playful offense to Simon calling him a ‘doofus’.

The horrors of war, you might not have seen them, but you sure as hell felt them. The proof is literally etched into your skin by the hundreds of scars that are littered all over your body. A large one on your ass cheek for god’s sake, the recovery for that one was hell; you were either constantly standing or laying on your stomach. You couldn’t sit for weeks. It’s debatable what’s worse; seeing and feeling what’s happening to your body as it’s happening, or not knowing what’s happening, just being in pain. You don’t know what horrors they’ve seen, what plagues their mind, memories, and even dreams.

You sigh, you’re not going to argue and be stubborn, as much as you want to, you know whatever counterargument they have could easily prove you wrong or start an argument. So, you decide to use pure fact against them.

“Actually, due to brain metabolism, a woman’s brain develops three years faster than a man’s. Meaning, by next year my brain will be fully developed, and you guys know what horrors caused your scars, I don’t. I don’t know why I have a bunch of ragged lines and bullet wounds littered throughout my body. This may seem like an excuse or guilt trip of sorts, but it’s not. It’s just facts.” You say with a sigh.

Johnny and Simon just look at you, and it dawns on them that you were ten when Simon was eighteen, fourteen when Price recruited him for Task Force 141. Nineteen, with terrible scars that only multiplied when you were sixteen and Johnny twenty-four, a year into his military work and being recruited to the 141. Your scars only got worse and more visible, but instead of detesting the two who had caused you so much harm, you had walked up to them and spoke to them so shyly, thinking they wouldn’t believe you.

The strange silence is interrupted by a call you get, it’s from Eve. Holy crap, you forgot to call her. It’s nearly three in the afternoon. You look at the boys.

“Hey, this is important, I gotta take this. Do you mind if I take it at the table?”

“Go ahead.” They say in unison.

You sigh and answer the call, not too sure how Eve’s going to react, “Hello?”

“Girl! Why haven’t you called or texted me? I’ve been worried you got kidnapped!” She fussed, “It wouldn’t be hard…. Those two are freaking huge…” She mutters under her breath.

“I haven’t been kidnapped.” You respond with what seems like a sigh mixed with a giggle, your response makes Johnny and Simon raise their eyebrows, “I’m actually a legal step below being married and have full citizenship in Great Britain now.” After you say this you instinctively pull the phone away from your ear expecting her to happily squeal.

“Oh my god! You’ve found your soulmates!” She squeals out loudly, just as you expected her to. You can hear all types of giggles and congratulations from your other friends that are in the room with her, “You have to send us a picture of them!” She happily suggests.

You look over to Simon and Johnny before asking them, “My friends want to see a picture of the two of you, could I take and send one?”

You get an affirmative gruff from Simon, “Only if ye set it as yer lock screen after.” Johnny says with a grin, which you take as a yes.

You quickly pull up your camera app and position the camera correctly, “Say cheese.” You ring out playfully. Johnny smiles, pearly whites on full display, and Simon does smile, you can’t see his mouth from under the black surgical mask he’s wearing, but you can see the way his eyes crinkle at the corners. You quickly take the picture and send it to your friend’s group chat.

The other line of the phone is silent for what seems like forever before you get a response, “Ho-ly Hell they are good-looking. They compliment each other so well, like the sun and the moon. You can be their Earth, their bringer of life.” Eve says with a giggle.

“Oh my god, ew. I’m hanging up.” You said with a giggle before hanging up the phone.

“So…. Kidnapping, pictures, and bringing life… Interesting topics…” Simon chides.

Taglist:

@under-the-dirt @littlebluespoon @actuallyhiswife @cassiecasluciluce @darling006 @cdej6 @whynotbad @kaoyamamegami @oooof-ifellforyou @aldis-nuts @fanngirl19 @zealouspursecowboydeputy

[oh-surprise-its-me]

Okay, tell me your thoughts on God 🤣 *coughs* on Jamie and Simon's relationship.

When Roy comes in and is all gooey about the baking and SURPRISE, JAMIE CAN BAKE! Roy totally proposes after having the best baked good of his life!

Simon would totally cry because he taught his Jam Tartt how to bake. It was hard at times but once Jamie understood it, it was absolute magic to watch him create things in the kitchen.

He totally cried when he made a cake for him and Georgie for their anniversary or something.

Just gimme that wholesome cuteness and Roy being an absolute puddle for these two men. Especially his Jamie.

(Georgie watches all her boys fondly and would totally run her hands thru Roy's hair when he's having a freaking meltdown over wanting to marry Jamie as Jamie and Simon are in the kitchen blissfully unaware 😁)

I have too many thoughts and feelings about this!

Oh my god okay yes

-

Jamie bounced around Roy’s kitchen all morning. Roy could only watch as Jamie was so excited for Simon to cook with him.

Roy doesn’t quite get it but hey. His parents didn’t cook. Or keep him around for as long as possible so what does he know.

He’s sitting in the living room with Georgie now. They have pride and prejudice on in the background when Roy has the urge to ask.

“Why does Jamie get so excited to cook with Simon?” Georgie smiles, she ticks her legs under herself and leans closer to Roy to talk. “Little baby Jam didn’t know what to do with a father that just loved him. Simon thought that if he was teaching Jamie something he might relax more.”

Roy blinks. Oh fuck. “Oh fuck. Okay. Sorry.” Georgie pats his hand, “oh honey no! That’s such a fair question, Simon was a shock to us all. He’s so nice and always got Jam the clothing he said he didn’t need or want. I blame him for those colors sometimes.”

Roy laughs. He leans closer to Georgie without thinking anything of it. She pulls him down so his head is in her lap. “You’re a darling boy Roy. You’ll make a wonderful husband for Jamie.” Roy freezes. He hasn’t said anything about that to literally anyone.

“Oh Roy you thought I couldn’t tell? Hon you look at him like he’s the earth and you’re the moon floating around him.” Roy blinks the tears out of his eyes. “You approve?” She pats his face, “I approve because even if I didn’t you’d still ask him.”

Roy blushes. She’s not wrong. He takes her hand and squeezes it, “I promise to take care of him.”

Georgie leans down and kisses his head “I know baby.”

-

Jamie is cutting the cookies out, Simon comes up next to him with more flour. “Here kiddo.” Jamie smiles at him. “Thanks Si.”

Simon leans on the counter watching Jamie cut a snowman out. “Jamie you’re the best son I could’ve asked for I want you to be happy yeah?” Jamie tilts his head. This sounds like the it’s fine if you’re gay conversations they had when he was younger.

