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jacevelaryonswife · 1 year

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Do you need help, ma’am?

When your sink presented problems, your handsome and young neighbor volunteered to fix it.

∴pairing: Tom Bennett x Fem!Reader

∴warnings: mild misogyny, sexual innuendo, kissing and flirting, also, english is not my first language.

part two

When your sink had problems a few days ago you thought it would be temporary, however, the insistence of the small leak in the lower siphon was starting to bother you. You were a modern woman, but you had no idea how to analyze, move and repair pipes, so your first solution was to call a plumber, but you didn't want to be a victim of rumors about women who hire this type of service for other purposes — and you also didn't want a complete stranger in your house. While you didn't totally mind what people might whisper, you preferred to keep your life private. So you've decided to go to your next-door neighbor, Mr. Douglas Bennet, for help.

Afternoon light caught you when you opened the door, but to your surprise you weren't the only one on the sidewalk. Turning to the side, you saw a young man dressed as a sailor and holding a birdcage. He was handsome, pale skin and expressive blue eyes that looked you up and down when you approached him.

“Hello, you must be Mr. Bennett's son, I'm your new neighbor”, you said sympathetically, but subdued.

“I see”, he commented with a curious and indiscreet smile as he studied your silhouette. "What's your name, ma'am?"

You introduced yourself before adjusting the skirt of the dress, adding: "And you must be Tom, your father spoke a lot about you, he must be happy and relieved to have you back."

His smile widened, his lips curling into a pout as he watched you. What a beautiful surprise. “He still hasn't died of hear attack seeing me, I arrived a few minutes ago, he's not home,” he said relaxed but clearly purposeful as he drank in your confused reaction. He is difficult, you remembered the words of Mr. Douglas when referring to his youngest son.

“Do you need help, ma'am?”

“No… it’s okay, do you know when your father comes back?” How would he know when he was in the crossfire? “Sorry, that was a stupid question,” you corrected, looking almost nervously at the floor. “I'll be back another time.”

Oh no, you won't get away. Moving away from the wall, Tom leaned dangerously close to you.

“I don't know if you're religious, but they say it's a sin not to help a beautiful woman. So, if it's in my power, I'd love to solve your problem.”

You quickly smoothed down your pearl necklace, an almost nervous habit. You didn't know him, you've never seen him before and he was offering to help and consequently enter your house. No, definitely not.

On the other hand, he was the son of his good neighbors Lois and Tom, known as a rebel and an expert in trouble. A real troublemaker, but not the kind you feared — apparently and initially. You were reluctant before you spoke, a little entranced by the way his beautiful irises were watching you: "It's nothing, just... there's a small leak in the bottom siphon of my sink and I don't know how to fix it."

“Is your husband not at home? Or can he not solve it?”

Jesus. You watched closely the shitty smirk he flashed and nothing pleased you more than your baffled reaction.

“I’m not married, Mr. Bennett.”

An almost fierce glow brightened Tom's face even more. It was no secret that his function was to make fun and tease other people, it was fun to leave them in shock or door face, and with you it was not entirely different. He didn't want to get too heavy with a pretty girl, especially knowing that eventually he might try to get inside your skirts, but knowing that you weren't committed he decided to risk even more.

“A fine thing like you don't have a ring on your finger, were you waiting for me, miss?”, he smirked, although amused, after all what good would such advances be if you ended up scared? "Can't your father fix it either?"

Although you were totally surprised by the behavior of Douglas Bennett's youngest son, an airy smile escaped your lips.

“You are a bit conceited, aren't you? And I don't live with my parents."

And now — with the clean area — he was even more interested in you.

“We must stay positive, sweet. Now, if I may be of assistance, I have no problem getting down on one knee to fix a pretty ladys's leak.”

It’s almost certain that your mouth opened with the double meaning of the phrase, further satisfying the piece of evil in front of you. He was attractive and he knew it, what a scandal! Still, a part of you liked his bold attitude and malicious blue eyes. “Won't it be uncomfortable? You just got back from the war, is that-"

“It's good to be on dry land again, and yes I need to rest, but it won't be a big deal, let me help you.”

How could anyone say no to that face? Oh Lord, you almost instantly regret letting him in. If avoiding rumors was your mission, maybe inviting your neighbor's rebellious son into your house was a bad idea. The ambience dimmed considerably as you closed the door and led the way. Like the good guy he was, Tom kept his hands still the entire time — although he preferred to use them for pleasurable purposes — and waited for you to point out the problem.

It wasn't a big deal actually. A part of the siphon was not fully seated, which caused the leak. He was succinct in explaining and readjusting the barrel into place in no more than a few minutes.

“All set, ma'am,” he said, turning on the faucet to test the concert.

Blowing out a relieved breath, you smiled at him, “Thank you so much, really. Would you like a glass of water or tea?”

“Nah, I'm fine, but I'm a little curious as to how a young lady got here without a husband or family.”

Your posture changed a little.

“It's a complicated story.”

“I have time,” he said.

“And I wouldn't want to share it”, you finished with a firmer voice than you had used previously in the whole conversation. Message given.

“Then it will be left to my imagination”, he informed you softly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to push you."

“It’s okay.”

“But… I would appreciate a little different acknowledgment”, he smirked, stopping in front of you — not so bold as not to repel you.

You almost rolled your eyes if you weren't interested in him. He was so handsome it almost hurt to admit.

Deciding to play along lightly with his game, you asked, "What kind of acknowledgment would you like Mr. Bennett?"

His smile widened as he rested his hand on the table behind you, very close to your waist. “One that only a man and a woman could make.”

Your skin was heating up as he found himself wanting to be equal to equal. "I should throw you out for suggesting such indecency, don't you think?"

“Mm, I think you liked me a little too much to do that.” He pouted before leaning in too close to your face.

Oh God. You know you have to make a choice. You didn't know him, but the tingling in your hands to touch his handsome face was growing and irritating. It was wrong, he was your neighbor's son and probably wouldn't want anything to do with you afterwards. Remember, avoid mean whispers circling the neighborhood. But his lips looked so inviting and sweet, so good...

“What do you say?”

"… just a kiss."

He smirk.

"Sure."

Before Tom could reach your lips you nearly jumped into his pink mouth, surprising both of you. A satisfied hum left him as he returned your heat in equal measure, gripping your hips with fervor and desire. Your lips were soft and had the sweet taste of some lipstick. You pulled him closer by his brown trench coat as you kissed him passionately. It was wet and messy, and fuck, how he's missed a beautiful girl these months. Your actions were shocking to you, it had been so long since a body had pressed tightly against you, it was almost a pent-up, primal fire that threatened to burn out if it was a little more stimulated. He was skilled and demanding at moving his lips over yours, tasting you until air was needed.

“That was surprising miss, didn't know you had all that”, he teased with the smirk on the side, hands, which had previously been fixed on your hips now circled patterns on your waist. “But I'd love to know more where that came from,” he whispered close to your lips, returning the grip on your body.

Oh heavens, push him away!

No, don't push him away!

You know you'll regret parts of both options. Enjoying herself with your neighbor's brother was absurd, but letting such a handsome man escape is another. What does it cost to think of you a little?

“Maybe two kisses”, you suggested breathlessly.

“Maybe three”, he added.

"Maybe more." You attacked him with your lips again, removing the brown overcoat that kept him warm. Pulling back from the kiss abruptly to analyze it, you savored the sight of the sailor's uniform on that young devil in front of you.

"Girls usually like the uniform, but I haven't had a chance to try it out before."

“If you think a woman would want to hear that, you are sorely mistaken.”

"Then let me fix it."

He bent down to plant wet kisses and small bites on your neck, delighting in the soft skin and the lovely sighs you left. Your fingers pulled at his dark blonde hair as he leaned against the table and allowed him to bring such good feelings to you. “Mm, you smell so good,” he grunted, cupping your ass.

"Do all men come home from war like this, Mr. Bennett?" you inquired.

"You can not imagine." He kissed you again, just as demanding as the first time, against those supple lips.

You don't know how you'll face Douglas and Lois after this, not when your hands move to remove the first piece of Tom's beautiful uniform. But apparently fate decided to interrupt the moment when a female voice and insistent ringing filled your ears.

Oh no. Lois Bennett herself was standing outside your house.

“Shiii, let her go, don't pick up,” Tom instructed as he rolled down the sleeves of your dress.

"I didn't allow it, actually." You composed yourself, pushing him away.

“I thought we were coming to terms, miss,” he said, amused but with a hint of irritation — upper and lower. “It would be impolite to fail to return a favor.”

What a son of a bitch.

Indeed, Tom Bennett was a big problem you should avoid. And you knew it was going to be hard when you saw him approach and blatantly rub the volume of his pants against his body. Another touch and call.

“Perhaps you should try your uniform on the other girls, Tom”, you retorted with a little twinge of something unknown, turning in your little heels before heading to meet your neighbor.

“Are you jealous, miss? It wasn't my intention”, he asked loudly as you finished getting ready and answered the door with a sweet smile. You didn't know if you would be convincing enough, especially when your body was still burning under the sailor's mesmerizing touch and gaze. Yes, you would have a problem now.

#tom bennett x reader #tom bennett #tom bennett x you #world on fire #ewan mitchell #tom bennett one shot

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littlemochix17 · 5 months

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Prologue

words: 1.3K

Running......

In the midst of a chaotic world, where everyone seems to be running from something - be it responsibilities, fear, or judgment - there was a girl who was running from something that only a few could comprehend. She was fleeing from her life - a life that had been nothing but a series of torturous experiences, a life that had confined her to the clutches of doctors and scientists. She had grown tired of being a prisoner and wanted to break free from the shackles of her existence. As she bolted towards the exit, she could hear someone calling out for her, but she did not stop. She was determined to leave everything behind and start anew.

"GET BACK HERE SUBJECT FIVE!"

They can't leave you alone, can they?

You ran until you lost them. Your hospital gown was above your knee, and your feet were bleeding from how fast you were running. You didn't know where you were.

As you made a run for the exit, you could feel the weight of the scientists' eyes on your back. Panic set in as you heard their footsteps approaching closer, but you refused to let them catch you. With a sharp snap of your fingers, you used your powers to freeze them in their tracks. It was a temporary solution, but it gave you enough time to make your escape.

As you emerged from the dark alleyway, your heart was racing. You knew that your powers were limited, and the pills they gave you made them even weaker. Your mind raced as you tried to think of a plan. You couldn't let them catch you again, especially not when you were at your weakest.

As you sprinted down the bustling street, your mind was blank. The surroundings were vibrant and cacophonous, but you paid no attention. your only concern was to escape from whoever was chasing you. Suddenly, you stopped in your tracks and looked back to check if you were still being pursued, but in doing so, you collided with someone. you tumbled over and landed on top of them. As you looked up, you saw a stranger with dark green hair and piercing eyes. His cheeks were flushed, and his eyes were wide open. He began to apologize profusely

"OMG I am so-orry i should have watched where I was going are you al-", but you were too dazed to pay attention. you got back on your feet, and he noticed that you were wearing a thin hospital gown. The cold weather had made you shiver, and your body was wrapped in bandages.

As you skittered away from him, your heart pounding in your chest, you heard the sound of footsteps drawing closer. You were about to pick up the pace when the stranger's fingers closed gently around your wrist. His voice, soft and concerned, made you feel somewhat warm.

"Are you okay? Should I call the Pro Heroes for you?"

