#i played for about three hours and never left this planet

[swaps55]

Uncharted Worlds

#mass effect #ontarom #me1 is my comfort food #just me living in photo mode #i played for about three hours and never left this planet #it's my favorite in photo mode

[thevillainswhore]

New Tricks: A Pure Love

Pairing: Virgin!Bucky Barnes x F!Reader

Word Count: 11.5k

Summary: From first kisses to first dates, the two of you have come a long way from pining over the other in secret and innocent touches during an unplanned movie night. But now, what once was a forbidden fantasy for an unattainable crush becomes reality when you coach Bucky Barnes through losing his virginity.

Warnings: College AU, brother’s best friend!Bucky, fluff, swearing, teasing, smut, loss of virginity, unprotected p in v sex, nipple play, handjob, praise kink, size kink, big hints of subby Bucky, dorky Bucky, love confessions.

Author’s Note: Beta and dividers by @rookthorne, she’s been my rock through this whole AU. Words will never be enough to thank you my love ❤️ Here is part three and the final instalment to New Tricks’ main storyline 🥹

New Tricks Masterlist 🌼🐾

New Tricks Playlist 🎵

Your evening together has been magical, something pulled straight out of your dreams. The visuals of the bright, glowing stars and planets are nothing in comparison to the smile that pulls at Bucky’s mouth, even after the two of you left the museum.

During the walk back to your dorm with Bucky, he talks constantly and animatedly about the planetarium — recounting his joy for all the astronomical wonders he got to witness up close. And listening to your boyfriend’s contagious glee for a date you put together has you grinning from ear to ear.

In the late hour, you make a stop on your way back to the local twenty-four hour dessert parlour that is close to your dorm, opting for two single scoop ice cream cones. Bucky chose chocolate; you chose strawberry, and you stroll hand in hand down the Brooklyn cobblestones.

 

“I still can’t believe you don’t like chocolate ice cream, Bee,” Bucky accuses with his mouth full, shaking his head with a high sense of mock disapproval.

You roll your eyes playfully and scoff. He hasn’t stopped complaining about your dislike for chocolate flavoured treats since you revealed that snippet of information while you perused the options available to you at the parlour. “How many times are we going to go over this, Buck? Strawberry is superior,” you tell him with a proud smile. 

“Absolutely not!” Bucky gasps, outraged. “I refuse to listen to this slander against chocolate.” 

“Drama—” Your retort is cut short by him pressing you against the wall of the building next to you. The cone of ice cream in your hand almost topples precariously, interrupting you mid lick, and he ignores your surprised shout of, “Hey!”

“We are settling this right now, Buttercup.” He looks deep into your eyes with dire seriousness. “You’re gonna try mine and tell me that you like it.” The cone of chocolate ice cream appears in your peripheral vision. 

“Bucky!” You laugh. “I haven’t tried chocolate ice cream in years!” 

“All the more reason to try it now.” He holds his cone up to your mouth, a twinkle in his bright blue eyes and a pout on his plump lips. “For me?”

“Y’know, you can’t keep bribing me with those puppy eyes — No matter how handsome you are.”

With a cheeky smile, he whispers, “Is it working, though?” 

Sighing in defeat, you can’t help the upturn of your lips at his charm. “You’re lucky you’re cute. Hit me with it.” 

Like the cat who got the cream, Bucky closes the gap between you and the cold treat, letting it slightly touch your lips — the cold sensation makes you shiver, and you tentatively stick your tongue out, slowly laving it up the side of the scoop of ice cream. 

The strong taste of cocoa and sugar doesn’t impress you, and you flick your gaze towards your boyfriend to say as such, only, he’s homed in on the motion of your tongue while you lick the last remnants of cream from your lips. 

He shudders, the strong line of his shoulders shaking with the force of them, and he pants quietly. The rise and fall of his chest is uneven while his blue eyes darken to a stormy grey. 

It's difficult to contain the satisfied smirk growing on your lips as you ask teasingly, “You good, baby?” 

Bucky gulps, unsuspecting of such an innocent act to affect him so much. “I’m uh— I’m good.” His head bobs up and down, no real confidence in his answer, but his stare still pins you in place and he bites his bottom lip. “How’d you like it?”

 

“Hmm,” you hum, then you lick your lips again — just to make sure they are entirely clean, of course. Bucky’s eyes follow the movement with rapt attention. “I have to say…” The urge to use pretence to answer his question makes you want to burst into laughter, but you soldier on with the truth. “I’m sorry, honey. I still stand by my initial statement.” 

The erratic movements of his chest abruptly cease, and his eyes never leave yours while you lean forward, closer to his lips. “But,” you whisper, the tips of your fingers dancing up his chest. Every touch builds the deepening tension swirling in his eyes. “It doesn’t hurt to try something new every so often, Puppy.” 

You reach up to the corner of his mouth and swipe the smudge of chocolate ice cream left there with your thumb, then suck it into your mouth, releasing it with a wet pop — it feels like you well and truly break his resistance. 

Bucky’s fingers twitch against the cone by your lips, and it crumbles. The forceful puffs of air from his parted lips blow against your mouth, the inevitability of him pouncing on you any second undeniable. 

Rather than making it easier on him, you smirk and push him back by his shoulder. “Never hurts to experiment — Try new things. You never know.”

The dazed expression on his features is innocently sweet, and you try not to laugh as he reaches out for you to drag you back, but you dodge his hands and walk away, out of reach. You look at him over your shoulder and lick up the dribbling cream that almost reaches your hand. 

Bucky stares after you, mouth agape. “I— What—” He shakes himself back to reality, and he licks his lips, brushing his long hair back with his fingers and he throws his crumbled ice cream cone into the nearest trash can — no longer interested in that sweet treat. 

Bucky’s long strides work to catch up with you, a new kind of spark in his eyes you haven’t seen before. “Something new, huh?” 

“Yeah, handsome,” you purr. The steps to your apartment come up, and you take the first few with your back to Bucky, a smirk playing on your lips. Just as you reach the entryway door, you look over your shoulder at your boyfriend, who returns your coy smile with a hesitant one of his own. “Sometimes you’ve got to just let go and give in.”

Bucky stands behind you while you unlock the door to your dorm. The material of his button up shirt scrapes against the bare skin of your arm, and you try to suppress the shiver that runs down your spine, but it's useless. The air is charged with a thick tension unfamiliar between the two of you, and you feel as though you're swimming in new territory, wading into the depths of the unknown. 

“I had a great time tonight, Bee,” Bucky says quietly over your shoulder; the urge to kiss the skin there too tempting for him not to fall into. 

A shiver ripples down your spine from the sensation of his lips tickling your skin, and you stop just as you’re about to open the door. They move carefully over the slope of your neck and up to the lobe of your ear. 

Reining in your arousal, you turn around and agree with a broad smile. “Me too, handsome.” 

His eyes flicker between you and the door to your dorm. You hold his hand while the other rests on the handle behind you. “Ready to go in?” you ask. 

Bucky clears his throat. “Mhm,” he mumbles, and with his confirmation, you open the door. Immediately, the glow of orange lights grab his attention as they dance on the ceiling. Lit candles are placed on surfaces around the room, while your vinyl record turntable plays soft music.

The ambiance seems to both intrigue and calm Bucky, and you feel your own shoulders loosen. Thank you, Nat, you think inwardly.  

“Come on,” you whisper, urging Bucky further into your dorm room. He walks forward wordlessly, and with him out of the way, you close and lock the door behind you both — it affords you a solitary second to process the secret desire that has been stored away for so long. 

A guilty pleasure about your brother’s best friend that you revelled in at one point in time is becoming a reality. 

There is no means to do that now, to stow it away in secrecy — he stood behind you, right there in reach of you, no longer a fantasy. 

The door locks with a muffled click, and you turn around to see Bucky standing by the foot of your bed, head bowed and fiddling with the hair tie around his wrist. Slowly and steadily, you edge closer to him, careful not to make any sudden movements that will spook him. “Bucky?”

His body tenses slightly, his shoulders almost reaching his ears as you near him.

“Sweetheart?” you repeat, and you tuck back some of the hair that kept him hidden — a curtain he didn’t want to peer through. A dazzling pair of ocean blue eyes meet your own; swimming with anxiety and the desperate craving for direction. 

“Hi, you.” Your voice soothes him, and he instantly melts into you — callused, trembling hands rush to seek contact, finding their home around your waist.

“Hi, Bee,” he whispers, resting his forehead against yours. 

The soft instrumental of guitar chords pacifies the ambience. “How are we doing?” you ask gently. 

Bucky swallows the lump in his throat, and there’s a shaky, tremulous quality to his voice when he answers with, “Nervous.” 

You place a gentle kiss to the tip of his nose, hoping to calm him. “About what, baby?” 

Leaning slightly backward to better look into his eyes, you notice there is a storm of emotions swirling through his irises. In an attempt to soothe the hurricane, you comfortingly rub your hands down his muscled arms. 

“S— Sex.” His neck flushes with patchy red blotches; a staple of whenever he is flustered. 

You hum soothingly and nod your head, acknowledging his worries. “You know, we don’t have to do it if you feel like you’ve changed your mind, sweetheart. I was nervous for my first time, too.” Your fingers wrap around his arm to squeeze gently, grounding him in the wallow of nerves. “It’s okay if you’re not ready.” 

“No.” Bucky shakes his head, gulping. “I— I want this. I really want this.” There is such conviction and assurity in his voice that you cannot help but kiss him softly. He pulls back and his breath shudders. 

“You’re completely sure about this?” you ask once more, making sure to give him the space to reject your advances if he feels the need to. 

“Mm.” Bucky nuzzles into your neck, taking comfort in your embrace as he mumbles into your skin, “With everything I have.” 

You grasp his face into your hands with the most care and love you can possibly manifest to bring him out of his safe retreat, and you connect your lips with his again. 

The motion comes easy to Bucky now, natural. He has no fear and certainly no hesitation to kiss you the way he likes, with tenderness and an urge to claim you as his own — his mouth moves over yours in a synchronised dance, the steps familiar, but it still feels new, thrilling in nature.  

Snaking your hands down from his cheeks, your fingers leave a trail of goosebumps in their wake over his neck. They stop over his collar, and you look into his eyes to gain permission to undress him. “Can I?” 

“Yeah.” He’s relaxed enough in your hold to not allow nerves to hinder him just yet. 

You begin to make your way down his covered chest, and with the utmost care, you unfasten each button effortlessly — tan skin, smooth as silk and dotted with a pattern of sun kissed freckles, is revealed with each undone button, and you have to tamper down your impatience to rip the shirt straight off of his shoulders. 

“You’re so gorgeous, Bucky,” you breathe in disbelief, and your palms slither back up his body, sneaking over the ridges of his abs. “And all mine.”

“Ah–” Bucky gasps and jolts — your nails, longer than usual, brush over a responsive area of his stomach and you grin into his neck. 

You skim the tips of your fingers over the planes of his pecs, and over his shoulders to finally slide off the material veiling the godly sight of his body to you. Of course, you have already seen your boyfriend without a shirt on before, but right now, in the glow of the candlelight and the orange hues dancing over his skin, he looks like he’s been sculpted from the angels themselves.

“Bee…” A dust of pink decorates his high cheekbones, still ever so shy with your compliments. 

You open your mouth to reply, but Bucky thoroughly shocks you as he begins to unbuckle his belt, the muscles in his stomach tensing as his hands work to free the leather from his slacks. 

You watch, breathless, while he pulls down the slacks to reveal a pair of tight black briefs that do nothing to hide the growing bulge. Bucky is fucking huge, that much you make out from the strain of the material, and you’re almost sure he isn’t even fully hard. 

“Oh my god.” The sensation of your quiet divulgence against his ear elicits a sudden moan from his lips. You will never tire of being the cause of that sound. 

The rush his vocalised pleasure evokes has you beginning to reach behind your back to unzip your dress. However, Bucky hesitantly stops your hands in their haste. “C— Can I do it?” he stutters, eyes wide and glossy. “Can I undress you — Please?” 

It would be a crime to not allow him after a plea so sweet. 

With your nod of approval, he takes a deep breath, calming his nerves before he makes his way behind you. You feel his fingers hover over your back, tentative and unsure and it takes him a moment until he sighs in finality. 

He pinches the zipper, tiny in his long fingers, and he slowly descends the barrier downwards. The spaghetti straps slip off one by one — his knuckles gently skim over your shoulders until they trail down your arms, and with a quiet flutter, the entirety of your dress falls to the floor, leaving you in just your lingerie.

You wait patiently, letting Bucky take in every inch of your half naked form. Moments pass by and your combined breaths — one steady, the other erratic — ricochet through the room. 

“Sweetheart?” You feel the strands of his long hair sweep across your skin as he looks up at the sound of your voice. “Would you like to get my bra?” It’s an offer, a choice for him to decide on his own terms without the pressure. 

Stunning you with his growing confidence, he begins to unfasten the material — the straps fall down your arms with ease and you gently let it drop to the floor. 

Bucky gulps harshly, then. The realisation that your breasts are on display for the first time to his eyes hitting him like a truck. 

Stepping around your figure to come to your front, he keeps his eyes on your face, never once looking away as he kneels to the ground. His nimble fingers work to slip your heels off, taking care to help you place your bare feet down onto the carpet without letting you trip, and he kisses your lower thighs. Once he’s finished, the palms of his hands rub up the back of your calves and squeeze while he rises to stand.  

His gaze still doesn’t stray. 

“You can look, Bucky — It’s okay.” 

Only with your go ahead do his eyes dart down, taking the entirety of your body in at once. A harsh inhale of breath catches in his throat, the rise and fall of his chest is rapid while his fingers twitch by his sides. His gaze locks onto your breasts — guilty as charged with his basic instincts.

“Puppy,” you call out to him, parsing through the growing fog of desperate need in his mind, visible by the glint of hunger across his irises. “Come here.” 

His eyes shoot up, searching your expression for any sense of mocking, and he finds none. There is a desperate gleam in his cloudy, misted gaze — frantic for guidance and reassurance still. “Come here, baby,” you whisper, holding your hands out for him to grab hold of. “It’s alright.”

The steps Bucky takes are rigid, robotic — not allowing himself to lose what little control he has left. You vow to change that. He stops at a small distance in front of you, further away than you care for, and you take the bait to bring yourself closer until your nipples skim across the bare planes of his skin. 

The sensation steals your breath away, and Bucky squeezes his eyes closed, clenching his fists at his sides — it takes you back to your movie night together all that time ago, when the voice in his mind told him to hold back, to not give in to the urge to reach out instead. 

And that just wouldn’t do.

“None of that, sweetheart,” you coo, softly. “I’m gonna need you to open your eyes so I can see you.”

Like magic, he flickers his eyes open, and he swallows around the lump in his throat. 

“There he is.” You smile reassuringly at him. “Deep breaths for me, baby. You’re doing so good.” 

Bucky takes a small moment to do as you say, treating your word as gospel. His mouth works furiously over the words that won’t seem to come, until he settles on a breathless, “You’re so beautiful.” 

The way he’s devouring you with his eyes says volumes of his true meaning, and you couldn’t find it in you to mind that he was speechless.

You gently tuck the hair that’s fallen into his eyes behind his ears. “Oh, baby,” you whisper back, holding his face in your hands while a torrent of emotions that vary from awe to trepidation threaten to sweep you away. “You’re something else. I’m so lucky.”

A small huff of laughter falls from his parted lips, and he begins to grin, a cheeky pull at the corner of his lips that spreads warmth from your core to the tips of your toes and fingers. “If only you knew how much the guys on the team make fun of me for saying the exact same thing.” 

The two of you share a small bout of laughter — a wholesome moment to cut the charged air and be yourselves for a second.

You slide your hands down from his face down to his chest, feeling the steady pitter patter of his heart that’s calmed down from the fast thrum — the soft smile you give him forces a heavy exhale of breath from his lungs, and you revel in the one you’re given in return. 

“Good to keep going?” You check in once more. 

Bucky nods his head, certain. “Please.”

“Sit on the bed for me then, Puppy,” you softly direct him. 

Following behind him, sure to stay close for both his benefit and yours, he climbs onto your mattress and sits against the headboard. He holds his hand out to you, routine embedded into him to guide you onto his lap. 

It registers to him then, as your bare skin melts against his, that you have never been in this position with so little layers between you. 

Carefully, you rest your crotch — covered by your thin layer of underwear — against his. A thrill of tension stiffens Bucky’s muscles, and you smile gently at him while you shuffle your knees comfortably on either side of his thighs — fully aware that the sensation is much more intense than usual. 

“Bee…” His warm, callused hands hover over waist as you readjust yourself, and while you set yourself down on his lap, the lace of your panties swipe over his hardening cock. “Oh— Fuck.” He chokes out.

Immediately, you still. “What’s wrong, baby?” 

“I wanna touch you,” Bucky forces out, breathing heavily. “So bad—” 

“Remember to breathe, Buck,” you remind him gently, not wanting him to overwhelm himself — not this early. “You’re okay, I’m here.” 

His chest shudders with a harsh breath, and he whimpers, “I don’t know what to do.” 

The lack of experience and inadequacies that stem from it run rampant through his saddening expression, from the sheen of tears that start on his lash line, to the deep frown on his pouting lips. They lock him in place and render him frozen under you — the tense line of his thigh muscles taut beneath yours. 

You realise with a shock that while he is so eager to please, a mingling sense of shame screams that he won’t be able to make this good for you. 

“Hmm. Baby, listen,” you soothe, gathering his attention once more. His hands intertwine easily with your own and you kiss his knuckles. “How about we start off with something you do know?” 

Bucky looks at you with all the innocence of someone completely out of their depth. “O— Okay,” he stutters. “Yeah, I can do that.” 

You smile, placing a single, loving kiss to his lips. “I’ve got you, baby.” 

Sitting back upright, you slowly test a gentle roll of your hips over his crotch and instantly, Bucky gasps loudly. You grin salaciously as you witness his eyes flutter closed. But you still take care to stop, to wait a second and look for any signs he doesn’t like it — there are none, much to your satisfaction.

Slowly, you rock back and forth over his bulge, drinking in the slight, hitched moans and whines that fall from his lips. “You’re doing so well — Proud of you.” You bring the tips of his fingers to your lips and kiss them gently. “It’s only you and me, okay?” 

Bucky’s eyes flutter; heavy breaths escaping his mouth. “You and me,” he whispers.  

“That’s right. Just us.”

“You don’t have to worry your pretty little head, Puppy,” you tease gently. Bucky bites his lip. “I need you to just relax — Sit back and let me do the thinking.” 

“Buttercup–” 

“Here.” You guide Bucky’s hands to your sides, smoothing them down the slopes of your hips, and you repeat the motion a few more times to better allow him to feel accustomed to the feel of your naked skin. “There you go.”

His hands, rough and calloused from his football training, stain your body for an eternity — caressing you with a ceaseless love and compassion. 

“Touch me,” you say, unable to simmer the blooming heat within you. 

Transfixed, Bucky’s thumbs brush back and forth. There’s still a sense of hesitation in his movements — the way his fingers twitch and tickle over your skin. But it lasts only a moment; a path of his own choice decorates your sides, leaving goosebumps in its wake. “Your skin is so soft,” he sighs in awe. 

He rests his head back against the headboard with a soft sigh, and he tilts his chin down to watch you grind against his bulge. Leisurely, he tenderly brushes his fingers over your stomach, the touch of his hands beginning to drift upwards under the slope of your tits. 

“Please, Bucky,” you plead with him, the tease of having him so close is too much to bear. “Touch me.” 

“‘Kay,” he mumbles drunkenly. 

The pad of his thumb swipes over the peak of your nipple softly, a barely there sensation that makes you keen. “Yes, just like that, Pup.” 

It’s all the reaction he needs. 

With a surge of confidence, Bucky begins to massage your tits, continuing to use his thumbs to rub circles over your sensitive nipples while you grind against his growing cock. “I— Is this okay, Buttercup?” 

You almost scoff — the thought that his experimental touches are anything less than okay absurd to you. 

“Yeah, yeah,” you whine, and the reassurance of your pleasure invigorates him to move faster, steadier and more firm with his touch. “Making me feel so good, baby, keep going.” 

Lost in the feel of his touch and the insistent pressure of his clothed cock against your folds, you tilt your head back and close your eyes. The flutter of butterflies in your stomach crescendo into a frenzy the faster you move. All the while, you miss the way Bucky’s gaze is intently focusing on the way your breasts sway with the grind of your hips; how he licks his bottom lip with an urge to claim.

The sharp, intense sensation of his fingers pinching a peaked nipple between his thumb and forefinger forces a shout from your parted lips. “Fu��uck, Bucky — Ohmygod.”  Your cunt pulses and aches when his fingers stay hovering, spooked at the sudden reaction. “More, more—”

“Fuck,” Bucky groans, and he bucks up into you, matching your rhythm and this time, it’s you who’s soaking the material of your panties. “Bubs, I— Holy shit — I need more.”  

It’s an achievement you’re most excited for, that he’s freely telling you, unprompted, what he needs. 

Though, the teasing nature you held could not be dissuaded — you meet his gaze with a mischievous grin. “Yeah, Puppy?” Your hands hover over his lower stomach, the tips of your fingers dancing over the twitching muscles, and you move your index finger beneath the fabric. “Wanna get rid of these?” 

The elastic waistband of his underwear snaps back against his lower stomach, making him yelp in surprise. “Ah— Mhm,” he begs deliciously, eyes wide and completely surrendering to you. “Take ‘em off, Bee, please.”

Your bare skin brushes against his while you shuffle backwards, slowly crawling down his legs all while marking his skin with kisses and teasing nibbles, until you reach his briefs.

 

Looking up at Bucky under your eyelashes, you blink sweetly, eyeing the sweat that begins to build on the ridges of his abs. Your breath ghosts over the material of his underwear while you ask, “Can I have your cock?” 

“Oh, god,” he chokes out while his dick twitches in uncontainable excitement.

“I need your consent, Bucky.” The statement brings him back to the present, grounding him to the sight of you between his thighs and softly reminding him that everything is on his terms.

 

“Yeah,” he gasps. A few deep breaths cause his chest to rise and fall, steadying the rabbiting pulse in his neck. “Yes.” 

With his confirmation, you slowly, gently ease your fingers underneath the fabric that hid what you truly wanted — the waistband slides easily down his tense thighs. Your eyes are focusing on the new inches of skin revealed, the sculpted line of his Adonis belt that runs down to the one part of his body you’re desperate to see. 

Bucky watches you with bated breath — you’re so close to his cock, and it’s still not enough for him.

The small whine of frustration makes you flit your gaze upwards. A sheen of moisture shines over his eyes, and the pout of his lips are shining slick with spit — he looks absolutely wrecked, and you hadn’t even taken his hard cock from the confines of his briefs. 

Deciding to put him out of his misery, you finally pull his briefs down until his twitching length bursts free of the material, standing tall and thick, curved and almost purple from the strain of arousal. Your eyes follow the veins trailing up his length, and you lick your lips once you spot a pearl of precum already forming from the tip of his dick — a sweet temptation that’s teasingly begging you to have a taste. 

You’re speechless, literally awe stricken while you salivate over the length and girth of his cock. “Oh.” The slow blinks of your eyelids leave them hooded, but you continue to stare, hypnotised at the sight of your boyfriend’s huge cock. 

“B— Buttercup?” he whispers, voice tense with worry after the few seconds of silence that stretch while you stare, transfixed. “Is— Is everything okay?” 

