#he was such a baby here... just 26 years old with a ponytail and a dream

[samreiddaily]

You are above reducing yourself for the sake of rank. I pray he would marry you without a penny to your name, for that is a man who would truly treasure you.

sam reid as john davinier in belle (2013) dir. amma asante

#we all go apeshit over i love her with every breath i breathe #but that quote is the one that really makes me swoon #sam reid #belle #belle 2013 #amma asante #he was such a baby here... just 26 years old with a ponytail and a dream

[thatsonemorbidcorvid]

Murphy’s death was just the latest in a seemingly endless, parade of crimes against women that have horrified the country.

Two weeks after Murphy went missing, another woman was killed in Ballarat, a city with a population of just over 100,000, in a separate and unrelated case. Rebecca Young, a 42-year-old mother of five, was allegedly killed by her partner in a suspected murder-suicide.

On 5 April, in bushland near Ballarat, a car was set on fire. Inside it, police found the body of a 23-year-old named Hannah McGuire. Her ex-partner has been charged with her murder…

On 22 April: 28-year-old Molly Ticehurst; 23 April: 49-year-old Emma Bates; 26 April: 30-year-old Erica Hay; 29 April: 78-year-old Joan Drane.

It was the death of Samantha Murphy that prompted a sense that something in Australia was very wrong.

The 51-year-old mother of three left her home in Ballarat in regional Victoria to go for a jog at around 7am on a Sunday morning in early February and did not return.

Murphy was not the first woman to be killed in Australia this year, she was the twelfth. The country followed along as police conducted extensive searches of bushland near her home, appealed for information and released CCTV showing her setting off for her run wearing exercise gear, and with blonde hair pulled back into a messy ponytail.

More than one month later, police arrested and charged a 22-year-old man with her murder. Her body has still not been found.

Murphy’s death was just the latest in a seemingly endless, parade of crimes against women that have horrified the country.

Two weeks after Murphy went missing, another woman was killed in Ballarat, a city with a population of just over 100,000, in a separate and unrelated case. Rebecca Young, a 42-year-old mother of five, was allegedly killed by her partner in a suspected murder-suicide.

On 5 April, in bushland near Ballarat, a car was set on fire. Inside it, police found the body of a 23-year-old named Hannah McGuire.

Her ex-partner has been charged with her murder. The deaths are all separate and unrelated. Here, in the space of two months was another death of another woman in the same small city.

The grief bubbled over, prompting an urgent conversation about violence against women and what will be done about it. Especially pressing is the situation faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, who are disproportionately affected by family and domestic violence.

On 12 April, hundreds of Ballarat residents marched in the streets holding signs asking for the names of the women to be remembered and demanding action to end violence against women.

And then, the next day, on a balmy autumn Saturday afternoon in Sydney, a man entered a shopping centre in Bondi Junction armed with a knife. He murdered six people, five of them women. Twelve people, including eight women, were injured, including a nine-month-old baby girl whose mother was murdered in the attack.

Police announced they would investigate whether the killer, who was shot dead by police, had deliberately targeted women and children. But it seemed they had already reached a conclusion on that matter, with the New South Wales police commissioner Karen Webb, saying videos of the attack “speak for themselves”.

“It’s obvious to me … that the offender had focused on women and avoided the men,” she said.

There were vigils; surfers made a heart with their boards out past the break at Bondi beach; the prime minister granted residency to two men who had fended off the attacker and praised the heroism of the female police officer who – without backup – chased the murderer through the centre and when he lunged at her with his knife, shot him dead.

And still the deaths did not stop.

On 22 April: 28-year-old Molly Ticehurst; 23 April: 49-year-old Emma Bates; 26 April: 30-year-old Erica Hay; 29 April: 78-year-old Joan Drane.

And with the relentless drumbeat, fury and grief erupted across the country.

In people’s homes, at barbecues and cafes, in furious editorials in the newspapers and in segments on radio and television, the same questions were being asked. Why are women still not safe to go for a morning jog, to take their baby to a bustling shopping centre, to exist in their own homes without being killed.

According to the Counting Dead Women Australia project, run by researchers from Destroy the Joint, 28 women have died this year – 27 of them alleged to be at the hands of men. This compares to 15 by this point in 2023, 18 by the same point in 2022, 14 in 2021, 16 in 2020, meaning that even excluding the Bondi stabbing attack, the numbers this year are high.

“It’s time we started talking about it not in terms of just ‘violence against women’,” Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young told Guardian Australia’s Australian Politics podcast. “This is the terrorising of women in their homes and on the street. Women don’t feel safe.”

Figures indicate Australia does have a particular problem with intimate partner killings.

In 2022-23, while the overall homicide rate was lower in Australia (5.6 deaths per million of population) compared with England and Wales (six per million), Australia had nearly double the rate of women killed by a current or former partner, with 34 intimate partner homicides against women in Australia and 35 in England and Wales, despite Australia having a population nearly half that of England and Wales.

The country’s Labor prime minister, Anthony Albanese has declared violence against women a “national crisis”, convened an emergency meeting of national cabinet – the meeting of all the premiers of states and territories, as well as the federal leadership – and on Wednesday announced a $925m package to help victims of violence leave abusive relationships.

Albanese said on Wednesday the suite of measures was “a further step forward” but that he could not be satisfied when a woman was killed in Australia, on average, every four days.

There is a palpable fury in the air. In the last weekend of April, thousands of people took to the streets in 17 rallies across the country, calling for greater action. But there is fear too, that nothing will change.

“I find myself saying [in media interviews] please don’t forget about us next week when the news cycle moves on,” says Karen Bevan, CEO of Full Stop Australia, a sexual, domestic and family violence response and recovery service.

“This isn’t the first time that there’s been a coalescing of national conversation around issues of gendered violence, sexual assault, domestic violence. We’ve certainly had other moments.”

In particular, Bevan is thinking of 2015, when Rosie Batty, whose 11-year-old son Luke had been murdered by his father at cricket training the year before, was made Australian of the Year. Her advocacy catapulted family violence to the top of the public conversation, for a time.

“She, in a moment, changed the conversation,” says Bevan. “And I don’t think her moment was a flash in the pan either. I think she created extraordinary change.”

Since then, changes in the public conversation, media reporting and in the legislative space have made a difference, says Bevan, pointing to the introduction of affirmative consent laws, the passing coercive control legislation, reform of family law, and a review into the funding of legal aid services.

“The other piece we can’t ignore here is that we have a more receptive political environment to the conversation,” she says, of the Labor government, which announced tackling domestic violence as a key priority when it came to power in 2022.

“I do think it matters that governments aren’t only saying ‘thoughts and prayers’, they are also doing things,” she says.

But, there are still huge systemic issues: a national housing crisis and a drastic underfunding of refuges that means women choose between remaining in a violent relationship and homelessness; a lack of funding for women seeking legal help; a scarcity of services particularly for rural and Indigenous women. Experts have also pointed to bail laws, inadequate and sometimes downright harmful policing practices, to show there is much that needs to change before women are safe.

On 1 May, thousands of people turned out in parks, on foreshores, on the lawns of Parliament House for candlelit vigils in honour of all women who were the victims of violence.

Antoinette Braybrook, the CEO of Djirra, an organisation that provides support to Indigenous women experiencing family violence, spoke of the country’s grief in a video ahead of the events.

“Tonight we light not one candle but many … for every woman, for every Aboriginal woman, whose life has been violently taken. For our children, our future, who will never again be embraced by their mum’s love. For every family who has lost a mother, sister, daughter, auntie, grandmother.

“We want you to know we will never give up on our fight for women to live a life free from violence.”

[thedevilsrain]

I’m sorry Jimmy Page did WHAT?? Can you expand on all that??? (I know he sucked but wooooooowww it just gets worse and worse doesn’t it?)

yea man sure!

(put under a readmore, it gets upsetting)

so this part, you can just fill under "gossip", nothin exactly criminal here, its just to show that hes an asshole. in 1970 (when he was a well grown adult of 26) he got married to a woman, then proceeded to cheat on her (will elaborate. dont worry) for a decade, including when she was pregnant and when she had her baby

now the actual, like, criminal part (and if i get any "well thats not under the age of consent" comments i swear to god)... this is pretty widely known, widely available information, widely photographed, widely in newspapers, that he had a "relationship" with a 13 year old girl, who herself used the term "basically kidnapped" to describe how richard cole took her to JP's hotel room. heres a source, here's another, and here's the entire wikipedia tab dedicated to it

this next part is complicated, because i'm assuming it's not something people hear much about, even if it is one of the first news that show up when you google jason bonham's name. he appeared on the howard stern show (no comments lol) and commented how, when he was sixteen, JP, himself an addict, gave him cocaine

BUT, two weeks later, he retracted the statements, and gave a PR response on his website how all of it was untrue. heres a source and a screenshot in case roIIing stones goes to shit

like i said. it is complicated. he retracted the statement, but i just cannot imagine someone making up a story (especially someone like bonham) that someone as rich and famous and important as page would give him hard drugs as a teenager

not only that, i think everyone has at least one story of a family friend offering them something when they were a little too young. but thats just me

back to gossip! like the leo after him, he keeps getting older, but they say the same! 79 year old page has been in a relationship of six years with professional 33 year old weirdgirl poet scarIett sabet (who, fun fact, is over a decade younger than his oldest daughter of the same name!) since 2014, when she was 24 years old and he was 70! however, they've admitted to knowing each other since she was twenty-two! source here, an source there!

he was also married to jimena gómez-paratcha from the mid-90s, when she was around 23 and he was around 50, to 2008, in a period where they had two children, and he adopted her daughter! source here

and thats it! a callout post for a recently 79 year old millionaire. being genuinely serious, however, i dont judge nor care abt people who like him. some people have their limits on who they like, some don't, and thats fine. the world is a beautiful sphere of contradictions. but i do hope this explains why i am filled with dread every time i see that man's balding, frog looking grin. maybe it's just his ponytail really

#ask #anonymous #also his poetry sucks.

[orioo]

Name for N6 + Official Designs and Ages for Main6!

SO! i know i said i’d stop for today. i swear i tried, i really did try to stop brainstorming, but i just couldn’t ... 

anywayssss this resulted in me messing around with some Fantasy Name Generator i found on google and ... well. our lovely N6, demi-goddess, mender N6, now has a name! she has been baptized everybody! from this day forth, N6 shall be called .... DRUMROLLS PLEASE! *drumrolls, drumrolls* Phala !!!!

i looked through so many goddess names that i started seeing blurry for a few minutes, but it was absolutely worth it. ahh, the second i saw the name, top of the 10-names list, i connected with it on a spiritual level never before felt by yours truly. Phala. phala phala phalalalalalalalala

it said there that this name actually means Goddess of Commerce, which ... uhhhh. i don’t really know how accurate this would be for my Phala, but eh, the name is pretty, and its fit for a goddess, what more do we need?

and now. even more exciting news everybody! after frying my eyes on that darned website full of text, i decide to move onto another three darned websites - but full of images this time. i’m not talented in the art-drawing-painting-designing department at all, so i knew i had to resort to some other solution in order to give you guys a proper visual to the main6, soooooo .... picrew!

i used 3 different sites for each of their designs, so you can imagine how much of a toll this had (has) on my eyes ToT but everything for my dears. another reason i designed them 6 each on 3 different sites is beacsue i wanted to get the most accurate depiction i could :D also, tiny details such as moles, earrings, scars etc. aren’t alwayd available on every site, so i’ll make sure to specify for everybody in particular what peculiarity they may have ^^ all in all, it’s up to each and everyone of you to imagine them as you may please, this is me, the creator of this story, doing just that in hopes of making your job easier, haha

Official Designs and Ages for Main6

(just as a small a/n: the ages specified here are the ones the characters start out with at the very beginning of the story. if time passes, i’ll announce how much it was and each character’s current age. only when/if that happens though. for now, enjoy~)

Filip - the Prince - 24 years old (born on march 3rd)

Filip has a mole on the left side of his face, below his lip

he has a torn left eyebrow, but it doesn’t show because of his longer bangs - as a scar would be seen as rebelious, unfit for a prince

the closest i could get to his desired design in terms of hair and eye color is in the middle pic. i know the other pics are kindy funky with their colors heh (he still looks good though, dammit!) 

he is very stylish, and especially revels in warm colors, such as white, cream, brown etc. vitage style baby

Kaji - the Bodyguard - 19 years old (born on november 13th)

Kaji is the redhead of my cast. end of story (the shade of it is slightly redder than the 3rd pic and slightly less red than the 2nd pic, just enough for his elemental hair stripe to be noticeable)

unfortunately, the first site i used lacked both a short ponytail, which is what he preferrs to wear his hair like, and a nice shade of red. dissappointing, but not unexpected.

he has piercings. boy went through a rough time, and rebeling was a coping method for him

he has a scar on his left cheek, starting from his jaw all the way up to right below his eye. backstory on that tba

violet eyes!

yes, he smokes. tries to stop, dunno if he manages. Filip always makes sure to lecture him on how unhealthy it is.

he likes turtlenecks!

although he wears his hair tied in a low ponytail 98% of the times, in the last pic you can have a glimpse of his hair down :D

Shreya - the Mommy Mercenary - 26 years old (born on december 20th)

some may say that longer hair gets in their way during the heat of battles, but Shreya? nah, her hair is is her treasure. that way, she can achieve victory and have her hair flutter heroically in the wind!

dark, green eyes

silver jewelry! i switched my mind on it halfway through, since i initially wanted her to wear gold to complement her earth amulet, but yellow is Piper′s thing. she can keep her lovely jewelry silver

charming smile shining through!

loves green! loves plants and nature! she’s been travelling since forever and only the plants have been a constant companion in her journeys

Milo - the “Brawns” - 18 years old (born april 1st)

tanned skin since he spends so much time out in the sun, adventuring!

he has barely visible freckles. and almost a permanent blush? makes it seem like he’s the one getitng flirted with, jeez

pearly white hair !! tried growing it out at some point but since he cut it, Piper must’ve made fun of him or something (or maybe she just wanted them to match?)

loves sea creatures. doesn’t even have correlation with his amulet, he just loves sea creatures. growing up in a family of fishermen does things to a youngster

he doesn’t like talking about it, but the only reason he has pierced ears is because his older sister told him that earrings would make him more attractive to girls. he took her word on it and didn’t shed a tear as his ears were pierced! (...okay, maybe one tear...)

Phala reassured him that earrings fit him and made him seem softer, which is indeed appealing to most people. didn’t specify girls. he agreed with it. maybe he understood her memmo, maybe he was hypnotized by her beauty. neither of them know for sure

in the last pic you can see his staff fully extended, held onto his back! it’s usually conpacted into a 4th of its entirety though. in the same pic you can also see his amulet tied to the necklace he found!

Piper - the “Brains” - 17 years old (born on 5th october)

she’s so pale, it’s a wonder she’s a full-time adventurer and doesn’t get sunburnt!

her amber eyes matches her blonde hair! very pretty <3

she started wearing eyeglasses when she was very young, thinking it would help her focus on her studies, then actually started needing them to be able to read ... yickes

loves yellow! air might be her element, but she’ll never abandon her fondness for this color. she even asked Shreya to switch the representative colors with her; Shreya loves green so the trade was successful!

when she was younger, she had way longer hair, but in recent years she became keen on mullets and eventually cut her own hair into one, or something similar to it, anyways. it makes her look like a geek, but she actually is one, so she doesn’t mind!

she wears a yellow cloth headband on the side of which she tied her amulet aswell as -slight spoiler ahead!- 2 longer white feathers from her parakeet, angled downwards and curling behind her ear, exactly like in the last pic (imagine the feathers are attached to her headband, not earrings)

Phala - ??? years old, seemingly 23 years old (born on august 24th)

her hair is most accurately represented by the 2nd pic, both in shade and in shape

her skin tone is very similar to Milo′s

she has silver eyes <3

she has a beauty mark slightly beneat her left eye, just like in the last pictures (fun fact: it was originally beneath her right eye, but i let myself be coerced by the sites...)

pretty earrings! she only got them after her awakening in the present times, but she loves them as if they have been lifelong companions.

must be why she appreciated Milo having earrings too? also, she openly expresses how lovely she thinks Kaji′s piercings are, but he only seems to frown and uneasily poke at them whenever she praises them, maybe he doesn’t like them? but then why did he get so many? ah, human teens are weird. best leave it unquestioned or hunt down Filip for answers -  he always seems to have them.

the sites used for the pictures are as follows:

1. https://picrew.me/image_maker/684058

2. https://picrew.me/image_maker/197705

3. https://picrew.me/image_maker/582810

that was that lovely readers! it’s very late here for me, so i’ll end it short and head to bed; my eyes desperately need the rest. i hope the images helped you better visualise each character and hopefully, maybe even connect to them more? does anybody has any favorites yet? i personally can’t choose, i got attached to all of them so much ToT Piper has a really soft spot reserved in my heart though, must protect <3 but then again, have you seen Milo? and don’t get me started on Phala .... but Kaji was originally my favorite... and let’s not forget our tourist attractions, Filip and Shreya UGH they’re so fine

yeah, that was all. sweet dreams~!