But the word "Heroes" sent shivers down your spine. You had no idea what these "Heroes" might do if they found you, and you didn't want to find out. So you tugged his hand and took off running, with him at your side. You ran as fast as you could until you found a nearby alley to hide in. The two of you crouched there in silence, listening as the footsteps faded away into the distance. Breathing heavily, you put a hand over his mouth to keep him quiet as you both heard the footsteps of the unknown person fade away. Finally, you let go of the boy, who gasped for air after you released him, his chest heaving.

"A-are you running from someone?" His shaky voice made clench your jaw and look at him only to see him looking directly at you when your eyes met he flinched at your glare it was weak he could see that you were more scared but you were trying to mask it up so again he tried to help and smiled nervously at you

The person in front of you seemed nervous, stuttering as he spoke. "I-it's alright I-I um won't tell them about you. I-it's just if someone is chasing after you I think you should tell a Pro Hero yo-" However, before he could finish his sentence, you cut him off harshly

"NO", making him flinch. Despite his fear, he sighed and turned back to you.

"Um, what's your name then? If you don't mind me asking," he said, trying to make conversation. However, his attempt at friendliness was met with silence from you. You continued to stare at them with a cold and unimpressed expression, making him sweatdrop. Finally, they spoke up again. "I-a-am Izuku Midorya, if you were wondering."

As you huffed at the boy, he let out an awkward chuckle. It seemed like you weren't much of a talker, as the silence lingered between the two of you. He nervously rubbed the back of his neck, observing your situation. It was obvious to him that you didn't have anyone to turn to. You appeared to be all alone, without anywhere to go. He couldn't just leave you like that. After all, what kind of hero would he be if he abandoned a person in need on the streets?

As Midorya spoke to you, you noticed a hint of desperation in his voice. "Hey, how about this," he began,

"I know you don't trust me and I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to, but I can help you if you at least tell me something about you or your family. How about that?"

Perplexed, you furrowed your brow and mumbled something under your breath. Midorya leaned in closer,

"What was that?" he asked. You hesitated before reluctantly revealing,

"Don't have one."

At the sound of your words, Midorya's eyes widened with shock. You could sense a wave of guilt and sadness emanating from him as if he were contemplating something deep and personal.

He spoke softly as he asked,

"What about your name?" He didn't want you to feel uncomfortable, but you seemed confused by the question. You tilted your head to the side, looking at him with a puzzled expression. His heart ached at the thought that you might have been taken away from your family or were running from something illegal or abusive.

He took a deep breath, thinking hard before coming up with an idea.

"Um, I can help you find somewhere to stay. You can't be on the streets like this. It's getting late, and my mum can take care of your wounds," Midorya said kindly.

You didn't have time to respond as you shivered from the cold air in the alleyway.

Midorya didn't waste a moment. He took off his jacket and draped it over your shoulders, hoping it would bring you some warmth. As he helped you put it on, your eyes met for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. His face flushed, and he cleared his throat, looking away.

"Hope that helps," he said, his eyes no longer meeting yours. You only tugged the jacket closer, feeling the warmth envelop you. You were grateful for his kindness and couldn't help but wonder what fate had brought you to this moment.

As he reached out to grasp your hand, you quickly withdrew, causing him to frown at your reaction. "Sorry," he whispered, before gently pulling on the sleeve of the jacket he had given you, urging you to follow him. However, he stopped before you both left the alleyway and turned to face you, lifting the hood of the jacket over your head to conceal your face. "Keep that on, okay? We don't want whoever is searching for you to recognize you," he said with a smile. You nodded in agreement before reaching out to take hold of his hand, deciding to trust him.

#fanfic #x reader #deku x reader #mha deku #deku #midoriya izuku #izuku x reader #izuku midoriya #bnha izuku #mha izuku #mha x reader #mha #boku no hero academia #my hero academia #bnha #boku no hero acedamia #Spotify

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shoecrabs · 5 months

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*AUs your canon so hard they become whole new characters*

I said I was going to make iterators versions of my pjo scugs so here's Hazel's with her scug redesign!

I'm not 100% set on the names yet and honestly am not vibing with DE, but by god is the lore cooking up some soup in my brain (long lore dumps + some design notes below break)

Honestly the Iterator designs are just for fun so not much thought will be put into a storyline, but here it is so far:

Distant Echoes was first of her Local Group to be built. She was created to hold a small population of ancient engineers and scientists as they perfected Iterator design around the region. However, due to the growing load she experienced, her structure was shut down and re-wired with the newer developments of a 3rd Gen model. She's jokingly considered the youngest alongside Seven Flames, Nine Embers (SFNE), Metal of Ten Sung Choirs (MTSC), and First of Minds Fragmented (FoMF) despite retaining memories older than even the Rain itself.

She experiences momentary power failure occasionally, as her structure is still at it core a 1st Gen and therefore less efficient. Her and the others have experienced mild to severe weathering, with damage ranging from temporary memory loss to frequent function disruptions. Still, she tries to keep a positive attitude and utilises her knowledge of Ancient culture to piece together a Solution alongside the Local Group

As for design, I just wanted to make her recognisable as Hazel while keeping with rw's designs. I made her body metallic and her robes like CJ's camp shirt + her overalls. The pearls as a nod to her connection with jewels and metals (on her wires), with more earthy brown for a grounded personality. Not much thinking tbh. Her wires being encased in silver is also a me trying to get locs since I couldn't get her hair shape in there like normal :)

Oh! right, I made her symbol look like Pluto's Y thing mixed with the X karma

Apostate on the other hand is so full of trauma I essentially combined my headcanons for Hunter and Saint's states of being together and smashed them into another traumatised character lmao

Apostate is from a long, long time ago. She was given the Mark and was sent off to help discover the void fluid. Her job was to search through drill holes made by the Ancients and to come back with findings. So, she was bioengineered for higher intelligence than the others of her species at the time. Eventually, she made it to the Void, and her job was finished. The only options left was to either go further or retire. The Ancients chose what they saw as mercy and the Apostate fell against her will.

She fought against the Void and because of this, her more than sufficient Karma wasn't enough for ascension. Instead, she found herself bound in limbo- halfway bound to both life and death. An Echo in physical form.

When she finally made it out, she forsook her old teachings and started anew with a new colony of slugcats. She actively embraces the cardinal sins in fear of being dragged back down There.

Apostate earned herself the name Martyr once her colony found out about her past

again, not much thought behind the designs since I want to keep them game-accurate enough. Her pupils are shaped like the final karma symbol and the edges of her fur look like they're floating away. Typical echo shenanigans tbh. However, when the others reach just the right cycle, they may see shadowy tendrils float from her form

#hazel levesque #heroes of olympus fanart #rw slugcat #rw iterator #rw ocs #iterator oc #slugcat oc #lets be honest this has become an oc #long post #character design #almost fully rendered but i got tired so nah

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obeyme-lost-thought · 9 months

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The little girl

Self-indulge AU to give me some motivation and write something because I literally disappeared (and you all duplicate, like, what 120?!).

Something happened with Barbatos's power and a teenager girl come out from a different timeline... the problem are her mother and uncles.

________________________________

As she was standing on the ground, her gaze was analysing every single one of them. Not even her Rad uniform could sell her as a demon, as she had a very particular Aura that could seem everything except demonic.

"Is she.."

"An Angel" - "A Human"

A perfect balance come form the girl, as if Heaven and Earth were both inside her.

"Eh-... Ehhhhh. What happened ? Why am I on the ground? Weren't us talking about the exchange students program? And why are you all here?"

A sweet voce that expressed surprise and fear filled the Council Room. Of course, no questions could had been asked if the girl continued to panic, so, trying to go on with what they thought was a delirium, Diavolo started to speak and try to calm her.

"Exchange students program? Are you maybe an exchange student? "

"Wha- what? Of course I am. It was you, Lord Diavolo, to specifically ask for me as one of the two representatives of my realm"

"I'm sorry to inform you, but here nobody has ever heard about you"

"Ehhhh. Is it a form of joke ?! How can you say that with them behind you?"

While the strange girl and the Prince were both trying to understand what the other was saying, the "problem's origin" had a open book near him, and after seeing what it was about (and its power), some questions found their answers.

"So, are you saying that Barbatos, the one and only perfect butler of hell, messed up with his power and so I'm in a different time line with a different story ?"

"Pretty much, yes, that how it went"

"But if I can say my thought, young master, the culprit isn't me, but the one who left open a dangerous book, hopping that somebody touched it "

At the and of the sentence, a guilty Satan looked at the butler, whispering a sorry.

"Anyway, leaving out guilty or punishment, how can I go back in my timeline?"

"That... the problem. To know the exactly timeline in which I have to send you back, I have to know the reason why it's... different(?)"

"Well, honestly from what I'm seeing, there are a lot of different things, precisely 7/8 people"

"It's not about people, but about event, so it isn't easy as you think"

...

Silence

No one try to talk, as for knowing what is the difference, one of the two part had to tell the other one all the secret and events that take them in th Council Room.

"Well, why don't she try to stay here some week and wait for one of us to found out the difference? No say every single event of our life. No problem. Only the one which change our time line. When we found out, Barbatos can send her in this moment of her timeline."

"That... a good idea Mc. She can stay at Purgatory Hall."

That how, somehow, a temporary solution was found out, and the girl as been living in this Devildom for quite a month.

From her words, she's more older than what Solomon thought, but at the same time she's more younger that what Simeon thought.

For some reason she's half angel and half human, but she doesn't want to say who are her parents, as she swear that only the one who she trusts a lot can know, making clear that she still wary of them.

Her name is Rachel as it mean ewe or lamb and was a way for her mother to ask protection form God for her. This implemented that her birth wasn't well accepted in Celestial Ream. But the real reason why she specified it was for MC, a true lamb.

For all the time she was as been there, the more asked questions was about the brothers and MC. The latter, actually, was more about their nature, similar to her as they also emitted both angelic and human energy. But that was also a secret that nobody wanted to say.

In this way, a game of questions, lie, answer and secrets started, while everyone become more fond of the girl.

The relationship with Rachel and the brothers was very strange. She always felt safe with them, even if no things were made for make her feel this way. And they didn't hate if this other lamb wanted to pass her time with them. Lucifer and the Twins especially felt very protective, not that the others were more different. Stargazing with Belphi were became a daily to-do, as cooking with Beel. Lucifer started to ask her for some favor, having a lot of trust in her. Reading time with Satan or Levi (with manga of course) ... go out to shopping with Asmo... or helping Mammon get some money in a legal way. A strong bond created, thing that surprised the brothers but not Rachel.

As 2 month passed and trust grow bigger, the 2 parts chose to answer onesty one question. Because they are more, Brothers and MC were the firsts to answer, not knowing that it would be enough to found out the true.

"Let just say that I'm curious and I saw a so much difference that I don't have an actually question. So, MC, why are you... this way?"

"Well, it's difficult to explain... do you know the angel Lilith?"

"Why? Of course I know her... and very very well"

"Better this way. I'm the descent of the former angel Lilith"

....

A sad face appear on the girl.

"What... what do you mean former?"

Simeon, that with Diavolo and Barbatos was also there, said what nobody wanted to.

"Rachel... Lilith is dead"

Tears start to fall form eyes that watch and analyse every one as the first day that she was there.

"Again, what do you all mean? Dead?

As the girl continues to ask always the same question about his sister, Mammon lose his cool and scream against her.

