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secretswiftymarvelfan · 3 months

Note

Congrats on your 3.000 followers milestone sweets! 🩷👏

So, for your writing challenge I’d like to ask for:

Andy Barber + Grumpy x Sunshine + "I'm so glad you're here to point out my flaws. I would never have noticed them on my own."

Thank you! ☺️

Thank you so much! I absolutely love writing for Andy and thought I'd make this part of the Wildest Dreams Universe

The Other Side Of The Door - Andy Barber x Reader

Summary: Tensions boil over when Andy works late on a tough case

Word Count: 1.4k

Warnings: Angst! Happy Ending!

Masterlist / Celebration Masterlist

You knew Andy could be grumpy, you had seen it plenty of times. Mostly with Neil. But he had never been grumpy with you. He called you his sunshine and was never grumpy at you.

Today was different though. You knew he was working on a tough case, one that caused him more stress than you thought was worth it. You really tried to help him through it, you were his assistant and girlfriend after all, it was your job. But today he crossed a line that had you wanting to throw in the towel.

All day he’d been in a foul mood and you were doing your best to make today easier for him. You kept a nice happy smile plastered on your face even when it became difficult to do so because his bad mood was slowly seeping into you.

He’d been short with you, his tone clipped and words sharp. Other times he just completely ignored you and you just had to tell yourself that it was because he was too engrossed in your work and it wasn’t personal.

It was the end of the day and you were just hoping you’d be going home soon. Everyone else in the office had, it was just you and Andy left. It reminded you of all the times you’d stay later before you went public with your relationship, the sneaking around and sexy secret rendezvous in his office. But there would be no rendezvous in his office today, you’d be lucky if you were able to drag him away from his files.

“Hey, I thought you might still be here,” a cop who was assigned to the case said as he walked into the office.

You forced a smile “No rest for the wicked” you sighed.

“I brought that piece of evidence he wanted, sorry it took so long” he apologised as he handed you the file.

“You couldn’t have waited until the morning” you smirked as you took it.

The cop chuckled “I’m sorry, I’ll know for next time, don’t stay too late” he winked before heading back out of the office.

You let out another sigh as he left and wondered whether you should just leave this evidence in your drawer for tomorrow. You could try and convince Andy to head home now and maybe leave his bad mood in the office. You knew he wouldn’t be impressed if he found out though so you stood up from your desk and made your way into his office.

“Here’s that evidence you asked for, the cop said he was sorry it took so long,” you said as you walked over to him “Maybe we can leave this for tomorrow since it’s late” you added when he barely looked up from his work.

“Maybe” he murmured as he took the file from you, without even looking at you. You knew from his tone though that his maybe was a no and you would be staying for at least another hour.

“Okay well I’ll go pack up my things then” you said hoping it would push him to actually leave.

“Fuck sake” he muttered as you walked back towards the door.

“What’s wrong?” you asked pausing by the door.

“This is the wrong evidence, I asked for exhibit 15B not 15C” he huffed as he slapped the file down onto his desk.

“Oh, the cop must have grabbed the wrong one” you sighed, secretly glad since it meant that he would probably go home now “I’ll send an email now and hopefully they can get the right one to us by morning”

“Did you even tell him the right one?” Andy snapped making you baulk.

“Excuse me?” you gaped.

“When you called earlier did you say 15B or 15C?” Andy pressed his expression hard as stone.

“15B! It must have been lost in translation or something” you argued.

“Because I know the cops better than you and they wouldn’t make this kind of fuck up, not on a case as important as this!” Andy shouted as he stood from his desk.

“Are you saying this is all my fault?” you exclaimed, a look of disbelief on your face.

“Yes!” Andy snapped “You’ve been distracted all day I bet you weren’t even listening to what I said when I told you want evidence I needed!”

You looked back at him shocked. He saw everything that you had done for him today as you being distracted. It hit you hard and it hurt. You wanted to scream at him but that voice in your head told you that it wouldn’t help.

You needed to say something though, you couldn't not. So you let out a small scoff and shook your head “Well I'm so glad you're here to point out my flaws. I would never have noticed them on my own, I’ll try to do better boss” you stated forcing a smile that you both knew was fake.

You waited for Andy to say something, apologise but he didn’t say a word. The fury in his eyes dimmed, a hint of regret replacing it but he still said nothing.

“I’m going home,” you said quietly, turning on your heels and leaving his office, slamming the door shut behind you.

You stuffed everything in your bag and shut off your computer, hoping and waiting the entire time for his office door to open and for him to walk out and apologise. But the door remained shut. You even waited a few moments once you were ready to leave, biting your lower lip to stop it from trembling.

It never opened. So you left.

By the time you got home to the apartment you shared with Andy your anger had been replaced with sadness and rain had started to pour. You weren’t sure what to even do when you got home, you just sat kicked off your heels and slumped down on the couch.

You sat staring out at the windows, watching as the raindrops slowly ran down the glass echoing the tears on your cheeks. You weren’t sure how long you just sat there, trapped in your own mind.

You couldn’t bring yourself to move, not even when you heard the apartment door open nor when you heard Andy's footsteps approaching. You didn’t even look over when you felt the couch cushions sink next to you.

“I’m sorry… I acted like an ass” Andy said quietly.

Your fingers shook as you wiped away your tears, still refusing to look over at him.

“I swear I told them the right number” you whispered.

“I know, I’m sorry I didn’t believe you” Andy sighed “I went to the station to pick it up myself, the detective showed me the post-it note from when you called them which had the right number on it, the cop who collected it must have heard it wrong”

You let out a watery chuckle as you looked down at your lap “All day all I’ve tried to do is help, remind you to take breaks and not work yourself to death” you said finally looking over at him “I wasn’t distracted, I was looking out for you so to have that thrown back in my face… it hurt Andy, it really hurt”

You watched as Andy’s face crumbled. He shifted closer to you on the couch, putting a hesitant hand on your knee “I know I see that now and I’m so so sorry I just got so involved in the case that I didn’t look around enough to realise it and I’m so sorry”

You took a deep breath, you knew he was sorry, the look of regret on his face told you enough but you knew this couldn’t happen again. You wouldn’t let it.

“Andy, you need to stop doing this,” you said taking his hand “I admire how much of yourself you give to these cases but you need to stop giving all of yourself otherwise there’s nothing left” you sighed shaking your head “you need to take breaks, need to be able to switch off, not act like an ass”

Andy nodded as he lowered his head and pressed a kiss to your knuckles “I will I promise” he whispered “I don’t ever want to mess this up”

You gave him a sympathetic smile as you ran your fingers through his hair and pressed a kiss to the top of his head “You won’t, it’ll take a lot more to scare me off”

Andy let out a watery chuckle sitting back up “Thank you” he whispered as he cupped your cheek and kissed you softly “thank you”

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#niamhwrites #Andy Barber #Andy Barber x Reader #Andy Barber x You #Andy Barber x Y/N

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neon-junkie · 8 months

Text

In the Heat of the Moment - Chpt.7

Summary: “Less than ten percent of domesticated species go into heats,” accord to Tech and his research, and (un)fortunately, you’re one of that ten percent. What else are you meant to do? Trapped during a heat cycle with five men - five willing men who are happy to help relieve you, but not all have the confidence to say so.

Relationship: The Bad Batch x fem!Reader (she/her)

Tags: Heats, Mating, Sex pollen, Friends with benefits, Friends to lovers, Slow burn, Sex, Jealousy, Pining, Cuddling, Huddling for warmth, Tags to be added.

Word count: 2.3k

[Chapter 1] [Chapter 8]

Chapter 7 - Bodypillow

There is weight to your bunk this morning, and somehow, you don't remember purchasing a weighted blanket?

It's warm, engulfing you from all around, a tight and loving sensation that is drawing you back into a deep slumber. That is, until you realise what (or who) your weighted blanket really is.

A soft snore draws your eyes upwards, and there, you find the culprit.

Wrecker is sound asleep. For a man who usually snores, his breathing is rather light, almost as if he's aware that you're sharing a bed with him, and he has the courtesy of not waking you up. Now, you remember dozing off in Wrecker's lap last night, but this? How did you get from the cockpit to your bed? And better yet, what is Wrecker doing in here? Not that you mind…

No bother! This isn't the first time that you've cuddled with Wrecker, or any of your boys. You decide that you'll ask him to piece the dots together when he wakes up, but for now, you fancy lulling back to sleep whilst taking up the position of the little spoon.

Rolling onto your side earns nothing from Wrecker, not even a murmur. However, the second that you're comfortable, his body instantly wraps around yours. It's as if he knows his place - here, snuggled up behind you, gently holding you in his embrace whilst his firmly erect cock finds itself comfortable pressed against your ass.

Yeah.

Big mistake.

The second that you feel it, you realise what's in store. As tame as your heat has been during your time on Tatooine, it's bound to rev up soon, and such a feeling against your bum will certainly be the cause of it.

Maker, you can't help that your thighs are already shifting against each other. At least both of the suns haven't risen yet, as this feeling during the sweltering heat would surely cause you to melt. Literally.

But why not enjoy some fun before the suns rise? That is, if Wrecker is up for it. Plus you'll keep those urges down for the next day or so, and hopefully, you'll be off this desert of a planet by then.

Your body moves before you can think everything through, and now, your ass is firmly pressed against Wrecker's hard length. He stirs in his sleep, letting out a tiresome groan as the arm around your waist tightens. The sensation is nice, feeling small, yet snug against such a large guy.

Another light wiggle of your bum earns another groan, and the more you wiggle, the more Wrecker begins to shift in his sleep. You can hear him licking his lips, followed by a soft, "hm?" as his crotch pushes itself deeper against your ass. The poor guy is oh-so-aroused, and he's yet to wake from his slumber.

The hand around your waist removes itself, only for Wrecker to place his large palm flat against your stomach. He holds you there as his eyes finally flutter open, and after clearing his throat, he lets out a simple, "mornin'."

"Morning," you sweetly reply.

Wrecker relaxes his hand, and uses it to rub sleep from his eyes before returning it to your waist. Despite not being able to see his expression, you can tell that he's still waking up, as he lets out a subconscious series of grunts and moans, soon to be followed by a sheepish, "oh."

"Oh?" you question.

"Oh," Wrecker replies with a nod. "I didn't know that I… uh, that part of me was awake before the rest of me, if you get what I'm saying."

You let out a soft laugh and confess, "I find it rather pleasant."

Instantly, Wrecker's demeanour changes. "Oh yeah?" he questions in a tone that you've never heard before - firm, forward, flirty.

"Yeah," you sweetly coo, followed up by grinding your bum against his hard length. This earns a gasp that slowly turns into a chuckle, followed by Wrecker tightening the grip on your waist.

"You're fun to wake up next to," Wrecker says with a grin. He matches your game, rolling his hips against yours, but not firm enough to cause any real damage. A man like Wrecker is packed to the brim, but he knows when and where to use it. Patience is key…

"That being said…" you peer over your shoulder. "How did we end up here?"

"Oh!" Wrecker exclaims. His hand slips from your waist to rub the back of his neck, a standard move for when he's nervous. "You fell asleep on me last night, so I figured I'd put you to bed. But when I tried to tuck you in and leave, you got all grouchy! Mumbled somethin' like 'stay with me?' and I figured I'd take you up on that offer."

Sure, you and Wrecker have had your fair share of cuddles, but you've never ended up sleeping together. Literally.

"Huh, that sounds like me," you say with a shrug.