You swallow, trying to rid the sudden dryness in your mouth. “Bucky,” you say roughly, and you look up into his doe eyes. “If I weren’t a more patient woman, I’d have your cock in my mouth and down my throat already.”

He sputters, the blotchy redness beginning to creep up from his chest to his neck. 

“You’re so fucking big, baby. Holy fuck— how do you have such a pretty cock?” you wonder aloud. 

“Shit, you can’t say that,” Bucky groans, squeezing his eyes shut as his dick twitches. The far more rapid rise and fall of his chest makes his stomach muscles contract and flutter — the sight lends ideas for the future idea of working him over into the line that blurs pleasure and pain, all to see how he takes it.

 

But you lick your lips, promising yourself to revisit that thought later. Tonight was about him. 

“Fine. I’ll behave,” you tell him, waiting until his eyes open and focus on you before you grin wolfishly. “For now.”

Bucky’s lips part to speak, but before he can work the words past his tongue, you sit up and grab his hands, directing them to your hips and over the fabric of your panties. The hold you have over the back of his hands leaves him unable to pull away — not that he desires to. 

The fabric glides over your hips with your guidance, revealing the bare skin. “Oh— Fuck,” Bucky murmurs, watching the journey the fabric takes until it lands on the floor next to your bed. 

“Buttercup,” he gasps in wonderment. “You— You’re perfect.”

It’s difficult to remain confident while your boyfriend looks at you as though you put the stars in the sky just for him — like he’s seeing an angel. “You’re a true gentleman, aren’t you?” you laugh, trying to hide the way his stare makes you flustered. 

“Don’t do that.” He shakes his head, his eyes soaking you in with such a reverence that’s dizzying. “You— Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m taking about because — Fuck. Believe me, you’re fuckin’ unreal.” 

The world seems like it stops on its axis right then and there. You know Bucky’s emotions are heightened and at an all-time high, but you also know that he means every word of what he says — his sobering eyes tell you the truth alone. 

You’re the one who becomes a stuttering mess for a moment, and you stumble over your words before you manage to regain your composure, and you clear your throat. “T— Thank you, baby.” The pause in heated touches gives you an opportunity to check in. “How are you feeling?”

Still trying to gain some semblance of control, he audibly gulps. “I— I’m good, yeah.” 

“Yeah?” You begin to steadily shuffle forwards on your knees, further up his legs to hover over his crotch, careful to not let your body graze him just yet. “You know you can back out whenever you’d like, okay? You say the word and we stop.” 

The small distance between your most intimate parts is dangerously in the balance. 

“No,” Bucky says finally, shaking his head as his hair sweeps over his face. A few strands settle over his cheeks. “Wanna keep goin’.” 

You bite your lip and smile wickedly. “You got it, baby.” 

His bottom lip is trapped between his teeth as he watches you begin to lower your body. “We’re just going to keep doing what we’ve been doing, okay, baby?” You reassure as his breathing picks up. 

But his eyes stay focused and fixated on you.

When your cunt lowers against the base of his cock, the movement pushes his length down until the tip almost reaches his belly button, and even with the visual of you resting over his length as you always did in the past, Bucky isn’t prepared for the feel of his bare dick sitting snug between your folds. His eyes shoot open while he gasps loudly and balls up the bedsheets tightly in his fists. “Shit, shit — Fuck, oh my— God—” 

The palms of your hands smooth over his tense stomach.  “Easy there, big guy,” you coo softly. “It’s okay.” 

His breathing becomes erratic as his back arches against the headboard. “Oh god, you’re— You’re fuckin’ soaked, Bee.”  

You are. Nobody else ever had this kind of effect on you, and so you certainly aren’t ashamed for Bucky to know how much he turns you on. “That’s what you’re doing to me, baby — Can’t help it,” you keen. 

His chest rumbles while he groans deeply, throwing his head back. 

The urge to move is compelling, almost swallowing you whole — Bucky isn’t the only one struggling to keep calm, with his thick length brushing your entrance and putting constant pressure on your clit, it’s a challenge to not take him then and there. 

“Do you remember when we first kissed?” you ask breathlessly before you begin to squirm. “And I asked you to think about how wet and tight I’d be for you?” 

Bucky’s muscles strain as he frustratedly tangles his fingers in his hair. “Fuck, I haven’t stopped thinking about it since, baby.” 

Your hips work a little quicker over his cock, the slide seamless from how aroused you are, and to your surprise, you feel his hips work against you, too. “How does it feel to know your inches away from slipping inside my pussy?”  

The rocking movements of his hips falter as he jerks up and jostles you, making the butterflies in your stomach flutter in a crazed frenzy. “It feels— Please— You’re killin’ me—” 

“My sweet boy,” you utter. “Don’t worry, you’ll have it soon.” 

Each and every plea and whimper that falls from his red-bitten lips only serves to turn you on even more. He tries to flex his hips to push his cock into you, to feel the warmth of your cunt around him, but even he isn’t ready for the sensation that ripples down his spine once the tip catches on your hole. 

“Fuck!” he curses. 

Hurriedly, you move yourself away before he can slip in any further. “Nuh-uh, sweetheart, I need you to be calm for me, alright? You can have me when you're calm, not just yet. Breathe for me.”

“No — I, no no, Bee, please, don’t do this to me. I want—” Bucky vehemently shakes his head from side to side, the vein in his neck almost popping from his exertion to hold back. His hands grip your waist, digging into your skin as he drags you back down onto his cock desperately. “Please, I wanna feel—”

“Oh, Pup,” you sigh with an all too innocent smile. “You wanna be a good boy for me, huh?”

“I can, I can,” he whines. The feel of his hands pawing at your waist sends a thrill up your spine. “Fuck, I can!” 

“Yeah,” you mumble, unsure if you can hold out much longer yourself. “You can, Pup — I know you can.”

“Bee—” Bucky is a pure wreck, his chest heaving with breath, and a film of perspiration builds on his temples. You know it’s impossible for him to garner any more control, and you grant him mercy as you slightly lift your hips up to line the hole of your pussy up with his cock. 

“Bucky, baby,” you call to him, waiting patiently until his wild eyes lock onto you, and you forewarn him, “You're sure about this?”

His bright blues cloud over with a haze of lust, and you shiver when he cries, “Please.” 

“Okay, okay,” you soothe. “Alright, baby — Wait, hang on, sweetheart.” The bed creaks as you shuffle backwards once more. “Let’s get you off the headboard, so you’re comfier.”

The two of you move in tandem so his head rests back against the pillows, and you settle back over his hips, reaching out to smooth your thumb over his cheek. “Better?”

Bucky smiles and nods once, turning his head to kiss your palm.

“Okay.” You brace yourself with a steady breath, and finally sink down onto Bucky’s cock, the tip easing into your cunt with a pop. The stretch from his head alone has you squeezing your eyes shut, but you revel in the way he freezes under you, then the sluttiest whine you’ve ever heard falls from his slack mouth. 

The effort to work past the thickness of his head causes your hands to rest on his stomach, allowing him to hold your weight, and your mouth falls open with a silent scream as you drop down further, taking more of his length. 

Glancing down at your boyfriend to check on him, you find only the whites of his eyes through his hooded lids, and his fists balling so tightly in the sheets of your bed that they begin to tear. 

With a whimper, your walls clench around his cock. “A— Almost in, baby.” Another inch fills your cunt. “Doing— Doing so well, Bucky,” you pant. 

Your nails create indents into his skin while you internally build up the courage to take the entirety of his length. It feels an impossible task, one you desperately underestimated, but you were no quitter. Your walls rhythmically squeeze around him, and your breath hitches when you feel him twitch against the stimulation. 

“God, I want you,” you moan, hanging your head. An unintelligible mumbled string of words or sounds fall from his lips in reply. “Fuck it.” 

With a deep breath and a prayer for mercy, or strength, you arch your back — the wrecked moan that Bucky rasps sends a thrill of hunger up your spine. The slide of his cock against your walls makes you cry out, and you quickly drop your hips until you're fully seated against his crotch. 

“Oh shit!” Instantly, Bucky shoots up from the mattress and wraps his arms firmly around your middle, crushing you against his heaving chest. “Don’t move, don’t move, don’t move — Please — Don’t fuckin’ move.” 

You sling your arms around his shoulders in reply, and the two of you cling to one another with only your heavy breaths disturbing the quiet music in the background. The bare skin of your bodies sticks to each other, glistening in the candlelit room while the silent moments pass. 

Hot, heavy breaths fan over the skin of your neck while Bucky nuzzles his face against the juncture of your shoulder — the movement effectively burying him entirely into your form. There is no way for him to get any closer, or any way to hide his muffled sniffles and gasps for air. 

The beat of your heart steadies and thumps evenly — you pray that it is enough to calm his overwhelmed senses. “Steady, Pup — You’re alright, I’ve got you.” Gently, slowly, you comb your fingers through the damp strands of hair by his temples. “Just stop and let it happen, feel it, don’t fight it. It’s okay, baby.”

“S’too much, too much, Bee— Please, please, I don’t—” He stumbles over his words, working himself up.

“Bucky,” you say, firm but gentle, trying to reason over his rambling. “Do you need to stop?” 

“No!” He holds you even tighter. “Please no, no no, don’t go, don’t move, don’t take— Please stay.”

“Hey, hey— I’m here, I’m here. I’m staying — Breathe, baby.” You rub your free hand over his back, shushing his pleas and continuing scratching your fingers over his scalp. 

As you pacify Bucky, he begins to calm down — his breathing softens, the heightened intensity of emotions flowing easily into a quiet, content peace between you. Cautiously, you slightly lean yourself back and ask, “Can you look at me, please, sweetheart?” 

It's a gradual process as he plucks the courage to lift his head out of your neck and surrender to your request, and your heart tightens when his teary eyes bore straight into your soul. “Oh, baby,” you sigh, bringing your hands round to hold his cheeks. “Was that a lot?” 

Bucky timidly nods, his arms still caging themselves around your waist to keep you close. 

“It’s okay — You’re okay, sweet boy — Doing so good.” The deep-rooted need to reassure him takes hold, an instinct that’s embedded within you to make him feel as safe as you possibly can. “Take your time.” 

“Mm.” Bucky rests his forehead against your chest and listens to the steady beat of your heart, tethering himself back down to earth. 

The charged air that holds the weight of tension finally breaks when he blows a long breath onto your skin. “This is— This is so much better than I imagined. Fuck, this is— Bee, I think I’m seeing stars.”

“Oh my god, you fucking dork.” Your laughter fills the room, full of pure happiness and glee to be able to find such fun in sex. 

He smirks lopsidedly at you until you sigh, the amusement turning to fondness, and you kiss his forehead — almost able to forget the position you’re in. 

But you’re soon reminded as Bucky quietly rasps, “Squeezin’ me so fuckin’ tight — Can barely breathe.” Goosebumps run down the naked skin of your arms at the same time your cunt pulses. He grunts deeply with a sharp hiss. “You really were right.” 

“I did warn you,” you tease, giggling when he lifts his head up and playfully glares at you. Closing the distance, you kiss him deeply, sucking his bottom lip into your mouth as you whisper against his lips, “Ready for me to move now, baby?” 

“Fuck yes,” he groans.  

You don’t waste any more time. Tangling your fingers around the locks at the back of Bucky’s head, you pull and begin to smother his neck with wet kisses, the taste of salt delicious on your tongue. 

Raising your hips, his cock slides out of your pussy, leaving behind a hollowness you crave to fill immediately. Without forewarning, you swiftly lower yourself, sobbing with pleasure at how perfectly he fits inside you. “Bucky.” 

“I know,” he moans, long and low, sounding as wrecked as you feel. “Fuck, Bee — I feel it too.”  

Words fail you, the delightful feeling you’ve waited so patiently for holding you hostage as you pant into his shoulder. 

It becomes easier with each stroke to fuck yourself onto his cock, making sure to grind yourself deeper into his lap each time you come down. 

“I— I can’t fuckin’ think straight.” Bucky’s palms slide over your ass and grip it firmly. 

You laugh deliriously, high on the adrenaline coursing through your veins, and you barely notice the way you instinctively change the motion of your hips, beginning to grind into his lap in circular motions. 

A strangled sounding moan causes your focus to snap towards Bucky.  “Oh— Jesus fuck!” His fingernails dig into your ass as he hysterically pleads, “Like that, baby — Exactly like fuckin’ that.” 

Huffing with a smirk, you breathe, “You like that, huh?” 

“Yes,” he admits shamelessly. You start to speed your motion up, and the filter between his mind and lips completely crumbles. “Your— Your p—pussy feels good — So good. You have no idea — Shit — Keep goin’, please—” 

The words tumbling from his lips are cut off when you push against his shoulders, sending him off balance to lay back down on the bed with a thump. Then, resting your palms on his chest, you lean forward to kiss him. You whisper against his lips, a sly smirk creeping onto your mouth, “Hold on tight, baby.” 

Using Bucky as leverage to hold your weight, you begin to bounce on his cock. The position allows his length to sink all the way into you, his tip hitting your cervix at the right angle to make you whimper. 

“Oh, it’s so— Fuck, I’m so deep— In you.” He struggles to breathe, the wind totally knocked out of him, but he’s mesmerised and completely drowning in the sensation. 

“I know, baby — Stretching me out so much.” A fire simmers in your eyes. The muscles of your thighs burn with exertion, but you refuse to stop — especially not when your boyfriend is a fucked-out mess beneath you, trying to control the subtle flexes of his hips. 

While you’re riding him, far too engrossed in making sure you keep the rhythm steady, you miss the feral glint in Bucky’s eyes. He’s possessed by the sight of your cunt sucking in his cock so deliciously; your slick dripping down onto him and coating his dick. 

Licking his lips, his eyes lock onto your puffy clit, enlarged and throbbing in pleasure, and he inches his hand forward to experimentally swipe his thumb over your nub. His gaze snaps up to you with the unleashed moan you scream to the roof. “Fuck, Bucky!”

You're quickly pulled back forward as Bucky grabs you behind the neck, bringing you down to kiss him. His tongue slithers into your mouth, his muffled groans rumbling against your lips while he continues to buck up into you. 

The need to catch your breath has you pulling away, gasping for air.  

Bucky looks drunk — eyes hooded with a hunger blurring the blue of his irises and the black of his pupils. His pink swollen lips hang open, wet from clumsy kisses with too much tongue for his hazy mind to process.  

You hang your head low between your shoulders and cry, “Why are you so damn big, baby?” 

His hands slink down to your hips, and he gropes at the quivering muscles desperately. “Buttercup,” he tries to warn you — the cries over the size of his dick are sending him into a deeper pit of hunger. 

Your head’s already too hazy to process anything other than the feel of his cock. “I’m aching, how the fuck am I taking you right now?” 

The thrusts of Bucky’s hips speed up, and he bends his knees to plant his feet on the bed, his sole mission to fuck up into your cunt.

“Feel so fucking full, Bucky — Filling my pussy up so good.” The breathy moans fall like chants from your lips. 

The steady, punishing rhythm you maintain falters, and your breath hitches when his cock slips from your cunt — the obscene, slick sound of it slapping against his stomach filling the room. 

You pant and press your hands down on his chest while he groans to the ceiling. “Shit, I—” Bucky’s eyes glaze over when he looks down at his body, the twitch of his cock in time with the hammering of his heart under your palm. “I didn’t mean to—” 

You can’t help but giggle, and the sound immediately calms his worries — the cinch between his brows smoothing over as he looks up at you. “Don’t worry, baby.” 

The movement of your hand towards his cock has his entire focus — his tongue moves over his lips, and you watch the shine of spit; how it makes his lips an even deeper red. “Oh, fuckin’— Fuck.”

His exclamation makes you freeze. “What’s wr—” 

It clicks. 

Though you took him in your heat, felt the pleasure he can give you, the realisation hits you like a freight train that not once this night had you felt the weight of his fully erect cock in your palm; to wrap your fingers around the length and work him over.

“I can’t—”

“Shh, you’re alright,” you soothe, and carefully, you wrap your hand around his girth. Your eyes widen when you can only just connect your thumb and fingers together. “Fuck me—” you gasp, beginning to lift yourself up to line him up to slide back in. “God — You can barely fit in my hand, baby. Here we go.” 

It’s unclear to you what exactly causes Bucky to snap. 

The room whirls in your vision and you gasp with surprise as his body suddenly shoots up and with ease from the mattress, flipping you over in one smooth, fluid motion. “Oh, fuck!”

One second your back is resting against the mattress, over the rumpled covers, and the next, your boyfriend's hands are pushing your thighs as far up your chest as they can go. 

“I’m so sorry, Bee,” Bucky groans, kneeling between your spread legs — one hand holds your legs in place, the other brushes featherlight over your soaked lips. The sharp gasps for air make his voice sound hoarse and raspy.  

He stares down at your pussy, licking his lips. “I can’t—” The fingers that danced over your lips move to grab his cock, encircling it in his large palm before he rests the head of it against the fluttering entrance of your cunt. “I can’t hold back anymore, need this.” 

He doesn’t give you a chance to reply — the tip of his thumb brushes against your clit and you keen upwards, just as his cockhead slips into you. The slide of him easing into you is smooth, and the drag of his length stretches you inch by pleasurable inch. 

“Oh my fucking god, baby!” Bucky bites the inside of your calf while you whine loudly, your walls clenching down onto him — a tear rolls down your cheek, the size of him is almost too much. “Yes!”

“Fuck, s’deep. I gotta move, Bubs — Please, lemme move.” His weight shifts to cover you, pinning you against the bed while he leans close to pepper needy kisses and bites over the column of your neck. 

“Do whatever the fuck you want, Bucky, please,” you beg, “I want it all.” 

Raising your arms up to hold the headboard, you steady yourself for what is to come, and offer yourself to him on a platter, free for his taking. 

Immediately, his eyes dart towards the movement of your tits, the natural bounce of them with every aborted thrust he makes. “Hnng— Yes,” he rasps. The slow thrusts turn rough, his skin slapping against the back of your sweat-slick thighs. 

Your nipples, hard and pebbled, become his new target. “I want every fuckin’ inch of you, Bee,” he growls, swooping down and sucking your nipple into his mouth. 

The room spins from the dizzying pleasure; the veins on his cock scrape your walls, his wet tongue playing with you, the hairs above his cock teasing your clit. It all begins to wind the knot tighter and tighter in your stomach. 

“I need more,” you gasp while Bucky drags your nipple with his teeth and releases it with a wet pop. Your arms slither around his neck and bring him into your hold. “Fuck, Bucky, please.” 

Corded muscles move you up the bed, and he forces his forearms under your back to hold you close. “Whatever you want, baby.” The fast thrusts slow to a deep, dirty grind — the length of him going deeper and deeper on each circle of his hips. “Gonna— Fuck, gonna give you anythin’ you want.” 

The two of you crash your lips together and whimper into the other's mouth — heavy breaths and pants mingle while your combined sweat builds between your heated bodies. 

“Wanna cum, Buck,” you plead desperately. “Want you to make me cum; feel s’good in me.” 

A huff of breath fans over your lips, and a sly, lopsided grin pulls at the corner of Bucky’s mouth. The covers rustle and from the corner of your eyes, you see him planting a hand beside your head, next to your ear. “Don’t you worry,” he coos shakily through his grunts and moans. “I’ve got ya, Bee.” 

His free hand drifts between your breasts and over your stomach, down to where you are connected. You gasp as the pad of his thumb settles over your clit, and he rubs in tight, fast circles, keeping pace with the thrusts of his hips into your pussy. 

Your thighs begin to shake as you cry into his neck, “Please, keep going — Don’t stop!”  

“Come on, baby,” Bucky coaxes gently. “You can do it. You can cum for me — C’mon.”

The tension in your stomach becomes unbearable — you slap the covers of the bed and ball them into your fist for something to ground you against the onslaught. “I— Ha, fuck!” You heave for breath, panting. “I’m gonna cum!”

“Let go — Can feel you, how tight you fuckin’ are. I’ll catch you, Bee.” 

Your ears ring as your eyes roll to the back of your head, the pleasure insurmountable in its height, when it finally hits you. You convulse through the waves of it, letting it consume you whole while ragged pants for air and hoarse moans fall from your parted lips. “Baby, baby — I’m cumming!”

He still continues to fuck you through your orgasm until the last tendrils of electricity run their course, leaving you a twitching mess. 

An overwhelming urge to be close to Bucky forces your hands to blindly reach out to grasp a part of him. The tips of your fingers graze the warm skin of his bicep, and he suddenly pulls away entirely — your cunt gaping and weeping at the loss of him.  

“Pup?” You whimper. “Come back, what are you doing?” 

“I’m h— Here, Buttercup,” he manages. Unknown to you, the feel of your walls fluttering against his dick almost had him finishing inside of you. His length glistens with your cum, and Bucky has to close his eyes tight and breathe to control himself.  

Stubborn as you are, you intertwine your hands with his and pull him into you, smirking lazily at his shocked gasp when his cock grazes over your cunt. 

Strands of his slick hair tickle your cheeks, and his cheeks are a deep hue of red. “Why did you stop, sweetheart?” you ask. The pupils of his eyes blow impossibly further. “You made me cum so fucking hard.” 

You’re delighted to hear the whine he tries so hard to hide. “I— I panicked,” he admits. “You almost made me cum.” 

Looking down, you see his cock twitching viscously, like he’s about to blow any second. “Aw, baby.” 

You grab his length and start stroking him in your fist — the twist and pump of your fist making him choke and sputter. “Buttercup— What are you— What are you doin’?

“Go on,” you urge him, squeezing his thick cock at the base, and twisting on the pull upwards. “Cum on me.”

“I—” Bucky shakes his head rapidly. “No— I can’t do that — Fuck this feels too good — Can’t finish on you—” 

“Bucky,” you gently interrupt him. “I’m telling you that you can.”

But he shakes his head again, trying to hold out. “Fuck, fuck — Oh, fuck — Baby I can’t please, I—”

You click your tongue and tighten your hand around his cock, pumping him harder faster, a spark in your veins and mischief on your mind. “Why not, hm? I need it — Don’t you want to give me what I need?” 

“Bee—” he pleads. “Don’t do this to me.” 

Though his words say one thing, the way Bucky thrusts into your fist tells you another — he’s dying to cum, the throb of his cock in time with his rabbiting pulse. 

You refuse to have him holding back because the voice in his head is sabotaging his pleasure.

 

“Please, baby,” you beg of him, blinking your eyes and reeling him in on your invisible line. “I want it. Give it to me.”

Bucky bows his head, the curtain of his hair concealing his blown-out eyes. There’s a heavy sigh of defeat from his lips. “Fuck, Bee— What the hell are you doin’ to me?”

Biting your lip, you move the fingers of your free hand up the back of his sweaty neck to thread them through the hair at the base of his neck, and you pull him down to rest his forehead against yours. A wicked grin dances on your lips. “I’m gonna make you cum for me.” 

As soon as the words leave your mouth, you speed up the pace, taking care to focus the pressure of your grip around the head of his cock. 

“Oh—” Bucky chokes on his own spit, his toes curling while his hips work in tandem with the pumps from your fist.

“That’s it, Pup,” you murmur delicately, scraping your fingers over his scalp. “There’s a good boy.”  

“Feels like fuckin’ heaven,” he slurs, whining as he seeks out your lips. “S’close, baby.” 