"YES, SHE'S DEAD. THAT IT, SO STOP WITH ALL THIS QUESTIONS. IT'S OUR TOURN"

But still, even a louder voice didn't stopped her. And so, in a sound full of pain, an important part of the puzzle slipped form her lips.

"AGAIN, WHAT DO YOU ALL MEAN? MY MOTHER ISN'T DEAD"

On Mammon, holding him from the collar of the shirt, both of them stopped to scream to cach their breath.

"I- I... mother?"

No answer.

"Can I... can I ask another question? It was the second one in my list... Why- why are you a demon uncle Mammon?"

Let's not say more on the discussion, as everyone didn't actually said anything more, and for good 10 minutes stayed in the pose they had before. More questions were added and not even Belphagor sleeped the night.

In the morning, everyone more calm, the one and only things that was needed to be known started to have a form.

"So... you are Lilith's daughter" Asked Lucifer with a rather sweet voice for the situation

"And here mom died" Rachel said.

....

Mammon break the silent: "We fought against our father to protect our sister, and loosed. That why we are demons". Words that wanted to answer the question of the day before.

"My ... uncles also fought for mom and me, but not against grandpa"

"Your father... who is he?"

"I- I don't know my father. He died for a lliines"

"Here, our Lilith, tried to save his lover, probably your dad, with angelic food. That why she was doomed from God"

"Ah... I think I know the difference between our timeline.."

Before starting to talk again, Rachel take a deep breath.

"My mother wanted to save dad the same way she did here, but she couldn't because she was already pregnant... with me.

Having an child with a human, mom called me the way she did hopping to get God's approval for my existence. As he never said anything, I was accepted in the Celestial Realm.

Still, older angels were against it and so a war started. It was already declared the winner, as Uncle Lucifer had help form the other Serafin and his precious brother. Only one time me and mom end up in a very dangerous situation, and Uncle became so angry that Uncle Satan born, not as a demon, avatar of wart, but as an angel, protector of human hybrids.

With the start of the exchange students program, Lord Diavolo asked expecially for me, as I was a representative of both realm... and that explain why I was in the Council Room 2 months ago"

... Nobody tried to say anything or ask something alse. But Leviathan felt the true form his brothers... jealousy. A timeline where they were all together. Where their family was happy and alive.

What no one knew was Diavolo's relief for having Lucifer, or Barbatos choosing this timeline as his reality because it was the most convenient for the Prince. Or Mc's fear of a world where they never met everyone.

And in the end, no more things come out, as Rachel wanted more than before come back in her timeline, and Barbatos didn't lose time in sending her back.

________________________________

X: How many story want to create that have a new character or some reference to Lilith ?

Me: Yes

It was an Au that I wanted to perfect and make it a fanfiction, but I never was able to do it, so single post where I try to explain it as best as possible.

For any grammatical errors, tell it to my clock (3:00 am).

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jksprincess10 · 10 months

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Dressed for revenge 16. Counting stars

A/N: We are so close to the end ! CW: allusions to smut, canon-like violence, grief.

Masterlist for this fic Notification blog

The common dining room is suffocating, people of Jackson sitting, standing in every corner. People are angered by the rumors.

Emrys feels out of place.

They feel the people staring.

They wish they were a ghost who could float away.

Immortality was a bad choice.

Someone from the council speaks up, and everyone is silent out of respect.

“So, Pinedale community communicated with us. Said a group of people was looking for a man and a teenage girl. They will get here in the next few days if they don’t give up.”

Everyone looks at Joel and Ellie.

“They’re dangerous. Heavily armed. We have to find a way to protect the community.”

“Everything was okay until they got here.” Someone shouts.

Lots of people approve, audibly or with a nod of the head. The gazes on them feel heavier.

Joel and Ellie don’t budge, but Emrys wants to disappear under the table. Still, they speak up.

“Well, we’re here and we’ll deal with it.” They say as they get up.

“We were never fully protected here.” Maria agrees, and Emrys is surprised to see her speak up for them. “It would have happened one day or another. So we find a solution, no need to fight amongst ourselves.”

Emrys sits back down and Joel holds their hand with a warm smile. Ellie looks pissed, because she knows what they want.

Her.

Her immunity.

People will start asking questions.

The plan gets elaborated by the community. Town on lockdown, kids, and vulnerable people inside at all times until the situation gets resolved. Only people who can fight are allowed outside.

Patrollers would stay just outside the community, so they can hopefully intercept them.

When everyone leaves the common dinning room, the tension is still palpable. No one talks to the newcomers, and it’s better that way. The three of them go home.

“I won’t stay inside.” Ellie says right when they all cross the doorstep, arms crossed on her chest.

“The hell you won’t. They want you, kid. They’ll kill you. Don’t be dumb.”

“But if I don’t go with them… they’ll hurt everyone here, Joel.”

Emrys wraps their arm around her shoulders and brings the kid close.

“Els, I already told you. Remember? If they come here, we’ll kick their asses. No one goes anywhere.”

“So stay inside, be good.” Joel warns.

She leaves them, mumbling something about needing space. They let her.

January 2024 3rd, community of Jackson

Even though they should be celebrating another year of surviving, the town has never been quieter. No kids running around. No life to look at the snowy mountains.

People also wanted to ask questions, but Joel’s constant grumpy face kept them from doing so. They were scared of him. He didn’t have the best reputation.

After more discussion, the council decided it would be best for the vulnerable people to leave the town, as they expected the worst from the encounter. This included Maria and all kids, including Ellie. Pinedale community would take care of them while things calmed down.

Ellie didn’t take the news really well, and she resists even to the last minute.

“You have to go kid, It’s what’s best.” Joel argues.

But she feels abandoned. They can see it in the way her eyes shine with tears and fear.

“I promise Els’. We’ll be here when you’ll be back. It’s temporary. We don’t want anything happening to you…” Emrys promises as they caress the kid’s head.

Suddenly, she breaks. “I’m so scared.” She reaches for both of them with her thin arms, and they hug her tightly. “I don’t want to lose you guys.”

“You won’t.” Emrys reassures.

“We’ve been through worse, kid.”

Maria tells her it’s time to go. She straddles her horse, and they watch hopelessly as she leaves the gates with vulnerable families. Joel wraps an arm around his lover’s shoulder, bringing them close to his chest. They muffle their tears in his coat.

No one wants to lose more people.

And when that night, Joel makes love to his partner, they both can’t help the fear of it being the last time. They stay in each other’s arms, still sticky from sweat. And they think about the past, counting the people they lost in silence.

Joel counts to two.

Ghost counts to a hundred.

Wyatt.

People from the Haven.

January 4th 2024, community of Jackson

Nights are colder and feel even longer. In a day, the moon is out longer than the sun.

Emrys and Joel are posted just outside the walls, while more people are waiting near the gates. Patrol nights are endless, and they always come home tired from being on edge all the time.

Their fear becomes real when a group of travelers approaches. Joel whistles to alert the others just inside the walls, and they all come out, guns ready to fire. Ghost is pointing a trusty arrow.

The strangers put their hands up.

And Joel recognizes them.

Fireflies. But he never saw them with that many resources.

“What do you want?” Tommy shouts amongst the tense group.

“You know what we want.” Marlene. She looks at Joel. “Give us the girl, and we’ll leave.”

“She ain’t here, Marlene. She left.” Joel doesn’t budge, sniper aimed directly at the woman.

“Don’t you wanna save everyone, Joel?” She tries to reason him.

Whispers amongst the survivors of Jackson. What was the connection between saving everyone and the girl?

“You can’t save everyone by killing her.” Emrys replies, arrow tense against the chord of their bow.

Marlene addresses the rest of the community. “Joel is trying to keep us from finding a cure. The girl is immune.”

“That can’t be true.” Someone says from the crowd.

“You don’t have the resources to find a cure.” Tommy barges in.

“Fine. I’m afraid that…” They all take their weapons back out. “If you don’t give us the girl, we’ll have to kill all of you.”

No one knows who shoots first. But the silent air gets filled by the sounds of gunshots.

Emrys shoots until they’re out of arrows. When they’re out, they take out a gun and aim. Joel is struggling with one of the fireflies, and Emrys gets closer to shoot the invader in the head. Blood splatters on Joel’s face. His lover gives him their hand to help him get up.

Marlene appears out of nowhere, and Emrys feels a burning sensation in their shoulder. Fuck. They take out the knife, and thankfully, the cut is pretty shallow. Joel aims at her.

“You’ll always be a fuckin’ murderer, Joel Miller.” She spits at him. He shoots, brown irises blank with sternness.

She falls between other fireflies’ bodies.

Emrys checks on their own group ; a few of them are down, but most people seem okay.

The other fireflies are disoriented when their leader falls, and Emrys takes the opportunity to retrieve some of their arrows.

Until they hear a loud, familiar, but terrifying sound.

January 4th 2024, community of Pinedale

It seems it would be another sleepless night for Ellie.

She’s tossing and turning between the bodies of other survivors from Jackson. They’re all packed in one big room. And she can hear every breath. Every cry of a child.

She closes her eyes again.

When she finally sleeps, she sees a film moving rapidly, of all the people she lost.

The film gets stuck on Riley. Replays her death over and over again.

#dressed for revenge

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feyravenchatter · 6 months

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I've started expanding on this thread on the accursèd bird app. It will update...*gestures vaguely* I'm super behind on literally all of my wips, and this one has decided to add itself to the pile. I'm hiding this here bc I'm not even done with the thread yet. fml