[h0tchner]

go team hotchner!

pairing: dad!aaron hotchner x fem!reader

summary: aaron is coaching jack’s soccer game & reader is in the crowd! aaron & reader are happily married, but another woman’s mean comments and blatant flirting makes the reader jealous. fluffy shenanigans ensue!

word count: 2.5k

includes: FLUFF, jack hotchner is the sweetest, you & aaron are married, jealous!reader, kissing, family planning, & AARON IN A GREY T-SHIRT

rating: 18+ (for VERY brief mentions of sex and a little smidge of cursing)

a/n: i wrote this for @ssahotchswife​’s soft hotch saturday! this is my first published fic, so i hope y’all enjoy. PLS (!!!!!!!!!!!) interact if you liked this, rb, comment, like and/or send me a request if you have ideas for future fics! i love y’all! - rivka💞

“Atta boy, Jack!” Aaron yells from the side of the field, clapping his hands as his son scores another goal.

Beaming, you holler from the benches along with the crowd. You watch as your husband jogs up and down the sidelines with ease, keeping up with Jack’s soccer team. It’s a stunning Saturday morning and you are thrilled to spend every moment of it with the Hotchner boys. Your Hotchner boys.

When they asked Aaron to coach the team, how could he say no? After losing Hayley, he promised himself that he would do everything in his power to be there for Jack. When you first started dating, Aaron was hesitant to introduce you to his son. It wasn’t because he didn’t want you in Jack’s life, but rather he didn’t want to scare you away. You were a 26-year-old NCIS agent and he was a 40-something FBI agent. You knew he had a son, you knew he was a widow, and you knew he was older than you: but you didn’t care. You loved him. It took a little coaxing to get Aaron to open up to you about his fears, but once he did, you assured him then and there that you weren’t going anywhere. He introduced you to Jack the very same day. Four years later, you and Aaron are stronger than ever.

The ref blows the whistle, calling a break. Aaron motions for the kids to huddle in. He squats on the floor to get on their level, enthusiastically whispering, walking them through the next play. Your heart swells watching him talk to the group of children. Aaron Hotchner, always the hero, the role-model, the leader. Gentle yet powerful: he was intoxicating.

Your eyes dart over his crouched figure; the soft, heather grey of his t-shirt clings to his broad shoulders. You draw in a breath, a memory of last night flooding your senses, remembering how you held on to those shoulders for dear life as he pounded you into the bed. You feel your cheeks blush red, and you look up to the sky, shutting your eyes to collect yourself. Damn. Even just the thought of touching him gets your blood up.

You open your eyes, letting your gaze travel back to Aaron’s body, admiring how good his butt looks in those black Adidas track pants. You bite your lip a bit, feeling overwhelmed with joy, knowing that beautiful man, inside and out, was all yours. God, what you wanted to do to...

“Damn he is HOT. Way hotter than the old coach. I think his son is on the team?” A woman’s voice rings out from behind you.

“Yeah, I think so. Did you hear what happened to his first wife? So sad, lost her when his son was little. Apparently he’s shacked up with some 20-something-year-old now.” A second woman’s voice chimes in.

“No way. Him? Married to that? He needs a real woman, not some child. A man that experienced should be with someone his own age. I’m gonna talk to him after the game, see what his deal is.” The first woman replies, voice dripping with venom.

“I think you should!” Agrees the second.

“Oh, I will. I’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse.” Snickers the first.

They both laugh as you sit frozen in your seat, blinded by a wave of anger and sadness.

Some child? Someone his own age? Their hurtful words pierce right through your heart as you furiously blink back tears.

The ref blows the whistle, and the team scatters back onto the field. The ladies cheer behind you as the game starts back up. It takes all your strength not to break down under the crushing weight of their conversation. You take in some deep breaths, mulling over their comments. You weren’t “some child!” You were a grown-ass woman! You had a job! You were a federal agent! You loved Aaron and Jack: they were your whole world!

As you continue to give yourself a mental pep-talk, the hurt begins to dissipate as you realize how stupid those woman sounded. They didn’t even know you, or Aaron, or anything about your relationship. In that moment, you tell yourself that instead of wallowing in self-doubt, you would stand up to them and make it known that you were the only one for Aaron.

Just like that: you begin to feel a bit better. You focus all your attention on Aaron and Jack, letting the game fly by. You ignore the ladies gossiping behind you, and, by the time the kids are lining up to give the other team high-fives, you had pulled yourself together and come up with a plan to put these ladies right back in their place. You just had to wait for the right time to make your move.

“Wish me luck!” squeals the first woman. You can feel her getting up from the bleachers behind you.

“Go get him, girl!” sasses the second.

You watch as the woman walks down the aisle, her straight blonde ponytail swishing as she goes. She’s wearing blue-jean shorts and a white lace top: an outfit you’ve seen before on a hundred women who looked just like her. In any other circumstance you’d applaud her efforts (girls supporting girls, right?) but this was your man she had her sights on. No way. Not a chance. She wasn’t going to lay a single pink manicured finger on him.

Aaron is talking to the ref and the other team’s coach when she taps him on the shoulder.

Oh HELL no. You think, frowning.

He turns around and gives her a small, polite smile. You can’t hear the exchange, but after a few moments, she sticks out her hand to shake his, laughing. Aaron curtly returns the shake and turns back to finish up his prior conversation; but, this time, the blonde woman puts a hand on his arm again, lightly pulling him away. Your blood begins to boil. She gestures to the pack of kids, now getting drinks and snacks from the fold-up table next to the bleachers. Aaron nods, pointing over to where Jack is standing, sipping on some lemonade. She puts her hand on his arm again and tilts her head.

You decide it has been long enough. It’s go time.

You walk down the bleachers, picking up the hem of your baby blue floral sundress so you wouldn’t step on it as you descended.

The woman is still all over Aaron, clearly flirting. Aaron’s arms are crossed over his chest, lips in a terse smile. It didn’t take a profiler to know that his behaviour screamed “get me out of here.”

You fluff your hair a bit, letting it fall loosely around your face. With confidence, your feet hit the soft grass and you head towards your husband.

“Aaron!” you call out, waving and smiling as you near him, shooting daggers at the blonde woman by his side.

The moment he sees you approaching, you watch his entire demeanour change.

“Y/N!” he grins, excusing himself from the woman.

She whips around to face you with a vengeance as Aaron scoops you up, tanned arms firm around your middle. He spins you around as you laugh, surprised, looking down at him with pure elation.

He sets you down and, before you have a chance to say anything else, grabs your face in his hands, crashing his mouth into yours. You throw your arms around his neck and card your fingers in his hair, kissing him with the same fervour.

You can practically feel the adrenaline coursing through his veins. It’s hot and dominating: something about winning a game makes Aaron primal and giddy. You certainly aren’t complaining.

He breaks the kiss and lets his hands fall to your waist, squeezing lightly.

“Congrats on the win, Coach Hotchner.” You smile as you brush a lock of sweaty black hair off his forehead.

“Couldn’t have done it without my favourite cheerleader, Mrs. Hotchner.” He winks, pressing a light kiss to your forehead.

“Oh yeah?” You prod, cocking your head, looking into his gorgeous hazel eyes. “Who would that be?”

“Hm.” He pauses, looking up pensively.

He wraps his arms even tighter around your middle and dips his head down, whispering one word in your ear: “You.”

You laugh, swaying with him for a moment, capturing his lips in another kiss. As you pull apart, out of the corner of your eye you watch as the blonde woman stands frozen to the same spot, mouth agape. You smirk, feeling satisfied and self-assured knowing your little scheme was a success.

Then, like a rocket, you see Jack running towards you with a mile-wide grin on his flushed face.

“Y/N! Did you see? Did you see me make two goals?” Jack exclaims.

“Yeah buddy, I saw the whole thing!” You capture him in a bear hug, kissing the top of his head. You ruffle his hair and kneel down, looking into his soft brown eyes.

“I’m so proud of you. Did you have fun?”

“Yeah! I love soccer!” Jack nods.

“You did a great job Jack.” Aaron says, helping you stand. He wraps an arm around your waist and looks lovingly down at his son.

“You’re our soccer superstar.” You add, glancing between Jack and Aaron with unbridled joy. “Now go! Go back to your friends!” You laugh, shooing him away, back to the group of sweaty 8-year-olds and their snacks.

You stand there with Aaron, snaking your arm around his back to match his around yours. You both watch as Jack bounds off. A quick glance to the side shows that the blonde woman is long gone, probably stomping back up to her friend to whine and call you more names.

“Is she gone?” Aaron murmurs into your hair, pressing a gentle kiss to the side of your head.

You stutter, “How... how did you?” You trail off in disbelief.

“Oh please,” he smirks, “I had to stop you from practically biting her head off when you walked over.”

“Aaron!” you yelp, mocking upset. “You should’ve let me at her.”

He chuckles, lips twitching into a smile as he quirks one eyebrow up. “I couldn’t have my wife fighting with the aunt of one of my players. It’d reflect poorly on me.”

“She called me a child. Said that you should be with someone your own age. I think that warrants a free pass.”

His joking manner stops abruptly at your declaration. “That’s ridiculous and you know it,” he furrows his brow, shaking his head lightly.

You reach up and run your fingers over his scrunched forehead, soothing the lines into something softer.

“I know,” you nod.

Aaron pulls you into his side, wordless. Fingers tracing lightly over your hip. You knew he was thinking the same thing: no matter what they said, you knew in your heart that you and Aaron were meant to be. Age be damned. He was yours and you were his: forever. Simple as that.

“Mmm,” you sigh, taking in the beauty of the moment. You smile at the clear sky, the fresh air, and the feeling of the man you loved, right by your side. You two watch Jack as he talks and laughs with the other kids. He looks so happy to be surrounded by them: a natural conversationalist. You can’t help but start to think about how he would be the best big brother in the whole world. It makes your breath hitch in your throat a bit.

“What is it?” Aaron gives your side a squeeze.

Of course he could sense when your thoughts began to wander. Aaron was a man of many talents.

“Oh, it’s nothing.” You look up at him with a reassuring glance, returning the squeeze.

“Y/N...” Aaron trails off, hazel-brown eyes searing into yours.

Damn your gaze, Hotchner.

You look away, letting your arm drop from his waist and move to step away a bit: he grabs for your hand instinctively, keeping you next to him. His big hands engulf your small ones, fingers entwined.

You know he is still staring at you, but you can’t bring yourself to look at him yet. Your eyes refocus on Jack.

“I was... I was thinking,” you begin. “I love you. I love you so much, no matter what anybody else says. And I love Jack like he’s my own.”

You breathed in, prepping yourself mentally for what you were about to say next.

“Jack is so good with other kids.” You continue, “He loves being social, being a teammate.”

You gather the strength to meet your husband’s famous glare.

“And watching you coach these kids? You’re so good with them, Aaron. You make every one of them feel special. You give 110% of your heart, and I am so lucky to be your co-coach in life.” You tell him in earnest.

“Aaron,” you carry on, emboldened, “I think it’s time we added a new member to the Hotchner team” you finish, searching every inch of Aaron’s face for recognition.

You watch as he takes in the information. After a few beats, it clicks.

“Y/N,” his expression softens, “Do you want to have a baby?”

You bite your lip and nod, eyes wide and hopeful.

Aaron nearly explodes with happiness; his eyes crinkle as he smiles down at you, unable to speak. And then, his warm body envelopes yours, solid but soft: unmistakably Aaron.

You let out a shaky laugh and bury your head in his neck, breathing in the smell of cologne and light sweat.

He pulls back a little, one hand tilting your chin up to look at him.

“Oh my god, Y/N,” he shakes his head in disbelief.

“Does that mean yes?” you ask, in a small voice.

Aaron laughs again, letting out a sigh. He tucks a strand of hair behind your ear, letting his hand linger on your cheek. You lean into his touch.

“Yes,” he says, giddy. “Let’s have a baby.”

The sound of children laughing fills your ears as you grab the back of his head and pull Aaron into a soft kiss. The kiss is full of promise: a gentle pact, sealing the deal. You and Aaron were going to have a baby. Jack was going to have a little brother or sister.

You pull away, arms still around his neck.

“I love you, Aaron.” You breathe out.

“I love you, Y/N.” He whispers back.

Nobody on this planet could shake the bond you and Aaron had. Suburban soccer moms be damned.

#aaron hotchner #aaron hotchner x reader #aaron hotch imagine #aaron hotchner x you #aaron hotchner x fem!reader #aaron hotchner fanfiction #aaron hotchner fanfic #my content #my fics #criminal minds #criminal minds x reader #criminal minds fanfiction #dad!hotch #hotch x reader #hotch #aaron hotch #cm fanfic #jack hotchner #hayley hotchner #hotch x you #aaron hotchner fic #sex ment #imagine #female reader #ssahotchswife #soft hotch saturday #soft hotch #dad hotch #married #go team hotchner!

[liaromancewriter]

The Competition

Premise: As another Valentine’s Day approaches, Max and Sienna get competitive about which of them is better at seduction.

Book: Open Heart (post series) Pairing: Sienna Trinh x Max Valentine (M!OC) Rating/Category: Teen. Fluff. Format: Text fic + prose Words: 1,200 Event Prompt: To Be (trying to one-up one another on Valentine’s Day)

A/N: This is the last of the @choicesmonthlychallenge Valentine’s Challenge prompts, requested by @rookiemartin. Timeline wise, it takes place after A Valentine Holiday and the lead up was briefly referenced in my New Year post.

Also submitting to @choicesfebruary2022challenge Day 26 prompt “Romance”

Part 1: The Rounds

Part 2: And the Winner Is…

Light from the February sun was just breaking through the stormy clouds above the Potomac. The weak rays barely penetrated the treated glass of the living room’s wall-to-ceiling windows in the penthouse apartment in Georgetown.

On the far side of the room, Max Valentine expertly moved around the kitchen, preparing Saturday morning breakfast for his family. As he flipped the waffle iron, he silently laughed at how his one-year-old son would mash the waffles in his tiny hands before shoving them into his mouth.

The kid’s manners left a lot to be desired, thought Max, but his giggles and obvious enjoyment at every little thing made the minor inconvenience worth it. According to his mother, Noah wasn’t all that different from how he’d been at that age.

Max remembered feeling an indescribable emotion at the idea of his son sharing more than his DNA. When he looked at Noah, he saw Sienna in those curious brown eyes. But he also saw the Valentine resolve.

He set the bacon to drain before pouring hot water into a teapot, leaving the tea to steep while he grabbed beans to grind for Sienna’s coffee.

It was the day after February 14 and their third year not celebrating Valentine’s Day. He had worried that she would resent it eventually, but instead she had accepted his stance. And even seemed to prefer it since it made February 15 a day that was so uniquely just for them rather than shared with a few billion people.

“That smells delicious. Are we competing here too?”

He smiled across the kitchen island, meeting Sienna’s laughing gaze as she walked over, tying her hair back into a ponytail. She still wore her nightgown, the loosely tied silk robe hanging off her shoulder.

“You’re the undisputed champion in the kitchen,” he said, tugging her into his arms, his lips brushing against hers in a light kiss. “Good morning. Ready to admit defeat yet?”

He chuckled when she huffed and shoved him back. Their competition the last two weeks had been fun as each tried to outdo the other on who had the best seduction technique.

At this point, they were fairly evenly matched. Not that he was ready to admit that; his competitive nature was too ingrained. But he’d been surprised at how much Sienna had gotten into the spirit.

She may look innocent, and was easy going most of the time, but he loved it when she went toe to toe with him. Very few could.

“Why don’t we call it a draw?” she said with an arched eyebrow, folding her arms across her chest.

He lifted her onto the kitchen island, stepping between her splayed thighs. He leaned in, swallowing her gasp as the cold marble touched her warm skin. As he made love to her with his mouth, she raised her arms to circle his neck, her fingers tangling in the hair at the back of his head.

The plaintive cry that echoed from the baby monitor had them drifting apart.

“Our son has lousy timing,” Max whispered against her lips.

“He’s right on schedule,” she sighed, clutching his shoulders as he helped her down.

Since she and Max were both early risers, it was no surprise Noah was one too. She left Max to finish getting breakfast on the table while she went to the nursery.

Noah giggled and bounced when she entered the room and her heart soared at the sight. She lifted him out of the crib and nuzzled his neck, laughing at the obvious joy on his face. He’d been tuckered out after his first Man Day and had slept straight through the night.

And now he was rearing to go much like his father, thought Sienna with a grin as she changed his diaper and zipped him back up in his PJs. She started to carry him out only to have him wail as he pushed back against her, his legs kicking, trying to climb down.

Lately, he had started asserting his independence, preferring to walk or run on those stubby legs. Sienna gently set him down on the floor and followed in his wake as he ran down the hallway. She heard Max exclaim excitedly when Noah reached him, his chortles bouncing off the walls along with the sounds he made as he tried to talk in his own babyish way.

She stepped into view just as he wrapped both arms around his father’s leg. He looked pleased with himself and his head tipped back as he laughed, only to lose balance and fall back on his cushioned bottom.

The suddenness of the movement had Noah’s face scrunching and his lips quivered. Before he could cry Max bent down to lift him off the floor and in the air. He spun them around in a circle, father and son laughing boisterously before Max settled Noah in the crook of his arm.

As Sienna watched her family, her hands brushed the pocket of her robe and the surprise she’d hidden away, waiting for the right moment. And she realized that there would never be a more perfect one than this.

