#time to go resume being a heartbroken wreck

[levisolace]

[1] Expendable Hearts (Levi x F!Reader)

Chapter 1: Windex and Baking Soda

WC: 7,182 Chapter Warnings: slight angst Summary: Everyone in Levi's life knows he only ever dated one girl and that she left him wrecked, bitter, and heartbroken. Many years later, she's back in his life and he doesn't know what to do. story masterlist > next chapter

“It’s always my pleasure, Mr. Brown.”

The corporate smile on your face drops as soon as you hit the end button in the video call application on your laptop. It was the first meeting of the day with a client and you were already exhausted, wanting nothing but to go home and curl up in bed, heavily surrounded by your pillows and weighted blanket for hours. But you know that’s a dream that would remain a fantasy for a while. Why? Because it’s a Monday. It’s only the start of the week and judging from the pile of paperwork delivered to your desk this morning, you would have to work overtime again for the third week in a row. 

Being recently hired by one of the top leading firms in the country is a blessing you will be thankful for every day but as the week goes by and you’re on your fifth pile of paperwork, more than ten meetings in one week, you can’t help but think what would it be like to work for a small, quiet firm. You shrug those thoughts away as soon as they come. You’re grateful for the more-than-average salary the firm provides, at least.

The day went on as it always does: hours of you trying to ignore your back pain. It was becoming unbearable and you can’t even use the ointments your grandmother used to insist you use because it would no doubt infest the building with its smell—your reputation and first impression from your coworkers is at stake. 

As you’re typing back an email from your superior, Atty. Dot Pixis, you halt when you feel the buzzing on your table. You pick it up mindlessly, checking to see the notification. A smile spreads on your face to see that it’s your previous boss, Vanessa. 

hey. how’s working with the big leagues?? pixis is not tiring you out too much is he?? i can give him a word if you want.

pixis is treating me really well, nes. thank u for checking up on me! i miss everyone there at the firm and little ian :(( 

Vanessa, besides being your former boss back in Olsen & Associates, is also your friend and self-proclaimed older sister. She's a well-known attorney, and Olsen is a legend back in law school because she’s an alumnus who’s actually cool and doesn’t have their head up their asses. However, after deciding to settle down and start a family, she opened up a small firm in her hometown. 

i might just have to visit bc i miss my little sis :(( should’ve never let u leave

technically, it’s your fault i left 

i know :( don't remind me

Two months ago, Vanessa told you that ODM is hiring and Pixis contacted her to see if she knows anyone to take the job. Your jaw dropped to the ground when she told you she recommended you and you can send in your resume if you’re interested. It was an offer no one could pass up so before you knew it, you were being hauled into a hours-long bus ride and then anxiously seated for an interview in the city you used to live in. And after about a week of being a nervous wreck waiting for their response, you were contacted that you’ve been selected for the position.

Now here you are, finally settled in your office. You still can’t believe you have your own space in this huge building. You would’ve never thought you’d be working here in the firm you only used to stare at in awe while passing by years ago. 

Although, you have to admit that you miss the warm feeling of the small firm where you all know each other, exchange heartfelt greetings, and gossip when there are not too many clients. Now, you pass by a new face every now and then, most not even bothering to greet you or spare you a look. You can’t blame them. The work here is drastic. 

By the time you left the office, it’s already dark and way past office hours. As you were driving home, you remembered you still needed a few supplies in your apartment. You haven’t exactly settled yourself in, prioritizing work more. God, you even still had a few boxes to unpack. 

You stopped by a 24-hour supermarket that you spotted on your way to work this morning when you had to reroute because of the traffic. It was a little out of the way but it would do. It was still two hours before midnight, anyway.

As you drag your feet through the aisles and drop whatever you felt like you needed in the cart, unwanted memories come creeping in. The air in Paradis City is still the same. Even if a few buildings might have changed or some stores you used to frequent have closed down, it was still the same Paradis you knew—a buzzing city filled with dreams. The streets are never empty, famously congested by students from top universities or office workers. 

When you got the offer for the job, you weighed out the pros and cons. There were only two cons you were able to determine:

You don’t want to leave Olsen & Associates and Vanessa’s hometown, Trost, and

You’d be going back to your hometown, the one you promised not to go back to. 

The pros outweigh the cons, obviously. That weight being the thick fat salary you would be getting. Besides, Paradis is huge and has like three million residents. It’s not like you’d cross paths with him. And it’s been years. He probably forgot all about you anyway. You barely think about him. It was just a silly puppy-love relationship. No biggie.

Keep telling yourself that.

Shut up. 

“That one’s better.”

A voice directed to you made you snap out of your thoughts. It made you painfully aware of how you had been staring at the two options of green tea in your hand for probably more than the normal minutes it takes one to decide. The tall brunette had on a face mask covering half his face, his hair parted in the middle, and he wore a simple light blue button-down and black slacks. He was about two feet away from you when he pointed at the tea canister in your right hand. 

“Oh. Thanks,” you replied sheepishly. Desperate to run away from the embarrassment of zoning out in the middle of a public space, you take his advice and put down the canister on your left hand back to the shelf. 

“You’re welcome. I see my friend drinking it all the time so it has to be good,” he nods and you see his cheeks prop up, probably sporting a smile beneath the mask. You smiled back and thanked him again.

“Can you grab that one for me?” He points at a sweet one, a flavor in contrast with the green tea you chose. It was on the shelf being blocked by your cart beside you. You quickly mutter an apology and reach for a can. 

“My fiancée prefers her tea fruity,” he explains even if you didn’t ask, his ears tinted a bit red from his own statement. You immediately find it endearing. He seems very fond of his partner as he continues to babble about her. “Well actually, she prefers coffee with an unhealthy amount of espresso shots but I eventually persuaded her to drink tea once in a while.” 

“Moby! I know we usually don’t get this brand but guess what? This has a free pink sponge!” 

You freeze at the sound of that awfully loud and familiar cheerful voice heading towards you at a fast pace. You couldn’t turn your head. Your fingers unconsciously grip the can you’re holding harshly with wide eyes. Silently, you were wishing that the person just had the same voice as the crazed tall woman with glasses you used to know or the man beside you isn’t named ‘Moby.’ The former would hardly be the case because from the sound of the voice, the personality of being uncaring of the silent atmosphere of the supermarket, and the way she ran excitedly from your peripheral vision, you were sure that this person was your old friend Hange. For the latter, your last hope dies down as you see the stranger turn his head at the sound of his name and reply with a sigh.

“What the hell are you gonna do with a sponge, babe? We have lots of sponges.”

“Okay but imagine! We swap out Levi’s sponge with a pink one.” 

“I don’t think Levi cares about the color as long as it cleans.”

The fight or flight response in you went crazy at the mention of the name you haven’t heard in years, heavily leaning on the former. You could just hand this guy named Moby’s tea and make a run for it. You doubt Hange would care while being heavily invested in her free pink sponge. 

But why would you run? You only run when you’re scared or did something wrong. Which is it? It can't be the latter, right? 

I did. 

Oh? So you did. You’re scared, huh? That she’d get angry at you for what you did back then. 

I am. 

Run then. That’s all you know to do anyway.

Shut up. Leave me alone. 

“Miss? Are you okay?” 

For the second time in front of the same stranger, you were snapped out of your trance and find yourself gripping the can so hard that you think you’ve made a light dent on the can. Damn, you should really get a decent amount of sleep. You’ve been losing it a lot lately. 

You shake your head and slap your cheek lightly with your free hand. “Sorry. Lack of sleep. I’m fine. Here.” 

You turn to him and hand him the can, hoping he wouldn’t mind the barely noticeable dent you made. Purposely, you don’t stray your eyes away from the man. You don’t want to be the first person to acknowledge Hange. Maybe she doesn’t even remember you. Maybe she doesn’t even want to acknowledge you. 

“Greenie?” 

It was more of a mutter. But with how loud Hanji’s voice is, you and Moby clearly heard it. 

That’s when you look at her and actually see her. She looks the same as you saw her last. Her brown hair was tied up in a ponytail and her brown eyes were covered by thick-rimmed glasses. Nothing much has changed from her appearance except for the disappearance of the youthful look now replaced by maturity. Her gaze is fixed on you, slack-jawed. Her reaction doesn’t surprise or faze you, having expected that much. It’s what would follow that you’re nervous about. What would she say? Will she get angry at you? Or will she even remember who you are? Somehow, you dread that last possible outcome worst. 

“H-Hange,” you breathily let out. You wonder if it’s audible. 

Her fiancé also looks shocked, staring at you and then back to Hanji with widened eyes. “This is Greenie? The Greenie?” He points at you while asking Hange who was still frozen. His tone and reference to you immediately tell you that you have been discussed with people you never met, no doubt now knowing your past with them. 

Greenie. You haven’t heard that nickname in a while. 

It was silent for a few seconds, eyes not straying from each other. You probably look apologetic—scared, even. The man beside her is waiting too. You think he’s having a mini breakdown in disbelief. 

When you see her start to lunge at you, you shut your eyes, expecting her palm to collide with your cheek. You expect her to slap you and scream at you in the middle of the cold supermarket. You expect her to ask you where you got the nerve to come back to the city after all you’ve done. 

Instead, what she did broke down all your expectations. 

Long and slender arms wrap around your figure, pulling you tightly to her chest. Your face is squished against the fabric of her fluffy parka jacket. Even if you suddenly have trouble breathing with how tight her hug is, you were thankful that it covered your face and how you were biting your lower lip, trying to suppress the relief that comes with tears.

“Where the hell have you been?!”

You couldn’t even answer. Or move at all. Not that you even know what to say. 

“Hange. You’re killing her.” You hear her partner say. Hange instantly loosens her grip on you, muttering an apology with a slight chuckle. When she looks down at you, you give her a gentle smile.

“I missed you too, Hange.” And you meant it. 

The tall woman was still not letting you go, arms wrapped just below your shoulders because of the height difference. Even if you were caged in her arms, you can still tilt your head up to look at her. Suddenly, tears started streaming down her face as she tilts her head down to you, her mouth quivering. Then it turns into full-on sobbing. You chuckle as she starts swaying you with her, going side to side like a pendulum as she sobs while wailing your name repeatedly. 

There was no stopping Hange when she gets like this. So you let it happen. You let her hug you like she did many times before. You relish the moment, wanting to pass out and let loose in her hold. Maybe you’re dreaming and you’ll wake up in your bed, filled with disappointment and yearning for some warmth.

When she was satisfied, she let you go and introduced you to Moblit, her fiancé and coworker. They walked with you as you continued to shop, telling you stories about her and Moblit. Thankfully for your sake, she didn’t ask you much about yourself or what happened when you were away. She just asked how you were doing right now and what you were doing in the city. Although you were scared that the news would get to him, you told her the truth that you recently got hired at the law firm. 

“So you moved back then? Like permanently?” Her brows raised in excitement. 

“Well, I have a temporary contract for six months before I’m permanently employed there so hopefully,” you shrug while heading to checkout. As expected, Hange doesn’t care that you practically explained that it’s technically a ‘not yet,’ she shrieks and jumps up and down anyway. 

“Oh my god, this is perfect! Greenie, one of my bridesmaids had to back out but we already had the dress paid and it’s a no-refund. Can you step in for her and attend our wedding? Would you? Please? Please?” Hange begs you, hands clasped together as she stares at you with puppy eyes and a pout. 

You stop in your tracks and feel your heart sink to the ground. She wants you to attend her wedding knowing that many, if not everyone, you used to know will be there. And if his name was so casually mentioned earlier, that meant that they were still very much best friends and he would definitely be there.

And a few minutes ago you were convincing yourself that you wouldn’t accidentally run into him in this city. Now, you have to actually see him and be in the same room for a few hours? 

You start with a chuckle. “Oh. I wouldn’t mean to impose—” 

You were abruptly overpowered by her loud negation. “No, you wouldn’t! Everyone would be ecstatic to see you! I swear.” 

“But—“

Hange sighs dramatically, shoulders slumping with a pout on her face. “I guess it’d be too much, wouldn’t it? You’re probably busy, right? Right. Sorry, I just got excited.” She turns to her boyfriend. “Moby, can you pay for our stuff and Greenie’s too?” 

“What?”

Your eyes widened but before you could protest or take a strong hold on your cart, Moblit was already dragging it away and sending a flying kiss to Hange who giggled like a schoolgirl to catch it with her fist. You turn to her in disbelief as he turns his back. She catches your face, knowing what you’re about to say. 

“It’s fine. That won’t make a dent in his bank account.”

Just like that, you were painfully reminded how no one could get a word in with Hange. 

“Un-fucking-believeable.” 

Niccolo, the training chef, flinched from behind him when the silver-eyed man let out an unprovoked profanity as he entered the restaurant. Connie, his loyal secretary, doesn’t even bat an eye at the unprofessional behavior of his boss, only following behind him with a straight face. 

“Shithead. Call Nile later. Tell him I want a new team on this…” his words halt in disgust as he sees the unfinished, poorly done walls of what was to be a new branch of Kuchel’s. “or I’ll fire his stupid construction company out of every damn project. Verbatim.” 

“Will do, sir.” Connie nods, mentally sighing. Not only is he used to hearing the profanities, but he’s also used to being ordered to say it too. 

Levi nods at his secretary’s response, eager to leave the abomination that was supposed to be at 80% progress at this date. As he turns, he’s faced with Connie and a blonde man he doesn’t know. 

“Who’s this?” 

The blonde man practically shivered at his haze, the corner of his lips twitching at the sides. It was a sad attempt at a smile. Mentally, Connie sighed at his boss’ unfocused mind when there was something that greatly irritates him. The trainee chef was just literally in the car with them and Levi told Connie to bring the chef with them on the way to check the new location. 

“This is Niccolo, sir. He was in the car with us. He’s the one highly considered by the HR,” Connie expertly answered. 

“So you’re on the last stage,” Levi addresses Niccolo. The nervous man gulps but answers. “Yes, sir.” 

Connie watches the exchange, feeling a bit of pity for the tall man cowering at the gaze of such a short guy with a temper taller than a skyscraper. He was exactly like this when Levi interviewed him for the position. 

“Sorry, I had to make a detour because some shitheads can’t do their job right. Let’s go.” 

And so Niccolo and Connie followed the grumpy man back to the vehicle they just got not even three minutes ago. 

Not that he knew what to expect or had guesses but Niccolo was utterly surprised that he was brought to the first Kuchel’s restaurant. The legendary one that went viral. 

When he passed by the reception area, his eyes widened when he saw the reservation list filled with no spots left. It was practically booked for the month from what he saw. 

The kitchen smelled amazing, each one of the cooks was busy and they actually looked happy while working. They worked with so much coordination and laughter like he had never seen before. 

He thought that he’d train or cook with them today, seeing as they’re Kuchel’s main branch’s team. He was excited too. But again, Levi surprises him when he pushes another door open from the kitchen, revealing a staircase. The man says nothing but climbs upstairs. 

Confused but too scared to ask, Niccolo only stares at Connie but who beckons him to follow him up the stairs. When he sees Levi take a glance behind him, his feet move on its own, following the cold short man’s steps.

He sees a living room first. It’s a simple home but maintained well enough to look pristine. He kept on following Levi as he eventually led him to a kitchen. Levi turned to him and he’d be lying if he said that his heart didn’t jump at his sudden order. 

“Do whatever you like. You have an hour.” 

And then he leaves the kitchen, leaving Niccolo confused as he looks around at the domestic kitchen. He sees Connie, Levi’s assistant aggressively mouthing the words ‘cook anything’ as he follows Levi back to the living room. 

“Good job. I think he liked it.” 

Connie whispers to Niccolo before he leaves. Normally, he isn’t allowed to tell the training chefs what Levi thinks. But he’s feeling a little silly and Niccolo is his friend and his best friend, Sasha’s, boyfriend. 

Just like all the other training chefs, Levi brought Niccolo to his old home to cook something for him. Levi is hella picky with them but Connie could see that he actually liked his friend’s food. There was no pursing of lips, which was the worst of them all. Connie had to scramble and get the trainee out before he burst the room into a myriad of colorful words no one wants to hear. 

When they got back to the office, Hange was already there and most probably uninvited. 

“What the fuck are you doing here, four eyes?” 

Levi’s eyes were seething with annoyance as he sees his friend sitting at his desk on his chair, spinning around like an idiot. It was hard to believe that this woman is a professor at one of the most prestigious universities in the country. 

“Shorty! You’re here!” She exclaimed, slamming her hands down on the fine wood of Levi’s desk to stop the chair from spinning. 

“Get the fuck up before I strangle you to death, Hange.” 

Hange chuckles but stands up anyway, skipping before plopping herself on the couch in Levi’s office. “Can you relax? I was just here to remind you that I’m getting married.” 

Levi groans and rolls his eyes. “Who would fucking forget, Hange? You text a fucking countdown at seven in the morning in the group chat tagged to everyone. The mute option has been fucking useless since you learned how to do it.” 

Levi sits down on his chair and switches on his computer to return to work despite his friend’s unsolicited visit to his office. 

“Oh! I wanted to ask you something too! Do you have a date for the wedding? So I can take note of a plus one, maybe?” 

He gives a blank stare to his friend for a second before turning back to his screen. “You know you can ask me that through a phone call, right?” He began typing away on his laptop, answering a few emails Connie forwarded to him. 

“Well, you blocked my number so I thought that you’d rather see me in person.” Hange shrugs with a grin.

Levi pauses, remembering that he did block Hange’s number that one night she insisted for he come over and watch a horror movie with Erwin and Moblit. He was working and couldn’t turn his phone on do not disturb mode so he had to specifically block Hange’s calls. He then proceeds to forget to unblock her until now. 

“So, no date?” Hange presses further. 

Levi grunts, annoyed at the stupid question. “Who the fuck am I gonna bring? It’s not like I’m gonna bring a random girl to your wedding, Hange.” 

“You totally could. They’re called escorts,” Hange suggests like a know-it-all.

“I don’t want a random stranger in your wedding pictures, four eyes.” 

“I would rather have that than see you so depressing in my pictures with your bitch face. Oh! Want me to set you up on a blind date?” Hange’s voice rises again, something that happens when she gets excited over an idea. 

“Fuck no,” Levi spat. 

“Your last serious relationship was decades ago, Levi. Give it a try again.” 

If looks could kill, funeral flowers would be thrown at Hange’s casket instead of wedding flowers. His fingers hover over the keyboard, hanging frozen at her words. At the mere implication of you, his blood boils and his chest tightens. 

“What does that have to do with anything?” 

“Well–”

“Are you saying I’m not over her again, Hange?” 

Before she could answer, the door swung open, revealing a tall blonde man with thick eyebrows who was grinning cheek to cheek. Great. Erwin’s here. Maybe they could send a few more uninvited people, order greasy pizza, and have a party in his office. 

“Over who?” Erwin asks, ever the gossip man. Levi grunts and rests his forehead in his palms as Hange greets Erwin enthusiastically before answering.

“You know who.”

Erwin narrows his eyes at Levi before sitting down on the other edge of the couch. Hange tells him about getting a blind date. “You could try, Hange. I’ve set him up with surprise blind dates before and you know how that went.” 

“Can you two fucking shut up and leave? I’m trying to work here,” Levi spat in annoyance. The pair ignores his grumbling, carrying on their conversation like he wasn’t in the room.