“Yeah mate I know?” Simon nods. “Marry Roy. Don’t be afraid if he asks. Jump into it.” Jamie’s mouth drops open. He can’t believe Simon just said that. “Dad-?” “Kiddo the way he looks at you is the way I look at Georgie when she’s covered in paint.”

Jamie blinks. Oh fuck he’s right. “Oh fuck i wanna marry Roy.” Simon laughs he loops an arm around Jamie’s shoulders. “You’ve wanted that since you were like 14 Jam.” Jamie nods, Simon is right.

“You approve? Mum approves?” Simon kisses his head, “yeah we approve hon. Marry him.”

Jamie nods, he can’t wait to talk to Roy again. Loves that his parents approve of Roy.

Loves Roy.

Wants to marry Roy.

[mihrsuri]

It’s The History Of Man (Rewritten By Women)

Just posting this here - a fic about TWW women + Trauma (and maybe the men later). Dedicated to @miabicicletta @claudiajcregg @librarianmouse @unseenacademic and all my TWW discord loves too.

Content Note: discussion of abuse, rape/sexual assault and misogyny.

She’s never been, you know, the undeclared Thing. Men look for motivations like that, a backstory as to why she really cares - that it must have been a bitter experience in blood, in bruises and broken bird metaphors. So no, CJ’s never been raped. She’s never been assaulted.

You shouldn’t have to be, to give any of a damn - shouldn’t have to find motivation in sister or daughter or someone that makes a something real when you could just find humanity - she’d said it too many times, to too many people. Too many men.

She’s been marked by it, the way that you are when you make your way through the world, for most women. Condescension, especially from good men, men she loved, men she liked - who just could not see, not that, not that bathrobes don’t make up for anything, let alone the way CJ stands alone.

The way the articles about which staff member she might be sleeping with, the way she uses clothes as a shield and even that doesn’t help - it shouldn’t matter, it doesn’t but she has to exist in this world and better to mocked as dowdy than marked as a slut, a distraction. The way some reporters are, the way some staff, some everyone are that they aren’t with the others - assuming she doesn’t know or she just innately knows, by virtue of being a woman or being a Berkeley Grad - both said with knowing looks.

CJ has kissed girls. And boys. And people, in general. The girls didn’t actually do anything for her, but she’s kissed them. Berkeley was safety and yet it wasn’t. There are rapists amongst left wing enclaves, there are friends she’d patched up and held while they cried and the worst feeling in her life had been when men who she had thought respected her, who had said all the right words leer at her or try to slip a key.

(Hoynes. Hoynes is a story she will keep locked until the day she dies because the thing is, the thing is CJ still isn’t sure. Still can’t bear the thought of the judgement, of all of it, of the way she thinks they’d all look at her differently - like she was less in their eyes, hardly the perfect daughter now).

-

She’s the perfect victim but she isn’t. The stupid little girl who went out dancing, who dated a boy who wasn’t good, who drank and wore something too sexy and got people killed. Zoey knows it’s an undertone, though no one ever says it to her face.

It’s like the way they talked about ‘sullied’ and ‘inappropriate’ far more when she dated Charlie and with Jean Paul they make noises about ‘struggles with addiction’ and ‘understanding’ because he’s got money and the correct shade of pale and pedigree and no one wants a ruined girl they can’t trade.

Zoey knows it’s not the 19th century or the 18th but it also is. The media dissects her outfits, but not the men who stripped her bare and bruised. They sigh over the impact on her father, on issues, on politics but not the way her nightmares haunt her. What a shame they ruined her prettiness, her purity, not that Zoey was hurt.

She’s a good victim but she isn’t.

-

They don’t ask Jed to smile, to put on make up and put himself together, to get the outfit just right so it’s not sexy, but not frumpy, not drawing attention to herself but not sloppy. No pearls for him, no demure apologies.

She’s Mrs Bartlet, a White House ornament - a pretty decoration to wheel out, it feels like - like she’s been put back in her place the way a high school science teacher told her she should be. You have lovely deft hands Abigail, don’t waste your pretty face on mens work and ruin those hands meant for flowers and babies.

Abby has surgeons hands and they want to give her roses and dress up clothes while they cut them off for the crime of being Too Much. For the sins of her husband, for her husbands ambition she must cut off her own.

It’s the history of men, she sings along much much further in the future. I ran as fast as I could and I won my races and it still wasn’t enough.

-

Donna can say now, it will never leave her but it is never the whole of her life. They never tell you that, that it all cascades into each other - Dr Freeride, the shooting, the second shooting, the way her parents valued appearances all make up the cracks in her skin, the webbing of scars that her mother gasps in horror at and that Josh’s mother and Abbey Bartlet simply hold her, hug her and listen. That CJ, as a friend, does too.

She’s learned so much about how it feels to have a mother, to have mothers. To be cared for, in a way that she has never been and it’s almost another wound, to think that she could have had this - not a telling off for leaving behind a wealthy respectable man and a nice house and a good name.

[odetodilfs]

omg thank u for doing my request (the sza song)🫶🫶🫶. i loved it.

do u think u could do like a part 2? kinda. based on the same song but a different section of the lyrics. the lyrics are

‘Just tryna be your everything

Main one ridin'

How you frontin' on me and I'm the main one tryin'?

How you blame it on me and you the main one lyin'?

How you threatenin' to leave and I'm the main one cryin'?

I can't lose when I'm with you (Like you, like you)

How can I snooze and miss the moment? (Like you)

You just too important

Nobody do body like you do’

if you do decide to do this i was thinking it could be a part 2 and be what happens when javi and reader actually go out on their public date. this part of the song is more angst tho so if u follow the song it wouldn’t be as fluffy.

again thank u for doing my first request 🫶

I try to make an effort

Heyyy!! I loved writing this part 2!! It's my first time writing angst though, so my apologies if it's not good enough!

Pairing: Javier Peña x m!reader

Warnings: F slur in spanish, NSFW mentions

Pure angst and fluff but ending is mentioning NSFW Link to part one

Spanish spoken so translations are at the bottom!!

It had been a week by now and Javi’s eye had almost fully recovered, yet he had been showing less affection to you, you noticed he was no longer as clingy and complimenting you that much, in general: it felt like he didn’t love you anymore. “Mi amor, have you booked the table at the restaurant?” you asked him, you wanted him to say yes but he just said, “Sorry, uh- I’ll do it later okay?” he said as he returned back to his police business, you stormed off the room and started to sob on the way to your room. Javier had honestly been a bit of a dick to you all week and this was just the outbreak of your rage, you lay in bed and hugged the pillow as you started to cry, but not before making the door slam loudly. You waited for what felt like an eternity but Javier still didn’t come: you were convinced he didn’t care about you anymore. You really did try to be the perfect boyfriend for him, you tried to have his clothes always carefully laid out for the next day. He had also started being distant towards you then when you pointed it out he always would say how he was just stressed and that you were overexaggerating everything, that he was okay.