Her feet glided over the hardwood floor as if she was walking on air. She slipped one arm around Max’s back as she nestled into his side. He wrapped his right arm around her, tucking her in, hand resting against her hipbone.

She angled her face up, stretching up on her toes to graze her lips on the underside of his jaw. Noah patted the side of her face to get her attention and she beamed, leaning across to peck her son on the cheek. Surrounded by her two favorite people, she felt at peace.

“Hey, Max,” she started, waiting until his eyes met hers before handing him the home pregnancy test she’d taken earlier.

She nibbled her lower lip as his eyes grew wide at the blue strip clearly visible on the white, plastic tube. He glanced up, his eyes questioning, searching.

She quickly nodded, a huge smile breaking across her face as she let him see how happy she was. His arm tightened around her as he swooped down to cover her mouth and she parted her lips for him, falling into the explosive kiss that told her more than words that he shared her joy.

Noah, not happy with his parents ignoring him, let out an annoyed bellow. His eyebrows snapping in a frown, he babbled incomprehensibly as he voiced his displeasure.

Max laughed as he let Sienna go, her dreamy eyes lingering on his before drifting down to their son. She shook her head in amusement and held out her hands as Max transferred Noah to her.

Later, as they finished breakfast, Max looked across the table to where Noah was busy shoving strawberries into his mouth while Sienna drank her orange juice.

Contentment spread through him, as it did whenever he thought about his life with Sienna, and he knew the answer without a shadow of doubt.

“It’s official,” he said, clarifying when Sienna looked at him with confusion, “you win this round, and every round after.”

A/N2: More on their growing family can be found in this MC Monday post.

@choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics​

Tagging in reblog.

#sienna trinh #sienna trinh x oc #open heart #open heart choices #open heart fanfics #open heart fanfiction #choices monthly challenge #choicesfebruary2022 #choices fic writers creations #cfwc fics of the week

[lady-of-the-lotus]

Xuexiao Goes to the DMV

Xue Yang and Xiao Xingchen go to the DMV (aka Where Hope Goes To Die) and share a kiss.

That’s it. That’s the fic.

Xuexiao - T (just for some cursing) - Read on AO3!

*

“If you hear about someone going berserk in a DMV on the news, that’ll be me,” the mechanical text-to-speech voice reads aloud, and Xiao Xingchen turns to Xue Yang questioningly.

Xue Yang reaches over and turns the volume down on Xingchen’s phone. “Meant to send that to A-Qing.”

“Are we going to be escorted out? Again?”

Xue Yang grins and looks around the room. They’ve already been at the DMV for over an hour. Dozens of people are draped limply over the hard orange seats, eyes glazed, going down for the third time in a sea of government bureaucracy.

“Ticket 4352, now being served at window thirty-three,” announces the robotic voice over the loudspeaker.

“It would take an alien invasion to wake these people up,” Xue Yang says as a man in overalls shuffles past. “You should see these people. This must be what a lobotomy post-op recovery room looks like.”

“Mmhmm.”

“Like the world’s most incompetent deli, filled with zombie customers waiting to eat the brains of whatever the opposite of employee of the month is. Well, ‘brains.’ They work at the DMV, after all.”

Xiao Xingchen adjusts his sunglasses. “Let's not be mean.”

“And we can all hear you,” adds a woman on his left. “Not that it made much sense.”

Xue Yang makes a face at her and turns back to Xingchen. “If they make me come back a third time, I’m going to go postal. You know, going postal should be called ‘going DMV.’ It’s catchier, for one thing, and I’ve never so much as stepped foot in a post office—”

“I’m keeping you far away from post offices. Those poor people have suffered enough.”

“How so?”

“Well, there must be a reason they go postal, right?”

Xue Yang rolls his eyes. “If the post office has the same taste in music as the DMV, I don’t blame them. Who picked this station? If it’s not Justin Bieber it’s whoever inflicted ‘Kiss Me Through the Phone’ on the world. I’d like to do something to them through the phone, and it won’t be a kiss, I can tell you that much.”

Xiao Xingchen takes a Snickers bar out of the fanny pack Xue Yang has vainly begged him not to wear. “According to the television commercials, this will improve your mood.”

“My mood?” Xue Yang takes a bite. “If I have to hear ‘Baby’ one more time—”

“Ticket 9753, now being served at window fourteen.”

“ ‘Served.’ Ha. As if.”

Xiao Xingchen feels around for another Snickers bar but comes up empty. He should have planned this better. He’d sensed Xue Yang’s mood coming on last night as Xue Yang went through his documents. He’d been cheerful enough until he found his birth certificate in the bundle of papers he’d been given after leaving his last group home.

Then he’d grown strangely quiet, and wandered aimlessly around their apartment for an hour, carrying his phone around with him and switching between a half-dozen different YouTube videos before deciding to bake brownies at 1am and burning them when he got distracted playing video games. He wasn’t paying much attention to the video game, either, going by his cursing as he got repeatedly blown up by what Xingchen suspects was a twelve-year old somewhere in Japan, and eventually gave that up to go take apart their toaster in the interest of “fixing” it.

Now he sits beside Xingchen, jiggling his leg. Xiao Xingchen wants to ask him about his birth certificate, but he hadn't dared to last night, and doesn’t dare now.

“Ticket 9755, now being served at Window 26.”

“Weren’t you 9754?” he asks Xue Yang.

“Oh, crap—” Xue Yang jumps to his feet and rushes to Window 26, brushing past a mohawked man holding a ticket marked 9755. “I’m 9754.”

The woman behind the glass may as well have been carved from wood. “You missed your number.”

“There was no announcement!”

“Or your number isn’t working. It’s not showing up on my computer.”

“What the hell does that mean? I’m on the screen! Look!” Xue Yang jabs a finger at the screen above the booth. At the bottom of the list it reads Ticket 9754 – Window 26. “9754! Window 26! All you need to do is take my picture—”

“Get back in line. Get a new ticket. Window 13.”

“Get back in line?” He looks over at the line for Window 13. It wraps around the entire room. “I already have a number! I’m on the screen!”

“Back. In. Line.”

“Just take the damn photo—”

Xingchen lays a hand on his arm. “Thank you, ma’am. We’ll get back in line.”

“Like hell we will! I’ve been here since 5 o’clock—I made an appointment! I even brought my own pen! You ever watch Monsters Inc.? You know Roz? Are you her evil older sister? Because you look exactly like—”

“Back of the line.”

“Younger sister, then. Happy?”

The woman doesn’t bother shrugging. “You’re blocking traffic.”

Xingchen begins to move, heading in the wrong direction. Xue Yang has no choice but to follow or else let him walk into a column plastered with posters emblazoned with, Make your visit easy - download the forms at dmv.gov! , Streamline your visit - make an appointment online today!, and We’re here to help!

“Let’s just go home,” says Xue Yang. “The gray, water stained walls are starting to close in. At any second I expect a giant ball to roll towards us. Well, wrong movie—whatever. I’m sick of this place. It’s cursed.”

“We’re just going to have to come back, and you’ll have wasted the hour we already spent here.”

Xue Yang groans and gets in line behind a woman with three small screaming children. “This whole thing is stupid. We can barely afford rent, let alone a car."

"We will, one day. Besides, it's good to have a license."

"We’ll just take trains and buses everywhere, or you can learn to drive. We'll fudge the vision test."

Xingchen laughs. Xue Yang relaxes slightly at the sound. After a moment, Xingchen slips his hand in his. He’s not one for public displays of affection, but there’s an edge in Xue Yang’s voice that has nothing to do with his return to Window 13.

Xue Yang’s hand tightens in his, and Xingchen rubs it reassuringly with his thumb.

“You again?” says the woman at Window 13 when they finally make it there, twenty minutes later.

“That power-mad dictator at Window 26 wouldn’t take my picture.”

The woman tilts her head at Xue Yang. “She wouldn’t?”

Xue Yang tilts his head back at her, as if to say, I know! Who wouldn’t want to photograph me ?

She smiles, a synthetic smile that reminds Xue Yang of his friend Lan Xichen’s dimpled little fiance. “Strange.”

“ ‘Strange’? I knew she could have just done it had she wanted to—”

The woman blinks at him, her smile growing faker by the minute. “I’m sure what she told you was accurate.”

“Sure, and there is no war in Ba-Sing-Se—”

Xiao Xingchen squeezes his hand, and Xue Yang stops talking and passes her his form. She stamps it a second time and hands him another ticket.

He and Xingchen return to the waiting area. Xue Yang puts his boots up on the seat next to him, resting his head on Xingchen’s shoulder.

“Describe the room to me again,” Xingchen says, trying to distract him from his brooding and, with any luck, keep him from taking out his Swiss army knife and carving his initials into the seat and get them kicked out again. Xue Yang has a talent for describing things, and Xingchen has been trying to encourage him to start writing.

Xue Yang begins to play with his long sleek ponytail. “Purgatory’s antechamber. Humanity’s lost-and-found. A void where time has no meaning. Pit of despair and industrial cleaner.”

Xingchen chuckles, making sure it’s loud enough for Xue Yang to hear.

“If their posters were honest, they’d all be in Comic Sans font, with things like, Where hope goes to die; This is your home now; Nothing escapes our pull, not even time; Human sacrifices while you wait—”

“Human sacrifices?”

"Yeah, I think so."

A crackle of static over the speaker as a new song comes on. “You know you love me, I know you care...Just shout whenever and I'll be there….”

Xue Yang starts up violently, but Xiao Xingchen gently pulls him back down beside him. “Some kind of cannibal conspiracy?” he asks, hoping Xue Yang’s knife has remained in his pocket and is not seconds away from being embedded in a blaring loudspeaker.

Xue Yang settles back against his shoulder. “I’m positive Overalls Guy never returned from Window 17. He’s probably in the office barbecue pit.”

“This must go all the way to the top. Shift supervisor too, I’d guess.”

“Baby, baby, baby oh….Like baby, baby, baby no….”

Xue Yang stops playing with his hair and starts picking at his black nail polish. He’s feeling a bit better, Xingchen’s shoulder warm and solid. “I swear that Roz lady put a curse on me. They all probably dance in a circle around a stack of burning Social Security cards every night, chanting.” He squirms, suddenly bored. “You got any more food? I’m starving.”

Xingchen rummages in his fanny pack. “Just a burned brownie.”

“I swear I set a timer!"

The timer had gone off while Xingchen was in the shower last night. Xue Yang had simply ignored it, too absorbed in trying to virtually blow up his twelve-year-old nemesis. He tends to ignore timers while cooking, usually followed by a mad rush to the kitchen to salvage dinner. “You know dinner is ready when the smoke detector goes off,” he likes to say.

Xue Yang sniffs the crumpled foil surrounding the charred black brownie chunk. “Is this the same foil I wrapped your tuna sandwich in yesterday?”

“We only have one earth!”

“Xingchen, I swear—” Xue Yang stops, rolling his eyes fondly. He’s never met anyone who can be so annoying and endearing at the same time.

Xingchen takes the brownie back. “I'll eat it. I like the burned bits.”

"It's all burned bits."

"Exactly. Perfect."

“She knows she's got me dazing, 'cause she was so amazin'....And now my heart is breakin', but I just keep on sayin'....”

“Who wrote this? I swear I won’t hurt them. I just want their address.”

Xingchen knows he shouldn’t laugh at that, but he can’t help it.

They sit there for another half hour, talking. Xue Yang has succeeded in denuding the nails of his left hand when his number is finally called. He gets his photo taken by a man with glazed eyes and no chin, and is shuffled off to the next waiting area.

“They refused to show me my photo,” he says as they settle back down. “I swear the camera stole my soul and is using it to power the fluorescent lights. I feel at peace now. Kind of floating.” He discovers a piece of gum in his jeans pocket and begins to loudly blow bubbles, making full eye contact with the annoyed Bluetooth Guy and irritated Woman With Facial Tattoo Of Bugs Bunny. “I am one with the DMV demigods, part of something larger than myself.”

“Like joining the army.”

“Or drowning in the ocean.” He lays down with his head in Xingchen’s lap, boots on the edge of Bluetooth Guy’s seat. “Why does your fanny pack smell like patchouli? Have you been burning weird hippie incense again? You promised you’d stop after you set fire to your curtains.”

Xingchen would rather Xue Yang didn’t semi-cuddle him in public, but Xue Yang’s energy is calmer when he’s touching Xingchen, and he lets him stay. “It’s that new candle you bought me, remember?”

“Right. Bought you.”

“What do you—”

“I thought it was peppermint.”

Xingchen bites his lip. Xue Yang is…well, he can read well enough to pass a driving test, but his education was…slipshod at best. Next on Xingchen’s list is encouraging Xue Yang to get his GED.

“You smell like a music festival,” says Xue Yang. “I must have grabbed the wrong one in the store. I sniffed all of them. My picture is probably hanging beside the register of every Bath & Body Works in town: ‘Beware the Candle Perv’—”

“At least someone was willing to take your picture.”

Xue Yang laughs. Xingchen rests a hand on his chest, heedless of the people around them. He likes how Xue Yang feels when he laughs, his whole body shaking, making no attempt to hide his feelings. Xue Yang makes him laugh so often, it’s a special joy for him to return the favor.

They’ve been there almost two and a half hours when Xue Yang’s number is finally called. As if the DMV curse is kicking in again, the loudspeakers creep up another few decibels.

“Like baby, baby, baby no, like baby, baby, baby oh, thought you'd always be mine, mine….”

“Xue Yang—” Xingchen starts before Xue Yang can say anything.

“I know, I know. This is penance for my putting that egg in Song Lan’s shoe last week. The DMV knows all. The DMV was here before us, and will be here after we are gone. The DMV—”

“—The DMV will make us wait in line again, if we don’t hurry.”

Together they go to Window 10, where a drab little man sifts through Xue Yang’s documents. “Fifties, balding, completely dead inside,” Xue Yang whispers to Xingchen.

“I’m thirty-nine,” says the man in a monotone, not looking up, “and you’re missing a birth certificate. And what’s this stain on your Social Security card?”

“Definitely not blood.”

The man stares at him with eyes that, had his life force not already been sucked out of Xue Yang by an afternoon at the DMV, would have done the job. “Current passport, or birth certificate.”

Xue Yang hesitates, then slips a folded piece of pink paper under the glass partition.

The man unfolds it with the sterling speed of a drugged snail and spreads it over the counter. He lines up Xue Yang’s Social Security card, bank statement, and birth certificate, and examines them line by line as if he’s a Bletchley Circle analyst and Xue Yang’s documents are intercepted enemy transmissions.

He looks up at Xue Yang. “Is this a valid birth certificate? There are no parent names listed, and the date of birth has an asterisk—”

“I know what it has!”

“What’s your date of birth?” The man slowly pushes his chair back. “I’m going to have to get a supervisor—”

Xue Yang slams the counter. Xingchen lays a hand on his arm. It’s a miracle Xue Yang’s knife isn’t out. “Don’t you fucking dare! This is what they do when—just Google it, okay? I don’t know what day I was born, they just put whatever date they thought was accurate—”

Xingchen swallows hard.

He had known Xue Yang had grown up in foster care, but had assumed he had been given up by his parents as a child when they could no longer take care of him.

Not—not abandoned as an infant—

“And change the fucking station!” Xue Yang adds. “If I have to hear that stupid fucking song one more time I will go fucking berserk —”

The man’s dead-eyed stare intensifies. “Sign here,” he says after a moment, pushing a slip of paper at Xue Yang.

“You want my love, you want my heart….And we will never, ever, ever be apart…”

“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” Xingchen asks as they step outside. The words sound hollow, and he wishes he had simply remained silent.

Xue Yang takes a deep breath. It’s almost cool out, a welcome change from the week’s heat. “Well, we escaped. Now we just have to get help for the others. Or do we abandon them to their fates? I vote we abandon them. You should have seen some of the looks I got. It’s like they never saw someone threaten a DMV employee before, something I’m willing to bet happens a dozen times an hour.”

Xingchen takes his arm as he begins to walk. It’s easier than using his stick in the crowded city. “Xue Yang…”

Xue Yang’s muscles tense beneath his arm. “What?”

“Nothing.” He bites his lip. He’ll have Xue Yang feeling better soon enough. “What street are we on? Turn in on 33rd.”

“What’s on 33rd?”

“Just let me know when we’re there. 33rd and 7th.”

“The train’s on 36th.”

“But the restaurant’s on 33rd.”

“The what?”

Xingchen wants to smile, but is afraid Xue Yang might take it the wrong way after what happened at the DMV. For someone who does his best to project an I-don’t-care attitude, Xue Yang is surprisingly sensitive.

“What’s today’s date?” He already knows the date, of course. It’s been on his mind for weeks now.

Xue Yang’s arm grows even stiffer. “Is this a ‘you-don’t-know-when-your-birthday-is-so-every-day-is-your-birthday’ thing? Because—”

“Not at all… Remember the day we met? You made fun of my shirt—”

Xue Yang frowns at this sudden change of subject, but goes along with it. Better than talking about that damn birth certificate. “It was white, and ruffled. You looked like an escapee from a high school production of Hamlet. What was I supposed to do?”

“You crashed a motorcycle not three feet from me. An unregistered motorcycle with stolen plates.”

"I bought you coffee to make up for it, didn’t I?”

“You had them put four sugars in my cappuccino. It was undrinkable.”