“But I have never set him up with someone before,” Hange points out. 

Erwin purses his lips. “I doubt that you can find a girl better than me, Hange. I tried everything.” 

Erwin and Hange look at each other with mischief, clearly enjoying Levi’s suffering from their teasing. He knows they won’t stop. If anything, it only egged them on further.

Hange places a finger on her chin obnoxiously. “Maybe you could ask the girl to wear green next time.” 

Erwin nods, crossing his arms like he’s actually considering it. “Absolutely. We all know Levi still loves his greenie.” 

God, even her nickname is a pain to hear. 

Levi slams a hand down his mahogany desk so loud that people outside his office probably heard it. It didn’t faze his friends who were snickering on the couch though. They know he’s about to blow. He’s so frustrated that he almost ran a finger through his well-kept hair but caught himself before damaging it, exhaling loudly in frustration before speaking. 

“Look, you dipshits. I told you a thousand times. Forget about that damned woman. I’m not dating because I’m goddamn busy with all these expansions, not because I’m not over a girl who left us all without a fucking trace.” Every word is laced with venom and he ends it with a huff. 

“Fine. We get it. You’re over her but you’re still angry at her.” Hange rolls her eyes. 

Levi doesn’t know exactly when they started referring to her as mere stories or inside jokes. But evidently, it turned out that way. They used to be hurt at the thought of her disappearing. Slowly, they started to forget. Except him. He’s still angry and confused when he thinks of a reason why. 

“I am,” he admits.

“And if she comes to see you again? What will you do?” 

This question again, Levi thinks. 

He sighs. Like an automated machine, he answers the question as he did a myriad of times before, the first being the answer to one of your stupid games of what-if questions when you were together. Most were just ways to make him say those damn three words to you. It was usually just dumb things like “What if I was a worm?” and he would roll his eyes and tell you that he would unhesitatingly kill you before kissing you when you frown in disappointment. One question, however, deeply offended him more than anything. 

“Levi, what if I asked you to break up with me?” 

You were sitting on the couch with a blanket draped over your legs, still reeling from the sad romantic movie the two of you watched where the disabled paralyzed man still decides to die even after he fell in love with his caregiver. 

Levi, who’s in the middle of choosing another movie from your collection of DVDs, freezes in his seat. He doesn’t turn to look at you but you see his whole body tensed up having heard what you said.

“What if we break up like that?” 

You repeat the question with a pout on your lips. Levi finally looks at you with a frown on his face. He sighs and looks away, gaze lifting up for a second as if he’s thinking. 

“No,” he answers even if the question upsets him. “We’re not gonna break up.”

You noticed that his mood falters from your question.  Feeling a little bad, you wrap a hand around his bicep, pulling yourself close to his side. With a smile, you lean in and give him a peck on the cheek. “Don’t be sad. It was just hypothetical.”

He instantly leans unto you. He always does so when you’re near—like opposite sides of a magnet being pulled together by force. He always wants to be near you.

“Can you just go back to stupid questions like the worm shit?” He asks with a low voice, faces too close to each other that his lips could brush yours. 

You give him a teasing grin and hum, nodding but doing the exact opposite of what he asked. Ever his stubborn girl, you continue asking. “But what if I leave you?” 

He glares at you, not very pained this time, knowing it’s just you teasing again. Instead, his brows furrowed as he gazed down at you with his silver eyes. His eyes flick down to your lips and his lower lip brushes against yours for a millisecond. When you were sure he was about to kiss you, he shoves a hand at your face and pushes you away with a little force, making you land on the couch on your back. 

You laugh but curse him out loud for his attack. Levi huffs, crossing his arms and looking away. 

“If you do that, I will ignore you for the rest of my fucking life. You’re dead to me.” He says it with so much conviction that you know he doesn’t mean a word of it. 

You sit up again, frowning then lightly slapping his shoulder. “That’s rude. What if I come back to see you, then?” 

He scoffs loudly, still looking away from you, and spots his box of cleaning supplies. Then, he says the second thing that comes into his mind, thinking that the first one he thought of would seem desperate and pathetic of him. 

He opens his mouth to speak and the words you hear from him causes an ever louder laugh out of you. He smiles before pushing you on your back again. This time, pulling himself on top of you and sealing your lips with a kiss. 

“I’d spray her with some fucking Windex, throw baking soda on her stupid face, and kick her out.” 

Usually, the statement is so funny to them that it ends the conversation. Sometimes, he even gives them a demonstration where one of their unlucky friends gets to be on the receiving end. But this time, Erwin has a follow-up question that goes straight to Levi’s chest.

“And if she insists on staying? What will you do?” 

Levi went quiet. Hange and Erwin give a knowing sad look at each other that Levi doesn’t catch. They didn’t mean to push him this hard. But they had to know if he was ready. 

From just outside his door where Connie’s desk is placed, his secretary listens in as well. He heard about his boss’ ex. The whole office knows about it. His mysterious ex and the only woman Levi Ackerman loved. That was what everyone knew. But from spending too much time with his boss more than he wanted to, Connie had learned the following about his boss’ only relationship:

Her nickname is Greenie because she liked green tea. Levi prefers black tea but he accidentally told you he liked green tea too then ran with it for four months until Hanji revealed the truth accidentally.

The four of them knew each other for a long time. He doesn’t know if they met in high school or college. But in school, definitely.

After getting their undergraduate degree, she asked Levi to break up and broke his heart with words.

After the breakup, she disappeared from Paradis. Levi waited for her for a long time, broken and yearning. She didn’t come back. Now, all Levi has is bitterness in his body.

Those are what Connie gathered from his little detective skills to cope with having to work under the horribly mannered man. Then, he shares it with his best friend, Sasha, during his lunch break. 

He listens a little more, the email he was reading sitting idle for longer than it should. His boss still doesn’t answer. 

Inside, Erwin and Hange await their friend’s reply who is still lost in his own thoughts. Erwin decides to push him one last time. He clasped his hands together and leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. 

“If she comes to you for closure, will you accept it? You’re over her, right? You can stay angry, that’s valid. She did you wrong. But will you at least hear her?” 

Levi keeps quiet but listens to Erwin. The word closure gives his stomach an unsettling feeling. It felt wrong to hear it. But it doesn’t matter. His friends were just bored and bluffing again. He can bluff too. 

“I don’t really care about her as much as you think I still do. When I see her, I’ll do what I said I would. Then it’s done. I don’t care what she does anymore.” 

It’s been five days since you coincidentally met Hange and Moblit. Before you parted ways, you exchanged numbers and your old friend has been messaging you nonstop. You appreciated it. Hange was always light-hearted and kind. You’re glad she found someone who appreciates her and takes care of her. So when she mentioned that there was a conflict with the invitations, you offered to fix it for her, knowing a thing or two about it. You handled project management a few times as an intern. 

There was once a time when you called her your best friend. You know that’s a title you no longer hold but either way, you were glad to talk to her again. Even if you know that in the very near future, you would have to face what it holds for you. Now that Hange is back in your life, it’s only a matter of time and you’d have to see your ex again. You lie awake at night thinking of what you’d do then. 

It was Saturday. That means no work for you after lunch, thankfully. You ground through your paper works and clients like a corporate machine all week, wanting to finish them before Saturday so you wouldn’t have to go overtime on a weekend. And after about nine cups of highly caffeinated green tea, you finally finished all your work for the week. Now free from the shackles of labor and capitalism, you slung your tote bag over your shoulder and headed out of your office and onto the elevator. 

Passing by Pixis’ office, you inform him you’re taking your leave which he cheerfully allowed, wishing you a happy weekend before you left his office. You bid him to have the same and left the building, anxious to see through the next events of the day. If this was a normal weekend, you’d be content with wasting away in bed as soon as you rushed home. 

You handled the invitations over the week, using your break time to oversee how it’s going with the printing service you trust for things like this. They generously accepted your request for a rush order, knowing who you are. 

The invitations were piled into a box on your coffee table by Friday, ready to be sent out to Hange’s guests. When you texted Hange that they were ready, she sent over her apartment’s address, telling you to personally meet her there on Saturday after work. She argues when you tell her you can just send it in the same day through an app, whining about how she wants to hang out with you. 

Hange, ever the persuasive and persistent person, got you to agree. That, and you still feel guilty for declining her invitation to her wedding. 

After you press the doorbell, you wait patiently with your left hand holding the small box of invitations. Her apartment was apparently a penthouse. An apartment in this building already costs an arm and a leg. Hange is smart and talented, one of her research must’ve been really successful. You also remembered that she was probably living with Moblit here. Ah, the wonders of having a partner in life—shared rent. Maybe you should get a roommate. 

When the door was taking too long to be answered, you shoot up a text for Hange. 

hey i’m here outside ur door ! :)) 

ok! just wAit a bit

It didn’t take Hange long to reply, easing your anxiety a little. When it takes more than a minute after she sends her text, you tilt your head in confusion. Are you at the correct address? Maybe you’re at the wrong unit. You were pretty sure you were on the right one, though. You rechecked it a few times. 

You wait a little bit more before ringing the doorbell again. You assume she’s probably grossed into something and can’t take the door at the moment. With a sigh, you wait a few more minutes, turning away from the door and deciding to scroll through your social media accounts that you barely use. 

A smile involuntarily plasters itself on your face when you see the posts of your coworkers from Trost. Warmth spreads to your chest as you see the office through the pictures, reminiscing your time there. It’s suddenly frightening, the realization that you’re alone in this huge city with no one to turn to. It’s a feeling you’re awfully familiar with, a state you’d rather not return to. 

When you feel yourself drift away to those thoughts, you pull yourself away immediately, figuring that the time you waited should be enough to press the doorbell again. 

But as you turn around to press it for the second time, the door swings open harshly in a swift motion, making you jump a little in surprise and fear as you hear an annoyed groan from a man that is most definitely not Hange coming with it. 

“For fuck’s sake. Did Hange give a woman my addre…”

The two of you froze. 

The raven-dark hair parted in the middle. The undercut. Those gray eyes and his beautiful piercing gaze. Those high cheekbones and soft cheeks. Those furrowed brows and scrunched forehead that was softly dissipated from his face when he sees you standing behind the door. Those delicate pink lips, now parted in awe and mirroring yours.

Neither of you can move like you were frozen in time. Every muscle in your body refused to move. Your brain stopped functioning and wasn't even able to conjure a coherent thought, much less a response. The only thing you could do was stare at the man you once called home. 

He still had dark under eyes but they were more prominent than before. You hate how it still suited him even if you hated how little he sleeps; they make his gaze heavier, willing you to get lost with him. A few strands of his fringe fall over his eyes. They were a little longer than what you were used to but it was still the same haircut you used to run your hand over when you were cuddling. It was a little unkempt. And even though his white shirt is a little crumpled, it still smoothly falls over his frame. It drapes from his defined shoulders to his waist until the hem of the shirt goes over the band of his gray sweatpants that hugged his legs loosely. 

He breaks the gaze spell when his eyes go over you, top to bottom. He stares at your shocked and devastated countenance, the casual but decent clothes that you changed into after work, the box in your hand, and the way your right foot has stepped further back than your left when he opened the door, ready to run away at the thought the man who opened the door was angry. 

You open your mouth to speak. You know you have to say something. Anything. Hi? Hello? How are you? Is this where Hange lives? Why the fuck do you still look so hot? 

But none of that comes out.

Why? 

Levi’s face hardens before you can speak, wiping off the bewildered eyes and replacing them with his infamous glare, silver eyes glistening with specks of anger. His mouth closes into a frown but not before scoffing at you. The scorned expression on his face shuts you right up for a second but you try and carry on.

This time, before you can speak, he slams the door shut in your face with an impact so loud it booms through your whole being enough to raise all the hair on your skin, leaving you standing there in his floor’s corridor appalled and deeply belittled.

Your startled brain is more confused than ever. As you decide to slowly process what happened and not even ten seconds after he harshly shuts his door, it swings open again, revealing the same man who not-so-gently shut it, with a hand still on the knob and the other holding something blue.

His arm outstretched towards you and you were faced with a nozzle of a familiar spray bottle. With a straight face, he sprays the fucking liquid right on your face. You immediately shut your eyes and mouth, leaning your face away from the spray. Although it’s far enough to not cover your face if you hadn’t moved, you still cringe when you feel the tiny droplets on your skin.

You lift one eye open, scared that he’s about to spray again. He puts the bottle down to his side, looking satisfied with his work. When you open both eyes, he shuts the door again, leaving you in the corridor with heightened emotions from the first time he did it paired with an itching aggravation. 

Was that a fucking Windex? 

Hold on. Windex? 

The door swings open again and he fully reveals himself without a hand on the knob like the two times before. This time he’s holding an orange cardboard box labeled Pure Baking Soda and reaches into it with his other hand. 

You shut your eyes close immediately, realizing what was happening when you remembered his words to you years ago. 

“I’d spray you with some fucking Windex, throw baking soda on your face, and kick you out.” 

The baking soda hits your face, making your nose involuntarily scrunch up because of the fistful of powder he threw at you. When you guess that he’s satisfied after successfully throwing you the promised baking soda, you blink your eyes open, finding him still standing there with a straight face. 

“Are you done?” you asked with a deadpan face, covered with baking soda.

© levisolace. please do not copy, translate, claim any of my works. my works are cross-posted only on my ao3 account. thank you.

#levi ackerman x reader #levi x reader #levi ackerman fanfic #levi ackerman angst #levi ackerman smut #levi ackerman x you #levi ackerman fluff #levi ackerman #levi ackermann x reader #levi ackerman x y/n #levi imagine #levi fluff #levi smut #attack on titan x reader #attack on titan fanfic #snk x reader #snk x y/n

[acacia-luna-royal]

So, I’ve had this written in my phone notes almost all week since Sunday as well as not being able to go into the internet because either my cat or my sister’s cat was fucking around on the cabinet and broke our freaking WiFi box so it stopped working, so someone had to come out and fix it but that took a while, and as it was almost the end of the month, my phone bill wasn’t topped up because I didn’t have enough money in my bank, so I couldn’t even use my data 😭 but MY GOD!! You guys have been busy! I’ve missed so much of tumblr and damn have I missed you guys! *cries in a corner* Anyway, here is just a few things I want to say about episode 12 and the feels this episode got me feeling.

*Deep fucking breath* Yep, NAILED IT!

Yo, episode 12... where the fuck do I start? It started off with cavity level sweetness... ended with all the salt in the sea and lemons plus limes squeezed into every single cut you can think of, like when you use hand sanitiser on a paper cut fuck that shit hurts! This episode was a fucking whirlwind of emotions and I was hit with so many feelings way too fast and way too hard.

Right off the bat, we get this first scene with Porsche dropping Porschay off at the university for his interview. We have our sweet baby Porschay, although he’s heartbroken, he tries his absolute best to stay strong for his big brother, who smiles at him with pride and proudness that just melts your heart. And then Porschay decided to throw his resume into the bin, trying to rid that part of his life that had Kim involved, as all the time Porschay and Kim spent together was a façade, a foundation - in Porschay’s eyes - built and revolving around lies. But there’s also guilt there because Porschay worked hard to get into that university. He worked hard for both himself and for Porsche; his big brother, who has been working so damn hard to make sure Porschay is able to go to school and is able to study at the university of his dreams.

Porschay struck by culpability because Porsche - working so damn hard to make Porschay’s dream a reality - said that seeing his little brother get into that university was his own dream. Porsche smiles so beautifully and so brightly at Porschay, happiness to the MAX at seeing his brother take the first step to getting his degree. And even though Porschay has had his heart broken by someone he is still in love with, he’s hurting but seeing how happy Porsche is and how proud his big brother is of him, Porschay tries his absolute best to stay strong and keep a brave face for Porsche and it broke my heart. No literally, I was a whimpering mess, this part wrecked me. This scene, man, the impact of feels I had within the first two minutes was unreal. I thought my heart would burst at my chest, and the episode had only just started, like fuck, I was wondering how the hell I was going to manage the rest of the episode. (And I also happen to be INCREDIBLY protective of the Kittisawasd brothers. Looking at you Theerapanykuls, though not Tankhun, he’s a king in every way and I’ll always love him, he can do no wrong.)

Porsche finding out that the guy who was in charge of the goons beating up his debt collecting uncle was actually working with Kinn at the beginning and was also responsible for helping Kinn get Porsche to work for him. Yes, Kinn was following orders from his father, but keeping it from Porsche all this time, that was the wrong move. My jaw literally dropped during this scene, I almost caught flies. I was in shock. If I were Porsche in this situation, I would have yelled, I would have maybe slapped Kinn, I would have probably walked away and refused to talk to him until I calmed down.

Porsche here was so collected, even when you could tell that he was livid, he was also in disbelief. He didn’t submit to Kinn’s attempt to hold him, he refused to let Kinn touch him until he got the answers he so rightfully deserved. And when Kinn made another move to step closer followed by an “I’m sorry,” Porsche told him to back off. Porsche wasn’t going to give in without an explanation to the lies and the cause to him feeling like a fool for not having known or seen this sooner. He was lied to. He was betrayed. And the one person who he knows doesn’t trust easily because of being betrayed in the past, was supposed to be different and not be a liar too. He gave Kinn all of him and more, and Porsche believed that Kinn had given him that in return, but it turns out it was splintered. Yes, Porsche knows that there’s deep intense truth to Kinn’s feelings towards him, but if there’s lies in the beginning that haven’t been addressed yet and have been playing out all this time, even while they’ve been together as an official couple, then of course Porsche is going to be hesitant to fall straight back into Kinn’s arms and to take in his apologies. And this isn’t just about a lie being told to Porsche, it’s the involvement of Porsche’s house - the last thing that Porsche has from his late parents; a house, a home, he and his little brother treasures. Porsche said to Kinn that Kinn knows how much that house means to him, and Kinn still didn’t tell him that he had been affiliated with the guy who threatened to take his family home away from him and his little brother. So, he’s rightfully pissed off.

It’s only with the heartfelt promise from Kinn; a promise that Kinn will find all the answers that Porsche is looking for, a promise that Porsche is able to believe by looking and reading the honesty in Kinn’s eyes, (because Kinn and Porsche have created a state of communication that literally just involves them locking eyes and this communication is damn strong, we’ve all noticed it), that Porsche eventually lets Kinn move closer to touch him, to wrap his arms around him, to hold him. Porsche doesn’t reciprocate the hold though, and Kinn understands why he doesn’t.

Kinn stands alongside Porsche as they confront Papa Korn together; as partners, as lovers, as a couple who trust each other. They stand side by side with Porsche slightly in front, but Kinn lets Porsche do the talking. He only asks a question out of shock to his father’s words when Papa Korn explains that he covered up the murder of Porsche’s parents and that the driver happened to be Papa Korn’s friend. They find out a lot more from Papa Korn than they bargained for when they stomped their way over to where Papa Korn was working with his clay. Porsche wanted answers about why he was actually chosen to work for the main Theerapanyakul family, but gained the reason as to who killed his parents alongside the reason of him being chosen to work for them as a way of Papa Korn paying his respects to him. Porsche having had enough of the bullshit and the “sorry”s, closes his eyes, tames the fire wanting to explode inside of him, and then tells Papa Korn (way too politely in my opinion) that he’s thankful for the help, but he doesn’t need it and then storms off. Man, did I wish Porsche had done more. I used to like Papa Korn but he just keeps proving to be more of a dick (but he’s still way better than Kan ironically). Kinn is also furious. He’s furious because he was also lied to by his own father, but he’s also infuriated that his father is one of the main the reasons why his love is so distressed and betrayed and heartbroken, when Porsche had just found out about the secret that Kinn had kept from him, which Kinn is feeling guilty from as now both Kinn and Korn are to be blame, but mainly Korn.