A warm hand returns to your waist, "I hope I didn't… uh, cross any boundaries. I mean no disrespect-"

"-you didn't!" you exclaim, wanting to instantly ease his nerves. "I am happy that you spent the night with me," you say with a smile, and curve your back to push your ass against Wrecker's crotch against.

Wrecker lets out a dark chuckle. "Heh, yeah, me too!"

There's a brief moment of silence, nothing but warmth and arousal shared between you two, until Wrecker opens his mouth again. "So, is somebody worked up this mornin'?"

"Actually, I woke up to find that you were the 'worked up one," you say with a soft laugh. "But I'll confess, that's what got me going…"

Wrecker hums. "Well, if you'd like…" fingertips begin to dance along the hemline of your sleep shorts, threatening to disappear beneath the thin fabric. "I could help you out?" Wrecker offers, such a kind gesture from a gentle man.

"I'd love that, Wrecker," you consent with a playful purr.

Wrecker lets out an, "awh, yeah!!" as he slips his fingers beneath the waistband of your shorts, no wasting any time. He goes straight for his main objective, your pussy, and glides his fingertips over your folds. "Somebody's already wet, huh?" Wrecker points out.

"That's rich, coming from you," you sarcastically reply as you reach behind your back to press your palm against Wrecker's hard length, pulling a gasp from him.

"Yeah, you're right," he shrugs.

The hand in your pants assists you with removing your sleep shorts, discarding them in the field of blankets. With Wrecker as your big spoon, you roll onto your back, spreading your legs and hooking one over Wrecker's thigh. Despite not being able to see your lower half, Wrecker finds your crotch again with ease, and continues to run his fingertips over your folds.

A tender kiss plants itself on your temple, and you peer up to see Wrecker looming above you. The angle is a little awkward, but you manage to introduce your lips to Wreckers, receiving kisses that are far softer than you expected.

Only you don't kiss for long, as Wrecker slips one of his thick digits into you, earning a mix between a whine, and a gasp. "Hehe," Wrecker chuckles as he begins working you open with one finger, easy work for a man such as him.

If Wrecker's finger is this thick, then you dream to imagine how his cock is going to be! Despite being able to feel it, you know that it will stretch you more than you can imagine.

One finger soon becomes two, and that's all you need in terms of preparation. Wrecker has turned you into a panting, whining, and trembling mess, far before the crack of dawn! You pray to the Maker that the others aren't awake yet, as you're not exactly quiet, and Wrecker is making zero attempts to keep the noise down.

"Pretty little thing, ain't'cha?" Wrecker comments as he kisses your temple again. "Y'know, Echo refused to give out details when he mentioned that he had you the other night."

"Wait… w-what?" you stutter, attempting to keep your mind from spinning as Wrecker continues stretching you open.

"Mhm! Now I get why! I would'da made my move ages ago if I knew you'd be this sweet."

"No, I mean… Echo spoke about it?" you question, causing Wrecker's fingers to come to a halt.

"Yeah… is that, uh, a problem? Cause I don't mean to be nosey, but he-"

"-It's alright, promise. I just didn't see Echo as the type to… brag? Gossip? I don't know," you explain, easing the tension. You're far from mad - the opposite, really. It's somewhat exciting, the idea of Echo mentioning that he slept with you. But if Echo is one to talk, then what about the others?

"He ain't, but he had a smug grin on his lips," Wrecker comments with a bold laugh. He head dips down to your neck, and your eyes flutter shut as passionate kisses are laid across your neck. Wrecker's fingers start up again, and you swear you're about to climax early as he speaks once more. "If there's one thing you should know about us, General, it's that we like to share everything."

Kriff! Those words… that comment… you've practically soaked your own bed, and Wrecker hasn't even fucked you yet!

You don't need to verbally respond. Wrecker knows what you want. He slips his fingers from you, and pulls your leg higher up his thigh to prop you into position. You can feel Wrecker's firm cock pressing against your folds, and he takes pleasure in grinding his shaft against your lips, before tilting his hips, and lining the tip up with your entrance.

"Waiting on your orders, General," Wrecker comments in a smug tone, causing you to click your tongue in annoyance.

"Kriff me already, Wrecker," you order.

All of your breath is pushed from your lungs as Wrecker slips in, letting out a long and feral groan in the process. He swears under his breath whilst adjusting his arms; one is stretched out under your neck, whilst the other wraps around your waist, pulling you firmly against his body. The ideal big spoon, who just so happens to be balls-deep inside of you.

As much as Wrecker enjoys taking the ropes, he still pays attention to minor details - the way you squirm against him, your short and sweet moans, your eyes fluttering shut. This is your first time with him, so adjusting to his girth is going to take a while. In the meantime, Wrecker begins with slow, deep thrusts, watching how you squirm and writhe. It isn't until you grumble, "more, Wrecker," that he finally picks up the pace.

Before you know it, Wrecker is thrusting into you with full force. Heavy breaths fill up the room, bound to be overheard by anybody passing by. Let's hope the others are still asleep, and not easily woken up…

"Kriff," Wrecker exhales, still spooning you whilst he bucks his hips up. "I ain't gonna last long, not when you're gripping my cock this good."

"Make sure you finish inside of me," you sweetly order, and who is Wrecker to deny such a request?

Wrecker's hips come to a halt as he lets out a sigh. "I need a moment," he pauses, preventing himself from orgasming early. A kiss is planted on your temple before Wrecker starts up again, attempting to hold on a little longer.

Wanting to lend you more assistance, Wrecker moves his hand from your waist, large fingertips meeting your clit. Now extra stimulated, all you need to do is hold on, and let Wrecker do all of the work! There really is no better man to wake up next to, and how he has this much energy in the morning is beyond you!

"C'mon girl," Wrecker mutters. "Think I'm gonna explode when you cum," he says with a chuckle.

The extra stimulation was all that you needed, putting a stop to your heat, for now… You're having to throw your hand over your mouth as you orgasm, still attempting to be somewhat decent to your neighbours. Wrecker, on the other hand, isn't as quiet, although he does bury his head into the pillow, barely muffling his groans.

After taking a series of deep breaths, you come to realise how full you are. Wrecker's cock is still buried inside of you, and he hasn't wasted a single drop, filling you to the point that you're overflowing. "You cum bucket loads," you observe with a laugh.

"Yeah, it's been a while," Wrecker chuckles along. "Are you tired?" he follows up, not surprisingly exhausted after your intimate moment.

"Yeah," you agree with a nod. "Wanna stay like this, and fall back asleep with me?"

"You mean, sleep with my cock stuffed inside of you?" Wrecker repeats, and is practically beaming with excitement when you nod in confirmation. "Awh, that's so hot," Wrecker compliments, you laugh and thank him.

The duvet that had wandered south is pulled back up, and tucked comfortably around both of your bodies. Wrecker then wraps his arm around your waist, keeping you close, both for comfort, and to prevent him from slipping out of you. You can feel Wrecker's deep breaths on the back of your neck, already eager to drift off to sleep, catching a few more hours before it's time to start the day.

For now, the clean-up can wait.

#in the heat of the moment #tbbwriting #tbb #the bad batch #tbb x reader #the bad batch x reader #wrecker x reader #smut #nsft #bad batch #clone force 99 #reader insert #fem!reader #f!reader

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dearmantis · 2 years

Text

It all goes in vain

Pairing: Aleksander Morozova/The Darkling x Princess!Reader

Summary: You flee from the celebration of your betrothal to a Fjerdan royal, convinced that no one will notice your absence, and hide in the only place where you know no one will find you. The generals chambers.

Warnings: period-typical sexism, the end is just a tiny bit dark

Word Count: 2.9k

Authors' Note: This isn't proofread and I'm still not a native English speaker.

Series Masterlist

Your mouth feels like it's full of ash and your skin itches disgustingly as you sprint through the gardens of the Little Palace. The building is dark and mostly empty, only inhabited by a few Oprichniki and the younger Grisha who are not expected to attend the festivities in the Grand Palace.

The celebration of your betrothal to that horrible Fjerdan royal.

No Corporalki guards to catch you and escort you back and the Oprichniki that stayed behind are all guarding the known entrances of the Palace. Perfect.

Quickly sneaking over to the windows you know lead you to the quarters of the General you realise with great relief that he must've decided to air out his office while he was at the celebration, two of the windows in his rooms slightly open, one leading to his office and the other to his bedroom. You choose the one to his office, pushing the window fully open before ungracefully climbing through, your stupid dress only making the whole ordeal more complicated and exhausting.

It only gets worse when you're finally through, your relief short lived when you notice that parts of your skirt got stuck on a splintered piece of wood in the old window frame. When you don't immediately manage to free your dress the tears come, all the frustration from the last few days finally overflowing and overwhelming you. You give up, fingers digging into the fabric of the fluffy, expensive dress before pulling, ripping a big slit into one of the many layers.

As soon as you're free you push the window closed and pull the curtains to block out even the last bits of light, then you fall to the ground behind the large, dark desk, pressing a hand on your mouth to stop yourself from wailing.

The tears running down your cheeks are hot and burn in your eyes but you can't stop yourself, not anymore. Today was simply too horrible to hold onto your self control and bottle everything up any longer.

The last bit of proof that you needed to know that you will never get out of this marriage. This is it. The celebration is the last piece of evidence required. You will be send off to Fjerda in hopes of strengthening the political bond between the two countries despite the fact that Fjerda has been sending their Hexenjäger across the borders without consent from the Ravkan Crown to kill Grisha for centuries now, refusing to apologise and refusing to stop.

If it was only the soldiers of the second army who fell victim to the Drüskelle, people who are trained and prepared for years to fight and defend themselves, their fellow Grisha, and the country, you might be able to overlook it.

But it's not just soldiers, no. For years you've heard of more and more Grisha testers getting attacked, of children being shot, burned, kidnapped across the border to be trialed for simply existing.

You don't want the political situation to improve. You want to see the Crown of Fjerda burn, watch it all turn into rubble and silently observe as a new government rises from its ashes.

One that will be kinder, hopefully, or you will set it all on fire once more.

You can't do that, not as the wife of some Duke, stuck in the capital where people would look down on you if you ever voiced your opinions on Grisha. Saints, you're not even sure if your betrothed would let you leave the house or if you would be stuck in some kitchen for the rest of your pitiful, empty life. Considering the last few conversations you've had with him he's incredibly traditional.

How he looks at you every time you dare to voice your opinion on something, like a lousy, annoying fly, or perhaps an untrained dog.

The memory of his face makes you cry harder, body shaking with your heavy sobs. How are you going to survive this? How are you going to handle watching the Drüskelle continuously drag Grisha to the Ice Court to trial them, hands bound while sitting in the very first row to their execution? The executions of your own people, unable to do anything to help?

Bile rises in your throat but you manage to force it down again, breathing heavy in the dark office.

You don't even know why you're here. Why you chose the General's office of all places in the Grand and Little Palace. Perhaps it was a last glimmer of hope. A last ditch effort to beg for help from the one person you know hates the Fjerdan Crown as much as you do, probably more.

You're not delusional though, fully aware that he will most likely not care. The disdain he holds for the Ravkan Crown might be hidden from everyone else but you can see it in his eyes. He believes your father is an idiot, he hates your brother, and you're sure he regularly forgets your mother exists. What he thinks of you is a mystery, however, because he actually bothers to hide his emotions when he interacts with you, as if he knows that you actually pay attention.

It's unlikely that his opinion of you is much different from the ones he holds of your family, so all you can do is lay on the cold wooden floor and shake and cry like a child, praying to every saint you can think of that he's enjoying himself so much at the celebration that he won't enter his quarters again until you've calmed down and returned to your rooms in the Grand Palace.