You kept thinking about all the sweet memories you two had until the doorknob turned, “Mi amor...” he said, sitting on the bed with you, “Go away, please, I know you don’t want to be near me,” you said

“No, I want to be close to you-” he started telling you “You don’t you keep saying I exaggerate when I worry about you, I keep trying to be perfect for you and this week you’ve done nothing but ignore me, if you don’t want me anymore that’s fine!! I can just get another man” you shouted, Javier stood up, “Si piensas que soy así de reemplazable, no te equivocas” he said, walking out of the room. 

You felt guilty, you had been way overboard with this one, with that last comment, you were considering letting him go, that comment clearly hurt him, of course it did, he had been living on just hookups for years, countless women comparing him to other men they’d slept with, you fucked it up big time. But you had to try something, he was too important for you, you loved him too much. So you stood up and got out of the room to try and find him.

You found him in the living room, tears down his face as well, “You don’t need to apologize” he said, “I do, I’m just… I just wanna know why you suddenly grew so distant from me, Javier, I love you more than anything in the world” you said, “If you really want to know, then let me tell you” he started, “I was just speaking with a bunch of colleagues the other day and talked about women, and obviously since I’ve dated you I’ve been quiet on that topic, so one of them nudged me and said, “Oye Javier, ya no hablas tanto de mujeres, ¿te nos volviste maricón?” and so I just have been feeling so paranoid, I’m sorry, I realize I should’ve told you” he apologized profusely.

You went in and kissed him tenderly on the lips, both of you spilling even more tears, “Oh Javier, that must’ve been so hard, I get what you did now,” you held him to you, “I’m so fucking sorry” he said, crying and holding your face in his hands,

“I just wanted to say, you’re not replaceable” you said, “I don’t know how I could live without looking at those pretty eyes of yours every day, or the way you hug me from behind when I’m doing anything” you said as you held his hand, “Te amo, Javier, más que nada en el mundo” you said as you kissed him again, 

“Yo también te adoro” he said as he kissed you sweetly then picked up the telephone, “What are you doing?” you asked, “Booking the table, for tonight” he said, you felt immense happiness wash over you, he started speaking, “Hola, si, buenas tardes” he greeted, then waited for an answer, “Llamo para una reserva para dos, a nombre de Javier” he explained, “Ah okay, muchas gracias, ahí estaremos, adiós” he hung up, “We’ve got ourselves a table at 8pm” he said excitedly, “That 's… in half an hour!” you exclaimed, “Take your time baby, make yourself look pretty, not that there’s much of an effort to be put, you fine ass man” he complimented you and kissed you on the lips, you both when in the room to change, goddamn it, if you didn’t have the date you would’ve pleasured this man so good.

You were both a little late to the restaurant but it wasn’t too late, so they still let you in, you noticed a lot of couples, and the fact that it looked more like a bar, there were lots of men and women sat together in pairs… hold the fuck up… had Javier taken you to a gay bar? “¿Amor, es esto un…?” he nodded with a smile and you immediately went in and kissed him, in front of everyone, you didn’t care, in fact, one or two couples smiled as they saw you kissing, they were happy to see more like them. You were sure a lot of people were wondering why Agent Peña was in a gay bar kissing you, but you figured they’d let it pass as he’s obviously not gonna give them away. You sat down on a table and a waiter took your order, he held your hand and looked you in the eye, “¿Te gusta mi amor?” he asked with a smile across his eyes, “I love it, Javier” you squeezed his hand, “I know you don’t want me to risk myself, so I went ahead and looked for places like this, we can love each other freely here” he said, “Gracias, de verdad” you smiled, “It’s nothing my love, and the fun doesn’t end here, just wait till we go home after dinner, you’re gonna have a very good time before we sleep” he smirked. This was definitely getting better, and you couldn’t be happier than now, he was the one for you, and no matter how many risks that implied, you were going to stick with him till the end.

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

Translations:

"Si crees que soy así de reemplazable, no te equivocas" - "If you think I'm that replaceable, you're not wrong"

“Oye Javier, ya no hablas tanto de mujeres, ¿te nos volviste maricón?” - "Hey Javier, you don't talk much about women anymore- did you turn into a (f slur)?"

"Te amo Javier, mas que nada en el mundo" - "I love you Javier, more than anything in the world"

"Yo también te adoro" - "I adore you too" “Hola, si, buenas tardes” - "Hello, good afternoon" “Llamo para una reserva para dos, a nombre de Javier” - "I'm calling to reserve a table for 2 for Javier" “Ah okay, muchas gracias, ahí estaremos, adiós” - "Okay, thanks, we'll be there, goodbye" ¿Amor, esto es un...?" - "My love... is this a...?"

[g-h-0-s-t-3-d]

Evening Lookouts and Quiet Promises - Ghost x Hawk Oneshot

A/N: here's a little oneshot for y'all to get a taste of Simon and Wren before I start posting their full fic Silhouettes and Songbirds! This is far later into their relationship, post-MW2 but pre-MW3.

Tags: Fluff, Established Relationship, SFW, Military Themes (Call of Duty)

“So you’re telling me, Johnny drank three tall bottles of pure rum and ran a mission the next day like it was nothing?”

“I swear on my life.”

Simon let out an amused huff. She grinned wide - the world was beautiful beneath their sniper position on an old roof tonight, a vibrant sunset painting the sky above the town strewn below.

“Really, Si, you shouldn’t be that surprised… I’ve seen you down glasses of bourbon that would make grown men cry.” She chuckled lightly, giving him a playful nudge. His eyes narrowed when her shoulder met his, but she knew it was only a facade.

“C’mon… don’t tell me you don’t like it. I know you’re lying.” A cheeky grin, a singsong voice… she knew exactly what to do to get him flustered.

“I don’t like it.” He deadpanned, his stony gaze unwavering.

“And I know you’re lying.”

“Am I?”

“You sure seemed to like it last night.”

His eyes widened at her quip, the obnoxious glimmer in her eye a strange mix of aggravating and amusing as she waited excitedly for his reaction. He inhaled deeply, pressing his index finger to the bridge of his nose.

“Keep it tactical, Sergeant.”