Consensual VegasPete!!!

WAS KINN AND PORSCHE’S FIRST TIME THIS DAMN INTENSE!! I CAN’T REMEMBER MY MIND’S GONE BLANK!! The fact that it was Pete who pulled Vegas back to pull him into a kiss... Vegas’ surprise and his hand hovering, not knowing what do to or how to respond for a second before he fell straight into it and reciprocated just as passionately; Vegas becoming so happily overwhelmed with the way Pete was kissing him and handling him just... 😫*Chef’s Kiss* For me, It was when Vegas walked past Pete after saying: “But a guy like you, it’s no fun when you don’t give in,” and then Pete just turns him around, grabs his face and kisses him, giving off “Bitch, I’m gonna show you the best type of fun you’ve ever had in your entire fucking life” vibes and OMG!! Believe me when I tell you that I choked mid scream! That was fucking amazing!!

Honestly, give Bible and Build all the oscars, all the Grammys, all the awards! This scene was so damn mind-blowing! I think the condoms in this show also have their own representation and sponsor just like the Maseratis, the inhaler and their majesty bread. Man, you VegasPete fans, my darlings, you were fed a gourmet buffet this episode holy shit! And what the hell is with Build and Apo having such gorgeous curves?!?! Why? How? I just... 😭 And the way Vegas kissed his way down Pete’s neck, then down his back to then more or less (I think I saw this right) kiss Pete’s buttcheeks just OMG AHDHAKNSDJS!! Those damn satisfied smiles afterwards between them as well... HOLY FUCK!!! Though, I would like to point out that the music that was used for this love scene is called “Stable Delusion”, and I don’t really know what to think of that fact.

Kinn leaving the main family manor and deciding that Porsche is far more important than his home, his job, his father, because Porsche is his home now and wherever Porsche goes, that’s where Kinn’s home will be. Kinn literally said that he can have the best kind of happiness in the world, as long as he has Porsche! I mean... LOOK AT THE WAY KINN LOOKS AT PORSCHE WHEN HE SAYS THAT... status of the heart: more or less healed, just gonna need six months of recovery and cardio therapy.

This scene was fucking beautiful in every way imaginable. Me thinking at first that Porsche not only left the Theerapanyakul manor and taking his brother with him, leaving Kinn there as well... I started whimpering, I honestly thought Porsche had left Kinn at the house because I didn’t think Kinn would be allowed to leave. But then Kinn, oh my fucking CHRIST, him walking out to the garden with a plate of glasses and the royal majesty bread, to bring out to Porsche and Porschay!!! I had butterflies in my brain, stomach, heart and soul, that was the purest fucking thing ever OMG!!! I will never get over this, I really won’t, not ever! Kinn saying that Porsche’s happiness means the world to him... my heart, just take it, it’s only giving me arrhythmia. Porschay looking between his brother and his brother’s boyfriend with that sweet knowing look and smile, literally the sibling look of “omg, you guys are so cute it’s gross but I’m so happy that you’re happy” and just... urgh, this scene was so freaking precious and beautiful I just can’t deal.

I always said to myself that if I see Porsche cry, like literally bawling, I’ll cry and my heart will break. Welp, I had that twice this fucking episode, holy shit I couldn’t breathe through my nose for hours! I don’t know how long I cried for, all I know is that I had to pause the episode to let it out because it really broke my heart. Apo, you just... you ruin me. I was so thankful for Kinn just holding Porsche, telling Porsche that his parents would be proud of him for not killing their murderer, Kinn telling Porsche that he’s proud of him too... *whimpers* take my heart please, it’s in fragments, but it might come in handy for something because it’s sitting useless in my chest.

Kim realising he fucked up BIG time. Finding out Porschay didn’t attend his interview stunned him, not knowing that he could have had that much of an effect on Porschay. Ya dingus.

The way Kim looks away from his friend and then clenches his jaw to then look down as the guilt seeps in. Realisation dawning on his features so hard, his breath becomes a little staggered like he can’t mutlitask the guilt enveloping him and breathing at the same time.

Our sweet baby Porschay... still heartbroken but wanting to try something new to get, at the very least, his mind off of the pain in his heart, decides to change his look by dyeing his hair (the same freaking colour I might add that the actor who plays Porschay’s brother dyed his for a photoshoot aakjdjaksjjdkss). Porschay, it looks great sweetie. And then decides to go out drinking with friends even though he’s never drunk alcohol in his life, yeah, no sweetie, don’t do that.

When Porschay has had a lot to drink and his friend says that they should go home, Porschay is ready to go with his friend when the guy on his other side tries to put a tablet in his mouth... 🤬🔪Oh man, I was freaking livid. But I didn’t really get the chance to stay livid for long because this next scene shocked me to the core and literally took my breath away:

Kim coming out of freaking nowhere and smacking the guy’s hand away from Porschay’s mouth and punching anyone who tried to stop him... man, I was in LOVE! That was so fucking attractive and so damn HOT! I started screaming into my pillow! And then when Kim put his finger in the guy’s face and said (more like he growled, or snarled) “Don’t!” The progress of me absofuckinglutely losing it just kept progressing.

Although this scene with Kim was so damn attractive, and YES! This isn’t Wik, the musician and University student. This is Kim Theerapanyakul, the third son, the youngest son, of a high class main mafia family, the person who picked up a gun for the first time in what was most likely ages just because the boy he’s fallen in love with was kidnapped, making Kim so determined to save him that he was ready to shoot the fuck out of everybody but Porsche, including his own cousin, just to save him. But the question that came into my head when I rewatched Kim coming into this scene was: How the hell did Kim know where Porschay was? He couldn’t have asked anyone because the only person Kim could ask would probably be Porsche but Porsche didn’t even know Porschay was dyeing his hair, let alone Porschay going to a club. And I doubt Kim would have been brave enough to actually ask Porsche, “Yo, do you know where your brother is?” Porsche would only have more questions to answer Kim’s questions with and Porsche would probably recognise Kim as Wik as there is no way Porsche didn’t see Porschay’s P’Wik shrine in his bedroom. And also, Kinn would have been with Porsche, so that conversation would have really fucking interesting to see. So, Kim must have put a tracker Porschay or something, because how else did he find him in that club?

When Kim gabbed Porschay’s hand, I was excited for a second before my mind went back to asking questions. Like, Kim, what the hell were you going to do after this? Were you going to take Porschay back to his house, with the possibility that Porsche, Porschay’s beautiful protective big brother, could be there with his boyfriend, who happens to be your own big brother? Nah, that doesn’t really sound like a good idea. Or were you planning on taking Porschay to your place? Would have to say I’m not a fan of this idea either as Porschay is still mad with you for breaking his heart (rightfully so) and I doubt Porschay would want to be at your place especially with what you said to him. For someone who thinks a lot, you really didn’t think this through, did you? It’s amazing how the Kittisawasd brothers can literally cause the youngest two Theerapanyakul brothers to lose their thought process and act before thinking it through. Kim you are so much like Kinn, it’s not even funny.

Kim! What are doing?! “From now on, you’re on your own,”... ASHDHKAHDJAJS KIM WHAT THE FUCK! Porschay is heartbroken ya dick, and you just made it worse! Kudos to you for bringing Porschay away from a potentially horrible situation but to then tell the boy that he more or less isn’t worth your time anymore. What the fuck? Man, when Porsche finds out you broke his baby brother’s heart, don’t think that just because Porsche is now dating Kinn, your older brother, that you’ll be safe because you freaking won’t be. You’re doomed. And if you don’t apologise to Porschay with flowers and a big teddy bear with an “I’m sorry, please forgive me” on it, and mean it, with a love song you’ve written just for him and play your guitar for him, then I’m coming for you because this baby’s heart... he’s been through enough in his life, don’t cause him more pain.

And may I regretfully present to you all the salt in the sea, the bitter sourness when you were expecting sweet. I had a shiver run down my spine when Ahrtee sat down next to Porsche, I was holding my comfort blanket tighter around me thinking “oh no, this is not going to end well” and I was right, it didn’t. All Ahrtee did was cause more trouble for Porsche, just like he has done for most of Porsche’s life. Let me tell you that gamblers: all they care about is themselves. They don’t care about their families, because if they did care, even the slightest amount, they wouldn’t cause them this many problems and this much pain.

When Ahrtee kept blowing smoke into Porsche’s face I was literally chanting “punch him, punch him, punch him.” And then Ahrtee had the auDacITy to call Porsche stupid! Bitch, you shut the fuck up! How dArE you! You’re the stupid one for causing so much debt and thinking that you could get away with it and thinking you were able to keep fooling your nephew. And then he asked Porsche for five million baht, “easy money” he said, that could make all of the lies and problems go away. Uh, no Ahrtee, the only easy thing about five million baht is the way you’d spend it. Don’t believe it Porsche, he’s a fucking liar and he will only cause you problems, trust me.

When Ahrtee gave Porsche that picture and we finally saw who was in it... my mind went blank and my jaw dropped. It took me a good minute to process what I had seen. And then I started tearing up because NO!! Porsche and Kinn has just started over, they’re on their clean slate and now Porsche isn’t going to know what to think, do or say. Will he tell Kinn about seeing his uncle? I don’t think he will. Will he tell Kinn about the photo? I don’t think so. All of these obstacles that these two have faced and will again have to face... it’s honestly painful and heartbreaking to watch these two go from being at the peak of their strength where the trust that they have in each other is formidable, to then watch it fracture apart because some lying, cheating, two-faced, problem causing low life has come onto the scene and arisen doubts between them. We’ve seen Kinn and Porsche finally, truthfully, adoringly become KinnPorsche and now we have this? My heart, mind and soul is not ready for what is to come and I just, I can’t deal with all the possible scenarios that keep running around in my mind, and every single one of them makes my heart speed up with anxiety and trepidation. I’m not ready, I don’t think anyone is, and the fact that we only have two episodes left TWO FREAKING EPISODES LEFT!!! AKHDJSJSKKFJAK!!! I’m going to be more of a mess than I already am 😭😭

#kinnporsche #kinnporsche the series #kinn x porsche #vegas x pete #kim x porsché #VegasPete #KimPorschay #KimChay #Kinn #Porsche #Vegas #Pete #Kim #Porschay #Korn #Papa Korn #bl series #boy love #kinnporsche la forte #my thoughts and feelings #my poor demisexual heart #KinnPorsche will be on my autopsy report under cause of death #I felt way too much in this episode #this just got longer and longer and I am so sorry #coconuts mafia #we’re all screwed #half of this is just me ranting #KP episode 12 literally had me crying so much #KinnPorsche Meta

[teamorcd-a]

Well thanks to the finale (I think?????) Delaney violently woke up so there’s an update to his bio:

Semblance Completion: Delaney’s semblance has changed or evolved into a fully functioning power. Essentially his body adopts properties (typically densities and strengths) of inorganic material. More in his bio.

Motif Change: Thanks to his Semblance being fully completed, his new basis more fits The Green Lion that Devours the Sun from Alchemical Symbolism.

#Out of the Garden #delaney hemlock #blog update #Delaney just decided I know what my shit does now #time to go resume being a heartbroken wreck

[havenoffandoms]

Man’s Best Friend

https://archiveofourown.org/works/29786457/chapters/73307826#workskin

Summary: When Eskel can’t stomach any human interaction, Lambert brings in the big guns.

This is just an excuse to write some Lil Bleater and Eskel fluff. Check out the link on AO3 for the series @creativwit and I have created (titled the Eskel Fluff Dump, to go with our Eskel Whump Dump, because we’re creative like that). 

Lambert knows that today is not a good day for Eskel when he sees his brother trudging into the kitchen, hair still tousled from where it rested on his pillow all night, and still in his cotton braies and shirt he always wears to bed. Eskel isn't in the habit of not cleaning up before breakfast. In fact, on most occasions when Lambert came down for breakfast Eskel will have been awake for hours already, either getting a headstart on his chores or reading in the library. Not today, it seems. Today Eskel looks like shit.

And Lambert tells him that in the nicest, most caring way possible.

"You, brother, look like you've been dragged by a zeugl through the shitty sewers of both Novigrad and Oxenfurt."

Lambert's easy banter, meant to lighten Eskel's sour mood, only earns him a raised middle finger in response. Which is strange in and of itself, because Eskel is not one for rude gestures. Eskel can destroy a man's reputations using only his words and wit. Lambert knows because he's witnessed it once in his lifetime and to this day the innkeep in Ard Carraigh will let anyone who mentions the name Eskel sleep and eat for free in his establishment.

"Okay, tough crowd," Lambert clicks his tongue once, wrecking his brain for a way to engage Eskel. The latter picks up an apple and a jug of water (at least Lambert hopes it's water and not ale… or vodka) before shuffling out of the kitchen again without sparing Lambert a glance or a word.

Strange. Lambert really should investigate.

__________

"Hey Geralt!"

"Lambert."

Lambert finds Geralt in the stables mucking out Roach's stall. Lambert makes sure to pat his own gelding on the nose in greeting before addressing his brother again.

"Seen Eskel this morning?" Lambert asks casually, as if he's not still internally freaking out at just how terrible their brother looked this morning. Geralt glances up at Lambert briefly, and if Lambert wasn't as well-versed in Geralt's body language he would have missed the concern flash in his yellowish eyes.

"Briefly as he was heading down for breakfast."

"Alright. So maybe you can tell me what crawled up his ass and died there?"

Geralt shrugs his shoulders and resumes his shovelling motion.

"He didn't speak much."

"Exactly. Usually he at least spares a good morning. Not even that! He flipped me off this morning," Lambert adds for emphasis, because if Geralt is unwilling to see the severity of the situation then Lambert will make him see it.

"You probably had it coming."

"Beside the point, as usual, pretty boy. Eskel doesn't do shit like that."

"He's only human. Every man has a breaking point."

Lambert throws his hands up in the air dramatically and rolls his eyes at Geralt in an exasperated manner. How does the bard do it, Lambert wonders! It's like Geralt is doing his best to be dense.

"Fine! If you're no help, maybe papa Vesemir will know."

With those words, Lambert leaves the stables and heads straight for the library where he's sure to find the old man.

__________

"No Lambert, I haven't seen Eskel this morning," Vesemir informs him without looking up from the book he's reading, "though I heard him toss and turn all night."

"Probably why he went back to bed this morning after I saw him," Lambert muses. Vesemir looks up then, one eyebrow raised in question.

"Eskel went back to bed?" the old witcher asks, worry barely noticeable in his tone but Lambert just knows . "That's not like him."

"Exactly what I thought."

"Did he say anything to you when you saw him?"

Lambert describes their encounter to Vesemir and watches the man's frown deepen when Lambert mentions that Eskel didn't even bother to get dressed. So Lambert isn't crazy. It is odd seeing Eskel this way.

"This is peculiar," Vesemir comments when Lambert is done, "very peculiar. Did you three drink last night?"

"Nope." Lambert probably takes too much pride in that single statement. So what? He's not drank a drop in two days, where's his medal? "Nope, we all had an early night. Unless Eskel hides a stash of secret alcohol and fisstech from us. If he does, then Vesemir can you please tell him that it's rude not to share with his brothers?"

Vesemir rolls his eyes at that statement, but the worried frown doesn't subside. Lambert is starting to feel agitated himself. If Eskel isn't willing to talk to any of them, if he's intent on avoiding all of them, then how is Lambert supposed to help? Suddenly, an idea hits him.  He manages a quick "Be right back!" in Vesemir's general direction before he leaves the library. He takes the steps two by two and jumps down the last five before dashing to the stables once again. Geralt is long gone, but that doesn't matter. Lambert doesn't need pretty boy's help to carry out his plan.

__________

"Come on, you stupid son of a bitch," Lambert curses as he tries to tie a leash around Lil Bleater's neck, "your dad needs some goat loving!"

Lil Bleater bleats indignantly, then hisses and coughs at him. Lambert didn't even know goats could do that! Creatures from hell they are, he thinks to himself as he grabs Lil Bleater by the horns when she tries to headbutt him in the family jewels.

"You little shit! How are you so tame around Eskel? What does he do to earn your love, she-devil?"

Lil Bleater manages to dislodge her head from Lambert's grasp and once again aims straight for his nuts. Lambert is quick enough to dodge, the Goddess be blessed, and the goat catches him in the thigh instead. Behind him, Lambert hears Scorpion huff and nicker at his predicament. Lambert glares at the stallion over his shoulder.

"I swear to the Gods, you're no horse! Admit it! You're a person trapped in the body of a horse."

Scorpion whinnies in response, then turns his back on Lambert to eat his oats in peace. Lambert will maintain that Scorpion is no regular horse until the day he dies. That horse is far too clever for his own good! Lambert puts those thoughts to one side for the time being. He's got an angry goat to tame. Maybe he should get Geralt to help?

Lambert heaves a sigh. The things he'll do for his brother.

__________

Lambert resorts to using Axii to get the she-devil inside the keep, past Vesemir's attention and up the stairs to Eskel's room. Whatever it is that's troubling Eskel, Lambert is convinced that a cuddle from his faithful Lil Bleater will chase all the dark thoughts away. At least Lambert hopes it will. He's not sure how easily he can sneak a horse into the keep. Yes, Scorpion is his plan B. Your point?

When Lambert reaches Eskel's door, he lifts Axii and tightens his grip on the leash in case Lil Bleater attempts a flash escape. The goat takes several seconds to gather her wits and get her bearings, but to Lambert's surprise she doesn't bleat, or scream, or cough or hiss, when she sees him standing so close to her. Instead, she stares at Eskel's bedroom door and her little tail starts wagging furiously. Aha. So she's been here before, has she? Eskel, Eskel… what would papa Vesemir say?

Lambert knocks on the door, a small smile gracing his lips when he sees the goat bounce around him in excitement. Alright, even Lambert has to admit that the thing is cute when she's not trying to headbut him in the nuts.

"Eskel?"

"Go away," comes the muffled response.

"Alright I will, but first there's someone here who wants to see you."

Lil Bleater chooses this exact moment to let out a heartbroken bleat. Her human is right there, behind this very door, so why isn't she getting to see him yet? Lambert's grin grows when he opens the door and lets the goat run inside the room, heading straight for Eskel's bed. She leaps onto the mattress easily, like she's probably done countless times before. Eskel, who is currently buried under the covers, shifts when he feels Lil Bleater lick at his face. A large hand comes to pet her behind the ear, causing Lil Bleater's tail to wag even more energetically than before.

"Hey girl," Lambert hears Eskel greet her, the gravel in his voice completely gone, "hey, watcha doin' up here?"

"Let's just say uncle Lambert knew that her dad wasn't feeling up to human interaction today, so he thought he'd bring in the big guns."

Eskel peeks at Lambert over his shoulder and his expression softens. He still looks like shit - dark rings under his eyes, hair sticking out, and the funky smell in the room tells Lambert Eskel hasn't opened a window in, oh, probably decades. But despite all of this, there's a smile tugging at the edges of Eskel's lips when Lil Bleater insistently licks at his scars.