You don't know when exactly you fall asleep, if it's during the horrible hick up or afterwards, but several hours later you open your eyes to an unfamiliar bedroom lit by the morning sun. You're still wearing your dress but your shoes are removed, your hair is no longer pinned in place and your body is covered by black sheets. Fingers carefully stroking over your cheek you're also pretty sure that your makeup from last night has been removed.

For a few minutes you simply continue to lay in the bed, enjoying the warmth of the thick blanket covering you, the memory of violently sobbing while laying on cold wooden floor still vivid in your mind, but then the door to the bedroom opens and a familiar, deep voice greets you.

"Good morning, moya tsarevna."

The General walks over to the bed, placing a steaming hot cup of tea and a bowl of semolina pudding covered in berries on the small bedside table next to you. Then he sits down on the large bed beside you, helping you sit up before reaching over to give you your teacup.

You quickly drink a few sips, a pleasant warmth spreading in your body.

"Are these your quarters?" You ask finally, giving the cup back to the general who holds it in his hands. Reaching over him to grab the semolina pudding you settle back into the pillows and start eating while you wait for his answer.

He nods carefully, as if he's expecting you to call him out for how improper it is for you, the betrothed daughter of the king, to sleep in the General's bed. Truthfully, that's your first instinct as well, all of the rules of what is expected of you drilled into your mind, but you can't bring yourself to care. Not after all of your protests and concerns about your impending marriage have been ignored.

A part of you even hopes that a servant will come in and see you two sitting on his bed, spread the rumours until they reach the ears of your betrothed, stopping the marriage in it's tracks before it can fully begin.

"Why didn't you didn't call a servant? Bring me back to the Palace?" Eating a spoon of the pudding you watch his reaction to your words. His dark eyes are stuck on the dark sheets of the blanket, distant as he thinks over his answer before opening his mouth again.

"When I found you, you were unconscious, sleeping in a puddle of your tears." He speaks slowly, his deep voice calm and calculated, devoid of any emotion. "I saw you leave the celebration, but I assumed you went to your room because of how distressed you seemed. I thought you were overwhelmed and wanted to be alone. Then, when I came back, one of my Corporalki warned me that someone is in my quarters. As soon as I realised it was you, I decided against calling the other guards. I thought that there must be a reason why you didn't return to your quarters, why you chose to hide here instead of anywhere else."

His gaze meets yours for a second but this time you're the one to look away, eyes focusing on your pudding as you try to get as many berries as possible onto your spoon. While you didn't plan to get caught in your distress by the General, you did seek out his rooms specifically to cry in. Not your own quarters where your family or betrothed could've found you, not the kitchens where the servants would see, but also not the library where no one would've looked.

No, you went to the General's quarters because some part of you sees him as safe, despite the fact that he probably doesn't like you. And if he's safe, then so are his quarters, so you climbed through the window like a bunny hiding in its burrow and cried yourself to sleep, hidden away in the comfortable darkness of the night.

"I don't want to marry him." You confess quietly, setting the bowl down in your lap before taking the teacup out of the General's hands with careful movements, refusing to meet his eyes despite how clearly you can feel his gaze burning on your cheek.

"He makes me sick. Everything about him." Drinking a big sip of your tea you think over your words, deciding how much of your feelings you truly want to reveal.

The biggest truth is already out. Might as well lift the burden from me and bare my soul to him. At least I know he will listen.

"The way he speaks about Grisha and women is revolting. I recognize that we had different upbringings, that he was raised in an environment where he was constantly told that Grisha are dangerous and evil while I was raised in walking distance to the Little Palace, but I just don't understand how he can see Ravka flourish as a nation, non-Grisha working hand in hand with Grisha, and not change his mind. How he can see my mother carefully direct my father and brother, basically ruling Ravka from the shadows, without being in awe of her wit. How he can look at me and not see a person worthy of attention and the freedom to make her own choices."

A bitter taste fills your mouth at the thought that your parents don't seem to see a person worthy of freedom in you either, but you swallow it down with another sip of tea before returning the warm cup to the generals waiting hands.

"I know that it's my duty to my family, to the crown and to Ravka. I know that I have to marry him. I do. I've known since I was a child that I would one day find myself in this situation. But for some reason I assumed..."

You look at him, unable to find the words you're looking for and hoping that you will somehow find them in his eyes. "I was hoping the person I would be asked to marry wouldn't be like him. For years I've told myself that I could learn to love anyone, if I really tried. When I first met him and heard the way he spoke of the Fjerdan women, I thought I could prove him wrong, change him. And then I saw how he looked at the members of the second army, how he looked at you, and all of those dreams shattered like a stained glass window. And my brother likes him! He agrees with him on so many topics. It makes me worry for Ravka. I'm terrified for this country. We can't go back and destroy the progress we've made over the last few centuries because of some Fjerdan royal. I refuse to let that happen, but I don't know what I'm supposed to do to stop it."

Tears well up in your eyes again and you angrily wipe over them with your hands, frustration glowing like embers in your mind. You're so angry, so incredibly angry, and you don't know what to do with all of that hate in your heart. You're not a Grisha soldier. You can't simply put on a kefta, go into the forest and rip a Drüskelles heart out of his chest or cut him in half with shadows. You can't even pick up a weapon and march with the first army, not as a noble woman. So where are you supposed to put all of these emotions?

Distracted by your own frustration you don't see the General move until you feel his hand softly pet your head like one might pet a small, scared rabbit, movements slow and consistent to bring calmness and a feeling of security.

He doesn't speak for several minutes, instead watching you as you eat the rest of your semolina pudding while the tears continue to stream down your face, dropping onto the black bed sheets. When the bowl is empty he stops petting you, instead using the free hand to place the bowl back on his bedside table before giving you the warm teacup for you to hold in your shaking hands.

"There are still ways to stop the marriage." He says finally, eyes watching your facial expressions carefully as if he's trying to predict if you're going to run out and accuse him of treason for all of Ravka to hear. You sniffle, still a bit too caught up in the whirlwind of your own mind to catch what he said, until it finally hits you and your head turns to him fully. "What? How?"

The smile painting itself on his lips is rueful and a distant look finds its way into his eyes as he looks you over. "I believe it might be better if you don't know. Some things can't be unheard. But if you want, if you're truly so worried for the fate of Ravka, I could help you. I can give you the freedom you desire so deeply."

Hope rises in you like a fish swimming upwards towards the surface for food, but you try your hardest to push it down, unwilling to fully get your hopes up in case you end up disappointed.

"Why would you want to help me? What would you get out of it, if that plan of yours works?"

His hand finds yours, fingers entwining as his eyes take in every muscle twitch, every pore, every detail of your face, desperate to predict your reaction.

"It would give me a chance to make sure Ravka, my home, will be safe."

You know there's something hidden in his words but you're too exhausted to truly think over it, instead deciding to work out the subtext behind his words at a later time after you no longer break out into tears every few minutes.

"And what do you need to help me?"

"I will need you to fulfil your duty, moya tsarevna. You will have to pay a price in exchange for your freedom. You cannot hesitate. As long as you keep this in mind I will be able to make sure that you stay safe and sound in Ravka, right at the Grand Palace, until you die, old and happy."

There's something dark in his eyes, something impatient and hungry that hasn't been there before you started to show interest in his idea.

"A price to pay." You echo, lost in thought, before nodding slowly. Your eyes find a clock sitting on a dresser on the other side of the room, waking you from the almost dreamlike state the proximity to the general has put you in, standing up slowly, hands smoothing down the skirt of your dress.

"The servants will come to my room soon to wake me. I'll have to go, but I promise to think about your proposal, General. Just give me-"

"Aleksander" He cuts you off, still sitting on his bed. "If you choose to work with me and fight for your freedom and the safety of Ravka, you can call me Aleksander. I would prefer it if you would keep this name between us, however."

You nod again, stunned by his decision to trust you with his first name. Not even your father knows it, you're sure of it. "Of course, Aleksander. I will share my decision with you tonight, if that's alright with you?"

He nods, a bright spark visible in his eyes as he hears you speak his name out loud. It must've been a while since he has heard anyone call him anything but General. "It would be an honour, moya tsarevna. I will visit you in your chambers after dinner."

@snowkestrel (sorry I keep forgetting you asked to be tagged for Darkling stuff)

#aleksander morozova x reader #darkling x reader #general kirigan x reader #shadow and bone

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bengiyo · 3 months

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Cooking Crush Ep 11 Stray Thoughts

Last week was one of my favorite episodes of the season, because it focused on the drama between the friend trio. We delved into how important they are to each other, and their boyfriends (or soon to be (hopefully) boyfriends) supported them. I'm still thinking about the narrative of their dish. Ten got clarity from Prem after punching Chang Ma's nasty ass out, and Fire has promised to come out publicly when Dy wins.

Pang is a real one for recognizing a double date and getting out of the way.

"Put some meat in." Fire, he absolutely will.

Hell yeah, Ten! Show off your boyfriend.

Get you a squad that will cheer for your happiness like this.

Dish 11: Or...The Three Must-Eat-eers Will Only Be a Name

I love Dynamite so much. He said, "Girl, dish," and then immediately got jealous of the PDA and ran for his boyfriend. Some people think it's annoying to have a partner tell you exactly how to please them. Could never be me.

Oh no. The Internet is clowning them. Don't read the comments, boys!

Look at Ten. He got worried about a piece of information he found. He asked for clarity immediately. He got it. He moved on. He is the best man we've ever had.

I'm loving Boyfriends Era for them.

Wait why are they in the school kitchen? Didn't we get into trouble for being here before?

Nevermind. There's the security guard. This got so silly.

In the school kitchen??? Boys!

"It has to happen sooner or later," is the exact energy I expected from Dy.

He kicked my boy across the room!! I see the mom will be our final boss for them, because staying in the closet physically injured Dy there.

Now, Ten, don't leave that sticky note at your house like that!

Of course the bullies posted the punch on socials. Hateful.

Terrible, Ten's dad was right that Ten caused problems for Prem.

Dynamite and Fire are so fun to watch at this point. "Fy, I got slammed hard. I need to be hugged."

Oh, I like this A-B framing of the doc separate from the rest of the group.

Gun is beautiful, and we should have him smile with the whole squad backing him more often.

I love Dynamite so much. "Learn from them, Fy." "Of course."

This producer is like Masks Off and called them lame! Hold the fuck up! There are multiple posts picking at the dad scene but we don't want to cut her for this rude behavior? Priorities!

I'm actually enjoying the drama of this for Ten and Prem. Prem needs to be able to stand up to criticism if he's going to be a popular chef, and Ten needs to reckon with his own stubbornness if he's going to be a good doctor and partner. He gets all riled up about his dad, but he thinks he knows best about everything.

Oh no, Gun is crying. My weakness.

I like that Changma and Ten praised Prem for the same things. That's a good use of a second lead.

Hey, I like Changma also publicly owning his complicity in this bullshit.

I love these three so much as a friend group. I'm glad we have a good baseline for the rest of the year.

Goddamn this practice is not going great, guys.

For a second I hoped that Metha would show up to help Samsee.

Look at my boys go!!

The staff at this place is so bad at keeping the audience out of the show. You'd think they'd have done that after Ten interrupted the first time. Still, I love my boy Fire going public on TV like this.

Just gonna point out that the show remembered the dad laid hands on Ten earlier.