“One was a Splenda, and anyway I took you to dinner to make up for the coffee, didn’t I?”

“Pizza at one of those dollar-a-slice places you have to stand at a counter to eat. I paid for it.”

“And I paid for your kombucha, whatever the heck that is.”

“And I paid for the band-aids we had to go buy after you cut yourself after playing catch with your knife.”

“You were distracting me!”

“I was quietly eating my pizza.”

“The light reflecting off your shirt ruffles got in my eyes.”

“Four dollars for the band-aids. You insisted on Hello Kitty.”

“Spongebob was also on the table." He wrinkles his nose. "I've got about three-fifty in my pocket, if you want it. But what’s your point, exactly?'

Xingchen smiles. He enjoys winding up Xue Yang, and it’s by far the most effective way to distract him when he’s in a dark mood. “Just that you better not put extra sugar in the fondue.”

“The what?”

“A-Qing read me the dessert menu. Chocolate fondue with bananas, blueberries, pineapple, and cherries. Strawberries, too, I think, and marshmallows, maybe even non-charred brownies—”

Xue Yang stops walking. “Xingchen—”

Xingchen lets go of Xue Yang’s arm, takes his hand instead. Kisses him soundly, right there on Sixth Avenue.

“Forget your birthday," he says. "We have a new date to celebrate every year." He gives Xue Yang's hand a little squeeze and kisses him again. “Happy anniversary, Xue Yang.”

*

Liked it? AO3 👉👈

Ruffle shirt reference

Obviously, Xue Yang was simply distracted by how pretty Xingchen was.

#xue yang #xiao xingchen #xuexiao #mdzsnet #I finally write something not cursed that I can put in the tag! #uttterly plotless fluff #cql #the untamed #untameddaily

[dcbutinamrev]

*bonk* i’m also sending you a few prompts for a lams shot :)

26, 28, & 34 perhaps?

Of course bestie!!!

Modern au with of course, their historical appearances. (I'll add 28 and 34 tomorrow- )