"Thank you," he whispers sincerely, "for understanding."

"Hey brother, what is family for? If you need us we'll be about the keep somewhere."

Eskel nods before curling up under the covers again. Lil Bleater finally settles as well and plops down next to Eskel, nestled in the warm spot created by Eskel pulling his legs halfway up to his chest in a foetal position. Lambert's smirk softens into a smile at the sight. Eskel and Lil Bleater, friends for life. Lambert gently closes the door behind him and gives the two some well-deserved privacy.

As Lambert heads downstairs again, whistling a happy tune on his way, he can't help but feel grateful that he doesn't have to resort to his plan B.

#eskel #eskel the witcher #the witcher eskel #lambert #lambert the witcher #the witcher lambert #geralt of rivia #witcher geralt #lil bleater #fluff #eskel & lambert #lambert & geralt #lambert & vesemir #eskel & lil bleater

[i-think-he-is-adorable-too]

The Landing Strip

A/N: So, this story came to me while watching a movie and I couldn’t stop myself from writing it. Hope you enjoy!

Summary: Your boyfriend Dean has been acting nervous around you for a couple of days and it seems like Sam is taunting him, so you set yourself to find out what is going on.

Pairings: Dean Winchester x reader

Warnings: I don’t know, lies, a strip club, Sam is a jerk with his brother,fake angst and some revenge?

———————————————————————————-

Dean was acting really suspicious, its not like you thought he was cheating or anything like that but he certainly was hiding something. This past two days he had been overly nervous with you and a little snappy with Sammy, who always smirked in response to his behavior.

You have known them both since you were a kid and you prided yourself in knowing Dean better than anyone, in some cases even better than Sam, especially since you started dating a year ago, when he finally caved to his feelings and got over the fact that you were 9 years younger than him.

“We are leaving Y/N” He said approaching you without meeting your stare. You looked at him with a furrowed brow. “Are you okay Dean?” You asked.

“Yeah, yeah... Totally fine, as I said we’ll be back later tonight.” He answered with a weird tone in his voice that sounded almost like guilt to you, while Sam looked on with a taunting smile on his face. 

Dean narrowed his eyes at him, cleared his throat and came closer to you. “I’ll be back soon sweetheart.” He added while kissing the side of your head.

When the door shut behind them you scrambled towards the computer and opened up the program you guys normally use to track cellphones for cases. You knew this probably sounded a little too much like crazy girlfriend behavior, but he really was acting funny. You couldn’t really think of anything he could be doing at midnight that he couldn’t share with you and that allowed Sam to taunt him.

Pulling up the information of Dean’s cellphone you watched as they went into town and stopped on a street you couldn’t remember ever being to. You waited to see if they moved, but it seemed they had reached their destination. For all you knew he could have been telling you the truth when he told you he was just grabbing a couple of beers with other hunters at a bar. The thing is you didn’t recall ever going to a bar in that street, and you were always with them. That along with his bizarre behavior had you reaching for the keys of one of the bunkers spare cars and following them to find out what they were up to.

When you arrived a big spectacular of half naked girls greeted you, it was a strip club called The Landing Strip. You let out a chuckle of disbelief at the name and the situation, which then turned into a full belly laugh that had tears streaming down your face. It all made sense to you now.

A couple of weeks ago you had heard Dean arguing with Sam and getting angry at him for teasing him along with some other hunters about you having him completely whipped and having lost his taste and way with girls. You had listened amused as Dean was nearly throwing a tantrum about it not being true.

Even though you didn’t hear the rest you could guess what happened, Sam and the other guys probably suggested coming here to Dean as a way to prove you didn’t control him on something like that. And Dean being the proud asshole he is, he probably accepted and decided not to tell you so you wouldn’t stop him or get upset at him.

You knew that no men really had to be dragged to a place like this, but ever since you started dating Dean has been so careful and affectionate with you, following you everywhere, almost as if he was afraid that a wrong move on his part could make you leave him.

Honestly, you weren’t mad, you were just a little annoyed with Sam for teasing Dean in this manner. You never explicitly talked with Dean about something like this, but you thought there was nothing wrong with him coming to a place like this with friends, as long as he just watched and he didn’t touch anyone. You weren’t overly jealous but you sure as hell weren’t into sharing your man.

You stepped out of the car and got into the club, the guard at the door giving you a funny stare but let you in anyway. You sneakily peeked into the club and easily spotted their group, two hunters and Dean, were sitting next to a stage where a pretty and leggy blonde was dancing for them in a set of black lingerie. Dean was sitting a little rigid in the chair farthest from the stage, typing on his phone. In that moment, your phone rang letting you know you had a text message.

Dean: Hey babe, you still awake? I just wanted to tell you I love you before you went to bed.

You smiled fondly at the phone screen and answered.

Y/N: Yes, I am. I love you too Dean, don’t forget it.

You watched as Dean read the message, smiled at his phone and started fidgeting in his seat about to stand up. At that moment Sam arrived at the table and put his hand on Deans shoulder stopping him from leaving. He said something you couldn’t hear, the other hunters started laughing and Dean crossed his arms resuming his awkward position. 

He slipped his phone out of his pocket again and started writing when Sam took it away and slipped him into his own pocket saying something to Dean which made him glare at him and the rest of the hunters explode into resounding laughs.

From your spot behind the wall you narrowed your eyes at Sam for being a jerk with his brother and came up with a plan that made a wicked smile appear in your face.

Subtly you motioned for a pretty waiter to approach you. “Hey, I’m sorry to bother you, my name is Y/N, and I was wondering if you could help me with something…” You told the girl, whose name was Carly, about Sam teasing Dean, mocking him with his friends and making him come and stay here without telling you. You told her your plan and she agreed whole heartedly; she really was a sweet girl.

You watched as Carly went up to Sam and told him what you asked her to, that his car needed to be moved because a delivery truck couldn’t pass through. Dean instantly stood up, but, as you expected, Sam stopped him and told him he would take care of it with a smug face. You watched as he approached your hiding place and took a couple of steps back to make it seem as if you were just arriving.

When he was just a table away, he lifted his eyes and they went wide as soon as he saw you there. You glanced at Dean still oblivious to your scene, sitting there while the girl danced in the stage. Sam followed your glance and looked back at you with a worried face. You made your eyes water and let a couple of tears roll down your cheeks while conjuring your best heartbroken face.

“Don’t” you told him when he took a step towards you. “Y/N, wait” he said in a scared tone. “I can’t believe he would do this to me, I thought he loved me.” You said just loud enough for him to hear, your voice breaking purposely at the end. “No, wait, of course he does.” He said trying to stop the train wreck he thought he had caused. “No, he doesn’t, we said no lies, I told him lying and cheating were a deal breaker for me.” You fake sobbed at the end and watched as he turned to look at Dean, then back at you, and his expression turned to panic. When he reached for you, you bolted towards the exit and ducked behind a column to hide from him.

You saw him try to follow you and go out the door to look for you, before you dried your fake tears, took a deep breath and sent Dean a message knowing Sam had taken his cellphone a couple minutes ago.

Y/N: Don’t bother looking for me at the bunker when you come back.

Rounding the column again when Sam came back in, you watched as he stopped for a second, pulled out Deans phone, read the message with a labored breathing and worriedly pulled his hair.

Serves him right for being an idiot to his brother and to you too.

You watched as Sam approached the table looking panicked and started saying something to Dean, before you stepped out of your hiding place and went towards them in time to hear him stutter out “Dean, there’s something I have to tell you…”

You saw the moment Dean realized you were there because his eyes widened comically and he stood up ungracefully. “Sweetheart this is not what it looks like…” He started saying nervously.

“Oh really? Because it seems to me like your idiotic brother dragged you here to prove something…” You said, making Sam turn towards you with a shocked expression, and Dean sag with relief.

“Now why don’t we sit down and enjoy the show, after all I already got my revenge at Sam for acting like a jerk by making him think he had ruined our relationship and this girl has got really hot moves that I want to watch.” you said confidently and motioned for Dean to sit down so you could sit on his lap. “What?” Dean stuttered while Sam and the hunters looked at you with awe.

You took your eyes from the girl still dancing and whispered to Dean “Well I am not against watching you know? Even if I don’t like girls, I can appreciate the way they move their bodies and how sexy they are. As long as I am the only one you are touching and taking home at the end of the night, I am perfectly fine with this. I might even try and copy a few moves for you later…”

“God, I love you” He said and pulled you for a deep kiss.

#dean winchester #dean winchester fanfiction #dean winchester imagine #dean winchester x reader #dean x reader #supernatural #supernatural imagine #SPN #spn imagine #Sam Winchester #sam winchester x reader #Jensen Ackles #jensen ackles smut #jensen ackles imagine #jensen ackles x reader #Jared Padalecki #jared padalecki x reader #reader insert #dean winchester smut #supernatural one shot

[mythologyfolklore]

Baldr in Hel - Ch. 01

(A/N: This is another fanfic I’m rewriting. So prepare to be confronted with some crack ships (yes, I mean BaldrxHel). Also, they’re both ace and Baldr has a crap ton of issues. If you don’t like that, you’re perfectly welcome to leave.)

.

Hel's POV

Hel was sitting on her throne, just being her usual self and ruling the underworld.

Before her throne was a queue of dead souls, waiting to be assigned to their respective afterlife.

First in line was a middle-aged woman.

Hel's black eyes bored themselves into the soul in front of her.

Hmm … extreme vanity, violent outbursts of anger, abuse of servants and slaves, adultery. Died of dysentery. Gross.

“Náströnd¹. Give her to Níðhöggr² as a chew toy.”

Two servants dragged the screaming, flailing soul away.

Hel grimaced in scorn at the cries for mercy – mercy! For that scum! Who would praise her incorruptible and fair judgement, if she let evildoers get away with their crimes, just because they begged for mercy?

“Next”, she ordered.

A man stepped forward.

Pathological liar, murderer, perjurer. Fell from his horse and broke his neck. That's hilarious.

“Same as the last.”

Same reaction as the woman before him.

“Next.”

An old man.

Womaniser, but not married. Guilty of avarice. Died of old age.

“Niflheimr. He shall shovel the pathways.”

The old man let the servants take him away, muttering something that sounded like “was nice, while it lasted”.

“Next.”

A little girl.

Guiltless. Died of hypothermia. Poor little thing.

Hel's expression softened and the dead side of her face turned lively and fair, both to accommodate the innocent soul in front of her and because her face changed condition according to mood. Cute things made her happy and children were darn cute. Most of them anyway.

“Oh my Norns, you're so adorable!”, Hel cooed and the child smiled shyly. “To Helheimr with you. There are lots of children for you to play with.”

“Will I be punished?”, the girl asked frightfully.

Hel smiled gently: “Of course not. For what would I punish you? You have done nothing wrong.”

“Can Mama come too?”, the child asked and stepped to the side to reveal the woman behind her.

Hel read the woman's soul and found her to be blameless as well.

The queen smiled: “She can.”

Mother and child cried with joy and she picked her daughter up, as another servant led them away to a more pleasant life than their old one had been.

The underworld wasn't as unpleasant as everyone thought it was. The living spoke of horrible torments, but why would Hel let the innocents be tortured?

She took a moment to smile after the two, before turned back to- oh. Apparently those were all the souls for the day.

Hel just shrugged and resumed her usual blank expression. She would enjoy a few minutes of quiet, before leaving to do her paperwork.

Or not.

Because right that moment her manservant Ganglati³ entered the throne room, unusually light-footed.

After the old man had caught his breath, he addressed Hel: “Your Majesty, Queen of the Underworld, Ruler of Helheimr and Niflheimr, Lokidóttir-”

“What do you want, Ganglati?”, Hel groaned in annoyance. She really wished they would just call her by her name instead of rattling down all those titles.

“A very special guest has arrived!”, the old servant announced excitedly.

The queen was not impressed. “A 'very special guest', huh? Well, who is the unlucky soul?”

“It's Baldr Óðinnson!”

Hel's black eyes widened. Then she smirked wickedly.

Baldr. Óðinn's most beloved son. The fairest of the Æsir.

She had already been waiting for him; her tables were laid, the mead brewed.

“Hm, he took his time, didn't he?”

.

Baldr's POV

Where was he?

What had happened?

The last thing he had felt was this pain in his chest, where the mistletoe dart had pierced him.

Strangely enough it hadn't hurt as much as he had suspected.

No, what had hurt him more was what he had seen last – how Loki had tricked Höðr – his blind, darker, yet beloved twin – into shooting him. Oh poor Höðr, he had to be so heartbroken! Knowing that he had killed his brother …

Ah. Yes.

That was it.

He was dead.

And this had to be the entrance to the underworld.

Finally! No more pressure, no more getting stuff thrown my way … oh Norns, why am I like this?!

Now he just had to find the gate. A bit of a challenge in this fog.

Before he knew it, there was an obsidian bridge with a golden roof. Where had that come from?

More so, there was something inviting and mesmerising about this bridge. It called to him.

Come, it seemed to whisper to him. Cross me. Go to the afterlife. Enter the place, where you will be beyond all pain.

He chose to follow the call.

As he was in the middle of the bridge, he encountered a Jötunn, who was sitting on a watch tower. When she saw him, she jumped off her seat and greeted him briskly: “Welcome, Baldr Óðinnson. I am Móðguðr⁴, the gatekeeper of the underworld. Her Majesty, our venerated queen, is already awaiting you.”

She was? Huh.

This was exactly what Loki had told him, a night before he had murdered him.

Baldr smiled: “Well, I better hurry, then. It would be rude to keep the queen waiting, wouldn't it?”

“That it would”, the Jötunn agreed, unsmiling.

Suddenly a new voice made them both jump.

“Baldr? Where are you? Wait for me! Don't leave me here! I can't see anything in this fog!”

His blue eyes widened.

Nanna?! Oh no! When had she – okay, scratch that, he had to get away!

He stood on his tiptoes to whisper to the giantess: “I beg you, Madam, give me directions, quick!”

Her colourless eyes twinkled in amusement, though she still didn't smile.

“When you arrive at the other end of the bridge, go to the left, until you arrive at an iron gate. From there, just follow the black path, but be careful not to slip. Inside the castle are signs and layout plans, so you should find your way to the audience hall easily”, she whispered back.

He thanked her and made haste to follow her directions.

.

Hel's POV

Hel picked up her scythe and made her way to the audience hall to receive her new special subject.

The bells tied to her scythe jingled as she walked.

A long time ago, her father had given them to her, to remember her daddy by. Lucky charms he had called them. She still cherished them dearly, that was why she had tied them to her scythe in the first place: so she could take them with her, wherever she went. They were a reminder of happier times, times before the Æsir had come, had torn her and her brothers away from their mother, had bound Fenrir and thrown Jörmungandr into the sea that surrounded Midgardr and banished her to Niflheimr.

That and they were a nice change from the constant howling of the wind and wolves and the faint whispers of the dead. Their jingling was comforting (and alerted dead souls, that she was near).

She entered the audience hall to receive this indeed “very special guest”, sat on her high throne, placed the scythe on her lap and waited for the dead Ása to arrive.

.

Baldr's POV

Baldr had almost got lost in the many crooked corridors, but he had somehow managed to find the way in the end.

Eventually he found himself in a huge hall, presumably the throne room.

It was rather dark in here. The only light sources were tiny, pale blue lights, that floated through the hall like fireflies. Every time they neared the walls, their dim light would make fluorescing minerals glow.

A thick ground mist was covering the ground up to Baldr's knees, but everything above that level was perfectly visible.

As he looked around, he saw that he was standing in front of a golden throne. It was currently vacant, but he could tell, that normally the Mistress of the Dead herself sat on it.

What didn't escape Baldr, was how the tiny lights gradually orbited closer to him. Maybe they were attracted to his own glow, like moths to a flame.

This place had a foreign kind of beauty to it. It was nothing like the descriptions of Helheimr he had heard in life (well, except for the darkness and mist).

As he was standing there, taking in the ambience and letting the tiny light balls circle around him, he heard slow steps approaching the room, until from a side entrance an old lady emerged and came up to him.

“Baldr Óðinnson?”, she inquired.

“That's me”, he confirmed.

“Good”, the woman said. “Welcome to Éljúðnir⁵, the high castle and seat of Her Majesty, the queen. I am Ganglöt⁶. My mistress is expecting you in the audience hall. Follow me.”

He obeyed and followed the old maid.

All the while, he tried to figure out what she was. She wasn't an Asýnja, nor was she a Jötunn. She was clearly not a Light Alf or a Vana and, if the appearance of Iðunn was anything to go by, not a Dark Alf either. She didn't even look like any of the Midgardians he had ever encountered. Maybe an Elemental? But then the question would be what she embodied.

His train of thought was put to an end, when he and the old maidservant arrived in front of a giant fluorescing green door.

And suddenly it came back to his mind, that he was about to meet Hel Lokisdóttir – the daughter of his murderer.

Baldr took a deep breath to compose himself.

Ganglöt seemed to notice. “Are you nervous, young man?”

He nodded awkwardly.

She lifted her head to give him a small smile. “If you're remotely as virtuous as people say, you have nothing to fear”, she assured him.

Then she tapped the threshold with her walking cane and Baldr screamed in terror, when the ground between the two and the door opened up to reveal a pitfall.

“What is this?!?”, he gasped out, as he recoiled from the pit.

“Eh, just one of the little tricks her Majesty has installed”, the old lady explained.

“Little tricks???”

“Aye. And now we need to walk over the chasm.”

The bright god gawked at her. “Excuse you?! That chasm is too wide for-”

But the maid only giggled softly: “Don't wreck your pretty head, young one. Watch.”

Then she stepped forward – into the empty.

And Ganglöt walked. Over the void of the pit. As if it was solid ground.

His eyes grew even bigger. “What … how …?”

“Come”, the old woman smiled and stretched out her hand to him. “There is nothing to be afraid of. I will hold your hand.”

Baldr gulped and took the offered hand.

Ganglöt's hand was as could be expected of an old woman's hand, but at the same time it felt really strange; as if someone had warmed up a piece of wood, softened it and given it a pulse.

“Come”, she repeated. “The queen doesn't like waiting that much.”

“Right”, he mumbled and took a few deep breaths.

Pull yourself together, Baldr scolded himself. Stop being such a wuss!

He closed his eyes and stepped into the void.

But when it didn't feel like he was falling, he opened them again – only to find, that he (just like Ganglöt) was standing in the air, right above the chasm.

“Huh”, he said. “Okaayyy …”

He let the old woman bring him to the other side (to top it off, she proceeded to hum “Walking In The Air” as she did so) and sighed in relief, when he stood on actual solid ground again and the chasm closed behind them.

“What was that?!”, he desired to know.

The maid shrugged: “Ask Her Majesty. Now compose yourself and straighten your posture, young man. You don't want to face queen Hel with that expression, do you?”

.

Hel's POV

When the door finally opened and her handmaid Ganglöt brought the dead Ása in, Hel was startled.

What everyone had told her, it really was true.

There were no words to describe just how beautiful the person in front of her was.

His face was boyish, almost feminine, and very pale. His hair was almost white and hung from his shoulders in two thick braids, in addition to the open hair in the back. He had the cutest little nose and big, sky blue eyes with long lashes. Despite him being dead, there was a faint blush on his cheeks (she wanted to pinch them), his lips were rosy and he was shining!