You direct him, pulling him impossibly closer to slot your lips over his; tongue and teeth caressing with little finesse. “Give me it, Bucky — Please.” The words fall against his parted mouth.

“Gonna—“ The excitement for his climax builds when you feel his cock swell in your hand, the violent twitches of his mounting release. “Gonna cum, B— Buttercup.” 

Lighting a fire to the match begging to burn, you tug his hair back in your fist, the grip tight and unyielding to bare his neck in an arch. The skin of his throat is damp with sweat, and the thunder of his pulse can be seen next to the frantic bob of his Adam’s apple. “Let go — Let go for me.” You lap at the sensitive skin with your tongue. “Make a mess of me with your big cock.” 

The long wait, the weeks leading up to this very moment are entirely worth it when Bucky collapses onto you, his moans unending and agonisingly pleasureful. His hips stutter and thrust with no real rhythm while his cum shoots from the swollen head of his cock, painting your bare skin all the way up to your tits. 

His release seems to never end, it pools over your stomach with no signs of slowing down. 

Bucky trembles with the waves of pleasure, and he buries his face into your neck, nuzzling you to try and retreat from the nonstop sensation of release. Against the sheets, you can feel the way they rustle as his toes curl — the taut line of his shoulders makes him feel bigger while he shivers and jerks over you.  

“Buttercup.” His palms frantically feel over your skin. “It won’t— Fuck — It’s not s—stopping.” 

“Shhh,” you instantly soothe him, running your fingers through his hair and holding him close to you while you continue to pump your fist gently, milking him for all he’s got. “Almost there, Puppy — let it all go.” 

Bucky sobs into your neck as the last few drops leak from his tip, and the pretty sounds of his moans vibrate against your chest. “Oh my god.” 

“So fuckin’ good for me — Did so well, my sweet boy.”

Finally, his cock stops pulsating and begins to slowly soften in your hand. As carefully as possible, you remove your hand and smooth it over the heated skin of his waist. “Take it easy for me, baby,” you whisper, pressing a gentle kiss against his tear-stained cheek. “Remember to breathe.” 

Bucky’s limbs loosen with the lull of your voice, and he eases his body down onto yours, letting you take his weight. 

The two of you lay peacefully connected together, only your shared breathing to fill the quiet of your room. The needle on your vinyl long since raised, the song finishing with a gentle lull while you were wholly focused on him — much like the simmering high that had been building since your first kiss. 

You are loath to interrupt the peace, but his heavy breathing told you that you will lose him to sleep any second now. “Bucky baby?” 

When the rumble of his muffled, “Mhm,” tells you he’s returned back to you, you smile contentedly. “Do you think you’re able to let me clean you up now, hm?” 

It's difficult to not laugh at the way he clings to you, tightening his hold and groaning, “No leavin’ me.” You smother the growing smirk creeping up your face. 

The palms of your hands rub up and down his back, and you kiss the top of his head. “I’ll be quick, sweetheart. I promise.” 

He sighs, much like a tired puppy, and begrudgingly slackens his arms and carefully lifts up off of you, rolling onto the bed next to you. “Hurry back, please.” The slight whine to his voice melts your heart. 

“Thank you, baby.” You quickly shuffle off the bed, placing your feet on the floor. “I’ll be right back.” The floor creaks under your feet, and you rise from the edge of the bed, only, you overcompensate your judgement to hold your own weight so soon — the tremble of your thighs and weakness of your knees almost has you toppling to the floor. “Oh, boy.”

A snort of laughter sounds from behind you, and you look over your shoulder to find a dazed, smirking Bucky. “I did that to you,” he gloats drunkenly. 

Your eyes widen in shock before you giggle along with him. “The cheek of you.” 

Taking slow steps, you manage to make your way into your bathroom to retrieve a washcloth. You take the time to clean yourself up while sitting on the edge of the bathtub, smiling like an idiot to yourself and rebuffing the urge to squeal. 

Upon walking out of the bathroom, your keen eyes catch the subtle peek Bucky makes through the mess of his hair, the wandering of his gaze over your still naked body. 

The blush that covers his cheeks and neck when he sees that you have caught him staring is endearing, when only moments ago he was inside of you, desperate and moaning for more.

  

To humour his shyness, you choose to pretend you didn’t see, and you make your way back to him. It is a true struggle to not give in to the twitching strain of the muscles in your thighs, or how your knees almost buckle from under you.

 

“Here we go, baby,” you sigh happily, both from seeing his soft smile and how you made it to the plush mattress without falling over. 

The warm cloth in your hand goes ignored by Bucky in favour of wrapping his arms around your middle, and he pulls you backwards into the covers until you are propped up on one side of your bed.

You hum warmly while wiping the mess of Bucky’s lower stomach, though you pause when you hover, uncertain, over his softened cock. “Am I okay to clean you up, baby?” 

Looking up at you with his puppy eyes, he nods sleepily. “You’re okay, Bee.” 

Taking care to be gentle, you wipe his most sensitive area and once satisfied, you toss the cloth towards the hamper of your room in favour of sideling up to Bucky. In the process, you turn onto your side and frame his face with your hands, waiting for his eyes to focus on you before asking, “How are we doing, handsome?”

The sound of his small laugh couldn’t make you happier, and his pearly whites gleam with his bright smile. “You’re gonna be the death of me, Buttercup.”

You giggle, a little high from the comedown too. “I take it that’s a good thing?” 

He groans deeply and licks his lips. “Absolutely.” 

You shiver and swat his chest. “Don’t be looking at me like that, you menace.” 

Bucky hums sweetly. “It was amazing— No, wait. It was better than that.” His eyebrows furrow in thought. “It was — Um— Can’t think of the word — Oh, I’ve got it! Astronomical.” 

Exhaustion is beginning to kick in for him, the very last dregs of his energy is being used to be a comedic clown — you fall for him even more. 

A sudden, hesitant doubt creeps into his eyes, the need for reassurance coming forth. “Was it—” He pauses, his eyes searching yours. “Was it okay for you?” 

“Oh, sweetheart,” you coo. The sheets underneath your body rustle as you lay down more comfortably, and you guide his head to lay on your chest, over your heart. “It was perfect — you were perfect.” Kissing the top of his head, you drive his worries away. “Trust me when I say it was fucking incredible.” 

The tenseness of his muscles begins to ease away. “Thank you…” Bucky hesitates, then moves even closer to you — once he is close enough for his liking, he angles his head up to blink at you dazedly. The emotion in his voice makes it waver when he says, “Thank you for taking care a’me.”  

“Always, my sweet boy.” You look down, watching his eyes droop. “It’s all I ever want to do.” 

“You’re so amazing, Buttercup,” he exhales blissfully. “So lucky to have you.” 

Your heart beats out of your chest. “I feel the exact same way.” Unsure you could handle any more of his sweetness, you mumble, “Now get some sleep, Puppy.” 

“Hmph — Fine.” He gives in, finally closing his eyes. “G’night, my Bee.” 

Resting your head on your pillow, you brush your finger over his forehead, sweeping his hair out of his eyes while you sigh contentedly. “Goodnight, baby boy.” 

Warmth floods your heart and a happiness like no other fills your bones, making you glow from the inside out. You’re not sure this night could be any better, and with that thought, you know you’ll rest easy tonight with the man of your dreams huddled in your arms. 

On the verge of surrendering to sleep, the quiet of the night is disrupted by Bucky's sleepy mumble, “I loves you.” 

Your eyes shoot back open, and you instantly look down, finding your boyfriend’s cheek squished against your breast with a little bit of drool gathering in the corner of his parted lips. 

“Bucky?” you whisper, the quick thump of your heart stealing your breath. There isn’t a response, not even a twitch of acknowledgement. With more urgency, you whisper, “Bucky?” 

This time you get a small, soft snore in reply. 

You lay your head back down onto your pillow to stare up at the ceiling. The thoughts and doubts swirl viciously, the intensity of each and every one making you gulp, though one stands out among the rest: did he just confess his love for me? 

There was the possibility of you hearing things — the comedown of the high you’ve been floating on messing with your head. 

It’s not long before all of the day’s events catch up with you. The slowing blinks of your eyelids lasting longer and longer each time; the laxness of your muscles as they settle in for a much-needed sleep. But the question on your mind bears a heavy weight while you succumb to sleep. 

Does Bucky love me? 

The rays of the morning sun shining through the white drapes either side of your window are the first thing you become aware of as you wake up the next morning. With your eyes closed, you can see the yellow and amber glow of the sunrise. 

A strong envelopment of warmth and comfort keeps you rooted in place, as well as the heavy weight of an arm across your middle. You don’t want to move from your spot, you don’t want to wake up yet; still basking in the afterglow of yesterday’s events. 

But the second sensation, the mantra of light fingertips mapping over your face tips the balance of sleep overtaking you in favour of letting your consciousness creep to the surface.

 

Lastly, the final push, the soft, steady puffs of air tickling your nose persuades you to wave your white flag and flutter your eyes open. 

The blurriness of sleep forces you to blink until the fog clears your vision — once you’re able to see the dancing, warm light of the sun, you’re given the gift of your handsome boyfriend, already awake, admiring you with his bright blue ocean eyes. 

They’re the most clear they have ever been. 

The lined skin besides his eyes crinkle when he smiles, the pull of it making his nose scrunch adorably. “Bee,” he whispers, his voice rough from sleep. “Good mornin’.”  

It's a damn killer, the expression of his face — full of true elation and contentment, and it has you falling in love all over again. 

That’s when it hits you — the memory of last night, and what you think you heard him say when he was half asleep. 

Trepidation makes your nerves impossible to conceal, especially when Bucky is noticing every minute expression on your face. It's only a matter of time before the natural courage, granted to you with the haze of the morning, fades away. 

With a heavy gulp, you open your mouth and lick your lips. “Did, uh— Did you—?” The words die on your tongue.

Bucky’s thumb gently presses against your lips, his head gently shaking from side to side — a secret he wishes to keep just between the two of you, not shared with the birds that sing outside your window or the rays of the hopeful morning sun. 

Your eyes are wide, beginning to water with the anxiety coiling inside your chest. 

The crippling worry, however, dissolves when Bucky runs the pad of his thumb over your lips, the motion of back and forth touch grounding you. His eyes find their home deep into yours, and he finally speaks, “I love you.” 

And it’s with an ease, one that has you cursing your inner voice for ever doubting yourself, you say those three words that battled to be said so, so long ago. “I love you, too.”

#bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes x female reader #bucky barnes x f!reader #bucky barnes x y/n #bucky barnes x you #bucky barnes x reader fluff #bucky barnes x reader smut #bucky barnes drabble #bucky barnes imagine #bucky barnes fic #bucky barnes smut #bucky barnes fanfiction #new tricks masterlist #new tricks #sebstanwhore

[astraystayyh]

The alternative

Brother's best friend changbin x reader. Fluff and slight angst. (Han is the brother).

Based on my interpretation of The Alternative by Lyn Lapid (if u can, play it after the •••)

You've diligently chased the idea of being with Changbin out of your mind. That is until he picks you up from a bad date, making your steadfast resolve unravel all around you.

skz song series masterlist

"Yn?" Changbin’s voice echoes clearly through the phone, and you startle, leaning away to check if you mistakenly dialed the wrong person. But there it is- Han's contact name illuminating your screen, confirming your intended call.

"Changbin? Where is Han?" you ask hesitantly, confused as to why your brother did not pick up his phone.

"He left his phone at home. I wasn't going to answer but I saw five missed calls from you, so I figured something might be wrong. Are you okay?" he asks, his voice softening at the last question.

His concern tugs at your heart, causing you to bite your lower lip forcefully. You've been sitting across from your date for the past two hours, and yet Changbin managed to pay more attention to you in the span of five seconds. 

"I'm okay, don't worry about it," you reassure, trying your best to sound composed.

"Did you need something?"

"I just... I'm on a date right now and I wanted Han to come pick me up. But it's okay."

"Did they do something to you?" he asks, his voice carrying an edge to it that hadn't been present moments ago.

"No!" you quickly reassure. "I just... I don't know, it feels off but it's okay. I'm sorry for bothering you." The practiced apology rolls off your tongue effortlessly, without you having to think about uttering it.

You're accustomed to shrinking yourself, trying your hardest not take up space with your feelings. It has become second nature to you to bury your problems in a dusty box at the back of your mind, as soon as they threaten to affect those around you.

"Where are you?" he asks as you hear shuffling from his end, "I'm coming to pick you up."

"You don't have to," you murmur, regret already welling up inside you. You should've stopped calling your brother when he didn't pick up the first time.

"You are uncomfortable. That's reason enough for me."

You attempt to contradict him, but the words dissolve in your mouth, swallowed back down your throat. There's something about Changbin's unwavering voice that makes you pause. You don't have the strength to contradict him.

"Okay, thank you," you exhale a ragged breath in relief. "I'll text you the address."

You hang up, leaving the bathroom you were hiding in and sitting in front of your date once again. They resume talking, but you tune them out, your thoughts solely revolving around Changbin- the way the planets rotate unwaveringly around the sun. His concern made a pleasing warmth seep through your heart, like a sun ray piercing through clouds after a gloomy day.

You dig your fingers into your palm, desperately trying to banish thoughts of him- just as you’ve been doing for the past few months.

You met Changbin before you knew he was your brother’s best friend. In the campus café, where he almost spilled his drink on you. You thought he was adorable, apologizing profusely to you, a faint pink hue tinting his cheeks. And then he bought you a cookie, three to be exact, because he didn’t know which flavor you’d prefer. A token of his remorse as he explained to you. He was a year older, and you found talking to him as natural as being with yourself.

But for some reason, your brain didn’t register that this was the Changbin your brother told you about. Until you’ve visited Han’s dorm for the first time and there he was, opening the door for you. Changbin was never yours to begin with, a reminder you continually admonish yourself with, but you still felt as if you lost him that day.

You knew it wouldn't be wrong, per se, to date him. But the potential confrontations that would unfold from it made you recoil into your hiding. Loving Changbin holds within it numerous uncertainties, and you cannot venture into the unknown, regardless of how much you yearn for it. For him.

“Yn!” a loud voice startles you, and you snap your head towards the entrance of the restaurant where you find Changbin. He’s clad in grey sweatpants and a snug black t-shirt, standing out like a sore thumb in the high-end restaurant. He didn't take the time to change, you realize, his sole focus on reaching you as quickly as possible.

"We have to go!" he says, as soon as he's in front of your table, and your date glances at you curiously.

"You do?" they ask and you chuckle nervously. "We do?" You didn’t think of an excuse as to why you needed to leave so suddenly, and you hoped Changbin did.

"Yes, come on," he urges, outstretching his hand toward you. "There is an emergency… You know, with Han, very urgent."

"Who's this? And who's Han?" 

"I already told you who Han is," you roll your eyes, grabbing Changbin’s hand and rising from your seat. "Maybe if you stopped talking about yourself for a second then you'd remember."

Changbin places a couple of bills on the table, a polite smile on his face. "For the dinner", he says, before pulling you outside with him.

"What was that?" you chuckle as soon as you're out. Changbin doesn't let go of your hand as you walk to his car, and you can't find it in you to drop it. 

"What?" he giggles, "did you not like my acting skills?"

"Did you have to shout my name from across the restaurant?" you playfully punch his shoulder and he feigns a wince.

"I had to be convincing," he nods solemnly, opening the door for you. His hand rests on the top of the car, ensuring you don't bump your head while getting in.

"Here," Changbin hands you a pair of slippers from the backseat, and you furrow your brows in confusion. "I assumed you'd be wearing heels and your feet are probably tired, so I brought you this," he explains, and you are suddenly thankful for the dim lighting in the car that's hiding your crimson blush. 

"So, tell me, what did they do? Do I need to beat them up?" Changbin asks once more and you groan, leaning your head against the car window. 

"They're so... pretentious. The only thing they care about is themselves, their career and their achievements. They even tried to downplay mine so they'd feel better about themselves."

"It's their loss honestly, for wasting a date with someone like you." 

"You're the only one who thinks so," you smile sadly, trailing your fingers across your knee. 

"What do you mean?" he asks, turning his body around to give you his undivided attention. 

"This is my fourth bad date in a row. I think I'm just destined for horrible relationships," you try to joke, but it did weigh heavily on you. Was there something wrong in you that prompted everyone to treat you so lowly?

"You are very smart and witty and interesting. I like talking to you, especially about things you are passionate about. It's their loss for not seeing it. Doesn't mean you are any less incredible," he says, his voice filled with genuine conviction.

A surge of emotion pulses through you, your heart beating wildly in your chest like a bird fluttering its wing to break free from its cage. You've always thought Changbin was all these things as well, but you never knew he held you with the same regard.

"Thank you," you beam at him, "for this and for coming to pick me up."

"Don’t mention it," he responds with a warm smile before sudden mischief dances in his eyes. "You know what? We should go on a date right now."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"A fake date," he clarifies and your heart chips a little more at your foolish hope. "So you'd see how well you deserve to be treated."

"You don't have to do that," you shake your head. 'You shouldn't do that', you wanted to add, 'it’s hard enough to forget about you'.

"I want to," he insists, his assurance evident in his smile. He leans in, reaching over to buckle your seatbelt, bringing his face mere inches from yours. His cologne envelops you, trapping you in a web carefully woven by him. It was unfair- for him to smell this nice and not be yours.

"You look pretty," he compliments, his penetrating gaze locked with yours as the seatbelt finally clicks into place.

"Is this how you start all your dates," you chuckle, in an attempt to calm your racing heart.

"No, I'm just saying the truth," he replies simply, starting the car and resting his hand on the back of your headrest.

"So, what are you craving?" he asks, and you sigh in defeat.

"Can we have fried chicken?" 

"Of course, we can," he replies with a smile, shifting the car into reverse and leaving the parking lot.

•••••••••••

You hoped your time with Changbin would be horrible, you wished you’d feel bored or uncomfortable, just so it’d cement the idea that he wasn’t the one for you. But unsurprisingly, you had an amazing time. Your stomach ached from laughing so hard throughout the night, and there was a new found lightness in your steps as you walked around a picturesque garden.

You knew that you will revisit this night countless times, that you’d sift through every detail- every time your eyes met and every time you made him smile. That it’d keep you warm on cold nights when you’re all alone.

"Here," Changbin says, handing you a plucked rose. "You deserve a bouquet but I didn’t plan on this, I’m sorry," he smiles sheepishly and you giggle, taking it out of his hands.

"Thank you," you grin happily, before taking a step forward toward him. There, you tuck the rose behind his ear, smoothing down his hair in the process.

"I’m blushing, aren’t I?" he chuckles, bringing a hand to his flushed cheeks and you gleefully nod.

"You’re matching the rose," you point out and he shrugs happily. "Pink is my color."

You admired how Changbin didn’t shy away from his emotions, embracing them without reservation. It made you feel secure, in the sense where you’d never have to second guess his words and their truthfulness.

Changbin takes out his phone to play a soft melody, before putting it in his back pocket.

"Let's dance."

"Changbin..." you trail off. It feels bittersweet to get a taste of what you could have, of what you two could be. He'll move on, surely, going on real dates while you'd still be stuck on the way he makes you feel.

"It's part of the date package, come on." 

You sigh, before grabbing his hand in yours. They fit so naturally together, and you think you can easily commit the sensation to memory- the coldness of his palm and the callouses on his finger pads. With a few more holds, you're certain you could recognize his touch among a thousand others.

Changbin raises your free hand and places it on his shoulder, before holding your waist gently, swaying you from left to right.

Being with him felt like pressing on a blueish bruise, a pleasurable pain you would willingly endure to have him by your side. You're already in his arms, you told yourself. Maybe you should tune out the thoughts in your head berating you, and finally follow what your heart wants.

You suck in a deep breath, before tentatively leaning your head on his chest. He immediately brings his hand to your hair, smoothing it down gently. His chest is broad, serving as a shield for the delicate emotions flowing within him. Because Changbin is gentle with everything he does and everyone he meets. And you'd settle for this, for being his fake date if it meant experiencing his gentleness for the rest of your life.

"Can I tell you something?" you say after a while.

"Sure."

"I think this is the nicest date I've ever been on. I wish all of them were like this."

"They could be if you want to."

"What do you mean?"

"I've always liked you, yn. From the moment I’ve met you,” he confesses easily, and his words feel like the hands of an expert violinist, tugging at your vulnerable heartstrings.

He likes you, you aren't alone in this feeling, and for a second, raw happiness courses through you at this thought. But it's fleeting, like the sugar rush you'd get when you eat too much sweets. And so it naturally wears off, as the consequences of his words dawn on you.

"Changbin, we shouldn't," you shake your head vehemently and he frowns. "Why?"

"Because you're my brother's best friend." The excuse streams from your mouth instantly.

"But I'm still Changbin. Your Changbin if you'll have me," he adds softly.

"Han will find it weird, and if we don't work out then your friendship with him will become strained and-"

"Why are you thinking about everyone but yourself?" He interrupts. "Don’t you want this?" 

A few silent beats pass by, and Changbin doesn't stop swaying you around, his gentle place lulling your heart to calmness, clearing the foggy thoughts in your mind.

"I do," you finally admit, and a smile lightens up his face instantly. It's so bright that it makes you second-guess the words you're about to say. "But I don't want to risk our friendship too." 

"Love is a risk, I understand, I agree. But what's the alternative, yn? if it's not having you at all then I'd risk it," he drops your waist, his hands cradling your face tenderly. "You are worth the risk to me." 

You’ve stopped dancing, the music long forgotten by you. "You really think so?"

"I know so." 

"What if we things don't workout?"

"What if they do, hm? we can never really know until we try. And i want to try with you. Please, give us a chance?" he smiles at you, his vulnerability on full display. He's offering you his heart on a silver platter, not caring if you'll safely guard it or pierce it through, as long as it's yours.

You gaze into his warm brown eyes, before glancing at his tousled hair and the rose tucked behind his ear. And your fear doesn't matter anymore, not in the face of the man in front of you.

"You have amazing convincing skills. Have you ever considered being a diplomat?" you tease and his eyes widen slightly. "Is this a yes? are you saying yes?"

"I am," you giggle, an uncontrollable smile drawn on your lips. "And... I've always liked you too. I think Han might've suspected it because whenever I brought you up, he glared at me," you confess with a laugh, as Changbin presses a soft kiss on your wrist. Right where your pulse is. Beating wildly for him. 

"He’ll have to deal with it. Now tell me, is tomorrow at 6 pm good for you?"

"What for?" you giggle, as he waltzes you around once more, a cheeky smile adorning his face.

"Our first real date, of course.”

#stray kids x reader #skz x reader #stray kids fluff #skz fluff #stray kids imagine #stray kids imagines #skz imagines #skz x you #stray kids x you #changbin x reader #changbin fluff #skz angst #stray kids angst #changbin angst #stray kids fanfic #stray kids reactions #skz fanfic #skz reactions #changbin fic #seo changbin x reader #skz soft thoughts #skz soft hours #stray kids soft hours #stray kids soft thoughts #stray kids au #skz au #skz recs #skz song series

[geekywritings]

“Come back to bed.”

Today, I present to you my interpretation of the lovely anonymous ask I received:

“Reader was super touch starved before they started dating and Cal is super touchy, and she loves it but also has trouble getting used it. But her favorite thing is when he rubs her back (comfort or just to be close) and it just becomes a thing for them??"

Again, lots of fluff, so enjoy!