Concept: Keith as an identical triplet, following canon with a few new steps, and, of course, a side of klance

~~~

Three small boys squished themselves into the farthest corner of the same bed, clinging to each other, their stuffed hippos, each with an initial stitched onto the bottom of a front paw, crushed between their tiny bodies. They had been pulled out of school in the middle of the day by people they didn’t know, scared and confused, the adults around them saying things like “caught in a house fire”, “didn’t make it out”, “we don’t have any other family listed, not even their mother”.

When they asked where their dad was and that they wanted to go home, one of the adults looked at them sadly and said that they could go home for a little while, but that their dad wasn’t coming back, and they would have to go with the adults after they’d packed some things. The boys burst into tears, one out of fear of something they didn’t understand, one looking more furious than a six year old should, and the other shut down, going silent and refusing to look at anyone.

The adults had managed to find a place for them for the night, a temporary solution until a group home could be found. This one was in a residential area just off a main road in town, far too noisy for three little boys used to the silence of the desert.

By bed time their tears had dried, but they were still afraid of what was to come, and listened in the dark of their room to the muffled voices on the other side of the closed door.

“They’re refusing to be separated.”

“At least two of them have bitten staff when they try.”

“I mean, I understand why they’re aggressive.”

“Oh, I know. Losing a parent is always hard, especially that young.”

“They’re only six…”

“I’m going to put in a recommendation they stay together.”

“It’ll be harder to place them.”

“I know, but I think this is the best thing for them.”

“They’re going to have a hard life no matter what we do.”

“At least this way they’ll still have each other.”

The voices moved away from the door, fading away down the hall, and the three boys eventually drifted off, still holding each other close.

The next morning, their social worker found them in the exact same place in the bed farthest from the door, the other two beds untouched. She woke them gently, ready for one of the parts of her job she liked least, welcoming Aidan, Keith, and Finn, identical triplets, to their new life in the Texas foster care system as orphaned wards of the state.

#my writing #keith's brothers are aidan and finn #keith is an irish name so i just rolled with it #keith kogane #lance mcclain #keith x lance #klance #vld keith #vld lance #vld #voltron #voltron legendary defender

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whiteknifesmile · 7 months

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Tikki rubbed her little paw hand over Marinette’s knuckles, trying to reassure her. “It’s okay. You’ve done really good, Marinette, so good. Master Fu couldn’t have picked better or done any better himself! It’s just this situation is getting untenable like this, without any support or guidance. You’ve done so good and it’s just temporary until we either settle or the order steps in properly. It’s going to be okay.”

Marinette sniffled and rubbed at her eyes. “… thanks, Tikki.” She lights the last candle. “Does the circle look okay? I tried to get a perfect round shape… and the markings are alright? Some of the runes looked really similar to each other…”

“They look perfect. I can feel it, this will work. You did amazing,” Tikki murmured, nuzzling Marinette’s hand and then taking her place in the center of the circle. “Ready?”

Sitting back on her heels, Marinette lets out an exhausted and overwhelmed breath. Her eyes are shadowed with dark circles, her hair a mess only managed by Ladybug magics, but when she opens her eyes, they’re filled with that fiery determination that has had her finding the most Rube Goldberg way to defeat an Akuma. Come hell or high water ( and both have come because of an Akuma!), Marinette could find a solution.

“I’m ready, Tikki.”

The little god nodded and then began to glow a soft pink. The light filled the pen markings on the floor, turning from black ink to pink light. It seeped outwards toward the edge of the circle- Marinette watched it encircle her own little ‘bubble’ on the edge of the ring where she sat. Then she focused her eyes on the bubble opposite hers, a matching pair, though that one was empty save for the Ladybug earrings… for now, anyway.

It felt strange to not be wearing the earrings. Tikki had coached her not to think of it as ‘giving up’ the earrings, but just Not Wearing them at the moment. After all, was she ‘giving up’ her trademark pink jeans when she put on pajamas pants for the night? No no, she was just Not Wearing them for a certain situation, that being bedtime.

She was not giving up the Miraculous. She was not giving up on being Ladybug. She was just not wearing the earrings right now, because this was a situation where it wasn’t appropriate at this time. Soon, the situation would change and she could undo this ritual.

“Think about being Ladybug. What inspired you to become a hero, who keeps inspiring you everyday, the people you’ve saved, the people who need your help, and think about what it means to be Ladybug.”

Marinette closed her eyes to Tikki’s voice, drawing something deep inside of her. At first, she only tried to think of the ‘good traits’ she though were associated with being Ladybug, like her courage and cleverness, and not her panic and fear when things started to happen quickly.

“You’re brave. It doesn’t mean you’re not scared, Marinette, or worried or nervous about people getting hurt. If you weren’t scared or worried about them, then you wouldn’t care so much about protecting them. Even with the ladybug powers to undo the damages, you always do your best to mitigate harm. It’s important to think of both emotions- you are worried for them, you’re determined to do your best to help them, you’re so brave to face off danger for them, and you feel pride at a job well-done, your cleverness showing the way. Ladybug is a hero but she’s also you; you contain multitudes.”

A deep breath in, and out. Tikki was right. If Ladybug was just made out of confidence and cleverness, she’d be too arrogant and haughty to try and clear civilians from danger zones, to comfort Akuma victims after releasing the butterflies. Ladybug wasn’t just one thing, she was everything in Marinette brought to the surface.

Tikki was the goddess of creation; though her form may be tiny and her power limited to the Ladybug miraculous, with a powerful holder she could do wondrous things.

Marinette had always been an anxious child and her parents had taught her a few tricks to improve her self-worth and confidence. Marinette was so hard on herself yet so forgiving and compassionate for others, so her parents had suggested to think of herself as a separate person that she was helping. There was a lot of ways her parents did this in their daily lives, to meal prepping ready-to-go meals for a busy day ahead, to setting up their stations the night before so they arrived to clean workbenches and kitchens in the mornings, to giving themselves grace in terms of breaks in their workdays and catering. Just because they were their own boss didn’t mean they didn’t get any lunch breaks or time to sit a moment. If they would give one of their employees grace, allow them a break to sit and eat, drink water, how could they deny themselves?

While she was pretty sure that her mom hadn’t meant it quite so literally, Marinette clung to that idea as she breathed in and out evenly, keeping her heart steady. Ladybug had a lot of expectations on her and Marinette did too. Very different expectations, and the problem was most arising from where they intersected; where Ladybug was given grace, Marinette received none. Where Marinette was left alone, Ladybug was followed by paparazzi. The balancing act between these two was far too delicate.

Ladybug was someone else. Marinette was a normal girl. Ladybug was a hero who was unknown behind her mask. Marinette was setting the stage for her. Ladybug was giving Marinette room to breathe and rest. They could help each other.

They could do this… together.

Marinette’s heartbeat seemed to thunder in her chest, and with an exhale, settled into softly beating double, but not quite. More like an echo. More like a reflection a single half-step behind her.

Tikki’s little paw landed on her hand. “It worked… Marinette, you can open your eyes.”

And, slowly, she did.

And stared at Ladybug, sitting across from her, perfectly mirroring her position.

Same blue eyes, same pigtails, and same little smile that they shared, one of relief and promise.

They were in this together.

yay, there’s that first part done… interested? :)

#miraculous ladybug #marinette dupain cheng #miraculous marinette #my fic #miraculous ladybug fanfiction #marinette sugar #miraculous magic

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inversionimpulse · 8 months

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so a propos of absolutely nothing, I was thinking about Doctor Who.

Turn Left, specifically.

"'Labor camps'... that's what they called them last time. It's happening again," even more specifically.

As far as I've seen, most people online connected that to the nazis and the holocaust. But my family has a history with labor camps, and that's not what I heard in that scene.

I heard echoes of "No Japs from the Rockies to the seas."

During WW2, here in Canada where I write from, 850 German-Canadians, 700 Italian-Canadians, and 22000 Japanese Canadians were forced out of their homes and into labor camps, sometimes straight into POW camps and frequently separated from their families, by our government. People were made to live in literal stables and barns, or else build their own homes from nearly nothing. They were forced to do back-breaking work for below-subsistence money - and they did indeed have to pay for the privilege of being treated like animals. The government "took temporary custody" of every single thing the Japanese prisoners owned and sold them for fractions of their material value, never mind sentimental value. When it was all over, they were tossed out the other side of the affair with not a single thing to their names but the trauma and, for the Japanese, eviction from the west coast where most of them lived - for some, from the country entirely.

This was neither the start nor the end of the persecution of German, Italian, and Japanese Canadians.

"The Italian South Peasant is not the type we are looking for in Canada."

"Take them back to Japan. They do not belong here, and here, and there is only one solution to the problem."

My grandmother and grandfather, second-generation Japanese immigrants, survived those camps. My family still suffers the repercussions as generational trauma.

I don't know if there was anything similar in Britain. I'd assume so, but I'm not going to check because I'm only partly talking about if this is a supportable interpretation of the writing, I'm mostly talking about how it resonated with me. (but I don't think the victims in the show being an Italian family was a coincidence)

It is certainly worse to be a nazi than the people behind the internment for whom there isn't a catchy name. I'm not about to say that the suffering my family and all those other Japanese, German, and Italian families were put through compares in any way to the suffering of Jewish families in nazi territory. But the meaning behind Wilf's horror takes a very different edge depending on who you see behind it. And I personally think that "We're becoming like Them, we're being corrupted" is a much weaker horror than "We're still like Us, we haven't learned better at all" In fact when contrasted like that, the former looks almost like the fear of being infected by the Other that caused the internment camps to begin with.

The latter, on the other hand, forces us to contend with the fact that there is no Them. We, all we humans, are Us. The existence of Them is mere illusion, and fear of it makes us commit a grand and abstract sort of suicide.

It's a message that Doctor Who frequently tries to convey and sometimes bungles. In fact it is a message that so many different things try to convey so frequently that it has become a little bit trite. But it's a message to be proud of, especially when you can deliver it so viciously and powerfully.

#doctor who #new who #russell t davies #turn left #tenth doctor #donna noble #wilfred mott #bernard cribbins #cw slurs #cw racism

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oraclekleo · 1 year

Text

@ylilsillage + Beomgyu (TXT) - Sweet Romance Couple Tarot Reading

Disclaimer:

All readings have purely entertainment nature

I don’t know any of the celebrities personally

Don’t base life decisions purely on tarot readings

I can never guarantee any of what’s said in the reading

Before requesting, read the pinned post and appropriate linked post

Tarot readings are my hobby - I’m not obligated to accept any of the requests nor to complete them, it’s my choice, not duty

Waiting time is long, even several months

If you can’t wait, please, seek other tarot reader

Reading Info:

Rating: 18+

Reading Type: Single - Couple

Requested: Yes - No

Requester: @ylilsillage

Deck: Spiritsong Tarot

Spread: Sweet Romance

Questions:

The eyes meet across the room… (What captivates them about you)

Sweet scent lingering in the air… (What pulls them closer to you)

Only the brave ones… (What motivates them to approach you)

Words as sweet as honey… (What enchants them about you)

Lips like petals of a rose… (What makes them kiss you)

Love is a form of insanity… (What makes them fall in love with you)

Celebrity Info:

Full Name: Choi Beom Gyu

Stage Name: Beomgyu

Group: TXT

DOB: 13.03.2001

Blood Type: AB

MBTI: ENFJ

Sun Sign: Pisces

Chinese Sign: Metal Snake

Life Path Number: 1

Masterpost: TXT

Ko-fi - Voluntary Tip for Readings

@ylilsillage + Beomgyu (TXT) - Sweet Romance

Choi Beom Gyu

Spread: Sweet Romance

Deck: Spiritsong Tarot

The eyes meet across the room… (What captivates them about you) [9] - 7 of Feathers (Swords)