I really like the end of this episode. Yes, let's face that problem immediately;

Wow, we didn't have an episode 11 breakup. This was excellent. Ten and Prem tackled multiple crises this episode with open communication and mutual support. Dynamite and Fire are thriving and taking cues from their friends. Both friend groups are starting to blend. Our boys came together in the face of public scrutiny and pushed themselves to a new level. I'm having a great time. I love that we have three clear final hurdles: The Bully Gang Food War, Ten's Dad and the Scamming, Fire's Overbearing Mother. I'm so ready! The squad is together and we can take on anything!

Regarding the discussion around the dad that @lurkingshan has continued, I think we're fixating on a single moment in a single scene way too much. The show is aware of the dad's hypocrisy, and is using it to force Ten to reckon with himself. He does not care about his dad like that. They didn't forget that he struck Ten, because they brought it up as they set him up as one of our final problems to overcome. I won't be moralizing over that anymore. It's good drama inline with what we should be used to.

#Ben watches #cooking crush #cooking crush the series #thai bl #bl series

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nextinline-if · 10 months

Note

Hello Vi ☺️

Has anyone asked about the fake-out make-out scenario yet? I hope you have an amazing day 💛

Hi Anon! ☺️

I let your ask sit for a longgggg while, sorry anon. <3 forgive me pls.

I'm going to do Constantine today and do a different one tomorrow, etc! I'll just reblog and add :)

warning: kissing, touching, etc! (I think these are obvious but!)

uhm okay so I've never written one of these, idk if I did okay or if this wasn't 100% matching the scenario, hopefully I didn't break any rules? lol okay bye

Constantine (MC initiates)

You glance back over your shoulder, meeting Constantine's eyes as you force your feet to move. He shakes his head. "Don't stop running," he replies roughly.

You never excepted a visit to the capital to turn into a coup attempt. How did they know you were going to be here? It's only been four months since your brother abdicated and this was an unannounced outing.

You force the thoughts away and turn the corner, your footsteps pounding against the cobblestone. Up ahead, the doors to a brothel are open. You can hear the sounds of pleasure and poetry. You urge your feet forward and make for the entrance. "Follow me," you shout without looking.

Constantine's brows furrow but he does as you command. He'd follow you into a fire - a brothel isn't so different, is it?

You grab his hand as soon as he crosses the threshold, weaving you both around sweaty bodies full of intoxication and anticipation.

Once in the corner, you face each other, neither able to speak as you attempt to catch your breath. You start taking off his armor. "What are you doing?" He looks nervous as his eyes glance around, but he doesn't move to stop you.

You laugh softly, drawing his piercing blue gaze back to your face. "Your armor isn't exactly inconspicuous."

He nods. "You think they'll check in here?"

"You trust me, right?" You throw the last piece of armor behind the settee as heavy footsteps hammer their way toward the brothel.

"Of course," he says, swallowing hard.

"Good," you reply, pushing him into a seat. His eyes widen and he opens his mouth but you climb on top of him as the rebels stream through the door. There's no time to think so you crash your lips against his.

Your heart hammers in your ears. If they find you, at least you can say you went out with the feeling of his lips on yours. With the comfort of his hand in your hair, pulling you closer. Not that you care about any of that. But everyone should die in peace, right?

If this wasn't life or death, you'd almost believe he wants this. You'd almost believe you want this.

Focus, you tell yourself. Focus on the environment, not his rough lips gently caressing yours.

You can hear the lyre again and the sounds of lovers returning to their activities so you pull away. Your lungs needed air regardless. Constantine stares at you for a moment and you stare back.

"Uhm, thank you," you blurt out.

He tilts his head, "Thank...you?"

Your eyes widen and you move away, turning away to grab his armor. "For trusting me. I'm sorry for...that. I needed to get them off our trail." You take a breath, steeling your face before turning around to hand him his armor.

He takes it quickly, his face giving nothing away. "It was a brilliant plan, Your Highness."

Neither of you speaks until you reach the castle to alert the others of your escape.

#also hope you have an amazing day #sweet anon <3 #constantine dimas #fake out make out

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mcu-coworkers · 2 years

Text

Enchanted pt.1

Summary:The moment Anakin layed eyes on you for the first time.

Word count: 1,781

Warnings: none really

PT.2 PT.3 PT.4 PT.5 PT.6

Masterlist

A/n: still working on my writing skills but I did take some helpful tips so hopefully this is better! In honor of Obi Wan Kenobi I had to write an Anakin piece, I hope you guys enjoy!

“It is almost time my lady, you look wonderful!” your handmaiden said excited for the night. “Thank you Naja, I truly couldn't have done it without you!” you said as your nerves began to pile up you were minutes away from being introduced to the court as the princess of Alderamm and open yourself to courting to be able to find a prince who’d become your king, or so you hoped.

“Oh I'm so nervous I don't know how my parents could do this. What if I don't find him tonight?” you asked, looking at yourself in the mirror hoping you had not missed anything before being presented.

“There's no need to worry my child, you will walk in, meet his eyes and then, the rest will be history.” she said fixing the final touches of your hair.

“There, as perfect as I had wished for all these years.” she said feeling nostalgic realizing the little girl she used to dress was all grown up and ready to marry.

“ I can't thank you enough Naja really. I wish my mother would allow me to have you out there to help me.” you said with a pleading look hoping she'd try to help you when suddenly one of your brothers walked in.

“It is time my sister, are you ready?” he asked, and before you could ask for more time Naja sent you off with no turning back. “She's ready for your highness!” she said, almost pushing you out the door.

“Fine, lead the way brother.” you said taking your little brother's arm and allowing him to guide you to the ballroom. “You’re only twelve minutes older than me you know.” he muttered, hating the title of ‘little,’ “and still I am closer to the throne.” you said teasingly as we smiled down at you.

“Father has invited some jedi tonight hoping to create an alliance in the near future.” he said out of the blue.

“Whatever reason would he need the alliance now?” you asked, confused by the spontaneous act, “He wishes to strengthen the forces of Alderamm before he steps down from his reign and gives it to you.” he said quietly.

“Could he not trust me to do that on my own once crowned?” You said you were annoyed with the lack of trust between you and your father.

“In due time you'll have this conversation with him but now, it's time to meet your match my beautiful sister, good luck.” he said as you reached the doors of the ballroom and suddenly they'd never seemed so tall.

As the doors began to open you took a deep breath and began to walk in.

“The royal court presents Princess Y/n Y/l/n of Alderaan” and in that moment you thanked the stars you had your brother's arm to hold onto because if you didn't you’d have tripped down these stairs.

As you walked down you could feel everyone's eyes on you but they didn't matter once you saw that pair of ocean eyes looking right at you.

You didn't think you'd ever seen a more handsome being in your entire life and you had met your fair share of suitors since you turned fifteen, but he was something special.

As you reached the floor you were soon bombarded by your mother complimenting you and bringing you around the ballroom as if you were a prize waiting to be claimed.

In a way you felt annoyed with the feeling but you knew it was tradition and your mother was only doing what she felt normal.

Still you felt out of place and with a need to find the exit, still you kept smiling until you reached the other end of the ballroom secretly looking around hoping to find the man you had made eye contact with earlier.

“Mama, I think I'm going to walk around and take a look, yes?” you said getting ready to pull away and look for the man.

“Oh good! Don't forget your brother, you can't be unaccompanied with a man, yet!” she said pulling your brother out of his friend group.

You huffed and walked away as he followed a little too closely behind. “Oh he's too snobby you wont like him, this one is too short, not kind enough, not a man of honor,” and he only went on and on as you passed each “suitor” not once even glancing to see who he was talking about.

“You've already spotted someone havent you?” he said, stopping in his tracks.

“What? Why would you say that?” you said confused to his sudden question.

“You're walking with direction in a room full of men you've never met. So who is the suitor that stole your gaze my dear sister.” and as you contemplated trusting your brother you were approached by two men.

“Princess Y/n its very nice to me your highness thank you for inviting us it's a marvelous night, i'm Obi Wan Kenobi and this is my padawan Anakin Skywalker.” he said and as you looked up at Obi Wan and smiled you realized the man standing behind him was the man who stole your gaze.

“It’s very nice to meet you princess.” he smiled shyly hoping you wouldn't notice the sweat beginning form on his forehead as he stood nervously in front of you, he hadn't expected to get this close let alone actually speak to you the same night.

“Well, we shall let you get back to your ball. We hope you get to meet the rest of the Jedi that came along with us.” Kenobi said, making you break your stare with Anakin.

“You're a Jedi?” you said trying to hold up your smile, this meant Anakin wasn't a part of tonight's suitors, he was meant for your fathers alliance plans.

“Yes, your highness but not to worry we have put our lightsabers to rest for the night.” he laughed and you did your best to hide the disappointment.

“Well, we shall meet another time then sister there are some people you need to meet.” my brother said pulling me away, with one last look at Anakin you finally walked away and tried to clear your mind of the forbidden Jedi.

After a while all of the dancing and talking had made you feel quite light headed so when you got the chance you sneaked away into one of the balconies where you could finally feel the fresh air hit your face.

“ I thought it was forbidden for you to be alone, your highness.” you heard, quickly turning around you realized it was Anakin.

“And shouldn't you be with your master?” you asked with a curious smile on your lips. Anakin rolled his eyes and chuckled, “unlike you, your highness, I am allowed to wander off on my own,” he said, “as long as I don't break anything of course.” he finished winning a laugh out of you which made his heart leap at the sound of it.

“Well then you must be lucky, the longest I've ever been alone is that minute I had before you got here.” you said looking back out to the woods in front of you.

“ My apologies, I’ll leave.” he said, turning away abruptly. “No!” you said quickly.

“Don't leave, you're a fresh face, I wouldn't mind your company for the night.” you said looking up into his eyes again getting lost in them so easily you couldn't see yourself getting out.

“You looked very beautiful tonight princess, I'm sure you'll find the perfect suitor.” he said looking down at your lips before looking back into your eyes, both your hearts racing as you had never done this before and Anakin knew how much trouble he could be in for being alone with you.

But before you could reach his lips you heard voices from the end of the hall.

“Sister? Where have you run off to?” you heard your brother coming down the hall.

“ How long will you be here?” you asked hurriedly. “ a couple days im not sure.” he said, rambling , panicking as your brother got closer.

“Then we’ll meet again, yes?” you asked, looking into his eyes hoping for an answer.

“Sister!” you heard your brother getting closer.

Anakin caught off guard looked at you wide eyed not expecting the question.

“It’d be an honor princess.” he said, smiling down at you impatiently for the next stolen moment you'd have together.

You smiled back at him and kissed his cheek quickly before running out of the balcony and down the hall to stop your brother before he reached the balcony and found Anakin.

“Where are you, where did you run off to?” he asked, pulling you back to the ballroom.

“Oh, I just needed some fresh air brother, that's all.” you said looking back at the balcony doors.

“You must come and say goodbye to our guests so we can end the night, did you find a suitor?” he asked looking back at you.

“Sort of, in a way I did brother.” you said smiling as you thought of what happened minutes ago.

“Sort of? And what is his name?” he asked, chuckling at your reply.

“Nothing is set in stone yet so I will hold that information for now. Let's hurry and say goodnight brother, I am exhausted.” You said walking off trying to hold in the need to scream, had you really mustered the guts to kiss him on the cheek and ask to see him again? Oh the stars had to have had an effect on your mind that night and you were grateful.

Meanwhile Anakin snuck back into the ballroom and behind his Master.

“Where did you run off to Anakin?” Asked kenobi as they both headed to the door.

“ I just needed some air mastery. It felt quite cluttered in here after a while.” he said, looking at you once again as they bowed to the king and queen.

“We shall meet tomorrow ObiWan, thank you for coming.”said the king.