26: "I've been in love with you for an embarrassingly long time."

~~~

Nineteen year old high school student and football star and your typical Prince Charming type, whoops and hollers along with his friends who have been with him since Freshman: Richard Kidder Meade, Tench Tilghman, Robert Hanson Harrison, John Fitzgerald along with Benjamin Tallmadge bursts through the Washington Cafe in downtown Manhattan on a clear Friday afternoon.

Eighteen year old Alexander Hamilton sits on a stool behind the counter, waiting for customers to approach to take their orders. He huffs out a breath, glancing around the non-busy cafe, watching customers doing work on their laptops, taking occasional sips of their drinks or munching on their pastries, listening to distant conversation. His foster father, who also happens to be his teacher as well, George Washington would work in the back where the Manager Office is but he's currently finishing up some documentation and paper work at the school, his older foster brother Gilbert Marquis de Lafayette works in the kitchen and takes the orders to the right customers, while Hamilton sits by himself, alone, at the cashier with a violet apron around his black short-sleeved shirt and black jeans. Hamilton's striking dark red hair is pulled back into a tight ponytail, a few curls falling in front of his ears and bouncing slightly on his forehead.

"Anything?" Lafayette asks as he pokes his head through the cracked door to the kitchen.

Hamilton shakes his head, resting his cheek in his palm as he turns to gaze out the windows. "Notta."

"Hm," is all Lafayette says before he slams the door shut and continues working.

Hamilton sighs again, shaking his head before finally, out of mere boredom, pulls out his phone from his back pocket, scrolling lazily through his socials.

"Uh...excuse me?" a distinctly southern voice says, snapping Hamilton out of his distant, far off look.

Hamilton yelps with surprise, whipping his head back and forth before finally landing on, let's be honest here, his crush since Freshman--John Laurens--stands before him. Hamilton tenses when he sees the beautiful, angelic man before him. He breathes in slowly, holding his breath when his violet-indigo blue eyes lands on bright summer blue ones.

Is it hot in here or is that just me? Hamilton thinks, furrowing his brows slightly.

"Yes...?" Hamilton asks after a few moments of silence, clicking his phone off before sliding it back into his pocket and turning to face the blonde man before him. Hamilton stares at the man's hair. It's bright, rich in color and looks like silk. Smooth and flowy, almost the color of honey. Hamilton suddenly wishes to touch the boy's hair.

Laurens glances at his friends behind him, who nod encouragingly with unusually bright smiles. Laurens clears his throat, turning back towards Hamilton who now has his arms crossed over his chest and his head tipped back, an eyebrow raised challengingly and expectantly at the same time.

Laurens presses his lips together and scratches the back of his neck. "I um..." He clears his throat. "I um...can I talk with you...for a moment?"

Hamilton hesitates, glancing over his shoulder where he sees Lafayette in the small rectangular window, hissing out a curse in French. Hamilton grimaces when he hears something clatter onto the floor before turning back to Laurens.

"I don't talk to strangers," Hamilton says.

Laurens chuckles. "Cheeky. You know I'm not a stranger, Alexander. I've known you since Freshman. And we're both in the same classes together." A pause. "English--with Mr. Washington--Biology, Calculus, Theatre, Band--"

"I know, John," Hamilton giggles.

"Then why--?"

"You know how my brother is," Hamilton interrupts, leaning forward with his arms crossed over his chest. "Especially with people like you. Even if he knows who you are."

Laurens ticks his eyes at the kitchen door behind Hamilton's shoulders before turning back towards Hamilton, nodding reassuringly. "It'll be quick. I promise."

Hamilton sets his mouth and sets his jaw, giving Laurens a look.

Laurens tosses both hands up. "Just...five minutes. That's all..."

Hamilton glances over his shoulder a second--or third--time before huffing out a breath and nodding, sliding off the stool and following Laurens towards the male's bathroom nonetheless.

Hamilton furrows his brows as he follows Laurens, his brows furrowing together and tensing when he sees Laurens swings open the bathroom door. He's noticed things like this in movies. In his peripheral, he can see Laurens's friends nodding eagerly and flashing him bright smiles with thumbs up.

Laurens slams the door shut after shoving Hamilton into the bathroom. Hamilton stands just a few feet behind Laurens, watching him carefully with his arms crossed still over his chest, an eyebrow raised as he tenses at Laurens's every move.

"Relax, it's not Hollywood," Laurens says, mirroring Hamilton's position and leaning against the white sink. Hamilton simply gives him an untrusting look. Laurens sighs, defeated. "I...I wanted to talk to you. Privately. For a reason."

"And that is...what...to murder me?" Hamilton whispers, taking another step back.

Laurens shakes his head. "No! I told you, Ginger, this isn't Hollywood!"

"Then why else would you have--"

"If you would just shut up, Ginger, and listen to me then perhaps you'll find out yourself," Laurens snaps, raising an eyebrow.

Hamilton rightfully clicks his mouth shut. Laurens nods curtly once.

"Good," Laurens says. "Anyways, I brought you here so I won't make a fool of myself in front of the boys."

Hamilton just simply gapes at him confusedly and suspiciously,

"I um..." Laurens clears his throat, scratching the back of his neck. He pulls something from the back of his pocket, causing Hamilton to stiffen. Hamilton relaxes instantly when he sees the boy hand him a simple sheet of paper. "...Happy birthday, Alex..."

Hamilton's birthday was last week, Janurary 11. Hamilton eyes the paper before snatching it from Laurens's hands. He unfolds the crinkling paper and his eyes widen instantly. Laurens smiles as Hamilton holds a small box now and lifts the lid, revealing a necklace.

"It was my mother's..." Laurens says, breaking the silence between them.

Hamilton whips his head sharply at Laurens's direction, his eyes wide as his fingers fiddle with the silver chain, the small silver heart resting in his palm.

"She uh...she told me...that if..." Laurens clears his throat, taking a step closer to Hamilton. "She told me that...that if I...if I had found true love...then...this is theirs."

Hamilton's breath hitches in his throat, making Laurens's small smile grow wider as he nods with confirmation.

"Alexander...Alex...we've been friends for months, years even and...well...since you've walked onto those steps at the school... I uh...I've just been...I don't know...I just--"

Laurens's words are suddenly cut off when he feels soft lips against his. He stiffens, unsure what to do, his shoulders up to his ears and his hands hover in the air by Hamilton's elbows. He stares down at Hamilton wide-eyed, shocked by the sudden action, but melts into his embrace after a few minutes.

Laurens shifts around so both of his hands now rest on Hamilton's hips, shifting around again so he's even more taller than he was before, dipping his head down and at an angle to capture those beautiful soft, pink lips of this unique redheaded boy from the depths of the Caribbean.

Laurens grins when he hears Hamilton sigh lightly as they slowly pull apart, breathing sharply, their foreheads touch, chest nearly touching. Hamilton scoffs out a laugh, tipping his head back up to meet Laurens once more, brushing a loose strand of honey blonde hair behind his ear, resting his hand under Laurens's jaw.

"John--"

"Jack," Laurens says.

"What?" Hamilton gasps, eyebrows high and deep violet eyes dilated.

"Jack," Laurens says again. "My family calls me Jack."

Hamilton feels the corner of his lips quirk up. "Am I family?"

Laurens smiles wide, tucking a loose strand of red hair behind Hamilton's ear. "You...you are something more...than family."

A pause.

"Jack...I...I've been in love with you for an embarrassingly long time..." Hamilton confesses, a shy smile on his face.

Laurens grins, leaning down to steal a kiss.

"So have I."

*Bonus under the cut!*

A few weeks later...

"Uh...John?" Hamilton says as he sits with Laurens and the boys at a table, discussing random things like class work or homework or football or crushes or gamers. Hamilton now sits upon Laurens's lap, Laurens's arms around his waist.

"Hm?" Laurens questions, raising an eyebrow as he rests his chin on the back of Hamilton's shoulder.

"Um...how am I...how are we going to tell Gil about us...?"

"Uh...we won't," Laurens says. "Not unless you're ready, my dear boy."

Hamilton hums, giggling softly before pressing a kiss to Laurens's lips.

Hamilton doesn't know how long it's been since they've began kissing but Hamilton knows they're now almost to the point of making out against the booth, the others groaning, complaining and shielding their eyes, when he hears a sharp shriek.

Hamilton tenses and pulls off, fixing the collar of his shirt before whipping his head over his shoulder to find his brother standing behind him. Hamilton and Laurens both pale.

"JOHN FUCKING LAURENS! Get the fuck off my baby brother right now!" Lafayette barks.

"I'm dead aren't I...?" Laurens whispers into Hamilton's ear.

Hamilton nods, never taking his eyes off of Lafayette's. "You are so dead, babe."

"BABE?!" Lafayette shrieks.

"Well, I'll uh...I'll see you after school, yeah?" Laurens whispers.

Hamilton nods. "Yeah..."

"Keep the change," Laurens says, slapping a twenty into Lafayette's palm before patting his shoulder before bolting out of the door.

Lafayette turns his sharp, intimidating gaze before turning to face Hamilton, who shrinks and grimaces.

"Uh...I can explain?"

Lafayette simply stares at Hamilton, his protective instincts getting the best of him as he mumbles something incoherently under his breath in French before stomping out of the room.

Hamilton let's out a sharp breath.

He has never felt that terrified around his brother before.

Ever.

After a few minutes of silence, Meade breaks it.

"Well...that escalated quickly."

#asks #ask liz #liz writes #prompts #writing promts #historical lams #lams #lams fic #ficlet #fluff #alexander hamilton #john laurens #washington's aides #marquis de lafayette #protective lafayette is yes #bedtime now #i am so exhausted #lee!

[lightisinthedark]

First gruvia story letsss goooooooo

Gruvia florist au

@jekde04 @gruviyasharuto up right now 

If only she decided to close the shop that day, then maybe she wouldn’t be going through the heartache at that moment.  Bora was looking for flowers for his sick aunt but decided to take a detour into Juvia’s life.  For a week he came into the shop and used the worst pickup lines known to man but hey, it worked.  Her lack of confidence and conservative sense of style seemed to turn guys off but it appeared to have the opposite effect on Bora.

Well that was a story for another time.  What mattered was that Juvia felt like death and took a look around the shop.  No one had come in for hours and it was always slow on Tuesdays.  Maybe it wouldn’t hurt if she closed early…

Ugh.  Let that be the last time I go out drinking with Cana.  Rubbing her eyes did no such trick as to force the remains of her hangover away.  Not to mention the impending list of errands that needed to get done.  First there was calling the vendors and confirming the deliveries she had for the week then of course inventory had to be done.  Usually she would leave it for the remainder of her shift but the bluenette needed something to distract her.

“I’m sure the customers wouldn’t mind if Juvia decided to take a break.”  Without any further thought she went to the back and plugged in one of her earbuds.  Listen, if anyone were to come in then she would be able to hear the jingle of the bell clearly.  The florist tied her hair up into a high ponytail while glancing around her.  Now where was that inventory list?

.

If you wanted to, you would never leave me.  If I still wanted to, I could get inside your mind.

..

“Hello?  Is anyone here?”

“No need to shout I’m sure they heard the bell,” a male voice could be heard and it sounded like he had the slightest tone of annoyance in his tone.

“Well you never know!  What if they were hurt or something and can’t come to the front?  What would you say then hmm?”

Alright.  Before it got to the point where it became eavesdropping Juvia ripped off her earpiece and stuffed it in her apron pocket.  Please tell me you only need directions I just wanna go home.

“Hi there!  How can I help you…”  Juvia dragged on.  My lord this man was something else.  Dark locks that caressed his forehead.  Stormy grey eyes that could control the room if he wanted to.

Speaking of those eyes, they were staring right back at her.

“Hi there!  We were wandering around and I couldn’t help but notice you have the most beautiful flowers on your storefront!”  Oh wow she’s gorgeous.  She had long blonde hair and the biggest brown eyes she had seen!  Juvia almost wondered if there was a club for attractive people that she didn’t know about and if there were, she couldn’t help but think if this mystery man was a member.

“-so would you mind showing us your portfolio?”  This blonde woman had her hands clasped together and against her chest and a blinding smile on her face.  Seriously!  Both of these people are distractingly beautiful!

“O-Oh of course.  Please follow Juvia this way.”  Said woman pulled a smile and slipped into her professional mode.  Juvia motioned for the woman— oh yeah she didn’t come alone— and meekly looked up at the man to follow her to the corner of the store where a table and some chairs were set up.

When Anemone was nearing its opening day, the 26 year old struggled in deciding where to place her, as she liked to call it, conference table.  Having it near the back where one could easily peer into her backroom simply appeared inappropriate.  The store itself used to be a coffee shop so the middle of the room just took up space and no matter what decorations Juvia on or near it, it just couldn’t stop looking awkward to her.  She then settled for her display to go center but that still left her with the table.  So she did what she could and brought Gajeel over to help.  After explaining the situation all he did was groan and pulled the table to the corner next to the window.  Now all she had to do was put the goddamn chairs there, add those hanging vines or some bullshit and it’d look fine so stop worrying about stupid shit and start thinking about— you know what?  Doesn’t matter.  Back to business.

The couple sat themselves while Juvia went behind the counter and pulled out a moderately sized baby blue binder along with a couple others.  In it contained images of her previous works with other clients and to be completely honest, she was proud of them all.  Despite only being open for one year, Anemone was a fairly successful shop.

Being a florist was absolutely not on Juvia’s list of career choices when she was a child, but circumstances changed which eventually left her on this path.  So far, so good.  A better life was provided for herself and Gajeel and all they had to do was sell their soul away.  Worth it.

“Pardon Juvia for not asking sooner but what is your name?”  She asked while making her way over to the pair.  Setting the binders down and seating herself, Juvia looked to the blonde first.

“Ah, where are my manners?  I’m Lucy. Lucy Heartfilia.  Well, soon to be Mrs.” Lucy giggled behind her hand.  “And this is my fiance,” a motion to the man, “Gray Fullbuster.”

Fiance.  Figures.

The ebony hair man, or Gray she supposed, uncrossed his arms from where he was seated and stretched out his hand.

“Nice to meet you.”  She met him halfway there with a smile.

* * * * *

Lavender Rose meaning: love or enchantment at first sight

—

Ahh, I haven’t written fanfiction in years!  Let me tell you something, just writing this short chapter has been a ride.  I love gruvia and have been reading them for so long so I decided that I might just post a little something.  Please let me know what you think!

~lightisinthedark

#gruvia #gruvia fanfic #juvia lockser #gray fullbuster #fairy tail

[aspectedstar]

[Info updated as of Patch 5.55]

Name: Listelle Viyrel

Unsundered Name: Ephine

Gender: Female

Age: 21 in ARR, 26 in EW

Race: Raen Au Ra

Relationship: Official with an untempered Elidibus, but still lowkey that not a lot of people know of their status.

Family: Biological family is unknown. Her adoptive Miqo'te parents she keeps in contact with. The Scions of the Seventh Dawn and Elidibus are her main sources of 'support' these days.

Orientation: Bisexual / Demisexual

Nameday: 16th Sun of the 4th Umbral Moon [August 16th]

Abilities/Talents: Archery, Botany, Cooking, Able to speak multiple languages [thanks Echo], Healing, Reading.

Job: Former conjurer turned White Mage; Archer/Bard; Adventurer; A Scion of the Seventh Dawn; Botanist whenever help is needed.

Appearance description: A pale-skinned Raen Au Ra that stands at 4 fulms and 9 ilms. Listelle has dark blue, shoulder-length hair with bangs that naturally curls at the ends. Black highlights are added into the mix and always reapplied whenever they start to fade. Sometimes, puts up her hair in high side-ponytail that has a braid embedded around the back of her head. Has side bangs that hang from her face with this hairstyle as well. She has heterochromia eyes with her left being a pale blue, while her right is a bright purple. Listelle is slightly muscular, but also petite. Her body has vanilla scales peppering her body here and there. Mostly can be seen on her face; Her horns a slightly curled, but go backwards only a bit from her face. The tail she has a few spikes here and there, but it's thin. Mostly spiking at the end of it. Usually wearing a pair of reading glasses, because her eyesight isn't 100%.

Unique features (scars, tattoos, etc.): Multiple scars across her body from battles over the years. The biggest one was from the first meeting with Zenos, where he ended up nailing her in the abdomen badly. The scar is a jagged line in sideways line that covers a good portion of her middle to lower back. Listelle is very self-conscious about this particular one; Doesn't like wearing gear that shows off that part of her body.

Personal Beliefs (religious or otherwise): Fully believed in the Mothercrystal and the Twelve, but has changed since the events of SB into ShB. Mostly because of what Elidibus and Emet-Selch had told her. Still believes in a sense of one's wrongdoing will bite them in the ass later in life.

Residence: Medium house plot on the beach in Shirogane, Hingashi. Amaurot on the First.

Birthplace: Somewhere in the Black Shroud.

Dreams: When the world is done being saved, which is almost never; Wanting to have a peaceful life with Elidibus as much as possible; Hoping that one day more White Mages can be sanctioned by the Padaji; Maybe one day have children, but that's not as important.

Fears: Dying when the world needs her the most; Seeing close friends and family die in front of her again and again; Injured to the point she can't fulfill her duties as Warrior of Light; Losing any of her senses.

Introverted / Extroverted / Ambiverted (bold what applies)

How do they handle stress?: When in front of people, she tries her best not to show she's bothered. There are ways for others to know she's about to hit her limit. Listelle is known to pace around a room, fidget with her hands, and get teary-eyed, but the latter is hard to see. Only ways she can combat it is behind closed doors, or out in the wilderness when no one is around. Going out into nature to find plants or hit trees with her axe is one way. Another way is to basically beat her frustrations out in cooking or baking foodstuffs. Resting under trees when only one can hear naturalistic sounds.

What’s the state of their living quarters? (messy, clean, etc.): That depends. Usually, it's a disorganized mess. Much to Elidibus's dismay, she can usually find things easier than him. If he ever tried to clean her home, she'd yell at him on not being able to find anything. It's not completely trashed, but enough to know someone lives here. As the Warrior of Light, she doesn't get enough time to do homely chores. So, it's mostly left go for weeks at a time.

How do they handle meeting new people?: Listelle usually is kind and friendly to people she meets. Though, it depends overall on the new person (or group)'s attitude, body language, voice tone, and facial expressions. If they come off rude and negative, she is more reluctant to be as nice back. However, since she is not the diplomatic person, she usually leaves all the table-talking to her fellow Scions. Will chime in with a few words, if asked. It all depends on the situation and people involved.

When facing certain doom, what’s their outlook?: It's...questionable. Try to keep a stoic facade, but inside she would be screaming. Or, she'd probably look at like this: Why not going out with a huge bang of glory, and take her foe(s) with her? As a healer, she understands death, but is afraid to die at the wrong time. Regardless, she will tackle it the best she can.

What do they do to relax?: Reading any books she has in her shelves. Have Elidibus tell her stories of the world before it was Sundered. Cooking and baking when she has the time. Gardening, when she has time, yet again. Sitting under trees listening to nature. Go to the beach when no one is around. Stargazing with Elidibus at night.

What’s their favorite outfit?: Her 'civilian' clothes with the Azem constellation crystal as a necklace pictured blow.

Traumas: It's been several over the last few years of becoming the Warrior of Light. From being a healer, she has had a hard time accepting she can't save everyone. The loss of Haurchefant hit her physically hard. He saw Listelle as herself, not just the 'hero' or a weapon to be used by the city-states. Still goes to visit his grave in Coerthas when she can. Seeing the turmoil Garlemald had done to Ala Mhigo and Doma's regions. Zenos yae Galvus, because he reminds her of herself at certain times. How they can relate, as much as the Raen wishes not to admit it. The entire events of Shadowbringers with fighting for another world to holding in the light corruption. Her aether is still a mess, even after Ardbert had joined his soul with hers. Ending Emet-Selch's life, even when she understood his plight and ideals. Having to fight and kill Elidibus; The ONE PERSON that understood and had true affection for her. Yet, he was tempered by Zodiark, so they were forced into battle. It still haunts her to this day that she may lose Elidibus forever.

About them as of current story patch: As of Patch 5.5, Listelle is struggling on what to make of seeing that being surrounded in light. Being told the Final Days is coming--which is no doubt with Fandaniel and Zenos--and the entire world is on her shoulders. This is stressing her out to no end, even with Elidibus trying to keep her calm. He is her main anchor to keep her grounded currently. With the possibility of going to Sharlayan, she is not happy. Possibly having to keep the untempered Ascian unseen, depending. For now, she is stressed and pacing about what to do.

History: Listelle was found outside the doors of a Miqo'te couple living in the Black Shroud. Only a single note saying: "I cannot care for her; I'm possibly dead by the time you read this. Her name is Listelle; Please raise her well". The baby was an Au Ra Raen female, but they had no idea if there was such a family nearby. Living mostly in an isolated area, they didn't get many visitors. Just some adventurers, botanists, conjurers, or miners that came through the area. Despite this, they willingly took the baby in. They had issues trying to concieve their own child, so Listelle would fill the void. The void of trying to have a child, which they had now.