His eyes held a whole range of emotions: nervousness, anxiety and an undefinable sadness, but also warmth, softness and curiosity.

But this wasn't the time to get distracted.

Hel mustered a small smile and stood up to greet him.

“You must be Baldr Óðinnson”, she addressed him. “Welcome to my humble abode. I have already been waiting for you.”

.

Baldr's POV

So this was Hel?

For a few seconds he was speechless.

The queen of the eponymous world and of Niflheimr was certainly a sight to behold.

A bizarre sight; she was the strangest thing Baldr had ever seen.

It started with her hair. It was platinum blond on her right side, pitch black on the left.

She was wan, probably from the lack of sunlight. And parts of her face were black and withered, like a rotting corpse.

He was struck by pity. Was it painful for her to be half dead? And if not, how much did it bother her? And did this really make her ugly, like everyone said?

Strange, yes.

Ugly? Hmm … no, not really. Not in Baldr's opinion.

The way she united life and death in her person gave her a strange kind of beauty.

And when he approached her, his glow illuminated her enough for him to see more.

She was thin and a head taller than himself.

Her right cheek was as rosy as any maiden's.

Her night blue dress spoke of her wealth and power⁷ and she was wearing a moonstone necklace.

Her profound black eyes, which at first had looked startled (probably by his appearance, Baldr was used to it), were now looking at him with mild interest and curiosity, which for some reason was really cute and endearing to him.

I must have a weird taste in what I find cute, he thought.

Hold on – where were his manners?! He had just walked up to her without bowing or even saying hello and now was staring at the queen of the underworld, like a total idiot!

Time to fix that!

.

Hel's POV

Hel could tell, that the other was just as startled by her looks as she was by his. Of course everyone was, she was used to it, but he didn't seem to be as disgusted as most other people were.

In fact, he seemed fascinated.

How curious.

Then he blinked and seemed to remember, that he was standing in front of his new sovereign.

He blushed bright scarlet and hastily knelt before her.

“Y-yes, I am indeed Baldr”, he responded to her own greeting. “And you are, without a doubt, Queen Hel. It's such a pleasure to finally meet you!”

Now it was her turn to blink. “A pleasure to finally meet me”, she echoed blankly.

He smiled up at her and nodded – primordial cow, he actually meant that!

“Your father has told me so much about you”, Baldr continued. “Oh, speaking of him!”

He rummaged through the leather bags he was wearing around his belt, until he found something – a small stone plate.

“Your father snuck this note into my bag. I do believe it's for you?”

Hel took the stone plate and read the content:

“To my beautiful little girl,

the best birthday present ever to the best daughter ever. A ray of light for your realm of darkness. Happy birthday, Hel!

Love you lots, sweetie. Your dad.

PS: Sigyn says hi.”

She sighed in exasperation and shook her head. That was so typical for her father …

Then again, who was she to complain?

Not only was this beautiful creature in her hands now, his death surely caused his father and all the Æsir great grief. The soul of Óðinn's beloved son was the best birthday present indeed.

Now, what to do?

Should she take her grudge on the Allfather out on his son?

No.

Her resentment towards Óðinn would not cloud her judgement.

“Look me in the eyes”, she ordered and he did so.

He squirmed a little under her gaze, as her eyes bored into his soul and read him.

Hmm … no bad deeds, no condemning character traits. What a pure and adorable cinnamon roll! But what is that … oh! Oh no! What a mess!

.

Baldr's POV

Baldr was getting increasingly unsettled by the blank expression on Hel's face.

He was pretty sure, that he had never seen such a blank face in his life. Her big black eyes were like two voids. It reminded him a little of the owls he had sometimes seen, when he had walked in the forests in Asgard. Oh yes, that was the word: owlish. Her stare was owlish.

“Are you alright?”, he asked worriedly.

Hel tilted her head. Her face was still blank, but at least she now seemed to snap out of her trance.

Then, finally she opened her mouth to speak again.

“Nope.”

“S-sorry?”

“The son of the jerk, who banished me down here, can't be this cute. It just doesn't make any sense”, she … uh, clarified?

“I-I'm sorry!”, Baldr stammered and blushed a deep red.

He didn't know how to deal with this.

Baldr was an Ása, he was used to being around people, who were brutally frank and outspoken.

But Hel seemed to be a different kind of blunt.

Though he had been called cute before, it had never been like this. Hel had said that sentence with a completely straight face, without the faintest blush and in the most no-nonsense tone ever – as if it was a matter of fact. And that startled him somehow.

What startled him even more, was when a third person stumbled into the room.

Baldr almost cringed at how dishevelled Nanna was looking (and at the fact, that she was now here and there was a high chance that she would make him and/or Hel insanely uncomfortable).

“Oh, finally, I found the right room!”, she gasped. “The gatekeeper gave me wrong directions – hi, Baldr – so orientating myself was a nightmare, then I almost fell into a pit and this old lady showed up and brought me here!”

She pointed at Ganglöt, who was lingering in the background.

The light god paid close attention to Hel's reaction. Her expression didn't change at all, but Baldr could have sworn, that the left side of her face just had become slightly more decayed.

Still her overall demeanour stayed the same.

“Seems like Móðguðr played a trick on you. You have to forgive her. My gatekeeper has the tendency to give wrong directions to people she doesn't like”, she told Nanna.

“Eh, whatever”, the other goddess muttered, “I'm here now. Sooo … uhhh …”

Whatever she had been about to say died, when she got a good look at Hel. Baldr could feel the horror and disgust radiating from his former wife.

Obviously Hel noticed it too, because she brushed her black hair forward to conceal the left side of her face. Somehow that really bothered Baldr; the queen shouldn't have to cover half of her face, just because others couldn't stand it.

Nanna on the other hand seemed to have it easier now. “You're queen Hel, right?”

“No, I'm just your average Jötunn woman with a half decayed body, who has power over the dead and the entirety of Niflheimr and can read dead souls like open books”, Hel deadpanned.

For some reason Baldr couldn't help but burst into giggles. He quickly pulled himself together, but the fact that he had laughed at the queen's comment at all seemed to be enough to tick Nanna off.

“Good to see that you're having fun!”, she hissed.

Her husband coughed and mumbled an awkward apology.

“Now, now”, Hel spoke up. “Let's not get into an argument. Welcome to my realm, Nanna Nepsdóttir. Aren't you going to at least say hello to your new sovereign? Because now that you're dead, you're my subject – whether you like it or not.”

“Oh … right. Sorry”, the dead goddess mumbled, bowed and gave a polite, but cool greeting.

“Better”, the queen nodded. “Now, let me see …”

.

Hel's POV

Hel couldn't claim to be surprised by what she saw, when she read Nanna's soul.

This time she said it out loud, if only to expose her.

“Ah. Cynical, self-esteem issues, guilty of adultery with … Hermodr? Isn't that Baldr's bro-”

“Oh no, what a shock, I couldn't possibly have seen this coming!”, Baldr deadpanned.

Nanna stared at her former husband in horror. “You knew? All this time you-?!”

“Nanna, I'm neither naïve nor stupid. Yes, I knew.”

“Then why did you never say anything?!”

“Because I-”

Hel cleared her throat: “You two, this isn't couple therapy and I'm not a marriage counsellor.”

The two blinked and apologised sheepishly.

“It's forgiven”, she accepted it. “But please settle your marital issues between yourselves. I may be Loki's daughter, but that doesn't mean, that I have his sense of humour. I do not revel in the misery of others. It would be unbecoming of a queen like myself.”

The dead couple nodded.

“Anyway, Nanna, I think you know, that adultery is a crime, no matter what.”

“Yes, I do”, the dead Asýnja sighed. “So, what will it be? A snake pit? Being chewed on by a dragon, or whatever punishment people like me get around here?”

“That is indeed the standard punishment for adulterers”, Hel confirmed.

“NO!”, Baldr screamed and fell on his knees. “Please, don't do this to her!”, he pleaded. “I beg you! My wife doesn't deserve such a harsh punishment! She only-”

“Let me finish”, Hel cut him off and turned back to Nanna. “What I was going to say, before Baldr interrupted me, was that this is the standard punishment for adulterers, who actually deserve it. My judgement is fair and just. As I said before, dead souls are open books to me. I know what kind of life you two led, what tragedy your marriage really was and why you did what you did. And that, Nepsdóttir, is your saving grace.”

“So, what will it be instead?”, Nanna asked nervously.

Hel considered for a moment, before answering. “I think shovelling the snow off the paths outside would be appropriate. A bit of manual labour and cool, fresh air never hurt anyone.”

“I accept my punishment.”

“Good. Servants, take her into my garden and give her a snow shovel. The pathways out there really need to be cleared.”

Her ghostly servants were about to lead the goddess away, when Hel remembered something:

“Oh, one more thing, Nanna.”

“Yes?”

“Now that you two are dead, Baldr is your husband no more. Wedding vows do not transcend death, contrary to the assumption of the living, that they do.”

The daughter of Loki wasn't surprised to see relief run over the other woman's face, before she nodded in acknowledgement. Then she was led away.

.

Baldr's POV

“They won't hurt her, right?”, the Bright One asked the Mistress of the Dead in concern.

“Unless she does something to warrant it, no”, she replied, to his relief.

Then she told him to follow her and he did so.

She guided him through dark halls, illuminated only by his glow. No word was spoken, until Hel stopped in front of a door, opened it and motioned for Baldr to go inside.

As the dead god glanced around the room, he was stunned by the the splendour, visible even in the dim light. It was elaborately furnished, with jewels embedded in walls and furniture.

Seemed like Hel acted on the maxim “If you've got it, flaunt it”.

“Wow”, he breathed. His house in Asgard, Breiðablik⁸, hadn't quite been as luxurious (even though compared to the other houses in Asgard it was the most splendid), mostly because showing off wasn't Baldr's thing.

“I'm glad you like it”, Hel stated. “This is actually one of my own spare bedrooms, but there have been complications, while preparing your rooms, so for now you will be staying here. Your things will be brought to you shortly. In the meantime, you can make yourself comfortable.”

Baldr blushed in embarrassment. “I … I don't think I'm deserving of such honours.”

Hel lifted an eyebrow. “What, are you questioning my sound judgement?”

The blush was immediately replaced by pallor. “No! Of course not!”

“That's what I thought”, she said and he could have sworn, that there was a hint of amusement in her otherwise still completely toneless voice. It didn't show on her face either, but Baldr was pretty sure, that she was enjoying herself at his cost.

With a sigh, he sat on the bed. It was a king-sized bed and it seemed really comfortable.

Suddenly exhaustion set in with a vengeance and he felt really tired. Why was he tired? He always had assumed, that dead people didn't need to sleep – after all, wasn't death already an everlasting sleep? Oh well, another afterlife lesson learned.

Hel seemed to sense his fatigue, for she said: “You must be exhausted. After all, you travelled all the way down Yggdrasil. That's not exactly a stroll in the park. So lie down and sleep a little. A servant will come and wake you up, when dinner is ready.”

He stood up once more and bowed. “Thank you, your Majesty.”

“No need for formalities. Just Hel will do”, she replied. “I'm more than just the queen of Niflheimr. I founded a whole kingdom and named it after myself. I think that expresses my power more than my queenly title does.”

Baldr couldn't have argued with that, even if he had wanted to.

Hel left the room and closed the door, leaving the dead god alone.

The Bright One sat back down and contemplated his new situation.

Hmm … Hel doesn't seem so bad. Neither the place, nor the person. The Mistress of the Dead seems to be a fair ruler. And of course, no one throwing stuff at me is always nice … I think I'm going to like it here.

He lay down and found the bed just as warm and comfy as his old one in Asgardr.

Baldr fell asleep within seconds.

.

---

.

1) Náströnd: "Corpse Shore", the place of Helheimr, where oath-breakers, adulterers and murderers are punished. 2) Níðhöggr: "Malice Striker/Hateful Striker", a serpentine dragon living and gnawing at the roots of Yggdrasil (the cosmic World Tree), who also chews on the corpses of the inhabitants of Náströnd. 3) Ganglati: "Lazy-Step", Hel's personal manservant. 4) Móðguðr: "Ferocious Battler", the guardian of Gjallarbrú, the bridge across the underworld river Gjöll. 5) Éljúðnir: depending on the translation either "Misery", or "Sprayed With Blizzards/Damp With Sleet" (personally I tend more towards "misery"), Hel's castle. It's described as being enormous, having really high walls and large gates. 6) Ganglöt: "Slow-Step", Hel's handmaid. 7) Dark dyes for clothing were quite expensive, especially black-blue dyes (raven black). Most Norse societies only had access to them via trade (with the Byzantine Empire, for example). So really dark or colourful clothing was a status symbol, since it was only available to the wealthy. 8) Breiðablik: "Broad Gleam". According to Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda, it was the fairest hall in Asgard.

#norse mythology #hel #baldr #nanna #ganglot #ganglati #modgudr

[occasionalfics]

worth my while // p. 11

main masterlist | thor masterlist | ko-fi | p. 10 | epilogue 

Summary: After being banished from his home, Thor Odinson has stopped at nothing to prove himself worthy of his throne, title, and power.

After losing the love of your life, you turned to a power you didn’t understand.You know you shouldn’t get involved.

But how could you not?

Pairing: Thor x Reader (Hercules au…kind of…)

A/N: Just one more part! 

Warnings: Honestly just nostalgia and fluff finally

Words: 2,407

No one knows anything about Hades except Sam, and he only knows as much as you’ve told him. Gods notoriously don’t keep phones around - but only you know that to be a fact as well. Everyone on the team accepts it because they know Thor, who absolutely refuses to use a cellphone for whatever reason.

Weeks go by and you don’t hear anything from or about Hades or Thor. The former, you’re happy about, even though it means you have to break the lease on your apartment and find an actual mortal job.

The latter…leaves you with a heavy feeling in your heart that spreads through your limbs and makes getting out of bed in the morning almost impossible.

You do it anyway, knowing Thor wouldn’t want to have left you like this. Knowing that Tony Stark is doing you a favor by letting you live in the tower - not on the team’s residential floors, but in one of the spare rooms he keeps for high profile clients and politicians - and by giving you a job as an assistant to one of his lead engineers. You can’t be letting either of them down now, not since you’ve been granted your freedom and a second chance.

With Sam’s support and urging, you tell the whole team everything. From start - Rick’s death - to finish - the car wreck and waking up to talk to Sam. Some try to understand. Others find it difficult to forgive anyone that would use Thor like that.

You know you can’t blame them, so you avoid them instead.

You’re glad the job you’ve taken isn’t on any of the levels that the team regularly visits. Just Tony, and occasionally, his girlfriend Pepper - the actual CEO of Stark Industries. Sometimes Sam comes and takes you out for lunch, which really just consists of you going to the cafe next door because it’s usually devoid of Stark Industries employees or Avengers. It’s for the best, you figure.

One day, three months after you were mysteriously revived (no one has any answers as to how that happened, exactly), you receive an invitation to a Stark-official party. It’s a charity event, black tie, and will decidedly be missing any sign of Wilson Fisk, Victor Von Doom, Norman Osborn, or the man named Robbins from Hades’ vision board.

You’ve learned he’s a mob boss with too much time and money on his hands.

Sam convinces you to go to the party. You only accept because he’ll escort you, he’ll distract his team members for you, and he’ll be the perfect gentleman all night. You don’t know what you’ve done to deserve Sam Wilson as your best friend, but there he is. A Knight in Shining Armor. So handsome you wonder how he’s not married yet.

You dance and shmooze and drink until you can’t feel the soles of your feet anymore. Sam lets you excuse yourself on the promise that you’ll be back in ten minutes - or else he’s coming to find you.

You don’t mean to go as far as you do. You hear Friday ask you where you want to go, and you hear yourself tell her something, but you don’t actually catch the words you’ve said until she announces what floor you’ve come to.

Once you’re out on the deck, you sigh. This is the last place you held Thor. Really held him. It’s the place he told you about home, about why he was even here in the first place.

It’s the place you should have told him everything, too.

That’s your final regret: that you were never honest with him. You love him so much - he changed everything for you - but you were never, not once, real with him. He deserved so much better.

He deserves to be home. In Asgard. He deserves the crown, the throne, the Princess you’re sure he’s predestined to marry.

Thor deserves the entire universe, as far as you’re concerned. You know he has something to do with your revival, though you don’t know exactly what. You can just...feel it. And besides, which other Avenger would go to such lengths against a God they don’t know to bring you back? Maybe Sam, but no one else. No one nearly as capable of the job as Thor.

You sigh. There’s the distinct smell of Ozone in the air. You think it might rain soon. The wind is even and the stars are shining and glorious - or at least you imagine they are, beyond the light pollution of the city. The last dregs of the sunset sit on the horizon, creating a hazy, purple tint to the city skyline around you.

When you look off into the Hudson, you see something that looks awfully like a shooting star. Only, instead of its reflection moving across the water, it moves closer. It gets bigger. Somehow misses the bridge, but still manages to swerve in and out of the way of buildings as it nears.

It’s pure light, coming right for you.

This is it you think. Your comeuppance. The price you have to pay for dying and coming back to life.

Even as you accept your fate, flight takes over - you’re decidedly unprepared to fight in your floor-length golden dress and high heels. Funny how this all started with you in a similar getup, but you hardly think of that as you run to the edge of the deck and grip onto the railing as hard as you can.

The beam of light finds perch on the deck, right where you’d been standing previously. There’s a rushing sound - loud and roaring, like a waterfall - and the light shifts in color from purples to blues to pinks and yellows. Every fathomable color passes before you until it disappears suddenly, leaving only the dark night sky in its wake.

Well. The night sky, and one extremely tall, wide frame donning silver and black metal and a billowing red cape. You somehow ignore the huge patterned burn mark in the concrete floor.

Your eyes must be tricking you, you figure. This isn’t happening. Thor’s….gone. Sam told you he went home. To Asgard, where he’s always belonged.

Why would he come back to Earth when his goal had always been to prove his worthiness and be admitted home?

He confirms his presence when his eyes find you. He sighs and slides into a smile like this whole interaction has been made easier by your need for fresh air. Your stomach twists because you don’t deserve that smile. You don’t deserve him rushing toward you, looking like the universe had sculpted him for this very moment.

He calls your name and you flinch. You can’t help it. He’s spent so much of his life proving his worthiness and you’ve never done anything close - you don’t want him wasting his time and energy on you anymore. If home is what he’s always wanted, he’s got it. You have to accept that and let him go.

Thor slows, comes to a stop before you, and his face drops. “What’s wrong?” he asks.

You’re relieved and heartbroken when he doesn’t reach out to comfort you. You know you can’t have it both ways, and yet, you can’t change your mind now.

“What’re you doing here?” you whisper, hoping you don’t sound as hostile as you think you do.

His eyes can’t leave your face. “I came back for you.”

You can’t stop yourself from shaking your head. It’s not fair. That’s not fair to him. To want you? To seek you out, after everything?

“What is it?” he asks, an echo of his earlier question.

“You went home,” you tell him. “You got what you wanted. Why come back? It doesn’t make sense-”

“Because I lo-”

“Please don’t Thor.” You move past him, go to the spots his portal created on the concrete. You know Tony will be furious when he sees this, but you can’t be bothered to care. Right now, you just need Thor to go home, for the world to resume spinning on its axis as it always has and always will, whether you’re happy or not.