“Tomorrow” you whispered as you took one last glance at Anakin before you were led back to your bedroom.

“Tomorrow” Anakin said to himself as he walked out of the ballroom and headed to the guest quarters. “What was that?” Kenobi asked, “Oh nothing master, I'm just very excited to be here.” He said looking back at the door you had walked through while holding the place on his cheek that you had kissed.

While the both of you were ecstatic for tomorrow your brother wondered when the jedi had stepped out for air and if it was at the same time you did.

#obi wan and anakin #anakin skywalker #star wars #anakinedit #anakin skywalker x reader #anakin skywalker x y/n #hayden christensen

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ichigoli · 1 month

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Yumi and The Nightmare Painter Shadowbox Master Post 1:

The Yoki-Hijo

I am head over heels for making these Cosmere Shadow Boxes. I would love to find a better mold than the 4" coasters but for now they are so pretty! I don't even know what I'll do with them but for now I'm happy the exist.

To begin, I once again sketched out a design trying to focus on strong silhouettes, and cut out each layer on a different piece of card stock. I decided to go with warm colors to push the heat of Yumi's environment and give some good contrast to the Painter Box coming soon.

Learning from the Mistborn Shadow Box, I was worried about such delicate shapes floating in the resin and messing with the depth. So I tried something that worked out ok with a fabric backing I did for a commission for a friend. I painted the paper cut outs with resin and let them cure on a silicone mat to hopefully give them some more rigidity and less buoyancy in the resin.

I wanted to lean in to the "traditional" vibe that Yumi's side of the story has, so I included real natural elements as part of the resin inclusions.

Real pressed flowers and gravel give the work a more grounded (sorry) element which will contrast nicely with what I have planned for Painter. I also decided to have some fun with it and "stacked" some rocks up the sides. The flowers floating in the sky are such an iconic part of her world that I had to include them.

I didn't take pictures of the individual layers going in this time around because, thanks to the resin painted over each piece, the long curing time between each layer became unnecessary so the process was a lot faster this time around (yay, we're learning!) But you can see the added flowers and some of the gems acting as stand ins for the Hijo floating around the stacks. I know they aren't "book accurate" but I wanted just the tiniest bits of Cyan and Magenta in Yumi's piece. (Keep an eye out for their parallels in Painter's piece)

I'm really fond of the way the resin soaks into the light card stock like water. It creates a very specific kind of translucency that lends itself to the "atmospheric fade" that creates a light illusion of distance and depth.

A quick check through the bottom to preview how it all looks before we add the resin on to the final backing paper layer...

The pale lemon yellow paper pics up a lot of depth from the resin soaking in. I also swirled in the littlest bit of gold luster-dust and a drip of orange ink to the corners for a little depth of color before putting the paper down and more resin over top.

And the final reveal:

A little flat with the simple background, but that's expected. The contrast is exactly what I was hoping for. I mixed a little bit of the glow powder seen beneath the Shadow Box there to help boost the reflectivity of light which can be seen bleeding up around her knees a little bit which I hope helps evoke that heat her land is known for.

When backlit, the rein soaked into the card stock gives the whole scene an almost dreamy quality as the stone stacks fade but Yumi remains stark and crisply focused.

A few close ups of details and how lovely the layering looks peeking through the open spaces.

No preview of Painter yet, I am still trying to puzzle out a good silhouette for him that will show what he's actually doing when he's hunched over a canvas without being able to use internal contours... but I can share that I bought some EL wire and hope to line his piece with real hion lines!... once I figure out how to make the wire Cyan and Magenta along the places I want it to go.

Once Painter is done, I don't plan to stop. Maybe Warbreaker next... or Stormlight, though I have other plans for that behemoth.

Real talk: Anyone who wants to float an idea, I wanna hear it. These are too fun to stop. (I could maybe even be talked into parting with one if the situation arises)

#yumi and the nightmare painter #Cosmere #epoxy resin #paper craft #shadow box #id in alt text #because I love you

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contest-winning-pest · 1 month

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Musharana Malice. A nightmare that's not yours. It's pretty obvious whose it is, though.

You find yourself in a familiar cave. Though it is most certainly a natural cave, its full of unnatural things. Mining equipment is everywhere, extending deeper into the cave which itself becomes increasingly less natural as it goes on. A few miners are also in the cavern.

You’re nestled in a little alcove near the roof of the cave, clinging onto stalactites tightly to avoid falling and making your presence known (you, cocky eight year old that you are, have no doubt that if you fall you’ll be able to land on your feet). Directly below you is a piece of machinery. You’re unsure what it does but you hate it with a passion.

Now, as for the reason you’re here, its right in front of you. Your sister, Aster, adorned in her Lorekeeper cape, talking to a silver-blue haired pretty boy in a fancy suit. You don’t know his name and you don’t care. He’s a lot younger than you expected him to be but that doesn’t matter. He’s part of Devon Corp and that makes him scum.

Your main objective is to protect Aster. Though the two in front of you were ostensibly here to work out an agreement and hopefully convince Devon Corp to completely halt mining operations in Meteor Falls. However, you’re convinced that this pretty boy in a suit has nefarious plans for your sister. That he’s going to kill her and convince everyone else it was an accident.

They talk for a bit and seem to be getting along? That made no sense. This guy was evil. But he and Aster were chatting like old friends even though they’d barely known each other for five minutes.

Suddenly, your foot slips. A rock is jogged loose and falls. After what feels like an eternity, the rock finally lands… on the mining machine below, which begins to emit steam. Uh oh.

Quickly as possible, you scramble away from your hiding spot, leaping from stalactite to stalactite to get away from the machine without being seen.

Everyone else in the cave has also noticed the machine steaming. Aster reacts first.

“Everybody out!” She shouts.

She and the pretty boy work together, making sure all the miners make it out quickly and safely. This is agonizing for you. Why does Aster have to be so kind and caring. She should just forget about the miners and get out.

No, no. She wouldn't want you to think like that. But you just want to see her safe. So why are you just sitting there watching. Why can't you make yourself move.

Finally, the last miner is out. And that's when the machine explodes. You can feel the heat on your face but are just far enough to avoid any burns.

Aster and the man run. You hold your breath. They're almost out when part of the ceiling breaks loose and falls. It's about to hit the man but Aster pushes him out of the way and is hit instead. Unexpectedly, he stops to try to help her, but she waved him away, telling him to just run. He does as she says, making it out just as rocks come down and block the cave entrance.

Finally, you unfreeze. Tears filling your eyes, you scramble down to the floor and sprint over to where Aster lies under the rubble.

“Aster!” You cry. “Aster, I’m so sorry!”

She coughs weakly. “It's okay, it's okay, it's not your fault.”

You scrabble at the rubble, trying uselessly to dig Aster out. “I can- I can fix this! I can get you out!”

“No, you can't.” Aster says soothingly, sounding resigned to her fate. “This is the end for me.”

“No!” You shout. “No! This isn’t the end! This can't be! I-I can't lose you!”

“Shhh.” Aster shhh’s. “It's going to be alright. You still have grandma. She'll take care of you.”

“But-”

“Be strong.” Aster says. “A Lorekeeper needs to be strong.”

“But I'm not-”

“You are now.” Aster says. “Zinnia of Meteor Village, I bestow upon you the title of Lorekeeper.”

“No no no no no.” You repeat.

Aster smiles. “I know you'll do great. I've known this day was coming for a long time.” She coughs. “I just didn't think it would come so soon.”

“No!”

“Promise me one thing.” Aster says. “Don't blame him.”

And with that, she lay still. You break down completely, sobbing until a rescue party finally comes.

"... The border between Dream and Waking is getting more tenuous." She knew that couldn't be her Zinnia. Their Asters were too different.

And she'd gotten dreams of Zinnia, before, as well-- When Courtney had sent her after Kerry, she'd gotten a brief sending of that moment, far away.

Was... There someone in bed with her?

Ah. Just. Angel. That was fine, then.

"Why do I have the sneaking suspicion that fixing that is going to be my job?"

"Because you are very used to being abandoned."

"Why do I ask these things when my therapist is in the room."

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sweetlyskz · 2 years

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Woman Without Flaws

Pairing: Poly!Bts x Reader

Overview: The Simjang Cafe, owned by your mother, was the heart of your town. That is until a gang-like shootout happens right behind it. They came you kill you, to kill your mother, and your daughter. Will you be able to protect your child from death? Or will someone swoop in to protect you both?

Genre: Mafia!AU, single mom!AU, strangers to lovers AU

Warnings: Language

Word count: 842

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"Areum, let's go", you called to the little girl as she grabbed her backpack from her cubby.

"Coming, mommy". She ran to you and held your hand while you both walked to the car. She then held a piece of paper up to your face. "Look at what we made in class today mommy!"

"I see! it's so pretty. We have to stop at the café, but you can put it on the fridge when we get home." Areum nodded as you strapped her into her car seat. She talked throughout the entire car ride, going on and on about her day at school and everything she learned. When you guys arrived the the café, Areum ran behind the counter and into your mother's arms.

"halmeoni, did you save me some peach cake?"

"Of course Areum, I saved you plenty, but you can only have it if mommy says so."

You nodded your head and smiled as your mother fed Areum a piece of peach cake. The cafe belongs to your mother, but you've been helping her run it ever since your father passed away. The Simjang Café was the heart of the community, which is why the name is so fitting.

"y/n, help me clean off some tables, will you?" Your mother asked you. After Aruem finished her cake, you cleaned off come tables and took orders while your mother spent time with her only grandchild.

Your parents always taught that ease dropping was rude, but you honestly didn't mean to hear their conversation. All you wanted to do was take out the trash.

"Start with the old lady. Then take out the little girl. Save the daughter for last", the man dressed in a black suit said. "If we go for the girl first then Bangtan will want payback."

"Oh shit". you whispered to yourself, dropping the bag full of trash. both of the men turned to face your now frozen body. One of them smiled.

"Well, looks like there's been a change in plans", he said laughing. "You look nothing like your brother." They both pulled out a gun and aimed it at you, giving you the courage to attempt to run away. However, as soon as you turned around two other men were right there.

"Don't make this difficult y/n. Cooperate and your mother and daughter won't have to find your dead body behind a dumpster."

BANG! BANG! BANG!

You dropped to the ground, tears that you didn't even know you had running down your face. Your heard nothing but the ringing in your ears. Before you could realize what was happening someone grabbed you, pulling you into an alleyway. You came to your senses when you heard Areum crying.

"Are you okay? Did you get hit?" The person asked you. You grabbed Areum and tried to make a run for it before being yanked by your arm.

"W-wait. don't go over there! it's not safe. I promise I'm not here to hurt you. I'm here to protect you and your family." A black car pulled into the alleyway, windows so tinted you couldn't even see who was behind the wheel. The person grabbed your hand.

"Come", he said. "Were gonna take you guys somewhere safe. Somewhere they will never find you." Next thing you knew, He was pushing you and Areum into the backseat of the car, hopping into the passenger seat.

"Namjoon? Where the fuck is Jin?" The driver exclaimed. "We got separated at the shootout." He sighed. "Namjoon-"

"Don't worry Yoongi. He's gonna meet us at the safehouse. Hopefully Jimin's there with him."

Yoongi pulls off, taking the long way in order to avoid anyone following him to the safehouse.

"We're in deep shit now."

Thankfully, you guys made it to the safehouse without being followed. To be honest, the safehouse looked like a regular house, except for the many cameras and locks on the door. Not to mention the multiple guys standing in front of the house with rifles in their hands.

"Please explain to me what's going on? What do they want with me and where is my mother?" You yelled at them while Areum took a well-deserved nap.