The Raen would come to know her parents as Sizha Vebei, her mother, and Rehzih'li Vebei, her father. They lived in a small cabin in the Southern part of the Shroud. Away from settlements like Camp Tranquil and Quarrymill, they kept to themselves for the most part. They raised their adoptive child as good as any adoptive parents could. With the times that Rehzih'li would go to Gridania for work and supplies, he would ask around about Listelle's family. He usually came up empty handed as per usual. This went on for years, until the Seventh Umbral Calamity hit Eorzea.

Listelle was 16 summers old when Bahamut broke free of Dalamud to reign terror from the heavens. The Black Shroud went up in flames in several areas. Thankfully, herself and her parents survived, but lost their home to the flames. The family was devastated, but then they decided to move on to a battered up Gridania as other refugees. They would have to make a new life within the city-state.

To the five years leading up to ARR, Listelle practiced conjury within the Stillglade Fane. Her parents had taken up other odd jobs to support themselves and their daughter, so Listelle had decided to do the same. With people becoming adventurers, the Raen decided to do the same. With her aetherpool higher than most, she fit right in with the Conjurers' Guild. Even with weird looks, the Au Ra flourished under their guidance and care. She would learn how to properly harness healing magics, as well as learn to borrow from the very Elementals of the Twelveswood.

Eventually, Listelle would become more involved with restoration efforts to help Gridania. Only her efforts would soon become widespread. Widespread enough for a certain organization to recruit her to their cause..

Feelings towards others: (add or remove as relevant)

- Elidibus – Her official partner, who she had a rocky relationship for years. However, it changed much after his defeat by her hand on top of the Crystal Tower in the First. She loves the Ascian dearly and would do anything for him. He had been there as well for her during some stressful times, despite him being under Zodiark's influence. They confide in each other constantly, and is a major support pillar for Listelle.

- Emet-Selch [Hades] – Despite their brief interactions, Listelle came to understand more about the Ascians. Even if it was a hard pill to swallow, the brief details Elidibus mentioned to her started to make sense. Like pieces to the puzzle was finally coming together. She would indulge and ask him a lot of the Ascians' history, the Old World, and the like. As much as her comrades didn't like their Warrior of Light conversating with their worst enemy, she ignored them...sometimes. She was upset to end his life when they couldn't come to some sort of understanding. She still has sobbing fits over Hades' demises, because of the fact of the Azem constellation crystal she has. It was even hinted that he knew of something going on between her and the Emissary at the time. Listelle always denied it, but there was a twinkle in those golden eyes that he knew of something.

- Feo Ul - As much as Listelle appreciates them, she can't deal with their sudden mood swings. The Fae being the Fae, she can't understand the times she gets yelled at for not summoning them. Being called cruel and heartless by Feo Ul made her uneasy around the pixie. Just over the course of the Shadowbringers, she saw the good in the King of Faeries. They became the next Titania, yet, they still treated Listelle as their most precious mortal. After all, they WERE connected by a pact! Feo Ul was another pillar during her struggle to contain the light corruption within her. The constant affection and support helped keep the heroine to move forward.

- Alphinaud – Meeting him the first time made her want to rethink her choices. However, with his constant presence helping her with 'official talks', she has been grateful for him. He has come a long way and has grown. Listelle hates meetings, and groans anytime Alphinaud tells her she has to go. Because she is the hero, she has to go, despite her wild protests.

- Alisaie – It took a bit for them to grow on one another. Alisaie understands when Listelle has her moments. Moments she wants to hide, but also treats the Raen like an actual person. Not just the hero, not just the Warrior of Light. Listelle finds herself getting teased when Alisaie fawns over her, depending if she's down or upset about something. Mostly by Y'shtola though.

- Y'shtola – Their relationship is...weird at best. Y'shtola and herself have their moments when they get into arguments. However, she knows the Miqo'te woman wants the best for her. During the events of Shadowbringers, she was worried over Listelle's state of taking in the Lightwardens' corrupted aether. Y'shtola and Ryne were there for her as they journeyed to Emet-Selch's domain. Full of Light, the heroine had a hard time doing basic tasks at times. Due to this, Listelle appreciates her. Just doesn't like when she teases her about Alisaie and G'raha's constant admiration of her.

- Thancred – Saw him as a flirtatious man who she didn't want to deal with at all. He even made comments about her 'beauty' on several occasions to get under her skin. However, as the years went by, she began to learn he was a lot more. Mostly learned this during her time on the First with the others and Ryne. Just the interactions between him and Ryne made her heart ache for them both. Including when they had to go back to the Source.

- Urianger – This Elezen made her want to rip her hair out most of the time. Just the way he spoke, his mannerisms made her so confused. Had to get the other Scions to repeat what he said to her many, many times. Still not fond of his secrecy behind her back on the few times. However, she does understand it's a necessary evil, yet she hasn't completely forgiven him yet. Though, she does appreciate any vital information he can provide her.

- Tataru - Oh sweet Tataru...Listelle loves the receptionist to death. Another person who treats her like she's a normal person. However, how she manages to get things done makes Listelle double think herself. Like the time the Lalafell wanted her precise measurements to get her outfits made. Just the way Tataru brings up results is quite...scary. The heroine watches herself whenever she's around the Lalafell woman.

- Minfilia - The first person to understand she had the power of the Echo. All those years of not understanding random visions she had when she was a child. She learned more from Minfilia over the course of the years. Only to be upset when she disappeared, then find out she was connected to Hydaelyn. She looked up the Hyur and she still misses her from time to time.

- Papalymo - The duo of 'Yda' and Papalymo made her giggle at times. There were times she didn't quite understand the relationship between the two. She got along with the Lalafell fine. That is, until he sacrificed himself to contain the newly born primal at Baelsar's Wall. She wanted to stay behind and help him, but alas, was forced to flee with the others. She still thinks about him from time to time, hoping he's watching over them from afar.

- Lyse - Wasn't sure how to feel about her until after the whole incident at Baelsar's Wall. She had come to understand Lyse as someone who wanted to fight for her homeland. As they journeyed over Gyr Abania and Othard, she had come to see the woman in a new light. With how she handles matters in Ala Mhigo with Raubhan at her side, she hopes the city-state flourishes under their care.

- Gaius – Rivalry since taking on the Ultima Weapon. However, with tackling the Weapon Project, she put aside her dislike for him. In order to stop these machines of death, she would work alongside him. Listelle began to see him in a new light as the Weapons consumed most of the orphans he saved back then. With only Allie left and the Weapons done with, she hopes Gaius can find some sort of peace.

- Nero – Despite him working at the Garlond Ironworks now, she still finds him quite annoying. Though, she has to admit he has helped her on several occasions when Cid couldn't. So, she'd tolerate the man at best.

- Cid – Thankfully to the Garlean many times over. With his few interventions to save her from certain doom, to helping her take down Omega. The accomplishments and shit they've seen and done is enough for a novel or two....or several. She gets along with him fairly well.

- Haurchefant – The Elezen man from House Fortemps and Camp Dragonhead. It was no wonder the silver-haired male admired her from the start. Even wanting to rush in to stop her from taking on Shiva. Never do anything reckless again! He had said to her, which she had meekly agreed to. When fleeing from the bloody Ul'dah banquet, he was a pillar of strength during that time. With most of the Scions gone, she blamed herself for their loss. Alas, Haurchefant wouldn't have none of it. Always cheering her up with hot chocolate and word of encouragement. However, when he died in her arms saving her from a pillar of light...Listelle was devastated. She was depressed for a long time, and still is when she thinks about it. Still blames herself for his death, even if he wanted her to smile. "A smile better suits a hero"; A statement she won't forget easily.

- Aymeric – The first meeting with him..she wasn't impressed. She had heard Ishgardians were uptight and unwelcoming. As much as he sounded polite, she didn't trust him off the bat. However, as time went on, she began to realize he was much more than. Even inviting her to a dinner after Nidhogg's defeat, which she enjoyed. Just his question about what she wanted for herself? She knew not the answer to that at the time. Regardless, the Raen goes to visit him when she can.

- Estinien – This dragoon is so stiff was Listelle's first thought. She didn't exactly like him off the bat. However, the journey across Dravania opened him up to her. She did try her best to understand him, but it was hard. As the years went by, she had come to know he had paid respects to Yysale, which she appreciates. Even the time when she collapsed in the Ghimlyt Dark, trying to persuade Zenos/Elidibus to stop this madness. Estinien had rescued her, which opened her up to that he was more good than she thought. Now with him joining the Scions, more opportunities to know him better have opened.

- G’raha – Annoying scholar to deal with when looking for the damn aethersand. Made it a game, then she promptly yelled at him for making her run around more than she had to. Investigating the Crystal Tower together, she did appreciate his work. When he locked himself away in the tower, she was a bit sad to see him go. Listelle did understand why he had to do it though. During the events of Shadowbringers, she had her suspicions on who the Crystal Exarch was. She couldn't completely confirm who it was, until she was being consumed by Light Corruption. Despite all this, she scolded him greatly after winning the fight against Emet-Selch. She knew he had a deep admiration for her, but only saw him as a friend. Regardless, their friendship is still healthy and blossoming.

- Other Warrior of Lights - Appreciates their hard work and resilience to keep the fight going. No matter what, as long as there is a light, they can still prevail.

[Character sheet made by @lizzy-dotharl. Template taken from @earthlystar.]

#ffxiv #ffxiv oc #original character #character sheet #listelle viyrel #oc: the blood lily

[ncvcmbcrflush]

《  jason ralph. cismale, he/him. trying my best- anson seabra   》 oh my, there goes WESLEY GARDI. the 26 year old WITCH is currently working at CURIOSITIES ANTIQUE SHOP. they’ve been in salem, ma for 10 YEARS. they are known around town as THE DIFFIDENT. i have a feeling they AREN’T aware of what’s going on in town, and they are NEUTRAL. hopefully, because they are known to be EARNEST and INQUISITIVE while also being IMPULSIVE and PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE, they will survive. i guess only time will tell.

ORIGINS & FAMILY:

Full Name: Wesley Augustus Gardi

Nickname(s): Everyone just calls him Wes, except for his parents and their scary friends

Date of Birth: August 19th, 1995

Age: 26

Gender + Pronouns: Male, he/him

Place of birth: Boston, Mass.

Parents: The Gardis come from a long line of typically very powerful witches- Wesley not being one of them, and thus his relationship with his family is strained, at best. They’re constantly trying to coerce more power out of him, but Wes’ talents have always lied in protection charms and illusions; not exactly the impressive offensive skills they possessed. He’s always felt like because of his more simple pool of talents they keep him in the dark a lot of the time, especially recently.

Siblings: None.

Relationship with family (close? estranged?): Unwillingly close with his parents, would trade his left arm for a week without them pestering him.

Pets: A huge, fat old cat named Elmer Fudd who is violently hateful towards anyone who is not Wes.

PHYSICAL:

Height: 5′ 8″

Build: itty bitty, could carry him around in a baby sling with minimal effort.

Nationality: American

Ethnicity: White af

Distinguishing Facial Features: upturned nose, very cute, crinkles up whenever he laughs. dimples, also very cute. 

Hair Color: Brown

Usual Hair Style: usually pulled back into a bun or ponytail but the bangs always escape.

Eye Color: Brown

Complexion (freckles, acne, skin tone, birth marks, scars): A couple moles here and there, various little scars from work and owning a Mean Cat.

Disabilities (physical or mental, including mental illnesses): Anxiety and insomnia

What do they consider their best feature?: Probably his eyes?

Worst they’ve ever been injured (what, how did it happen)?: Never been seriously injured, the worst would be the time he slipped and cut his finger whilst harvesting  herbs from his garden and had to go to the hospital because he fainted. Got three whole stitches and 100% cried the entire time.

APPEARANCE:

Favorite outfit: t-shirt or Bisexual Button Down and jeans. Also sweaters. 

Glasses? Contacts?: Neither.

Personal Hygiene: A clean boi, but also will just grab clothes from the laundry basket to rewear three times a week.

Jewelry? Tattoos? Piercings?: Not really a jewelry kind of person, or piercings, but wants a tattoo with enough sense of self to know that if he was the sort of person who went out and got drunk, he would for sure wake up with a tramp stamp or something. Too scared of needles to ever go out and get one sober though.

What does their voice sound like?: Really soft, naturally tentative unless he’s talking to someone he knows; then he emotes a lot louder. Rambles a lot when nervous.

Accent?: Nope.

Unique mannerisms/physical habits: Big fidgeter, always tapping his fingers, picking at his clothes, bouncing his leg.

Left handed or right?: Left handed

Do they work out/exercise?: Oh sweet jesus, not if his life depended on it. 

BELIEFS & INTELLECT:

Known Languages: English, Latin (fluent classical, passable archaic), conversational spanish

Zodiac: Leo

Gifts/talents: Charms, mainly protection spells and amulets. Also pretty good at illusions, but the more complex they are, the less he’s able to sustain them.

Religious stance: Agnostic

Pet peeves: People who hate kids, people who say their dogs don’t bite, when people put plastics in the dishwasher and they get that white film all over them

Optimist or pessimist: Optimist with depressive tendencies

Extrovert or introvert: Introvert

INTIMACY & RELATIONSHIPS:

Relationship status: Single

Sexual orientation: Bisexual

Ideal mate/qualities they look for in mate: Patience, above anything else, honestly. Someone who won’t lose their mind dealing with Wes’s nonsense, but at the same time isn’t patronizing in their patience. Someone who can tell when to let him talk himself through something, and when to put a stop to the negative tangents he is sometimes prone to.

Ever been in love?: Not yet…

What’s their love language?: acts of service. 

Most important person in their life?: A toss up between Elmer Fudd and Griselda, depending on if she has tried to make him interact with people in a social setting recently.

VOCATION:

Level of education: Has his Bachelor’s in Ancient Languages 

Profession: Employee at Curiosities Antique Shop

Past occupations: Bag boy at a grocery store, freelance babysitter

Passions: Magic, reading, learning

Which is more important – money or doing something they love?: Doing something he loves.

SECRETS:

Phobias: Needles, hospitals, blood, dogs

Life goals: an abundance of love

Greatest fears: being alone

Most embarrassing thing ever to happen to him/her: When he was 15 and got the talk from his parents. His ultra strict parents staring him down in the living room and explaining about condoms and masturbation is something that lives in the deepest fathoms of his souls and haunts him to this day.

Something they’ve never told anyone: He thinks his parents would have given him up as a baby if they had known how he was going to turn out. They’ve never explicitly stated their regret over having him, but it’s pretty clear from their interactions that if it were a case of having him as he is or never having him at all, which they would prefer.

PREFERENCES:

Hobbies: Reading old books, gardening, going to estate sales

Favorite color: Yellow

Favorite smell: Eucalyptus

Favorite food: Belgian waffles

Favorite book: all of them

Favorite movie: The Fox and the Hound

Favorite song: tolerate it by queen taylor swift

Coffee or tea?: coffee AND tea

Favorite type of weather: Either dark dreary days where it drizzles all day long and smells like wet dirt, or bright sunny days where you can smell the asphalt.

Most prized possession: His first edition copy of The Hobbit.

Most used word or phrase?: “Sorry!”

BIOGRAPHY:

Wes’ parents are both highly praised and esteemed members of their coven, both possessing the kind of raw, innate power that most witches dream of; it was expected that any offspring of theirs would surely possess the same power, and everyone was thrilled to hear that they were expecting a child. Wes’ first few years were spent the way all childhoods are spent: learning to talk and walk, eating dirt, being passed around from knee to knee at gatherings, everyone eager to spend time with the baby. 

It was only once he reached school age that certain expectations began cropping up. His mother’s first bout of magic had been transforming her carrots into fish sticks at the dinner table, age 3. His father had started out by predicting a flash flood at the age of 8. So when little Wesley went entirely magicless well past those ages, people started to worry and wonder. Was he simply a late bloomer, or was there something more serious at play? They had assumed two powerful witches would produce stronger offspring, but what if the opposite was true instead, and Wesley had no magic at all? It was with baited breath that their coven waited and watched for the faintest hint of power within him. And faint it was; at the age of 14 Wesley finally performed his first feat of magic. A simple bit of illusion, making the shadows on the wall take different shapes to entertain the younger coven members he had been tasked with overseeing at a party. 

Worry gave way to relief, which was short-lived as it quickly became apparent that Wes simply did not have the skill or power to produce the kind of spellwork that was expected of him. His illusionwork was delicate and intricate, but did not translate well largescale. His wards were strong, but lacked offensive capabilities. Protection charms, healing spells, scrying, and the like all came fairly easily to him but were not impressive to his parents or their friends. What use was a healer when they had expected a fighter, after all? 

For most of Wesley’s teenage years his parents and coven tried any and all means to coerce more magic out of him- endless hours studying every strain of magic in the hopes that maybe he had some rare speciality, their version of ‘immersion therapy’ which was really just making him sit in a room full of ice, dirt, light, etc and hoping he would emerge having learned by osmosis? It wasn’t one of their more thought out plans, truthfully. In the end they got so desperate that they attempted to scare it out of him; There was a good 6 month period of time when they would formulate scenarios in which hypothetically Wesley’s magic would come out to protect him or save himself from something. This methodology ended after a fake kidnapping gone wrong in which instead of using his magic to escape like they had wanted, Wes instead headbutted his father and broke his nose, before running off back towards town. Needless to say, as soon as he turned 18 Wes moved out. Got himself a dinky little studio apartment and worked double shifts at the grocery store to make rent. 

Despite the chaotic somewhat traumatic childhood, Wes didn’t grow up resenting magic, or fearing it, or even just disliking it. All those endless hours of studying had done was ingrain in him a deep love and respect for everything that was magic. He loved the big magic, the things his parents and their coven could do; the wards that kept their town safe, the magic that could level entire buildings and heal impossible illnesses and wounds. But his real love was for the little magic, the things that were so minute, and accessible that even non-magical people could utilize them. You don’t need to be a witch to learn how to utilize crystals, or runes. Protection spells and manifestations gain strength not from the magical ability of the caster, but the sheer will. 

After moving out and attempting to put some boundaries between himself and his parents, Wesley just kind of plugged along living a normal life; got a degree, then got a job not at all related to said degree, and just generally lives a good life, if a little lonely.  As far as the drama regarding the Azreal’s Army/Earth’s Defenders, Wesley is (or was) completely unaware. His parents are aware but choose to keep Wes out of the loop- they’ll say it’s for his protection, but really it’s more that they don’t see any reason to involve him when he won’t be of any use.

#salem.intro #they're burning all the witches even if you aren't one;wesley

[filia-sapientiae]

Como El Viento (Like the Wind)

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Mexican!Reader

Summary: Four months ago, Tony hired a new computer scientist for a temporary classified assignment. Bucky didn’t plan on falling in love with her. But now the assignment is over and she’s going back home. Will he be enough to make her stay?

Series Warnings: Novela style drama, angst, cursing, crazy Mexican family dynamics, typical cartel business, drugs and alcohol, smut, rich people being assholes, Spanish 

A/N: This is for Mimi’s One Hit Wonder Challenge hosted by @captain-rogers-beard​     (Inspiration in BOLD)

I’ve had this story in my head for a little over a year and it was literally in my drafts titled “She’s Like the Wind”, so when I saw your challenge, I knew I had to participate!!! 

I’m so sorry it’s late!!! I really struggled in deciding whether or not to make it a WOC!Reader fic. And then it turned into an OC fic. And then went back Latina!Reader. And then it turned into a vague Reader fic, but my brain just wouldn’t let me write it that way. 

This quarantine has given me a lot of time to binge Spanish novelas on Netflix. So I finally settled on making a Mexican!Reader fic. You can totally use the QUEEN Selena Quintanilla as the face claim. It’s how my brain pictured the Reader. But you do you!!! I’ve got a little bit of everything planned for this story. It will definitely read like a Spanish novela!!!

____________________________________________________________________

Bucky looked at himself in the mirror. The bags under his eyes were a dead giveaway of the sleep that eluded him for the past two weeks. His hair was dirty and haphazardly thrown into a bun. He sighed as he walked away from his reflection and made his way down to the training room.

Steve eyed Bucky as he made his way to a punching bag.

How could he have been so stupid?

Punch.

He remembered fawning over every dame that crossed his line of sight. But this was different. She was so different.

Punch.

And he had to go and fuck it all up!

Bucky swung at the bag ferociously until it split open and sand spilled onto the floor.

“Buck, that’s the fourth bag this week!”

“I can’t stop thinking about her!” Bucky paced in front of the broken bag. His hands fisting in his hair. “Steve, I told Y/N I was in love with her. I put myself out there and she left!”