You’re blessed with foresight and a logical mind. You approach issues with courage and you are initiative. You’re resourceful and it looks like you are always prepared no matter what life puts in your way. It’s likely because of your positive approach. When others panic that things don’t go the way they wanted, you start to look for solutions and try to see something positive in everything. You never fail because there’s no such thing as a failure in your vocabulary, only success in progress. You learn from mistakes and never lose the good spirit. And when you do, it’s temporary and soon you’re back in the saddle and ready to combat whatever comes your way. You’re in a way a warrior and this quality of yours is likely to captivate Beomgyu, he’s likely to notice the strength of your character.

Sweet scent lingering in the air… (What pulls them closer to you) [36] - Knight of Feathers (Swords)

Once again I can read in the cards that Beomgyu picks up the sort of ‘last-woman-standing’ type of energy from you. He feels drawn like a magnet to you by your ability to always reveal the truth behind illusion, to cut through obstacles, to face challenges with courage and a highly observant mind. You put your goals into action, you communicate your ideas clearly and effectively, you demonstrate your control over the situation which usually impresses people around you. You never let fear block your progress. Beomgyu might feel highly attracted by this type of energy and seek you in the crowd. It’s not difficult for him, as he can clearly sense the air buzzing around you.

Only the brave ones… (What motivates them to approach you) [22] - Queen of Crystals (Pentacles)

While Beomgyu mostly admires your ability to deal with all the obstacles and challenges using your wits and sharp intellect, those can be a bit intimidating for him. However, there’s also a softer side to you, the one that cares for others in your circle, the one that’s connected with the nurturing energies of Mother Earth. You are protective of those who are dear to you and possess that common sense which allows you to approach life with a positive mindset. Your smile is warm and welcoming and while you might seem fierce when combating life odds, you are no stranger to gentleness and softness. And this is what encourages Beomgyu to actually step closer to you and start a conversation. He doesn’t feel intimidated by you, he feels respect and admiration and a considerable amount of attraction.

Words as sweet as honey… (What enchants them about you) [5] - 2 of Feathers (Swords)

Beomgyu is likely to feel highly enchanted by your ability to tap into your higher-self and find the truth within. You might seem peaceful and gently moving through the multiple facets of life with ease but the fact is, you are highly confident about your observation skills and ability to be prepared for any circumstance. You are not fearless but you are accustomed to facing fears and you never let them stop you. You can be very patient when the situation calls for it, waiting for the aha moment to come and then you make a decision and act upon your truth. Beomgyu finds this irresistible about you. He might sometimes lack this type of decisiveness and confidence himself and just watching you carefully judging all aspects only to take the courage to act and never let the analysis paralysis to happen to you, makes him drawn to you.

Lips like petals of a rose… (What makes them kiss you) [41] - 4 of Shells (Cups)

As mundane as it might sound, Beomgyu is likely to reach the decision of kissing you through contemplation and soul-searching. At a certain point it just seems like the one right thing to do. He’s likely feeling very relaxed and calm with you, he’s so sure you would never hurt him. He feels the need to embrace you because he feels so passionate about your blossoming relationship. And his kiss might be soft and shy at first as he’s cautiously testing the waters but as soon as you can give him positive encouragement, he’s likely to shower you with his love and care.

Love is a form of insanity… (What makes them fall in love with you) [76] - IV The Emperor

Beomgyu is likely to fall in love with you pretty easily. He’s not going to blindly step into the love trap, he’s falling in love with you with his eyes wide open and fully aware of what’s going on. You are his whole world, he feels responsible and protective over you despite the fact you probably don’t need it. Beomgyu falls in love with you because you become essential to his life, you bring more order and focus into his everyday life. He might have felt lost sometimes in the past but with you by his side, with your support and care and encouragement, he feels like he could move a mountain. And that’s what makes him fall in love with you. And while Beomgyu might be a bit shy, he’s likely to tell you directly what his feelings are because he wouldn’t be able to conceal it anyway. He’s like an open book to you and he can’t wait to write the new chapters with you.

Thank you for reading!

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shipcestuous · 3 months

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For some reason, today I found myself thinking back to the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic cartoon. Specifically, the season six ep "Flutter Brutter," where Fluttershy's younger brother, Zephyr Breeze, is introduced.

Now, I haven't actually rewatched MLP in years, so my memories are vaguer than I would like while writings this. But the gist of it is that Fluttershy is (as her name implies, lol) is a shy, delicate, kind-hearted character who, through all the previous seasons, has become a heroine of her world together with her friends and worked to become braver and more assertive, while Zephyr Breeze is a brash, flighty, self-centered character but is actually hiding some deep-seated insecurities.

Zephyr keeps dropping jobs and classes and then crashing at their parents', knowing they're even meeker and less likely to stand up for themselves than Fluttershy, but this time, we he does just that, Fluttershy decides she's putting her foot (well, hoof) down, especially after seeing him take up as much space as he pleases in their parents' house with no regards for their needs or comfort. She makes it clear that he has to find another place to stay... but when he shows up at her house instead, telling her that technically it does count as "another place," she doesn't have the heart to turn him away. However, she does set one condition: if he really wants to stay, he'll have to find a job to support himself.

Zephyr agrees but, knowing Fluttershy will probably try to put off his job searching as long as he can, Fluttershy asks her friends to find him some menial tasks to do around their houses or for their business to get him started. Still, he manages to get fired and chased off by all of them, sometimes for tricking other people (or even pets!) into doing his job for him. Fluttershy eventually gives him an ultimatum... but, feeling wounded and slighted, Zephyr decides he'd rather try his luck camping out in forest.

Suffice to say, he's... not quite cut out fo forest life. And the forest is a dangerous place, too. So, despite the animosity between them, Fluttershy goes looking for him. When she finds him, she tries to bring him back but also to get him to tell her why he won't just stop slacking off and put some effort into making something of himself.

Finally, he reveals that the problem is actually that he's scared. He may pose as someone confident and even arrogant, but doesn't really think much of himself or his abilities and is sure that, if he started putting effort into things, it would just hurt even more when he inevitably failed. Plus, having a heroine who's literally saved the world multiple times as his big sister makes him feel like he's nothing in comparison and will never get out of her shadow.

However, Fluttershy tells him she believes in him and gently coaxes him into picking himself up and going back to his classes, because he while he may be afraid of failure, he'll never succeed if he doesn't even try... and she knows he can succeed, if he would only give himself a chance. Zephyr isn't quite convinced, but he lets himself be dragged along, if reluctantly. Until, finally, he sees that there are things he's good at and gains some real self-confidence!

He does still crash at their parents, by the end. But this time, it's a solution he wants to be temporary, and he's serious about looking for his place to live in.

The episode is honestly really sweet and showcases what I find to be a very realistic dynamic between siblings, with its up and downs, support and fights and grudges and love and everything else. Moreover, I remember the first time I watched it... hit fairly close to home, with the way it dealt with feeling paralyzed by fear and lack of self-worth and trying to mask that. Zephyr Breeze, for all his flaws, is a character I still have a lot of sympathy for. And his contrast with Fluttershy? The loud, rambunctious brother who's really insecure and fragile inside feeling inferior to the soft-spoken, sweet sister who is full of her own inner strength and determination? Lovely!

But, from what I remember of MLP fandom (or at least, how it was back then) not many people liked the episode or the character as much as I did. Part of it was how, unfortunately, Zephyr was given a crush on Fluttershy's friend, Rainbow Dash, and it was really unpleasant and even sort of creepy, with him hitting on her all the time and assuming she must be in love with him and "playing hard to get" despite her obvious distate and even discomfort, with the implication that at some point he even convinced his parents they were going to become a couple. Another is that some male adult fans (you've probably heard of Bronies, right?) felt Zephyr was meant to be a caricature of a stereotype people assumed they themselves automatically fell in.

I don't think things got any better when a later episode implied Zephyr was back to his fickle ways and to putting appearances over substance... personally, I chose to ignore that or at least think it was just a little relapse and he'd say "wait a minute, what am I doing?" and go back to his newly matured self soon after, lol.

Anyway, I always felt I little sad I could never find any Zephyr/Fluttershy incest fics. Or, at least, any platonic hurt/comfort fics for them. The sheer potential there... sigh! I do remember some good incest fanworks starring Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, literal royalty and technically sun/moon goddesses with an angsty backstory... and it's not even like there's the kind of age gap between Fluttershy and Zephyr that could squick even most incest shippers out. Fluttershy and the other main characters are generally assumed to be in their early to late twenty during the course of the series, and Zephyr has to be at least college-aged or a little older by the time we meet him, so... but yeah, it probably just comes down to the fandom not liking Zephyr much, in the end.

Ah, well. I hope I at least made someone else see why they're shippable to me here!

Btw, here's a gallery with some images of them! Just because cute ponies.

https://mlp.fandom.com/wiki/Zephyr_Breeze/Gallery

That does sound like a very realistic storyline between siblings. It sounds really sweet, and I love the dynamic between their contrasting personalities. It's too bad there's not more content for them!

#asks #anonymous #first post #r: brosis #nc #my little pony #fluttershy and zephyr breeze #commentary #noiv #nr

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screechthemighty · 1 year

Text

Hello God of War enjoyers, Sindri enjoyers, and "Kratos being a good bro" enjoyers, I have returned with part 2/3! If you missed part one, you can check the tag "fic: the balance of life is in the ripe and ruin" on my blog OR you can check out the AO3 link in a reblog!

the balance of life is in the ripe and ruin: part 2/3

content warnings: depictions of OCD including anxiety spirals and compulsions; grief due to family loss; brief dissociation; major spoilers for ragnarok. (also sindri's coping methods aren't necessarily how you're supposed to deal with OCD, but therapy doesn't exist so he's working with what he's got here)

The wolves weren’t so bad, as it turned out. Speki and Svanna slept outside and pretty much left Sindri alone when Kratos told them to. Getting used to Mimir took less time than Sindri had expected. On top of that, Kratos was tidier than Sindri expected and he didn’t get visitors often. Mostly it was just Freya and Angrboda, both of whom gave him some space. It was peaceful out in the Wildwoods; for a few days, Sindri felt like he could breathe.

Then, of course, the thoughts of the house came creeping back. The house and the floorboards. The urge to go back and start scrubbing came. He tried to ignore it, distract himself until the thoughts went away, but it was only a temporary solution. The more it happened, the more his fear started turning to frustration.

I don’t want to live like this. I can’t live like this.

“I am this close to just replacing the fucking floors,” Sindri said one night over dinner. It was the first thing either of them had said; Kratos was back from some lengthy expedition to Vanaheim, and Sindri had spent most the day with one foot in a panic attack. That didn’t exactly make for sparkling dinner conversation. “I don’t want to look at them anymore.”

Kratos nodded contemplatively. It took him a minute to look up from his stew, as if he were digesting what Sindri had said along with the food. “We could do it.”

“Do what?”

“Replace the floors.”

He was being completely serious. And suddenly, the idea seemed like much less of a bitter joke.

Of course, it took Sindri barely any time to regret agreeing to it. Being back at the house set the fear and racing thoughts loose again, so badly that he froze in the doorway and couldn’t move. He was scared to turn around and look at Kratos. He couldn’t handle seeing that oh so he’s crazy-crazy look on the god’s face. “Uhm.” Sindri took a deep breath. “It’s. It’s fine. I can do this.”

No, he couldn’t.

“I’m sorry…”

“We still have to find suitable materials,” Kratos pointed out calmly. “If you remember what you used last time, we do not have to enter.”

Right. Yeah. “I think I do,” Sindri said. He tried to be businesslike about it. Right, yeah, of course, they’d have to source the materials for the sealant, talk to Ratatoskr about digging into the branch again, consider sourcing stone or wood or something and bringing it there. This is the logical next step. Definitely not avoiding anything. “I can figure it out.”