But he follows you. He can take two steps for every one of yours, so before you stop, he’s already walked around you.

“Why are you running away from me?” he asks, broken and confused. There’s not an ounce of anger, not even a smidge of disappointment. “I know I’ve been gone a while, but I had to leave-”

“I know you did,” you say, nothing but soft understanding in your tone. ��But you belong there. Asgard. You deserve to be there, and I deserve to be here.”

“What, alone?”

“I’m not alone,” you tell him. “I have my friends. You have your family back.”

“I do. And they want to meet you.”

At that, everything stops. You force yourself to meet his eyes, mouth held agape. Joy creeps back into his expression. Even though it’s dark, nighttime, you feel like the sun is shining down on you.

“Wha- Why?” you ask him. You can’t fathom why Space Royalty would want to meet you of all people. But then again, Thor himself is Space Royalty.

He moves closer to you, and this time, you don’t back away or rush off or flinch. You just watch him, feel as he slides his fingers softly between yours. “My mother is the only one that knows it all,” he tells you. Before your heart can sink, he continues: “It was her idea to send me here for you. She wants to meet the woman who faced Death and lived to tell the tale.”

“But I didn’t. You saved me.” It sounds strange, saying it out loud. But it’s the truth, and you’re so tired of leaving lies in your wake. “I know it was you, Thor. I don’t know how, but I-”

“You weren’t meant to die, (Y/N). You threw off Death’s plan when you wrecked Tony’s car. I was only able to bring you back because it wasn’t your time.”

He brings one of your joined hands up and leaves your palm pressed against his shoulder. His free hand moves back to your face, cradles your cheek and jaw, warms your skin despite the heat of the night.

“Did…” you start, because you’re imagining a standoff between Thor and Hades and you don’t like the thought that it’s all over you. It’s not fair. “You swam through the Styx? For me?”

Just because you had never seen Hades’ true domain didn’t mean you know nothing about it.

“Of course I did,” he answers, thumb dragging along your chin.

“But...why?” You’re not worth the trouble; that’s what every alarm in your head is telling you. But if that’s the truth, then his actions really make no sense whatsoever.

“Because people do crazy things...when they’re in love.”

You stare at him. Your bottom lip trembles, and your fingers reflexively jump against his neck.

“You died for me, (Y/N). Was I meant to leave you at the hands of the man that had already taken your freedom from you once before?”

His electric eyes search yours for an answer. You don’t give him a verbal one, but he must find what he’s looking for anyway. Thor bends and his lips meet yours, and for a second, the world feels absolutely, undeniably right.

And then the door behind you opens, and Sam’s voice calls out for you. He stops when he sees you and Thor, tangled in one another, blushing wildly and attempting to hide the fact that you’d been caught kissing. Sam smiles wolfishly, shaking his head.

“Good to see you, Pointbreak,” he says with a nod.

“You as well, Wilson.” Thor nods back.

Sam is about to duck back into the building, but you tell him to wait a second. Slowly, reluctantly, you let go of Thor, hoping your gaze will communicate that you’ll be coming back to him momentarily.

Because he’s right. You did die for him, and he saved you, and now you’re on an even playing field. Or as even as the two of you can get. And you really, truly have a second chance, another shot at life. But life hasn’t felt as good or meaningful since Thor disappeared, and if his family really wants to meet you…

But you know you can’t just disappear like he can. The team almost expects it out of him, knowing that he’s not from Earth. You are, and they would absolutely notice if you stopped showing up to work randomly.

You stand just outside the door and whisper to Sam, “So, um, I think I’m going to Asgard now.”

He chuckles and shakes his head, but ultimately doesn’t seem surprised. He takes a second to glance back at Thor, then steps closer to you and wraps you in the best Sam-hug you’ve ever gotten. “Take care of him, ‘kay? He looks big, but he’s got a lot of soft spots.”

You bite your lip and nod, trying hard not to cry. You’ll miss Sam more than anyone else here. More than anyone else on Earth.

“Tell everyone I love them,” you say. You squeeze Sam one last time, then sigh and pull back. “And that I’ll see them when we can come back.” If we come back you think. From the lopsided smirk Sam gives you, you know he’s thinking the same.

“Sure thing,” he says. Then he lets you go.

You step away from him, backwards at first, waving until you nearly trip over your dress. As you turn toward Thor, you pick up the small train of golden glitter; once it’s balled in your fist, you run the rest of the way to him.

Thor wraps his arms around your waist. A heavy metal block - Mjölnir, you quickly realize - gently hits the back of your thighs. You don’t know where he was keeping it before, but you don’t care.

All that matters is the halo of light that spreads around him and you. He instructs you to hold onto him tightly, don’t hold your breath, and watch carefully.

“There are many beautiful things in this universe, (Y/N). You and the Bifrost are two of the best.”

You laugh at that, only seconds before the beam of swirling lights returns, engulfs you both, and takes you off to a place you’d never dreamed of seeing before.

#thor x reader #thor odinson x reader #thor au #thor fic #hercules au #worth my while fic

[jokahlu]

Kingdom Hearts 3 Ted Talk, Kairi’s Edition (More like rant) (Will contain spoilers)

*Warnings*

While reading the following post you should expect:

*Spoilers are ahead.

*Duality of emotions clashing between love and frustration.

*A certain mouse’s head will be expected in a platter, and he will be the source of the darkness coming out of me.

*Love for a character that deserved way more than what she got.

*Deep disappointment for a forgotten friendship that was non-existent.

*A sailing ship warmed my heart.

*And an ending that shattered it.

…So it’s basically me ranting at how SE treats Kairi.

Also, it’s a pretty long read. I tried to make it short. Oh well.

Enjoy.

*Read at your own discretion*

I’m so wrecked after this game. But don’t get me wrong, I loved it!

The graphics were superb, their expressions on point, the writing and humor, the landscapes and worlds. It was all so precious. Being able to play as the spiked hair little bundle of joy again after so long was truly like coming home.

But as much as I loved it, there are so many things that rubbed me the wrong way. So many things I hoped for, that seemed reasonable and not out of the realm of possibilities, but never happened.

I will not mention all of them here because I could write an entire essay about it. Reason why I’ll try not to get overly excited. Underline try.

This time I will mostly talk about Kairi. 

Let’s do this quick, shall we?

First of all, I need that mouse’s head on a platter.

I wish Aqua would’ve given Mickey a good beating in this game. Don’t get me wrong, I usually like Mickey and his character in the KH franchise is pretty cool. But I hated his disregard to Kairi in this game. It just made me want to scream. Yes, he’s not the only one who doesn’t give a damn about the redhead (more on that lovely subject later), but I felt like he valued other’s life above hers in a blatantly obvious way. There are two scenes where I noticed this and it made me want to crawl up the walls.

The first scene was when Kairi is about to be struck down by Terranort, after him discarding two experienced fighters with a little more than a flick of his wrist, mind you. So, of course she’s scared and paralyzed, like any normal keyblade wielder (with only basic training and no real experience) would be. As Sora is desperately running to shield her with nothing but his body, Mickey uselessly screams “Sora no!”, as Donald and Goofy use their brains (and weapons) and come to the rescue.

What gives Mickey? Is she that unimportant in your mind, that Sora shouldn’t even try to help her? Did you honestly expect Sora to just let her die? Because if Terranort struck her, she was toast.

But I guess the answer is yes, because the other scene that made me want to strangle him was when Sora wants to go and save her and Mickey is trying to convince him not to go. I bet if it was Minnie on the line he would be jumping into lava if it meant to save her. But Kairi? Nah.

I swear I would’ve wanted Minnie to be next to Kairi and both be destroyed by Master Xehanort, just to see if Mickey’s reaction would be any different and if he would also risk it all at the end to save her instead of being like “oh don’t go Sora, you may never come back. Just leave Kairi to die, we can lose her but not you” attitude. Geez.

Love for a character that deserved better.

Oh, I could go one and on, on this one. It’s divided in many categories because the whole rant can be resumed in: she deserved better.

I’ll point out the obvious: I’ve always loved Kairi.

Yeah, she’s underdeveloped, not well written and can’t seem to shake the damsel in distress coat off, but I’ve always liked her. I’ve always felt Sora and Riku’s love for her real and heartwarming, and that’s made me like her so much. She’s also super brave, witty and has a great personality (don’t fight me on this)

I do get why some people might not like her, but I do.

Kingdom Hearts games have always treated her like a plot device and nothing more, and kh3 was the worst of the bunch in my opinion.

No one seems to care about her except for Sora.

When everyone reunites after Kairi dies, the only one who says something to him to reassure and confort Sora, apart from Donald and Goofy, is Xion. The rest are like oh ok she died, what’s next? I was expecting for Axel to be pissed, sad, anything, or anyone commenting something about it, but they just disregarded it like nothing happened.

Even if I understand that Terra, Aqua, Ven, Roxas, even Xion, didn’t know her that well and I didn’t expect it to affect them, at least they should acknowledge their fallen comrade. But ok, they didn’t know her that well. But Axel and Riku virtually not giving a damn? It really made things worse for my already wrecked heart. Those two are her closest friends, aside from Sora..

Even when the final battle is over everyone is like “wohoo we won! it’s all over!” (I’m glaring at you mouse) and even Riku agrees, Sora is the only one who is sad and heartbroken for her dying. Speaking of Riku basically disregarding her death..

Deep disappointment for a forgotten friendship that was basically non-existent.

Saying that I was disappointed in Kairi and Rikus interactions is a mayor understatement. This broke my heart because my highest hope for kh3 was to see Riku and Kairi being friends. Like, real friends.

In kh1 he was all over protecting her, in kh2 he silently looked after her and kept her safe as much as he could, but kh3? Man, in this game they felt like borderline strangers to me. Even faced by her being murdered in front of his face, he just stood there kind of surprised and pissed. Nothing more.

Seriously?

I mean Master Xehanort had just cold-bloodedly killed her right then and there, and he didn’t react as if his childhood friend had just turned into dust. 

And even worse, when the final battle ended he didn’t even offer to go with Sora to save her. What the hell?

If it was Sora who had died, there is no doubt in my mind that he would’ve been fighting his way to save him, consequences be dammed. (And it’s what probably happens when Kairi comes home alone, smh) And that reaction would be right because they’re best friends and that how any of the other characters would react if one of their trio was killed and they had the chance to save them.

So why did it seem like he didn’t care at all? It hurts a lot.

Where is the Riku who’s last worlds for Sora were asking him to keep Kairi safe? The one who helped her escape Axel or shielded her from Saix?

Riku felt off to me in Kingdom Hearts 3, not only because of this, but I’ll leave that for my Riku rant.

Kairi’s performance in the final battle

Not everyone has to kick ass to be valid, and she tried her best to train and help, even when it was not something she was used to. 

I mean, come on! Her first real experiences in battle were in the final battle. Who the hell thought it was a good idea? She had only trained with Axel. So, of course she would freeze when she sees trained/experienced keyblade wielders being thrown all over the place. Even Sora didn’t take out his weapon, trying to save her in the rush of the moment. And even if she did take out her keyblade when Terranort attacked her, she would’ve been smashed against the wall like Axel.

I’ll admit that before kh3 was released, I wished she did become OP and beat some organization XIII butt, but as I advanced in the game I realized how ridiculous that is. If you put kh1 Riku and Sora in that scenario, even at the end of the game with all the experience they had gathered, I bet they wouldn’t have fared very differently.

What I truly want is for her to go on her own adventure and grow powerful at her own pace, so in the next big battle she’ll be fairly prepared. It would be better if that adventure was with Sora and Riku, exploring new worlds together just the three of them, like they dreamed about in kh1.

But I’ll say it again: Not everyone in the game must kick ass to be valid.

A sailing ship warmed my heart. Even if it was poorly written (Unsurprisingly. It involves Kairi so I expected as much)

The Sokai in the game honestly lifted my battered heart.

Sora grows to learn so much more of love in this game: how powerful true love can be, how if you truly believe, love can make miracles happen and that one day is enough if there is true love.. He even admits that he still doesn't know much about it, but as the story goes on we can see that he knows more than he believes.

I loved the paopu scene. I could totally imagine Kairi and Riku planning it beforehand, so that Kairi and Sora would be alone to do so. Key word being “imagine” because at this point, their friendship is only in my imagination.. but that will be saved for Riku’s rant..

I believe that it’s so in character that Kairi initiates the paopu scene, because Sora would never do so. But I loved it, and the way they looked at each other was so.. oh man this game.

The paopu moment did seem to make Sora bolder, touching her more than before and being blunter about how she makes him feel. And it’s so heartwarming and wholesome that the moment when Sora realizes Kairi’s light had been guiding him in the darkness, he remembers the two acts of true love he had witnessed before in the game: Rapunzel’s tear bringing Flynn back to life and Elsa and Ana’s scene as well. I believe that’s the moment when he realizes that she’s his True Love.. 

That moment when he finds her in the darkness, and he makes her shy when he tells her that he felt strong with her, smiling knowingly when she turns away embarrassed. Or holding her hand for longer than necessary when they go back with the others.

It’s amazing that after meeting so many new people, many gorgeous girls and guys, Sora’s heart hasn’t let go of the friend he fell for as kids. He loved her for her personality and heart, which is why their bond is so strong, even if they see each other less than before.. which is a massive understatement if I must say so myself.  

That heart wrenching scream when she was taken into the heartless tornado or his grief-stricken face as he screamed at Master Xehanort “Why”, are proof of just how deep his feelings for her are. How important and invaluable she is in his life.

Adding to this, his utter sacrifice to go save her as soon as possible, not enjoying his victory against Master Xehanort, and not making her wait one more second (his words, not mine) is a statement of his feelings for her, simple and clear (thought I would say clean did ya?)

I mean, come on! His first thought after killing that murderous bald sack of darkness was about her.

And at the end I love how they were holding hands and sitting so close to each other on the paopu tree (They’re definitely a couple now) before he vanished and shattered my heart in a million different pieces.

Speaking of which..

An ending that shattered my heart.

I feel like her dying was very unnecessary. I think that it was only for Sora to embark on a mission alone. Master Xehanort says that he lacks motivation, so he kills her (she’s being used as a plot device again dammit) but Sora clearly was going to fight him either way, motivation or not. 

So, killing Kairi was only for Sora to go alone at the end, leave the story inconclusive and the game, and players, in dire need of a sequel.

Before the secret ending had been added, I was super sad that the only person who truly cared for her had seemingly died, or vanished, but now we know he’s someplace else, looking for a way back to her. I would love for her to save him, but given how SE treats her, I think I’ll temper my expectations for her in the next installments of the games.

This game left me with a super bittersweet feeling, but it was definitely worth it! I won’t let SE and the character’s indifference towards Kairi affect my overall enjoyment of the game.

But let’s hope she gets to shake that damsel in distress title Nomura loves to give her.. I guess I can’t keep my expectations low for her, can I?

Oh well, Sora still need to give her her lucky charm back, which she gave back in Blank Points, so he needs to come back to her to return it.

Please SE let Kairi help save Sora this time, without being a burden. Thank you.

Thanks for coming to my TED talk.

#sokai #sora #kairi #kingdom hearts #kingom hearts 3 #kh3 spoilers #riku #rikai #A post appreciating Kairi #She deserved better #super long post #ted talks #kingdom hearts 3 review #opinion

[seasonofthegeek]

Love Keeps You Warm: Sewing

Written for Alyadrininette Week at @mlshipfleet <3

Parts 1, 2, 3:

“No resumes today?” Adrien settled down beside Marinette on the couch and immediately picked up the fabric in her lap to rub between his thumb and forefinger. “Soft.”

“I’m thinking of using it to make a sundress.”

“For you or Alya?”

She bit her lip and straightened, keeping her gaze on the fabric. “Neither actually.”

“I gotta be honest, I don’t think Nino’s going to wear a dress but if you really want to make me one, I’ll give it a shot.” He was relieved to see her smile.

“I’ll make you a dress if you want one, but this one’s for something else.” She finally looked at him. “I don’t think I’m going to send out any more resumes. Three weeks of job hunting and turning up nothing feels like a sign. I think I’m going to try to start my own thing.”

“Like your own line?”

“Kind of, but not nearly so ambitious.” She ducked her head. “I thought I would get a few pieces done and then see if Nino will photograph me and Alya in them and then set up a website.” She chewed on the edge of her thumbnail. “I’m thinking of maybe doing ‘inspired-by’ type dresses? Like dresses that look like superhero costumes and character designs and that sort of thing.”

“That sounds really cool.”

“Really?”

Adrien grinned. “Yeah, I think it’s awesome.”

Her eyes lit up. “And it wouldn’t even be limited to characters and stuff. I could do outfits based on seasons and foods and anything really!”

“You’re excited,” he said, fondness evident in his voice.

“I am.” She nodded and draped the fabric over her arm. “I was feeling a little lost but I think doing my own thing for a bit is really going to help me figure out what I need to do next. And with you and Nino booking so many events lately and Alya getting that pick-up for her blog, if I’m ever going to try to do it, now’s the time.”

He slid his arm around her shoulders. “I’m glad. I’ve got to admit you guys were scaring me with all the baby talk. I’ve been holding my breath all week since no one has brought it up again after it felt like that’s all we talked about the last two weeks.” He felt Marinette stiffen under his hold and immediately realized his mistake. “You still want that, don’t you?” he asked softly.

She took a deep breath and pulled away from him slightly so she could look at him. “Can we talk about it, just me and you?”

He shifted uneasily. “It’s not going to change anything, Mari, and I really don’t want to make you cry again.” He eyed her stricken expression. “But if you really need to talk about it, I’ll listen.”

She took his hand and gave it a grateful squeeze. “I guess I’m just wondering why.”

“Why?” he echoed.

“Why are you so sure you’re going to be a bad dad?”

“Did you really have to start with that?”

She gave him a small smile. “Figured I may as well get to the heart of it. This might be my only chance.”

Adrien ran his free hand into his hair. “You remember me when we first met, right?”

“Of course I do.”

“I was a wreck and that was me in a better place than usual for that time.”

“We were all different. We’ve grown and changed. That’s what happens,” Marinette explained gently.

“Yeah, but you guys are what keeps me sane, you know? If it weren’t for you…” He shook his head. “Look, if none of this had ever happened with us, I don’t even know if I would still be alive.”

Marinette swallowed hard. “Don’t say that.”

“I was drinking so much I rarely sobered up for very long,” he continued. “I was sleeping with anyone who would take me.” He let go of her hand to wring his together. “I thought about ending it a few times but then I would think about how upset it would make Nino and…” He took in a shaky breath. “It felt like he was the only one who cared about me for so long and I know I have you guys now and it’s better but sometimes I still worry that I’m going to fall back into that mindset.”

“Maybe you could talk to someone,” she offered. “We all could, if it would help.”

“I don’t do therapy. My mom forced me into it after the divorce and it just…it wasn’t for me.”

“Adrien…”

“Please don’t push this, Marinette.”

She felt her eyes sting and tried to hold back the tears she knew were coming. “So that’s it then. If it’s not something you want, it’s not worth working through.”

Adrien clenched his jaw. “And what happens if I say yes and go through therapy and still don’t want a baby? Is that when you guys dump me?”

Marinette pulled back as if he’d dealt her a physical blow. “Of course not!”