“You did what?! Bucky, she was in New York on temporary assignment! You knew this!”

“I didn’t plan on falling in love with her!!!” Bucky snapped at Steve.

“Buck,” Steve pulled his best friend into a hug. “What happened?”

“I freaked out when she said she was leaving and it all came out.”

“What’d she say?”

“What do you think she said? She’s gone back to California to her fiance!”

“So she’s still in love with him?”

“No, I don’t think so.” Bucky whispered under his breath. He felt defeated.

“Huh? Whaddya mean?” Steve asked incredulously.

“You remember the night we all went out for drinks and I brought her home early after she twisted her ankle dancing on the bar counter?” Bucky began to tell the account of that night, “God, I was already in love with her then.”

Y/N was snuggled against Bucky’s chest as he carried her up to her room. Bucky laid her gently on the bed. He looked down at her and his chest tightened.

“Bucky, what’s wrong with me?” She sat up with tears in her eyes.

“Nothing’s wrong with you doll. You just twisted your ankle. You’ll be good as new in a couple of days.” Bucky reassured her.

She started sobbing, “No no no no. What’s wrong with me Bucky? Why can’t I bring myself to marry Mateo?”

“Y/N, you guys are engaged. You’re getting married soon.” He sat on the edge of the bed.

“No. I postponed the wedding again!” Y/N blubbered.

“That’s ok. Why’d you postpone? What’s going on?” Bucky asked. Y/N shook her head.

“He is so good. He’s kind and sweet. He comes from a good family. But God, I am so unhappy!”

“Then why stay with him? Why are you going to marry him if you’re not happy?”

“I have to marry him. I promised them.” Y/N sank back down into the mattress and curled to her side away from Bucky.

“Doll, you don’t have to marry him. Who did you-” Bucky was met with Y/N’s quiet snores. He got up from the bed and covered her with a blanket. Bucky took one last look at the woman in front of him and left quietly.

“Buck, she was drunk.” Steve argued.

“I know, but you should’ve seen her. She’s not in love with him.” Bucky rested his head against the wall and sighed.

_____________________________________________________________

Y/N wrapped herself in a warm blanket and sat on the windowsill watching the wind blow through the trees.

Y/N had isolated herself for the past two weeks. She kept replaying her last night with Bucky over and over in her head. The feel of his lips. The way her body responded to his kiss. The desperate way he told her he loved her. The way he yelled at her.

“Tell me that you love me too!”

“He doesn’t make you happy. I do! I know I do.”

“Am I a fool to believe that I have anything you need?”

Y/N curled the blanket around her tighter and cried. After a few minutes she let out a frustrated yell. She had cried so much for the last two weeks during her self imposed isolation. She was tired of crying. Y/N stood up and paced around her living room. She was going crazy alone with her thoughts in the small apartment. She knew she couldn’t hide from the world forever.

Y/N stopped and entertained the idea of running away and starting fresh with a new life and new identity. She could do it. She knew people. You didn’t become a computer scientist as good as she was without knowing people. Hell, she had been sought out by Tony Stark for her skills. She would be free.

Y/N started pacing again. She couldn’t do that. She had to go back home. She had responsibilities and duty. The perfect Mexican daughter lived at home until marriage. But what if she didn’t want to be that anymore?

Now there was so much more to consider. The conversation she had with Tony had left her unsure of what she wanted.

“Hey Baby Houseman? Friday said you were in the lab.”

Her hair was up in a messy ponytail and her eyeliner was smudged.

“Are you ok? Were you crying?” Tony kneeled down by her side.

Y/N shook her head. “I’m fine. I’m good. What’s up Tony?”

“Are you sure everything is ok?”

“I’m good Tony.” Y/N snapped.

Tony nodded, “I have a business proposition for you.” He sat on the lab desk in front of her.

“I’m listening.”

“Come work for me. I want you to be Stark Industries’ computer network architect. You’d make communication and use of technology easier for the company to use.”

“Tony, you have your AI system, what do you need me for?” Y/N was confused.

“I want to put you in charge of Friday’s operational system.”

“Tony! I can’t take over control of Friday. Friday is your brainchild! Your baby!” Y/N gasped.

“That’s why I need you. I’m not getting any younger Y/N. Pepper and I want a family. I’m ready, but I can’t make the same mistakes as my father. In order to do that, I need to delegate responsibilities. I can’t let the company take priority over my family. That’s why I need you. You’re the only one I trust for the position. What do you say?”

Y/N stayed quiet in disbelief. “Can I think about it? I need to go home and talk to my family about it. My fiance is in California.”

Tony nodded, “Sure, take the time that you need. We’ll talk when you’re ready..”

Y/N sighed. When had her life become such a mess? The weight of her responsibility and duty and honor was steadily crushing the levity of independence and her dreams.

Lost in her thoughts, she hadn’t noticed her phone buzzing.

Shit.

10 missed calls from “Madre Mia”.

Shit.

Another call came in.

“Hello?” She knew she was in trouble the second she answered.

“Y/N L/N! I have been calling you! Porque tienes un pinche telefono si no lo contestas?!”

“I’m sorry Mami. I was busy.”

“Oh too busy for your own mother?”

“No Mami. I’m here. We’re talking now. What’s up?” Y/N sighed pinching the bridge of her nose.

“You need to come home. Now.”

“Mami, I’m still working-”

“Don’t lie to me Y/N! Que crees, que tengo cara de estupida? I know you’ve been done for two weeks!”

Shit. Y/N was really in trouble. How did they find out?

“Mami-”

“You need to get home now! Estoy harta! You’ve pushed your wedding back too many times. You’re getting married in two weeks.” There was no room for negotiation in her voice. Y/N knew her mother had been pushed beyond her limit.

“Mom, I can’t. Tony offered me a job! It’s a really good job and I want to take it!” Her voice went a little high. The same way it always did when Y/N tried to get her mom to understand.

“No me importa. We’re done playing your games! Your father and I let you postpone because you wanted to go off to school. Ok. We indulged you when you postponed because you said you wanted a doctorate. Fine. We even let you go to New York to help The Avengers. You’re done. You have things to take care of here at home.”

“Mami, please! I promise-” Y/N was not done trying to bargain for her freedom.

“No Y/N! You are marrying Mateo in two weeks. Todo ya esta listo.”

Screw this!

Y/N was old enough to make her own decisions. She was accomplished. She could handle her own! “Mom, I am 26 years old! I have a doctorate! You can’t-”

“Y qué? Crees que tu te mandas sola? No. You are a L/N. You will do as I say as long as I run this family.”

Fine. That’s how she wanted to play? Y/N was done being nice. Now she was going to be heard. “I thought it was Papi that ran things.”

“Who do you think orders him around?”

“What if I say no?” Y/N words dripped with rancor.

“Yo misma me encargare que nunca vuelvas a ver a tus hermanas.”

Y/N voice caught in her throat. No! She couldn’t. Her mother wasn’t ruthless.

“Mami, please! You wouldn’t do that!” Y/N choked out. Her mother held all the bargaining chips. Y/N had lost.

“Try me Y/N. I expect you on the next flight out.” The call ended.

FUCK!

Y/N threw her phone against the wall.

FUCK!!!

How could she threaten me like that? Threaten to keep my own sisters away from me?

Y/N wiped away her tears. The severity of her situation made its home in her chest.

It was her freedom or her sisters. She had to choose between her dream job or family duty. She had to choose between herself or Luisa and Blanca.

What was she willing to lose?

The decision wasn’t an arduous one. She knew what she had to choose. Y/N made her way to her room to start packing her bags.

PT. 2 coming soon

#como el viento fanfic #mimi's one hit wonder challenge #Bucky Barnes #bucky fanfic #mexican reader #marvel fanfiction #buckyxreader #avengers fanfiction #avengers x fem!reader

[capsfirestarter]

To Have Someone Worth Protecting Part. 1

Summary: When Penelope “Penny” Potts moves into the Avengers Compound with her aunt Pepper and Tony after finding out she’s pregnant and her ex boyfriend works with HYDRA, she starts to become close to Steve. Steve didn’t stay in the past to be with Peggy because he felt that Peggy had lived the life she wanted and it was now his turn to live his life. Steve and the others found out that Penny was experimented on by her ex boyfriend while pregnant and is now doing whatever it takes to protect her. 

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Pregnant Original Female Character

Setting: Post Endgame (Steve came back in time from returning the stones in this story)

Warnings: Pregnancy for now

Word count: 1544

Part.1:

(post-endgame but no one died, no one got hurt, and Steve didn't stay with Peggy).

This was not how I wanted my life after graduating for the Fashion Institute of fashion designing by finding out that my boyfriend was cheating on me, breaks up with me,  finding out that I'm pregnant, and staying in a hotel room with my emotional support pet husky, Snow-fire. I was sitting on the bed in the hotel room on my phone as I called my aunt Pepper to see if I could stay with her and my uncle Tony at the compound. Yes, I know that my uncle Tony is Iron Man and know about the Compound. As I was waiting for her to answer, Snow-fire curled up to me and rested her head against my stomach.

"Penny? Are you okay? I know that the only time you call is if somethings wrong." said Aunt Pepper as she answered her phone

"My boyfriend cheated on me, broke up with me, kicked me out, I'm pregnant, staying in a hotel room with my dog, and have nowhere else to go."

"Oh my god. Okay text me the address of the hotel that you are staying at with the room number. I will talk to Tony to see if you can stay here with us and the Avengers at the Compound and I will be there with help to move what things you have. Everything will be okay, dear. We will take care of you." said Aunt Pepper

"Thank you, Aunt Pepper and say hi to Morgan for me."

"I will and will tell her that you will be staying here. She misses you." said Aunt Pepper.

"Well if you and Tony ever need a date night, I can always babysit for you."

"That will be great. Tony said it's okay for you to stay here with us when I told him about your situation. He's getting a room set up for you that's close to the medical part of the compound. We have the best medical team, so you'll be in good hands. I'm on my way to pick you up, okay. Just hang tight." said Pepper

"I will. See you soon."

Once I got off the phone with my aunt, I had to rush to the bathroom before I threw up on the floor. Snow-fire was by my side to make sure that I was okay. Once I stopped throwing up, I heard a knock at the door. I got up to answer the door, just to see my aunt Pepper and Steve Rogers with her.

"Penny,  you remember Steve right?" said Pepper

"I met him at the graduation party that you and Tony did for me when I completed my fashion degree."

"I wanted to come and help you settle in at the compound since I heard about your situation." said Steve

“That’s very nice of you, Steve.”

“Penny, I hate to ask since you just found out but does your ex-boyfriend want the baby?” Said Steve

“He wants no part of anything dealing with the baby because he told me that he was not ready to be a dad, but it was okay if I still have the baby since Pepper and Tony are my aunt and uncle.”

“Well, now you have a whole team of superheroes to have for support.” Said Steve

“Thank you. Snow-fire! Stop trying to lick Steve’s leg! Sorry about that she’s almost in heat and has been wanting to have pups.”

“It’s okay. Maybe, Tony can get you another husky so that she can have pups.” Said Steve

“I doubt Tony would want little fluffy husky puppies running around the compound unless he wants to train them to be emotional support therapy animals.”

“Pepper, can you talk to Tony about that because I think that could be helpful for Bucky to have a therapy animal to help him with his PTSD?” Said Steve

“Of course. If it helps members of the team then I’m behind it.” Said Pepper

“Excuse me I need the bathroom.”

I rushed back into the bathroom to throw up. Snow-fire was next to me when I felt a hand on my back and my hair being pulled into a ponytail. Once I was done throwing up, I looked to see Aunt Pepper putting my hair up and Steve rubbing my back.

“Penny, what all do you have with you?” Said Pepper

“That big grey suitcase with all my books in it, that big black duffel bag with what movies I personally owned, and that medium size red duffel bag with all of my clothes and jewelry in it as well as Snow-fire’s things.”

“Steve, could you get the grey suitcase and the black duffel bag while I take the red duffel bag. I’ll pull the car around, so Penny doesn’t have to go far to get to the car?” Said Pepper

“Of course, Pepper. I’ll stay here with Penny to make sure she’s okay.” Said Steve

“Thank you, Steve.”

“It’s no problem really. I just don’t like how someone could leave their girlfriend after they find out they’re pregnant just because they weren’t ready. What kind of man does that?” Said Steve

“One that isn’t a real man.”

Pepper pulled up to the front of the room I was in since I was on the first floor of the building. She got out to grab my red duffel bag while Steve put my other bags in the trunk of the car. I sat in the back seat with Steve in the passenger seat in front of me while Pepper was driving.

“So, what’s your name Penny short of?” Said Steve

“It’s short for Penelope but I prefer Penny. My full name is Penelope Rose Potts.”

“Um Steve, look out the back window to see who’s following us?” Said Pepper

Steve looked out the back window to see a man in a car following close behind us. I peeked over my shoulder to see that it was my ex-boyfriend Jayden. Next thing I knew was that he started to rear end us.

“what’s going on?! Why is Jayden rear ending us?!”

“Penny, what did he do for work?” Said Steve

“I don’t know really. He would tell me that he worked in the science department to the organization he worked for, but never told me the name of the organization.”

“I think he is working for HYDRA because of how he is trying to cause a car crash.” Said Steve

“Hang on guys. I just notified Tony and the team is on their way.” Said Pepper

“Aunt Pepper, I’m scared. I don’t want to lose the baby.”

“Penny look at me okay. He’s not going to hurt you or the baby.” Said Steve

“You promise?”

“I promise.” Said Steve

“Capsicle, you protect my niece and Pepper. We’ll handle the ex-boyfriend.” Said Tony in his Iron Man suit

“Uncle Tony what did I tell you about calling Steve, Capsicle.”

“On first name bases now. Cap, I hope you’re not going to be dating my niece.” Said Tony

“I’m only your niece by marriage.”

“Still my niece.” Said Tony

“Tony, just for the record I’m 26 years old and can date whoever I want.”

“Penny calm down. The stress is not good for the baby. Pepper, how far are we to the Compound?” Said Steve

“We’re about 5 minutes away.” Said Pepper

“Aunt Pepper, please hurry. I feel lightheaded.”

“Oh no, Steve keep her awake until we make it to the compound?! Tony, contact Bruce, Penny is feeling lightheaded and is going to pass out!” Said Pepper

“Just did. Bruce has a medical team ready for when you get there.” Said Tony

“Penny, doll? Listen to my voice, stay awake? If you are awake, lift your index finger twice.” Said Steve

I could only lift my index finger one time before we got to the compound and was rushed to medical to get checked out. Steve stood next to Pepper until Tony and the team got back. Bruce came out of medical with a look that Pepper didn’t want to see.

“How is she? Is the baby okay?” Said Pepper

“They’re all fine. Penny is fine but there’s something all of you need to know. Penny’s ex-boyfriend does work for HYDRA and was experimenting of Penny during the pregnancy. Penny is two months pregnant with twins and is enhanced. We won’t know what abilities she or the twins will have until later.” Said Bruce

“Twins? Wait, where’s Penny’s emotional support dog, Snow-fire?” Said Steve

Snow-fire barked and ran over to Steve sniffing him trying to look for me. Tony seen how Snow-fire was acting around Steve and looked at Pepper.

“Did Snow-fire ever have puppies yet?” Said Tony

“Not yet, Penny was wondering if you could get her another Husky to breed with Snow-fire and train the puppies to be emotional support therapy pets.” Said Steve

“I’ll do it. It can help Sam and Bucky with their PTSD.” Said Tony

“I’ll let Penny know when she’s better.” Said Steve

“You can go see Penny. She is really going through a hard time and needs someone to give her a lot of love.” Said Bruce

“I’ll go see her.” Said Steve

#steve rogers x ofc #steve rogers #avengers endgame #post endgame #daddy!steve rogers

[fancyfade]

Batfam Hairstyle Chart by Fade31415

Well I drew my four favorite Batfam with their hairstyles throughout the years. I tried to put a little bit of explanation in the pic, but just in case: the first hairstyle is just my best attempt at drawing what he looks like in the new teen titans 1980s comics. his face looks a little softer here cuz he's an adult, but still very young like 18 or 19 or something.

the next 3 hairstyles (the ponytail and bun are the long haired one, but up) are my attempt at modernizing the mullet. Presumably due to the sliding time scale of comics, Dick never actually had a mullet, since that was very 90s specific. But I wanted to keep the long hair theme so I just let him have grown his hair out, which is hopefully not time specific (though obviously I think how common it is changes w/ time). then there's the one he had for like... a very long time. Just slightly long like he's spending a couple months between hair cuts. Then his grayson hair (to the best of my ability) and his rebirth hair. Not gonna lie. I'm not a fan of how I drew his rebirth hair. i'm not sure if I drew it wrong (I referenced the better than batman vol 1 cover) or if it just looks like a hairstyle someone slightly younger than he is would have (IIRC in Rebirth he's canonically 25 or 26? in my timeline he's 31. I asked my twin and they said they assumed someone who's 18-22 would wear this hairstyle)

I skipped all batgirl hairstyles because to the best of my knowledge, people just draw barbara with long hair most of the time. This was only significant because her hair is regrowing after she gets it cut off for the start of 1990s Birds of Prey comics (and my favorite option is the short haired first one  but they always draw her with long hair why!!)

next cassandra cain: full disclosure. I have no clue whether these were intended to be three different hairstyles or if it was just art evolution (the first two I referenced how Damion Scott draws her in Batgirl 2000. she changes it from the clunkier looking first one to the second one at some point and starts wearing lipstick). the second I referenced how she appears as black bat. I have no clue if she's supposed to have canonically changed her hair style or if its just how each artist draws hair at that length but. I interpreted them as different styles cuz they cover like 3 or 4 years of continuity she’s allowed to change her hair in there.

she also gets lipstick for the second pic cuz IIRC she started wearing lipstick there (and it was compared to the previous image by the same artist where she didn’t have any, so it wasn’t just a case of “all female characters have lipstick.”) I think it also kind of fits because she’s sort of finding herself out there? but obviously I decided she eventually decides to stop wearing it day-to-day for the third image

Final is Damian. he was hard cuz I had to redraw his FACE since he is a kid and still growing.

baby one is as he appears in batman and robin (2009 and 2011). I reffed more of the 2011 hairstyle cuz I ref patrick gleason's art for most of my damian stuff. the second two hairstyles are the same length (one is just slicked back) and how he appeared in Robin son of batman but got that was hard to draw I have no clue if it came across right. the last one is Rebirth. I referenced more how patrick gleason drew him when he appeared in superman, rather than hwo he appears in supersons, because to be honest, i don't care for the art in supersons.

EXTREMELY LONG IMAGE DESCRIPTION UNDER CUT

[image: a hairstyle chart for four DC characters. The first is Dick Grayson. first we see how he appeared in the new teen titans. he has short-ish hair that’s parted to his right. the next image has long hair (it goes past his shoulders and we can’t see where it ends, cuz this is only a neck up picture). next to that he has his long hair pupled up in a pony tail with two strands hanging down, then his hair pulled up into a bun. these three are labelled: “Down, Ponytail as Nightwing, and Bun as Civilian” and then “Modernized ‘mullet’ kept long hair made it something someone might wear when it’s not the 90s.”

the next picture shows him with hair that goes down past his ears and nose and parted in the middle, and then a little longer in the back, down past the nape of his neck. it is labelled “post haircut nightwing and batman hair” the third image shows him with pretty short hair thats combed back except for two strands. this is labelled “Grayson hair.” and the last shows him with short hair in a sort of oval or sleek shape? it’s hard to describe. maybe it’s slightly layered. this is labelled “rebirth hair”.

the next image shows Barbara Gordon. in each she’s wearing yellow lensed glasses. her first hairstyle is labelled “90s oracle” and it goes past her ears in the front and past the nape of her neck in the back. the next hairstyle looks like she’s been growing the previous one out. it would go about to her collarbones.  it’s labelled “Mid 2000s oracle.” the next hairstyle is very long and we can’t see where ends, because we only see her head. the hairstyle next to this one has the same length, but is pulled up in a messy loose bun. these are labelled “2009 when steph is batgirl”.

the next three images are all cass with shoulder length hair, but how it’s styled is different. the first is has a kind of blocky rectangular shape on her bangs, which go past her the bottom of her nose. this is labelled “first batgirl hairstyle.” her second batgirl hairstyle looks sleeker and kind of has a round silhouette from the outside, and her bangs have now been combed into the rest of her hair so we can’t see them anymore. she’s wearing purple lipstick here (but in no other images). the final image (labelled “Black bat hair”) is kind of sleek like the second one, but her hair flips out at the ends, giving her a more convex silhouette.

the last character is damian. because he’s a kid, his face looks slightly different for each hairstyle. as a 10 year old his face is very round and he has prominent cheeks and his hair is very short (probably each strand is half an inch to an inch in length) and combed forward. this is labelled “batman and robin 2009-2011″ the next two hairstyles are when he’s 11 or 12, his cheeks are slightly less chubby. his hair is combed forward in the first one, like it was in the previous one, but is now longer, probably 3 inches in length or so? this is labelled “as robin.” there is a picture of him at the same age but with his hair combed back, and this is labelled “as a civilian.” the final image shows Damian when he’s 12 or 13. he has hair that’s about 2 or so inches long and combed back, and the sides are cropped very close and shaved around the ears. end image]

#damian wayne #cassandra cain #dick grayson #barbara gordon #batfam #dc comics #dc fanart #my art

[eeveemasters]