She scoffed. “I hate you sometimes, you know that?”

He adjusted his mask on his face. “That’s not what you said last night.”

She gasped dramatically and smacked his shoulder. He let out a light, easy chuckle - music to her ears. It was rare that Ghost laughed… even rarer that she got to hear it like this.

When Soap laughed, it was like the embodiment of the sun. For Simon, it was the moon - only coming out when the rest of the world is quiet, when he could shine for the few who listen. When she could listen.

“You’re a bastard, Riley.”

“You wouldn’t have me any other way.”

She rolls her eyes. He chuckles again, and… he leans against her. She stiffens for just a moment at the sensation - it was rare that Simon ever accepted contact, let alone initiated it.

“Someone’s in a good mood.”

“Don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, Little Bird.”

She smirks before her lips settle in an easy smile. The banter was natural between the two of them; it was familiar. She searched for it, craved it - a sort of fucked up love language for two fucked up people.

But when the lights went low and skin met skin, all the banter boiled down to things they couldn’t ever say in their waking hours. It was why, in moments like this when she swears by any higher power that might be up there that Simon was made for her, she held his wrist gently and rolled his sleeve up, turning his arm to reveal his intricate black tattoo sleeve. When she was tired, she traced the inky designs with her heavy eyes. When she was sad, she watched her tears roll down the deep black. When she was happy, she clutched it like a lifeline, like it was her very will to live, because he was her will to live.

It was why she pulled a pen out of her pocket and traced along the lines of the sleeve, slow and careful and loving. It was why he let her. And it was why, when she finally reached the edge of the sleeve at his upper bicep, she scrawled three words - small, but clear - on the scarred skin.

‘I love you.’

She writes it so he doesn’t have to say it. Not because he doesn’t mean it, and not because he doesn’t want to say it… but some things between them were just better left unsaid. If they both knew, then what did it matter?

So he smiled, and he took her arm in his hand, positioning the marker over the juncture between her arm and her shoulder. Three words - small, but clear.

‘I love you.’

I love you, too. And he did - he really, really fucking did.

(And if she went and got those very same words tattooed on that very same spot, that was nobody’s business but her own.)

[buckets-and-trees]

Bucky and the Situation

Fandom: MCU

Characters/Pairings: Steve x female!Reader, Bucky x female!Reader, development of Stucky

Word Count: 1351

Summary: Uncertain what to do next, when Bucky reaches out, you seize the opportunity to try and explain, though you’re not sure how this can work out.

Warnings: Well, you know the situation reader is in.

Additional Notes: If you've only been reading the Bucky half of this series, the two collided in Steve and the Blindside and this takes place directly after - and you'll want/need to read all of Steve's sections if you want to know everything that's going on for reader. This is where the story is going, and I knew this is where the story was headed from the beginning of the drabble series… We can talk after. Only one more section and maybe an epilogue? Also, I've created a playlist and inserted the song for each section into its post.

Your phone dings to signal a text. It’s from an unknown number, and you unlock it to check the message.

UNKNOWN: Can we talk? Steve and I are leaving the country tomorrow to investigate some suspicious intel.

You’d given Bucky your number just yesterday morning.

How you were going to do this, you didn’t know, but you knew you owed it to him, so you respond back with a yes.

You owe it to both men, but you don’t know if you should try to make any overtures with Steve or give him more time.

BUCKY: Are you at the bookshop now?

YOU: Yes, come by whenever works best.

Though half of you had considered staying home that morning, you knew you needed the distractions of work after your mostly restless night where you’d been largely unable to turn off your brain.

BUCKY: On the way now.

Well at least you wouldn’t have to wait long.

As the owner there was plenty of administrative work to take care of on any given week for the bookshop, so you had holed yourself up in the office all morning without anyone questioning your need to do so. You decide to take a quick break to walk off some of your nerves around the shop, get an iced London Fog from the café, and tell Greg to send Bucky back to the offices when he arrives.

It’s not much later when there’s a firm knock on the door, and in a few steps you’re quick to open it, heart racing.

“Bucky,” you breathe, and step back, opening the door wider to let him in.

He gives you a tight-lipped smile and moves forward. You’re pushing the door closed right behind him when you meet resistance, and as you whip your head away from watching Bucky, you gasp seeing it’s Steve’s hand, pushing in as well. Your jaw goes slack, as does your hand on the door, and he slips inside, shutting the door quietly behind him.

There are two desks in the small office, each up against the wall so that if two people are sitting in the office, they sit back-to-back between them, fairly close to each other. The two super soldiers perch on the edge of one of them, and you mirror their stance, sitting gingerly on the edge of your desk.

Steve crosses his arms and can’t seem to look at you, but Bucky rests his hands on the desk beneath him and does look earnestly at you. “Why? When you knew all this time?

You nod and then take one deep breath before answering.

“I met you both in a matter of weeks, and in the beginning I didn’t know that it was going to develop into more with either of you, and it felt like it would be a stupid thing to talk about, like I was desperate or trying to just meet Avengers around town or something. And then when I started spending actual time with each of you, we always talked about other things, and it became more and more of an odd topic, especially when neither of you mentioned the other, so I also didn’t know if it was necessary.

“But then these past two weeks when things started to feel different and I thought maybe… well, at that point I didn’t want to talk about it because acknowledging that things were growing more serious than friendship with either of your meant I’d have to end things with the other, and I wasn’t sure that’s where it was going or who I could possibly choose until just this weekend when the ballet with Steve was clearly a date and then I thought maybe I was ready to walk things back to the casual friendship space with Bucky, but then…”

You trailed off.

“After you kissed me, Bucky, I knew I needed to talk to Steve, and so we went to dinner, and I didn’t want to bring it up, and then there we all were together.”

“And then you ran,” Steve finishes.

You bite your lip, heat rushing to your cheeks. Through all your explanation Steve still hasn’t looked at you, but at this point he does look at Bucky.

“I’m sorry,” you say.

The two look at each other.

“I don’t know what else to say,” you try to bridge the silence, but Bucky raises his hand to cut you off.

“We don’t want you to say anything else,” he says, and it’s so emphatic that you shut your mouth abruptly, feeling even more uncertain.

Your eyes glance back at Steve, who still won’t look at you, so you return your gaze to Bucky.

“We figured out a lot of things last night,” he starts.

“I know I–“

“Don’t,” he insists. “Just listen.”

It’s then you register that his voice holds more warmth than you were expecting. If nothing else, he’s clearly not here to be cruel. You take in another deep breath to steel yourself to hear him out. Whatever he’s going to say, you owe it to him – to both of them.