___________

Touch… Such a simple thing. A sign of trust, a proof of friendship and a language of love all at the same time.

You’ve always had a strange relationship with the concept. On one hand, you feared it, on the other, you desired nothing more than to experience its effects. Thinking about it, your paradox connection to touch probably stemmed from your upbringing. Your mother had worked in one of the adult entertainment establishments of Nar Shadaa, with you growing up in this strange world of opposites.

Poor workers, rich clients. Big expectations, and crushed dreams. Honest touch and paid-for love. It all mixed together in this place, and you had watched it all from the kitchens where you were being kept while your mother served drinks to the various males that frequented the “The Pearl” every night.

Hugs were rare, as your mother wasn’t the type for it. She showed her affection in different ways, first and foremost by sending you away when you were old enough, thus saving you from a future in the establishment.

You attended a pilot academy and graduated among the top of your class. By that time, the Republic had fallen and the Empire was recruiting capable pilots left and right. Needless to say, the strict regime didn’t exactly encourage comradery and touch either.

And so you grew more and more hungry for it, while never quite knowing why.

You also hated working for the Empire. Payment was bad, the treatment of people horrendous and everything about it simply felt wrong.

It was by pure accident that you crossed paths with the rebels when one of them tried to pay you good credits to smuggle someone off-planet along with your booked cargo. You had agreed, mostly for the credits, to be honest, but eventually, helping people became a mission. A true purpose. Something fulfilling.

You also came to love one rebel in particular: Cal Kestis. You had run several missions for and with him until he eventually asked you to join his crew permanently. They could always use a good pilot, he argued. A good friend of his, Greeze, used to be the Captain of the impressive ship he used to get around, but the Latero had retired or was at least taking an extensive break.

And so your story with Cal had begun, quickly growing from allies to friends and eventually romantic partners. It had all happened so fast and your head still reeled from how the redhead had managed to worm his way into your heart. Never had you met anyone displaying such kindness, gentleness, patience and respect. It was impossible not to fall in love with him.

He taught you how to fight as well, organizing a metal staff for you after you turned out to be a rather poor shot. You two sparred regularly, with the Jedi putting his combat training into good use to teach you new tricks.

The crew around you changed constantly. Some left, some died, some joined you only for a specific job. But Cal, BD-1 and you were a constant on the Mantis. They were your family and the ship your home.

Often, you would sit awake long into the night, staring out into the galaxy passing you by and thinking about what your life would have been like if your mother hadn’t saved up every credit to send you away.

“Didn’t you say you’d join me in 10 minutes?”

You turned and found Cal leaning against the doorway leading to the cockpit. His hair was tousled and his eyes sleepy, but a small smile was playing on his lips, as he crossed his arms in front of his bare chest.

“That was three hours ago, love.”, he added when you sent him a confused look.

“Oh…”, was all you could say, not having realized how much time had passed. Getting lost in memories did that to you.

Stifling a yawn, Cal moved to drop into the Co-pilot seat, green eyes searching yours.

“Can’t sleep again?” His voice was full of sympathy as he reached out a hand to rest on your knee.

There it was again: touch.

Cal always reached for you. Whether it was for a hug or a kiss, to hold your hand, to just feel you near or to make sweet love with you. Every touch from his was special and you did your best to reciprocate. You still remembered the look of pure joy the first time you initiated a hug or gave him a kiss or reached for his hand on your own. It helped you greatly to open yourself to the kind of love language you had yearned for, yet still needed to grasp fully.

You stared at his hand on your knee and slowly placed yours on top of his.

“I was thinking about my mother… and everything she did to give me a good life.”

Cal nodded in understanding, but didn’t say anything, allowing you to unload your thoughts. He knew your past and had even volunteered to help your mom, but she had disappeared from “The Pearl” after your graduation with no sign of her to be found.

“She saved you. That’s love.”, he eventually spoke and you smiled.

“I wish I could have shown her more that I loved her.”, you sighed. You regretted that you hadn’t hugged her more on your own accord.

“I am sure that she knew.”, Cal assured you, ever the supportive voice for your conscience.

You smiled at him and nodded, before slipping from the pilot’s chair into his lap, arms sneaking around him. “I love you, Cal… And I want to show you every day.”, you muttered into his neck, as his arms came to rest around you.

“You do show me every day, Starlight.”, he whispered back, holding you close. “And I am so very grateful for it, because I love you as well. To the end of the Galaxy and back.”

For a while you just sat in silence, enjoying the proximity, Cal's hand drawing small circles on your lower back. It was your favourite, really, the gesture always helping you relax.

“Now come back to bed, love.”, the Jedi whispered eventually and you nodded, allowing him to carry you back into your room, where you both gave into desire.

Touch… Such a simple thing. A sign of trust, a proof of friendship and a language of love all at the same time.

You’ve always had a strange relationship with the concept. But you were ready to open your heart to it fully, as long as Cal was with you.

#cal kestis #cal kestis x yn #cal kestis x you #cal kestis x reader #jedi survivor

[tenleaguesbeneath]

Some astronomically unusual habitable worlds

Or, weird star systems that include a habitable planet, or at least one in the habitable band that could be terraformed, on the assumption that systems you can live in are more interesting than those that can't. "Habitability" is a bit of a stretch here; a habitable world could be anywhere from "it has an evolved biosphere with plants you can eat" to "an airless rockball, but if you pelt it with enough comets, put a biosphere in place, maybe you could eventually live there" or perhaps one where someone already did the hard part; that part is deliberately vague depending on how hard your sci-fi is.

Throw these on a d10 or 2d6 table or something; stick "planet orbiting a yellow dwarf" and "moon of a gas giant orbiting a yellow dwarf" in the most common spots, and you're good to go. This is a draft of a setting design generator table I might use. I might use it for Stars Without Number or I might use it to fill in stuff about under-developed systems in BattleTech, for instance. None of these have precursor aliens so that they can be used in settings that don't include them (if you add precursor space habitats to your star system tables, you can get pretty wild and I do fully encourage that), though one of them assumes humans have been at this space colonization thing for centuries. Likewise, this doesn't include anything that requires Weird Space Magic, like hollow worlds with an antigravitational inside and an inner pseudosun. If that exists in your setting and you're building a Weird Planets table then by all means put that in.

If you want to follow real astronomical commonality, small dim stars are much more common than big bright ones. I'm not an astrophysicist, though, and I haven't done the math to demonstrate that any of these are physically possible.

A world in a distant orbit around a bright star. Because luminosity increases with mass faster than gravity does, this world has a very long orbit; seasons might last decades. Depending on the role solar gravity plays in your setting's FTL (if any), these planets might be faster to reach coming out of FTL.

Converse to that, circumbinary planets (with two closely-orbiting stars at the center of the system) will have shorter years in the habitable band, since the mass is divided among two separate stars leading to much lower luminosity for the same mass

A world in a spread-out binary star system (the planet is closer to its primary than the other star is). The other star shines brightly on it. In the right time of year, there's never a night dimmer than a full moon.

A spread-out binary system with two separate habitable worlds, light-hours or light-days apart

A planet in a binary system with two stars of greatly different brightness, but because of relative distance they appear similar. It's tide-locked to the dimmer star, giving it an uninhabitable hot side and an inhabitable side with a day/night cycle.

A world in a highly eccentric orbit around an extremely bright star. In time, it will fall in to the inner system and its seas and atmosphere will boil away, but that's maybe a century or three out

That same world, coming out the other side. It might have scorched ruins on it, left behind when it was abandoned. It's on its way to the outer system, where it will freeze for a thousand years or more.

A planet that distantly orbits a black hole or neutron star, its atmosphere restored after the supernova burned it off. At the rate its primary is radiating (remnant heat/accretion disk), it's exactly in the habitable band, for now.

An outlying "moon" of a gas giant. Instead of orbiting its primary properly, it orbits at the L4 or L5 Lagrange point

A binary planet in a low orbit around a red dwarf. Their tidal forces on each other are the only thing that has kept them from becoming tide-locked to their primary.

#space #ttrpgs #gm tools #worldbuilding

[milesluna]

My Favorite Games of 2023.

Hi. Hello. Thanks ever so much for clicking on this page. Happy to have you.

First thing's first: I'm a little freak when it comes to video games. I don't feel the need to beat most games I play. From Software is one of my favorite studios in the industry and I've never finished a single one of their games. This means, fortunately, that I get to play a LOT more games than the average bear.

I've written up some blurbs about my top ten favorite games from 2023, but before that here's the list of every game I remember playing this year that left any sort of lasting impact on me (in no particular order):

Dead Space Remake Resident Evil 4 Remake F-Zero 99 Humanity Dredge Metroid Prime Remastered Anemoiaplois Alan Wake 2 Baldur’s Gate 3 LoZ Tears of the Kingdom Counter Strike 2 Hunt Showdown El Paso Elsewhere Jusant Slay the Princess| Remnant II The Finals Street FIghter 6 Lethal Company BattleBit Remastered Don’t Scream Homebody The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog Pizza Tower World of Horror Super Mario Wonder Mr. Sun’s Hatbox Fifa 23 Sea of Stars (Demo) Half-Life (25th Anniversary Update)

And the games I played that were NOT released in 2023:

Unpacking Persona 4 Golden Picross 7 The Order 1886 Shovel Knight Dig Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Spider-Man: Miles Morales Pac-Man Championship Edition DX Project Zomboid Quake LoZ The Minish Cap Drill Dozer Wario Land 4 Pokemon Pinball Resident Evil Revelations Summer of ‘58 Trackmania TwinCop We Were Here Visage Cursed Halo CE Half-Life 2 (I probably play this once per year) Witch Hunt Red Dead Redemption 2 Cyberpunk 2077 Borderlands 3 Brutal Legend Cultic Slay the Spire PUBG Rez Infinite Batman Arkham City Alan Wake Alan Wake: American Nightmare Max Payne LoZ: Majora’s Mask 3DS Metroid Prime Metroid Prime 2 Tunic Everhood Final Fantasy VII Final Fantasy VII Remake GOODBYE WORLD Yakuza: Like a Dragon Critters for Sale Dome Keeper Phasmophobia Hades Nintendo Switch Sports

Now that you understand the kind of freak you're dealing with…

Let's dive into my top ten favorite games from this objectively fucked up year.

10. El Paso Elsewhere Developed by Texas indie studio Strange Scaffold, El Paso Elsewhere is a Max Payne-clone with vampires, an opinionated narrator, and lots and lots of bullet time. As a small studio punching well above their weight class, Strange Scaffold leans into abstract, PlayStation 1 minimalism when it comes to visuals and pairs them with a soundtrack that will make your hands sweat. The vibes are here and they're ready for the end of the world. I'm personally also a big fan of everything this studio stands for.

9. Mr. Sun's Hatbox I want you to imagine Metal Gear Solid V. Now I want you to imagine that game as a 2D, level-based, slapstick platformer you can play with up to three friends. If you think that sounds stupid, you'd be right. And it's beautiful. As you build up a secret army of soldiers with various skills (and disorders), you'll start to develop *favorites*. This game constantly asks if you're willing to send those favorites on a harrowing mission and risk losing them forever… or if you'd rather send an idiot you recently captured who blinks constantly and can't kill anyone without fainting.

8. Dredge Every year I feel like I find one game that falls into the “just one more round” category, and baby… Dredge was it for 2023. As a weary fisherman in strange waters, you'll make the most out of your 12 measly hours of sunlight only for your daily voyages to inevitably pull you into the darkness of night, and night is when things get weird. Rocks emerge from the fog that you swear weren't there before, your equipment malfunctions, and you're pretty sure you just saw something in the water… something big. Despite only containing a small collection of islands, the world of Dredge manages to feel vast - perhaps vast enough to swallow you whole.

7. Resident Evil 4 Remake I was curious to see what sort of changes would be made to the timeless classic and father of modern 3rd person shooters, Resident Evil 4. I wasn't let down. RE4 Remake takes all the things that didn't age well about the original, tossed them out, and replaced them with only good things. And MORE things! It's campy, fun, and better than a game of bingo.

6. Jusant I really feel like this one didn't get the recognition it deserves. Jusant is a rock climbing game that combines the quiet contemplation of Journey with the mechanical specificity of Death Stranding. Unlike Death Standing, though, there is very little story to interrupt your flow. There are plenty of collectible bits to find for those curious to learn more about what happened before the events of the game, but the environmental storytelling does most of the heavy lifting. For me, the joy of the game comes from how it feels. Right trigger controls your right hand grip, and left trigger controls left hand grip. Plan your route, manage your stamina, and climb high above the clouds in search of answers.

5. F-Zero 99 This. Shit. Slaps. I've never been a big F-Zero guy, but this MADE me one. The “battle royale”, 99 player format is the perfect fit for the ruthless, high octane world of the game. Races last about three minutes, and friend, they are the most intense, white-knuckled three minutes of your life. The decision to make your boost meter the same as your health meter started in F-Zero 64 (I believe), and it is so much more HARROWING in this game when another player could side-swipe you mere meters from the finish line and blow you to bits. Sadly it's only playable via Switch Online, but it made me cheer, laugh, and scream enough this year to earn a spot in my top 5.

4. Alan Wake 2 Remedy makes weird games that also manage to exist in the AAA space and for that I will forever love them. Although Alan Wake 2 resembles a 3rd person shooter survival horror, I'd honestly say it's more of a narrative game than anything else. There's sidequests, there's puzzles, there's upgradeable skills, but at the end of the day the characters, world, and story are what kept me playing. If you haven't checked them out recently, you should definitely watch a story recap of the original games before diving into this sequel, but the wild swings for the fences this game takes are well worth that small price of admission. There's a god damn musical number, for Christ's sake.

3. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom I've really got nothing to say about this game that most people don't already know. It's incredible. The fact that Nintendo made a game that redefined an entire genre and then made a SEQUEL to it that ups the ante is remarkable. To be honest, I've only cleared the Rito, Zora, and Goron cities. I got a bit tired of exploring the depths and guiding Koroks to their friends, but I can't deny the sheer level of complexity and polish on display here. I saw someone on TikTok build a functioning Mecha Godzilla in this game. Good God. I've heard that the ending of this game is one of the best in the franchise, and if I'd seen it this year then it may have wound up higher on my list, but for the time being I'll continue picking up this masterpiece from time to time, chipping away at it until the day comes that I can finally smack the tits off thicc Ganondorf.

2. Half-Life (25th Anniversary Update) I know I'm gonna get shit for this, but I don't care. This year was the 25th anniversary of Half-Life and Valve released an update that made playing it (and it's online Death Match) much more accessible. I threw it on my Steam Deck out of curiosity, expecting to play for 20 minutes. I could not put it down. It is unbelievable how modern this game still feels. I simply had so much fun sprinting through the corridors of Black Mesa with a dozen weapons strapped to my back, blasting aliens and military Spec-Op chumps as a 24(?!) year old theoretical physicist.

1. Baldur's Gate III This game is fucked up, man. The sheer amount of writing in this game scares me. We can all talk about how BIG this game is, it deserves it, but the thing BG3 does better than any other role playing game I have ever experienced is actually encourage roleplaying. I've played through Act I four times now, with four different groups of friends, and it has felt fresh every time. I have seen the same events play out in so many different ways that it boggles the mind, but in every one of those play sessions I see players asking themselves “What would my lil guy do here?” rather than "what is the best thing to do here?" The game rewards players constantly for just trying shit and the D&D 5e rule set means playing like the character you said you were from the start leads to frequent Points of Inspiration. Maybe one day I'll see the end of this story (probably not), but I don't have to in order to feel a connection with BG3's world, characters, and most impressively, the characters I made myself.

Honorable Mentions for 2023

5. Dave the Diver 4. Homebody 3. Sea of Stars 2. Humanity 1. Super Mario Wonder

Top 5 Favorites NOT from 2023

5. Metroid Prime 4. Final Fantasy VII Remake 3. Cursed Halo (Halo CE Mod) 2. Red Dead Redemption 2 1. Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (3DS)

Games I didn't have a chance to play from 2023 but still want to when I find more time...

Viewfinder Venba Chants of Sennaar Thirsty Suitors Hi-Fi Rush Moonring Armored Core VI Laika Aged Through Blood Bomb Rush Cyberfunk

OKAY THANKS BYE!

#video games #2023 #GOTY

[dragonrider9905]

Midnight Snacks

Summery: Dogma had a long day at work and comes home to a surprise.

Warnings: none, pure fluff

Celebration You Prompt List

@eclec-tech Here you go!!!!!!! Thank you so so much for being my first ❤️First person to encourage me on my writing journey, first to invite me to Tumblr and first to request in my follower celebration!!! I really hope this one lives up to your hopes! Your idea was just so cute XD I hope I did it justice ;D

Dogma trudged his way through the streets back home.

It’d been a long day. 

Well, in truth, it’d been a long day for a long time. After the fall of the Republic with that fateful ‘Order 66’ (which he really didn’t know what that was all about) Dogma took the first opportunity to escape the prisons, which were in chaos. He’d struck out on high alert and extreme secrecy for who knows how long, living hand to mouth and always looking over his shoulder. Little by little, the paranoia dissipated and life turned into a day by day experience. Apparently the Empire was too busy to hunt him down (which was fine by him). They were too busy looking for other high value targets (which he had to admit, he didn’t know who or what they were. He didn’t get a whole lot of information in his cell on Coruscant). He’d rather be safe than sorry so a low profile he kept, but he also decided to live a little of a life. He’d get a job, make some money and live like a normal person doing…what normal people do. Whatever that was. 

Monotony of time went on; Dogma got steady work and a steady life. Rarely anything fell out of place, just like how he liked it. He liked as few disruptions as possible. He knew everything that was going to happen. Everything had a place and everything was in its place. Order was the order of the day...that was, until he met you. 

You were the craziest, funnest person on the planet (and he’s got to admit that’s what made him attracted to you. Like, how in the galaxy did you have such a carefree spirit? Live from moment to moment without anxiety for the future. Always ready for an adventure. Believe that everything would be ok, and it always was. Blew him away). 

Dogma always liked understanding everything, and nothing scared him more than when his heart started beating abnormally around you. The queasy feeling in his gut whenever you’d do something around him. The blush whenever you’d tease him. The irrevocable smile that’d show up on his lips whenever you laughed. Dogma didn’t understand any of it! 

Ok, he retracted his earlier statement; he realized he was never more scared than when he connected the dots: he was in love with you. 

Falling in love was easy. Staying in love was the hard part. 

His shifts at the factory were long and hard. 12 hours a day, zero breaks, four days a week. The bits in between were yours. How do you keep love alive on that? 

Turning left at the corner and sighing into the night, slightly chilled with the season and a hint of rain in the air, Dogma felt almost giddy. It’d been three months since he told you how he felt. Three months since you told him you felt the same way. Three months of bliss, and extreme exhaustion. Before his shifts or after, he’d head to your place to spend time with you. It was a solid thirty minutes (if not more) on a good day from his apartment to the factory adding so much extra time to his day he wondered every night coming home if he should quit. 

He was a reasonable man too though. Jobs were hard to come by. If he quit, he’d need a plan. And he couldn’t quit now, there were too many bills to take care of. Plus if he wanted a future with you… 

But, how long would this last on the scraps you gave each other? 

He sighed, almost defeatedly. 

The contradictory swirl of emotions had him climbing on top of the highest mountains of Aldaraan and tumbling far below into the depths of the oceans of Kamino. 

He decided to head straight home today. The lack of sleep was really playing a number on his mind. He’d commed you before with no answer on your end. He hoped that you’d understand. That you weren’t upset with him. It was always hard for him to tell. He wasn’t the best when it came to reading emotions and even then, since his…mistake on Umbara, a gaping hole of self doubt was left in its wake. 

Sighing for the up-teenth time, he finally turned onto his street.  Reached his door and pulled out his keys…to notice the light was on.

He was pretty sure he’d turned off all his lights when he left? Perhaps his habit just slipped. Doing things for so long he’d forget even doing them. 

Stepping his apartment, he dropped his stuff to the floor, and sighed again. Home at last.

“There you are!” 

Dogma screeched and nearly jumped out of his skin.

The sound of your bright, bubbly voice was the last thing he expected to hear. Looking at you with wide, surprised eyes, you laughed and ran into his arms, embracing him with a hum. 

“Now you shut that trap of yours and move it! I’ve got everything ready for you!” Forcibly lifting his jaw back into place, you pushed him further into his apartment. 

“What…?” 

Had he gone to your place by accident? No…those were his books, his carefully stored few belongings…

“When I got your comm, I could almost hear how tired you were. I figured since you’d been coming by me every day, I’d surprise you and throw you a welcome home party! Whatda think?!”

“The place is empty.”

“Exactly! You’re kind of party.”

Dogma chuckled. You weren’t wrong. 

“It’s great, thank you.”

“Oh I’m just getting started. First, it’s snacks in the kitchen, then it’s holovids, then a good night's rest for your off day tomorrow!” 

You waved your hand to the couch where you haphazardly threw pillows and blankets onto the floor. Pillows and blankets he knew were not his. 

“You brought your stuff over here?” Dogma knew you were particular about your comfort items. You liked them clean and in place in your own apartment. They never left their spots. 

“Yeah! I figured we could make a blanket fort! I know you don’t have many of your own yet.”

“I, uh, I—” 

“Oh stop babbling and let’s eat! I know you’re starving!”

Bopping behind him and placing your palms on his back, you practically pushed him all the way into the kitchen. 

Sitting on the table was a vast variety of his favorite snacks all assembled in a neat array. 

“Oh wow…” Dogma was at a loss for words. You did all of this for him?

He turned to see your sparkling face and smiled. 

“Thank you for everything. I don’t deserve…”

“No talking like that! You deserve the galaxy, my dear.”

Swallowing the lump in his throat, he drew you in for a hug. Against his chest, he felt your smile. Pressing a kiss to the top of your head, he broke away. 

“Should we move the snacks into the living room and get started on those holovids? Since you’re the absolute best, you get to pick.” Dogma picked up a platter of meats and cheese on it, moving to the small coffee table he had.

“But this is supposed to be your relaxation night…”

“Nah, whenever I’m with you I’m relaxed.” He paused with a look of realization crossing his face, along with a smile. “Well, mostly.”

You laughed.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Oh, nothing.”

Raising an eyebrow you shook your head. 

“Ok, then.”

“Isn’t that show you like on tonight?” he asked. “I can turn that on…”

“But…”

“If you like it, I like it.”

You giggled. “Ok, sounds like a plan.”

“Also, I get to make fun of it if I want to.”

“Dogma!”

You laughed and threw a pillow at him, which he expertly deflected with a laugh. 

Settling down and wrapping blankets over your heads, Dogma started the show. 

“Aw shoot, I forgot the dip in the fridge.” You scrunched up your face, eyes glued to the screen. The action was only beginning. A slight look of disappointment crossed your face before you stated “I’ll be right back.”

“No you stay, I’ll grab it.” 

With a wink, Dogma jumped to his feet and ran to the fridge.

Opening the door, Dogma was struck in the face.

“What the kriff?!”

Running a hand down his face and refocusing, he didn’t see the dip he was looking for, instead he noticed a little, red dragon sitting on the shelf…laughing? Was it laughing at him?

“Why….is there a dragon in my fridge?”

“It was hot!”

“What kind of an explanation is that?” Dogma said more to himself than you.

 “Well I mean if he was hot.” He rolled his eyes. “What the kriff is he doing in my fridge though? Where’d he come from?”