Kratos grunted and reached over Sindri’s head to close the door–slowly at first, then more definitively when Sindri didn’t try to stop him. “Come.”

SIndri didn’t feel like he could breathe again until they were back in the Wildwoods, but at least Kratos wasn’t looking at him like he was a lunatic.

Figuring out and gathering everything they’d need took longer than it had last time, probably because Kratos was constantly being dragged off to help with some problem or another. The delay had mixed results. Some days still brought the panic and racing thoughts; most of the time, though, Sindri knew that even those panicked moments were better than what he’d face when the floor did come up.

You’ll have to face it one day,

Maybe, but he was content to put that day off for a little while longer.

He finally saw Lúnda again during the material gathering process. Sindri knew it was unavoidable, but after last time, he wasn’t looking forward to the conversation.

“You, uh…” Lúnda sucked on her teeth and examined him carefully. “You get your head back on straight?”

Sindri laughed bitterly. “My head’s never been on straight,” he said. “Didn’t Brok tell you that?”

The scurrying of paw steps interrupted the conversation. Both wolves came running over–one with a ball in her mouth, the other desperately trying to steal it. Both froze a safe distance away when the ball hit the ground, their eyes fixing on Sindri. “Okay, okay…” Sindri unhooked a took from his belt–a modified scoop with a long handle–and used it to pick up the ball. “Do you guys ever get tired?”

Speki and Svanna’s eager whines answered the question. Sindri rolled his eyes and flung the ball. “Go on, get!”

And they were off again, nearly knocking each other over as they ran. “Smart,” Lúnda said.

“Yeah, you should see the distance Kratos gets with it.” Sindri slipped the tool back in place. “I’m not…delusional, all right? I just…” He couldn’t look at her as he spoke. “I get these thoughts in my head and if I don’t do something about them, they don’t go away. Even when I do, they don’t always go away for good.” They never did, really, but he was sure this already sounded bad and nonsensical. No sense in making it worse. “So I know. I know he’s gone.” Saying it still made him feel sick, but at least he could say it. “It was just…either the floors or I lose my mind.”

“...Wow. That sounds…”

“Hard? Terrifying? Yeah, welcome to my life. It’s not so bad now. I think I just needed to get out of that house.” He finally looked at her. Lúnda’s eyes were sympathetic, not confused or repulsed. He’d take that, but first… “I’m sorry I yelled at you.”

Lúnda shrugged. “It’s all right. I’m just glad to see you doing a little better is all.”

Was he?

Sindri pondered it as the wolves raced back over. “Well.” He scooped the ball back up and threw it again. “I’m sure not doing worse.”

And that was definitely better than nothing.

The day finally came. They had everything they needed. All they had to do was start.

One small problem: Sindri couldn’t get through the door again.

He’d let Kratos in first this time, which was already wreaking havoc on his nerves. The war god had avoided the Spot so far without being asked, but…no, no, Sindri hated this. He hated all of it.

“We still have to move the furniture,” Kratos said. Then, a bit more forcefully, “Sindri.”

“Huh? What?”

“One chair.” Kratos’s tone was firm, but shockingly patient. “You can move it, or I can. Or we can go home.”

One chair. Just the one. He could do that, right?

“Uhm. Okay. Yeah, you…you can…” He swallowed nervously and gestured outside. “Y-yeah.”

Kratos nodded. He picked up the armchair from the corner, only moving it outside when Sindri didn’t object. He set the chair down. “How do you feel?”

“...scale of fine to worst day of my life? Uh.” Sindri glanced back inside the house. He couldn’t make his legs move. “Probably that time you were asking about Mimir’s eye?”

“Do you want to go home?”

“I…” Yes, but he also didn’t want to draw this out too long. “...one more? Let’s do one more.”

He could handle one more, right?

They got three chairs out before Sindri had to call it quits. No one was more surprised by that than he was.

Weirdly, even that small start made the return trip seem less terrifying.

By the time Kratos got all the big furniture out, Sindri’s panic hadn’t risen past mild discomfort. It’s not that bad, see? Don’t be a chickenshit.

He took a deep breath and stepped inside.

Okay. Okay, don’t overthink it, just go. One thing at a time.

He kept moving, focusing on the list of smaller items that needed moving so they wouldn’t get dirty. One item. Then the next. Then the next.

Just don’t think! Brok told him that all the time. You thinkin’ so much, that’s the problem. You know what you’ve gotta do, so just do it.

It was never that simple for Sindri, but he tried. He really tried.

He was successful right up until he had to cross to the right side of the room. Near the Spot.

Be careful, don’t step on it, be careful, you’ll hurt him, be careful!

The panic got so bad, he ended up leaving the house. He stood outside and took deep, desperate breaths. Something about the air on the World Tree was…different. Crisp like mountain air, but not so thin. He tried to focus on that instead of his racing thoughts.

They stopped a lot faster this time.

See? Toldja. You think too damn much.

The sound of Kratos clearing his throat caught Sindri’s attention. “We can stop…”

“No,” Sindri blurted. “No, I can do it. I need to do this.”

“...hmm.” Did he look impressed? Was that an impressed look on his face? “Very well.”

Sindri took one last breath before going back in.

He still gave the spot a wide berth, but every item got moved. Sindri knew it was probably a bad idea to start believing in omens, but he really hoped that was a good one.

They started on the edges of the room and worked their way in.

Some days they made good progress. Some days, barely anything got done. It wasn’t always the irrational anxiety that slowed him, either. Sometimes it was grief. It’d hit him all over again, the sorrow and anger so fresh he felt like he might drown in them.

“I hate him,” Sindri said one day. He felt like a geyser with a pressure cap over it; his body wanted to cry, but for some reason he just couldn’t. “I hate him so much, but there’s nothing I can do about it now.” He’d smashed that stupid marble. Odin was gone. It just wasn’t enough. Maybe nothing would’ve been enough. “I don’t know what to do with it. It’s just…there now.”

Maybe that was why he’d been so angry at Kratos and Atreus after it happened. All that rage and nothing to do with it…it had to go somewhere. They were close by, easy targets, culpable in his eyes. If he couldn’t make Odin hurt, he could make them hurt.

Right. Because that’s fair.

Kratos hummed. His hands traced over the scars on his forearms. They didn’t seem so…stark as they had before. Sindri remembered how red and inflamed they could look over Fimbulwinter, seeming to re-open and heal at random. They hadn’t been that bad in months. “It will fade,” he said. “You can turn it into other things. Just…do not let it turn back on yourself.”

“Or anyone who doesn’t deserve it.”

“You don’t have to apologize to me again.”

“I know.” Sindri stared out over the swirling voids above them. Sometimes they looked beautiful. Some days they just looked cold. He wasn’t sure what today was like. “Any word…?”

Kratos shook his head. “He has far to travel. The coming winter may slow him…” His voice trailed off. When Sindri glanced his way, the war god was staring down at his hands, his face hard to read again. He didn’t seem distressed, though.

“He will return,” Kratos finished finally, with that same quiet certainty he’d displayed before. “Do you think you can continue today?”

Sindri glanced back over his shoulder. The inside of the house looked cold, unwelcoming. “...no” he said finally. “No, I think I’m done for today.”

Kratos was right: he should channel all that anger into something else. Usually, it was the floor. He’d started easing back into smithing work, too, picking up projects late in the evening when he was sure he would be left alone. It helped, most of the time, but something told him that wouldn’t work today. The load was too much.

Time to go home and hope the next day would be better.

They dug up the Spot last.

Sindri insisted on burning the flooring. It was the best compromise he could think of: he couldn’t keep it there, but if he treated it as an extension of Brok by giving it a burial…it’d be gone, right? Nothing else to worry about. And it worked, in a way. His mind didn’t rebel against the idea the way it did stepping on the wood.

It also backfired spectacularly, because suddenly he was burying his brother for a second time. And somehow, it hurt more than the first.

He burned the pieces alone. He’d been worried he’d break down, and he wasn’t sure he wanted an audience for that. He didn’t, though. It wasn’t the numb feeling that had overtaken him at the first funeral. The world felt stretched out, thin, unreal. It was like his soul had come untethered, watching what happened from a distance.

How many times am I going to lose him?

Funny thing: he could imagine Brok’s response so clearly. Just the one time, you idiot. I ain’t gonna be more gone than I was before. It’s all in your head.

“Yes, dumbass,” Sindri muttered. The sound of his own voice drew him back, even if only a little. “That’s where your thoughts usually are.”

For a moment, the only sound was the crackling of the fire. Sindri closed his eyes and tried to focus on that sound. He just needed one thing to be real. Even if the realest thing was…

You’ll be all right.

He didn’t believe it, not really.

But if he imagined it in Brok’s voice, he could get close.

Fall turned to winter, one that seemed far less harsh after three years of cold.

He started going out into the world more. Worked alongside Lúnda. Did repairs for Kratos and Freya’s armor. He and Agrboda collaborated on a piece. She really was a talented artist. She seemed sure Atreus was safe, too. (Sindri felt like there was a story with them, but he decided not to pry. Not his place, not his business, though he was pretty sure he knew what was happening there.)

The floor slowly filled itself in. By the end of winter, only the Spot was left. And that was where the work stalled.

He spent more time in the house, even sleeping there some nights. He went longer and longer stretches of time without breaking down. But he couldn’t bring himself to finish.

It just didn’t feel like the right time.

#god of war #god of war sindri #citing my sources: the ''i hate him so much but i don't know what to do with it'' convo #WAS inspired by a scene from fleabag #but like. the exact opposite emotion.#god of war spoilers #ragnarok spoilers #god of war ragnarok spoilers #spoilers #fic: the balance of life is in the ripe and ruin

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critter-catcher · 1 year

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Just found your site, 😊. I have the same trail cam. I was wondering what state you’re in. I get a lot of deer and coyotes plus all the little critters. I get nervous sometimes when I look back and see the coyotes were out shortly before I take my dogs out.

I'm up in the north east! And honestly you should be wary, but mostly only if you have a smaller dog. Coyotes are opportunity hunters, if the see a small dog/animal they can snatch up without much fight, they just might. Sometimes they'll run away if you make a lot of noise, but depending on if you live in highly populated areas/if they're hybrids they've started to lose their fear of humans.

They do make special vests for small dogs that protect against predators.

Yes it does look hilarious, but it also helps against birds of prey and really anything else that may go after your little pup. Though they do also make them for bigger dogs, cats, and even chickens.

Your best bet is to just not let them out whenever you see the coyotes are most active. So ours are usually around 12pm-3am, so you would avoid whatever those times are for you.

Another alternative, and it's what we do since we have to wake up and put them out when it's still dark. Despite our pups being rottweilers we want to avoid any attacks or injuries obviously, so if you have a porch get a gate/make one. It's pretty easy with a few wooden pallets(check FB/craigslist people give them away for free all the time), hinges, and a latch though it's not the prettiest it's a good temporary solution until you can get something nicer. So we just let them on the porch to use the bathroom in the morning or if the weather is bad and then scoop any poop up, and spray down any spots they went with a hose! It's a few extra steps, but it's absolutely worth it to keep your pet safe.

Anyway hope that helps and if anyone else has any other ideas feel free to add on!

#by all means reblog/add a reply if you have any other thoughts that could work #help #animals #coyotes #advice #ask #answered

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notsowrites · 2 years

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and i hope i never lose you

summary: dealing with the aftermath of finding Alex in the pocket dimension.

a/n: just a quick little 4x11 coda because who knows how this is all gonna resolve itself in two episodes and i have a lot of ideas rolling around.

[AO3 Link]

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The handprint shimmers across the skin of his chest, above his heart. He watches as Michael’s fingertips trace around it, igniting the connection with each movement. Lingering feelings of regret, determination, fear, and love all mix together, and Alex doesn’t think he’s ever going to get used to the feeling.

He’s never felt like he’s needed to know Michael in this way, that they needed to share emotions through some alien connection. Even through everything they’ve been through, all their miscommunication and misunderstandings, he’s preferred that everything that has happened to them has been because they’ve put the work in. Neither of them has ever needed to rely on anything otherworldly to know they love each other.