“Steve and I were up all night, and part of that was talking through all of this. We pieced together our timelines, and neither of us had staked a full claim to you yet – we were both still in the overtures. You didn’t tell either of us that you knew the other, and that is the only thing we fault you for, but we also can see there was no best case scenario here for you.”

He looks back at Steve then.

“You weren’t the only one who was holding back information either. Steve didn’t tell me about the dame he was spending all his Saturdays with, and I didn’t tell him I was getting to know a certain bookshop owner all too well, but finding out we were both involved with you last night made us evaluate out what we wanted.”

Bucky looks back at you. “We want you.”

You can’t help the broken sound that escapes your throat and shake your head. “I couldn’t choose before, that’s why we ended up in a clusterfuck last night-“

It’s Steve who interrupts you now, finally looking at you, and the intensity in his gaze makes your heart stop. “We don’t want you to choose between us, we want you to choose us.”

“What?”

“Steve and I mean too much to each other,” Bucky explains, “and we started to figure that out last night because of you. We want more with each other, and we both want more with you.”

In the next second, Bucky has closed the short distance between you and leans down to pull you into a kiss, his hand cupping the back of your head to angle your face up and tangle in your hair. Then you feel another hand tentatively joining Bucky’s in your hair, and Bucky’s lips break away and they turn your head slightly to meet Steve’s lips. His kiss is hungrier and more urgent than Bucky’s, and you gasp into his mouth. With his other hand – the metal one – Bucky seeks out your hand while he presses his lips to the side of your face, placing a few kisses along your jaw, over your cheek, and then at your temple.

And then suddenly they both withdraw – but Bucky does keep hold of your hand.

“We don’t want your answer now,” Steve says. “We got a chance to talk and think about this all night. We know what we want, but you get to decide if it’s what you want, too, and that decision can’t be rushed.” He brings his fingers up and gently strokes your cheek. “But to be clear: it is both of us or neither of us.”

You nod.

“We’ll be back in a few days,” Bucky adds, “but you take as long as you need to think about if you want this.” He squeezes your hand, and then they both turn without another word, looking back over their shoulders at you as they leave your office before closing the door.

HOW ARE WE, READERS? Still with me, I hope...

Read more from my MASTERLIST (I know I said you need to read all of The Brooklyn Boys and I've only published one other work so far but...whatever...if you discover this after October 2022, there will be more things)

If you want to join the taglist, drop a comment here.

TAGLIST: @competitive-dust @royalwritersoftheuniverses

If you enjoyed, reblog to help others find this story, too?

My askbox is open.

[kirklandsheartsecrets]

Can we have some platonic headcanons connected to your previous post? Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and Sealand being extremely fond of their sister-in-law to the point where they teased her of her taste in men since they know how Iggy can be. While at the same time being protective of her since everyone knows her marriage is political, and they scare away any nation that plans to sweep her off her feet once the marriage is over. And became extremely overjoyed to find out she's forever part of their family.

Platonic headcannons || Ireland, Scotland, Sealand and Wales

related to this link

Ireland

when he learned the news he was really supportive

The only time he is supportive about something related to england 

You won’t catch him slipping if it wasn’t you

Sees the fat crush in between you two

Helps you with the kids a lot 

They are overwhelming

Tuvalu 

Myanmar

Mauritius

America

He is their favorite uncle 

Or was he always wearing bright colors 

We don’t know

When they left the British empire he was crying real bad

Uncle Ireland crying like Kim kardashian

Proud of them tho 

asked you 68 times if you were sure about this marriage 

And when you say yes 

He just does that disgusted face like 

Sis you can do better

Even asked your boss

Your boss told Arthur

You haven’t seen Ireland for one week

Made a note to himself to never talk to your boss again

Sees you fine as his sister in law 

Again, helps you sometimes

Out of the +60 kids, 100% of them make fun of how he talks

Learns all the traditional dances from the kids country so he can dance with them

And this bad boy knows how to dance for sure 

Test you by asking questions about england culture ?????????????

Is this miss england contest ?

I mean you could get in easily and win tbh 

Doesn’t care much about what other countries think 

If Arthur big ass family is happy 

He is happy

Humiliates anyone who talks bad about your agreement

But he knows it’s because they wish they could benefits from the kids

Then he cares because not the kids

When he got the news for the alliance and proposal he was really happy

He is the best brother anyone could ask for

Sealand

new relationship unlocked

He is a kid himself 

You like the piss haired Londoner ?

Why would you get a political marriage with such an ignorant and irresponsible dad ???? 

He can’t take care of his supposed little brother 

A micro nation

Let alone a colony-

Miss he looks like england with blue eyes and a smile

The cliche “when I’ll become a country I’ll take you away from england”

“Im 20- YOURE 20?! It’s okay no one has to know baby girl”

Arthur did not like that

Tries to explain that england tries to make you another of his colonies

Confused when you laughed so loud

You cleared it out to him about the situation

He might be a micro nation

But he has fuck ton of nation knowledge

Personal guard to countries who think they can flirt

Helps you escape awkward situations and talks back

Good come backs 

Learns a lot about the kids quickly since he is so friendly

They go to his place sometimes

All the kids loved him

He loves all of them too

Doesn’t understand the marriage proposal thing

Crazy how he doesn’t understand this when he can literally learn dialects from the colonies so fast.

Another one of the kids to you, but this one might stay forever 

he is adorable 10/10

Scotland

he loves you

So much

So so so so much 

Not because you’re nice or anything

You’re taking off such a weight off him

You’re taking off the weight of england on his back

If england tries to divorce you or anything 

Hahahahahahhaha not if he is not agreeing

This relationship is almost a 3 people relationship

You, Arthur and Alistair

The man who says tomorrow instead of tomorra thinks he can make such a decision

You’re gonna stay with the lad for a long time darling 

Alistair will not give up on this peace of mind and soul he gained with the help of his sister in law

Are you scared of the end of the agreement or is Alistair shitting himself over it

When he heard about it the first time

Thanks the lord over your boss being the biggest negotiator out there

Your boss should have won the Nobel peace prize 

Cuz the uk brothers house is real peaceful since you came

Makes fun of Arthur too much

This snitch tells about every habits of Arthur

Talks back when someone makes inappropriate comments about the marriage 

Him and Peter are a good pair when talking back

comebacks are immaculate

The kids call him uncle who is a giant and dad keeps saying bad things about him too

Kids snitch to him what Arthur says 

Will not hesitate if one comment is headed towards his unicorn

About that

Yeah the unicorn

Kids want to play with it all the time

Give this unicorn a break 

44 underage kids running over to play with it for decades the trauma is real

When the kids grow up and leave they all hug him one last time-

They also try to negotiate for the unicorn hhhhh

The piss hair fool proposed ? 