You came running into the kitchen. “Isn’t he the cutest thing!!! I found him today roaming the streets. He’s a fire dragon! I’m going to bring him home and raise him and we’ll be best buddies.”

Dogma shook his head. You were crazy. 

But he loved that about you. 

Yeah, this love would stay alive for a long time. Who knew, even maybe the rest of his life.

Celebrating You Masterlist

#dragonrider9905's 100 follower celebration #dragonrider9905 follower celebration #dragonrider9905 writing challenge #celebrating you #clone trooper dogma #dogma x reader #dragonrider9905 writing request #dogma x you #cw dogma #clone wars #star wars the clone wars #star wars: the clone wars #starwars #star wars

[virgocathaunted]

NEYTIRI KILLS SPIDER

Quaritch don't even have to close his eyes to hear, feel, or smell it. He could hear his breathing slowing by the second. He could feel his body losing heat and blood spurting out. He could smell death coming to claim him.

While he was looking through the window of the ship the spectacular views that Pandora had.

They are supposed to watch Pandora together. They would discover all the ecosystems that the planet had, its forests, mountains, beaches, deserts and tundras. They would have all the time for themselves and a whole planet to explore. The day he died, his team had opened up to him before dawn, they wanted to defect. They wanted to live outside the RDA

. Living as Spider was teaching them. They did not want to destroy towns. The Colonel did not accept it. But Miles Quaritch, yes. He wanted to live in peace with his son, as it always should have been.

But they needed equipment for Spider, they would leave in 3 days. First they would gather information, they knew that there were small outposts all over Pandora from 15 years ago if they were lucky they could use it so the boy wouldn't have to wear the mask all the time.

It hadn't been 2 days when everything collapsed.

His mind reproduced the image of his son dying in his arms. Six months they had been together and it only took 6 minutes for him to see how brave, kind, intelligent and loyal he was. It took six hours to get him out of the human facilities to put the greatest distance between the child and the General. And six weeks to love him completely. His baby, the only good thing that "I"human left behind.

And in six hours he lost it. DEAD

HE will bring hell to Pandora. Not all Pandora, his son loved this planet and showed her a lot about it.

But the Na'vis would meet a true demon.

What he did to Home Tree 15 years ago will be nothing to what he would do. Neytiri, Sully's Wild Wife,is an indomitable hurricane when she gets angry. It was with that strength that he took away his team in minutes. Quaritch will be an earthquake accompanied by a tsunami, destruction that only escalates from bad to worse. A force that did not warn, and that destroyed everything in its path.

This planet should be theirs, both of them and their team. All flying in their Ikrans. With Spider.

Their son's death will be avenged, the planet will be theirs but not for humans. For Spider.

Silence, only the exo packs of Norm and Max could be heard along with the slow steps of their captors and the ship's engines. It took him a year to find it, the new Home Tree, but he did it. And now Norm had in front the being that plagued the nightmares of many Na'vi and humans alike, Colonel Miles Quaritch, but now in a Na'vi body. Like a specter that refuses to leave them alone. More dangerous.

That day had started like any other, many scientists outside studying the fauna, others in the common areas discussing their findings.Na'vi going hunting, children playing here and there. It was a quiet day. They did not wait for the ambush, they did not know how the RDA had found them.

Bombs, arrows, smoke... everything was confusing. The number of human scientists dropped rapidly. The Omotekiya did not have more luck. Warriors fell like a leaf. Moat gave instructions, with the body of the new Olo'eyktan in her hands dying.

The new Home Tree was destroid.

They are in the cargo bay, the three hostages kneeling and tied up. Seeing how the demon walked while seeing something in his hand, two other recoms in front of them. Lyle and Mansk.

Mo'at, had too many feelings. Her first dead grandson, the curious human child that always helped dead too. And a dead demon not so dead in body Na vi. JakeSully had told them that Neteyam and Spider had been killed in the battle. It remains to mention that it was her daughter's dagger that ended the life of the human child.

No one could believe what he told them, Neytiri would never hurt a child, not even if he was the son of this demon. Mo'at knows his daughter, she knows. But she doesn't want to believe it, children are sacred. The Spider boy was calm, respectful, loved Pandora. Sometimes she would look at him and see him as a Navi in the heart, she would see him. Next to her Max was crying and Norm was insulting, They didn't want to believe him. They had mourned the kidnapping and later the death of the child they all raised. HE was lying. But the video of Quaritch's vest was the proof.

They didn't know how to feel. They knew of Neytiri's antipathy towards Spider, but from that to her killing him it seemed almost like a fantasy. But the video playing again freaked them out. Not even in war did she have that unleashed anger in her eyes. Not an iota of guilt.

In the demon's gaze there was only truth, pain, and revenge.

Quaritch kept looking at his hand, some plates that he had made. Reaching out, grabbing the canvas and letting it fall. In the bay, nothing was heard except silence. Seconds later the piercing cry of Mo'at.

Two Toruk.

Dead.

Killing the Toruk was not easy, but between the three of them and various weapons they did it. This is the reason why the clans came together. The reason why he lost the battle 15 years ago and did not see his son grow up. But also the one who gave him a second life. The call of the Toruk Makto.

It is a symbol, and symbols are destroyed.

He approached Norm and put the plates around his neck, the man looked at him with hatred."Tell...tell Sully what's coming."

On the plates it had written

MILES "SPIDER" SOCORRO QUARITCH.

2154 - 2170

Seeing the General's last name with Spider's name made him sick. That he killed both Toruk made him sick.

Mansk opens the hangar doors, When you stretched out his arm, Norm could see a tattoo, 8 adults viperwolfe adult and one young.

8 recoms dead.

1 child dead.

Only the 3 of them knew what that tattoo meant. Viperwolves were Mansk's favorite animals, he and Spider spent hours talking about them and observing them during mission breaks.

Lyle drops a chain that drags the dead Toruk down, then shoots at Max, Norm, and Mo'at in the abdomen. They're not dead, but they won't be long.

🔹️I'm still writing it, but I wanted to post what I have so far. Maybe and give it a touch up and divide it into part 2 so the Sully's reaction would be 3.English is not my first language, so that Google translator.🔹️

#mile spider socorro jake sulli #recom quaritch #spider socorro #lyle #avatar recoms #neteyam

[makima-s-most-smile]

Trigun Ultimate 2 (Part 4)

Will this volume ever end? Why do I have so much to say?

OOOOooOOooooh, it is woowootime. Nyehehehehehehe *continues to say even more about its favourite character!*

Chapter 6: A gathering of demons

Oh, I love how nightow portrays the vastness of the desert. How much is an ile? How big is this planet? Is it earthlike? With no oceans and all... are the cities splayed out? I am European and live in a big city conglomerate. In two hours, I can switch countries and visit like 20 different cities. This picture reminds me of the "Wild West". I remember American friends being shocked at how connected everything is and how we Europeans see distance. For them a 4-12 hour drive is totally normal and you are still in the same state. I can only imagine that No-Man's-Land is even worse than that.

But what does that entail? Is travel between cities something regular or something you only do if you try and get work or flee from something? There is the big trade between the cities, but those have to be the outliers. Sandstreamers being something like trains. I imagine that they are mostly used for commerce, then. Transporting people has to be a lesser side hustle.

But how long does the journey with a bus between the cities take? I'd say days with the thoughts I just had.

I leave the Wolfwood introduction panel out, because of the limitations for pictures, but damn, it is good. It also took me too long to realise that this was not fabricated, but that Wolfwood literally had a bike mishap. His whole interaction with Vash reads differently for me when I take this into consideration.

Three things. 1. what I like about Wolfwood’s design is that if you don’t take the tit window and the facial scruff into consideration, he is dressed like a typical Japanese salary man! A nobody, one of many. Black short hair with suit, he could be a 0815 background character/random casualty in nearly any anime/manga. But here, he falls out of the line. All in black in the desert heat, that is suicide! He is not dressed like the others in typical western clothes. He’s an outlier from the start but at the same time a very usual sight for us readers!

2. I love how silly and welcoming he is. He is just a very charming random dude. We next to never see him interact with random people after this, so we miss this side of him in the later volumes. But he easily fits in and connects, even as a weird outlier. He is an idiot, but an idiot with street smarts.

3. Maybe because I am not a native English speaker, but I stumbled more than once over the word “tradesman” as a colloquial term for assassin. Kinda a roundabout way to say, hey, if you’re interested in me, I may provide you with more information and maybe I have the kind of skill you’re looking for. Tradesman basically means person with a specific skill, so not elaborating on that, but letting people mock him always reads for me as Wolfwood playing with being caught/putting his “profession” down/offering work. That he has a good eye is shown on the next page with him immediately realising who Vash is (at least he know the bounty pics and knows how to look. Wolfwood is not faceblind!)

Without the context of Milly being especially perceptive, this always read for me as Vash being absolutely annoyed by Wolfwood and being distrusting, when in reality he seems to be already warming up to him. Like with us readers, Wolfwood has wormed himself into his heart already. Who could deny Wolfy?

“‘Bout time I left, anyway.” Rings differently when you know him more. Wolfwood is a person that has his foot already out of the door to be not a burden to anyone nice. And we learn that in his introduction.

Wolfwood looks so damn fucking young there. I always have big problems in discerning ages in Manga. But even with his scruff, Wolfwood looks barely out of his teens.

When I think about the different WooWoo-versions, I always deck '98 as the oldest in his mid to end thirties, Ultimate barely 20, Trimax 30 max and Stampede... Sorry, StampWolfwood, you are still in your teens for me. You are baby.

I always remembered Wolfwood as a liar by omission, but damn, he is doing everything but spelling stuff out.  “Not exactly just that…” Damn, and he looks so pained. Vash surely zoomed in on it. I now believe, the only reason why we know stuff so late about Wolfwood is because Vash never asked or tried to pin Wolfwood down.

The following pages is Wolfwood sharing his money with the orphans and I love it. We get to know Wolfwood as a very perceptive, benevolent and honest guy, who seems to be desperately begging for people to see him, to ask more about him. As much as he is funny, we also see someone who sees himself as a burden and who is burdened by a big responsibility and who still shares and gives as much as he can. No wonder Vash smiled with such earnesty. Wolfwood is the personification of what makes him still have hope in humanity.

Chapter 7: The demon’s eye

You know him just for this little bus drive and you already trust him with that info, Vash. Wolfwood is part of the team now, wether they realised it or not. Like I said in the chapter before, the journey must take longer, so they may have had a few days to bond.

He knows what happened. We learn in the next chapter why Wolfwood is there. It is easy to put two and two together for him.

Or regrets that they have to part ways and Wolfwood has to go back to being the Punisher. He had a short dance with Lady Death and then a little vacation where he could be human.

As much as we learn that Wolfwood hates his predicament, it is his duty. There is a reason why he does what he does.

It is kinda sad that Wolfwood left immediately. Nightow, most likely, had other stuff planned, but the cancellation of the magazine kinda threw a wrench into it. I kinda like how '98 did it with Vash and Wolfwood having their own little adventure on the journey.

Funny observation. People are there, because there is gunshots. Not children’s laughs or anything, it is gunshots that show that people are there. What a shitty world they live in.

08: The fifth moon

Did Legato control the corpses? Or did he “take in” the survivors and used experiments on them? Nicholas knows his bounties. Without him, I wouldn't peg them as the Slavers.

First of all, the hint/info that Vash and Knifes are both not human. A man between a rock and a hard place. A well-prepared dead man, but a dead man either way.

Since we as a reader already have a bond with Wolfwood, he is our point of reference for a "normal" human reaction to the shit that goes down. Nightow regularly flashes back to Wolfwood's reaction to it all. Either so we don't forget that he is part of the EVUL or to bring down that point how fucked up Knives is (especially with the SA-symbolism). People with uteri will agree either way that the scene with the sister being that pregnant and Knives bursting out is… massive body horror.

At least both legs and one arm are smashed, pelvis most likely, too, his head is squished into his torso, neck broken? and I have no idea how else he is crumbled up. Paper doll Legato

Vash didn’t only shoot himself to regain control. He shot Knives, too! He shot Knives to get free, but it was already too late.

While someone else (I am sorry, I am bad with names D; If I find you again, I will link your post) has put it brilliantly how Knives taking control over Vash can be read as assault, there is something else I’d like to point out.

Knives is the only person in the whole story who has been able to take control from Vash. We have seen him fight so many people, like Neon, Monev and others, but Vash never was not in control. He put rules upon himself that constricted him, e.g. the pacifism, but those constrictions were by his own decision. Vash takes into consideration that he may die, but it is by his own free will and as we have seen, he is a bit suicidal. Likewike, Vash gives people all the agency, all his agency. He mostly reacts to their decisions towards him. Knives is the only person in the whole world who is able to take away Vash’s agency and he uses that power over him. Not going into powerscaling or such a thing, but it shows what a powerful player Knives is.

Again, Wolfwood is our focus point for human reaction. Dude is scared out of his mind and mixing both brothers. Messengers of God coming to cast down judgement on us? That would be Knives, not Vash. But he demands an answer from Vash, with whom he already formed a connection. Wolfwood may feel even somewhat betrayed, as hypocritical as that is.

#trigunbookclub #trigun bookclub #Trigun Ultimate 2.4 #It is done #I am finally through with it #Also WooWoo #here to break my heart again

[djarindroid]

Love and Duty

Pairing: Cassian x Reader

Summary: Part three in my lil Stuck series- Cassian has been cleared to go back out on missions and spends his last hours at the base trying to show you how much you mean to him.

Warnings: NSFW! Smut with feelings! Oral sex (F & M receiving),  unprotected penetrative sex (only suitable for ages 18+)

Word Count: 3,621

Comments: Smutty part three to the Stuck series I've started, debating whether to leave it at this or write some more for these 2 🤔 I also would like to give a shout out to @mylovelies-docx , I haven't stopped thinking about Cassian calling the reader Princesa since reading 'Social Cues' and I've incorporated it into this fic, you were truly doing gods work when you did that 👑

It was finally here, the day that Cassian thought he’d be pleased to see arrive, but now it had, a heaviness settled over him instead of his expected joy. He’d been cleared to fly and his first mission had already been assigned, scheduled to leave early the following morning. 

His main thoughts during the mission briefing were of you. He didn’t want to tell you he was leaving, in fact he didn’t want to leave you at all. You’d quickly become such a stable part of his life and he wasn’t ready to go yet. He wished he could have even one full extra day with you but he just had the night.

Cassian had never left a briefing so quickly, desperate to spend his remaining hours on base by your side. His heart pounded in time with his feet as he all but ran to your quarters. As he rushed to you, his mind was filled with the memories of the times you’d spent together. It had only been about 4 weeks since you first met, but Cassian knew he would treasure every moment you’d shared. From your meeting, to your trip off base, to the late night caff sessions, not to mention the both of you sneaking out into the surrounding jungle to explore.

He froze outside of your door, his mind conflicted. The need to see you was fighting with the fact he was going to have to give you bad news. He had no idea when he’d be back, no idea when he’d see you again. But the desire to hold you prevailed and he found himself knocking loudly.

The door whooshed upwards and there you were, beautiful as ever. For a brief second Cassian completely forgot the reason he’d practically sprinted across the base to see you. You pulled him into your quarters with a hug, the door closing as he stepped over the threshold. He wrapped his arms around you, feeling the soft wool of…wait, he looked over your shoulder and realised you were wearing his jumper. He smiled into your neck and stroked a hand over your back, he adored the fact you were in his clothes.

‘I’ve been looking for this,’ he teased as he pulled away from your embrace. He took you in as you looked down to his jumper. It was too big on you, coming down to cover the top of your thighs, with the sleeves dwarfing your arms. 

‘Sorry,’ you played with the sleeves, ‘I forgot to give it back the other night.’ He thought back to the two of you laying outside, you were pointing out all of the different planets and constellations you could see from the base. Despite the chill in the air, you didn’t once complain, but as a light mist rolled in Cassian silently removed his jumper and placed it over you. You paused briefly in your explanation as you thanked him and drew the jumper closer to you.

You went to start taking it off but he quickly stopped you, ‘Keep it on, it looks good on you.’ You flushed at his words, still not used to the easy way Cassian complimented you. 

As a silence fell over you, a dread settled over Cassian. He knew what he had to tell you but he wanted to keep pretending that he wasn’t a rebel spy, that he was just an average guy that could lead a normal life. His expression clearly gave him away as he noticed a frown beginning on your face.

‘Is something wrong Cass?’ you stepped closer, closing the small space between you. Worry was etched on your face as you reached up to cup his cheek. He leaned into your touch, taking a brief second to enjoy this moment before he burst the bubble the two of you had created.

Meeting your eyes, he knew he had to tell you in that moment or he’d never get it out. ‘I’ve been cleared,’ was all he could bring himself to say.

‘Oh,’ your face had dropped slightly but you were trying to hide it for Cassian’s sake. ‘When do you go?’

‘In the morning,’ he sighed as his hands rested on your waist. ‘I’m sorry,’ he added in a whisper.

Your hand cupping his cheek made its way to the back of his neck, as you gently played with his hair you said, ‘I thought you’d be excited to get back out there.’

He took a deep breath as he thought about it, his brain was struggling to settle on one emotion. On one hand he was able to go out and do the one thing he felt like he was put into this galaxy to do, but on the other hand he’d finally found someone that made him want to stay. He’d never even considered settling down, he was constantly eager to be out doing whatever he could for the resistance. He was so confused about how he felt and he was unsure how to tell you.

Sensing his difficulty you softly said ‘You know I’ll be here when you get back right?’

He smiled down to you, you deserved so much more. You deserved someone that could be here for you, not someone who could just leave you for months at a time. ‘Maybe we should just run away,’ he half joked as his hands slightly squeezed your waist. ‘Just say the word.’

You giggled lightly at his suggestion, knowing he’d never go through with it. You rested your free hand on his chest as you continued his joke, ‘where would we go?’ 

‘Anywhere you want,’ he brought his forehead down to your own. ‘I could show you the whole galaxy.’ Cassian closed the distance between you and pressed a kiss to your lips. He pulled away just enough to look into your eyes and whispered ‘I will always come back to you.’ He felt you smile as he leant in to kiss you again. 

‘And I will always wait for you Cassian,’ he felt your lips move against his between kisses as you spoke. He was so overcome with emotions that he felt like he could cry. He still couldn’t believe how lucky he’d gotten. He would thank the maker everyday that he’d sprained his wrist because that had brought him to you.

Knowing that you cared as deeply as he did lit a fire inside him, he ran his hands up the side of your body until he was cupping your face, pulling you into him and deepening the kiss. He poured all of his adoration into it. Your hand on his chest gripped his shirt to steady yourself. Your lips moved in sync as the connection between the two of you intensified. His touch was so gentle but filled with longing, your warmth keeping him grounded as the kiss continued.

It was as if everything else had melted away, nothing else mattered apart from the two of you. Lost in the feeling Cassian found himself desperate to feel every inch of you. His hands roamed down your sides, searching for your warmth. He grabbed at the bottom of the jumper, moving it up enough to allow him to feel you. You moaned into his mouth as his large hands explored your bare skin.

His touch fueled something inside you and you rushed to begin unbuttoning his shirt, wanting to feel his body. You fumbled with the buttons, struggling to undo them as your mind was too clouded from the kiss. Cassian pulled away briefly and quickly ripped the shirt over his head. He crashed his lips back into yours as your hands reached out for his exposed body.

You explored every inch of him you could reach, feeling the hair on his chest and the scars that littered his body. The groan he let out as you raked your nails down his back had you utterly intoxicated with him, you were eager to get him to make that noise again. Placing your hands on his chest you guided him backwards until the back of his knees hit your bed and he fell onto it.

Cassian looked up at you standing above him, a flicker of vulnerability in his eyes. The room was filled with a thick tension, anticipation was coursing through both of you. You leant down to him and placed a quick kiss on his lips. The way Cassian tried to follow your lips as you moved away caused you to giggle lightly. You leaned further in, kissing along his jawline. You nipped and kissed your way down his neck until you sank to your knees before him, your lips leaving a trail of kisses down his chest.

His mind was consumed with a rush of pleasure, time ceased to exist as his mind was clouded with nothing but the thought of you. Every kiss, every caress sent shivers down his spine. He was suddenly pulled back into the moment as he felt you pulling the zipper of his trousers down, his eyes snapped down to yours.

You looked up at him through your eyelashes as you cooed, ‘let me take care of you.’ Cassian knew he’d trust you to do anything if you carried on looking at him like that. He hissed as you pulled down his trousers and boxers, releasing his already hard length. You kept your eyes on his as you wrapped your hand around the base of his cock, ‘will you let me take care of you?’

He nodded and his eyes fluttered closed as you slowly stroked up and down the entire length. You continued to pump him with your hand as he leaned back onto his elbows, his head falling back as he lost himself to the feeling.

You took advantage of him breaking eye contact and licked a slow stripe from the base of his dick to the tip. He groaned as you swirled your tongue carefully around the swollen head, you revelled in the sound and desperately wanted to hear it again. You engulfed the head in the wet heat of your mouth and let out a satisfied hum upon hearing Cassian moan again. You continued to stroke him with your hand as you began sucking the tip.

Cassian gathered his mind enough to look back down to you and what a sight you were. Your red, swollen lips wrapped around his cock as you worked him into your hot mouth. He knew he wouldn’t last long as he watched you pull off of him to flick your tongue over the slit. He murmured your name and rasped ‘fuck, you’re too good to me.’

Cassian practically growled as you pushed your lips further down, taking him deeper into your mouth. He couldn’t stop his hips from bucking up as you hollowed your cheeks and began slowly bobbing your head up and down his entire length. His head fell back again as he succumbed to the feeling, moaning uncontrollably. He’s so close already, he’d be embarrassed if it were with anyone else.

‘Fuck,’ he gasped as you took him fully into your mouth and swallowed around him. You pulled almost completely off of him before sinking your lips back down and repeating the action. He panted out your name, maker he’s close but he didn’t want this to end so soon. ‘Fuck stop, stop,’ he brings his hands to your head, and you pull of instantly, looking up at him with a slightly worried look. He calms you quickly and runs a hand through your hair ‘was too good, don’t want it to be over yet.’

‘Wanted to take care of you before you go,’ you rub your hands up and down his thighs as you confess to him. 

Cassian felt like his heart skipped a beat at your words, he was done for. He knew deep in his soul that no-one else would ever compare to the way you make him feel. He wanted, no, he needed to make you feel even a fraction of how good you were making him feel. He surprised you by pulling you up by your arms and flipping the two of you, so you were laying on your back and he was straddling your waist.

Wasting no time he leaned down and began kissing your neck. A soft sigh escaped you as his lips traced along your jaw. Cassian tried to pour every unsaid word into each kiss, portraying a yearning that he couldn’t convey to you with words. His hands gripped your waist, rubbing gentle circles into your skin with his thumbs. His touch ignited a fire within your core.

He kissed his way up to your ear and as he reached between you to begin sliding your shorts down he whispered ‘it’s my time to take care of you now princesa,’ you flushed at the pet name, ‘want to give you something to remember me.’ Your breath stuttered as he fully pulled your shorts off and settled down between your open thighs.

Cassian was obsessed with the feel of your skin, your thighs surrounded his head as he placed gentle kisses on them. He slowly and carefully kissed his way up towards where you were now desperate for him. With each ascending kiss he could feel his urgency building, the longing to worship you in the most intimate way. 