He stood stiffly. “Then it doesn’t matter because that’s not going to change.” He hung his head. “I promised myself I wasn’t going to make you cry again and now look.” His shoulders slumped. “I’m sorry. Please don’t…” He shook his head. “Your dress idea is really great. I hope I didn’t bring your mood down too much. I’m really excited for you.” With that, he moved towards the hall and let himself into the other bedroom.

Marinette watched him go, feeling frustrated and heartbroken. ______________________________

“I thought I would find you here after I talked to Marinette.” Alya easily slid onto the open barstool next to Adrien. “How are you?”

“I’m an asshole.”

“You’re not an asshole.” She looked up as the bartender moved in front of her. “Whatever’s on tap.” He nodded and moved to the side and Alya returned her attention to her boyfriend. “Seriously, how are you?”

“Scared and a little drunk.”

“How many drinks have you had?”

“More than I should’ve,” he admitted, finally looking over at her. “More than a little.”

She noted the glazed look in his eyes but he was still responding to her questions so he wasn’t so far gone. She’d only seen that Adrien a handful of times and she had no desire to see him again. “Can we get a coffee over here?” she asked as soon as her drink was set in front of her.

The bartender gave her an approving nod before he eyed Adrien. “Maybe some food?”

“Yeah, a burger would be great,” she agreed.

“I’m not hungry,” Adrien muttered.

“Well, you’re going to try to eat. Besides, I’m hungry and a burger sounds good.” She reached over and put her hand on the top of his thigh. “But we don’t have to talk about anything if you don’t want to.”

He seemed to sag in relief. “Thank you for being you, Alya.”

She laughed quietly. “You know I love Marinette and Nino with all my heart but they could talk a person into an early grave.”

“I love them so much,” he whimpered as he laid his cheek on his crossed arms. “They hate me now.”

“They don’t hate you. They would never hate you,” she soothed. “This is just a rough patch we’ve got to work through.”

“Nino hardly talks to me and I keep making Marinette cry.”

Alya winced. She’d noticed the way Nino had been acting around Adrien but hadn’t brought it up in the hopes that it would smooth itself out. He wasn’t outright hostile but he was ignoring the other man when he could manage to do it without seeming openly cruel. And as far as Marinette went, she had been unusually sensitive since being let go. Any little thing seemed to send her to tears lately. “When you’re feeling up to it, maybe we can talk about some other options.”

Adrien lifted his head and propped his elbow on the bar to keep himself upright. “Options?”

“Now might not be the best time for a talk, Sunshine.”

He gave her a slow blink. “What kind of options?”

She groaned but turned more towards him on her stool. “Well, I know you said you don’t want to be a dad but are you opposed to Nino being one?”

Adrien frowned, brow puckering. “No, not really. Nino would be great with kids.”

“What about me and Mari? Would you mind us being moms?”

His expression was already soft with drunkenness but somehow it softened even more. “No, you’d be perfect.”

“Then maybe it would be okay. You don’t have to be anything you don’t want to be. Do you understand?”

“That would be weird though.” He scrubbed at his face.

“We aren’t exactly normal.” She offered him a gentle smile. The burger and fries was set in front of them and Alya gave the bartender a nod of thanks. “No decision needs to be made right now, but it’s something to think about.” She cut the burger in half and slid the plate between them. “Now eat and then we’ll go home.”

“I love you.”

She winked at him. “I know you do.” ______________________________

“Hey.” Alya shook Nino’s shoulder gently. “Wake up.”

He rolled and blinked groggily at her. “What’s going on?”

“I want you to go sleep in the other room with Adrien.”

Marinette grumbled in her sleep and curled in closer to Nino. He frowned up Alya. “I was already sleeping in here. I’ll talk to him tomorrow.”

“You’ll go in there with him tonight. You don’t have to talk but you’re sleeping with him. Come on.” She pulled up the edge of the blankets and Nino yanked them back down.

“You’re going to wake up Marinette.”

“A hurricane wouldn’t wake her up right now,” Alya countered. “Out of bed, Lahiffe, or I’m dragging you out.”

He narrowed his eyes. “No.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Fine.” She went to the end of the bed and reached under the blankets, quickly finding his ankle and pulling.

Nino kicked out and scrambled upright before she could yank him off the bed. “Damn it, fine,” he swore. He picked his glasses up off the nightstand and slid them on. “This is a crappy thing to do though.”

“The way you’ve been treating him is crappy.”

He glared at her but quickly dropped his eyes. “I just don’t know how to deal with him right now.”

“Well, he doesn’t know how to deal with you either so it’s a match made in hell,” she huffed. “He’s probably already fallen asleep.”

Nino finally stood and reached for his robe. “Has he been drinking?”

“What do you think?”

His shoulders sagged. “Did you get him water and aspirin?”

Alya felt her irritation give way at Nino’s thoughtfulness. “No, but that’s probably a good idea.”

“I’ll get it.”

She reached up and kissed his cheek. “Goodnight, Nino. I hope you both sleep well.”

“Yeah, yeah.” He turned away but then turned back to kiss her. “I love you even though you can be a pain.”

“Right back at you, babe.”

He shuffled out of the room and down the hall to the kitchen. He ran a glass under the faucet and grabbed the bottle of aspirin. The temptation to sleep on the couch was heavy but he pushed through the door of the second bedroom to find Adrien still fully clothed and curled in on himself on top of the blankets. “Are you awake?”

There was a long pause and then Adrien whispered, “Yes.”

“I brought you some water if you’re thirsty.”

“I’m okay.”

Nino set the glass and bottle on the nightstand and sat down on the edge of the bed. The heavy bar smell of cigarette smoke and stale alcohol floated up to his nose. “Come on, dude. Undress and drink some water.” He tugged on Adrien’s shoulder and the other man rolled into him easily with a sob, curling around him.

“I’m so sorry. Please don’t leave me, Nino. Please don’t leave me.” His words slurred and Nino felt his heart break as Adrien began to shake. He held him as close as he could in the awkward position.

“Never,” he promised.

#Alyadrininette Week #alyadrininette #bread makes you fat

[lazy-safetastic-13]

The Soul Aches

Summary: Due to circumstances that was completely Alphys’ fault, Sans had reverted back to a child. Of a four year old with memories before the skeleton met Papyrus.

Pairing: Fellbros? Er … well. :’)

Words: 1, 055

Undyne and Papyrus had been sparring to keep in tip top shape when Alphys called.

There was hesitant urgency that required attention, and Papyrus was fully attentive when the fish mentioned that his brother was involved in an accident at the labs.

While he didn’t know what the latter could possibly be doing there in the first place, he didn’t bother nor had the time to question it and simply went with Undyne to head there.

Upon arrival, Papyrus raised a brow ridge at the slightly fidgeting lizard scientist. The nervousness towards him was not rare, but it was more than usual.

“What is this about Sans?”

“C-Come see for yourself.”

She guided them to one of the rooms that had a plethora of chemical equipments. But what the two guards noticed quickly was the child skeleton monster, sitting on the floor with an oversized jacket. The shorts were on a table behind the kid as it appeared to be too big for him to wear.

“Woah! What a pipsqueak. What … happened exactly?” Undyne asked, about to near but subtlety felt that if she did, a battle was about to go down with her second-in-command. And as much as she didn’t mind, her lover wouldn't appreciate them wrecking her place. So she stayed put as Papyrus move towards Sans, stopping a few feet away from him.

“I accidentally tripped and splattered the chemical on him.“ The lizard had the decency to look ashamed at the mishap she had created. But Papyrus didn’t hear nor see all that as his attention was entirely on Sans.

The small skeleton looked up at Papyrus with big red eye lights, curiosity evident in them as the skeleton just stared at him. ”… Is his memories that of a child too?“

“Yes. He doesn’t remember me, but he might remember you.”

“That depends on how old he is.”

“Oh, I asked him that. He’s four.”

Papyrus crouched down to Sans’ level, and the child flinched at the movement. “I’m Papyrus. Do you remember me?”

Sans, to his credit, at least understood what was being said, and he could speak back. “N-no.”

The tall skeleton clicked his tongue, standing up straight to turn to Alphys. “How long would it take for him to revert back?”

“I-I don’t know.”

“Since it was your fault, make a cure then.”

Undyne chuckled. “And here I thought you didn’t care.”

“… I don’t. But he's still kin.” So he turned back to his ‘little’ brother and bent down to scoop him up. Sans didn’t make a fuss about it, and Papyrus briefly wondered if his brother would let anyone just take him. Still, he saw that Sans wasn’t looking at anyone, and kept his hands to himself rather than hold onto Papyrus. The tall skeleton didn’t quite know what to think of it.

Papyrus looked to Undyne. “I’ll be resuming my patrols after I’ve deposited my brother.” He didn’t care whether the fish monster nodded or not as he made his way out of the lab and headed home. There were things to do.

Sans didn’t say a word nor looked around or anything on the way home, and Papyrus was a little bit disturbed of the silence.

Upon heading inside, he put his brother near the couch and told him to sit and stay put before heading to the kitchen to make something for them. He’d have to tell Sans new house rules as kids tend to cause quite a mayhem when unsupervised.

About an hour later, with bowl of pasta in his hand, he went to the living area only to spot his brother sitting … on the floor; knees bent with his hands on his lap, and back straight with his head titled downward. It was … disconcerting. Where was his brother with cheek and fight in him?

Papyrus shook his head and headed over to his brother, “Sit on the couch.”

Sans did so nervously, and when he was handed the bowl, briefly noting the look of surprise, he didn’t dig in like Papyrus thought he would. The latter was about to say something until Sans beat him to it. “T-Thank you for the ge-genrus meal. M-May I eat it?”

The politeness of the question had Papyrus floored and nodded instead as he was rendered speechless. Was this really his brother?

And rather than being messy as it usually tends to be, Sans took small bites, making sure to chew properly before taking another. He was careful not to get it on anything and Papyrus felt his soul pricked but he ignored it.

He cleared his throat to get the other’s attention, and went down to business. “You will be in my care from now on, and you will obey the rules I set.” Papyrus saw Sans become tense. “You will be punished for breaking anything. You’re also not allowed in my room.” He saw a brief nod before continuing. “I’ll be out on patrol and won’t be back for a few hours. I expect the house to not be in ruins when I come back. Understood?”

He may sound harsh but he was told that it was good to discipline children when they were young as they carry it to their adulthood. Maybe he can avoid Sans becoming the lazy slob he was through this.

“Y-yes, sir.”

Being called Boss often was not unusual, but somehow the formal authority from his brother, now that he was baby bones, was strange. It felt wrong.

“… You shall call me Papyrus.”

Sans nodded. “Y-yes, Papyrus sir.”

The tall skeleton felt his brow twitch. “Just Papyrus.”

Sans looked to be sweating as Papyrus could see that he was controlling himself from wanting to fidget. “Yes, Papyrus.”

“… Good.” Papyrus didn’t want to think about how it still felt wrong, and how his soul ached at seeing and hearing his brother this way. So he gritted his teeth as he marched to the door, and left without another word.

Papyrus didn’t get to see the tears that fell onto the bowl of spaghetti before being promptly scooped for a bite. Nor would he hear the soft sniffling that seemed loud in the quiet house.

Papyrus wouldn’t know any of it, but his soul continued to ache; even if he didn’t particularly know why.

I … 

I swear I had thoughts of fluff! ;__;)

Ok, here me out. :’D

I was thinking about Red being quite the obedient child (most likely thoughts from experimentation or something of that background premise where he will be punished for his misconduct) and was like, wow! I’d like to see a scene where Fell comes home to a lonely and obedient Red who doesn’t complain and becomes heartbroken at the sight. 

To redeem himself, he got Red a book about science, and the utter, though nervous, excitement and happiness he received when Red asked if he could keep it, made Fell change his ways to become the overprotective ‘big bro’ and make Red happy. And it also made his soul soar when Red says, “I-I’ve never been g-given ‘nything before. T-Thank you so much.” It was followed by a brilliant smile that Fell wanted to scream at how adorable he found it. 

I swear this was my intention when I started writing! :’D 

My hands … took the wheel, and promptly drove me off a cliff. orz

So sorry about that. ^^’’) Imma leave now. TuT

#fellbros #fellfic #uf!papyrus #uf!sans #I wanted fluff and i got none #im sad now

[malenafan4ever-blog]

Last day eleteo week

New Romance and Old Flames-Rated PG13

An Elena Of Avalor Fanfiction

By Zoe Fowler

For Matena Supporters

“Guess what?” Isabelle squealed. “Senorita Marisol told me that I got straight 100%’s, and I’m going to be Avalor City Elementary’s valedictorian!”

“Oh, Isabelle, I feel so bad for you!” Mateo said, his voice solemnly sympathetic, no hint of sarcasm in his words. “Being valedictorian is horrible. My speech at the eighth grade graduation was the worst moment of my life.”

“Really?” Isabelle sounded extremely anxious now. “Should I be worried? Maybe I should tell Senorita Marisol that I can’t be valedictorian!”

Naomi laughed. “Isabelle, are you having surgery between now and and graduation?”

Isabelle furrowed her brow. “I don’t have a surgery planned,” she replied slowly, looking at Naomi as if she had gone off the rails.

“Then you have no reason to worry, Isabelle. I guarantee what happened to Mateo will not happen to you,” Naomi reassured her.

“Okay,” breathed Isabelle. She looked curiously at Mateo. “What happened at eighth grade graduation? Why was it so horrible?”

Mateo practically spit out his milk. “Nothing major. Not important. Absolutely nothing worth remembering.” As Mateo spoke, he became increasingly animated and panicked.

Naomi smirked. “Yeah, it definitely has nothing to do with Samantha Banneker,” Naomi grinned evilly.

Mateo exhaled, furious. “You brat.”

Isabelle’s eyes widened. Then she shook her head. “Who’s Samantha Banneker?”

Mateo was bright red, desperately trying to change the subject. “Do you all remember the Allegria? It was a fun ship.”

“Yeah. You know what?” Naomi asked with an evil smirk. “It’s sorta reminds me of Samantha Banneker’s mansion.”

Mateo glowered. “You will die tonight, Naomi Turner.”

“Who’s Samantha Banneker?” Elena and Isabelle asked in unison, loud and angry.

“IT DOESN’T MATTER!” Mateo screamed as he stabbed the table with a fork and stormed off.

All the royal family recoiled.

They sat in silence, until Esteban exploded. “What is wrong with Mateo? He is the most immature person in the castle, my cousins and Miss Turner included! He is being completely ridiculous and thinks he can do whatever he wants!I have absolutely know idea what Elena sees in him! He…

Elena cut him off. “Sees in him? You mean like… What are you talking… We’re just friends.”

“Good for you.” Esteban resumed his tirade. “He is the most irresponsible, illogical, impulsive wreck I have ever had the misfortune of meeting. He is…”

“A kid who really doesn’t like to bring up what happened at the eighth grade graduation,” Naomi cut in gently.

“Exactly, A kid!” Esteban shrieked.

“Esteban, Mateo is a lot of things, but melodramatic is not one of them. I have known Mateo for longer than anyone at this table, with the exception of Naomi, but I have definitely known Mateo longer and more personally than you. Whatever happened to Mateo at his middle school graduation was probably really bad,” Elena gently chided her cousin.

“Elena’s right about two things, wrong about one,” Naomi cut in. “What she has right. Number one. Mateo is NOT melodramatic in any way, shape, or form. Number Two. What happened at eighth grade graduation was bad. Do you ever watch the TV show American Housewife?”

Elena nodded. “Some.”

“Have you seen the uprising?”

Elena nodded again.

“Do you know what happened to Oliver during ballet class?”

“Yes, wh…” Elena’s eyes widened as the sudden realization hit her. She put her hand over her mouth. “Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.”

“What?” Isabel begged, looking from Naomi to Elena to her grandparents and cousins who still looked confused.

“Nothing,” Elena and Naomi both said quickly.

“We never watched that show,” Louisa gestured to herself, Francisco, Esteban, and Isabelle. “So what happened to Ollington-”

“Oliver,” Naomi and Elena corrected at the same time.

“Right-Oliver, anyway, what happened to him?”

Elena and Naomi exchanged a glance. Naomi seemed to be asking the princess a question with her eyes. Elena shook her head, almost unnoticaeably, but Naomi seemed to understand exactly what the princess wanted.

“So, what are we doing later today? Anyone have anything interesting?” Naomi asked, her heart in the question.

“Oh, no. Don’t change the subject,” Louisa insisted. “What happened at eighth grade graduation?” She was practically wailing now, begging for information.

“It’s not our secret to tell,” Elena said patiently. “Come on, Naomi, let’s go.”

*******

“Let’s go!” Naomi shouted over her shoulder to her friends, who were apparently far too slow.

Panting, Mateo, Elena, and Gabe chased Naomi to the ship. They were going sailing, and hopefully this time they would not end up on a remote ship in the middle of the ocean. Some 10 minutes later they were just about to cast off when…

“Wait!”

They all turned around. A girl ran up to them, long jet black hair streaming out behind her. She looked to be about their age, and was stunningly beautiful. She was wearing dark blue eyeshadow and matching lipstick. She was dressed identically to Gabe.

“Oh, guys, this is the new guard,” Gabe gestured to the girl. “Allow me to introduce…”

Mateo and Naomi spoke in unison. “Samantha Banneker.

For a few seconds, Samantha’s brow was furrowed, and then the lightbulb was turned on. “Naomi?” Then she turned toto her left? “Mateo! It’s so good to see you again. I can’t believe how long ago freshman year was.” As she spoke, a nostalgic smile spread across her face. “How are things going with your new girlfriend?” She asked Mateo.

“New girlfriend? You mean like he had an old girlfriend?” Elena pondered, tilting her head curiously.

“Yeah.” Naomi cut in. “He and Samantha dated for a year before she moved to Paararhiso.”

Elena opened her mouth to speak, but Mateo cut her off. “What do you mean, new girlfriend?”

“Um, Elena,” Samantha shot back.

Elena lost her mind. “WHY? WHY, WHY, WHY? Why does everyone think that Mateo and I are together? Esteban and Isabelle and my grandparents and now, Samantha! We. Are. Just. FRIENDS!”

Everyone took a step back. “Okay, then. Elena, why don’t we all just take a deep breath and finally share the story of what happened to Mateo during his valedictorian speech,” Naomi suggested hopefully.

“Not a chance in heck,” Mateo replied.

“Come on, Mateo, it’s not… Yeah, I can’t even sell that, it was pretty bad,” Elena muttered.

“You told her? Mateo asked, totally furious. “The worst possible person to tell, since the same thing happened after she was fr- I mean you shouldn’t have told her.”

Naomi grinned deviously as her voice took on a sing-songy tone. “Come on, say it. You guys are in…”

“Have any of you guys met Doña Paloma? You know, the annoying magister of trade, as she couldn’t handle not reminding me every ten seconds?” Samantha cut in, noticing the blush rising on her ex boyfriend’s face and the crown princess’. Also, she still liked Mateo and didn’t want to picture him with someone else.

“She called herself annoying?” Gabe asked with an eyebrow.

“No, she said she was legendary, but I feel like annoying fits better. She and the chancellor are such a cute couple,” Samantha replied.

“What do you mean?” Elena asked, eyebrows raised.

“What, you guys didn’t know that they were dating? I saw them together behind her “”world-famous emporium””.” Samantha said cautiously.

They all put their hands over their mouths, and their eyes drastically widened.

“So, you didn’t know that?” Samantha asked slowly.