Finally, he can rest happily

No more Arthur snoring in the same room as him

Or having to share furniture

Hong Kong favorite’s uncle

Made the joke about england waking you up with the 

Aloe love

Giant guard 

He wont have to deal with the kids anymore now 

Wait 

Hates it there because Arthur found love before him

But a win is a win I don’t care what you’re saying A WIN IS A WIN

Wales

he is really really fond of you

Taking care of so many colonies even as a nation is not only difficult but requires management

He helps with that

Also fond of you because you’re making Arthur a better person

The British empire wasn’t that nice actually and it took on his behavior towards his family 

A lot of teasing from him too

You put yourself in this situation darling

Slick about dirty jokes bc of sealand

But you understand 😳

Looks like a cinnamon roll but makes a lot of dirty jokes

He knows

Predicted the official proposal at the end of the agreement

He is the rich uncle who takes the kids out 

Episode of Khloe kardashian taking North west for a day together vibes

Ends ups buying animals that Arthur doesn’t want in his house

Yeah but the kids-

“Your dad is not gonna happy with me—“

But oh well 

Gets snakes, all kinds of birds, spiders

These nations are from places where boring pets do not exist

I will link the video and please watch it so you understand my point!!!!

Kids are not impressed by his limo but they are really happy tho

They just like Arthur don’t look too happy in general

“Are you happy to have a limo”

Kids: no

So what do you want—?

Kids: “we want a white unicorn limo”

Not Alistair’s unicorn again god 

But he is living for the “thank you uncle wales” moment he deserves

About little shits who think they can talk bad about your agreement 

Made plans with his boss to destroy other countries bosses 

A lot of drama, talks back too when he is offended 

Arthur and you are family, agreement or not

Knows his brother is so down bad for you

You were already sister in law for them anyways

He predicted the second proposal sooo he wasn’t so excited about the news 

But

Internally he is extremely happy

Isn’t jealous even a tiny bit because he has found his one 

Wales lovers im looking at you 👁👁

[name] forever part of the family ?

Means he gets to be the rich nice uncle for a long time 

Kids were too scared to show england the pets so they announced to you “the best gifts uncle Dylan could ever buy them!!!"

You knew about Arthur’s rules with pets

“Uncle Dylan is gonna have problems with dad”

The kids are not listening

But oh well the joy on their faces

The breaking point was the moose with Canada

-

ー I’m in the middle of my final take home exam sorry for the wait

ー I finish this exam and I’m writing I promise

ー the video for wales is linked check it out it’s so cute

ー i am out there, 30 tabs open on my computer, watching the World Cup, doing my final exam, listening to some hard drill, catch me in the library from 8 to 6 lads I’ll be there

— and for the request in my ask box about the same story don’t worry I gotchu just give me time

to finish this!!!

— love you all

[footballffbarbiex]

Hello Amy, I.. have an issue and irl I actually don’t have anyone to talk about this. It can be sound a bit weird, I see you as a big sis I have never had, if it’s uncomfortable for you I’ll shut up forever, I promise.

The issue is, I lost my sex drive. I can’t imagine anything even for masturbating. Everything about sexuality seems meaningless but frustration is also here because my bf wants to (naturally) have sex and I also don’t want to find any excuses to postpone it. What am I going to do 😞

Firstly, it's absolutely crucial to state that a loss of sex drive is normal and happens to more people than they care to admit. It's frustrating, but it's normal. I know when these periods hit, it can feel like it's not and automatically you begin to wonder what's wrong with you, but it can be for many reasons.

I'm sure you've already tried to think of some reasons yourself but just to throw some ideas out there, are you stressed about anything? This can be a big factor to knock your drive down, especially if that stress is about sex (either having it or not having it. Sometimes not having it can be just as bad!). Are you taking any new medication or upped a dosage of a medication? This is also another popular reason for loss of sex drive. I, myself, am on antidepressants. I'm on 100mg of sertraline and it can knock my sex drive off course for days, weeks and months at a time so I absolutely get it. I can either not want sex but will want to masturbate but not be able to cum because I simply cannot get there, or I don't want to be touched - not even by myself. Sometimes I can think sexy thoughts and acknowledge a sex talk (for example for fic plotting) but I have zero intention of doing anything and while I'm mentally stimulated, I'm drier down there than a flip flop in the desert.

Communicate with your partner about your lack of sex drive. Men are quite fickle tbh and they mostly think with their dick and so all rational thinking goes out of the window when their love language isn't being triggered. If you don't want to have sex, they take it to heart too often but communicating why you don't want to can help, even if it's simply to say "I don't know why it's dropped, but it has. It has nothing to do with us." Are you completely off sex or is foreplay still an option for you? Handjobs (and / or oral) can still keep everything intimate until you feel in a better place. Without meaning to pry, how was your sex drive before this? I understand that having quite a high sex drive to it plummeting can be a big surprise and a worrying one too!

And lastly, how are you?

[tachosnachos]

Singles inferno 3

Girls Review

Gyuri: 4/10 turn off after ep 10

-i know i may be harsh with this rank but i’m so mad at her rn

-Gyuri was up there in rank. I ranked her like 8/10 but she has fallen to 4/10 for me. I thought she was similar to Hajeong, bad ass and keeps it real. There’s still some truth to it but she’s a bit of a hypocrite.

context: I am a ship for minwoo and sieun, gyuri and minkyu

- the fact that she has the audacity to be mad at minwoo for liking another girl who he had a connection while she cozying up with minkyu. Out of no where, picking him and expecting him to choose her after one night. Getting mad at him for leaning towards another girl and “contemplating between two of us” when she did the same to GREEN FLAG MIN KYU. THE NERVE OF YOU. It’s like she can’t fathom the idea that someone was contemplating over her and another girl. Bitch, the fact that you got Min kyu and is contemplating is what’s ridiculous. If you don’t want him, I’ll gladly take him off your hands.

-She was so rude about it too. The way she talked to minwoo and sieun was so demeaning like she knew she’s older. Telling si eun she can’t talk to minwoo when their conversation ended and she’s been hogging minwoo the whole night i swear if you hurt minkyu like that i’ll kick you off the island.