hey, all you lovely people!  full disclosure i talk a lot and i have thought about this character thoroughly when you look under that read more... oh boy... just a heads up. anywho... guess i’m the last here i see, well, that’s typical. I’m late to literally everything, although this time I do have a good excuse. i’d tell you what it is but you don’t really wanna read about me gettin’ it in all weekend and drew is my bro -like literally. we share blood. we came outta the same womb. 26 hours of labor. 19 minutes apart. our poor mother-  so he def doesn’t wanna read about it and that is a swill of information about me before ya even know my name which says a lot, doesn’t it? inst-y-ways, I’m maddie and I’m Jewish, you’ll figure out why i’m putting that out there now. also hello again. i hope y’all are ready to get this party started, cause this is where it’s at! look below & hit that read more and I will tell you all about my baby girl, Eevee.

TW: DEATH, DEPRESSION, STALKER, MURDER, KIDNAPPING

★ ━  ( candice patton,   cis-female,   she/her )  ━ ★   just to be clear, ya didn’t get this information from me.   The person you’re lookin’ for is     EVELYN LUCIA MASTERS.   also known as     EEVEE.    Last I heard she was born on   APRIL 7TH, 1988    in    SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS,   but she’s been livin’ in   RICHMOND,    for about    EIGHT MONTHS.    Word around the districts is, this doll,    EEVEE  can be    VENGEFUL,   SELF-RIGHTEOUS,   &    A KNOW-IT-ALL,   but i gotta tell, ya, alls I seen is good things, like the fact that she’s   RESILIENT,   CHARISMATIC,    &     ENERGETIC.   I guess that depends on how well ya know ‘em, though.   the last thing ya need to know is that she works as an   A-LIST ACTRESS  &  CO-OWNER OF EXCALIBUR COMICS.  I don’t know much about what that’s all about but I do know that’s all I can tell ya the rest you gotta find out on ya, own.  ━     ( ooc:  maddie,   pst,   28,   she/her ) 

Evelyn Lucia Masters.

the irony of her name is that it means “wished for child”

she was definitely not.

hence why she goes by... 

Eevee. 

Yes, like the Pokemon.

No, it’s not a stage name or a gimmick.

She legally changed her name.

It’s on her credit card. ( so are kittens! )  

Born in San Antonio Texas.

Jewish, Bisexual & Very Proud.

Collette Rivers

Her mother.

One of the first and few Black, Soap Opera stars.

Had a wildly popular sitcom for a hot minute.

Career was on fire in the 80′s & 90′s.

Transitioned to clothing designer and eventually a reality tv real housewife when she couldn’t get jobs anymore.

Joseph Masters.

Her Father.

a former actor

was very well known for CSI.

was on broadway.

became a sought after director.

it’s a whole family in the biz, so of course...

@ two years of age, Eevee became an Actress™

baby diaper commercials with her mom.

then singing lessons.

then dance lessons.

then pageants.

more commercials.

a bit of child modeling.

more commercials.

reoccurring kid on sesame street.

then a reoccurring (but not staring) role on Gullah Gullah Island.

1998. She’s 10.

lands a role on Broadway opposite Leon Thomas III as Nala in The Lion King. 

this is the jumping-off point of her career. where it really shot off

but ignoring that for a minute...

Eevee has 5 other siblings.

4 of them are alive.

when Eevee was 15 she’d just gotten season 1st ( and eventually only ) season of her Disney show renewed and she had a stalker. on her 16th birthday, the stalker snuck into her sweet 16, cornered her when she and her older, brother Elias were alone, stabbed Elias, and kidnapped Eevee. Elias was rushed to the hospital when they found him but died shortly after.  They found Eevee, recovered her from the stalker unharmed, but when she asked about Elias... shortly after Eevee sunk deeper into her depression, and also suffered from survivors’ guilt and eventually had to stay in a mental hospital and was released a year later, a few days after her 17th birthday. being in the real world was hard for her and in a few weeks time, became legally emancipated from her parents because her father had taken control of monitoring her finances, her decisions, and became too controlling of her schedule and time out of his concern for her and her mother acted like none of it happened and expected Eevee to pick up where she left off and to get more jobs and keep working. It was an environment detrimental to her health and sanity so she had to get out of that and got her own place and moved away from her parents and unfortunately, her twin sister and younger brother.

Took a break from acting to finish high school.

had to have private tutors

excelled at the school aspect of her life.

had very few friends but she did have a girlfriend.

eventually, Eevee broke up with her

to seize her 5 minutes of fame she outted Eevee as a lesbian to TMZ.

It didn’t take long for Eevee to speak out.

At 17, in 2005, Eevee came out publically as Bisexual.

as a Black 17-year-old girl she was proud of herself.

but it did not go well for her in the media or in magazines.

didn’t help what little career she had left.

but she also kinda didn’t care

Became known for outspoken activism for LGBTQ+ youth.

Started her own charity and outreach program to finance and help struggling youth in the LGBTQ+ community by providing them with shelter, food, and treatment for health issues both mental and physical.  

went to college...

Northwestern State University.

joined the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority

double-majored in theater and business

got married to one of her best friends at one point to help him out with his financial situation.

graduated with degrees. 

and real friends in and out of her sorority.

WORKED HER ASS OFF TO GET HER CAREER BACK ON TRACK.

it took a lot of hard work.

a lot of mediocre jobs.

a lot of auditions. 

a lot of shmoozing & playing the long game.

she pulled every single string

cashed every single favor

ate a lot of shit.

including going to her mother whom she hadn’t spoken to in six years.

EVENTUALLY ROSE BACK TO THE A-LIST WITH A VENGENCE.

Several Independent Films.

Supporting roles in TV shows.

Supporting roles in a few movies.

Starring roles in a number of pilots that never got greenlit.

Starring roles in 2 tv shows. 

one was canceled the first season.

the other had THREE SEASONS.

won an Emmy

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

landed a few ad campaigns

Eevee went back to Broadway a few times over the years.

Bring It On: The Musical

played Danielle

won a tony

Best Featured Actress in a Musical.

Newsies: The Musical

played Katherine.

dream come true.

Hadestown

played Eurydice.

nominated for a Tony.

The Lion King

played adult Nala.

life coming full circle.

Currently stars in her own Netflix show. 

season 2 just finished filming which is why she has moved to Portland.

PERSONALITY:

very much a complete dork. loves video games, loves comic books, has a lot of memorabilia all through her house, it’s practically a dork museum, always telling puns. always joking. always been an adorable ray of sunshine. she really likes to be a light and enforce positivity for her friends and others.

talks far too much for her own good especially when she’s nervous.

very kind, generous, and loving, always willing to help a friend.

always willing to cook for someone as a way to comfort them. She’s a well-versed home chef and an excellent baker.

she’s in-between the vodka aunt and the mom friend. she’s the first to suggest doing shots and getting fucked up, but she’ll also make sure everyone’s okay and be responsible.

She’s that friend who if you fuck with one of her friends in any way she will go into protective mamma bear mode and straight-up end that person for you. if you need someone to back you up in a fight, literally, and have your back she is your girl.

she isn’t great at flirting or really being around anyone she finds attractive, she turns into a rambling, nonstop talking, pile of adorable.

up until the end of December last year, she was a virgin. She’s only ever slept with one person so she’s not really the sleep around kind of girl but respects those who do, you do you boo, but also please don’t mistake her for a relationship type girl either. she’s neither. she’s great at fooling around and hookups that usually stop before they get to the sex part. she’s actually just very awkward when it comes to intimacy and feelings and getting close to people in that way. It fucks with her anxiety so she just needs someone who can get her out of her head and that is very hard to find for her.

She’s a feminist and believes women should be there to support each other, but also is aware that feminism isn’t always equal and some women don’t include her as a woman to support because she is a woman of color and because she’s Black and will call someone out on their white feminist or anti-black bullshit.

she’s kind but is in no way a pushover. she’s very opinionated and steadfast and isn’t afraid to reason with someone and argue with them and stand up for herself.

POSSIBLE CONNECTIONS:

Friends: people who can put up with her non-stop chatter and find it endearing.

Fake Friends: people who are using her for fame, recognition and what her name can do for them.

Crushes: could be one-sided, could be both-sided, let’s talk about it.

Boxing Friendship: sparing partners, or someone who sees her at the boxing gym in her workout outfits that include but is not limited to color-coordinated custom gloves, that match both her outfit, her shoes, her gym bag and the giant cheerleading bow on the top of her high ponytail,  but has never actually stuck around to see her box so don’t believe she can throw an actual punch because they can’t take that seriously, because she’s just a pretty little celebrity what can she actually do, but then one day end up in an argument with her and challenge her to a sparring match and to their surprise kicks their ass and they become sparring partners. I don’t know, clearly I haven’t given that plot much thought.

Step-family member: Eevee doesn’t have a relationship with her mom, but she is aware the woman got married to another woman who has kids when Eevee was 19 or so. She’s never met any of them. Never spoken to any of them. Never been invited to family functions. Knows full well they exist and they know full well she exists and they have actually hung out with other members of her family, just not her. So that sounds like awkward and traumatic fun for all involved right?? Bring the angst.

Fellow Actors: They could be real friends, could be fake friends, could have worked together, could just know of each other, could be a publicity friendship, dude, I don’t know.

Fans / Haters: like her work or don’t like her work???????????? I don’t know I’m just throwing stuff out there at this point.

I don’t know we’ll figure something out, I AM PUMPED AND EXCITED!!

#pb:intro #pb:ooc #death tw #depression tw #murder tw #stalker tw #kidnapping tw

[ladyfl4me]

The Moth who Came In from the Cold

(yes, the title is a Cold War novel reference. and yes, it’s plot relevant. believe me)

tw: brief descriptions of gore.

November 22, 1963

Dallas, Texas

12:23 p.m.

Man, he was tired.

It was the kind of tired that came from sour drugstore coffee and aching arches, misread weather reports, indigestion, stress. Something bone-deep: something he hadn't felt since the early days of training camp, and something he never wanted to feel again. Damn the weather. Texas had no right being this warm in November. It was a Friday afternoon, the end of his first week on the job, and destiny really had to cut him some fucking slack.

He checked his watch. 12:24.

Behind him, he could sense the crowd shifting, murmuring. Somewhere, a baby started crying. All around, coats were off and draped over the metal barriers, and the sun gleamed on tie pins and pearls. Nothing but the Sunday best for the President. The Secret Service agent grumbled something incoherent and curled his toes inside his shoes. 12:25. They said it was going to rain all day, and here they were, 67 degrees and sunny as the light shining out of God's asshole. Wonderful. He was sweating so much in his damn overcoat that he was about to dissolve. Not his fault that he was born and raised in West Virginia. Appalachian Novembers were brutal, but he was used to them. He was used to Novembers being chilly as the Arctic, not balmy and warm.

Man, fuck Texas.

A hand tapped him on the shoulder. "Excuse me, sir?"

He summoned a bland Secret Agent smile and turned to face the voice: thin, faint, a bit shaky. Probably a nervous young teenage boy - the precocious type, a bit antsy, with freckles across his nose and his tie pulled up snug against his neck, with his school knapsack on his back and some ink stains smudging his fingers. Neat-combed hair and pressed pants. The kind of kid who would sooner staple his tongue than swear. Nervous and excited to see the President, and full of questions and bullshit and -

The bland smile froze on his face.

No rosy-cheeked, nervous-smiling up-and-coming student senator stood before him. Instead, the agent looked up, and up: he was face to face with a man nearly a foot taller than him - and at six foot two himself, that was no easy feat - with long, black-streaked white hippie hair pulled back in a ponytail. All sharp, hunching lines, an anxious downturned mouth, a bit gaunt and wrinkled and -

He wore red-lensed sunglasses that the agent could easily see his own reflection in. He also wore an old secondhand army parka, battered and torn, with what looked like several sweaters underneath - enough to withstand a blizzard, and keep him warm. Not good for nearly 70-degree weather.

12:26.

"Sir," said the man.

The agent said, "Who are you?”

"Who are you?" the man said, at precisely the same time.

The agent blinked.

"Sorry," the man said again, laughing nervously. His hands, jammed deep inside the pockets of his parka, flexed. The agent's hand drifted towards his gun. "Sir. Agent."

That puckered, nervous half-smile twitched and faded completely. Now the man before him was serious. A strange chill went down the agent's spine, like a breath of cold wind. "You have to believe me when I say this," said the gaunt man. "But -"

The man's cheek twitched, a convulsive half-aborted movement that sent off alarm bells in his mind. The agent's eyes skimmed over the man again - gaunt, pale, twitchy, long hair - and gripped his gun tighter. "Sir, I'm not sure you understand precisely what's going on," he said slowly. The man's attention drifted back to him; he had been watching the road. "The President of the United States is going to be coming through here in... approximately -"

"Four minutes," they said together.

"Yes, I know," the man said. His hands slowly emerged from his pockets, all long pale fingers that made the agent's skin crawl to see them. The fingers, faintly stained yellow, twitched; the agent surreptitiously took a deep breath, nostrils flaring to test the air. No skunklike odor; not a pot-smoker, then. What was this man's fix? "Two minutes now, actually. Agent." The agent frowned, blinked, and glanced at the clock tower. 12:28.

Hands seized the lapels of his jacket.

The agent was jerked around to see the pale man's face nearly against his. He had a long, pointed nose, and his skin was clammy - feverish, almost. The agent half-drew his gun. Next to him, a mother saw the altercation and grabbed her young son's shoulder in a vicelike grip. "Come along, Edmund -"

"But Mom -"

"Sir, you must listen to me," the man breathed, and his grip on the front of the agent's jacket shook.

"Edmund, come here this instant, I'm serious."

"Mister, if you don't let go of me immediately, I'm going to be forced to take action," the agent whispered fiercely. "You're -"

"Disturbing the people." Their words overlapped yet again. "I know, I know, and I am sorry," the man said softly. This close, his breath reeked of nutmeg and vanilla, and dust. "But I must - I - sir, I'm so sorry, but you have to believe me - at 12:30, the President is going to be shot and killed."

The agent's blood went cold. "How do you know?" he heard himself demand. "How do you -"

Faint cheers down the road.

"He's going to be shot, from the top floor of the Depository, sir, you have to believe me," the man demanded, his voice growing louder. "You just have to -"

The distant roar of an engine.

Now, this close, the agent could just barely see through those near-opaque red lenses, and behind: eyes wide with panic, pupils - pupils narrow and... He couldn't focus. He couldn't. Behind him the cheers grew louder, before him the man's shaking grew stronger, nervous sweat beginning to bead on his pale, corpse-like skin - and he knew the smell on the man's breath, now. Eggnog. Christmas was coming. Eggnog - he knew that smell. Christ alive, was this man drunk? There were dots swirling in his vision, in his mind, and he tried to connect them because it was 12:29, and there was nothing he could do.

"Sir," he said, his voice calmer than he felt. "I'm afraid you're drunk."

The man let out a slow, shuddering breath.

The agent holstered his gun, and reached for the handcuffs clipped to his belt. First week on the job, he told himself. First week. Bagged a maniac at the President's motorcade. Look at you go. He said sternly, "Let go of me and put your hands in front of you -"

12:30.

Shots rang out. The spectators screamed. The agent whipped around, and the nervous man's grip slipped away - "Edmund, don't look, sweetie, don't look," said the woman, clapping her hands over the boy's eyes.

"Mom, my name -"

"Now isn't the time, Edmund, please," said a man that was probably his father, grabbing his wife's shoulder and dragging her back and away. "Oh, Christ..."

"My name is Ned, momma -"

"Edmund, stop it! "

The agent froze, and all he could do was stare. Three tons of sleek black metal screamed past - blood splattered like gravy from a shattered tureen at Thanksgiving all across the cream interior, Jackie frozen in tableau reaching out, reaching back, something red and glistening in her hand - and God, the blood -

First week on the job. First week. First week, and this is what he gets - a dead president, on his watch, right in front of him, and nobody could have seen this coming -

"Hey! Hey, mister!"

There was tugging on the bottom of his too-warm, too-thick, thrice-damned to hell and back overcoat. "Edmund, get back here!" his father snapped.

"Hey, mister, that guy!" the kid said. Goddamn, no more than eight years old, not fazed at all by John Fucking Kennedy getting his head blown off twenty feet away from him, staring up at him with a set jaw and a serious glint in his eyes. Kids. Holy hell. "That guy, the one who grabbed you! He's -"

The kid pointed off into the crowd. The agent's head jerked up, and he saw the black-streaked white ponytail vanishing into the crowd. He grabbed his gun. "Thanks, kid," he said.

"My name's -"

"Ned, fine, thank you Ned -" The agent surged forward, shouldering his way through the crowd. "Secret Service coming through, move, ladies and gentlemen, I said move! " he barked. From far behind, he thought he heard the young boy shout something, but it was lost in the crowd. Voices, shouting, screaming -

He pressed on. Following that ponytail, and that pea-green army jacket, and the glint of red glasses in storefronts. Overhead, the sun beat down like an unforgiving lamp in the cloudless sky - no longer drowning him in heat, but dragging something heady and hot from his bones. Energy he thought he'd lost. That drugstore coffee finally kicking in. First week, his footsteps sang as he ran down the street: first week, first week, a president shot, and a case solved, maybe, with your name on it, in your first week, first goddamn week!

And it seemed like it would be simple, then, in that moment: the man in the seven sweaters and army jacket did not seem to know he was being followed, he did not know - his pace was slowing, those long and lanky legs of his buckling and stumbling. He seemed weary, already, and the agent felt a brief stab of sympathy, until he caught a glimpse of that man's pale pointed face in a storefront again -

"At 12:30, the President is going to be shot -"

He clicked the safety off his gun. The man knew. God, he knew something. First week, first week. He forced his legs to pump faster. Ahead, the man wove around a streetlamp and jumped over some garbage cans on the curb, almost seeming to take flight in that instant - the coat, unbuttoned, spread behind him like wings, and the shadow on the pavement seemed almost impossibly large.

And then the walkie talkie on his belt crackled.

"Agent Stern, this is Davis. Report your position. Over."

He hadn't expected that, the voice of his commanding officer, and it made him stumble - and ahead of him, so did the pale man in the green jacket. Right over a crack in the pavement, and into a storefront, so hard that the glass pane rattled and his glasses slid off the end of his nose -

And his body began to - to change.

(Decades later, when he told his children and nephews and nieces this story, he still found it hard to find the words to describe it. Like looking in a funhouse mirror, he said once, but no, that was not it - funhouse mirrors distorted what was there and made it something impossible, but something recognizable through it all. Your face, your bones, your clothes. This, this had no roots in anything that he knew. Nothing he could see, nothing of this world: like seeing shadow take shape and reach out with a grasping hand; like the moon growing eyes and following you with its new sight. It - he could never find the words. So he just told them what he saw. And with every word, he wished he could find a real, true metaphor to fit what he saw, there in the stark November sun on a street corner in Dallas, Texas.

Because the cold stark truth was hardly believable.)

It began with the shoulders: the first part that Stern could see, with this man's back to him. The fabric bulged and twisted, as if something was trying to punch its way out from underneath; the man's back hunched, as if in pain, and his skeletal-fingered hand dug into the pavement -

And the hands too began to change: melding, growing, becoming almost grotesquely long and hooked. The arms followed, becoming spindly as sticks and growing far out of the sleeves of his coat, thin enough that Stern could reach out and break the thickest part of his arm with just one hand. The man's shoulders shook again, as he drew a pained breath. The sound was like a generator powering up in a cave, all echoes and shrieks and God, that sound, it made Stern’s skin crawl like it was on fire-

The man looked over his shoulder.

Stern’s grip on his gun tightened convulsively, and his breath turned to cold steel in his lungs. The face - God, the face. Red, multi-faceted eyes, like rubies sunk into his skull, and a nose growing steadily longer and longer like a  - like a proboscis-

Suddenly the back of the man's coat exploded.

Stern flinched and pulled the trigger. The bullet ricocheted off the concrete and into the glass storefront; it exploded into a million sharp teeth, the sound like a thunderclap -

- as two enormous, batlike wings emerged from the back of the man's coat, casting the street in shadow. "Jesus Christ," Stern gasped, and dropped his gun. The wings swirled like a hurricane, sending the hats in the storefront whirling and twirling on their stands, and the jackets fluttering like dozens of tattered flags, and beat down. The man shot straight up into the sky, into the blinding sun, like a moth flying straight for a lamp.

Somewhere in the glass, scattered across the sidewalk, lay a pair of red sunglasses.

For a long time, Stern stood there and watched the sunlight gleam on them, in pure, shocked silence. First week on the job. First fucking week. Somehow he could only focus on that: that his first week had just ended, and that there was a broken store window in front of him, and for Christ's sake they would probably have to pay for that out of his paycheck -

There were sirens in the distance. Distant voices crackled down the line, stating positions, signals, names and faces. Stern signed and reached for his radio. "On Market and Elm," he sighed, staring at the red sunglasses. He slowly strode through the broken glass, crunching under his boots like new-fallen snow. "Thought I had a lead on a suspect. Fell through."

He examined the sunglasses, and folded them, and gently tucked them into his pocket.

"Over."

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