Even as cosmic is the word they’ve always fallen back on to describe how they feel, Alex believes it’s still rooted in reality - in the way his entire body instantly calms when Michael puts his hands on his face, or when they interlace their fingers together. Words were never his strong suit, that was always Michael’s thing, but he’s been trying, day by day, to do better. It’d been his slow realization that he needed to be more open with Michael, to stop shutting him out from the thoughts in his head, that has even allowed them to get here to this point.

He’d heard about the handprint from Liz, the difference in the one that Max has left on her to the one he’d first been introduced to in the folder Jenna Cameron had dropped in front of him years ago. But it didn’t make understanding it any easier.

Not until Michael had pressed his palm against his chest, the place he remembered the black fractals had been while trapped in the mindscape of the pocket dimension, the energy needed to sustain it feeding off his body. He wishes it had been as simple as leaving that liminal space and everything would be fine, but that’s never been how his story goes. Kyle had done a full workup, demanding to ensure he was healthy, and ending up discovering the irregular heartbeat he’d never possessed before.

As it turned out, he hadn’t been wrong when he’d told Michael he was dying.

“What do you mean he’s still dying?”

Michael had looked somewhere between furious and devastated, and all Alex could do was take his hand in his own and interlace their fingers together while Kyle explained.

“There was too much stress on his heart, it started interfering with the electrical signals that maintain the heartbeat. A week ago, it was just a little slower than normal, I thought it was just residual from the pocket dimension, that it’d bounce back. But it didn’t.”

It’d made sense. The shortness of breath, how easily he was tiring out from normal activity, the lightheadedness that followed. In the beginning it’d been easier to hide it from Michael, to act like it was just a side effect of being back in their reality, in their world.

“So what’s the cure, doc? We’ve been here before-”

Kyle had nodded, clearly running the scenarios in his head. “Like Max, it’s not caused by a normal human cause, so I don’t know if a normal human solution will work.”

“So I build another pacemaker? That you can-”

“We can try, but it might only be a temporary solution.”

He hadn’t even realized they’d been in a mindscape. That it had in fact just been feeding off his own energy, slowly killing him day by day. He’d watched as Dallas had explained the mechanics and the science to everyone in the days afterward, Michael withdrawing bit by bit, and Alex knew it was because of that guilt he still felt. How he’d shared about the time he’d been tempted by the idea of returning to Oasis, beating himself up for not noticing something was wrong sooner.

Liz should have been there to explain what had happened in her own mindscape, when he’d learned about the alien mist Liz had crafted after Michael had lost his alien powers. Max had reluctantly admitted that black fractals had slowly spider-webbed across Liz’s arms and chest the longer she had remained in the mindscape. Her absence is noted by the somber tone in everyone’s voices and actions as they bring him up to speed on the things he’d missed that there hadn’t been time recently to discuss.

Mimi’s death hits him the hardest.

With Maria on his arm, they visit the little memorial she’d built high in the hills near the Wild Pony. Together, they sit there for hours, a blanket pulled over their shoulders, tears flowing down their cheeks. The moment he’d begun to beat himself up about not being there for her when she needed him, she reminded him that it was Mimi’s death that allowed her to connect with him when he needed to be found.

None of it feels fair.

Without Liz’s brilliance, they are at a standstill in regards to his heart. It had been Liz’s own decision, when faced with the choice of losing her memories of the aliens, or losing her mind completely, to forget the otherworldly origins of the most important people in her life. Their new friend Bonnie, once a follower of Jones and Clyde’s partner in crime, seemingly choosing Earth over whatever had been promised her before, wiping Liz’s mind so that no one close to her had to. It hadn’t been hard for Liz to slip back into teaching, to give her something outside of being a scientist.

“We don’t even know if it’ll work,” he’d argued, Kyle’s prognosis still fresh in his mind.

Michael had sighed, that fully body thing he does when he’s frustrated, turning away from him, and Alex has to grab hold of his hand, pull him back around.

“I’ve been dreaming of marrying you since we were seventeen,” Michael had begun, looking down and gently pressing his palm against his chest. “And when you asked, you gave me that glimmer of hope, of that happiness I believed was too far out of reach.”

He takes a deep breath, reaching up and wrapping his own hand around Michael’s, holding it against his chest.

“You’ve always been my choice, Michael. Everything I’ve done, every decision I’ve made has always been with you on my mind.” He feels the tears start to form in his eyes, threatening to quickly spill over. “Whether it’s running into a building about to explode or dismantling a secret government project - protecting you, making the world a better, safer, place for you, has been my constant since we were seventeen.”

A tear rolls down Michael’s cheek at his words, and Alex reaches up with his free hand to wipe it away, before taking a quick swipe at his own eyes.

“So let me burn the world down for you now.”

Each time Michael heals him, each time he feels the connections between them roar to life, he also watches as Michael falls into a deep sleep for several hours, his body needing to recover from the energy it’s dispelled. And every time it happens, despite the smile Michael has on his face, and the love that shines through in his eyes, Alex can’t help but feel guilty for needing this. It lasts for a week, a ritual they develop each morning and even Michael holding his hand above his heart, listening to the beats as he counts them, checking to see how it’s doing.

Max had warned against it, the toll the repeated healing would eventually take on Michael’s body as well. But Alex doesn’t know how to tell him to stop. He’d seen the heartbreak in Michael’s eyes when he’d revealed he was dying. There was no stopping Michael Guerin when he was set on doing something.

“How are you feeling?” He asks, thinking about the three hour nap Michael has just woken up from.

Michael scoffs, slipping his hand from the mark on his chest, up to cup his face, carefully drawing their faces close enough so they can kiss.

“Like I have the love of my life in my arms and nothing else in the universe matters.”

#roswell new mexico #malex #malex fic #notso writes fanfic #cannot wait for monday to toss all my speculation out the window

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ascendancy-echoes · 10 months

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Chapter 2: Recovery

Day by day, Janus’s breathing improved and he stayed awake for longer, although he was exhausted even when he was awake and it was days before he was able to talk and quietly greet Lucca, much to her relief.

Finding the strength to sit up, he looked at her and asked, “What happened… since… th-the Gates closed?”

Janus listened to Lucca as she told him that three years had also passed for her, Crono and Marle. Crono and Marle were going to be married within a month and, in fact, had been at the main plaza planning things when they saw him at the top of the stairs and Alfador running towards them. On the subject of Alfador, Lucca informed Janus that Gina was taking care of his cat.

Lucca also told Janus that she spent many weeks trying to recreate the body of the Epoch and months more trying to create the engine, only stopping to take breaks when her parents insisted lest she suffer a burnout. Still, three years later she had yet to get the machine to work, much to her frustration.

“What about you? Your magic…” Lucca asked. “Melichor said you might have lost the ability to use it altogether.”

Janus closed his eyes and sighed. He was completely breathless as he spoke to her.

“I had to come back,” he said in a whispered tone, pausing occasionally to catch his breath. “You guys were the only ones who understood me. Didn’t… treat me like I was a burden…”

“What about Schala?” Lucca inquired. “Is she okay?”

Janus looked away. He was quiet for a long time before he answered. Sighing, Janus said that the last he had seen of his sister, she was well. He confessed that he had left Schala a letter and nothing more. She had become even more protective of him upon his return and despite his efforts to convince her to stop treating him like a child, she slipped back into old habits, becoming patronizing and overbearing. He left without a word, fearing a confrontation if he dared to tell her of his plan.

Taking a deep breath, Janus continued and said that the other Enlightened, including Schala, were starting to lose their magic while his own grew stronger. While Schala never showed resentment, he felt she did little to ease the envy of others or defend him against complaints about him being different.

“She… She has Amnon and Xylia,” he breathed. “And a baby on the way… she won’t be lonely.”

Lucca nodded sadly. She, Crono and Marle did not have siblings. However, Lucca couldn’t imagine that Janus was completely content with leaving his sister behind. Still, she was happy that Janus had come back. She had spent countless days missing him.

~o~O~o~

Even after Janus regained some strength as the days went by, the numbness in his legs had not gone away completely and he couldn’t stand for long. When he was ready to move in with Lucca and her parents, Taban brought over a wheelchair that Lara had used before Lucca had built her prosthetics. He and Crono helped Janus stand up to get into the chair so he could travel to the Ashtear’s house.

“When did you get so tall?” Crono mused aloud as Janus leaned against him. He had noticed the day Janus arrived that he was much taller than last they met but it was more obvious now that Janus stood up.

Janus chuckled weakly and shrugged as he settled into the wheelchair. It was clear that the wheelchair was a temporary solution as Janus barely fit in the seat. Even so, it would make do for transporting Janus to the Ashtear’s home.

Thinking about Crono’s comment as he pet Alfador, Janus quietly recalled Schala had made a similar remark upon his return. She had told him that their father had been a tall man and later expressed happiness that he was becoming the spitting image of him. At least… in looks. The brief recollection of fondness turned to pensive rumination as Janus couldn’t help but remember the countless times Schala talked about him in his presence as if he couldn’t overhear her speak of him like he was still that timid adolescent she doted on.

Once he was settled in at the Ashtears, Janus thanked Taban and Lara for letting him stay at their house and thanked Gina once more for helping him over the past week. All three of them told Janus they were happy to help a friend of their children. It was then that Gina brought up the idea of cutting his hair as it had become a tangled mess over the two weeks of being bedridden. It could be brushed but it was frayed and damaged as well so Gina thought it could help him feel better.

Janus wanted to hyperventilate at the thought but his breathing betrayed him. He weakly pulled at his sleeves and shook his head. Lucca, sensing his anxiety, sat on the edge of the bed and placed a reassuring hand on his arm.

“It’ll be okay,” she said calmly. “I trust Crono’s mom to cut my hair all the time and she won’t do anything you don’t want… and you can always grow it back out.”

With Lucca’s reassurances, Janus nodded nervously. He wheezed, “Okay.”

“Is there anything you like to do to relax that might help?” Gina asked. “The sleeve pulling might make it harder but I can work around that.”

Janus thought for a moment before asking for the Gate pendant he had crafted. Lucca handed it over and Janus rubbed the smooth green glass piece in the center of the pendant. After a moment, he looked towards Gina and told her he was ready.

~o~O~o~

True to Lucca’s word, the haircut went much better than anything he had ever gone through back in Zeal. Gina never once forced him to turn his head this way and that. She stopped when he began to flinch and fidget in the chair, resuming only when he mumbled that he was okay again. He couldn’t believe someone could be so patient with him. When Gina was done, Janus opened his eyes and glanced down at the piles of blue, tangled hair that lay about the floor at his feet. He slowly reached up and felt that his hair now rested just past his shoulders. It felt strange to have shorter hair after a decade of letting it grow out.

Gina held up a mirror to show him how he looked. Janus wasn’t the best judge of haircuts but he was surprised how different he looked. He felt himself blush as Lucca piped up that she thought he looked great before clarifying he looked great with long hair or short hair.

In a way, the haircut was the final way of severing ties to his old life. A month later, he and Lucca attended Crono and Marle’s wedding. Crono had insisted that he be a part of the wedding party as one of his groomsmen. Janus was overwhelmed by how accommodating Crono and Marle were at their wedding. It was supposed to be their day but they took time to make sure he and Lucca were also enjoying themselves. As Crono and Marle stood at the altar in their wedding clothes, Janus looked over at Lucca and hoped that both of them would get married someday too.

Over the weeks and months that followed, Janus’s health slowly but surely improved more and more. While he regained enough strength to walk without crutches after half a year, he was still plagued by occasional migraines and asthma. It took a few months before they found treatments that helped him manage these ailments. Although these health issues lessened in intensity and frequency over time, they never went away completely.

Still, to Janus, it was all worth it. He was with the woman he loved and he felt like he belonged. It was also during this time of recovery that Lucca helped him learn to read Guardian and taught him everything he wanted to know about science and history. All the while, his magic seemed gone for good. The irony was not lost on him that now he was the one without magic and Lucca, Crono and Marle still had theirs. Although, all three admitted they had little use for their abilities now that everything was peaceful.