Min Young: 5/10

-Hypocrite. I can understand her wanting to talk to the other guys and not putting her eggs is one basket. But being mad at Jin Seok for looking the other way and being interested in another girl. “wasn’t I obvious about my feelings?” You and Gyuri need a lesson in communication. Use your freaking words. Say you were jealous, say that you figured out you have feelings for him, apologise and say that your set on him. I am so mad. Green Flag men are getting wasted in this season. Get me a plane, I’ll take them off the island myself. Redeemed herself towards the end becauseI have to admit their chemistry is cute.

Ha Jeong 7/10

Bad Bitch level 10. She says it how it is. Honest to the T. Tells you how it is and how it should be. Only problem? She backs down to Gwang Hee. I- omg girl you’re hot, smart and intelligent. Why are you dumbing yourself down for a man child like Gwang Hee. Honestly on god, I get so frustrated. I can’t take when she dumbs herself down, apologies when she’s not at fault and let’s herself get gaslit by someone who insults her, berates her and is down-right disrespectful. I literally wanted her to go with Jin Seok because they were so funny together. Why is Gwang Hee so popular?

Hye Seon 8/10

She is the more tamed version of Ha Jeong. Very intelligent and crafty. I feel she is very good at noting cues when a guy is trying to twist the narrative or make her do something, and she’s very smart about it. She’s very classy and something about her is alluring. But again, WHY ARE YOU BACKING DOWN FOR GWANG HEE. She knows her worth, she knows she confident so WHY. WHY GWANG HER GOD DAMMIT.

Si Eun 7/10

Poster child for elegance. Sweet and Beautiful. I feel like there’s more to her but she’s the quiet type and there wasn’t enough screen time for her. Though I wish she would be more up-front with setting boundaries and being honest with her feelings. The amount of times I wanted her to just tell Won Ik the truth, and the fact that Won ik could read between the lines but was still being pushy with his feelings just cause she’s a nice person. Though her scenes with minwoo is just so adorable, the way she blushes at him just i can’t. Was a 6/10 but is so cute with minwoo, i gave her more points.

Min Ji 2/10

Fake af. This girl honest to god. She played my man Jin Seok and acted like he was going to be her pick, while also saying the same thing to Gwang Hee. Crying everytimes things didn’t go her way. I have no idea why she used a purple tutu to sleep but whatever. I feel like the whole time she was acting. Red flag with neon lights. I could care less about gwan hee being mad at her but like have some decency and respect for his date. Why you trying to flirt with him in front of her. “Min kyu and I would just have fun in paradise” has it ever crossed your mind that maybe he wants to stay in inferno because there’s a girl he likes there?

[sansaorgana]

Okay I’ve thought of more modern hotd :))

With my previous ask I mentioned about how Aegon messed with Aemond’s girl. She also messes with Aegon at times, pranks him and poor Ameond gets yelled at for it. Even Alicent tells him you’re gonna fuck him up one day for messing with you.

Then one day, you’re visiting with everyone well everyone but Aegon. Rhaenyra is there too. Which is weird bc she is only around for holidays or when Visreys has a event. You’re on Ameond’s lap as he’s reading, Helana is watching a bug documentary.

“I’ll be back” Aegon said

“It’s 2pm, why is he awake?”

Then Alicent has everyone come downstairs into the living room as Aegon comes home. Alicent says something about behaving. Aegon walks in with a girl, she’s perched on Aegon’s arm. Eventually Alicent takes his gf to talk more one on one.

“When were you gonna mention her?” You asked

“Why do you care? You have Aemond”

“Because now I gotta play nice with you, I don’t like that you ya know!”

“Awh she’s adorable” Aemond giggled

“Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t expect her to stay around and me actually fall in love”

“You mean you actually love her? Like love love”

“Y/n, it may come as a shock but yes. You can still make fun of me when she’s not here” Aegon sighed.

“God you are in love! It’s disgusting”

“Says the one who is fucking my brother” Aegon smirked before walking away.

“Shut up, pot head!”

Aemond and Helana are snickering

“Awh, did baby lose her playmate?”, Aemond smirked.

“Fuck you”

“When you get into a relationship, tell me before you bring them here. My heart won’t be able to take it” You hugged your best friend. “What about me”

“I can’t with Targaryen men” 

sis you sure your girl should be dating Aemond? because she's in love with Aegon imo 🤣🤣🤣 she says "fuck you" to her boyfriend and then she pouts at his brother that she's gonna be jealous of his new gf... 🤔🤔🤔

[luanna801]

Live Renfield Reaction - 5/25

(Note: I owe the idea for these posts to @animate-mush twice over. First of all because the whole idea came from their suggestion that Renfield knows about the details of Jack’s life because he’s overheard Jack recording his diary, which made me immediately want to write out how he might have reacted in real time. And secondly because of course because the concept is borrowed from their brilliant Live Mina Reactions to Jonathan’s journal.

Be warned, my Renfield is a lot less apt to make heart-eyes at his subject, and a lot more inclined to be sarcastic and introspective by turns. Language is blatantly anachronistic in places because we’re going for the ~vibe~ of what Renfield would have been thinking and not necessarily the exact words he would have used, and also I’ve made the executive decision that Renfield should be allowed to say “fuck”.)

Ebb tide in appetite to-day. Cannot eat, cannot rest, so diary instead.

Oof. Tough day there, doc?

I might be more sympathetic if you hadn't decided to make it everyone else's problem.

Since my rebuff of yesterday I have a sort of empty feeling; nothing in the world seems of sufficient importance to be worth the doing....

Ahhh, I see. Got rejected? So the enchanting Miss Lucy wasn't won by the prospect of a man with an immense lunatic asylum. I guess that means she won't be joining us here anytime soon.

How strange to sit in a place like this and listen to him sigh over girl trouble. It's at times like this I remember we're all under the care of a man young enough to be my son. That part of my life seems so endlessly long ago.

As I knew that the only cure for this sort of thing was work, I went down amongst the patients. I picked out one who has afforded me a study of much interest.

Is he talking about me???

I'd prefer not to be talked about like a trinket you picked out at a flea market, if so.

He is so quaint-

QUAINT??? QUAINT?????

-that I am determined to understand him as well as I can.

HA. Good luck with that.

To-day I seemed to get nearer than ever before to the heart of his mystery.

Did you? Or did you just ask me an endless barrage of questions designed to show off how smart you are?

I questioned him more fully than I had ever done, with a view to making myself master of the facts of his hallucination.

Kid, I don't even think I'm master of the facts of my hallucination.

In my manner of doing it there was, I now see, something of cruelty.

GLAD TO KNOW YOU NOTICED IT TOO

I seemed to wish to keep him to the point of his madness—a thing which I avoid with the patients as I would the mouth of hell.