He heard your breath hitch with anticipation, your body instinctually arching towards him. He wrapped his hands around your thighs to keep you in place and his lips finally reached the destination he’d been longing to taste. His tongue delved in, savouring the sweetness. He relished in the whimper you let out as he flicked his tongue over your clit. 

Cassian looked up at you as he completely indulged, alternating between circling and sucking your clit. Watching you fall into blissful pleasure wearing his jumper was almost enough to make Cassian cum right there. Your fingers made their way into his hair, intertwining with his locks and pulling him closer, urging him to carry on. 

Each flick of his tongue and stroke of his lips brought you closer and closer. Cassian kept his gaze focused on you as he watched your eyes drift down to meet his own. His steady pace and your intense connection had you writhing and trying to grind down onto him. 

Locked into Cassian’s gaze, that reflected all of the passion and hunger within, you found yourself teetering just on the edge. You were hardly even aware of your own moans and your repeated chant of his name. Your entire body was alight, your free hand gripping onto your bed sheet so hard you were sure it could rip, it felt as if you let go you would float away.

Cassian knew you were close, he gripped your thighs harder and pulled you impossibly closer. He moaned as he continued lapping at your pussy and suddenly you were there, tumbling over that edge, calling out his name as you came. The moans he let out vibrated through you, heightening the feeling. You’re falling apart and Cassian isn’t slowing down, he’s guiding you through and absolutely basking in the sound of his name falling from your lips over and over.

He reluctantly pulled away as you let out a whimper, he didn’t want to push you too far. As he crawled back up your body he watched as you tried to steady your erratic breathing, a smile was gracing your face and he tried to burn this moment into his memory. Your eyes drifted up to meet his and he returned your smile as he dipped down to kiss you.

Without breaking the kiss you sat up slightly and reached down to the bottom of the jumper you were still wearing. You slowly peeled it up your body, along with your undershirt, baring more and more of your skin. You reluctantly broke this kiss to allow room for you to completely remove your clothing, leaving you just as bare as he was. 

Taking advantage of Cassian’s distracted gaze, you grabbed his shoulders, swiftly switching your places. He landed on his back as you swang your leg over his hips. He chuckled at the sudden change but quickly shut up as he looked up at you. You looked like a masterpiece, he was stunned that someone so beautiful could even exist in this galaxy, it shouldn’t be possible.

You carefully lowered yourself and the two of you moaned in unison at the feeling of his cock pressing flush against your pussy. You rolled your hips, slowly grinding along his thick length, coating it in your slick. Cassian’s hands instinctively gripped onto your hips, squeezing you as you rose back up on your knees slightly. 

Neither one of you broke eye contact as you aligned the tip of his dick to your entrance. He couldn’t stop the gasp he let out as he finally found his way inside of you, watching in awe as you slowly lowered yourself, taking inch after inch of him. You were so tight, wet and warm, your pussy practically dragging him in. Your hands came to rest on his chest as your hips came flush with him, his cock now fully inside of you.

You stayed like that for a moment, taking the time to get used to the feeling of his thick cock sitting deep inside. Fuck this feels spectacular, no-one had ever made you feel like this before and you knew no-one ever would again. Every inch of you felt as though it was on fire, goosebumps covered your body as Cassian praised you.

‘Fuck, look at you,’ the grip he had on your hips became bruising. He felt like he had died and gone to heaven. You brought your lips to his and licked into his mouth as you rolled your hips, moaning into his mouth at the feeling.

You rose again, fully bracing yourself on Cassian’s chest and began a steady rhythm, rolling your hips. You shiver around him, your pussy clenching down on him with every roll. ‘That's it baby just like that,’ Cassian growled, not taking his eyes off your face. His hands roaming over the curves and dips of your body.

As your moans became louder you leant up slightly, pulling your hips up and then dropping back down. Cassian’s head slammed back into the cushions as he let out a stuttered gasp, you repeated the action and whimpered out his name ‘Cass, it feels good.’

His large hands came round, grasping at both of your tits. ‘You’re too good to me princesa, always treat me so nicely,’ he pinched and rolled your nipples between his fingers as you continued to ride him. ‘You’re taking me so well baby, fuck I’m going to miss you so much.’ You looked down to him as he cupped your cheeks and pulled you into a messy kiss.

‘Fuck Cass, gonna miss you too,’ The way you were angled now, practically laying on top of him made it quite difficult to continue your actions. ‘Cass please, I need you.’

‘I’ve got you princesa,’ he planted his feet on the bed below you and began to rut his hips up into you, the new angle making him reach deeper than he had before. You muffled a cry into his neck as he built up to a relentless pace. ‘Need to hear you baby, don’t hide,’ He grunted in your ear and you let out an unfiltered cry.

He knew you were close, he could feel your pussy rhythmically clenching down on him, he was close as well. A primal urge to feel you cumming around his cock had him desperately thrusting into you harder. ‘Look at me, fuck, please look at me,’ Cassian begged. The moment you pulled back to look into his eyes, Cassian felt a wave of emotions crash over him. Everything became so crystal clear to him at that moment and before he had time to think rationally about anything, the words were already spilling from his lips.

‘I love you, maker, I love you so much,’ he watched as your eyes widened. ‘I’m always going to come back to you, my perfect girl.’ He was grinding deep inside you now, perfectly hitting the spot inside you that had you fighting for your eyes to not roll back. ‘Cum for me, I need to feel it, maker, love, please cum for me.’

Overcome with emotions you find yourself opening your mouth in a silent scream as your pussy grips down hard on him as you crash full force into pure pleasure. Tears prick at the corners of your eyes as your body shakes through your orgasm.

That’s it, Cassian finally lets go and his cock goes rock hard and pulses as he cums deep inside you with a low groan of your name. Your pussy milking every drop it can has Cassian clamping his eyes shut as he rides out the feeling.

You fell to Cassian’s chest and his arms wrapped around you, holding you as close as he possibly could. He was content, and could happily lay in the moment forever but he could feel your lips moving against his collarbone. He planted a kiss to the top of your head before saying ‘baby, I can’t hear you.’

Your eyes stayed shut and from the sound of your steady breathing Cassian could tell you were trying to fight off falling asleep. He softly stroked a hand through your hair as you mustered up the energy to talk louder. And then he heard it, four words that he would think of for years to come.

‘I love you too.’

#cassian andor #andor #cassian andor x reader #cassian andor x you #cassian andor fanfiction #rogue one fanfiction #star wars fanfiction

[clumsiestgiantess]

The seventh chapter of the Other-world Universe; Alexis tries her best to make amends.

all chapters linked here

[Progress is progress, I guess]

You don’t know how hard I tried to stay away, but the small world in the basement was just too fascinating to leave for long.  It was like fate, or maybe just my brother wanting to play, was drawing me back.  Despite this, I never set foot near anywhere I thought Erica might be.  I wanted to stay true to my word, after all.  

Every once and a while, when I was bored, I would go off and explore, though.  Constantly, I would wander through the mountains where I found the climber, wondering if he’d left or if I just kept missing him.  While walking through the area where I’d first arrived, I came across a beautiful lake, cut off from the rest of the world by the jagged mountains surrounding it.  Another time, after hiking for three days, I finally found a beach.  It wasn’t an ocean beach, like I wanted, but rather a large lake; from my tall height, I could faintly see the other side.  Still, it was a beach, and I didn’t want to hike further than that anyways.  To get all the way out there I’d packed a bag full of food, water, and a sleeping bag, invisibly camping anywhere that was large enough for me.  Thankfully I only needed to walk the way there.  To get back, all I had to do was return to my world, think about the open field, and I'd be there.

During those three days, as I carefully trekked through forests and fields away from civilization, I was blinded by a flash of light from above.  After shielding my eyes from the initial glare, I fought to look up.  I only managed to catch the tail end of the strange phenomenon.  What looked like a bolt of empty black lightning split the air, but instead of fading away like normal lightning, it hovered in the sky for a long moment.  Then, the jagged streak vanished as quickly as it came.  I had no idea what the strange lightning-esque flash had been, but I didn’t give it too much thought.  It could’ve been any number of things.  The dark zigzag could’ve been a blank spot in my vision after the strange bright light.  For all I know, the other-world might actually have a weird type of black lightning.  I ignored it and carried on.

I had a lot more free time to spend in the other-world now that I wasn’t looking after Erica 24-7, so I used the extra hours not only for adventuring, but to map out the city and everything around it.  Eventually, I hoped to have a map of all the buildings that shared a twin in my world, as well as how far the limits of the playtable actually reached.  

See, the buildings on the table in my world weren’t a perfect match to the ones there; the other-world had almost twice as many thanks to all the residential areas that were basically nonexistent in my own world.  All the twin buildings I'd come across so far were always somewhat important places, and I'd slowly been jotting all of them down.  My brother and I hadn't aimed to make a perfect little city, after all.   It made sense that a few of the lesser important details were omitted from our building project.

At first, Liam had wanted to make the playtable a complete mishmash of dinosaurs and cool superhero fortresses, but thankfully I'd managed to talk him out of it.  I wonder how differently my first day would've gone if I'd let Liam stick with his original plan.  How much of the other-world inhabitants' lives would we have altered without even knowing it?  What if we took everything off the table and started over right now with a completely new theme, like an alien planet or a giant amusement park?  Would everyone here just vanish like the city had never existed, or would they be forced to live completely new lives in whatever we'd created?  If they did, would they even remember their old ones?

That train of thought was getting a little too existential for my liking.  I shook myself off, forcing my brain to backtrack to what I was doing prior to the rabbit hole I'd briefly fallen down.  I scanned the paper in my hands for a moment.  Right, I was looking for twin buildings in the city.  My need for a list of similar buildings first came with the slightly obvious realization that the three-pronged skyline in the other-world — which I assumed was the same as the four-pronged one in my world from a weird angle — actually only had three prongs.  I’d walked around the other-world long enough to see the city from numerous angles, and all of them had three tall needles that stuck out from the tops of skyscrapers, not four.  Immediately, I needed a new reason to believe the cities were the same.  They have to be the same.  Why else would I be here?

The twin buildings became my new proof.  Though the cities didn’t look exactly alike, they each had the same grid layout, and facilities like a town hall, an aquarium, a museum, banks and gas stations, those sorts of things.  It was a lot easier said than done, getting to everything.  I couldn’t even get close to the more populated areas unless I was attached to someone.  

Ever since the fight with Erica, I'd sworn off controlling people.  However, I did still use them for intangibility; I just didn’t force them to do anything while I was latched on.  It felt like I was making excuses to continue messing with them, but I didn’t have much of a choice.  I could either continue using the other-world people for intangibility, or go back to accidentally crushing almost everything in my path.  Obviously, I chose the former.

I'd already gotten a decent number of buildings jotted down with the help of a few oblivious puppets, when I felt something tugging at me.  I don't know how else to explain it.  I imagine the feeling's similar to the force between two magnets passing by, skating just close enough to feel the pull of the other half without actually touching it.  Stopping in the middle of writing down another contender for my list, I followed the absurd feeling toward a congested street corner.  I stood there for almost ten minutes looking for the source of my odd state.  

Finally, I caught sight of someone below me looking confusedly around in the exact way I did.  I really should've expected my 'other half' to be Erica.  I’d felt this feeling a few times before while searching for her.  It seemed to be a side effect of her being under my control for far too long.  For a brief moment, I reached out to latch onto her before recoiling away as she spun around with a furious glare that made me think twice.  Oh, she can sense I'm here too.

I could tell Erica readily wanted to berate me by the infuriated way she was glaring at the empty alleyway I stood in.  However, she would look like she'd lost her mind if she started cursing out an empty side street, so she kept quiet.  Erica stood in thought for a moment before inconspicuously gesturing to the park down the street on the opposite side of the road.  I understood; she was still intent on talking to me, just in a more out-of-the-way place.  Begrudgingly, I stepped over to the park in three long strides and waited patiently for Erica to walk the two blocks over there.  

When she finally arrived, Erica sat on a bench to the side of an empty field and caught her breath.  I chuckled despite every ounce of common sense I had.  She jogged over here for six minutes just to catch up with the three steps I'd taken.  "Is something funny to you?" Erica asked annoyedly.  "Sorry," I whispered.  I needed to keep my voice as quiet as possible so no one else would hear me and wonder why they were hearing voices in the air.  "It's nothing.  How have you been?"  I tried to change the subject, but Erica saw right through me.  Literally.  "Oh, I'm doing much better now that I'm not a puppet anymore," she quipped sarcastically, "I sure hope you weren't about to do something incredibly stupid to change that."  I sighed, "I wouldn't've actually made you do anything.  I meant it as.. a tap on the shoulder.  To say hi."  Erica huffed out a half-laugh that somehow radiated the opposite of laughter.

"You told me you were leaving," she said pointedly, "Why bother lying to me?  Can't you just make me forget about you?"  "I didn't lie!  I said I'd leave you alone from now on.  I never said I'd leave your world.”  "So running into me was a coincidence, was it?"  "Yes."  "Liar."  "No, I swear it is!  I've never even seen you in this part of the city.  Why would I come here to control you if I know where you live?"  Do I even know where she lives? I thought to myself.  Last I saw of her she was packing up her things to leave.

Erica sat silently for a moment, "Then, why are you over here?"  "I could ask you the same thing."  "You first."  It was fascinating, really.  For someone so small, Erica had somehow managed to back me into a corner.  I wasn't lying to her, I honestly hadn't intended to find Erica there, but at the same time I couldn't tell her the truth about what I was doing, either.  If I did, I'd have to reveal the unnerving truth about her world being fake.  That moment in the middle of the city probably wasn't the best time to explain everything.  I could see it in her; the way she hid her fear behind a mask of anger and sarcasm.  Erica knew all too well that I could puppeteer her again right then and there if I wanted, and she couldn't do anything to stop me.  I could only imagine what might happen if I told her the whole truth of everything I could mess with.  Not just her.

So, instead of tearing down her view of the entire world, I lied in the truest way possible.  "I'm here because I was mapping out the city.  With all my new free time, I've been wandering around searching for neat places and marking them down."  Erica stared into the open space where I sat, still unconvinced.  "Prove it."  I hesitated for a second, then slid the unfinished map out my pocket and unfolded it on the ground.  

Once I was sure no one was nearby, I let the paper go and it slowly faded into view.  I could hear the breath hitch in Erica's throat as a map the size of her old apartment appeared from thin air.  She stepped off the bench and onto the grass to examine my evidence.  "What do these X's mean?" she asked, pointing to a few buildings that had been sketched with two slashes over them.  "Those are the places I want to revisit once I finish the map."  Obviously I wasn't going to tell her they were really marking the twin buildings.  I quickly folded the piece of paper back up, causing it to vanish again.  I didn't want her looking it over for too long, just in case I'd jotted something down that had to do with her world.

Finally convinced I wasn't out there just to stalk her, Erica gave me a satisfied nod and returned to the park bench to collect her things.  "Hold on," I whispered before she could leave, "It's your turn to tell me what you're doing over here."  "I.." Erica hesitated, slowly turning back to me.  She suddenly looked a lot more tired than she had a minute ago; her angry facade had dropped.  "I'm lost.  I went to a new hairstylist that opened in this side of the city, and now I have no clue where I parked the car.  I know it was across the street from the aquarium, but I've only been there, like, once besides today."  The aquarium was definitely on my map.  In fact, it was one of the buildings that had a twin.  "I know where it is," I ventured, "I could take you there if you like."  

"You want to help me?" Erica asked coldly, "Gee, that sounds like a great idea.  I'll just blindly accept your help like I did last time.  Who knows, if I'm lucky I might end up as your little puppet by the end of the day."  She hadn't even said all that much, but her words still stung regardless.  I backed away guiltily and shifted onto my knees, ready to leave.  "I'm sorry," I mumbled, "Shouldn't have asked."  Erica sighed and I froze, partially standing.  She looked up at me from beneath the leafy green trees that shaded the park.  Though she couldn’t see me, she could still tell fairly well where I was.  Slowly, I knelt back down as her expression clouded with confliction.  Erica’s mouth opened and closed silently for a few minutes.  I expected her to give me some speech about how it was wrong to do what I'd done to her, which I completely understood, but she surprised me.  "Can I see that map one more time, please?"  

If she had asked me to bring her the moon or the stars instead, I would've gladly done it.  Anything to stop the gut wrenching guilt that whispered you're a monster over and over in my head.  I'd been avoiding Erica for this reason as well.  Whenever I saw her, or even thought about her, I felt the need to compensate for everything I'd done.  Apparently, she felt as if I were trying to deceive her again, but that was far from the truth.  I only wanted to prove that I could be better; for Erica, obviously, but for myself too.  The image of her hanging terrified between my fingers over the cliffside refused to leave my head.  Then there was that time I’d caught her in bed, crying.. presumably because of what I’d done to her.

I gladly spread the map out on the grass for Erica to examine.  She mutely traced the path between the park we stood in and the aquarium without a single glance at me.

After an excruciatingly dead silence, she spoke.  "Thank you, for helping me.  I.. I think you're just trying to gain my trust, but-  I'll trust you in my own time, you know?"  I let out a breath I hadn't even realized I'd been holding.  "Alright."  Another heavy silence.  "Can I take the map now?"  Erica nodded and I stashed it away.  "If it's alright with you," she interjected before I could leave, "You can get places a lot faster than I can.  Would you mind waiting by my car until I get there?  Just so I don't get lost again?  We have this weird connection of some sort; I was thinking of using it like a compass."  I was so shocked by her offer I forgot to reply.  "It's fine if you don't want to.  I mean, I did just rudely deny your help a moment ago."  "No, I.. I'll meet you there."  

Erica was right; it took me very little time to find the aquarium.  I sat beside it, intangibly peering in at the sea lion show that was taking place when I'd arrived.  Eventually, I could feel the magnet-esque tug that told me Erica was nearby.  She glanced across the busy street at the space she assumed I was sitting in and mouthed thank you before driving off.  I tried to shake away the gloomy guilt and instead thought through the positives.  Miraculously, Erica was making an effort to be nice to me, despite my mistakes.  Honestly, her talking to me at all was an improvement, so long as she wasn't hurting me with bitter words.

Over the course of the next few weeks, I bumped into Erica several times — all purely unintentionally.  We both had things to do in similar places.  Erica had errands to run and her job, and I wanted to map out the city where all those things were located.  We never said much to each other.  In fact, we couldn’t have a conversation of any kind without drawing attention to ourselves.  However, Erica no longer suspected anything horrible of me.  She’d nod knowingly in my direction, and we’d both continue on with our lives.  

We’d only come close to talking once — when I happened to walk by as Erica was getting a parking ticket.  The moment she sensed my presence, she began gesturing for me to deal with the officer every time their back was turned.  I hesitated, wondering if it was a test to see if I would control them.  Honestly, I think that was what she wanted, but I decided to deal with things differently.  Returning to my world for a split second, I grabbed a single plastic bill and willed it to become 100 dollars as I stepped back through.  

Thankfully, there was an empty lot on the other side of the road where I could appear without destroying anything.  Erica looked beyond relieved when she sensed me re-appear.  Cautiously, I reached out over her car and waited until the officer turned to their vehicle for something.  The moment they did, I nudged her arm very lightly with one finger, opening my hand to reveal the fresh bill.

Just as I’d suspected, Erica seemed confused by my offer.  She had wanted me to control them — likely to avoid being given a ticket at all.  A moment later, she nodded at me, realizing that I was only trying to avoid what had made her so angry with me in the first place.  I latched on to intangibility and stepped away, figuring that giving her the money she needed was enough interaction with her for the day.  It was how I’d ended up in that situation in the first place, after all.  I certainly didn’t want to repeat any of my mistakes.

Three weeks after the incident with the map, I officially heard from Erica again.  By that time, I'd completely mapped out the city and had moved on to measuring how far the table in my world extended in this one.  The scale was more than a little bit off, which both confused and frustrated me.  I was passing by Erica's house, trying to determine how far the mountains were from the city with a distance tracker, when I noticed an arrow made from fallen branches in her yard.  The arrow pointed to a large flat rectangle lying on the lawn.  I slowed to examine it.  Erica's car wasn't in the driveway, so I couldn't ask what the thing was, but it had 'to the giant' scrawled on it so I assumed it was for me.  I picked up the rectangle of what seemed to be poster board and turned it over curiously.

It was a note, written out in large letters so I could read them without straining my eyes.

I don't know if you're ever coming back here, but if you find this I want you to know that-

The rest of the letter was written in slightly different penmanship, as though she'd stopped writing for a while before continuing with the rest.

I'm ready for us to meet up again.  Just to be clear, this is NOT me forgiving you.  I want to move on from what happened, and I hope you do too.  After all, you were only trying to help me, albeit in a very backwards way.  If you can find sometime for us to talk, I’m willing to.

It looked like Erica had tried to fit more onto the poster board, but ran out of room writing in a font big enough for me to read.  My heart leapt faster in my chest as I re-read what she'd written.  It had been a while since we'd talked, and even then, we'd never actually had a normal conversation.  Maybe things weren’t as hopeless as I thought!  Remember, I thought to myself, trying to calm down, she hasn't forgiven you, so take it easy.  One step at a time.  You're overwhelming enough as it is.  However small a step the note may be, progress is progress, and I was grateful for it.

#what was that weird lightning tho? #other-world universe #g/t #giant tiny

[littlesoka7567]

Five + One Times Hunter Had a Migraine

Chapter Five: 5 - Omega

Summary: The batch has taught Omega how to help Hunter with his migraines. One day, he gets a headache bad enough that she gets to use this knowledge.

Notes: I really love kids, and I especially love Omega! She's so sweet and cute, and very fun to write. Hope you enjoy!

WC: 2258

Echo rolls his eyes, shaking his head fondly. “No, Wrecker, we do not need more explosives for this mission. It’s a stealth mission.”

Wrecker whines in his usual pouty way, crossing his arms. “I hate stealth missions!” he complains loudly. 

Hunter winces, rubbing at his forehead. He almost expects for Crosshair to hiss an annoyed Quiet, Wrecker! at the larger clone. But then he looks to his left and remembers. 

Crosshair tried to kill Hunter. He did shoot Wrecker. He wouldn’t playfully scold Wrecker for being too loud, not anymore. 

Tech clicks his tongue in annoyance, looking over his shoulder from the pilot's seat. “Feel free to stay behind then, Wrecker. Me and Echo are perfectly capable of handling this mission on our own.”  

Hunter shakes his head, crossing his arms over his chest. “Absolutely not. If I’m staying back, then you’re taking all three of you.”

“This mission should not be dangerous at all,” Tech argues, facing the stars again. “Theoretically, Echo could do this mission solo.” 

Echo sighs, looking back at his disguise. “I really hate playing a droid,” he mumbles to himself. 

“No way,” Hunter argues again, ignoring his pain. “If I’m not going, you’re taking every precaution.” It already took Tech three hours to convince Hunter to sit this one out, he wasn’t about to allow for any more risks. 

Wrecker groans. “But I won’t even be allowed in the building! I’ll have to wait in the ship as back up ‘cause Tech says I’m too big to be stealthy.”

“I did not say that,” Tech bristles. “I said you would not go unnoticed. I am normal looking enough to the average human, Echo can be disguised as a droid meant to accompany me. We will fade into the background. You, on the other hand, have never been a background type of person.”

“Take it as a compliment,” Hunter advises softly. He rubs his temples, sighing deeply. 

Omega places a worried hand on his elbow, looking up at him with big eyes.