“NO!” they all shouted in unison.

“Are you mad at me or him, and why?“ asked Samantha.

“You, for not telling us, and him for the same reason!” Elena yelled.

“Okay, let’s calm down,” Mateo said, gently putting a hand on Elena’s shoulder.

Samantha narrowed her eyes in suspicion. “Are you sure you’re not secretly together? Before you say no, let Mateo finish the sentence he was trying to say earlier,” Samantha added.

“I have no idea what you are talking about,” Mateo asked, blushing and avoiding Samantha’s gaze. Samantha was NOT trying to get Mateo and Elena together, as much as it would seem that way. She was trying to make Elena hate him, which might cause a heartbroken Mateo to come back to her. She could see that they were totally, heartbreakingly in love with one another. She didn’t want that. She still really loved Mateo.

***

“Naomi! Samantha!” Isabelle called. “Do you want to help with something fun?”

“Like what?” Samantha asked slowly at the same time that Naomi said “I’m in.”

“Okay, we’re going to ask Mateo to teach Elena the sambarosa, and we’re going to set them up under the mistletoe.”

“YES!” Naomi yelled. “ I can do that!”

Samantha frowned, and then smiled. “I’m in.” She had a plan.

***

Samantha crept into the kitchen, a vial in her hand. She grabbed the goblet, and poured the poison into it. This time tomorrow, Elena would be dead.

***

“Good morning, familia!” Elena called.

“Yes, yes, yes, drink the water!” Samantha practically yelled. “Why? And why does it look pink?” She shrugged and started to lift the goblet to her lips.

“ELENA! Don’t! It’s been poisoned!” Mateo yelled as he looked at the cup. “It’s got essence of gradual poison in it.”

“Arrest her!” Gabe yelled, and Samantha was grabbed and dragged away.

“STOP!” Elena called. “Did you?” she  asked Samantha. The girl, ashamed, nodded. “But, why?”

“So that Mateo and I could be together again. You are obviously in love, and you are my greatest threat. I read his diary, and talks about you all the time. He even said straight out he loves you. I have the entry right here!” She started to read out loud.

July 15th, 1534

I just realized I love her. I had always thought that we were just best friends, but we were playing hide and seek with the kids at a birthday party, and I chose to hide in a closet. She had already chosen that as her hiding spot though. I apologized, and offered to move, because it was a very small closet. BUt she said it was fine, and teasingly said, “It’s not like this is the first time I’ve ever been in a closet with a boy before.” and I felt a little upset, but I didn’t know why. Then, she started leaning closer, and so did I, but at the last second turned her head. “Not all of them were winners,” she smiled. I mean, I knew she was only joking, but for some reason, I was crestfallen. I kept wondering how to become a winner in her eyes. Then I asked myself why I had that train of thought in my head. My immediate thought was because I want her to kiss me. Of course, that confused the heck out of me, and the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I was right. I loved The crown Princess of Avalor. But it’s truly a waste of my time. It’s not like she would ever love me back

Samantha looked up, breathing hard, tears flowing down her face. “He never loved me that much, and you deserve it, Elena. You are the perfect couple, and I’m sorry. Now take me away.”

The guards dragged her away as Elena stood there, shocked. “Mateo? Is that true?”

Mateo sighed. “Yes. I’m sorry. I am so, so sorry. I am an idiot. You have every right…”

Elena cut him off with a kiss. She leaned in, pressed her lips to his, and closed her eyes. He was shocked for a second, and then he kissed her back, his hand in her hair, her hand in his, their arms around each other, the warmth from the kiss the most amazing thing ever.

Ten Years Later

“Mami?” Chloe, the eight-year old heir to the throne asked. “Why did Ms. Banneker in the dungeons say that Papi loved her?”

“Well, it started a long time ago, 13 years to be exact. Mateo was valedictorian at graduation, and the sight of a dressed-up Samantha gave your father an erection.”

“So he did love her?” a disgusted Chloe asked.

“Yes,” Elena admitted. Then she leaned into her daughter’s ear and whispered conspiritally, “But he loved me more.”

#eleteo appreciation week

[fitnesswomenshealth-blog]

Kerala floods: Mental health problems cause alarm as 4 people commit suicide, 1.85 lakh are treated

New Post has been published on https://cialiscom.org/kerala-floods-mental-health-problems-cause-alarm-as-4-people-commit-suicide-1-85-lakh-are-treated.html

Kerala floods: Mental health problems cause alarm as 4 people commit suicide, 1.85 lakh are treated

Late in the night on August 14, the church bells tolled in Varappuzha in Kerala’s Ernakulam to warn residents that floodwaters were being rising. Among all those who remaining their households for relief camps were being Nediyanthara Francis, 63, and his spouse Mary, 55.

Six days later, they arrived back again to uncover that all their possessions ended up underwater, even the home furniture and kitchen area utensils. Francis, a carpenter, is adept at correcting items. But it took the few three months of hard do the job to take away the mud and make the house they experienced crafted with their life’s financial savings habitable again.

A month later on, they were being sleeping only fitfully.

Mary wakes up a number of periods just about every night time, imagining the church bells reverberating all over again.

If she has delusions, Francis has nightmares. “I really feel the Periyar river might breach its banking institutions and submerge our household shortly,” he mentioned.

In the exact same village, sisters Meenu, 15, Geethu, 14 and Neenu, 10 have fallen silent. They spent six days in a reduction camp with their father Madhu and mom Shyni. When they came back again, they observed their publications buried under the sludge of the flood and commenced to scream.

Prior to the flood, they were lively children who used to crack jokes and created exciting of each individual other all the time, their mom mentioned. Now, they have turned gloomy.

Meenu seems for her Class 10 exams future yr. She experienced established herself the target of scoring 80%. But after the floods, she is battling to concentrate in class. She said that the visuals of the floods normally flash by means of her brain.

The floods in August influenced just about 55 lakh men and women in 981 villages throughout Kerala, killing 483. They remaining not only a path of devastation in their wake, but also a rising selection of men and women burdened with grief, stress and stress. The state’s overall health office has already tended to 1.85 lakh folks with publish-traumatic anxiety signs and symptoms and referred 1,525 for specialised psychiatric cure. Four suicides similar to flood-similar stress have been claimed so far, 3 of them in Ernakulam.

Psychiatrists reported the individuals who misplaced their properties, residence, crops or cattle in the floods will have to have continuous mental-wellness support. How very well equipped is the state to supply it?

Condition at operate

Since the floods abated, Kerala’s health section has worked with the Nationwide Institute of Psychological Wellbeing and Neurosciences to teach 16,671 volunteers to provide psychosocial 1st aid to people stricken with disaster-connected pressure.

Dr K Sekar, head of psychiatric social operate at the psychological health institute, stated men and women hit by disaster often create publish-traumatic anxiety signs and symptoms. “They have to be presented psychosocial initially support,” he explained, conveying the need to have for schooling volunteers. “People ought to discuss to them and empathise with them. Hold off in therapeutic the indicators could direct to significant troubles.”

Sekar claimed the volunteers have already brought about considerable adjust on the floor.

Kerala has some 600 psychiatrists and 400 medical psychologists. In accordance to the Condition Psychological Well being Authority officers, it has the best amount of psychological well being gurus in the place.

PM Jayan’s broken property in Kadamakkudy. He dedicated suicide on September 16. Picture credit rating: TA Ameerudheen

Stressing scenario

But regardless of the wellness department’s initiatives, a lot of people are nonetheless having difficulties with stress and nervousness.

“I have to expend enormous sums of cash to rebuild my residence and my workshop,” mentioned CG Anil. “I are unable to get sleep these times.”

Anil is from Vaniyakkad village in North Paravur, a single of the areas worst afflicted by the floods in Ernakulam district. The village, situated on the banking institutions of Pashni Canal, a tributary of the Periyar river, was submerged on August 15, driving its 362 people into aid camps. They returned on August 22, only to see their properties and retailers in ruins.

M Sajitha, a instructor, stated her fellow villagers’ conduct has modified right after the floods. “Frustration has gripped our village,” she stated. “Men and gals are picking quarrels about minimal concerns. I have witnessed numerous scuffles involving users of the exact family members. Folks do not believe in every single other these times.”

KA Vidyanandan, a North Paravur municipal councillor, agreed with Sajitha. “People strike by floods have develop into brief-tempered,” he observed. “They get offended at the drop of a hat.”

The explanation might be their inability to resume typical lifetime, Vidyanandan contended. “The foul scent of mud hangs all-around all households even though they have been washed numerous instances with detergent,” he spelled out. “They lost their beds, clothing and cooking utensils. Farmers dropped profits-earning cattle, goats and hen. Smaller traders with financial loans are in a personal debt entice now. So it is natural they are dwelling beneath critical worry.”

For numerous people, the floods compounded existing problems. Francis has heart disorder (he suffered heart attacks in 2013 and 2015), while Mary has hyperthyrodism. In May perhaps, Francis underwent eye surgery just after a piece of wood pierced his retina. In June, Mary slipped on the slippery flooring of her home and broke her knee. The continuing misfortunes have wrecked the family’s financial circumstance. Of the flood aid fiscal help of Rs 10,000, presented by the state governing administration, only about Rs 2,500 is still left now. They do not have sufficient revenue to acquire a new mattress. “I am previously neck-deep in financial debt,” said Francis. “I really do not have the implies to repay loans. So I am going to sleep on the flooring.”

Dr PS Rosamma, health care superintendent of North Paravur Taluk Clinic, explained the variety of folks who want counselling has increased immediately after the floods. “People are absolutely heartbroken,” she stated. “The vast majority of them are senior citizens, girls and little ones.”

In Kadamakkudy, a cluster of seven islands in the Periyar river about 15 km south of North Parvur, the suicides of PM Jayan, 36, a mechanic, and Rocky Rocky, 68, a every day wage labourer, have cast a pall of gloom.

MF Prasad, a member of the nearby gram panchayat, feared the “mental overall health situation” could get worse. For now, residents are getting support these as crucial provisions from both the federal government and voluntary organisations. It may perhaps not carry on for prolonged and people today will experience isolated when the supply stops,” he stated.

Dr Pyari Joseph, expert psychiatrist at Govt Standard Healthcare facility, Ernakulam, who coordinates the district’s psychological wellness programme, explained people today with melancholy are most likely to increase in number right after a several months. “We are expecting more such circumstances six months after the floods,” she said. “That is when men and women will get a better feeling of their actual losses. But we are outfitted to encounter the situation.”

She, nevertheless, mentioned early intervention by the qualified volunteers has aided reduce tension amid the persons. “We have deployed subject employees to meet up with individuals,” she additional. “They speak to individuals, console them, guarantee them of all support. The technique has lessened the mental trauma of flood-affected people.”

Helping children

The Nationwide Institute of Mental Wellbeing and Neurosciences is doing the job with the Kerala education and learning office to devise new educating solutions for students in flood-hit regions. “Children will consider much more time to forget the horror of the floods, so there is a need to aim much more on them,” claimed Sekar. “We will teach instructors in providing psychosocial assist which will improve the morale of the children. We will also train them in making use of art therapy and perform therapy. The subsequent 6 months are vital for the small children.”

Leena Joshi, previous director of the non-profit Apnalaya, reported it will consider a great deal work to deliver Kerala’s flood-hit youngsters “back to life”. “They need to be permitted to specific by themselves as a result of paintings, art or dance,” she included. “It is the ideal way to bring them back to life. They are our long term.”

Joshi also requested the federal government to organise short-term health care camps where by flood victims can arrive and share their panic and grief. “It can guide to the development of self-enable teams that will bond people today jointly,” she added.

Resource connection

[its-a-mysteryyy]

The Name Demands Perfection feat. my inability to pick a pronoun

Genji’s like 11-13 years old when he first sees the façade slip. On his way to training, in a garden out back of the castle he hears a young child screaming, they’re being beaten by two of the older workers and they just keep yelling I’M SORRY. I’M SORRY. And they’re like taking a switch to them and shit, like that one scene from memoirs and someone just grabs Genji’s arm and pulls him away like AHAHAHA;;;; YEAH LET’S KEEP GOING.

 He sees them later and asks  if she’s ok. She freaks out and bows (ok and she’s maybe like 2-3 years younger than him I guess?? Idk) drops like TO THE FLOOR, FOREHEAD TO THE GROUND. She’s like SHIMADA SAMA I’M ALRIGHT DO NOT CONCERN YOURSELF and he’s just like…. I saw them. I can see the bruises and their face falls a little bit and they quietly admit, yeah, I’m ok. It happens a lot. I’m used to it. I mess up a lot. I’m surprised anyone keeps me around I’m so worthless. Genji tries to comfort her and she appreciates it but she’s like, yeah if I’m seen with you I’ll only get in trouble so she runs away.

- BACKSTORY TIME. She’s basically an acquisition from a rival clan. Her parents were killed and instead of leaving her to fend for herself the Shimada clan ‘took her in’ basically making her an indentured servant. And nobody fucking regulated the shit with the servants looking after her so she’s basically the whipping child.

This happens a lot over the next few years as they grow up. He catches them post beatings. He sneaks them food when they’re starving her. They talk quietly in hidden corners, and Genji starts to get Dokis that are all muddled in with pity and a savior complex and he wants so much to do right by them but he doesn’t actually make a move to improve their conditions because he feels Helpless.

- Hanzo admits once that he feels similarly (while they’re still close), but it’s their lot in life, and there’s really no helping them. It’s also kind of been brainwashed into him by the elders that they can’t help them either. Genji still trusts and believes his older brother at this point. He’s like, but when YOU’RE the master of the Shimada clan, you can change things, right? And Hanzo laughs and he’s like, yeah, perhaps. And he’s genuine about it, he also wants to do right by the hurt people until later when he gets colder and stressed the fuck out.

Genji throws his weight around a lot to get them to sneak off with him, which only works some of the time, especially as others get suspicious. He’s like YEAH I NEED THIS ONE TO DO A THING FOR ME and manages to steal them away for a few hours. They get out of the castle for a couple hours at a time a few times, and it’s just magical for her, she’s so enamored by the outside world, he takes her to the arcade, to his favorite places to eat, on walks outside the compound. She cries once, wishes it could be normal between them, breaks Genji’s heart. (“You never should have taken me out here. Now I know what I’ll never have and I-“) (She may or may not use the exact phrasing that it’s “cruel”)

They’re late-teens when they kiss. It’s a soft, secret thing, just like all their other secrets, but it’s like, she feels warmth and alive for the first time in years. It takes just a little while longer for Genji to be like HEY YEAH I WANT TO DO THAT ALL THE TIME I LIKE YOU A LOT. And she’s just like…. No but I’m a servant you can’t just do that that’s fucked up Genji. He’s like I’ll be really quiet about it I promise I’m great at keeping secrets. And HE REALLY IS but then they get careless and get caught and she’s basically RIPPED AWAY FROM HIM BY HER HAIR AND SHE’S SCREAMING AND CRYING and he literally doesn’t see her for weeks.

- Also this is maybe the start of the widening rift between the brothers. He’s being lectured for sleeping with the help, he’s better than that, can do better than that doesn’t have to jump into bed with anything. There’s arguing, Hanzo agrees with the elders, there’s EVEN MORE ARGUING and Genji’s rebellious streak begins. Like you wanna see a disappointment? I’LL FUCKIN SHOW YOU A DISAPPOINTMENT.

 He’s a little heartbroken, afterward, tbh. He wonders what happened to you, how severely you’re being punished this time. And oh, does he know the punishments still happen. (You might be hiding the severity from him, still don’t want him to worry, he’s still too good for that, too good for you.) He sees the barest corner of the eye glimpses of you, but you never seek him out, never meet his eyes and it’s never more than a few seconds, but it’s like you’re becoming a ghost.

 He doesn’t recognize her when he fully sees her again. This is maybe like a month or two of being Hard Separated. Then there’s an event, and he’s bored and upset and newly green-haired and when servants turn up one bumps into him on the way past to the kitchens, not even fit to serve the guests and they bow deep, voice quiet, polite and almost dead. Forgive me, Shimada-sama, I am truly careless, I accept whatever punishment you deem acceptable. THEY MIGHT SPILL SOMETHING. And he’s like no no it’s ok it’s ok it’s…. *eyes wide* it’s you.

 Your eyes are dead as fuck. You’re stiff and formal and it’s almost like you’ve been reprogrammed or something, you don’t even look like you recognize him. He tries to get your attention proper, but he backs off after grabbing at your shoulders when you stiffen up like he was going to hit you, every single one of your muscles wound tight. You may shake a bit. His heart breaks when you visibly relax after he backs away. You bow again, apologize, give him a line that sounds like it’s been force fed through your throat a thousand times. “Forgive me, Shimada-sama. I am but a humble servant of the Shimada-clan, it is beneath you to associate with me. Is there anything you require before I resume my duties?” And he’s just fucking quietly wrecked because now you’re spouting the same bullshit the elders do, about how he’s above the servants and expected of greatness and the servants may as well not even be people.

 He storms out of the event/party/formal fucking whatever, trying to get your empty eyes out of his mind, trying to not think of who you used to be because it hurts it hurts why didn’t he try harder to help you, why can’t he do something. Hanzo should fucking do something about this, he’s practically in charge. The rift widens when he confronts him. Hanzo scoffs, says he should be worried about more than some servants, he has more important responsibilities in life. They fight not for the first time. Things get more intense, Genji rebels more, tries to put your face out of his mind, and it comes to a head.

 Genji is struck down by Hanzo just a few weeks after the sad reunion. You are made to scrub his blood from the floorboards.

 (Potentially epilogued where Genji comes back as a cyborg to dismantle the Shimada empire, starting at the roots, and comes across you and almost wants to say it’s him but draws back at the last second, tells You to get somewhere safe. You don’t alert anyone to his presence, surprisingly, the amount of  “reprogramming” you’d gone under)

               - Also POTENTIALLY A REALLY FUCKED UP THING. Maybe you’re just fucking cleaning (to double up on fucked up, maybe you’re cleaning blood where Genji’s already taken care of someone) and he comes across you and you don’t even look up. You’re just scrubbing at whatever you’re cleaning (potentially just blood I guess) and eventually pause after a million years of silence, and genji struck silent and horrified inside his own head. You say quietly ‘…aren’t you killing everyone?’ but the way you emphasize everyone has him reeling. (“I would’ve tried to kill myself years ago, but there’s no purpose in death, I can be of no help to anyone if I’m dead. Even a useless thing such as me has a purpose.”) Also also a fucked up thing, might think that with the Shimada fallen you’re like double useless and have no purpose and SHOULD die with the rest of them.

 ….I don’t see a happy ending. Even if Genji /did/ come back for her/to save her, she’s p much irreparably damaged by the abuses she’s suffered, not to mention Genji’s supposed death would take a long time to recover from. She certainly wouldn’t be able to go to Overwatch, wouldn’t be an agent in any capacity, she’s only really used to a life of servitude and wouldn’t know how to live on her own. Genji could try but…….. yeah. IDK I’d really have to /stretch/ to get a happy ending out of it.

 POTENTIAL BITTERSWEET ENDING: Genji getting her to some help, out of the Shimada clan and into like idk a place for the abused to escape to, some kind of counseling, IDK, and he may discreetly visit from time to time. You gain a little life back, but you’re never really the same and Genji still curses himself for not doing anything sooner.