"I promise we will explain everything. Just wait for the others to get here, please." Yoongi and Namjoon were pacing back and forth. It made you so anxious. It seemed as if they were worried. You weren't sure about what.

Minutes later you heard a car pull in and someone bust through the front door.

"Oh, thank fuck! she's okay. I knew they were going to come today but I didn't think they would be so blatant about it!" That must be Jin, you thought to yourself. Four other men came running in after him, turning their attention to you and Areum. Instinctively, you hide Areum behind you. One of them walked up to you.

"Hey, your safe now. They won't get you here. I promise", he said, holding your hand gently. "We'll keep you safe. We will keep you and Areum safe."

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moondreamscape · 1 month

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Mushurana Nightmare. How? Don't worry about it.

They talk for a bit and seem to be getting along? That made no sense. This guy was evil. But he and Aster were chatting like old friends even though they’d barely known each other for five minutes.

Suddenly, your foot slips. A rock is jogged loose and falls. After what feels like an eternity, the rock finally lands… on the mining machine below, which begins to emit steam. Uh oh.

Quickly as possible, you scramble away from your hiding spot, leaping from stalactite to stalactite to get away from the machine without being seen.

Everyone else in the cave has also noticed the machine steaming. Aster reacts first.

“Everybody out!” She shouts.

No, no. She wouldn't want you to think like that. But you just want to see her safe. So why are you just sitting there watching. Why can't you make yourself move.

Finally, the last miner is out. And that's when the machine explodes. You can feel the heat on your face but are just far enough to avoid any burns.

Finally, you unfreeze. Tears filling your eyes, you scramble down to the floor and sprint over to where Aster lies under the rubble.

“Aster!” You cry. “Aster, I’m so sorry!”

She coughs weakly. “It's okay, it's okay, it's not your fault.”

You scrabble at the rubble, trying uselessly to dig Aster out. “I can- I can fix this! I can get you out!”

“No, you can't.” Aster says soothingly, sounding resigned to her fate. “This is the end for me.”

“No!” You shout. “No! This isn’t the end! This can't be! I-I can't lose you!”

“Shhh.” Aster shhh’s. “It's going to be alright. You still have grandma. She'll take care of you.”

“But-”

“Be strong.” Aster says. “A Lorekeeper needs to be strong.”

“But I'm not-”

“You are now.” Aster says. “Zinnia of Meteor Village, I bestow upon you the title of Lorekeeper.”

“No no no no no.” You repeat.

Aster smiles. “I know you'll do great. I've known this day was coming for a long time.” She coughs. “I just didn't think it would come so soon.”

“No!”

“Promise me one thing.” Aster says. “Don't blame him.”

And with that, she lay still. You break down completely, sobbing until a rescue party finally comes.

G-goodness..what hole of Darkrai's mind hath you grabbed this from...?

I...poor child...Loosing someone you are close too is...the worst. I-I need a drink. Arc have mercy.

#//SHES ABSOLUTELY HORRIFIED AND IN TEARS #//also hi backset (i think its u)#irl pkmn #pokeblogging #rotumblr #legendary pokemon #cresselia answers #pokemon irl #irl pokemon #rotomblr #pkmn irl

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umbra-borealis · 4 months

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TLDR, Elements of Chaos, a massive Sonic AU I've had for years will be in production, meaning most my spare time will go towards that. C0mms might still be open but I'll be more picky because I want to make sure I can actually deliver quality without overworking myself. It's just me, one singular guy, working on this passion project and while I'm okay with that, keep in mind that things might move slowly. I don't have the mental capacity, free time or funding to work on it full time. I'm still excited though and I hope you guys are too.

And of course, here's that ko-fi link I mentioned.

Transcript:

Umbra's 2024 look-ahead

Hello everyone!

2023 was a rather slow year for me as an artist but eventful for me mentally. Because of this I wasn't able to do as much as I had planned and that, not going to lie, hurts. But I'm also ready to leave that in the past and perhaps just push the pause button on some things to return to later because certain things (like the tarot card project) still live rent free in my head. These big long term projects are most impacted by the small amount of folks interested in them besides myself and before you think I'm complaining, this is actually a bit of a blessing because this means I can put a pin in that and things like it to instead focus on something more important to me...

ELEMENTS OF CHAOS.

This is a Sonic AU, yup. Lets get that out of the way first. I'm far from the only one to have an AU and turn it into a full length fic or comic but the thing is, I'm doing neither. Sonic has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. It was a comfort during my most traumatizing years as a child when I had to navigate abuse on the daily, it was a reason for me to not commit sewer slide when I was at my lowest and I cannot begin to express the many ways it affected me as a writer and artist. Together with it's less well known sibling NiGHTS, the Sonic series is the reason I draw/write at all. But as we all know, the Sonic series isn't without it's flaws and just like so many others, I started re-writing bits and pieces I didn't like to form a new narrative.

This is a long haul passion project. The format has already been decided on and I plan to keep 'dev logs' for folks to keep up with if it interests them because I can't promise the release of it's first chapter any time soon. This project only has one person doing all the work and that person is me so if you're interested in supporting me I have a ko-fi link I'll attach to this post (and hopefully more options to come soon) They come with perks too so I don't feel like I'm just e begging, lmao.

Here's a little list of things I'm doing/have to do in order to start publishing.

Character references (Sonic is done already). This is because this story will also feature illustrations.

Website building. Yes, I plan to host a website on Neocities specially for Elements of Chaos.

Actual writing, doi. It's true that I have already worked on the first chapter and gotten positive feedback on what I have so far, but it's far from done!

Cover/page illustrations. This is a storybook type thing. I want to experiment and learn as an artist. This project will be my playground for that and hopefully you'll get to see that growth as the story progresses.

Development will happen in that order, so you can expect references before anything else.

For now, happy new year everyone! I'll share more fun stuff such as a synopsis, world building, stream news etc. in the near future. For now I'm going to enjoy what's left of the holidays before going straight back to work. I look forward to taking everyone along on this creative journey. Thank you!

#sonic au #sonic the hedgehog #chaos elements au

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purplekoop · 2 months

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I feel like the Tank role for a few reasons is the one I'm the most paranoid about for War Bots.

First is just the individual character kit designs in a vacuum. Navea is the one I feel the most confident about: standard minigun, basic defensive ability to get through enemy sightlines safely, and a team buff ability charged up by dealing damage. Good basis for the most damage-oriented but not necessarily most hyper-aggressive tank of the cast. Can push in or hold the line but not a defensive core by herself. Then there's Harmony, who was a struggle to put a kit together for because her main team support ability is so abstract. It's a neat idea but in practice I don't know how intuitive to use, play alongside, or fight against it would be. A tank who takes damage on behalf of her team but can self heal it off by damaging enemies is a cool concept but it really does need the right kind of weapon to bring it all together and I don't know if I have the right idea for that yet. Making her melee-focused feels out of line thematically and more importantly might be overbearing mechanically. She doesn't really have a way to get in but once she's in, there's not much stopping her as most characters who can't really out-damage her self healing and basic health. There's probably a horrendously raunchy way to phrase that interaction but I'll behave myself for now. A more mid-ranged weapon would feel more appropriate, and I (just now) got some ideas, but I'd like to iterate on them a bit more first. I think if her weapon is less polarizing, then her anti-projectile blast and her other defensive ability should be fine. Then there's the problem child, or rather the problem centuries-old construction turtle. Formann's kit kind of feels like theme over function where he doesn't really have an identity mechanically aside from "puts a shield down", which is... a very boring thing to base a character on. I think a basic barrier-deploying character can work, but he needs more than that. Aesthetically he's awesome: he's a giant robot turtle made out of construction vehicle pieces, like a cement mixer gun for one hand and a wrecking ball sling for another. Problem is that these other abilities don't really fit together. I don't really know what his wrecking arm does aside from break enemy buildings, but it feels redundant with him having two other attacks using his cement gun. That gun also doesn't feel too inspired either, just firing a shotgun spread of blobs or a single arcing shot. Both of which have a slowing effect on hit, which... fits the role but also doesn't sound especially engaging or enjoyable. I'm stirring up some ideas in my head for an overhaul (maybe trading the cement mixer for some other kind of liquid-to-solid building material of a slightly warmer variety) that'd hopefully make his decision-making process more interesting, and likely more in-line with his fellow construction cohorts. The last yet-to-be-seen Tank is a work in progress, and while I have a version of his kit I think I like, I'm not sure how cohesive it is overall. The goal is to have a high-mobility tank who's not as much of a team anchor, but still has some defensive utility that isn't entirely selfish while not too overbearing to work with

The other problem is that I'm anxious about how the whole role will work in a game with 10 players per team, no role limits, and a less strict character limit than one of each per team, if any. I don't know if having a variety of such (relatively) massive tanky characters would work in general in this context, either being too easily overwhelmed or too strong against uncoordinated smaller players. Again, it's a tough balancing act of making them fun to play as, with, and against.

Maybe I'm overthinking this though, and no joke I've talked myself into weapon reworks and no other major changes to Formann and Harmony in the process of talking through my issues with how they are now, so I might be able to solidify those soon. Slight pun not intended for Formann's new weapon.

#war bots #koop's oc stuff

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blackjackmagi83 · 2 years

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You Are My Heaven (1) - Sweep Me Off My Feet

Masterlist

AO3

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Fem!Reader

Summary: A short reader insert story of falling in love with pre-winter soldier James Barnes to post-Winter Soldier Bucky.

A fluffy tear jerker that’ll make you cringe or get butterflies and blush.

*Rewritten cause original was cringe (still kind of is)*

Note:

I can't even begin with how much I've rewritten this part of the story. I have come to the conclusion that I am awful at writing 2nd person and come to the decision to not write in that form again cause *cringe*🥲 I'm still not the happiest with this version and most likely in a short time with fix it up a bit better (Maybe) but I hope you all like this version!

I am working on fixing up the other parts so look out for that hopefully soon!

Playlist listed below along with the NEW story cover ♡

Hope you enjoy! ♡

Playlist:

Can’t Help Falling In Love – Elvis Presley

Until I Found You – Stephen Sanchez with Em Beihold

Put Your Head On My Shoulder – Paul Anka

Hold Me Tight – Evan Rachel Wood (Across the Universe Soundtrack)

1942 New York City, quite the place to be at this time. The raging war grew larger each day, waiting to swallow seas of people preparing to dive head first into it. It felt like the only thing that was on everyone's mind, the papers made sure it was at the very least. Pages upon pages of updates that weren’t classified to the public, detailing on what’s to come. It only grew the public's fear more. Mothers held their baby boys closer with each coming night, dreading the date when they got called for duty and most likely to their future graves. I almost could relate to the grieving mothers. A beloved baby sister who was trying to grasp the reality that my brother wasn't going to be coming home. A reality that I was nowhere near ready for, let alone accept.

My daze came to a halt at the feeling of getting my hip bumped by another, taking a moment to realize the bubbly woman beside me was deep in a conversation that I held no knowledge of the subject.

Great, I did it again…

My head turned towards her, attempting to connect the pieces of conversation my brain was able to catch. Something along the lines of a scandal at the salon and her mother fussing over the money she spent on the dress she had just bought for herself to wear tonight–I think–but nothing else seemed to fit together enough to fully comprehend. A wave of guilt washed over me at my terrible lack of focus tonight, further sinking when I caught the gleam of excitement as she spoke, still oblivious to my fogged state.

“--Who knows, maybe even let someone take my hands off you if you get my gist?” The beaming smile ceased at the sight of my furrowed brows, piecing together the puzzle of conversation that I had missed entirely, “You weren’t listening were you?”