Hunter forces a smile down at her, using his other hand to pat over hers. “I’m okay, kid. Just a headache.”

Omega beams up at him, easily believing him. She turns and walks towards Tech, standing beside him and looking over his shoulder at the control panels. 

Crosshair wouldn’t have believed him. Crosshair would have scowled at him and rolled his eyes. Maybe he would have even tried to convince Hunter to let him help. 

Tech turns to Omega with a rare smile, nodding at something she said. “Exactly. Here, I will allow you to do it. This one,” he says, pointing to the correct control. Omega squeals softly in excitement and pulls them out of hyperspace, before turning wide eyes to the planet which comes into focus. 

They’re a bit further away than Tech would have pulled them out of hyperspace, but Hunter is sure it’s only because he wanted to give Omega room to hesitate. He guides them towards the planet, before carefully landing in front of Cid’s bar. “Omega, do you remember my instructions?”

“What instructions?” Hunter asks, narrowing his eyes. He had been staring fondly for the past few minutes, always happy to simply watch her be. 

“I do!” Omega says happily, bouncing on her feet. 

“Good,” Tech says, and Wrecker laughs suspiciously. “Out, both of you. We should be back within two rotations.”

“One rotation!” Hunter argues, panic crawling into his chest. Omega pulls him to his feet, though, and Wrecker is gently nudging Hunter down the ramp. “Tech-”

“One rotation falls into the category of ‘within two rotations,’ Hunter,” Tech calls over his shoulder. 

The ramp closes back up, and the last thing Hunter sees is Wrecker’s mischievous smirk and a two finger salute.

Hunter groans, rubbing at his head. “I swear, if they get hurt because-”

Omega takes his free hand, and Hunter looks down at her. “Come on!” She says, starting to tug. “Let’s go upstairs.”

“Upstairs?” Hunter asks, but allows himself to be led. “Omega, what was Tech talking about?”

Omega giggles, and it forces a smile onto Hunter’s face. “I’ll show you,” she promises. 

Hunter sighs in annoyance, but follows Omega into the bar. Cid must be in her office, and the only other people in here are the two regulars that never seem to leave. Omega leads him to the stairs, looking over her shoulder and tugging harder. “Hurry, Hunter!” she calls, laughing again. 

Hunter rolls his eyes but the smile won’t leave his face. He follows her up the stairs and into the little bedroom Cid lets them use sometimes. His eyes do a quick sweep of the surroundings, and his brows knit together in confusion. “What did you want to show me, kid?” 

Omega giggles again, leading Hunter to the bed and pushing on his torso until he agrees to sit. “Close your eyes,” she whispers excitedly, still bouncing in place. 

Hunter shakes his head fondly, before humoring her. “Okay, my eyes are closed. Now what?”

The only response he gets is her high-pitched giggle, and it makes Hunter chuckle as well.

She flits around the room, opening drawers and closing them again after grabbing what she needs. “What do you have stashed here, huh? Mantell mix?” It doesn’t smell like mantell mix. 

“Noooo,” she sings, and giggles again. She finally walks over and climbs on the bed, facing Hunter’s back. “Trust me!”

“Always, kid,” he murmurs, and is surprised at how easily the words escaped him. He knows the words are true–even though he’s only known Omega for a few months, he trusts her completely. 

“Good! Keep ‘em closed,” she instructs, and Hunter chuckles deeply. He’s surprised when she removes his bandana, but doesn’t protest. “Are they still closed?”

“Yes,” he assures her, amusement in his voice. It’s almost easy to ignore the throbbing in his head when Omega is giggling behind him. 

Omega hops down off the bed, checking for herself. Then a soft toy is placed in his hands. “Hold Lula for me!” she instructs before walking towards the door. “Stay there, and keep your eyes closed!” she adds over her shoulder, then her footsteps disappear down the stairs. 

Hunter shakes his head, holding Lula in his lap. It’s been a long time since she helped him with one of his headaches. He has just enough time to start worrying about what the hell she’s going to do to him that requires his headband to be off, before she is carefully walking back in. She shuts the door behind her, and walks over so she’s face to face with him. 

“Okay,” she starts, her voice quivering with excitement. “Open!”

Hunter smiles and opens his eyes, before they go wide with surprise. “What’s that, kid?”

Omega giggles and carefully pushes the mug just slightly closer to Hunter, careful not to spill. “It’s tea! Echo found some at the market we went to last week and Tech says you like to drink it when your head hurts, so I saved it! And then Echo taught me how to boil water and not hurt myself and I practiced and…” she trails off, a soft blush tinting her cheeks pink.

Suddenly, he can guess what Tech’s instructions were. Hunter beams at her, carefully reaching out and taking it so Lula doesn’t fall. “That’s real sweet of you, Omega,” he praises, pulling the mug close and letting the steam wash over his face. “Oh, that smells really nice.”

“Yeah!” Omega says, bouncing in excitement again now that her hands are free. “Echo is a good picker.”

Hunter chuckles, but takes a quick sip to pacify her. “Mm, tastes good too,” he informs her. 

Omega smiles and looks up at him with big brown doe-eyes, before her eyes light up with a mischievous glint. “Okay, close your eyes again. But keep drinking your tea.”

Hunter laughs but listens, closing his eyes and taking another sip. Honestly, the steam is just as helpful as the tea itself.  

Omega climbs back on the bed beside him and shuffles a small bit closer, and her soft fingers reach around his forehead to work their way through his hair. She starts a soothing pattern where her fingers lightly dig into his scalp to get locks of his hair in between her fingers, and then drags them out and down until they fall from her grip. 

“Tech told you to do this too, huh?” He asks, voice soft and deep with fondness. 

Omega makes an affirmative sound, not slowing her hands. “The others taught me lots of ways to help you when your head hurts,” she softly informs him. “And then I came up with some of my own!”

Hunter sighs in relaxation, tilting his head back just a bit so she has easier access. “You don’t have to take care of me, kid.”

She’s smiling, Hunter can tell by her voice, lilted with amusement. “We take care of each other, that’s what Echo says.”

Hunter chuckles once. Echo would say that. “Well, it’s sweet of you Omega,” he allows.

They sit in silence for a few minutes, Hunter taking occasional sips of his tea, before Omega starts to shift restlessly. Her fingers slowly pull away from his hair, and Hunter starts to open his eyes and pull away. “Thanks, Om-“

“No!” She whispers, a hand on his shoulder. “Keep your eyes closed, I’m not done!”

Hunter smiles again, but obliges. “Oh, I’m sorry,” he says, amused. He takes another sip, before leaning over and puts the mug down on the side table. He closes his eyes again, before shifting Lula in his lap and situating once more. 

Omega huffs in indignation, but pats his head softly in approval once he’s back in position. There’s more shifting, and then a brush is gliding through his hair. 

Hunter gasps softly, almost melting into her as she kneels behind him. The soft bristles work their way through his hair carefully, and the motion is blissful. How had they never thought of using a brush before? It’s not entirely different, but the bristles add a new layer of sensation to it that makes it feel even better than fingers. 

Although, he does miss the warmth of her hand. But it makes the headache fade just that much more. And he doesn’t even have a towel on his eyes or anything. 

“Oh, that feels nice, kid,” he coos at her. “Your idea?”

“Mhm!” Omega says happily, moving the brush slightly faster through his hair. “I thought about how I always love it when you or Echo brush my hair, so maybe you would like it too.”

Hunter hums, finding himself astounded by the simple logic. Omega always amazes him, with her child's mind and sure thought process. Uncomplicated and innocent. He squeezes Lula to his stomach, reminded of the first time he was allowed to hold her. 

Omega starts humming a soft tune, something she heard playing from Echo’s radio-holo once. It’s an easy tune to follow, but the high-pitched notes are lovely in her soft voice. 

“That’s beautiful,” Hunter murmurs. He honestly feels like he could fall asleep like this. 

Omega stops her humming to giggle, before she continues her little song. 

Hunter almost forgets he even has a headache. It’s not until he jolts back to consciousness as his body recognized it was falling backwards into Omega that he realizes how well this is working. His grip on Lula had slackened, and he tightens it again. 

“Wow, kid, this is great. Almost knocked me right out. You’re magic,” he praises, voice deep and warm. 

Omega giggles again, leaning over his shoulder and knocking him forward just a bit with the force of it to look in his eyes and beam at him. “I was really hoping it would help! I did everything Tech told me to do. I was quiet and I made the room dark and I brushed your hair and I got the tow-“ she cuts herself off with a gasp and widens her eyes. “I forgot the towel,” she says, voice sad. 

Hunter grins, playfully flipping her over his shoulder so she lands on his lap. She squeals, and it barely even hurts his ears. “Head rush!” She complains with a laugh. She knocks Lula off his lap onto the bed side him, but neither of them pay attention to that. 

He tickles her sides and she giggles and squirms, until Hunter chuckles as well and lets her go. “I didn’t even need it, kid. That’s how magic you were.”

She looks over her shoulder and beams up at him, turning in his lap and hugging him. “I’m glad, Hunter.” 

Hunter laughs, letting her stand up so they’re eye to eye. “You don’t have to take care of me, but I’m really thankful, Omega. It was really nice of you.”

She smiles, the pride on her face evident. “You have to tell me the next time you have a headache, Hunter, so I can help again!”

Hunter smiles at her, eyes full of fondness. She’s only been with them for a short time, but he already can’t imagine life without her. Usually he prefers to just deal with his headaches alone, he never wants to bother his brothers. But for some reason, the pure joy on Omega’s face makes it feel like he’s doing more for her than she is for him. 

“I will, kid,” he promises. And even though he usually prefers to hide his pain from his family, he doesn’t think he would mind.

#my writing #the bad batch #clone trooper hunter #hunter bad batch #omega bad batch #fanfic

[pesterloglog]

Karkat Vantas, Meenah Peixes, Sollux Captor, Lob 4, Ter 2

Page 621-625

KARKAT: ALRIGHT, COMPANIES 1 THROUGH 3 ARE IN PLACE.

KARKAT: 4 THROUGH 6 ARE EN ROUTE.

KARKAT: ... DRONE FLEET IS FINALLY LOOKING READY TO DEPLOY, THANK FUCK.

MEENAH: hey karkat

KARKAT: INFOSEC MANAGED TO FEND OFF ANOTHER CROCKERCORP HACK BUT THEY PROBABLY GOT ACCESS TO SOME LIMITED INTEL, WE SHOULD KEEP THAT IN MIND.

MEENAH: karkat

KARKAT: SECURITY BACK AT THE COMPOUND IS GIVING THE ALL-CLEAR; DOESN'T LOOK LIKE JANE HAS DESIGNS ON HQ. SINGLE-MINDED AS ALWAYS.

MEENAH: KARKAT

KARKAT: WHAT.

MEENAH: krillax

KARKAT: NOT REALLY AN IDEAL TIME FOR THAT, ON ACCOUNT OF THE FACT THAT WE'RE PROBABLY HOURS AWAY FROM THE MOST CRITICAL ARMED ENGAGEMENT THE REBELLION IS LIKELY TO SEE.

MEENAH: it hasnt been an ideel time for like 6 sweeps

MEENAH: you need to take a breatht-stroke

KARKAT: ... HAHAHA, WHAT?

MEENAH: you know what i mean

MEENAH: youve been runnin yourshellf into the fuckin dirt for ages

MEENAH: take a you moment

KARKAT: MEENAH, THIS IS THE WORST POSSIBLE TIME TO TAKE A ME MOMENT.

MEENAH: actually in like a day or so were either gonna be tridentumphant and busy as fuck or dead in the water so its like the best possible time all fins considered

MEENAH: youve been out on field ops for like a week

MEENAH: maybe i wanna chat with my buoy toy for a lil bit

KARKAT: YEAH, ALRIGHT.

KARKAT: I DUNNO, FUCK. UH... HOW ARE YOU DOING?

MEENAH: how are *you* doin

KARKAT: PRETTY FUCKING STRESSED!

KARKAT: TRYING TO LINE UP THE DOWNFALL OF A NIGH-IMMORTAL TYRANT AND CAPITALIZE ON WHAT MIGHT BE THE ONE SHOT WE'VE GOT AT DEFINITIVELY STICKING IT TO HER WHILE SHE'S GREEDILY OVEREXTENDED, WRANGLE THE REST OF THOSE SIDELINING DO-NOTHING FUCKING IDIOTS INTO ACTION, AND PLAN FOR WHAT HAPPENS NEXT ON LIKE THREE HOURS OF SLEEP.

KARKAT: ALSO THIS COVERT-OPS SUIT IS TIGHT AS ALL FUCK.

MEENAH: well if its any consolation that may be rough for you but its a pretty great time to be your rear admire-all 38)

KARKAT: MUCH OBLIGED.

KARKAT: ...

KARKAT: SERIOUSLY, MEENAH, I APPRECIATE IT.

KARKAT: IT'S BEEN KIND OF A ROUGH...

KARKAT: DECADE AND A HALF?

KARKAT: BUT THROUGH ALL THE SLOG AND THE SHITTY TIMES AND THE UNCERTAINTY YOU'VE REMAINED REMARKABLY COMMITTED TO THIS.

KARKAT: HELPED ME TURN THIS ABSTRACT, FRUSTRATED DREAM INTO A FUNCTIONING FUCKING REALITY.

KARKAT: YOU NEVER WAVERED.

KARKAT: YOU NEVER FLAKED.

KARKAT: YOU STUCK BY ME.

MEENAH: not like dave huh

KARKAT: WOW, STRAIGHT TO THE POINT.

MEENAH: i mean hey i figured youd wanna glub about it

MEENAH: conchsiderin

KARKAT: SO YOU HEARD THE NEWS?

MEENAH: yeah i mighta been listenin in on your converseation myshellf

MEENAH: along with like half the comms team

MEENAH: you left your mic on

KARKAT: UN

KARKAT: FUCKING

KARKAT: BELIEVABLE.

MEENAH: its all good

MEENAH: actually pretty much everyone ate it up there was like gasps and cheers and occasional applause and shit

MEENAH: not shore if youre aware of this but it turns out people fuckin love you

KARKAT: WELL COLOR ME GLAD MY OPERATIVES FOUND IT INSPIRING THAT I TOOK CRITICAL TIME OUT OF MY MISSION TO PREVENT THE ENTIRE PLANET FROM BACKSLIDING INTO STAGNANT CONFECTIONARY FASCISM TO YELL AT A HAPLESS DIVORCEE.

KARKAT: ANYWAY.

KARKAT: YES.

KARKAT: NOT LIKE DAVE.

MEENAH: how you feelin about that

KARKAT: I DON'T KNOW.

KARKAT: I THINK MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, JUST FUCKING...

KARKAT: DISAPPOINTED.

KARKAT: EXHAUSTINGLY, FRUITLESSLY DISAPPOINTED.

KARKAT: WE USED TO SPEND SO MUCH TIME TOGETHER TALKING ABOUT HOW TO FIX SHIT, YOU KNOW?

KARKAT: SPITBALLING ALL THIS FRIVOLOUS AND/OR GRAVELY SERIOUS CONJECTURE ABOUT WHAT TO FUCKING *DO* WITH OURSELVES AND THE WORLD.

KARKAT: AND THEN AS SOON AS IT STARTS REALLY MATTERING, AS SOON AS IT BECOMES CLEAR IT'S TIME TO DO *SOMETHING*, HE JUST WILTS.

KARKAT: THEN HE SPENDS YEARS MILLING FECKLESSLY AROUND IN THAT DOMESTIC TORTURE LABYRINTH OF A RELATIONSHIP

KARKAT: *MARRIES INTO IT*

KARKAT: AND SUBSEQUENTLY DECIDES THAT NOW'S THE BEST TIME TO PLAY SPIES, PRESUMABLY SO HE CAN CONTINUE TO AVOID HAVING MISERABLE MATRIMONIAL PROCREATIVE SEX.

KARKAT: ONLY FOR JADE TO FOLLOW HIM INTO THE CAUSE!

KARKAT: WHICH, YOU KNOW, WAS OBJECTIVELY A PRETTY BIG BOON TO THE REBELLION.

KARKAT: GOOD FOR MORALE, AND OBVIOUSLY THEY WERE INCREDIBLE FIELD AGENTS.

KARKAT: BUT FUCK WAS IT A SAVAGE PAIN IN THE CHUTE.

KARKAT: DO YOU REMEMBER THE PERIOD EARLY ON WHERE I HAD TO ASSIGN ANOTHER CLERK TO MISSION CONTROL WHOSE SOLE PURPOSE WAS TO MANAGE THE TWO OF THEM SO THEY KEPT THE FUCK OUT OF MY WAY UNTIL THEY FIGURED OUT HOW TO BE EVEN THE SCANTEST APPROXIMATION OF NORMAL AROUND ME?

KARKAT: THE FACT THAT IT WAS NECESSARY AT ALL IS STILL FUCKING APPALLING.

KARKAT: AND THEN FINALLY, *FINALLY*, WE GET HIM SITUATED, HE'S ACTUALLY MANAGING TO CONTRIBUTE TO SOMETHING MEANINGFUL AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN WHO EVEN KNOWS HOW LONG.

KARKAT: AND HE JUST FUCKS OFF AND

KARKAT: AND DIES.

KARKAT: HE JUST CALLS IT THERE.

KARKAT: SO

KARKAT: DISAPPOINTED.

KARKAT: DISAPPOINTED IS HOW I'M FEELING ABOUT THAT.

KARKAT: BUT-

KARKAT: FUCKING- HOLD ON, I NEED TO TAKE THIS.

KARKAT: *WHAT*.

SOLLUX: finally he picks up.

SOLLUX: hey man.

KARKAT: DON'T FUCKING "HEY MAN" ME.

KARKAT: I'M KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE OF POURING MY PUSHER OUT HERE.

KARKAT: TO SAY NOTHING OF THE FACT THAT I'M ALSO WAGING A WAR FOR THE FATE OF OUR PLANET.

SOLLUX: yeah i can tell.

SOLLUX: there's like a bazillion m0oks swarming ar0und my crib and none 0f the grubereats dudes are accepting orders right n0w.

SOLLUX: probably 0n account 0f your inc0nvenient ass war.

SOLLUX: could y0u pick me something up?

SOLLUX: i'm assuming you're 0n your way.

KARKAT: YOU'RE SUCH A CHUTEHEAD, MAN.

KARKAT: JUST POSTED UP IN YOUR GAMER HOLE DOING WHO THE FUCK KNOWS WHAT WHILE THE REST OF US ARE OUT HERE GRINDING OUR GLOBES TRYING TO FIX SOMETHING.

KARKAT: MAYBE YOU'D GIVE MORE OF A FUCK ABOUT THE REPRODUCTIVE FUTURE OF OUR SPECIES IF ARADIA WAS EVER ACTUALLY THERE LONG ENOUGH FOR YOU TO GET SOME.

MEENAH: ohhh snapper

KARKAT: ANYWAY YEAH I CAN PROBABLY SWING THAT.

KARKAT: ...

KARKAT: ...

KARKAT: FUCKING HELLO?

SOLLUX: sorry i was gaming.

KARKAT: SHOCKER!

KARKAT: BETTER GET BACK TO IT, THEN, DON'T LET ME KEEP YOU.

KARKAT: I'LL JUST BE OUT HERE FREEDOM FIGHTING AND DEPLETING JANE'S GROUND FORCES SO SHE WON'T HAVE ENOUGH MANPOWER TO STORM THE METEOR AND PUT A SPOON THROUGH YOUR SPINE, OH AND ALSO FERRYING YOU YOUR FUCKING FAST FOOD, I GUESS!

KARKAT: GOOD LUCK!

KARKAT: HOPE YOU GET A HIGH SCORE!

SOLLUX: yeah im kinda in the z0ne right now.

KARKAT: AWESOME.

SOLLUX: hey kk

KARKAT: WHAT.

SOLLUX: are we still friends?

KARKAT: OBVIOUSLY, DIPSHIT!

KARKAT: STAY SAFE, ALRIGHT?

KARKAT: ...

KARKAT: ...

KARKAT: DUDE!

SOLLUX: s0rry im still gaming.

KARKAT: BYE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SOLLUX: alrighty bro g0od talk.

KARKAT: SORRY ABOUT THAT.

KARKAT: AS I WAS SAYING.

KARKAT: YEAH, I'M DISAPPOINTED ABOUT HOW EVERYTHING WITH DAVE WENT DOWN.

KARKAT: BUT TODAY NEEDS TO BE BIGGER THAN THAT.

KARKAT: IT'S NOT PRODUCTIVE FOR ME TO SIT HERE AND WALLOW ABOUT WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN AND WHAT MORE I COULD HAVE DONE FOR ONE PERSON WHEN NOW, MORE THAN EVER, I NEED TO FOCUS ON WHAT COULD BE AND WHO'S WITH ME NOW.

KARKAT: WHO I'M DOING ALL OF THIS FOR.

KARKAT: WE'VE BUILT SOMETHING AMAZING TOGETHER, AND IF WE CAN HOLD ON JUST A LITTLE BIT LONGER IT'LL HAVE BEEN INCALCULABLY WORTH EVERY OUNCE OF STRUGGLE.

KARKAT: LET'S MAKE IT THROUGH TODAY.

KARKAT: WE MAKE IT THROUGH TODAY, AND WE TAKE TOMORROW INTO OUR OWN HANDS.

KARKAT: AND WE NEVER LET IT GO.

LOB 4: Well said, sir!

KARKAT: WHAT THE FUCK.

KARKAT: HOW LONG HAVE YOU ALL BEEN LISTENING?

TER 2: Pretty much since the beginning, sir!

MEENAH: lmao

KARKAT: OKAY.

KARKAT: THEN I HOPE YOU'RE ALL FEELING SUFFICIENTLY FUCKING MOTIVATED, BECAUSE IT'S A LONG WAY TO GO UNTIL TOMORROW!

KARKAT: COMMANDERS HARLEY, MARYAM, AND LALONDE ARE INBOUND, AND NOT LONG AFTER THEY GET HERE THINGS ARE GOING TO GET BATSHIT STUPID!

KARKAT: BUT THINGS HAVE BEEN BATSHIT STUPID FOR A LONG, LONG FUCKING TIME,

KARKAT: SO LET'S DRAG THAT IMPERIOUS CORPORATE BITCH DOWN FROM HER AIRSHIP AND REINTRODUCE A LITTLE NORMALCY!

LOBsTERs: SIR, YES SIR!

KARKAT: MEENAH! ANYTHING TO ADD?

MEENAH: lets get this bread

LOBsTERs: MA'AM, YES MA'AM!

MEENAH: alrighty maggots you heard the boss

MEENAH: target fuckin acquired

#homestuck #homestuck^2 #homestuck^2 act 1 #karkat vantas #meenah peixes #sollux captor #lob 4 #ter 2 #page 621 #page 623 #page 624 #page 625

[skippyv20]

On Record Supporting the P&P of Wales

Hi Skippy & Friends-Pilgrim here quite perturbed by the latest lie titled Blind Item #4. I know it is a PinEvil minion stirring up a bad witches brew but this needs to be addressed for new comers for the record. We do have very real receipts to prove the P&POW are a loving couple first and foremost. They adore and protect their incredibly beautiful (happy) children. They love and respect their parents and elders. They have many friends and millions of fans all over the world. They work hard for their country and are bright, fun-loving people, happy to share. Let's review!!!