How thoughtful. Why do I get to be your oh-so-special exception, exactly?

(Mem., under what circumstances would I not avoid the pit of hell?)

Do you know, I've asked myself that question too?

Omnia Romæ venalia sunt. Hell has its price! verb. sap.

Ooh, nice Latin! Slightly misquoted, but I can't say I disagree. We do all have our price.

And if it's pretentious Latin quotes you want, I can play that game too: Flectere si nequeo superos, Acheronta movebo.*

[*A quote from Virgil's Aeneid, loosely translated as "If I cannot move heaven, I will raise hell."]

If there be anything behind this instinct it will be valuable to trace it afterwards accurately, so I had better commence to do so, therefore—

R. M. Renfield, ætat 59.—

Ohhhhh, this should be INTERESTING.

Sanguine temperament;

Yeah, fair enough.

great physical strength;

Yes. 😉

morbidly excitable;

Also true.

periods of gloom, ending in some fixed idea which I cannot make out.

So much for getting ~nearer to the heart of my mystery~.

I presume that the sanguine temperament itself and the disturbing influence end in a mentally-accomplished finish;

Genuinely, I have no idea what the fuck you just said.

a possibly dangerous man,

😈

probably dangerous if unselfish. In selfish men caution is as secure an armour for their foes as for themselves.

That's a very interesting idea!

I guess I'm honest enough to admit I'm selfish more often than not. If I did consume the life around me and add it to my own, would that be the ultimate selfishness? Or is it justified for the greater cause?

Maybe the true selfishness is that I don't really care. I only know that I must do it; nothing else matters.

Then again, maybe all you can do is look to your own interests, when you're shut away from the world. Amuse yourself as best you can, and survive another day.

Which category would the good doctor put himself in, I wonder? Selflessly laboring on behalf of us poor lunatics? Or selfishly using us for your own prestige?

And is the one more dangerous than the other? What might he do in the name of "helping"?

How dangerous is your unselfishness, Doctor Seward?

What I think of on this point is, when self is the fixed point the centripetal force is balanced with the centrifugal; when duty, a cause, etc., is the fixed point, the latter force is paramount, and only accident or a series of accidents can balance it.

Do you listen to yourself when you talk???

[lovecolibri]

Honestly I think 911’s biggest weakness is a lack of planning. We already know that their original plans for S5 fell through, resulting in BT being drawn out because Megan was available. Which, good for her, get that bag sis. Would love to know what the original plan was, but I know I never will.

And they also couldn’t have been more clearly setting something up with Ravi and his childhood cancer storyline. But for one reason or another they failed to get Anirudh under contract. Why? Who knows. Maybe they took for granted that he’d be available next year so they didn’t make it worth his commitment, which is silly with such a handsome, talented, and likable actor. He’s off to bigger and better things, and again good for him get that bag! Or maybe it’s more complicated than that and again we’ll never know.

In any case they had to drop that thread and chose to go with ignoring him entirely and hoping the audience would just forget, which to be fair has worked with some of their fuckups in the past, but not this time, guess they underestimated just how much people liked him, so they had to come up with some last-second off screen excuse for why he literally disappeared and no one even mentioned his name again. Not to mention writing Chimney off because JLH was on leave. Baffling decision making, honestly.

And anyway they don’t seem to be very good at making Plan A happen, and when it doesn’t instead of having a solid Plan B or C, they scramble and the story suffers. Then add in admitted problems with pacing and filling time and the story stops working because the tension is lost and the payoff fizzles out. Their very own metaphorical structural defects being ignored, bound to come crashing down eventually. You know that old adage about failing to plan is planning to fail. It’s true!

This is BEYOND old but like, so appropriate for right now! I honesty don't think they NEEDED to pad out time with Tay Kay because they have SUCH a large main cast, but that would require KR to care about something other than what is going on in Buck's pants and any given moment, and because SHE wanted BT, we got BT despite it making no sense to have even brought her character back in s4. What did she even do that no one else could have done? Getting *some* possible inside info in Treasure Hunt and the *getting the story on the news* bit in First Responders is the only thing I can think of, and honestly they easily could have figured out a different way. But the show cannot seem to have Buck or Eddie in a relationship without the other then seeking out one too because otherwise they don't really have anything to do when they can't be involved in their normal family unit. Which is dumb, because they could work on Eddie's friendships and relationships with other cast and same with Buck in letting them be involved in other storylines, but apparently good looking men have no other purpose but to seek out a woman to complete their family I guess, and god forbid they be allowed around each other if one of them is dating. 😒

(also why I'm very 😒😒😒 about them getting other LIs. I remember Buck not being allowed to talk to anyone but Tay Kay while trapped in his loft for 98% of s5. I hate the idea of losing out on not just romantic Buddie, but their whole friendship and the Buckley-Diaz family unit. Eddie isn't going to need Buck to bake cookies with Chris if he has a GF to do it. Buck isn't going to need to cook for Eddie and Chris and help Chris with his homework if he's busy going out with his GF. There is SO much more we lose out on when those two are pared up with other women than just romantic Buddie and regardless if these women stick around long term, I'm tired and don't want to watch MORE wasted time, and more important talks they COULD be having with each other or their chosen family members going to random characters I don't know or care about. 🤷🏻‍♀️)

As for Ravi, I'm SO happy we clamored loud enough to get him back, and also good for him for picking up other jobs when KR sidelined him and gave all his moments to L instead. You go King! But they've known he was going to be back for ages so the fact they have STILL not mentioned him in s6 until he's randomly back on screen is just a) poor planning, pacing, and things happening off screen that KR thinks is fine to mention in interviews instead of actually on the show people are watching, and b) feels very vindictive because everyone loved him and hated her little self-insert character. But whatever, he's back now and I'm very excited to see him again!

But for REAL, they need to get KR out of the showrunner chair. The pacing and arcs and whole entire show has suffered enough that even the GA is tired of cyclical plots and characters going nowhere just repeating the same storylines over again, and with the show not having the depth and feeling it used to have. When even the casual viewers are picking up on and calling out things like Buck and Eddie's friendship being sidelined, or Madney stuff happening off screen, you KNOW it's bad. Also, regardless of demo (which doesn't matter as much anymore with them not getting ad revenue as much, thanks T for pointing that out!) the number of viewers has dropped DRAMATICALLY. And at some point the network cannot justify spending that kind of money on a show that isn't bringing in the money OR accolades. (like LS getting notice and awards for it's representation and diversity for example).