My face pinched as I cringed, eyes apologetic towards the bouncing blonde, “I’m sorry–”

Her hands encased my arm in a firm hold, shaking it as if to rid of my clouded thoughts, “Get your head out of the clouds already, Y/N! With the way this war is going we only have so much time to enjoy such freedom and you are wasting it on daydreaming.”

Maria, one of the sweetest people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting in my young lifetime, was nothing but a stubborn, spitfire that is too passionate for her own good. So outgoing, never turning the spotlight down if it came her way but my most loyal friend since the two of us graduated highschool. Determined as a bull, she is the one who pulls me out of my comfort zone–more than I’d like sometimes–when she feels it’s needed, releasing the tension if pushed too far. A quality that was hard to find when befriending someone as shy as myself and I’ve never been more thankful.

“I wasn’t daydreaming.” Face flushing, I turned away from the pinned glare of green eyes, huffing under my breath with both annoyance and defeat, “Maria, you're lucky I even came out let alone having a man take me home tonight.”

Taking a man home was the last thing on my mind. Most men were preparing for war leaving only the memory of themselves in the form of soreness and hickies. Emotional connection wasn’t something many seeked during this time unless they sought after heartbreak purposely. Ignoring the sensitivity of my emotional state, even if I did go home with one, feeding into the temptation of lust, I would still be left with an emptiness that would never be filled. I rather sit and weep than deal with the emotional damage of loving someone romantically, knowing they wouldn’t return to me or lose their connection from months–maybe years–of distance and mental trauma of war.

“The only plans I have after tonight are a cup of tea and a few chapters from my book.” I looped my arm through her right one, refusing to meet her eyes still, “Maybe I’ll even eat a cookie before bed, just to spice it up a bit since apparently I’m such a bore.”

I didn't have to look at her to know a smirk was growing on her lips, the corners cracking as they peeked upwards. Smugness radiated off her in heavy waves, her eyes glinting with mischief, “But the unplanned ones tend to be the best and rather surprising darling.”

Should’ve seen that one coming.

A blush dappled my cheeks, further entertaining Maria at my innocence, “I guess I’ll never know.”

I’ve had experiences with men but very little if I could even count it as anything. One of the first boys I went out with had taken advantage of the less than intimate kiss, decided to try his luck at running his hands down the curves of my backside but didn’t get a chance to go further due to your brother coming into my room. It’s safe to say receiving a black eye was no invitation for a second date.

Maria pinched my side, tugging me closer as the bar grew closer, “Never say never honey, you could meet the man of your dreams tonight.”

For my sake, I beg to the heavens that I don't…

The bar doors swung open with a bang as the two of us entered, bodies painting the room with swinging dances, flirtatious chatter and an overall intoxicating presence that made my head spin the moment I stepped in. It was filled with mostly officers and women clinging onto their uniforms trying to hold onto their short summer romances. A few elderly lovers danced around them, sparkle in their eyes as if they had fallen in love with each other all over again. That's the kind of love I've always dreamt about, the most impossible love to find.

Maria's grip tightened around my hand as she dragged me across the lacquered floor, bumping into surrounding bodies that looked to have the least bit of care in the world as they pounded glasses of liquor. My eyes wandered around the room catching the glints of light shining on the stage as I was pulled through, dazed by the haze from cigarette smoke and suffocation the packed room gave.

I tugged at her arm when we took a moment to stop, Maria peeking over shoulders in further search of an open table, “Why don’t we just head back? All the tables seem to be taken.” I felt claustrophobic the longer I stood pressed against so many bodies, the sour smell of booze and sweat was beginning to make me nauseous, “We can try again another night, preferably not on a Friday night?”

Maria was less than pleased by my escape attempt, scrunching her face sourly, “No way! You’ll never get out of that retrid room otherwise. Look, there’s a table right over there!” Maria pulled me further towards the back of the bar, squeezing past lingering hands and bantering, the empty table in question appearing as if out of thin air, “How perfect is this little spot? Nice and quiet, all while getting a good view of tonight’s selection.”

I couldn’t help but to breathe a laugh at her openness, pulling my dress underneath myself as I sat in the wooden seat, my hands immediately playing with the ends of hair that shifted onto my cheek. An anxious habit that I still struggled to get rid of. I wasn't used to dolling myself up, showcasing myself into the light of curious eyes that surrounded me. I'm used to simple, blending into the crowds of New York with little fuss or worry of complications. I didn’t want to be in the spotlight, I didn’t like the attention of a thousand eyes on me, but when with Maria, that mindset gets twisted by those painted nails until all that remains is a whole new woman. Tonight was no exception. My hair is curled in brushed waves that tweaked up at the ends, the deep navy cocktail dress curving to my body without being overly tight. Maria even convinced me to wear makeup, showing me how to apply it since she is far more of an expert in the field than myself. When I appeared in front of the mirror, it was a stranger looking back at me. It felt overwhelming, looking back at the mature woman in the reflection, but the thrill of adrenaline that ran through my body had me excited for the night to come.

Maria pinched at the back of my hand, gaining my mindless attention back once again, “Alright space cadet, I’m going to go and grab us some drinks. I expect that baby tush to be sitting right there when I get back–unless afterall someone catches your interest–”

“Just get the damn drinks already.” A snort flew from my lips as I shoved her towards the bar, the sound of her laughter fading as she drifted further away from earshot.

I followed Maria’s perky figure, quirking a brow when she was stopped by a few officers leaning against the bar beside her. With a dip in her hip, the flirtatious charm turned on, twirling the short blonde strands around her finger, eyes skimming their uniforms with low lashes and her lip tucked cheekily between her teeth. The men melted into a pool of lovestruck hormones that filled their imagination with visions of her beneath their bodies, hollering and smirking with their eyes still glued to her. It was so fascinating to observe, noting the ease of skill Maria flaunted all while being innocently inviting to the opposite sex. A trait–talent–I sometimes wish I obtained.

Maria sent a kiss to each swooning man, giving a little toast with the prized beer in her hands before she made her way back to the table, an extra sway to her hips, “God I love being a woman.” Maria released a relieved sigh, cheeks warm with joy, “I will never turn down free drinks by looking pretty.” The yeasty liquid spilled from the opened top as she handed the brown glass bottle, sitting herself in the chair across from me.

The liquid was pungent, hitting the back of my throat with a sharper taste than I expected, nearly making me cough it down. But the coolness of it made me numb away from the taste, savoring the relief of heat leaving my fevered body, “One of these days you’ll have to teach me your ways with flirting. You make it look as if it’s the easiest thing in the world.”

Maria shook her head in disagreement, chuckling as she took another sip, “Absolutely not.”

My toe tapped at her shin playfully, “Oh, come on, I can’t be that hopeless?” Her head shook stubbornly again, mumbling ‘no’ repeatedly under her breath, “You’re the one who’s practically begging for me to have my panties around my ankles tonight. I can’t woo a guy if I’m fumbling over my words every other second.”

With a sigh, her head rolled to face me, “It’s simple Y/N, I’m selfish. If I teach you my ways you’ll never be home alone again or home at all for that matter. Even worse, you wouldn't spend any time with me! I’m not sure I could handle that. And don’t get me started on your brother who would put a target on my back if he found out you were anything but innocent. Sure be a hell of a sight to witness though.”

A heavy feeling sunk into an iron pit in my chest at the mention of my brother. I almost forgot about the deployment date but it was unavoidable, especially in a bar full of enthusiastic officers, ready to fight for their country. Avoiding it felt like a complete joke now, “Yeah, I guess you’re right, how stupid of me.”

Maria sighed as she took another sip from her beer, her thoughts morphing together something to fix her slipup, “Listen to me Y/N, I know you're struggling right now with your brother's deployment coming up but you need to keep living. Do you think he wants you drowning yourself in your room by yourself every night? No, he'd give you a shoe right in the tush and you know it! Now loosen up that frown, you're gonna get wrinkles.”

I knew she was right, but the panicked feeling only grew, settling like a diseased cell until it grew unmanageable. My cheek stung as back teeth nipped at the inside of my cheek, heartbeat drumming through my skull with quickening pulses that seemed to increase with each second passing.

The first stage of a panic attack…

Dread joined the cluster of emotions at the thought of having an attack in full bar, my lungs clawing inside my chest in a panicked plea for more oxygen. I almost gave in, my breathing pitching into near hyperventilation until the warmth of a hand wrapped around the trembling digits of my own, forcing my glazed sight to meet Maria’s. It was a soft, reassuring gaze, her fingers rubbing tenderly against the back of my hand, distracting from the panicked breaths and desperation to run out the doors.

“Y/N, I need you to do your exercises.” She demonstrated, inhaling and exhaling the way I needed to, “Deep breath in, hold for four, blow it out for another four. Can you do that for me?”

I felt my head nodding, following her instructions, the subtle relief of my breathing and heart rate slowing following soon after. The unbearable drumming dissipated and the slight shake throughout my body settled into barely a hum.

Her other hand cupped over our interlaced ones, radiating soothing heat up my arm, her eyes never leaving mine as I continued the exercise, “Good, now I want you to throw any thoughts you have out of that head of yours. I know it's not going to be easy, this will be your biggest challenge to overcome yet. Just remember you have people who will support you through it.”

I gave her a blank stare, both mentally drained and unamused by her words of wisdom, “How do you always know what to say to make me feel better?” A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth, further distracting me from the episode that just occurred, “Seriously, it’s almost creepy.”

She let go of my hand, returning to its place on the bottle as she rocked backwards in her seat, a soft smile gracing her lips, “Because it’s what you have me for.”

A comfortable silence grew between us, slowly sipping at the warming beer until there were only the sharp remnants remaining on the tip of my tongue. Maria barely touched hers, just holding it in her lap as her attention was more focused on those surrounding us, her body subconsciously swaying to the music from the band.

A loud smack quivered the table, sending a jolt through my heart at the sudden motion of her hand coming down against the table’s surface, “Alright I’ve had enough of this mopey, depressing gunk.” Her hand moved to reach out towards me, palm open with invite, “Come on honey, let's go show everyone how to actually dance.”

Curls invaded my vision as my head shook, leaning away from the awaiting hand, “You know I don’t dance Maria.”

A humorless laugh flooded around me, the manicured hand slapping at the top of my exposed knee lightly, “What a load of bull that is! Come on Y/N, these boys don’t know what a fine woman they’re missing if you just sit around the whole night looking like a lost little puppy.”

Stubbornness laced my features, pushing away the empty bottle from between my fingers so I could cross them against my chest, “I most certainly can. Let’s call it, playing hard to get? Give ‘em a little surprise when they pull me to the floor.”

The blank, defeated stare shifted into one of triumph as her line of sight caught something behind me, raising her hands in mock surrender as she backed off, “If that’s how you wanna play honey then that’s fine, but I don’t think you’ll have to play for too long.”

“Elaborate please.”

She leaned forward until her mouth almost touched my ear, “An officer with the most intense blue eyes I’ve ever seen, hasn’t stopped looking at you since we sat down.” A finger pointed towards the culprit, chatting amongst a group against the wall beside the bar, “The tall one in the uniform in the middle there.”

She smirked as I launched my body around the chair, nearly making it fall over. My eyes scanned over the room, hunting for this mystery man that was spoken of but all I was met with was the classic brown and gold uniforms placed on nearly every man within a two foot vicinity. With a roll of my eyes, I met her awaiting ones, “Half this bar is filled with uniformed men, it’s a little hard to tell who from who.”