1. The very athletic, slender bride, now the POW, did happily carry her children. PW was fascinated with his baby brother's arrival and they both were eager to start their family once married. It's possible he gets nervous now about Catherine's health when she sees a new baby and he jokes about her wanting another. At her age, even for healthy females, having a child is always a risk. We all know how sick with nausea she becomes in the early stages requiring a hospital stay for her first pregnancy. This was a big surprise to the family finding out what she had and how to handle it. All of her births have been handled by the same highly respected medical team at the hospital for royal families. All of her children were witnessed as legitimate, of the body births with royal birth certificates. We saw her standing on the steps of the hospital with her actual post birth tummy not hidden, dazed and amazed looking at what she had just brought into the world. The way they held their brand new babies was natural-as in organic-as in home made by them! The Princess of Wales has commented publicly that she enjoyed the whole process from start to finish, including giving birth. She was totally prepared and excited to experience it personally.

2. In thousands of photos of the Princess of Wales wearing lovely, larger clothes during the pregnancies, a very healthy amount of weight gain happened and her babies were normal weights at birth. She glowed. She behaved like a pregnant woman resting and staying at home more.

3. Her natural growth observed almost weekly was all in the right places. Not carried high or too low or huge one hour and small the next like PinEvil's outrageous ever-changing fake bump. There were never loud popping noises like PinEvil's inflatable apparatus expanding and "farting" when she crouched down (in high heels no less) compressing all that hot air causing a loud whooshing as it refilled when she stood up! At times there was shrinkage happening as it lost air creating strange lumps. Once it swayed widely from the left to the right side of her hips as she strutted in a short dress. It even fell off as they left an event all captured on camera! PinEvil's only weight gain was from wearing the plastic gadget while gaslighting everyone. The rest of her physic never changed.

4. The POW's experience with her three pregnancies has made her so popular and credible when working with other women in early childhood educational and medical groups she sponsors. She can really relate to women going through the changes as well as taking care of infants once home. Children love to reach out to her. She exudes the essence of caring motherhood and kids trust that instinctively. Spending time with her own family has taught her how to deal with all those stages when talking to the public. With the clueless PinEvil, kids and dogs shrink away and turn their heads...all captured on camera!

5. As for the other sordid lies included in this worthless blip, the writer is playing with fire. When the P&P of Wales wed, they were ready to take the next step. He was over the moon that day with love for her and still is. He has one of the most beautiful wives on the planet and enjoys being with her. She lights up and smiles when she looks at him. From this side of the camera, they aren't hiding dark secrets. They shine with honesty as they work together naturally, powering through strenuous careers in a global glass house where only ignorant, desperate, jerks would think to throw stones. Over and out for now...

Spot on! Great stuff Pilgrim…thank you🙂❤️❤️❤️❤️

[scoundrels-in-love]

You taught me the courage of stars before you left (How light carries on endlessly even after death)

A late night conversation about stars and their names leads to Meryl spontaneously naming a constellation after the three of them. It's never a joke, but the meaning of this promise becomes greater than life in the aftermath of a good bye no one was prepared for. Also on AO3. | Mashwood | Established relationship | Stargazing | Mentions of Wolfwood's death and exploration of grief | Trigun Stampede actually stands for Three Guns of Stampede agenda |

Vash, as Meryl has discovered, is a bank of endless knowledge about things she has never really even considered to think about much before. When he is in a talking mood, Meryl can spend hours listening to him about Earth animals and plants or movies and books that he had consumed as a child.

Tonight's topic is celestial bodies, as they sit huddled up on top of the car. Nights in the desert are cold, but Wolfwood has his arms wrapped around her and Vash while the blonde points out different stars and shares their names, talks about constellations, planets named after ancient gods and myths from Earth.

The conversation lulls into a temporary quiet. Meryl plays with Nico's fingers absentmindedly, enjoying the calm.

"Do they all have names? Here, I mean," she asks after a while, marveling at the countless sparkles above and the people who had sailed among them, given them names like cliffs and pillars to guide them home - or further still.

Vash's suddenly quiet, stuttering tone alerts her immediately. "I… don't know, actually. I think some of them weren't named yet as we approached the sector. Maybe they would have been, by the time we were meant to make a landing."

Nicholas tenses behind them, squeezes her hand. They both can tell that Vash is slipping away, into some memories that she can only guess the magnitude and weight of. Before the gates of grief close and he's stranded, Meryl stumbles after him: "How about we name some of them, then?"

Both men look at her, but before they can be sensible, Meryl barrels on.

"That one," she points at a golden star in a small cluster, "should be called Love & Peace." It's an ironic name for a pistol, especially one that had come to Vash's hand in such a painful way, and yet, it makes perfect sense in his hands, so unwilling to fire to harm.

"This," Meryl moves her finger slightly down and to the side, landing on one that twinkles more in blue, "is the Derringer." 

"And that is Punisher," she finishes, aiming at the third star, then draws the angled triangle they make. "The Stampede Constellation and its three guns."

There is a brief pause, before Vash tentatively begins: "Meryl, that's what I'm called."

She feels a little foolish, but that has never stopped her from doubling down on things that are true. Meryl reaches for his hand, grasps it tightly and tries to pour all her sincerity into the touch and her gaze as she looks at Vash.

"Do you really think it is only your journey, your story still? We are here, right next to you for every step you need to take. Because we want to be by your side." 

Because we love you, because there is nowhere else to be that wouldn't feel void of reason, because if there is history to remember the Stampede, we want to have been by your side 'til the end so you never have to be alone again. 

The last part she says out loud. "You are not alone."

"Meryl…" Vash's voice is so soft she barely catches it and his eyes shine a little wet behind his glasses. She releases his hand to cup his cheek, rubbing her thumb over it soothingly.

"Meryl is right, y'know," Nicholas speaks up, his arms tightening around them both. Warmth spreads through Meryl's chest. As fond as she is of his silly nicknames now, there is something special in the way he says her name that always makes her melt a little. Like it's a center of gravity, like it's a prayer, like it tastes oh so sweet to him. Every time it's different and she hoards them shamelessly. 

Of course Wolfwood has to go and ruin it a moment later. "No need to make gooey eyes at each other fo' that." 

She slaps his chest lightly at that and Vash, forgiving as always, plants a soft kiss on Nico's jaw.

Even though the tethers of pain that cling to Vash seem to be severed for now, it’s Meryl now that feels a kind of restlessness that has no real cure. Though it had started as an attempt at distraction, the idea has lit a flame in her mind. 

People on Earth had their gods and the mythical heroes they wrote in the stars for generations to know and though no one knows what awaits them at the end of this road, she knows it will not be a quiet resolution that can sink in the dunes and be forgotten about. Stampede will be remembered. 

She’s thought about it all before - the intrinsic tangle of their lives, the truth of Vash’s story that people will be so eager to lose through the cracks of time, the way Nicholas has been broken and remolded in someone else’s image and still found love and kindness to give others, and how much she wants to make sure their pain and their relentless effort to do good through it is never forgotten when human memory clings to violence so much more eagerly. Vash and Nicholas might not see themselves as heroes, but she does. And though her own reputation is stained by the truths she has already shared, she still believes that she can make them be seen in the light they deserve. 

“I wasn’t joking, you know.” 

Meryl turns to look up at the stars again, memorizes the cluster she had picked out, traces the pattern with her finger again. “I will make it known as ours.” 

"Three guns of Stampede," she says it as a promise and gives a sweet, lingering kiss to both men to seal it.

There is a part of her that is aware of how cold the night is, a part of her that thinks it must be because Wolfwood isn’t here to wrap her up in his jacket, a part of her that thinks she will never feel truly warm again. 

But most of her is too numb to feel anything but the occasional dry sob that wrecks Vash’s body pressed against her, his face in the crook of her neck. He is out of tears (they both are), but the pain does not abate in face of such trivial things. Meryl wraps her arms around him tighter and continues rocking back and forth gently, the way she remembers an auntie did the day she lost her mother.

(Who will soothe the comforter?

It doesn’t matter because no one can smooth the edges of the void torn in her, between them. A galaxy of empty space that will never be filled with Nicholas’s rare, bigger than life laugh, his brusque care that eventually gives away to tenderness softer than any words can describe, his broken but not shattered determination for justice, again.)

Meryl lifts her eyes to the sky, instinctively seeks out the familiar star cluster as she always does. The Punisher twinkles at her, unchanged, and the missing tears suddenly flood her eyes, blurring her sight and she tries to furiously blink them away. No. No, she won’t give him up like this. Not even for a moment.

Distantly, she feels an ache in her jaw from how tight she has clenched it, the white-knuckle tight grip she has on Vash’s coat twisting as if all of this tension will hold her together and keep her tears at bay. It works enough for her to regain focus on the stars and Meryl draws deep, shuddering breaths at the sight, as if she’s been forgetting to breathe before. 

There is nothing she can do, there is nothing she could have done (and it will be the cross she inherits from him). 

There is no filling the emptiness he has left behind, that is the low and insurmountable and endless price of love, but there is honoring him. 

His story has ended and it has not, because she and Vash are still here, and they will carve the hole in their chest in his likeness and carry him with them until the end. Until they have saved the world, or haven’t.  And if there is anyone to remember anything at the end of it all, she will make sure that they know Nicholas D. Wolfwood. Not just of him, but him. The person who deserved to be there when the dust settles more than most people, who should have gotten a soft sunset good-bye not the violent way he was torn from this life, the man that gave and gave and gave and had just started to learn that he was allowed to accept the love freely given.

(Had she kissed him goodbye the last time she saw him? Had she told him she loved him? When had she grown so comfortable and forgotten that nothing was granted in their lives?)

Meryl bites her lip, draws blood. It quiets the howl tearing at her throat, just enough to make it bearable. 

Three guns of Stampede, she thinks. Some things are not meant to change. It’s a promise, a memorial. And maybe a love story that is written in the sand, but she has all the time in the world to draw it again and again, and again until even the wind gives up on erasing it. 

This tenacity is all she can give to him now, to Vash. Because some day, her own light will surely dim and she will have to leave him. But if she leaves him with this story, woven through people’s memories, and three stars glittering above, maybe the nights will never feel quite as empty and dark as they did before they loved him. 

#trigun #trigun stampede #mashwood #canon character death #rainy writes stuff #my fic

[warmbloodcomic]

Warm Blood: Girls Mode

Written by Josh Tierney

Photo edit by Caitlin Soliman

Pt. 6

The next day was brighter, though still overcast; the layer of clouds covering the sky glowed white, and the air was still chilly without a fully-revealed sun. Penny, Eve and Maaya dressed warmly, Penny with a purple long-sleeved shirt depicting the silhouette of Eva Unit 01, Eve wearing a little wool sweater over her comfortable blue dress, and Maaya wearing the same jacket she’d been wearing since Penny and Eve had met her.

The three were riding a commuter train, thankfully not as packed as it sometimes was, with only a dozen or so people spread out across the train car. Many of them were lone office workers, some of whom appeared to have fallen asleep at one point and went unroused for their destinations. There were also a few high schoolers, though classes must have already begun at least an hour ago.

Maaya was occupied with her phone, as was every other passenger on the train who was awake, though Penny and Eve were far more interested in their surroundings. At the left end of the car were video screens looping an ad for the anime adaptation of Blue Giant, a jazz-themed manga series Edith and Jill had mentioned during a conversation about music manga. Set above the nearest door was a looping ad for Splatoon 3, showing the highlights of a full match.

There were also train maps, including ones showing the line the girls were currently on, with the next station lit up with a bright yellow light.

The view through the window was by far the most exciting part, with a seemingly endless stream of office buildings, apartment complexes, department stores, arcades, on and on, the streets below almost never visible.

Penny and Eve had no idea a city could be so big. Downtown Toronto felt like a few blocks compared to the entire concrete planet they had landed in.

“We’ll be in Shibuya soon,” Maaya said, glancing up at the station map.

Shibuya was the ward they had decided to check out next, though Penny and Eve would’ve been happy with any of the options. What leapt out about Shibuya was, of course, Shibuya Scramble Crossing, as well as Harajuku, the street fashion district. Whenever Penny’s friend Cale talked about the latest fashion trends, she always started with whatever was happening in Harajuku. (And, when I had asked Joysuke to design Cale, I sent her Harajuku fashion images for inspiration.)

“I’ll get Cale some kind of accessory there,” Penny said. “That will really blow her mind.”

The prerecorded announcement playing over the train’s PA stated – first in Japanese and then in English – that they would soon be arriving at Shibuya Station.

Maaya stood while continuing to look at her phone with both hands. Penny and Eve followed her lead, the two gripping the handrails. The train came to an impeccably smooth halt, with none of the jerkiness of Toronto subway trains; they could see how Maaya was confident about standing without any support.

The girls exited the train right before a large crowd got on, the platform itself much busier than the one at Akihabara, though with less anime ads.

They descended the stairs, heading deep into the station interior, which had one of the most confusing layouts of all the stations Penny and Eve had experienced up to that point. Every direction seemed to lead to an equally viable entrance or exit, yet there was only one correct way to go, and Penny and Eve had no idea what that was.

It didn’t help that people were constantly heading in every direction – if Maaya hadn’t been with them, Penny and Eve would’ve been swept away to different places, never to see each other again.

“Here – stay close,” Maaya said, sensing how overwhelmed these two Canadians were.

Maaya led them to a large tunnel with large windows for walls, and Penny and Eve gradually realised that the windows were overlooking the famed Scramble Crossing itself, the pedestrians below crossing it diagonally in waves.

Eve grabbed Penny’s hand and the two excitedly raced up to the window; they stuck their hands and faces against the glass, gazing out at Shibuya with widened eyes.

“Anime is real,” Penny said under her breath.

“It sure is,” Eve said.

Maaya used Eve’s phone to take pictures of Penny and Eve with the Crossing visible past them. She then recorded a video of them walking down the tunnel and exiting out onto the street, the recording continuing as Maaya followed Penny and Eve into the middle of the crossing. Maaya panned around them in a circle as the hundred or so other pedestrians seemed to walk directly towards the girls and the camera. Maaya then stopped the video, and the girls hurried back onto a sidewalk.

“Let’s add it to the Girls Mode YouTube Shorts right away,” Eve said, already in the middle of uploading the video. “That way we’re not spamming a million videos when we get back to the hotel room.”

Eve had picked Banana Co by Radiohead to play over the video – specifically the full band version from the Street Spirit single. It was a song Maya liked – not Maaya the maid, but the Maya who was Eve’s friend back home. Maya was into alternative rock, the more ’90s and emotional the better.

Eve showed Penny the video after it uploaded. The title was ANIME IS REAL.

Penny smiled as she looked at the video, though the smile lessened when she noticed some strange figures amongst the pedestrians heading towards the camera near the end. She asked Eve to show her the original file so they could pause it and look more clearly.

“That’s odd,” Eve said.

In the video was a trio of girls in black and pink maid outfits, each with a different hairstyle, and each without a face. The spots where their faces should be also appeared slightly more pixelated than the rest of the image.

“The video didn’t render their faces,” Eve said, disappointed. “Maybe they got too close to the camera?”

“Yeah,” Penny said, though she believed otherwise. “That sucks.”

“Oh, do you know about the 3D billboards?” Maaya asked them, having apparently missed out on their conversation. “There’s one close by.”

The trio walked up the street to the left, which was lined with large department stores with large front entrances and large advertisements and logos. Maaya stopped a short distance into the street and pointed out the animated billboard high across from them, which had a second, shorter curved side to it that accentuated the sense of depth.

The titular protagonist from Sick Lizard Master – a manga series that had recently received an anime adaptation – was peering down at the pedestrians below, moving from one side of the billboard to the next, the series logo remaining onscreen in the upper-left corner. At one point in the loop one of Sick Lizard Master’s enemies, a hairy boar-faced man from outer space, dropped down into the screen and began fighting with Sick Lizard Master.

Sick Lizard Master managed to defeat the boar alien with his special staff, but immediately after an entire group of boar people filled the screen, forcing Sick Lizard Master to crawl out the bottom of the billboard and scale down the building below.

Penny, Eve and Maaya watched as Sick Lizard Master reached the sidewalk, opened a rusted metal door, and disappeared into the building with the billboard.

Penny looked at Eve to make sure she had recorded it, and was relieved to see that Eve was holding up her phone with a huge grin.

“There’s the second video for today’s Shorts,” Eve said.

“How is that possible?” Penny asked Maaya, in total disbelief. “Does it also use like a 3D projection or something?”

“Hmm,” Maaya wondered. “Maybe it’s a mix of the billboard screen, a projection, and then a live actor in a costume when the character gets to the bottom?

“I mean, we do have live tokusatsu stage shows in Japan, performed outside for the public. It could be something like that.”

“Oh,” Penny said. In a weird way, she found it comforting that not even Maaya was certain how the effect was accomplished.

The door that Sick Lizard Master had entered suddenly slammed open, the door loudly banging against the wall. Penny, Eve, and Maaya, along with other nearby pedestrians, stopped to look at the doorway.

A man wearing the same outfit as one of the boar aliens casually exited through it; maskless, he was in the middle of lighting a cigarette that was held between his lips, one hand cupping the lighter to prevent the wind from putting out the flame.

“So, they did use live actors?” Penny asked aloud, still uncertain.

The woman who had been dressed as Sick Lizard Master came out from behind the man, just as the man was finishing taking a long drag off his cigarette.

The woman struck the man against the back of his head with the bottom of Sick Lizard Master’s special staff, causing the cigarette to fly out of the man’s mouth. The woman then hit the man again, as hard as she could, causing him to crumple down to the sidewalk, like a puppet that had just had its strings cut.

Some of the pedestrians gasped. A police officer, who had been standing by Scramble Crossing, took notice of the scene and trotted on over.

“How about a ramen lunch?” Maaya said to Penny and Eve, who were still watching the scene play out with stunned expressions.

* * *

The girls sat at a ramen restaurant a couple streets over, at a table by the clear plastic curtains separating the restaurant from the sidewalk. Eve sat beside Maaya, more closely than she would have sat beside Penny – or perhaps it was Maaya sitting more closely beside Eve.

The waitress brought out their bowls of ramen. They all picked the same thing, which was pork ramen in a white-ish broth that was pleasantly thick, much different from the watery ramen Penny and Eve had tried at restaurants back home.

The song “kisses” by Slowdive was playing over the PA.

Penny added all the additional toppings that were presented on tiny plates on the table as Maaya described each of them. After filling her bowl, she looked up from it to Maaya and Eve, and saw how happy they were. She pulled out her phone and snapped a photo of them, which she could tell Eve greatly appreciated, her cheeks reddening slightly.

“Let’s eat,” Eve said with a hungry smile.

Maaya and Eve ate noisily, slurping their noodles to cool them, while Penny ate hers carefully and quietly, not wanting to splash herself with the broth. It was one of the most delicious things Penny had ever eaten in her life.

“My compliments to the pig,” she said as tears of joy formed in the corners of her eyes.

“I could fill a bathtub with this and sleep in it,” Eve said.

“Maybe you are strange girls,” Maaya said with a smile.

The trio headed for Harajuku after lunch, cutting through a small district of love hotels and associated toy shops. The love hotel exteriors were eye-catchingly tacky, some with faux Roman pillars and statues, and others with hearts incorporated into every aspect of their design. There was also a jungle-themed hotel that piqued Eve’s interest until Maaya explained what a love hotel was, and then Eve blushed.

“I thought it was something like a Rainforest Cafe,” Eve said.

Eve stopped Penny when it seemed like they were exiting the district.

“Wait!”

Penny looked at Eve in surprise.

“What’s up?” Penny asked. “Did you forget something?”

“YouTube Short,” Eve said. Strangely, she appeared slightly out-of-breath even though she hadn’t been running.

“Okay?”

Eve stood closer to Penny, turning her head to speak into Penny’s ear with a slightly hushed tone.

“R-record a video of me and Maaya walking into the jungle,” she said.

“Are you sure?”

“It’ll be a joke video.”

Penny looked at Maaya, who was standing a short distance away, letting them have their secret conversation.

“Eve wants to walk into a love hotel with me?” Maaya asked.

Penny stared at Maaya for 10 seconds, then slowly nodded her head.

“Okay, let’s do it!” Maaya said enthusiastically, grabbing Eve’s hand and leading her towards the jungle-themed love hotel.

Penny fumbled with her phone and recorded the video, which looked more like evidence a private detective would collect of an extramarital affair. She wasn’t sure if posting it online would be the right thing for Girls Mode, but knew Eve would be happy to have the video to look at every once in a while.

After Eve had fulfilled her spur-of-the-moment fantasy, the trio continued on to Harajuku, this time making their way through a residential area, with houses, an elementary school, a tiny green space, and a small fire station. They stopped at the fire station, an anime-style poster on a bulletin board catching their eyes, with cute, chibi-fied versions of fire fighters hard at work spraying water towards the edge of the paper.

Penny and Eve both took photos of the poster, and an elderly man came up behind them with his hands held behind his back.

Maaya greeted the man in Japanese, and the two briefly spoke. The man then gestured to the station and said something in Japanese, and Maaya turned to Penny and Eve to translate for them.

“I told him you like the poster, and that you’re YouTubers from Canada, and he’s wondering if you’d like to take pictures of the firetrucks. He’s actually the chief of this station!”

“Sure,” Penny and Eve said at the same time.

Maaya relayed their response to the fire chief, and he disappeared into the building, the large shutters scrolling up a moment later.

The firetrucks inside were bright red and totally spotless, as if they were polished by the hour. They were also more rounded than the firetrucks back in Canada, which were sharp rectangles with noticeable dirt and rust.

“They’re so shiny,” Eve said.

The fire chief disappeared behind one of the trucks and returned with a full uniform in his hands, including a classic red fire hat.

“Would you like to wear it?” he asked Penny and Eve in English.

Penny felt a bit awkward about it, but Eve’s enthusiasm won out.

“Yes, of course!” Eve said.

As Eve clumsily went through the effort of putting on the heavy-duty uniform, which was clearly too big for her, the fire chief brought another uniform to Penny. Penny glanced at Eve, who looked like a kid playing dress-up, and then looked back at the second uniform, and was afraid she would disappear inside it.

A younger firefighter appeared from the station’s office, his eyes flicking back and forth between Penny and Eve in some confusion and a lot of amusement.

“They are YouTubers,” the fire chief explained to the firefighter, and then the two spoke together in Japanese.

The firefighter helped Penny put on her uniform, Penny having gotten lost inside it. With both their uniforms on, Penny and Eve posed by the firetrucks, first together and then with the fire chief and firefighter. Maaya took the pictures with everyone’s phones, swapping between them with great speed.

The alarm went off, signalling there was a fire out there that needed putting out, and that these Canadian girls should probably take off the uniforms and get out of the way.

Before they did, however, the firefighter suggested they ride the firetruck out of the station, so they’d have a video of it to share online. Penny and Eve agreed, if only to be agreeable, but the entire time they were secretly hoping that there weren’t people out there burning to death.

The girls hopped off the truck after it pulled out of the station, and the trio waved goodbye to the friendly fire chief and firefighter. They then returned the uniforms and continued on their way.

“People here love to involve foreigners when they have a chance, so they go home with good memories, and tell others about how wonderful Japan is,” Maaya explained as they continued to Harajuku.

“It is wonderful,” Eve said. “I can tell how proud the firefighters are of their jobs.”

Penny gave Eve a slight smile in agreement, then watched as smoke rose in the distance.

#Warm Blood #Girls Mode #web novel