~o~O~o~

One day, nearly a year since his arrival, Janus was going through his belongings he had brought with him from Antiquity. Besides Alfador and his sketchbook, he had also brought his sword and bracer. Such items brought back fond memories of training with Glenn and fighting alongside his friends to save the future. Looking over his sword, he wondered if he could be strong enough one day to wield it again, although he honestly hoped he’d never have to use the blade again. He liked these peaceful days.

Sheathing the sword in its scabbard, Janus picked up the bracer he and Taban had crafted and looked it over. It no longer fit properly but he kept it as a momento. The dreamstone faceted on the leather bracer still shone a deep blue much like Marle’s pendant. He held the bracer and idly rubbed his thumb on the stone. There was warmth to the stone, as if it still hummed with magic. As he continued to rub the stone in a soothing manner, Janus was startled by the spark of iridescent shadows that flickered from the gem before disappearing.

As he held the bracer and stared at the gemstone in astonishment. Janus realized if he concentrated, he could see the faintest specks of glittering black energy around his hands. Cautiously, he waved his hand over the gemstone and to his surprise, a small shield of energy resembling a black opal swirled into being. Dismissing the shield, Janus hurried to find Lucca and tell her that, against all odds, he still had his magic.

He found her in the workshop that her father had built to house the new Epoch. Since Janus’s health had improved, she had gone back to working on the Epoch in her spare time. She was welding something when he realized he was starting to suffer from a migraine. Lucca looked up from her work to see Janus at the doorway to the workshop.

“Hey!” she beamed. Turning off her blowtorch, Lucca walked over and said, “I was just about to take a bre- Are you okay?”

Janus nodded although he rubbed the side of his head, a clear sign that a migraine was coming. He stammered that his magic was back, showing her the bracer. His words were mumbled and faintly slurred as he explained he had been handling the bracer when the shield reappeared. He looked dazed as he stammered, “M-my magic is b-back… I-If I focus, I c-can.. I can see m-my magic a-and y-yours.”

Lucca wanted to feel excited for Janus but her immediate concern was that it was clear he was about to have a migraine. He had endured enough of them that she had begun to memorize the signs. Smiling, she guided him back to the house and closed the curtains in the living room. Fetching his medicine, she asked him how he felt.

“Surprised,” he admitted. He confessed he had accepted that he might never be able to use magic again. Lucca hugged him and told him that she was happy for him. Magical abilities or not, she loved him but she also knew how happy he had been during their adventure to be able to use magic.

As the months went on, most of Janus’s magical abilities slowly returned save for his ability to fly or teleport. Any attempts to perform either skill immediately resulted in a migraine that would leave him debilitated for days. However, Janus found through trial and error how much he could use his magic before exhaustion from its use would trigger a migraine or asthma. While he was not as strong as he had been prior to his return to the modern era, Janus was still able to do nearly everything he could before.

Even then, life was peaceful and he had little use for his magic. What mattered was spending his life with Lucca and building a future with her.

#chrono trigger au #echoes in time #chrono trigger #zeal ascendancy #chrono trigger lucca #chrono trigger janus

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sevilemar · 1 year

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okay, here is a very long list of random things that I thought of

Let's do this!

- I am pretty confident I'm a prep-work secondary; it drives me crazy that my roommate/best friend doesn't think ahead whatsoever. what if you forget something? don't you want to make things easier on future-you???

You can't really predict the future, though, so why invest time now that might turn out to be wasted later? Better to just look at how things are now and work with that 😉.

Yeah, prep-work secondary sounds about right.

- I have ADHD (among other issues) and executive dysfunction problems, and the way I've found best to cope with this is by doing things immediately; doing the dishes immediately after using them prevents food from getting stuck, they won't sit in the sink with food on them, and I only have to do a few dishes now rather than a bunch later

I admire anyone who can keep this up consistently. I tried so many times, and it only worked for a day or so. The only way I can keep my dishes from taking over is to limit them. If I have only one plate for everything, I either use it dirty, or I have to clean it before using it again. Same with bowls, glasses, etc.

- I collect various "tools" (interests, hobbies, skills, people) for fun and/or maybe it'll come in handy later? and I have a really hard time learning things when I HAVE to, even if I want to for practical reasons (this is related to the point above)

Hello there, birdy.

- I used to try to join or build communities; I was THE person who would see separate friends/acquaintances with things in common and introduce them to each other and end up making a group that way. I think I still have inclinations to do this, but I barely interact with people outside my circle anymore due to lower social energy

And badger's here, too, welcome!

- I have been described as "collecting interesting people"; I've also been described as "knowing everyone" and "being able to get government secrets out of an fbi agent" (semi-related to the point above)- people used to trust me very easily and see me as non-threatening (and project onto me/romanticize me, which I wanted?)

Know-a-guy bird? Courtier badger?

- I (both conscious and not) shift(?) my personality based on who I'm talking to, usually by exaggerating specific traits; I try very hard to stay consistent across people I talk to but it feels like I can't help splitting up my identity into more digestible pieces, usually based on what I think the other person is expecting from me (my ulterior motive is that I want to be liked so badly)

I don't think that's shifting. The way you describe it sounds more like a courtier badger highlighting different parts of yourself. But it's not a happy process for you, not something that feels right. I'm comfortable saying you're not snake sec, and you said yourself you don't think you're lion either. Maybe it helps if you think about it as actor bird's masks? Masks you can put down if you want to.

- I have a habit of making sideblogs for specific aesthetic, purposes, and have a hard time not separating "inconsistent sides" of me like that. could be considered a bird collecting (though I think tags are more for that) or actor bird thing?

Yes, collections are a classic bird thing, and I think that's what's happening here. I don't think it's wrong to have separate sides like that, though. Why do you think it's a problem? Where does this fear come from? And if you want to integrate them more, how would you go about it?

- when faced with a problem, I start trying to strategize a solution, or at least a temporary band-aid. I'll think of the resources I have and what options are available. my biggest example is when we got into an accident and no longer had a vehicle; are there areas we can walk to nearby? what people do I know who are able to give me a ride somewhere? is there a taxi available, or uber? back when we had little money, I'd keep track of who I was able to ask for money for help with groceries. etc etc etc.

I'd say that's bird. I would do the same.

- I avoid asking the same person for help repeatedly during a short period of time because people will grow tired and resentful towards you

That's just good people management 😉.

- However, I've relied on others basically my entire life; I don't feel like I've ever accomplished anything important without the assistance of others. I was only able to move out of my family's house because I'd look for friends who'd be able to take me in- another example of a time I solved a problem: when we needed to get passports within a specific period of time, I had to devise an incredibly shaky plan: our ride was going to take us somewhere, so I asked if he'd take us to a passport application appointment instead (he is hard to ask to do things as it is). we had to go to the library, and I also didn't know if they'd accept cash, and we didn't have enough money on our debit card. we also didn't know if we'd even get our passports in time. I hated how unsure everything was, but everything worked out and I was incredibly relieved and proud of myself

I get Know-a-guy bird vibes from this. It could be badger, but something about the planning and the stressing out just says bird to me.

- previously mentioned ride can be hard to convince to do things and my first inclination is to bribe him using gas money or fast food

- my wrists have been having issues for months, causing my roommate to have to do all my chores, and my go-to when asking her for things is also bribery via fast food...

Know your ressources, and how to manage them, right? 😉. Also, hope your wrists get better.

- negotiation is a Big tool I use incredibly often, but try not to unless I feel like it's the best choice to make. is sacrifice or making deals a tool?

I think they are tools, or as I would call them, strategies.

- I've never worked hard at anything important, like pursuing a career (I've never had any ambitions for the future and wish I didn't have to work at all), but when I get into hobbies like speedrunning, I poured hundreds of hours into repetitive practice (this is partially what injured my wrists...)

That's really alien to me. It sounds like badger hard work, but it could be bird planning, too? I really don't know.

- speaking of my wrists, it's been incredibly stressful not being able to do things and only being able to rely on my roommate and others; I much prefer being able to do things myself, as I can trust them to get done and I don't have to constantly ask for help and be a burden. I've come up with some tools to help me cope though; I can use my elbows to do things like turn faucets and door handles, as well as navigate my computer via touchpad, and I can use a combination of Google assistant, voice to text, and my nose to navigate my phone, which at least stresses me out less

You're describing them as tools, which is a bird thing to do, but I would handle it just the same, and I think everyone would? If you have to, you get creative, whether you like it or not.

- another example of a time I solved a problem: I used to not know how to use art programs, but I DID know how to use HTML and I had fun doing it, so I'd use that to make transparent borders for my streaming setup.

It's an I-move thing, I think. So more bird (or snake).

- I also want to get into fostering kittens in the future, and I know it will be a lot of work and responsibility and heartache, but I really want to. I even bought a feral cat trap, and wrote an article for my mother's online newspaper for some money about the TNR program. unfortunately at the moment I don't have the money or energy to pursue this, but I'm excited to in the future

And I bet you've already researched all about it, right? 😉

- speaking of hobbies, I enjoy some grindy things like shiny hunting in Pokemon, since you get to show off how much effort you put into it. however, while I aspire to be able to do hard stuff like SRing for a shiny starter or hunting full odds without a method that makes it easier, I often give up

Trying to be badger but are not? ADHD getting in the way?

- another example of when I solved a problem: we asked a family friend to watch our cats while we went on vacation (another problem I solved), and when we got back we learned that our nervous cat had been hiding the entire time and we couldn't get her to come out, and after we decided to give up temporarily, on the drive home I remembered that I have the aforementioned feral cat trap, so we gave it to the family friend and two mornings later she was caught and brought home!

Resourceful. And more I-move stuff, I think?

- I have a discord server just for myself where I store various things, such as important things (college programs, recipes, etc) as well as mostly hobby related things like speedrunning references and animal crossing inspiration/ideas. I also have a reminder bot in here I use to remember things

That's so birdy, my friend <3

- I feel like I'm bad at coming up with original ideas, but I'm very good at modifying or improving things to make them even better, such as editing an image or tumblr theme. I also tend to learn things by messing around with something someone's made and using their work as a reference

I also can't make something from nothing and need something to react to and work with. But references are really not my jam, I just do the thing and see how it comes out. Difference between a bird and a snakebird, I think.

- I like to keep track of/remember little details about people and use that to surprise them with things they like, like posts or gifts if I'm able to

I could never manage it. It just slips right out of my brain if it's not about my people. I'd say this is badger, but I don't have much experience with know-a-guy birds, so it might also be that

- My boyfriend is definitely a badger secondary, and I feel like he is a lot better than me at working hard at things. I always think that people who are able to work hard at things and accomplish things are very enviable, and I wish I was more like them

I think you're more bird than badger, nonny, but you definitely like the badger way.

my current theory is that I'm either a burned badger with a bird model (as a coping mechanism?) OR a bird with a badger model that I use as a tool

I think you're a know-a-guy bird with either a badger model or performance, who really likes badgers.

- 🍵🐍

#sortinghatchats #ask answers #bird secondary #badger secondary

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