Her gaze shifted behind me again, meeting mine with a mischievous glint, “Oh trust me, you can’t miss him. Look, he’s already making his way over here.”

“This joke is starting to get old–” I followed her line of sight, lazily skimming around until I caught the blue eyes she was referring to.

She wasn’t kidding…

Six feet of muscles dressed in military attire with the most charming smile I've had the pleasure of seeing was walking my way, watching me as he walked against the crowd. My breaths held a firm hold within my throat as I held eye contact, unable to break away even when he stood only inches from where I sat.

“Good evening ladies.” He nodded his head respectfully towards Maria before his attention returned to me briefly, intimidating but welcoming, “I hope you don’t mind–”

“Maria Elkwoods, at your service sir.” She was practically glowing, radiating with both excitement and smugness. Her eyes shot to mine, clearly reading ‘I told you so’ .

A breathy chuckle passed his lips, jolting my heart into a quicker rhythm, “Maria, would you mind if I take the company of your gorgeous friend here for a moment?”

Maria didn’t need to hear another word, jumping from her seat as if it burned, “Please, I thought you’d never ask! And don’t feel the need to return her, she’s all yours for the night officer. Have fun you two.” She winked, leaving the two of us with our jaws slightly gaped and speechless, at least I was.

The officer appeared amused rather than offended, shaking his head as another chuckle escaped him, “She’s quite something huh?”

“That’s an understatement.” I felt myself joining in the light laughter until our eyes met again, catching the words in my throat sharply as I watched him as if in slow motion take the open seat beside me.

Washes of light blue clashed with dark as the color got closer to his pupil creating an intense gaze that pinned me to the spot, intensely observant and calculating. I was already intimidated but something about his demeanor made my nerves settle into something manageable, allowing a shy smile to grace my features as I held his stare, “So, officer–”

“Sergeant James Barnes, but everyone likes to call me Bucky.” He reached his hand out, patiently waiting to take mine in polite greeting.

I could tell my shyness was slightly amusing to him, certain my face was flushing as red as the stage lights currently, “Y/N Y/L/N, no fancy nickname though unfortunately. It’s a pleasure to meet you James.” The callused skin of his palms rubbed roughly against the softness of mine, tingling as my fingers danced against his in a light shake.

His hand radiated with a warmth that traveled up my arm, gently tugging my hand closer as he brought his lips against the top of it, letting them linger, “Y/N...The pleasure is all mine.”

A foreign feeling bubbled to the surface within me as I watched his lips move, my name rolling off his tongue like silk, embedding my attention fully on him to the point my eyes hurt from not moving them away. My hand was locked in a gentle hold between his still, letting his fingers rub mindlessly against my palm as he spoke, bringing the feeling close to exploding. I wanted to scream it out, all while bottling it back up to avoid something I was completely unprepared for.

“--I’m taking it you’re not much of a dancer?”

My shoulders shrugged lamely, too distracted by the tingles his touch was leaving to give a proper answer, “I suppose you could say that. More of the stay at home with a book kind of gal.”

He perked at my words, straightening his back and tilting his head with interest, "What’s your favorite book?”

Is there supposed to be an answer to that question? I don’t think there's an answer…

“Oh there's too many great ones to choose from, I honestly can’t say I have one. Do you enjoy casual reading?” I cringed internally at how badly I stumbled over the words, holding back the distaste I held for myself by focusing on the buttons that adorned his jacket.

“I’m not much of a reader these days anymore, but I could reread ‘The Hobbit’ a hundred times and I wouldn’t get tired of it. There’s just something about it that I can’t get enough of. Kind of a bit like with you right now. You just keep drawing me in and I haven’t spoken to you for more than five minutes.”

God he was charming.

There was no stopping the raging blush any longer, defeated by the smoothness of his compliments. I felt as if I couldn’t breathe when his gaze was so intensely on me, piercing into me until I cracked and turned away, internally gasping for air once my eyes shifted to a poster along the bar’s back wall.

This new sensation building within me hadn’t stopped, wanting the freedom of release and take over my senses, placing me in the back seat while it steered me through all it wanted to do. It scared me with a heart pumping acceleration of rebelliousness, addictive and never fully fulfilling. I reached for it subconsciously but went a little too late, the comforting heat that wrapped around my hand vanished as Bucky pulled away to lean back in the chair, resting them atop his lap.

I turned my gaze back to him, curious of his sudden retreat, my hand closing into a clammy ball against my side. His attention was towards the dance floor, drowning out his surroundings just as I had done moments ago. It gave me a moment to admire the details of him, taking in the velvet that constructed his hat and the wrinkle-free uniform that shaped the athleticism of his body perfectly. It made me wonder of the strength that laid beneath it, how the muscles of his back flexed–

“What’re you thinking about?” My eyes pulled up to meet those blue crystals focused on my dragging stare, “It’s me right?” Bucky teased, his eyes almost twinkling with mischief.

I felt myself match his cockiness, my body suddenly jittery, “I was just thinking that–” The feeling could no longer be contained anymore, rising to the surface with a chilling intensity and boldness. Years of watching Maria flaunt her skills had taken its mark on me from the shadows, remembering to lower my lashes in a low lidded gaze forcing my pupils to dilate from imaginative thoughts, bringing forth the target with increasing desire. Resting a hand beneath my chin while leaning forward to show equal curiosity and reveal another advantage that hung in a small opening at your breasts, “--you should take me out on the floor and swing me around till I can barely feel my legs.”

It came out as if I held no control, the flirtatious and slightly suggestive remark surprising not only myself but Bucky as well. My eyes moved towards his mouth, his teeth grazing his bottom lip as a smirk began to form.

Scorching fire shot through my hand and soon after my body, in a mix of tingling anticipation and adrenaline, as it was pulled up to rest against his chest, “Shall we then?”

I felt everything let go as he spun my body around the dance floor, sweaty bodies flushing against us like a wall, never removing one of his hands from my waist. The atmosphere made me feel drunk, high even. An occurrence that held no explanation, but it was heaven. It felt as if I was internally melting, unfamiliar with the hotness running throughout my insides, feeding into the adrenaline that pumped heavily through me. The sound of the music pulsated through my ears until they rang, the instruments picking up into a lively jazz that flowed through my veins with its rhythm. It all clouded my senses with a thick curtain, becoming more dangerous as my vision remained lost, the only judgment of direction being the hands that curved up my spine as they dipped me towards the lacquered floor. The possibilities of those hands gave me a ravishing hunger, craving to feel them drape along the rest of my body with as much passion as this moment. It was the most intimate experience you ever felt.

“I thought you said you couldn’t dance?” His voice was morphed, dripping like honey through my ears.

A gasping laugh flowed from my lips, allowing his hand to twirl and pull me back against his chest, his heartbeat pounding against my own, “It’s no fun to give all your tricks away.”

Just as it rose, the music that made everyone’s veins pump with the beat of the trumpet and saxophone had ended with the bang of the drums, dropping the curtain along my senses into a clarity that made me dizzy.

Reluctantly, I drew away from him, allowing a space the length of my arms to form between us, my legs shaking from fatigue with each step, “Well, I certainly will struggle walking to work tomorrow so I guess you’ve accomplished my wish Sergeant.”

Bucky tugged back at my hand, stopping the distance I kept attempting to make from growing further, “Just that little jig and you’re already done? Come on gorgeous, the night has barely begun. I know you have more in you than that.”

The lively jazz music had settled into a swayful piano and soulful tone from the singer, pulling the remaining couples closer in a dance of intimacy. My heart ached to join them but time was ticking and I wasn’t sure if I accepted, if I would ever leave from between his arms.

“I have to get up early James-'' I played with his fingers in an attempt to unravel them from between mine–with little success–remaining stubbornly intertwined, “Has anyone told you you’re annoyingly persistent?”

A playful smirk laced his lips as his head shook, “You don’t know the half of it darling.” His grip along my right hand loosened enough to slide down my arm, placing it to sit along the back of his neck, the other still interlaced with his left, “One more dance is all I’m asking for.”

The distance I had succeeded at making, shrunk as my body flushed against his chest, hearts connecting in equal beats as if they were bonded, “One more and you’ll have to carry me home.” Our eyes locked, hypnotized by the power they held so strongly when connected.

I guess Maria was right…Maybe I did meet the man of my dreams tonight.

His head dipped to nestled at the top of my curls, smiling against the frizzed strands that loosened from their hairsprayed hold, “I can accept that.”

My head moved to rest along the curve between his neck and shoulder, allowing my eyes to close as our bodies swayed in a small circular pattern. It was blissful and serene, breathing in the mixture of his natural scent and cologne, sending me further against him in relaxation, radiating an energy from each other that felt so wholesome. Was I dreaming? Floating along the floor like clouds, in a slow waltz with a man that looked at me like I’m the most beautiful woman in the room.

I could live in this moment for the rest of my life…

“Could’ve fooled me with those moves you pulled before.” Bucky's lips were dangerously close to my ear, voice dripping like honey within it, “I never seen someone dance like that.”

I chuckled against his chest, shyly hiding my face within it, both reluctant to move from the comfort of it and because of the pink that returned to my cheeks, “You surprised me yourself you know.” The lights had dimmed, caging his sweat slicked face in an illuminating glow, meeting the intense blue orbs once more, trying desperately not to drown within the depths of them, “No one’s swept me off my feet quite like you have.”

Pearlescent teeth flashed down at me, soaking in my admiration, ”I guess we’re both full of surprises then Y/N.”

My cheeks twitched, the permanent smile plastered to my face aching but I couldn’t stop it even if I tried, “You don’t even know the half of it James.”

Bucky pulled my body impossibly closer with a delicate squeeze against my back allowing me to fully wrap my arms around his neck, his forehead lowering until it rested along mine. I could feel the thin layer of sweat that built up on his brow, a bead slipping from under his hat every so often as his body began to cool, the scent of beer fanning my face in light waves as his lungs regained full breaths, “Has anyone told you how beautiful you are?”

There weren’t any hairs to twirl along the back of his neck, buzzed too short but I still rubbed the shortened hairs fondly, my voice grasping playfulness as a brow raised suspiciously, “And how many times have you used that line Sergeant Barnes?”

“Only as many as you want me to.”

Hesitantly, his nose nudged against the tip of mine, silently asking for permission. Our eyes locked, lids dazed with exhaustion and admiration, “And if I want something else?” There was no hesitation accepting his invite, barely letting each other's lips touch in an innocent kiss.

His breath fanned over the sensitive skin of my lips as they hovered centimeters apart, coated lightly with the lipstick I wore, “You can have as many of those as you want too.”

This must be what Maria always talked about when you find someone who sends butterflies to your belly. The kind of feelings that make you hungry for more of that person, wanting every touch and smile, their voice playing in your ear for days. Only images of them flooding your memory with reality and imaginative scenes. That is how I felt as Bucky looked down at me, holding me as if I was molded to him like a piece of art, the missing link to a puzzle he desperately sought for.

Maybe this was the chance worth risking for…

The skin along his jaw was rough against my palms from freshly shaving, sliding them up to his cheeks to pull myself back to his lips, greedily craving them with a ravishing desire. Bucky mimicked my passion, fisting a hand deep into the curls at the back of my head while the other cradled my lower back.

Intoxicating was the best way to describe it, dragging me further into the depths of the paradise that was James Barnes and I wanted so much more. It was a kiss that made me lose sensation of my surroundings, full of new desires that enthralled me to explore and discover the man beneath the uniform.

My fingers danced along his jaw as I broke away, staring up at him with absolute certainty, “I think I’ll take you up on that offer.”

Part 2

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